April 11, 2025

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students!

Welcome to the latest edition of the Principal's Blog! As always, we have packed it with all the important updates, event highlights, and student achievements we don’t want you to miss.

Be sure to check out registration deadlines, summer school details and our exciting arts performances and athletic accomplishments. There's something for every Mustang to celebrate and prepare for.

This edition also includes details on parking permits, yard sign sales, experiential learning opportunities, and upcoming events. There is an incredible showcase of student excellence, energy and engagement yet to come.

SENIORS! Prom and graduation are just weeks away. Make sure these items are on your to-do list:

• Order your Class of 2025 Sign – Pick up in Main Office
• Order your College Yard Sign – Pick up on May 15th
• Graduation Rehearsal Video – To be released on May 5th
• Make sure we have the right pronunciation of your name.
• Honors Medal and Tassels - May 9th - 13th
• Cap and Gown Pick-up Day – May 15th

I can’t say it enough, let’s finish strong, Mustangs!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Dr. Alexandria Taylor

Principal

Mundelein High School

847-949-2200

www.d120.org

ataylor@d120.org

Apr 5 - May 16 - Order Your College Sign

Apr 12 - El Baile

Apr 13 - Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge

Apr 13 - STEM Explorer Scholarship Applications Due

Apr 14 - 2025-2026 Parking Permit Allocation

Apr 15-17 - ACT Makeup Week

Apr 15 - Best Buddies Fundraiser

Apr 17 - NSC Art Festival

Apr 18 - No School

Apr 23 - MHS Facilites Improvement Project Groundbreaking

Apr 24-25 - Mundelein All Area Art Show

Apr 24-26 - MHS Musical - Something Rotten

Apr 24 - Building Tour

Apr 29 - Night of Percussion

Register by May 1st, 2025, to receive your $25 discount!

The 25/26 Early Registration Fee item has been added to the PowerSchool fee accounts for the Class of 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Starting May 2nd, the discount will be removed and the regular Registration Fee of $275 will be listed. Please know that all prior Registration and Course fees must be paid off before paying the Early Registration item.

If you have any questions, please reach out to KC Olson in the MHS Payment Center at kolson@d120.org.

Registration for summer school 2025 is now open!

Please visit the following link to register your student for summer school: https://mundelein.revtrak.net/rw-summer-programs/

PLEASE NOTE: If your student indicated interest in a summer school class during their course selection, they are not yet registered. You must follow the registration process in order to secure a spot.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING DRIVERS EDUCATION: Due to the limited number of seats in this course, students are selected for placement based on a lottery. If you indicated interest in drivers education during course selection, you are in the lottery. You will receive additional information regarding your lottery placement later this week. If you are not sure if you're in the lottery, or want your name added to the lottery, please email Yuli Cordova: ycordova@d120.org.

For more information regarding summer school, including course offerings and registration processes, please visit: https://www.d120.org/academics/summer-programs/summer-school/

Due to construction, the D120 Welcome Center is now located at Carl Sandburg Middle School, 330 Ridgemoor Avenue, Mundelein, and is accessible from the back area.

A brown bin is available for dropping off clean, gently used, or new donations.

We accept small household items such as pots, pans, and dishes.

Clothing donations for children and adults are accepted, provided they are in excellent condition and clean. This includes shoes, coats, and boots. Undergarments must be brand new.

We also accept non-perishable food items.

Donations can be dropped off in the brown bin located on the south side of the building, in front. Staff is available weekdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

For questions or to contact the Welcome Center regarding donations or to assist a family in need, please contact Veronica Huerta at 224-261-0645.

Stress is something we all face, but how we experience it can vary greatly. While there's no one-size-fits-all definition, it's most often described as a state of physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.

The MHS Wellness Center team is proud to share Mental Health Must-Haves for Mundelein Mustangs, a resource packet filled with tips and tricks to manage emotions and stress, regulate thoughts and anger, improve self-love and self-confidence, increase executive functioning, and enhance overall self-care. Be sure to also check out this month's self-care checklist, newsletter and list of helpful workshops.

April Self-Care Checklist

April Newsletter

April Workshops

Hope Squad

Time Management Tips for Learners courtesy of: Redmond High School

It was a very eventful spring break for the Mundelein Theatre Group Interpretation team. At the beginning of break they took second place in their sectional competition at Huntley High School, which qualified them to move on to the state tournament. Eight team members were selected for the All-Sectional Cast, which names the top performers in the competition. At the end of break, they travelled to the state tournament at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, IL. The team gave a great performance, and though they did not advance to the final round, company members Xavion Haynes, Sylv Pacis, Ellory Duval, and Jasmine Tigley had the high honor of being named to the All-State Cast. Other cast members included Riley Kuhn, Eli Nerdin, Connor Bui, Cana Raymond, Merrick Hoover, and Layla Trahan. The musicians were Olivia Jerome and Lily Jones, and the Student Assistant was Sara McHugh.

