Principal's Newsletter

Hello - this is a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have a student at, or have expressed an interest in, Glenbard West High School. Communication between Glenbard West and our families and community is very important to us. Don't forget to add gw_news@glenbard.org to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! Please email any questions directly to Glenbard Staff, we are happy to respond.

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL

Hilltopper Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you enjoying summer break and staying cool in this midsummer heat wave. As of today, registration for the 2026-27 school year is open. Below you’ll find all of the information necessary to guide you through the process. Please note that our Back to School days begin on Wednesday, August 5th and end with our Freshman Orientation on Friday, August 7th. The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 12th.

We have a host of construction projects happening on campus this summer. We recently resurfaced the outdoor track and upgraded the sound system on Duchon. We are currently renovating the last two Science classrooms and have started the process of upgrading classroom entryways around the building. Work on the classroom addition continues as well. If you missed the most recent update on its progress, you can find it here.

Young Hearts for Life will be back at Glenbard West on Tuesday, August 25th to offer free ECG screenings to students. To register your child for this screening, click here. Please note, you will need your student’s school ID number for registration. It takes over a hundred volunteers to run this program throughout the school day. If you are willing to volunteer for the whole day or part of the day, please click here. Volunteers must also sign up for and attend a training session on Monday, August 24th. Thank you for supporting this potentially life-saving screening for our students.

As always, thank you for reading. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns.

Happy Fourth, and Go West!

Ben Peterselli

630-942-7473

ben_peterselli@glenbard.org

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year. We look forward to working with your student to make this year successful and rewarding. The comprehensive information below will make the process as simple and convenient as possible. Our first attendance day for students is Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS ON JULY 1ST!

Ready to begin registration through PowerSchool? Click here.

(If you have trouble creating a PowerSchool account, please view these instructions.)

This will be available July 1, 2026.

July 1: Online Registration Open

July 23 & July 28: Residency, Registration & Financial Family Assistance (12 pm – 7 pm)

July 31: Final Day to Receive Prompt Pay Discount

August 5-6: Back to School Days

August 7: Freshmen Orientation

August 12: First Day of School – Full Day

Registration Information and Links:

Returning students and incoming freshmen from our feeder schools click here: Student Registration
New students to our district or not from our feeder schools click here: New Student Pre-Registration

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT OF FEES

Required Fees:

$250 – Registration & fees (Prompt pay fee of $225 if paid in full by midnight on July 31, 2026) – fee includes registration; all course fees; student activity pass and digital handbook
$174 – iPad rental fee* for freshmen, sophomores, juniors & seniors
$85 – Digital curriculum fee

*iPad rental fee: Fee includes device, charger, case, insurance coverage, and loaner program. After the family has made four annual rental payments over the student’s career at Glenbard and the student’s account is paid in full the device will become the property of the student. In other words, this is a rent-to-own program.

Deadline: Families must complete online registration and payment by midnight on July 31, 2026. Registration and payments received after this date will pay the $250 Registration & Fee charge versus the prompt pay fee of $225.

PE Uniform & Lock: PE uniform and & lock will be provided to all incoming freshmen. The PE uniform & lock charge of $24 will be directly billed to you for online payment. If needed, returning students will be able to purchase PE uniforms and lock once school is in session.

Advanced Placement (AP) Fee Process & One Free Test: Glenbard charges the AP exam fee through the registration process in the summer, along with the other student fees. The Glenbard 87 School Board has made the investment to pay for one AP exam for every Glenbard student every year. All subsequent exams are $99, including the AP Research and AP Seminar exams. Families will have the opportunity to ‘opt out’ of the exam and fee by November 13, 2026, or March 15, 2027 for 2nd semester-only AP courses. After these dates, families will be responsible for a $40 unused/canceled exam fee. If you are in need of financial assistance for AP Exam Fees, please contact your building Assistant Principal for Student Services.

Optional Fees: The athletic participation fee is $175 per student, per year. The fee allows your student to participate in unlimited sports. Yearbooks are available for purchase through the online registration & payment process. Students that sign up for the Behind the Wheel portion of Drivers Education will be charged $350. Parking passes are limited and the annual fee is $200.

