HF FYI

Welcome back, Vikings! It's the first day of the school year, and the halls are buzzing as our freshmen and transfer students make their way around campus for the first time. Our teachers and staff are right beside them to help them navigate their new class routes and meet their peers. Students were greeted by Principal Dr. Clinton Alexander and Superintendent Dr. Scott Wakeley and ushered into a morning pep assembly featuring the HF Marching Band and Cheerleaders. Check out the mini recap:

Are you a parent or guardian of a freshman or new student? Join us for New Family Orientation tonight at 7pm-8pm in the Auditorium (South Building).

All students' first day is tomorrow, August 17. Keep in mind these important back to school dates:

• Monday, August 21: Yearbook Photos Day 1 (Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors)
• Friday, August 25: Yearbook Photos Day 2 (Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors)
• Wednesday, August 30: College Planning for Seniors & Parents (Online)
• Thursday, August 31: Back to School Night

As staff came together to reflect on preparing for the year ahead, a common theme of gratitude echoed many conversations. So, this year we're making an extra effort to ask each other, "what's going well for you?" We heard numerous responses, from being excited to see friends again, to the upcoming activities this Fall, to simply just waking up another day.

On Monday, we welcomed back our full staff for the first Institute Day of the school year. Administration led a series of presentations to officially kickoff back-to-school week, encouraging and motivating the HF family for the great work that lies ahead.

Superintendent Dr. Scott Wakeley spoke on the concept of "watering the bamboo": What seeds are planted today that we don't know when they will grow?

Principal Dr. Clinton Alexander believes this is a year of "coherence": "We have our mission in front of us, and now we have to structure things to where we can always keep each other calibrated and informed." Check out the snippet below.

Dr. Wakeley also spoke about the need to rethink and relearn as the world around us evolves. Instilling a mindset of a scientist in all students and ourselves as we are curious about gaining new knowledge. Hear what he had to say here.

"When we start thinking about our intelligence and what we want our students to be, we want our students to be able to think and rethink," Dr. Wakeley said. "I think it's probably more important for them to rethink. You all have students who are so ingrained into knowing the facts. Tell me what happened and everything. Now we need to start rethinking. Be a scientist...Being a scientist is a state of mind, constant search for truth, and questioning what we know and don't know. That's what scientists do."

What comes to mind when you think of the '80s? HF's Classes of 1980 and 1981 came together last weekend to celebrate +40 years since walking the Viking hallways! They were in constant awe of so many renovations and newness to areas like the Fieldhouse and Performing Arts.

Class reunion season is underway and you don't want to miss what your class reunion coordinators have planned! Up next: The Class of 1965 and Class of 2013 will be celebrating their milestone reunions by cheering on the HF Vikings during our Homecoming football game on Friday, September 8, 2023. Please click here for 2023 scheduled reunions.

Remember - it's not too soon to start planning your class reunion for 2024. Please Contact Victoria Koblick, Director of Alumni Engagement & Development, at vkoblick@hf233.org to help support your reunion planning needs. Go Vikings!

The HF Board of Education and Administration ask that you Raise Your Hand. Share Your Voice. Shape the Future. for Homewood-Flossmoor High School! We are beginning a Strategic Planning process and need your voice to help shape the future for our students, school and community. Learn more and take the survey here.

All parking permits for the 2023-2024 school year have been sold. We do not have any more permits to sell. No driver is allowed to park on campus without a parking permit. If you do not have a parking permit for the 2023-2024 school year please be advised that you will be ticketed and/or towed at the vehicle owner's expense.

The HF Park Department does sell permits at the Ice Arena for their lot. Please contact them directly to inquire about available permits. The school is not affiliated with that parking lot or those parking permits. Additionally, if you purchase a permit through the HF Park Department to park at the Ice Arena, that is for their lot only. Students are not allowed to park on the school lot with the Ice Arena Permit.

Reminder: Sidewalk Replacement in Flossmoor

Friendly reminder that some sidewalk work is still being done along stretches of the north side of Flossmoor Road between Pulaski Avenue through Park Drive in Flossmoor. The work will be marked with spray paint; some sidewalks and driveways may be closed temporarily during this project, which started on Tuesday, August 8 and is expected to last two weeks, weather permitting. Please take care when walking to and from school during this time.

BMW Golf Championship at the Olympia Fields Country Club

You may also notice increased traffic around the area this week as the Olympia Fields Country Club hosts the 2023 BMW Golf Championship. The championship activities and events go through Sunday, August 20.

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