Group Interpretation is an IHSA sanctioned event. It is a 30-minute, student-led performance of any literary work. This year the Mundelein team presented Orion and the Dark, the story of an anxious 11-year-old boy who faces his fears, especially of the dark, when the personification of darkness takes him on a journey to prove there’s nothing to fear in the night. Mark Landuyt was the director, and Hayley Johnson was the assistant director.

Congratulations to our Honors Wind Ensemble for auditioning into the 2025 Superstate Festival! The All-State Festival is hosted each year at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May and features the top high school bands in the entire state across three divisions. Our Wind Ensemble is 1 of just 9 bands asked to perform in division 2A on May 9th. Students will have the honor of performing at one of the nation's top performance venues in Krannert Center for the Performing Arts - Foellinger Great Hall at 3:35pm on May 9th.

For those unable to attend in person, you can watch live online via the stream linked on the Illinois Superstate website. Congratulations, again, for being named one of the top band programs in the state!"

• Ticket sales: April 7 - 17, for $90/ticket on RevTrak(Opens in a new window)
• Guest forms are due by April 15, 2025; guests must be approved prior to purchasing tickets.
• All ticket sales are final and nontransferable.
• Table Selection: April 28 - 30 during lunches

Please visit the 2025 Prom Informational Letter (Opens in a new window) for details regarding this year's Masquerade Prom on Friday, May 2, 2025.

For additional information for students (including meal options), please visit the Prom Informational Slideshow (Opens in a new window).

We will send a reminder email on Monday, April 7, when ticket sales open.

A special thanks to the Junior Class for planning this event for our juniors and seniors!

Free admission to the public.

Puertas Club invites you to enjoy music, dance, food , culture and fun at El Baile!

April 12th

7:00pm - 10:00pm

Main Gym

Tickets - $5.00

Online ticket sales begin March 31st

Cash tickets on sale during lunch on April 7th, 8th and 11th

Buy at the door for $15.00

Guest forms are available in the Dean's Office. They are due April 8th

The annual Mayor’s Cup STEM Challenge is a great opportunity for Mundelein students to showcase their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills, earn cash rewards, and have fun in the process! Think critically, work together in teams, test your knowledge, and strengthen your collaborative and social skills. Expect real-world problem solving, hands-on involvement, and out-of-the-box thinking!

The STEM Challenge is open to all Mundelein Middle and High School Students who attend school in districts 75, 76, 79, 120, Carmel Catholic High School, or any student who resides within district 120 boundaries but attends another middle school not listed. Home schoolers within these boundaries are also welcome to compete.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Noon – 4:00 PM

Mundelein High School 1350 West Hawley Street

Register by April 4th

Click here to dowload the flyer.

Click here to apply.

The application period for the 2025-2026 MHS Parking Permit Allocation will open on Monday, April 14th, at 8:00 a.m. and close on Monday, May 5th, at 11:59 p.m. The online parking allocation sign-up will be available for three weeks, and students may apply at any time within this period.

Please note: Late applications will not be accepted.

Allocation Selection & Payment Information

• Previous year’s attendance will impact priority.
• Following attendance-based priority, seniors will be prioritized over juniors.
• Selected applicants will be notified via email by Thursday, May 8th, at 3:00 p.m.
• The parking permit fee will be added to the student's PowerSchool Student Fee Account, and payment must be completed by Wednesday, August 7th, at 10:00 a.m.
• Failure to submit payment by the deadline will result in forfeiture of the permit.

2025-2026 Parking Permit Options & Fees

• Full-Year Permit: $250 (Non-refundable)
• Single-Semester Permit: $145 (Non-refundable)

Students who plan to park on campus for the entire school year are strongly encouraged to apply for a full-year permit, as no additional allocations will be held during the school year.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a parking permit, students must:
✅ Be a Senior or Junior during the 2025-2026 school year (Sophomores are not eligible)
✅ Be in good academic standing
✅ Maintain a good attendance record

✅ Have no out of school suspensions

✅ Have no or limited parking violations while at MHS
✅ Possess a valid driver’s license*
✅ Own or have access to a vehicle
✅ Provide proof of valid vehicle registration and insurance

*Students who anticipate receiving their driver’s license after the registration deadline may still apply. If selected, the permit will be held until the student obtains a valid driver’s license.

