VHHS

Thank you for completing your preregistration and setting up your parent PowerSchool account which allows us to prepare for course selection! If you did not create your parent PowerSchool account, please follow our instructions from the previous newsletter using this link. Please read below for important information regarding our 8th grade orientation and how to prepare for the course selection process in January.

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Thank you again to all 8th grade students and their caregivers who were able to make it to the PreAct 8/9.

The 2025-2026 course selection process will be communicated to your family at the LHS and VHHS 8th grade orientation presentations in January. If your student was unable to attend one of the testing events this fall, our course selection process will also encompass your student's current teacher guidance, as well as IAR and other standardized testing data (MAP, Star, iReady, or other data that is provided to us by your middle school). PreACT 8/9 scores represent just one measure we will use in this process. And, of course, your family will have the final decision relative to coursework for next year.

If you are interested in learning more about what your PreACT 8/9 scores mean, you may find the Using Your PreACT or PreACT 8/9 Results resource from ACT helpful. Click on this link to access this resource. (Please note that there are portions of this that will not apply to your student. For instance, on page 2, the resource states that students answered questions about their high school courses and career interests; 8th grade students did not answer these questions when they took the PreACT 8/9.)

December

You are welcome to review the District 128 SchooLinks & Course Planning website which has the following resources. Once you access the website, please select VHHS as your school in the All schools drop down.

• Course Selection Resources & Counselor Support (Some resources are still being finalized)

• VHHS Curriculum Guide & Course Descriptions

• Career Pathways & Additional Post-Secondary Resources

Freshman Non Placement Electives is another resource to explore electives to round out your students schedule.

🔵January Preview 🔵

Step 1: Attend 8th Grade Orientation with your student on Thursday, January 16th

Step 2: Receive course selection eligibility and school guidance (week of January 20th)

Step 3: Use Course Selection Resources in SchooLinks

Step 4: Discuss as a family course selection eligibility, school guidance, and submit pink course request form by February 10th (email or in-person)

Additional academic planning resources and instructions will be shared in January.

The course selection process will be explained in detail at 8th Grade Orientation. Orientation will be recorded and shared with families who cannot attend. Course selection guidance and a freshman course request worksheet will be mailed by January 20th to your student's home address. This mailing could take up to 5-7 business days to arrive. Course request worksheets are due back to VHHS by February 10th. After February 10th, requests to change courses may be very difficult to alter or unavailable due to space.

VHHS Academic Department Chairs are responsible for handling questions regarding school guidance for all incoming freshmen. While the PreAct 8/9 was the initial benchmark used for course eligibility, department chairs also use MAP tests, local placement tests (language), and family input to find the best course for each student. Should you have questions regarding your student's school guidance, please contact the respective VHHS department chair at VHHS before February 9th.

Students with IEP or 504 plan & other support programming:

• In the coming months, students and parent/guardians with 504s and IEPS will have individual meetings with their current Hawthorn case manager and VHHS representative along with a VHHS counselor to support course selection, post-secondary planning, and elective choices.
• VHHS offers multiple levels of interventions to support your students’ needs and those options will be discussed with your family during these meetings.
• Our special service and counselor teams look forward to supporting your individual student.

Counselor Course Selection Support & Additional Information:

As with all prior years, school counselors will be available to help answer questions pertaining to your individual student regarding course registration, elective options, and course eligibility/school guidance (January & February). Counselors will continue to help your student make course decisions and balance their schedule with your student's academic strengths, personal interests/passions, post-secondary goals, and wellbeing in mind.

Optional Counselor Appointments

Optional course selection appointments for students wishing to meet with their counselors will take place on the following dates:

• Wednesday, January 29th -- 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm / In-person at VHHS.
• Wednesday, February 5th -- 1:00 - 4:00 pm / Virtually on Google Meets.
• Appointments can be made beginning January 21st -- Details to come in the January Newsletter.
• Additional course selection support for families in Spanish and Russian will be on Monday, February 3rd at 6:30 pm at VHHS.

Vernon Hills High School Eighth Grade Orientation for the Class of 2029 is on Thursday, January 16, 2025. We ask everyone to follow the time schedule below so that we may accommodate everyone comfortably this evening. (If you have a conflict with your assigned time, please call 847-932-2301).

Families with Last Names A-K and Spanish Speaking Families

• 6:00 – 7:00 pm: Presentation in the Auditorium (*Doors open at 5:45 pm, Presentation begins promptly at 6:00 pm)

• 7:10 – 8:00 pm: Activity Fair in the Foyer & Gym

Families with Last Names L-Z and Russian Speaking Families

• 6:20 – 7:15 pm: Activity Fair in the Foyer & Gym

• 7:15 – 8:15 pm: Presentation in the Auditorium

The overall purpose of the evening is to introduce incoming students to the educational programming at VHHS and to assist families with the freshman enrollment process. Counselors, department chairs, teachers and administration will be available to answer questions as you prepare for your student’s high school experience. Eighth grade students are encouraged to attend the evening’s activities to meet some of our students, teachers and coaches. The orientation offers us a chance to share the many opportunities that will be available to you at VHHS. Cougar spirit items will be available to purchase at our online school store.

Parking will be available in the school’s west and east parking lots. Additional parking will be available in the BD corporate lot west of VHHS on Lakeview Parkway. Entrances on both sides of the school will be open.

Just a reminder, you have until February 3rd to declare your school of choice. Until your Choice Zone declaration is received, you will continue to receive communication and you will begin the course selection process with Vernon Hills High School. Communication from LHS regarding their 8th Grade Orientation on January 9th will come shortly.

12/16/2024 - 1/16/2025

Prepare for course selection

1/16/2025

8th Grade Orientation -- Begin course selection process

1/20/2025

VHHS mails course selection worksheet to the student's address on file. Mailing could take up to 5-7 business days to arrive

1/29/2025 in-person from 1:30 pm-5:00 pm & 2/5/2025 virtually from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Optional course selection appointments for students wishing to meet with their counselors.

Information will be released in January regarding scheduling.

2/3/2025

Additional course selection meeting for Spanish and Russian speaking families at VHHS from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

Choice Zone Families

Deadline to complete their Choice Zone Declaration

🔵2/10/2025🔵

Final course selections (pink forms) and level change requests due to VHHS

5/10/2025

Course requests and changes will reopen -- change requests are dependent on seats available

6/2/2025-6/26/2025

Online annual summer registration window

7/30/2025 (Tentative Date)

Chromebook distribution

8/5/2025 (Tentative Date)

9th Grade Orientation (students only)

8/11/2025

Fall sports begin

Athletic Start Dates

8/11/2025

First day of classes

Welcome to the all new VHHS Spirit Store - your one stop shop for Cougar apparel and spirit items. Check out the newly added Class of 2029 items. All proceeds go directly to our amazing parent groups.

If you have any questions while registering your student, please contact Debbie Lehman deborah.lehman@d128.org or Jennifer Sheppard jennifer.sheppard@d128.org M-F 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

Email: v.registration@d128.org
Phone: 847-932-2200

Website: https://www.d128.org/vhhs/