Payment of Fees: It is the policy of the Glenbard Board of Education that prior to the first official day of class families should pay fees in full. Payments are due by midnight on July 31, 2026 for families to realize the prompt-pay discount of $25. The online registration process will guide you through the registration and payment process. Families that cannot pay in full due to financial circumstances should refer to the Financial Assistance Programs referenced below.

Payment Plan: Glenbard allows families to set up monthly payment plans for school fees. Families can choose their monthly payment amount. We encourage you to select the optional $175 athletic fee if you anticipate your child playing a sport so it is included in the payment plan. If the payment minimum of $100 per month cannot be met, please contact the Business Office.

National School Breakfast and Lunch Program (Free Meals): Families that are eligible for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program (Free Meals) must apply each year for approval. Applications for the program can be submitted using our on-line application form by visiting this link. If you believe you are eligible, please complete the on-line application form for submission. If you have questions regarding this program, please contact the Assistant Principal for Student Services Office.

Waiver of School Fees: Families that receive SNAP, TANF, or Income Eligible Medicaid should be directly certified for waiver of fees by our business office. Families can also apply for a waiver of student fees if they meet the household income eligibility requirements. Families can apply online for a fee waiver. Information can be found by visiting this link.

Extended Summer Hours: Daytime and evening hours are available this summer if you need assistance completing the waiver application. Staff will be available from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. to assist you on July 23 and July 28.

Residency Verification: All families must verify residency each year prior to registering for school. Residency verification was due June 11. Glenbard verified 95% of our students’ residency electronically. If we could not electronically verify your residency, you should have received a letter in the mail from us in May, requiring you to verify residency in person or by mail by the due date referenced above. Residency procedures are located in the Parents section of our website, under the Registration section. Verification of residency protects all of our families and ensures that only students that live in our school district boundaries attend Glenbard schools. It is illegal to attend school in a district where you are not a resident. Contact the Assistant Principal for Student Services (APSS) at school for more information.

BACK TO SCHOOL DAYS - AUGUST 5th - 6th

THIS IS YOUR ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR SUPPLIES, SCHOOL ID, YEARBOOK PICTURE, AND OFFICIAL SCHEDULE - THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY WILL BE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THURSDAY, AUGUST 12TH, AT WHICH TIME THERE MAY BE LONG LINES.

Remember to send your student with a form of payment for any outstanding fees. You may also purchase West Nation passes, Booster activity passes, Glenbard gear, and any other items of interest. Check, cash, or Visa/MasterCard are accepted. Please make checks payable to Glenbard West High School. Students will fill in the amount owed and will receive a receipt for their purchase.

PICTURES: Student ID photos will be taken during Back-to-School Days and will also be used as your student’s yearbook picture. Students should dress neatly and in good taste. We will communicate these details along with other Back-to-School Week information in the coming weeks.

STUDENT ID REQUIREMENTS: Students will be required to carry, and present upon request, their student ID to any Glenbard Staff Member. Student IDs are required for entry to the building, to get on the bus, lunch purchase, library and lab check-in, etc.

STUDENT SCHEDULES: Final schedules will be available online by August via Schoology and PowerSchool. Counselors will be available for questions beginning August 3rd. Change requests are limited by availability and will only be evaluated as a result of level change, a course needed for graduation requirements that can’t be taken otherwise, change due to taking a class in summer school, or a course aligned with post-secondary goals.

FRESHMAN/NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM

Dear student and parent(s),

Welcome to Glenbard West! We know that the transition into high school is exciting, but also has its challenges. For that reason, West has designed a mandatory new student orientation to provide our incoming freshmen and new students with the best opportunity for success. New Student Orientation will take place on Friday, August 7, 2026. Orientation will begin at 8am in the Biester Gym and conclude at 12pm. All freshmen/new students are required to attend New Student Orientation.

All freshmen/new students will attend orientation sessions led by the Glenbard West Staff and West Mentor Leaders.. Our Mentors have undergone several hours of training so that they can assist freshmen students with this transition and provide them with the information needed to successfully begin high school at Glenbard West.

