PALATINE HS Newsletter

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Hello Pirate families!

First of all, I’d like to welcome the parents and students of the class of 2027! This is your first Principal’s newsletter as a Palatine Pirate. Newsletters are sent approximately every 6 weeks with up-to-date information on the happenings at Palatine High School.

The second semester at PHS is off to a great start. As we head toward spring we want to continue to emphasize the importance of getting connected within the school community. Spring sports begin at the end of February, so please encourage your students to get involved. There are also numerous clubs that are still available for students to register for. Students who are involved are much more likely to have success academically and behaviorally than those that do not.

For parents of juniors, please read the information below regarding SAT prep hours for students before, during and after school. These are available to all students, but primarily for juniors who will be taking the SAT on April 12th, 2023. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact your student’s counselor or administrator.

Thank you for reading the following information. As always please reach out to your student’s counselor, administrator or myself with any questions or concerns that you may have. And GO PIRATES!

Mr. Medina

Principal

The Palatine High School Coed Varsity cheerleading team placed 7th at State after being named sectional champions! The last time PHS cheer won sectionals was in 2011, and the team hasn't made it to state in eight years. Congratulations!

February 11: D211 Honor Orchestra Concert, Conant H.S., 7:00 p.m.

February 14: Student Late Start

February 17: Early Dismissal - Girls’ State Gymnastics (Dismissal 12:35 p.m.)

February 18: Girls’ State Gymnastics Meet

February 20: Presidents’ Day (No School)

February 23 - 25: Musical, 7:00 p.m.

February 28: Student Late Start

March 1: Orchestra & Mariachi Concert, 7:30 p.m.

March 3: Pirate Booster Club Dinner and Auction

March 4: Winter Dance, 7:00 p.m.

March 10: Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m.

March 11: D211 Honor Band Concert, Hoffman Estates H.S., 2:00 p.m.

March 14: Student Late Start

March 14: Jazz Band Concert, 7:00 p.m.

March 17: Comedy Showcase/Senior Night Improv, 7:00 p.m.

March 24: Spring Break begins at close of school

March 27 - 31: Spring Break

Class of 2027

All incoming ninth-grade students are required by the state to have a physical examination and their current immunizations on file in the health office. Physical examinations must be completed on the Certificate of Child Health Examination form version dated 11/2015 or later. These forms are available on the school’s website under "Parents - Health Services."

Examinations that are not completed on this form or completed on IHSA forms will NOT meet the requirement of your child’s ninth grade physical. Your child may not begin school until this requirement has been met.

All incoming ninth-graders are required to turn in a dental examination. The dental exam must be dated within 18 months of the May 15 deadline. Dental examination forms will need to be turned into the nurse’s office by May 15, 2024. The form is available on the Palatine website under the "Parents - Health Services" tab.

If your child is registering for a summer sports camp, a physical must be on file in the health office prior to the first day of camp. Your child’s physical must have been completed within the last 13 months for your child to participate. Health records will not be received from the junior highs prior to the start of summer sports camps. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure there is a physical on file prior to the first day of sports camp and the first day of school.

Class of 2024

Any child entering 12th grade is required to show proof of receiving two doses of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV). The first dose shall be received on or after the child’s 11th birthday. The second dose should be administered on or after your child’s 16th birthday, or an interval of at least eight weeks after the first dose. Only one dose is required if the first dose was received at 16 years of age or older. Your child can NOT begin school until this immunization requirement is met.

Please note the meningococcal B vaccine does not meet the school requirement. If your child does not receive their immunizations for religious reasons, a state approved exemption form must be submitted to the nurse’s office prior to completing your child’s registration process as this is a new immunization requirement. If your child does not receive immunizations for medical reasons, a note from your physician is required and must be submitted to the nurse’s office prior to completing registration.

Please contact the health services office at 847-755-1662 with questions. Please do not wait until the last minute to get this vaccine. Doctors' offices do run out of the vaccine and receiving the vaccine at a local pharmacy can be very costly.

Students from Advancement for Black Leaders are putting up their artwork -- social justice posters and healing ally hearts -- throughout the school. They have been working on this for three months. They learned about American History, created a poster to advance their individual voice and social justice and created hearts of individuals who support, inspire and motivate them to be all who they are. Make sure to check out this tremendous work!

SAT prep classes are being offered at Palatine High School. English sessions are on Wednesdays, 3:35-4:35 p.m. and Thursdays, 7:00-8:00 a.m. Math sessions are on Thursdays, 3:35-4:35 p.m. and Fridays, 7:00-8:00 a.m. All classes are held in Room 375.