Important Reminders

🚗 A valid parking permit is required to park in the school’s student lots.
🚗 Vehicles without a permit will be stickered and towed—no exceptions.
🚗 Only park in designated, legal parking spaces. Illegally parked vehicles will be stickered and towed.

For additional details, please refer to the Mundelein High School website: https://www.d120.org/activities/on-campus-parking-security/.

If you missed the ACT Test this week, April 15th through the 17th will be your next opportunity.

Save the date. More information to come.

NO SCHOOL

La sesión de abril de la Universidad para Padres se llevará a cabo el 21 de abril en la cafetería de la escuela, de 18:00 a 20:00 h. Para más información, comuníquese con Fred Kliora al 847-949-2200 ext. 1410 o con Joanna Rodríguez al 847-949-2200 ext. 1260.

Join us on April 23rd at 4:00pm for the MHS Facilities Improvement Project Groundbreaking

More information to come.

MHS Theatre presents, "Something Rotten"

Two brothers set out to write the world's first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-centry Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. Click here to view program.

Music and Lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Book by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick
Directed by Jonathan Meier

Dates

April 24, 25 & 26 at 7:30 p.m.
April 26 at 2 p.m.

Tickets (on sale soon)

$15 for adults

$10 for seniors (65+)

$8 for students/children

We are proud to host visitors to learn more about our programming and facilities. In order to minimize the impact on the educational environment, we have chosen to host visitors on select days throughout the school year.

Therefore, to secure a visitation time, please select from the following options so we are able to provide the necessary information and personnel during your visit.

Our next tour is on April 24th at 4:30pm. Click here to register.

Save the date. More information to come.

Senior yard signs are now available for $15 each! Each sign comes with yard stakes. All proceeds to benefit the MHS Student Support Fund!

Your student may pick up from the main office at the end of the school day. Please note, we don’t want students walking around the building with the yard stakes for the sign, so please encourage them to specifically pick up after classes. Alternatively, you may stop by the high school during school hours to pick up the sign.

Order your college yard sign. Signs will be available for pickup on May 15th at Senior Drop Off/Pick Up Day.

The CCRC offers assistance with all aspects of the college application process:

• Narrowing down college choices
• Working through applications
• Checking essays
• Discussing financial concerns and scholarships
• Talking about standardized tests
• Working with potential college athletes
• Discussing military options
• Helping students connect with people at university

Click here to learn more.

Many scholarship opportunities for Mundelein High School Seniors are now open! Ms. Bogseth sends out weekly emails with a list of scholarships but all of the MHS specific scholarships as well as community scholarships are posted in SchooLinks.

Seniors- in your SchooLinks account, click on “Finances” and then “Scholarship Match”. Scholarships posted by Ms. Bogseth will be under the “District-Posted” tab.

Experiential Education describes all opportunities offered to students to give them a chance to explore the world of careers and professions. These include classes like Dual Credit Student Internship, Business INCubator, and Geometry in Construction as well as career treks and featured guest speakers.

If you’re interested in learning more about our Dual Credit Student Internship course or any of our Experiential Education programs, contact Alexander Kapotas at akapotas@d120.org or at (847) 949-2200 x1092.

Check out this promo video that captures the spirit of the experiential education program here at Mundelein High School. Your epic future awaits, Mustangs!

Peer/AP Tutors has updated the link to the Advanced Placement web page where students can access videos that detail nearly two dozen AP courses offered at MHS. We are grateful to senior Sophie Hammer who taped and edited every video, and the cast of seniors and juniors who provided insights behind selecting advanced placement courses.

The link can be found on the Literacy Center and Peer/AP Tutors website.

Athletics events week of 4/14/2025

2025 Spring Athletic Department Newsletter

Submitted by Coach Rosales

Submitted by Coach Gold

Come try out for the dance team!

Submitted by Coach Stocker

As the weather warms up, it’s time to get outside and get your yard ready for the summer. Our annual Mulch Fundraiser will be on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 from 8am-4pm (weather permitting). This year, we will be hosting the fundraiser out of the MHS parking lot. Bags are $4 each. The attached flier has more info. I love this fundraiser because every dollar the kids raise, they must physically earn. It’s a long two days of manual labor, which I believe is good for them.

Here’s the best part, we can also deliver and spread it for you! No yard is too small or large for us to complete. Email me (don’t reply all), if you would like to place an order.

Not sure if you want to order yet, that’s ok. Feel free to just drive by and pick up what you need on the day of, we will have extra bags available. I have attached our flier with more info.

If it's not too much trouble I would love for you to help us get the word out. Please share our flier on your neighborhood Facebook groups and any other social media platforms. Please reach out if you have any questions. Thanks for your support.

