Cardinal Corner

Important Dates

• February 27th - End of Hexter 4

District News

• February 17th - Board Meeting 6:15PM

* The meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. at which time the Board will move into Closed Session until approximately 7:00 p.m. Following Closed session, the Regular Open meeting will begin.*

School News/Sports

• February 17th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:45AM

• February 17th - 6th Grade Volleyball Intramurals 2:45 - 3:15PM

• February 17th - Girls Volleyball Game vs Lincoln MP 3:30 - 6:00PM

• February 17th - Music for Youth 4:00 - 7:30PM

• February 18th - 6th Grade Volleyball Intramurals 2:45 - 3:15PM

• February 18th - Anastasia Auditions 3:00 - 5:00PM (*Must be signed up by February 16*)
• February 18th - Wrestling @ Barrington Station Tri Meet 4:00 - 7:00PM

• February 19th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:45AM
• February 19th - Wrestling vs Caruso 3:30 - 7:00 PM
• February 19th - Music for Youth 4:00 - 7:30PM

• February 21st - NIMCon Festival 8:00 - 3:00

• February 23rd - Girls Volleyball vs Lincoln PR 3:30 - 6:30PM

• February 24th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:45AM

• February 26th - Sunrise Hoops 6:45 - 7:45AM
• February 26th - Girls Volleyball vs Thomas 3:30 - 6:30PM
• February 26th - Music For Youth 4:00 - 7:30PM

• February 28th - Wrestling Regionals TBD

Dear South Parents and Guardians,

Today, we had the pleasure of hosting our Parent-Teacher Conferences, and we would like to thank all of the parents and guardians who took the time to join us. Your presence and involvement mean so much to our staff and, most importantly, to your children. We value the strong partnership between home and school and appreciate your ongoing support.

A special thank you to our PTA for once again providing a wonderful lunch for our staff from Mago Grill & Cantina. Your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated, and helped make the day even more enjoyable for our teachers and staff.

Please know that our commitment to partnering with you extends well beyond conference day. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an additional meeting with a teacher, we are always available and happy to accommodate. Open communication is essential, and we welcome the opportunity to continue working together throughout the year.

🚨 We Need 20% Parent Participation in the 5Essentials Survey by March 13!

Our school must have at least 20% of parents complete the 5Essentials Parent Survey in order to receive a Parent Supplement Report, and we are currently below that threshold. The survey closes on March 13, so please CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE. Your participation helps us better understand the conditions at your child’s school and guides our continuous improvement efforts. Please know that all responses are completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child. If you have more than one child at South, you are encouraged to complete the survey for each child. We strongly encourage every family to take a few moments to complete the survey and make your voice heard.

Additionally, we would like to remind families about our morning drop-off procedures. For a smooth and efficient arrival, please continue to pull all the way forward during drop-off. Once students begin entering the building at 7:43 a.m., the main entrance is open, along with Door 2 further down and the 6th grade door at the end. These entrances are often closer to students’ classrooms and help them arrive to class on time. Your cooperation in pulling all the way down makes a significant difference in keeping traffic moving safely and efficiently.

Thank you again for your partnership and for being such an important part of our South community.

South Administration

🚨NEED 20% Parent Participation by March 13!

We are asking our parents to please participate in the 5Essentials Survey:

• CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE

🚨 Please note: A parent supplement report will only be generated if at least 20 percent of a school’s parents complete the survey. Our response rate is below. The survey closes on March 13.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.

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.

• March 19th - Graduation picture retake day for those that are not able to take their photos.

• 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 at Forest View Education Center Field House: 2201 S. Goebbert Rd., Arlington Heights.

Calendar Sync Update

Due to our recent website platform change, the process for syncing school and district calendars with your personal calendar is now different. The previous calendar sync from our former website will no longer show the most up-to-date information.

To continue receiving accurate event updates, please disconnect or delete the old calendar link and add the new one…it takes just a minute! A short how-to video is linked below to walk you through the steps.

CALENDAR SYNC VIDEO

Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage, triumphs and adversities that are a part of our country's history.

A federal holiday for honoring all the past and present presidents who have served as president of the United States of America.

Celebrated on the third Monday in February, date changes year to year.

Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year based on moon cycles. Also known as: Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Solnal, Tibetan Losar, or Spring Festival, typically celebrated in Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later.

*Dates change year to year

Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset, they break their daily fasts by sharing meals with family and friends. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day festival known as Eid al-Fitr.

*You can exchange Ramadan greetings by saying “Ramadan Kareem,” which translates into “Have a generous Ramadan,” or “Ramadan Mubarak,” which translates into “Happy Ramadan.”

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!

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