Sessions held at the orientation will acquaint students with members of the staff, allow students the opportunity to meet other freshman students, provide an overview of the academic resources available to students, explain extracurricular opportunities, introduce students to the culture and traditions of Glenbard West, and provide recommendations for academic success and practical tips to help your student succeed at Glenbard West.

On August 7th, bus transportation to orientation will be provided. At Registration on Wednesday, August 5th, freshmen will receive their orientation bus route, pickup time, and location (if applicable) as well as their school year bus route, pick up time, and location (if applicable). Please note that students' orientation bus route may be different from their school year bus route.

Please encourage your student to eat a healthy breakfast before attending orientation. Students do not need to bring anything to orientation, including iPads. Students will be asked to put their cell phones away during the program. Students should wear comfortable shoes and clothing for walking around the building and being active.

On behalf of the Senior Mentors, Faculty and Staff, we welcome you to the Glenbard West Family and look forward to meeting you on August 7th.

Sincerely,

Peter Baker

Assistant Principal for Student Services

TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING

iPad, Charger & Case:

All incoming freshmen and transfer students will receive an iPad to manage coursework. Glenbard will ship your iPad and training information to your residence after you have registered, paid your fees and/or signed up for a payment plan. We strongly encourage families to register as early as possible so that your student has more time to train on their device prior to the first day of school.

Returning students that had an iPad for the 2026-2027 school year are responsible for maintaining their device in good working order and will use their device for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. Returning students should run all software updates prior to the first day of school. If you experience technical issues with your iPad contact the technical support help desk at 630-942-7777.

Digital Curriculum/Applications: Glenbard provides students with digital curriculum (digital textbooks, digital novels, digital workbooks) and applications (Schoology, our learning management system; etc.) that the student will use for their coursework.

Note: Certain courses may still require non-digital materials (hardbound textbooks; paperback novels or workbooks). If your student needs these non-digital materials, we will provide them at no additional charge. Textbooks must be returned by the student in good condition at semester end (semester classes) or by year-end for (full term classes), or fines could apply. These materials will be provided to your student once school is in session.

BUS TRANSPORTATION

Routing
District 87 uses a state-of-the-art software program that provides routing and mapping capabilities that optimize our transportation network: routing efficiencies that result in reduction of route times & number of routes (and related costs); improved communication tools including online information for parents/students; reporting capabilities and more.

Note: Bus routes may be different from one school year to the next as routes are re-evaluated.

Transportation Mission
Glenbard Township High School District 87 will deliver a transportation system that:

Makes Student Safety Its Top Priority
Is Reliable & Consistent
Minimizes Student Time on Bus (to best of our ability)
Is Customer Friendly
Is Cost Effective

Transportation Partners
Durham and Cook Illinois (First Student) provides transportation for daily a.m. and p.m. routes; daily routes to Technology Center of DuPage (TCD); athletic and extra-curricular routes and after-school routes for students participating in activities; and transportation for our students with special needs.

Optional Fee-Based Bus Transportation
The District 87 Board of Education policy allows District 87 students who live less than 1.5 miles from school the ability to ride the bus on a fee basis. This optional fee is $300 per year, per student for the school year. There must be capacity on the bus and the student must be transported from an existing route and existing bus stop. Prior to ridership, a request form must be completed and turned in to the attending school’s APO Office. If consideration is granted, the request will be forwarded to the District’s Transportation Manager for final approval. The fee must also be paid in advance. The Fee-Based Busing form can be found HERE.