Submitted by Coach Willis

It has been a busy week! Congratulations to the Varsity team for taking 1st place at the Highland Park Tri going 2-0 last Saturday! This week, Varsity earned a stellar win against Vernon Hills on Monday night in 2 short sets bringing their season record to 4-0, and both the Frosh/Soph and Freshman teams brought home wins against the Cougars as well. This Saturday, the JV team heads to the Libertyville Invite, while the Frosh/Soph team heads to the Lake Forest Invite. Good luck to both teams!

Looking to the week ahead, MHS hosts Stevenson at home on Tuesday, April 15, a game you don’t want to miss! Then, all levels hit the road again for some exciting matches: Round Lake on Wednesday, April 16 and Wheeling on Thursday, April 17. Please come out and support your Mustangs. It is going to be an exciting week!

PreVenture is a mental health program that screens students for personality related risk factors that may indicate increased risk for future participation in high-risk behaviors, including using drugs and alcohol. This does not evaluate for current high-risk behaviors, rather this is a preventative program to support the development of coping skills and self regulation strategies.

Omni utilizes the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) to screen students for eligibility. To learn more about PreVenture, click below.

English/Spanish

Quest is proud to be your dining partner and we are committed to providing the best experience possible to every student, including nutritious food, a wide variety of choices, and a seamless dining experience. We wanted to share a few important reminders about the dining program and we welcome your questions and feedback. Click here for more information.

New Year, New Look! Elevate Your Mustang Pride! Exciting news! We've expanded our spirit wear lineup with premium brands Under Armour and Champion at Mymustangnation.com.

Customize your gear with official school logos using our state-of-the-art DigiSoft printing for a smoother feel. Shop online 24/7 or see our printed merch at Mundelein High School. Visit us at mymustangnation.com or linked through the d120.org website.

Our MHS Portrait of a Learner tenets affirm student identity through schoolwide values, expectations and practices.

English | Spanish

We have had a number of vehicles park in our student lots without parking permits. We want to ensure a smooth start to everyone's day, so please note:

1. Parking Permits Required: All students must have a valid parking permit to use our student lots.
2. Legal Spots Only: Please park only in designated legal parking spots.
3. Consequences: Vehicles without permits or parked illegally will be stickered and towed at the owner’s expense. No exceptions!

Let's work together to keep our parking areas organized and accessible for all!

We are excited to announce that our parent calendar has gone electronic. The MHS 2nd Semester calendar is now online in both Flipbook and PDF downloadable format.

A big thank you to Kameal Myrie, Class of 2025, who designed this semester's calendar! Very nice job! You can see more of Kameal's work at www.artisticallymira.com.

Regular school attendance is required and necessary to develop the academic and intrapersonal skills needed for success. Students are expected to attend each class and be on time. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. If your student is going to be absent, leave early or arrive late, please submit the attendance via the monitor application within Power School in lieu of calling the attendance line and leaving a voicemail.

Please log on to the Power School parent portal at the MHS website https://www.d120.org/ to record your student’s attendance.

Attached you will find instructions on how to submit your students attendance.

Power School Attendance Instructions

Guardians will be receiving an email with your parent Power School log in instructions if needed.

If you need further support please call 847-949-2200.

Would you like to know when your student’s bus is going to be late? For Mundelein bus routes, Lakeside Transportation is using the Bus Bulletin notification system to notify parents and students when there are bus delays and schedule changes.

For more information, or to sign-up and start receiving notifications, please visit Bus Bulletin (Find Mundelein Area Schools when prompted for a district) *Note - This is managed by Lakeside Bus Company and not MHS.

Although we take great pride in a dress code that encourages self-expression, we do want to remind students of our student dress code policy as found in our student handbook.

• Clothing must cover all undergarments (waistbands and straps excluded).

• Fabric covering all private parts must not be seen through.

• Clothing that depicts, advertises or advocates the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other controlled substances is prohibited.

• Clothing that depicts pornography, nudity or sexual acts is prohibited.

With the increased enrollment in recent years, we have been unable to provide a locker for every student at MHS. Since many students do not use a locker, we are assigning lockers to students upon request. Click below to request your locker!

Sign up for a Guardian SchooLinks Account! Be a part of your student’s college and career exploration. Understand more about the benefits of a Guardian Account with this video. If you need assistance creating your Guardian Account, email akroll@d120.org with your student’s name and ID number. A claim code and directions will be provided in response.

• Principal's Blog Archive
• District Developments Newsletter
• The Mustang Newspaper

Website: www.d120.org

Location: 1359 West Hawley Street, Mundelein, IL, USA

Phone: 847-949-2200