Friday Fanscout March 7, 2025

• Forest Scout Friday
• Safe2Help Illinois

• ACT Assessments
• ACT Prep Classes
• LFHS Shuttle Service Update
• Coffee with Principal Lenart
• Seniors (submit your local scholarship applications)
• Severe Weather Drill
• Summer Job Fair
• Summer School Catalog
• TEDxLFHS

• Athletics
• Book Talk with Dr. Doug Bolton on Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation
• Booster Bash
• Canned Food Drive
• Friday Morning News
• HydroMTR
• LFHS Alumni Wall of Fame
• LFHS Students at Citadel Theater's I and You
• Lost and Found
• Mini Scout Events
• Regional Math Competition

• Spring 2025 Teen Talks

Scouts Trailing News

• LFHS Foundation Spring Luncheon
• Student One Pager
• Submitting Service Hours for the 24-25 School Year

Need the FanScout translated? Please see the translation button on the upper right corner of this communication! ¿Necesitas traducir el FanScout? Por favor, vea el botón de traducción arriba a la derecha!

Dear Lake Forest Community High School,

Happy Friday! Last week, I wondered about spring in the air. This week, I am seeing a view out of my window of snow and wintry weather–it appears that I spoke (or wrote) way too soon! I am looking forward to daylight saving time this Saturday night/early Sunday morning because for me that will definitely feel like a new beginning and the first sign of spring.

Also last week, I wrote about our ELS game and what a tremendous gift of community it is for our students and staff. As I look ahead to next week’s D115 Board of Education meeting, we will be featuring Integrated Wellness as our One Lake Forest High School spotlight, with our own Chuck Spagnoli sharing his incredible work supporting our students as they support each other. Tune in to learn more about yet another part of what makes LFHS the special place that it is.

We are deep in the midst of sectioning for next year, examining the courses our Scouts have selected, and planning for the teachers, staff, time and talent that will be needed to support our students. As a small, community high school we should be proud that we are able to offer so much to our students, from our expansive course offerings to our numerous extracurricular activities–there is an abundance of opportunity for all of our students to find and explore their interests and passions. As we finalize and then implement these decisions, some of your students may be asked to switch semesters or classes to ensure that we have a balance of classes and course enrollment. We do this not only to make sure that the dynamics of every classroom provide abundant perspective, but also so that our class rosters reflect a balance of students–this is important as our professional educators plan for learning in all of our classes. We want to make sure that our students have the best experience possible at LFHS!

I am planning to bash with the Boosters for a little while this Saturday night–it never ceases to amaze me–how much our community gives to us so that we can give to our students!

Wishing you the very best,

Erin

https://theforestscout.com/

Happy Friday, Scouts! The Forest Scout is coming to you again this week to let you know what’s new in the community. Make sure you check it out so you can stay in the know.

Friday Five: The Friday Five features students and staff doing their part to make LFHS a better place.

Overall Must-Read:

• In LFHS Editor Amelia Hansen- Hattie Strong: A Community’s Love and Support for a Brave Preschooler

In LFHS:

• Video Editor Grace Donovan- Marcel: A Man and His Music

• Staff Writer Matthew Chabraja- ‘A Teacher Bromance:’ Clegg and Simmons

• Staff Writer Josie Irvin- The Instant Slump: Procrastination

• Staff Writer Burke Konz - The Story Behind ‘Prior:’ Danny Flores’s Style Journey

• Staff Writer Sarah Noble- Community Engagement at LFHS

In Between the Lines:

• In LFHS Editor Sara Drowne - 2024-25 Outstanding Senior Athlete Award

• In LFHS Editor Sara Drowne- Lulu Keil Commits To Play Field Hockey at Denison

• Social Media Editor McKenzy Hoopis- One More Year: Marty Hippel’s Road to Success