Bus Transportation ID Requirement
District 87 students eligible to ride the bus will be required to display their student ID to the bus driver upon entering the bus for both the AM and PM routes. Students unable to produce their ID will be required to receive a temporary pass from the Dean’s office to ride the PM bus. The first temporary pass will be excused; however, any additional temporary passes issued will result in a Dean intervention. Students are encouraged to get the temporary pass from the Dean’s office during the school day to assure they will be able to ride on the normally scheduled PM bus. If the student does not present a temporary pass in time to make the normally scheduled bus, they will have to wait until the activity bus and present the pass. Students will be responsible for riding their designated bus. Bus drivers and school administrators will deny requests for students to ride other routes than previously assigned unless pre-approved by the Dean’s office.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS (PHYSICALS):

Freshman: All freshmen are required to provide an updated school physical for freshman year as part of enrollment. This physical is to be turned into the health office by July 15, 2026. This physical must be less than 1 year old at the start of the school year (freshman physicals can be accepted that are dated on/after 8/12/25). Click here for physical specifics and needed immunizations.

Seniors: All seniors must show proof of having two doses of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) with the first dose on or after the 10th birthday and the second on or after the 16th birthday. Acceptable vaccines: Menactra, Menevo, and MenQuadfi. Please note: the MenB vaccine does NOT meet the senior year requirement! If the first dose was given after the 16th birthday only one is required. Proof of the meningococcal vaccine is to be turned into the health office by July 15, 2026. Click here for additional information.

Insurance: District 87 provides “school-time” accident insurance protection for your student as part of its current insurance program. “School time” includes the school day while your student is attending academic school sessions and up to one hour before and one hour after regular classes. Your student is protected during school-sponsored activities as well, which further includes travel directly or indirectly and uninterruptedly to and from such school activity. Note: This coverage does not include interscholastic tackle football. Benefits are secondary to all other collectible insurance policies. Accidents or injuries must be reported to the appropriate teacher, coach, trainer, or nurse as soon as possible. Accidents that are not reported within 30 days of the accident will not be covered by the insurance carrier. Medical insurance is the responsibility of parents. This insurance program is for “school-time” accidents only. Optional coverage can be purchased for two programs: 24-Hour Optional Student Accident Coverage and Grade 9-12 Interscholastic Tackle Football. Insurance brochures are available during Back-to-School Week or can be received by calling the school.

STUDENT RECOGNITION

Special Olympics State Competition

Adrian Salazar - Earned Gold in his division for mini javelin and Bronze for 100M run.

AnDuy Tran - Earned Gold in his division for mini javelin.

Erika Tchuindjang- Competed, cheered on her teammates and had a great time.

SENIOR PICTURES

MS. SARA KUSH, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR INSTRUCTION

preACT and ACT Scores

For families of juniors, the newly released and corrected ACT scores should have appeared in student’s myACT portal in the first week of June. They were also sent out late last week to students and families via email. Contact ACT directly for any issues with scores or your student’s myACT account. Freshman and sophomore families should have received their students’ spring preACT scores via email last week. Thank you all for your patience as we received scores much later than previous years which caused a delay on our end as well. If you did not receive your student’s scores or have any further questions, please contact the API Office.

AP Scores

AP scores will be released starting on Monday, July 6th. To access scores, students will need to log into their College Board account. You can find out more information about AP scores here.

Annual Freshman Meet & Greet

We hope all of our incoming freshman students and families can join us at the Glenside Public Library at 25 E. Fullerton Avenue in Glendale Heights on Thursday, August 6th any time between 6-7:30pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet some of our Link Crew student leaders, chat with staff members and mingle with other incoming freshman families. There is also a raffle for students to win Glenbard West gear. We hope you can make this wonderful event for incoming freshman families!

Save the Date for Open House: Thursday, August 27th

We are excited to welcome parents to Glenbard West with our annual Open House on Thursday, August 27th. Please plan to join us for this opportunity to hear from school counselors, walk your student’s schedule, meet their teachers, and learn more about course content and other school programs. Additional details will be communicated in early August.

On a personal note, I am stepping into a new role in our district as Director of Teaching and Learning starting on July 1st. As this is my last communication to families, I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to the entire West community for welcoming me and being such wonderful partners in supporting student success. Everyone says that West is a special place and I can say without a doubt that this is true. While I am sad to leave the incredible students, families, and staff that have made West feel like home these last few years, I am elated to remain close by at the district office and look forward to continuing to cheer on our Hilltoppers!

