Cardinal Corner

Important Dates

* April 21st - Board Meeting @South 7:00PM

* April 21st - MAP Math Testing 8 - 10:30AM (Adjusted Bell Schedule)

* April 22nd - MAP ELA Testing 8 - 10:30AM (Adjusted Bell Schedule)

* May 1st - Evacuation Drill during Homebase

School News/Sports

* April 17th & 18th - Science Olympiad State Tournament

* April 18th - Track Relay Tri-Meet Rain Date 9-11AM

* April 21st - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:30AM

* April 21st - Boys Volleyball vs Emerson 3:30 - 6PM

* April 21st - Track vs River Forest Roosevelt 3:45 - 5:45PM

* April 22nd - Boys Vball @ Park View 4 - 6PM

* April 23rd - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:30AM

* April 23rd - Boys Vball vs Thomas 3:30 - 6PM

* April 23rd - Track vs. Lincoln 3:30 - 5:30PM

* April 25th - Track Distance Night 4 - 6PM

* April 27th - Boys Vball @ Plum Grove 3:30 - 6PM

* April 28th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:30AM

* April 28th - Sunrise Lake - 7th Grade Field Trip (7 East) 8:00AM - 2:45PM

* April 29th - Boys Vball @ Thomas Jefferson 3:30 - 6PM

* April 29th - 6th Grade Intramurals - weather permitting 2:45 - 3:25PM

* April 30th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:30AM

* April 30th - Sunrise Lake - 7th Grade Field Trip (7 West) 8:00AM - 2:45PM

* April 30th - 6th Grade Intramurals - weather permitting 2:45 - 3:25PM

Dear South Parents and Guardians,

As we move further into the fourth quarter, we are off to a great start. Our students continue to show strong focus and positive energy, and we appreciate your continued support in reinforcing expectations at home. This is a busy time of year, and maintaining positive behavior and consistent effort in the classroom remains a priority. Thank you for partnering with us to help students finish the year strong.

Last Friday, we celebrated our C.A.R.D.S. students with a wall signing event. These students demonstrated Character, Achievement, Respect, Dedication, and Serving throughout the quarter. Parents, students, and staff gathered to recognize their efforts and accomplishments. Please see below for photos from this special event.

We are also excited to introduce a new opportunity for our 8th grade families to get involved in our school community. Later in this newsletter, you will find information about volunteering as a lunchroom supervisor during the fourth quarter. This is a great way to connect with your child’s school experience while supporting our students and staff. We hope you will consider participating.

Our Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night (for current 5th grade families) will take place on Wednesday evening. We would love to have any current 7th or 8th grade students volunteer to help give tours following the presentation. This is a great opportunity for students to give back, demonstrate leadership, and share their knowledge of our school with incoming families. Additional information will be shared later in this newsletter.

MAP testing will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday. We encourage all students to come to school well-rested, on time, and ready to do their best. A good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and a positive mindset can make a big difference. Thank you for your support in helping students be prepared for these important assessment days.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our students and school community.

South Administration

Spring MAP Testing will take place next week. On Tuesday, April 21st, students will be taking the Math test and on Wednesday, April 22nd, students will be taking the ELA test.

Please make sure students arrive on time to school on testing days with their Chromebooks fully charged.

8th Grade Parents: Looking for a fun way to connect with your child? We are inviting parents to join us as lunchroom supervisors during 4th quarter (12:37–1:17 PM). Even if you’re only able to help for one day, we would love to have you!

This is a great opportunity to see a part of your child’s school day and be part of our school community in a meaningful way. If you are interested, please email me directly (sprorok@sd25.org). We hope you’ll consider joining us!

We would like to invite our 7th and 8th grade students to help us on Wednesday, April 22nd for our Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night (current 5th grade families). Students would arrive a few minutes before 6:30 p.m. to assist with giving tours of the school to our incoming families.

This is a great opportunity for our students to show leadership, give back to our school community, and share what they know about South with future Cardinals. We’re excited to try this out and see how it goes!

Students will be placed in pairs or groups of three for the tours, so if your child has a friend they would like to do this with, even better.

Please take a moment to talk with your child over the weekend to see if they are interested. If so, please email me directly (sprorok@sd25.org), and I will follow up with more details and help coordinate everything with you and your student.

We are very excited to inform you that this spring our seventh grade students will have the opportunity to attend a day trip to Sunrise Lake Outdoor Education Center in Bartlett, Illinois. The purpose of this field trip is to incorporate science and social studies curriculum into outdoor activities that contribute to a sense of togetherness and instill teamwork within our students.

DATES

• 7 EAST will attend on Tuesday, April 28, 2026
• 7 WEST will attend on Thursday, April 30, 2026

TIME

• During the school day (7:45am-2:45pm)
• Students will take regular transportation routes to and from SMS that day.

On your child’s assigned day, we will take school buses to Sunrise Lake, departing school at approximately 9am and returning to SMS before the end of the school day at 2:45pm. Students should follow their regular arrival and dismissal transportation routines.

