Tiger Times

EPHS students and families -

What a way to end a week?! Today, the 11th and 12th graders had the opportunity to take a look into the future while participating in this year's College and Career Fair. Thank you to all the speakers, moderators, and representatives that helped support our students with their future planning and preparation. A very special thank you to Ms. Lauren Merkel and Ms. Marcia Bernas for the planning, preparation and execution that went into such an important event - THANK YOU!

We are very excited to continue to share all the great things happening here with everyone in this community. EPHS is truly #Raisingthebar this year!

If you have not already had the opportunity to see all the wonderful things happening here in person, make sure to sign up for our upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences. The district has Parent Teacher Conferences on October 21st and October 22nd. Conferences are a great opportunity to see EPHS at its best! We are very proud of the work and effort that happens here, and we are looking forward to see what comes next.

The consistent attendance continues to make me proud! Let's continue that commitment in the weeks to come. Remember, one of the best ways to show pride in your school and in yourself is to start by just showing up - each and every day.

Regular daily attendance is key to our students' success. Remember:

School starts each day at 7:40 am. Students are let into the building to access lockers and materials at 7:30 am. At 7:30 am, students should enter through 19 and Door 1. Prior to 7:30 am, students can enter through Door 3 (by the admin building) and have breakfast in the cafeteria.

Door 3 is open from 7:00 am - 7:30 am

Door 19 is open from 7:30 am - 7:40 am

Door 1 is open starting at 7:30 am and then is open all day via buzzing in

Late passes begin at 7:40 am.

As a reminder, students who arrive after 7:40 am will need to report to the Student Support Table to check in and contact a parent/guardian regarding the tardy. Student Support Table will be facilitated during the week from 7:40 am - 8:25 am. Please help your students be to school on time.

Once students are here, we also want them to be IN class. We want to ensure all students are on time to school but also to each and every class so that they are maximizing learning. Students have 5 minutes between class periods to get where they need to go. Please talk with your students about the importance of being on time.

Thank you again. Have a great weekend.

We are EPHS! #Raisethebar

The District’s October 2026 Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place on Wednesday, October 21st & Thursday, October 22nd.

EPHS - Virtual 3:15-5:00 PM each day.
EPHS - In-Person 5:00-7:00 PM each day.

We are using the same registration system as previous conferences (PowerPTC).
PowerPTC is only accessed through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. It is not available through the app.

Registration will open on Friday, October 2nd at 6:00 AM for you to book times.
Registration will close on Friday, October 16th at 11:59 PM.
Please see these instructions for booking a time.

** Today, October 16, 2026, is the LAST day to schedule a Parent Teacher Conference. Make sure you schedule your appointments today! **

For the October 2026 Parent Teacher Conferences, building check-in is required for in person conferences. You will need to provide your ID as you enter the building.
Only those with pre-scheduled, in-person conferences will be allowed access to the buildings.

We look forward to connecting with our families.

ParentSquare is our main communication tool. It is replacing Remind. Ensure you have a parent account set up to stay connected when it becomes available.

For the month of October, the high school will continue to focus on safety. This week we successfully completed our planned K-9 visit and Soft Lockdown Drills. We have no scheduled drills for this coming week - it is our Parent Teacher Conferences week. Again, we appreciate your understanding and support as we prioritize the safety and security of all of our students and staff.

Just a reminder that Friday, October 23rd is a non-attendance day for both students and staff; it is our district Parent Teacher Conference Exchange Day. There is No School. Have a safe and healthy long weekend!

Picture Day(s) were finally here!

Senior Pictures were scheduled for Tuesday, October 13th and Underclassman Pictures (9-11) are scheduled for Wednesday, October 14th.

Retake Pictures for all students are scheduled for Friday, November 20th.

Please note: ALL retakes will take place during student lunch periods.

This year EPHS presents... "TRAP".

"TRAP" is a psychological thriller/horror play that starts by telling the tale of a high school theater performance years ago in a small town, during which something horrible happens to all but one of the audience members. It is told documentary style with investigators trying to get to the bottom of what happened in the past. But while they uncover the truth of what happened, it becomes clear that this phenomenon might not be entirely in the past...

Come see "TRAP" on Friday, October 30th at 7 pm and/or Saturday, October 31st at either 2 pm or 7 pm.

Help EPHS celebrate "spooky season" with a truly thrilling experience!

