Friday FanScout - November 6, 2026

Dearest Lake Forest High School Family,

As you will read below, there is MUCH to celebrate at LFHS. But, as is my annual tradition, I will forgo my principal's message to ask that you express gratitude for a staff or faculty member at LFHS this Thanksgiving season.

HERE is your link to our annual Good Gobble! I send these out right before Thanksgiving, and you can fill it out more than once.

Let's fill their inboxes!

💙💛Erin

Below are upcoming District 115 events. Some dates may be subject to change. For our most up-to-date District calendar, please visit our LF Schools Calendar Page or the Lake Forest Community High School Calendar Page.

• November 8
• 5:00 pm LFHS Miscast (LFHS Commons)
• November 9
• 4:00 pm PALS Board Meeting (Room 109 East Campus)
• 7:00 pm Applause Board Meeting (Room 109 East Campus)
• November 10
• 9:15 am LFHS Foundation General Board Meeting (Room 109 East Campus)
• November 11
• 1:00 pm Veterans Day Assembly
• November 14
• PreACT 8 (LFHS East Campus)
• November 19 - 21
• 7:00 pm Freshman/Sophomore Play "The Curious Savage"
• November 25 - 27
• Thanksgiving Holiday - No School for Students and Staff
• November 27
• 3:00 pm LF Tree Lighting

We have updated our system to expand our use of the PowerSchool Parent Portal for digitally posting report cards, transcripts and standardized assessment reports. Please note that parents will no longer receive copies of these reports via email.

You will use the PowerSchool Parent Portal to access your student's Progress Reports. These are located in the Student Reports section of the Parent Portal.

Dear District 115 Community,

I am proud to share that Lake Forest High School once again earned Exemplary status, the highest designation awarded by the Illinois State Board of Education, in the 2026 Illinois Report Card released October 30.

ACT - 2026 English Language Arts Proficiency

ACT - 2026 Math Proficiency

ACT - 2026 Science Proficiency

These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our students, faculty, and staff, along with the support of our families and community. I invite you to read my full message from last Friday for additional results, context, and insight into the work ahead.

All my best,

Matthew L. Montgomery, Ph.D.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Finance Committee
Regular Meeting: Agenda | Recording | Superintendent's Report | President's Report

• Tuesday, November 10, 2026
• Thursday, December 10, 2026
• Tuesday, February 9, 2027
• Tuesday, March 9, 2027
• Tuesday, April 6, 2027
• Tuesday, May 11, 2027
• Tuesday, June 8, 2027

Agendas will be posted prior to the meeting on the District 115 Board of Education Meeting Dates and Materials page.

Beginning January 1, 2027, e-scooter riders must be at least 16 years old and have a valid drivers license. Additional rules will apply to e-bikes, e-motos, and other devices.

With Governor JB Pritzker's signature on Senate Bill 3483, Illinois now has uniform, statewide standards governing high-speed micromobility devices, replacing a patchwork of local ordinances that left some of the fastest and most powerful devices largely unregulated.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and we’re kicking off November with an extra helping of GRATITUDE! 🧡 What better way to celebrate the season than by giving thanks to the amazing LFHS staff members who make a difference every day?

Have someone in mind who deserves a little shout-out? Let them know how much they’re appreciated! Simply fill out the quick and easy form below to share your thanks. And the best part? There’s no limit to gratitude! Submit as many shout-outs as you’d like!

Let’s fill this season with kindness, appreciation, and a whole lot of Scout spirit! 💙💛

This one-night-only dinner & musical show features LFHS students performing songs from roles in which they would not traditionally be cast—and you do not want to miss the fun!

Come support PALS & the LFHS Theater Program! Join us for a taco dinner from the Mean Wiener & inspired musical performances from our talented students from 5-7PM!

The Lake Forest High School Foundation is seeking volunteers for our Spring Luncheon Committee! You don’t need to take on the whole event—we’re dividing planning into smaller roles so you can contribute your time and talents in a way that works for you.

* Venue & Hospitality: Coordinate with the venue, menu selection, and event logistics.
• Florals: Coordinate table arrangements and connect with local florists for auction donations.
• Registration: Help with registration, seating, and the online auction.
• Speaker & Program: Coordinate with speakers, develop the program, and assist on event day.
• Auction: Solicit donations from local businesses, families, and community members; organize and display items.
• Day-Before/Day-Of: Help organize items, check-in, event breakdown, and next-day auction item pickup/distribution.

Invite a friend! It’s a great way to support LFHS, learn what’s happening at school, and meet other high school parents.

Contact Carla Ojha at lfhsfoundation@gmail.com.

Join us for our Veterans Day Assembly on Wednesday, November 11 from 12:45 to 1:30 pm. Teachers are welcome to bring their entire class, and individual students attending on their own will be excused from class as long as they check in and stay for the assembly.

Eat at the LB Chipotle on Tuesday, November 10 (5-9 pm) and help support Applause, the booster org for the music department! Dine in or carry out. Just show the flyer or give the code when ordering: GHEJFBN. Thank you!

The Allendale Youth Board is hosting its 2nd annual Polar Plunge Saturday Nov 21 at 9:30am at the beach! Publican Quality Bread food truck will be there offering breakfast sandwiches and other treats for purchase.