• Staff Writer Boden Rupprecht- 2025 Boys Varsity Baseball Preview

• Staff Writer Maggie Gilleran- Girls Soccer Prepares for Upcoming Season

• Staff Writer Ben Smith- Q&A With Varsity Baseball Player Max Helmer

• Staff Writer Dominic Mordini- Top 5 NCAA Cinderella Teams in the Past Decade

• Staff Writer Kiley Goodman- The Unsung Heroes of Athletics

• Staff Writer Tommy Swift- Back to Back: What Needs to Happen to Repeat as State Champions

• Staff Writers Ibrahim Hashim and Avi Srivastava- How the First 10 Picks of the NFL Draft Should Go

• Staff Writer Charlie Graham- Scouts Fall Short to Deerfield in Sectional Semifinals

In Our Opinion:

• In LFHS Editor Kallista Schneiderman- I’m Becoming An “Armchair Therapist”

• Staff Writer Anna Braun- I’m a JV Athlete and Proud of It

• Staff Writer Phoebe Silver- Around the Corner: LFHS Students Should Get Involved in Lake Forest College

• Staff Writer Sophia Shader- Love-Hate Relationship With Block Days

• Staff Writer Eden Vishnubhakat- Going Under? The Fall of Women’s Aquatic Sports at LFHS

• Staff Writer Sydney Keck- Musk’s DOGE Is Disappointing, and So Is Its Leader

• Staff Writer Matthew Angelos- Ranking the Best Days to Go to Windy City Smokeout

• Staff Writer Natalee Hoel- Best Places to Visit Along 30A

• Staff Writer Finley Karr- Why I Love to Travel…And Why You Should Too

In Style:

• Editor-in-Chief Clara Collis- An Overnight Sensation: The Parke Sweatshirt

• Editor-in-Chief Clara Collis and Social Media Editor Michaela Barry- 2025 Spring Break Essentials

• In LFHS Editor Amelia Hansen and Staff Writer Finley Karr- TFS Recommends: Our Favorite Skincare and Makeup Brands

• Staff Writer Kacey Busam- Fashion Meets Community: Nicole Carrabine’s Vision for The Lake Forest Shop

• Staff Writer Sophia Brincat- A Fresh New Look: Lux Lane Opens in Lake Forest

• Staff Writer Camille Brincat- Stylish Scouts: Matthew Kim

• Staff Writer Bella Bosau- 5 Fashion Picks For St. Patrick’s Day

• Staff Writer Lizzy Grace- Smith’s Men Store: Crafting Style and Legacy in Lake Forest

Watch-It:

• Special Guests Lilly Stauffer, Grace Donnellan, Will Hirschfield, Maria Alzamora, Joey Van Camp, Clay Goldhaber, Hannah Miczuga, and Runo Ogufere- Morning News 3/7

• Social Media Editor Michaela Barry and Staff Writer Trevor Diem- Hallway Hearsay Ep. 2 Featuring Hudson Scroggins

• Staff Writers Kayden Prieto and Sophia Shader- What Makes LFHS a Community?

Seniors, do you know where you are going to college and want to be featured in College Corner? Click here to appear in an upcoming article!

Lake Forest School District 115 now uses Safe2Help Illinois for confidential reporting of concerns like bullying, safety threats, or mental health issues. This 24/7 statewide tool connects students to the right support—school staff, mental health professionals, or law enforcement.

This program is accessbile by app, text (SAFE2 to 72332), phone (844-4-SAFEIL), or website (safe2helpil.com), Safe2Help focuses on prevention and building a culture of trust and care.

March 7: End of 3rd Quarter

March 11: Student Job Fair (During Lunch Hours)

March 11: D115 Board of Education Meeting (West Campus) 7:00 PM

March 13: Orchestra Concert 7:30 PM (RMA)

March 14: Deadline for Level Change

March 14: Deadline for Pass/Fail

March 17: Choir Concert 7:30 (RMA)

March 19: TEDxLFHS 12:30 pm

March 21-28: Spring Break

March 31: Back to School

As part of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) guidelines, LFHS will continue administering ACT assessments this year. These assessments provide a valuable opportunity for students to demonstrate their college and career readiness.