MR. JOE KAIN, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR ATHLETICS

Congratulations to the following Spring Sports teams and individuals who experienced outstanding success at the conclusion of the spring athletic season.

Hilltopper Boys Gymnastics, IHSGCA 1st Place in State and set a school record for highest meet score ever with a 165.9. Louis Diab finished in 1st place Floor Exercise, 1st Place Still Rings, 1st Place Vault, 1st Place Parallel Bars, 2nd Place Horizontal Bar, and 1st Place All-Around. John Mammoser finished 3rd Place Still Rings, 3rd Place Pommel Horse, 2nd Place Parallel Bars, 3rd Place Horizontal Bar, 3rd Place All- Around, and was named IHSGCA Senior Gymnast of the Year. Patrick Guare finished in 3rd Place Still Rings.

Girls Track who qualified 14 athletes for the IHSA 3A Girls Track and Field State Meet. Congratulations to Nora Janninck, Katie King, Shayne Dietzen, and Alexa Novak as members of the 4 x 800m relay team of who finished 2nd Place and earned All-State Honors. Alexa Novak also finished 7th Place in the 1600m race.

Congratulations to Boys Volleyball, IHSA State Champions with an overall record of 40-2 in 2026.

Boys Tennis won the IHSA Sectional and qualified 4 for the IHSA State Meet. Jack Creswell finished in the top 12 for Class 2A Singles.

Boys Track qualified 16 athletes for the IHSA 3A State meet. Congratulations to Ben Schoettle who finished 4th in the 110m hurdles and received All-State recognition.

Girls Soccer, IHSA Regional Champions.

Boys Lacrosse, IHSA Super Sectional Champions and 4th Place in State.

This Fall, Football practice will begin Wednesday August 5, 2026. All other fall sports begin on Monday August 10, 2026. Fall sports include Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Golf, Girls Flag Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Girls Tennis, Girls Swimming and Girls Field Hockey. Please look for specific practice times that will be posted on our athletic website as we get closer to the season. Information will also be available at registration week.

In order to participate, registration must be completed on the parent portal for PowerSchool which includes the Athletic Code agreement and concussion awareness agreement. In addition, a current physical within the last 13 months MUST be turned into the Athletic Office prior to practicing. The Glenbard West Athletic Handbook can be found on the Athletic website as well.

Please note that our mandatory Fall Parent Athlete Meeting will take place on Tuesday August 18th at 6:30pm scheduled for the Auditorium. You will learn important updates with regards to fall sports, Booster involvement, and our District wide GPS series. This will help both new and returning athletes and their families familiarize themselves with Glenbard West Athletics as we get ready for a great year.

SCHEDULES OF ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, REFER TO https: https://schools.snap.app/glenbardwest

GO WEST!

2026- 2027 BELL SCHEDULE

Click Here to View Our Glenbard West Calendar

2026 - 2027 GLENBARD WEST THEATRE SEASON

GW Theatre 26-27 Season Subscription:

Glenbard West families can see a great season of shows, get priority seating, and save 25% on ticket prices by purchasing a season subscription on Push Coin OR by sending in a check along with the Season Subscription Form. Get a season subscription for each member of your family!

Fall Musical: Les Miserables School Edition, November 12-14

Student Productions: Black Box New Plays, January 20-22

Winter Studio Shows: Figments, January 28-30

Spring Drama: Charlotte's Web, April 15-17

Click Here to Purchase 26-27 Theatre Season Tickets

All students who are interested in participating in our fall musical in any way are encouraged

to attend. No experience required!

YOUNG HEARTS FOR LIFE

Student Registration

Volunteer Sign-Up

SUMMER READING

Hey, Hilltoppers! The end of the semester is just around the corner, so it's a great time to start thinking about your summer reading list.

It's our hope that everyone finds something to read this summer that offers hope, joy, and new insights. Note that some of our classes, especially Honors and AP courses, have provided you with specific guidance for how you can prepare for the fall. To learn more, explore book recommendations, and read your course-specific letter, visit our Glenbard West Library website: https://glenbardwesths.libguides.com/gwlibhome/summer-reading

Have a great summer!