Many kids are gathering their sports teams and youth groups and signing up as a “team”. Individual signups are welcome too! Adults can organize a group/team or sign up as individuals. Individuals are $25 and teams are $200. All proceeds benefit the kids at Allendale, a school and residence dedicated to emotional, mental health, and behavioral support for youth.

High school students (grades 9–12) are invited to apply to Stanford Medicine’s Stanford Data Ocean Online Summer Camp, a 4-week online program focused on data science, AI/ML, and precision medicine. Students will work with real biomedical datasets, learn foundational data science and AI/ML skills, and earn two Stanford Genetics certificates upon completion:

• Fundamentals of Data Science in Precision Medicine and Cloud Computing

• Fundamentals of AI/ML in Precision Medicine

The camp includes self-paced modules, live instructor sessions, weekly office hours, access to an AI tutor, and a collaborative team capstone project. No coding experience is required.

• Application fee: $0

• Program fee after acceptance: $1,500

• Need-based scholarships are available, and we encourage students requiring financial assistance to apply.

Learn more and apply:

Stanford Data Ocean Online Summer Camp – Data Science & AI for Precision Medicine

https://deepdata.stanford.edu/stanford-data-ocean-summer-camp/

Watch a 1-minute overview video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atTRrcPPodo

After School Hours

3:30 - 5:30 pm, Monday - Friday

Poinsettia sales close soon! Go to croyapoinsettia.com to place your order by November 11th!

Have you updated your alumni profile with the LFHS Alumni Association? Please take a moment to update your information and check out all the great alumni resources, including reunion information, volunteer opportunities and more!

https://lfhs.lakeforestschools.org/alumni12/lfhs-alumni

Be sure to visit the alumni website for reunion details, and please share this with your fellow alumni!

Questions? Email lfhsalumni@lfschools.net.

We hope to see you back at LFHS for Homecoming!

Congratulations to LFHS alumnus Caleb Durbin, Class of 2018, on earning his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award with the Boston Red Sox!

After making his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, Caleb continued his professional baseball career in Boston, where he has now made history as just the second Red Sox third baseman to earn a Gold Glove Award.

Lake Forest College Community Engagement Event: One World 2026 - A Cultural Journey

Tuesday, November 10 | 6:30–9:00 pm

Enjoy an evening of music, art, and dance celebrating cultures from around the globe while supporting the International Students Association. A community reception begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Gorton Center, followed by performances at 6:30 p.m. in the John and Nancy Hughes Theater.

Learn more and register

Lake Forest College Community Engagement Event: Exhibit Opening Reception of Sonic Revolutions: The Photography of Paul Natkin

Thursday, November 12 | 5:30–7:30 pm

Enjoy an incredible exhibit featuring the works of rock and roll photographer Paul Natkin and his collection of live performance photography. View the photographs, speak with the artist, and interact with the students who helped curate the exhibit.

Learn more and register

Lake Forest College Community Engagement Event: Band and Orchestra Concert

Friday, December 4 | 7:00–9:00 pm

Start your weekend with a spirited Forester reception followed by an evening performance of student music at the Gorton Center, featuring a special collaboration between the College’s band and orchestra ensemble.

Learn more and register

Learn about upcoming community opportunities through the Community Events Page on our website. Here is a preview:

Booksgiving

November 7 | 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Enjoy a meaningful day of giving, with opportunities to volunteer, activities, entertainment, and light refreshments. The theme of Booksgiving 2026 is inspired by Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems.

Family Campfire

November 6 | 5:30 pm

Mellody Farm Nature Preserve

Guides from Lake Forest Open Lands and Trickster Cultural Center will lead your family on an evening hike through the prairie to the Jens Jensen council ring to learn about our landscape through Native American stories, s’mores, and hot apple cider by the fire.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Citadel Theatre

November 13 through December 13

Told as a lively 1940s radio broadcast, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play blends humor, nostalgia and heart into a timeless reminder that the choices we make can change everything.

42nd Annual Tree Lighting Holiday Celebration

November 27 | 3:00 pm

Enjoy food and beverages, carolers, Lake Forest Dance Academy dancers, Santa Claus, and more.

This school year, we’re continuing to connect families with helpful resources, tools, and learning opportunities to support students at every age and stage.

One resource available to our community is the GPS Parent Series, a free parenting education and family support network that has served families for more than 30 years. GPS brings nationally-recognized speakers and experts to parents, caregivers, educators, and community members, with topics focused on raising and supporting children and young adults from infancy through age 25.

Programs are completely free, and no registration is required. Families can participate in upcoming programs or explore past presentations, clips, and Q&A sessions on the GPS Parent Series YouTube channel.

Dr. Ellen Hendriksen

November 10

How to Be Enough: Social Anxiety, Perfectionism, and How to Quiet Your Inner Critic

Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee Panel

November 12

Ukrainian, Russian & English: Navigating the American Educational System to Help your Child Thrive

Ron Lieber and Jeff Selingo

November 17

Selecting and Paying for College: The Nuts, Bolts, and Secrets

Dr. Sheryl Gonzalez Ziegler with Catherine Price

November 18

Crucial Years: The Essential Guide to Mental Health and Modern Puberty in Children 6-12

Lake Forest Community High School

District 115 Board of Education

Choir Newsletter - October

Band Notes - October

Orchestra Newsletter - October