Who is Testing?

• Juniors – ACT with Writing (State of Illinois graduation requirement)
• Sophomores – PreACT Secure
• Freshmen – PreACT 9 Secure

Test Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025

For freshmen and sophomores, this is a great way to practice for the ACT and track your growth. For juniors, this is your chance to showcase your college readiness skills. All students should take the assessment seriously and put forth their best effort.

Test Day Details

• Testing begins at 8:00 am – arrive between 7:30 am - 7:45 am
• Bring your student ID – you’ll need it to check in
• Use your fully charged school-issued MacBook – the test is digital
• The ACT will be taken in the TestNav app (restart your MacBook over the weekend to install updates)

• Test duration:
• ACT (Juniors) – 5 sections (Reading, English, Math, Science, Writing) – 3 hours, 35 minutes
• PreACT Secure & PreACT 9 Secure (Sophomores & Freshmen) – 4 sections (Reading, English, Math, Science) – 2 hours, 10 minutes
• Students with accommodations may have extended testing times

Helpful Test Day Information

• Students may bring water and a small snack
• The cafeteria and The Grind will be open before testing for breakfast/snacks (not available during the test)
• No mobile phones or wearable devices (smartwatches, etc.) during the test – they must be turned off and stowed away
• Students must remain in their assigned testing location for the entire duration of the test

After the Test

• There are no classes on this day – students will be dismissed once testing is complete
• Two bus routes will run after testing:
  • First departure: Around 12:30 pm
  • Second departure: Around 2:30 pm
• Cafeteria & The Grind open for grab-and-go options from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
• Be mindful that some rooms may finish testing later than others—please keep noise levels down

If you have any questions, please contact:

Frank Lesniak
Assistant Principal, Student Operations
📧 flesniak@lfschools.net | 📞 847-582-7736

As the weather warms up, we will be transitioning from the morning shuttle service at the Lake Forest train station to a single bus route. The last day for the shuttle service will be Tuesday, March 11.

Starting Monday, March 10, Olson Transportation will begin providing service at the McKinley and Scott bus stop. On Monday and Tuesday, students may choose either the morning shuttle or the Olson bus at 7:35 am.

Beginning Wednesday, March 12, the shuttle service will be discontinued, and the McKinley and Scott stop will be the only morning option.

McKinley and Scott Bus Stop Schedule:

• Monday, Tuesday, and Friday: 7:35 am

• Late Start Days (Wednesday & Thursday): 8:45 am

This courtesy stop does not require transportation fees for students using only this stop.

There are no changes to the After School Activity Bus, and the activity shuttle from East to West will continue running as usual.

Please share this update with your student, especially if they park at the train station, so they can adjust their schedule accordingly.

For any questions, please contact Betty Magana (bmagana@lfschools.net) and Natalia Martinez (nmartinez@lfschools.net).

Seniors, you have until March 15th to submit your local scholarship applications. Don't miss out on a chance to receive one or more of these awards at the Scholarship and Awards Night on May 29th. You can find and apply for them here: Local Scholarships. Questions: Contact Mrs. Gleason in Room 103 or at jgleason@lfschools.net

March is Severe Weather Awareness Month. Lake Forest High School will conduct its annual Severe Weather Shelter Drill on Monday, March 17, to ensure students and staff are prepared in case of an emergency. This is also a good time to make sure your students' emergency contact information is updated in PowerSchool.

Throughout the year, we practice safety drills to help our students and staff know what to do in various types of emergencies. The goals of safety drills are to improve our ability to protect students, save lives, and reduce injuries in the event of a crisis. When conducting drills we work closely with our local authorities to implement the best possible safety practices.

Please reach out to Assistant Director of Safety & Security, Rick Anderson (randerson@lfschools.net) with questions.