Math SAT prep classes also are being offered in the media center during lunch.

Are you interested in a certain career but don’t know where to begin your exploration? Do you need assistance with finding a part-time job? Help with your resume? Practice with interviewing skills? Our Career Advisor, Susan Turner, is happy to help you navigate this journey. Check out the PHS Career Services Schoology Course for the latest updates and resources including upcoming speakers and career treks to local businesses.

Students can also visit Mrs. Turner in the Media Center College and Career Area or email her at sturner@d211.org.

PHS Career Services is now on Instagram: @ph_ career_services

Students attended the Future Educators Conference at Harper College and learned about scholarships and degrees in the education field. They also heard from those in classrooms about SEL strategies, student engagement and more. Some speakers were D211 graduates.

Students who meet the following criteria may choose to exempt from their second semester final examinations. To qualify for exemption, a student must:

1. be a senior

2. have at least a “C” average in the course

3. have never been truant from the class

4. have never been suspended from the class

5. not be incomplete on assignments required

Exempted seniors may choose to take the final examination by notifying their teacher at any time prior to the end of the semester.

All final examinations will be given May 24, 25 and 26, 2023

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, the Special Education department hosted “Hoops for a Cause.”

The funds will allow them to continue to provide students with extraordinary opportunities.

Best Buddies is an extracurricular activity that provides students an opportunity to develop genuine friendships with students of diverse abilities while promoting inclusion throughout the school and community.

In these pictures, junior Grace Gurion, freshman Mollie Larkin and junior Ryan Lach (top photo) prepare a banner for the Hoops for a Cause fundraising event.

Below, senior Emma Zach and junior Jacob Sahinoglu tie-dye shirts together.

Hello Pirate Families,

The second half of the year is off to a great start! We are looking forward to our 38th Annual Dinner & Auction on March 3 at Cotillion Banquets. All money raised by Boosters at the dinner auction goes directly back to PHS students. Mini grants have been given back to support many departments and activities including: Poms, Color Guard, Latin and Hip Hop Dance Crew, Pirate Olympics, Yoga Club, Applied Tech, Art, Athletics, Family and Consumer Science, Math, Media, Music, Social Studies, Student Services, and Wellness. A complete list of Mini Grants can be found here grant list. You can still support the Booster DInner Auction event by joining us in person or virtually. Go to: https://phspirateboosters.com/dinner-auction/ to buy your ticket or to make a tax deductible donation to support all your favorite Pirates.

The Booster Club is accepting applications for its 49th annual Scholarship Program. These scholarships will be awarded to deserving members of the Palatine High School graduating class of 2023 wishing to further their education. 15 graduating seniors will receive a $1,000 scholarship. You can find more information and downloadable application at: scholarship application. Applications must be submitted by 3:45pm on Monday, March 13, 2023 to the main office at PHS.

Thank you for your continued support of all things Pirates. We appreciate the time and resources many families have shared to help the Boosters make a difference.

Go Pirates.

Sincerely,

Jen Lang and Mindy May

PHS Booster Co-Presidents

Pirate Pete Trivia Night to support the Ray Mills Fund is Friday, April 21 in the cafeteria. Start time is 7:00 p.m., so be early! Tables are $50 and teams can have a maximum of eight players. All are welcome: teachers, students, spouses, parents, relatives or community members.

Website: phs.d211.org
Location: 1111 North Rohlwing Road, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-755-1600
Twitter: @PalatineHS

District 211 students earn the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy by demonstrating high levels of proficiency in English and an additional language as determined by the Illinois State Board of Education. Students can demonstrate proficiency in a target language by earning a 4 or 5 on an AP exam, I-5 or higher on the AAPPL or Intermediate High on the STAMP exam. Illinois public universities will accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent to 2 years of foreign language coursework taken during high school if a student's high school transcript indicates receipt. Current languages available are Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Students have the option of taking the exam in-person between March 6-10 or remotely March 13-31. Limited seats are available for the in-person test, with priority going to seniors.

Students interested in taking the STAMP or AAPPL assessments for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy should complete this REGISTRATION FORM by the end of the school day February 17, 2023. There is a fee of $25, and an invoice for payment will be sent through MySchoolBucks. The exam comprises four modules and lasts approximately 2 to 4 hours.

Students who earn the Seal of Biliteracy will be notified in the summer depending on availability of results. Visit https://adc.d211.org/academicshome/illinois-seal-of-biliteracy/.

Please contact the Student Services Department with questions.