The activities provided will mostly be outdoors. Students will be grouped up by their Homebases for the day’s activities.

What to Wear/Bring

• Students should come dressed & prepared for the outdoor elements as we will attempt to participate in outside activities as much as possible, including in the rain.
• Your child may bring their own sack lunch and water bottle on the field trip, or may select the option of a district-provided lunch.

Over twenty SMS staff members will be in attendance each day, along with administrators and our nursing staff to help run and assist activities alongside Sunrise Lake staff.

We look forward to a wonderful experience with your child, and know they will have a great time!

School-age children are susceptible to various common illnesses.

We encourage you to take a moment to review this Information Letter on Common Illnesses for valuable guidance.

To help prevent these illnesses, please remind your child to practice healthy habits, including:

• Washing hands frequently.

• Staying well-hydrated.

• Avoiding the sharing of personal items, food, or drinks.

• Refraining from touching their eyes.

• Covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter as we work together to keep our students healthy and safe.

Attention 6th grade parents:

The Illinois State Department of Human Services requires a dental examination for all children entering kindergarten, second and sixth grades. The compliance date for this regulation is May 15, 2026. We can accept dental exams that have been completed after November 15, 2024. Children in kindergarten, second and sixth grades that do not have copies of the required dental exam on file by May 15, 2026 are not in compliance with this regulation.

Please feel free to contact echapin@sd25.org and smusolf@sd25.org with any questions.

Dental forms can be downloaded at www.sd25.org.

• May 28th - 8th Grade Great America Field Trip

• June 1st - 8th Grade Picnic from 12:30-2:45pm at South
• June 2nd - 8th Grade Graduation @ 4:00 pm (ceremony starts promptly at 4:30) at Forest View Education Center Field House: 2201 S. Goebbert Rd., Arlington Heights.

Calling all 8th grade families! We need your help! It is a tradition at South to decorate the 8th grade hallway to send off our students to high school. We need you to fill out the Google Doc with your student and upload a picture of them from kindergarten. It is very important that we have answers from everyone so that all students are included in the display. Please complete this survey by April 20th. Questions? Contact Julie Eisenhut & Ann Poyer: tanni3@hotmail.com

In April 2022, April was first officially recognized as National Arab American Heritage Month. The month celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.

We proudly sent off our Science Olympiad team this week with a Cardinal Walk, as students and staff lined the halls to cheer them on. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the team's hard work, dedication, and countless hours of preparation. We wish them the very best as they head to the State competition this weekend. Go Cardinals!

Did you know South hosts Homework Hangout twice per week? Encourage your student to start 2026 on a positive note by establishing good homework habits and staying on top of assignments. Many students struggle with procrastination, distraction, and busy schedules once they get home from school. Homework Hangout can help by providing a quiet and structured environment for students to get work done. Homework Hangout meets on Tuesdays in the Music Room from 2:45-3:25 and Wednesdays in the Library from 2:45-3:25. It is supervised by certified staff. We hope you’ll drop by and give it a try!

South Middle School 5th Grade Mixer – April 17

Dear South Families,​​

As we prepare to welcome the next class of South Middle School students, we remain focused on creating a smooth and confident transition to 6th grade. One important step in that process is helping students begin to recognize familiar faces and feel part of a supportive community before the school year even begins.

To that end, we invite all incoming 6th graders to join us for the AHCPTA South 5th Grade Mixer on Friday, April 17 from 6:30–8:00 pm at Get Air. This event brings together students from all feeder schools for an evening centered on connection, confidence‑building, and fun.

Student Registration:

https://ahcpta.givebacks.com/shop/items/d18ba564a094

Family Volunteers Needed

Our events are strengthened by the collaboration between school and home. To ensure a safe and well‑supervised evening, we are seeking parent and guardian volunteers. Your participation—even for a short time—has a meaningful impact.

Volunteer Sign‑Up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4AADA72CA7F49-61983184-5thgrade#/

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us create a warm and welcoming start for our newest Cardinals. We look forward to meeting them soon.

8th Grade Activities Update

• 8th Grade Dance-Weds. May 27th, 7-9pm at SMS-Hawaiian/Tropical Theme, this will be the decor, it does not mean the students need to dress like this.

• 8th Grade Trip to Great America-May 28th

• 8th Grade Picnic-Monday, June 1st 12:30-2:45pm

• 8th Grade Graduation-Tuesday, June 2nd 4:00pm-Forest View Academy, there are no tickets

• Graduation Signs-pre-odered, delivery & pick up info to follow

Any questions? please reach out to us at 8thgradeactivities@gmail.com

Remember to join South PTA during your student’s registration to support all our student, family, and school programs.

The SMS Office is open Monday-Friday, 7am-3pm.

Address: 400 South Highland Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Twitter: @AHSD25South

Main Line: (847) 398-4250

Absence Line: (847) 506-6999 x7300

Fax line: (847) 394-6260