HOT OFF THE PRESS! Please see our newly released Summer School Catalog for the upcoming school year. You will have time to consider selections as registration will begin on Friday, March 14th on our district website. We will also share registration information on that same day in the Friday Fanscout. Registration for most Summer School courses close on Friday, May 23rd. Driver Ed Registration closes on Friday, April 11th.

2025 Summer School Catalog

TEDxLFHS returns on March 19th!

TEDxLFHS is an annual TEDxYouth event designed to highlight LFHS students, teachers, and innovative thinkers that have ideas worth spreading.

This year's event takes place on Wednesday, March 19 from 12:30-1:50pm (6th period) in the Little Theater and features 7 speakers, 2 emcees, and live musical performances.

Students can sign up to attend now by visiting tedxlfhs.com/attend before March 14.

Parents and community members who are interested in attending should email tedxlfhs@lfschools.net for more information.

Seats are limited, so don’t delay! We look forward to a great day of amazing conversation and ideas that inspire!

In April, we'll welcome Dr. Doug Bolton, clinical psychologist and author of Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation—for the second installment of Dr. Jenny Sterpin’s Belonging Series.

Dr. Bolton will join Superintendent Dr. Matthew Montgomery for a conversation about how families can help young people build resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing world. Untethered releases on March 18, so if you’d like to read ahead, copies will be available wherever books are sold.

Date: April 3

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Raymond Moore Auditorium, Lake Forest High School East Campus

The LFHS Boosters is hosting their annual fundraiser, The Booster Bash, Saturday, March 8th, at Duffer's Pub (6:30pm - 9:30pm). Attending this casual event is a great way to support The Boosters and contribute to our mission of supporting our kids' athletic success, spirit and sportsmanship!

Last year, the Boosters gave back over $199,000 to our LFHS athletic programs.

The Booster Bash's theme this year is "Scouts Superfans," so please wear your Scouts fan gear, find those pins, and get ready for a good time! There will be awards given to the best dressed Scout Superfan so SCOUT yourself out!!

Please see the link below for ticket info.

Do you hesitate to buy houseplants because you don’t know how to take care of them or because, no matter what you do, they just seem to die?

We are HydroMTR, an incubator class at LFHS, and we are here to solve that problem. The HydroMTR is a device that you place into the soil of your plant. The device then connects to an app to send you a notification about what your plant needs to thrive. More water? More sunlight? Different soil? We’ve got you covered!

Our product is small, green, and electronic! Your beautiful, healthy plants will draw all the attention - not some big, bulky device. HydroMTR will send a signal from your plant to your app which will turn into notifications to remind you when and how much to water your plants. It’s not just lack of water that can kill a plant - overwatering can be just as lethal. With HydroMTR, you can rest easy knowing your plants are getting exactly what they need.

Currently, we are working with our designers to produce a prototype, but we'd like to know what you think of our product! Please click on the link below to let us know if you'd be interested in this product once it comes to market and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates!

Product Interest Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-Kmbq_JREeGxIKQSy3yprSxvZmRKou_tSReyBYserPxIDiw/viewform?usp=dialog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570107572086&scrlybrkr=7443ca18

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hydromtr/profilecard/?igsh=Zm4xNmx0c25uaXZm

LFHS students recently attended a special performance of I and You at Citadel Theatre, joining peers from across the North Shore. The experience provided a unique opportunity to engage with live theater and explore the play’s powerful themes. Check out these photos from the event! Learn more about Citadel Theater and "I and You" at their website: https://www.citadeltheatre.org/

Hello Parents! We are Mini Scout Events and we are with the Business Incubator Program at Lake Forest High School! Mini Scout Events is a team of local high school aged students dedicated to creating unforgettable local kids’ events. We offer a variety of exciting and trending activities, ensuring every child stays entertained and has fun! With us, parents can relax and enjoy the event, knowing that we’ve got everything covered for a memorable experience!