College Application Drop-in Hours

Join Ms. Merkel every Wednesday in October during all 5 lunch periods for assistance with applications and essays. Use this link to sign up. Workshops will be held in the College and Career Center (room 219)

College Representative Visits

Throughout the fall, reps from different colleges and universities will visit the school to connect with students. They will provide information on admission requirements, majors and programs of study, campus life, and more. Students will use their SchooLinks account to register for visits by navigating to the "Events" tab. All visits will take place during Tiger Time in the Science Amphitheater on the first floor. Visits are open to all grade levels.

Upcoming Visits:

DePaul University - Tuesday, October 20th

Marquette University - Wednesday, October 21st

Financial Aid Informational Session for Senior Students and Families:

We had our Financial Aid Informational Session for Seniors at the EPHS Media Center on Tuesday, September 22 from 6:30-7:30pm to learn about the different types of financial aid and how to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If your student missed this presentation and would like a copy, please email Ms. Lauren Merkel at merkell@epcusd401.org to request one. This presentation was led by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The presentation was delivered in both English and Spanish. The next opportunity to see this presentation is Wednesday, October 28 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm.

Application Fee Waiver:

Any student that receives free or reduced lunch at EPHS is eligible for a college application fee waiver. This waiver exempts a student from paying college application submission fees, if applicable. Pease see Ms. Merkel or your counselor if you believe that you qualify

Senior students and families, check out our new "Senior Edition" of our Tiger Times crafted especially for the Class of 2027. This new "Senior" page will include information about important upcoming senior-specific dates/times, special events, communication, key information and more. Check out our first edition!

Tiger Times - Senior Edition

Get involved with EPHS sports and Activities!

All athletic programs are well underway. Keep looking out for opportunities to get involved. Check out upcoming announcements for our club and activity offerings. Winter opportunities are already happening - get out there and get involved!

Come out and support our Seniors as we celebrate them during one of our upcoming events!

Friday, 10/16 - Football, Cheer, Dance and EPHS Marching Band at the Ridgewood vs EPHS Football game, 6:30 pm

Tuesday, 10/20 - Girls' Volleyball, 6 pm

Saturday, 10/31 - Fall Play, 7 pm

This year EPHS has the honor of getting to host the IHSA Boys' Soccer Regional Games. The first game is on Tuesday, 10/20 at 4:30 pm - Fenwick vs. Noble Street Rauner. Then, come out and support the Tigers on Friday night at 5 pm, as they battle the winner of Tuesday's game - Fenwick vs. Noble Street Rauner, in the Regional Championship Game. We hope to see you at Tiger Stadium under the lights!

Order your EPHS Tiger Gear today!

IHSA Member School Coaches & Administrators,

Take the survey via this link:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nwgia7qOPEaE9TFxIQ-QBSm3jEjW-1ZAgBheiOuFMKZUNk01S0Y1M1NFT1VKT0RPUlZIMlY4STJGUS4u

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey!

We're thrilled to announce that the following students successfully auditioned and were assigned a spot in the indicated ILMEA District 1 Honor Festival ensembles:

• Mary Schram (Band - Clarinet)
• Amanda Camacho (Chorus - Soprano II and Vocal Jazz II - Soprano)
• Nevaeh Fernandez (Chorus - Soprano II)
• Terea Hargrove (Chorus - Alto II)

Volunteer for the 2026-2027 School Year

We appreciate your partnership and time supporting our District 401 Schools. If you would like to be a volunteer this school year please take a moment to complete our volunteer application using Raptor Volunteer Safe platform.

https://apps.raptortech.com/vol/onlineapplication/apply/ODUyNGZjZTYtYmNiNi00MDY4LWFmMjAtOTE0NzNjNDI0OWUyOmVuLVVT

Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)

Kristy Mikol, Director of Student Services, and Kimberly Davis, Assistant Director for Student Services, are planning regular special education parent meetings.

We would like to design these meetings based on your needs and preferences. Your feedback will help us create meetings that are supportive, helpful, and welcoming for all families.
Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about how you would like to participate in our monthly special education parent meetings.
Your input is very important to us. Thank you for taking the time to share your idea

• Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22: Parent Teacher Conferences
• Friday, October 23: Conference Exchange; NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, October 28: School Board Meeting
• Friday, October 30: Fall Play at 7pm
• Saturday, October 31: Fall Play at 2 pm (matinee) and 7 pm

Phone: 708-452-7292

Email: ephsinfo@epcusd401.org

8201 West Fullerton Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL 60707

School Website

School News & Virtual Backpack

Superintendent of Schools

Call: 1-844-4-SAFEIL

Website: Safe2HelpIL.com

Email: HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com

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