FOOD SERVICE

Glenbard District 87 is pleased to partner with OrganicLife as our food service provider. Information regarding OrganicLife, menu offerings, and nutrition/allergen information will be available on your high school’s website this summer.

After July 1, 2026, we encourage you to visit www.pushcoin.com to sign up for the prepayment option with their easy-to-use system.

Please note that for the 2026-2027 school year, free meals will be available to those who qualify. Please see the “Residency, Fees, and Financial Assistance Information” page for more information.

SIGN UP FOR GLENBARD NEWS

You can keep up with Glenbard information throughout the year by signing up for Glenbard News, our district-wide enewsletter, at this link.

Each week, you will receive district-wide news about students’ achievements in school-sponsored activities; upcoming events; fund-raisers; school board information and more.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR GLENBARD NEWS TODAY

BOOSTERS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Join Glenbard West Boosters for 2026-2027

Glenbard West Boosters is a parent-led fundraising organization dedicated to enriching the GBW student experience through grants, scholarships, school traditions, and community-building events.

As we begin the 2026-2027 school year, we invite all families to join or renew their membership. Every membership, volunteer hour, and donation helps support the students, teams, clubs, and programs that make Glenbard West an exceptional community.

Join today: https://gwboosters.ejoinme.org/membership
Visit our new website: https://gwboosters.ejoinme.org/west

WEST NATION

West Nation proudly supports Glenbard Parent Series (GPS). Visit www.GlenbardGPS.org for information on the nationally recognized speaker series for parents, students, educators and community members. The series is free and open to the public.

Please visit www.gbwnation.com to purchase a membership, make a donation and to volunteer. We invite all students and parents to be a part of WEST NATION!

Follow us on Twitter/@GWWestNation or Facebook/GlenbardWestNation

Click Here for More Information About West Nation

GPS GLENBARD PARENT SERIES

Missed a GPS Program This Year?

It’s not too late to catch up! Explore a wealth of free GPS Parent Series videos featuring renowned authors, clinicians, researchers, and educators sharing practical strategies for raising healthy, resilient, and successful young people.

Whether you're looking for guidance on mental health, relationships, motivation, technology, academics, or family well-being, you can watch past programs anytime—on your schedule. Browse featured recordings on our website or dive into our full video library on YouTube for hundreds of valuable conversations designed to inform, inspire, and support families at every stage.

Free. Convenient. Evidence-based. Available whenever you are. Visit GPSParentSeries.org and our YouTube channel to start exploring today.

Click Here for Glenbard Parent Series Webpage

LATEX ALLERGIES

Schools across the nation are experiencing more and more students who have latex allergies. Often, students with this allergy can have severe and even life-threatening reactions if exposed to latex resins and powders. For their safety, there are certain latex products we no longer allow on campus. Latex balloons and “Silly String” pose a significant health threat to students with a latex allergy. These products are not allowed on campus at any time, including after school, evening, and weekend events. With this in mind, we request your help: Please talk with your children about this health and safety issue. Some students might not understand the reason for a “balloon ban.” At West, we want all parents to know that their children are safe on campus.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Crisis Text Line - Text REACH to: 741741

This sends information to a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to help individuals return to a healthy/stable level of functioning.

SAFE2HELP ILLINOIS

Safe2Help Illinois Call 844-472-3345 or Text 72332(SAFE2)

Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is intended to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.”

SCHOOL VIOLENCE/BULLYING TIP LINE

Students who wish to report a potential act of school violence at Glenbard West may also leave an anonymous message with our School Resource Officer at (630) 681-3177 or call the Bullying Hotline Call (630) 942-7406

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE/TEXT 988

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call/Text 988

This number has trained staff to answer calls and respond to texts from individuals at risk for suicide as well as those experiencing other mental health and substance use-related emergencies. Specialized services will be available for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other groups.

Glenbard West High School

Email: gw_news@glenbard.org
Website: glenbardwesths.org
Location: 670 Crescent Blvd.
Phone: 630-469-8600
Instagram: @glenbard_west_hilltoppers

Principal's Newsletter