We are trying to grow our business to hopefully make this a reality. Mini Scout Events would appreciate your feedback and consideration by filling out this survey! https://forms.gle/Ls3HiX4YvD1cstzA7

Thank you! Visit our social media if you are interested! @miniscoutevents

Congratulations to our Math team who participated in their Regional Competition on Saturday, February 22.

Results:

3rd place by the freshmen in the written Algebra event

4th place by the sophomores in the written Geometry event

4th place by the juniors in the written Algebra II event

4th place in the Freshmen/Sophomore Eight-Person Team Event

4th place in the Junior/Senior Eight-Person Team Event

4th place on the Calculator Team Event

6th place for the Oral Presentation Event by Elizabeth Silvay and Devin Parsons

Individual students earned the following rankings for their written event results:

6th place by Matthew Zimlich on the written Algebra event

4th place by Rex Philips on the written Algebra event

9th place by Laura Quan on the written Algebra II event

7th place by James Wang on the written Algebra II event

The team scored a total of 609 points, which placed us 6th at our Regional and 13th for Division 3AA statewide. Well done scouts!

Lake Forest Community High School District 115 may share content from public/private schools, government entities, community organizations, or 501(c)(3) nonprofits that align with district-related events, initiatives, or youth activities. Distribution of external content is at the District’s discretion. The District is not responsible for the content or accessibility of external websites. For more information, visit our website.

Spring 2025 Teen Talks topics—designed to inspire, empower, and connect adoptees in a safe, virtual space. First Monday of each month at 7 PM (CST).

Join us virtually for these engaging discussions:

• February 3rd: Community

• March 3rd: Identity

• April 7th: Adoption and the Media

• May 5th: Microaggressions

This teen-led support group is a judgment-free zone to share your story, learn from others, and explore topics that matter.

Tag a friend who might be interested and share this post to spread the word!

Visit our website to register: icare4aaff.org or email:teentalks@icare4aaff.org

#TeenTalks #AdopteeSupport #AdoptionJourney #VirtualSupport #SpringTopics #iCARE4AAFF

SEEKING LUNCHEON SPONSORS & AUCTION DONATIONS

LFHS Foundation is gearing up for our annual Spring Luncheon, Celebrating Educational Excellence, on May 2, 2025. We have a beautiful venue: Knollwood Club. We have an engaging speaker: Harlan Cohen. Now we need SPONSORS & AUCTION DONATIONS. If your family or business would like to support LFHS and help fund future grants as a SPONSOR or AUCTION DONOR you can do so directly via our event website using the link LFHSLunch25.givesmart.com or by downloading the forms on our website at lfhsfoundation.org/donors--sponsors.

Those with questions should contact Nicole Phelan about sponsorship or Kirstin Carruthers about auction donations.

Here is the updated student one pager.

Student One Pager

Lake Forest High School has moved away from using X2Vol to record service hours for this academic year.

All students should use this spreadsheet to record service hours for this current academic year. You will be prompted to make a copy of the spreadsheet. This link is also found in the ScoutCenter under Extracurricular & School Life.

If you can say YES to the following questions, your volunteer service is likely to be approved:*

• Was the service done on behalf of others (not family members)?

• Was the service done to assist others and for the good of the community?

• Was this service completed voluntarily and without compensation (grade, class credit, club/sports team requirement or for pay)?

• Was this service completed beyond a club’s membership hour requirement?

• Was the service done outside the school day or during unscheduled school time?

• Is the service consistent with the Lake Forest High School’s Mission and Vision?

**PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARDS**

IF you are submitting for the presidential service award, that deadline is March 15, 2025. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Sabin (tsabin@lfschool.net) or Ms. Malec (amalec@lfschools.net)

**NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY**

For NHS, please review the NHS guidelines on hours. Also, for the NHS application, you will need some sort of digital proof of your hours, which is covered in the document linked. If you have any NHS-based questions, please reach out to Mr. Holmer at cholmer@lfschools.net.

Once you have your service hours entered, please use this Google Form to submit your spreadsheet for service verification by the Student Activities Office.