H-F FYI - 10.26.22

Parents & guardians, you are a vital link in our partnership to maximize student achievement! Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held online tomorrow — Thursday, Oct. 27 — offered in two sessions: from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and from 5-8 p.m. Parent/guardians were emailed an invitation to set up an individual Google Meet with each of their student's teachers. Each meeting will be for approximately 5 minutes, and it is recommended that your student also be at the session. On the day of conferences, students will have an asynchronous learning day. Conferences will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are unsuccessful at scheduling a time with a teacher or you need additional time, it may be necessary to contact the teacher directly to set up a Google Meet on an alternate day. Here are some questions to consider asking your teachers:

• What can I do at home to help my student succeed in your class?
• What is the best way to communicate with you?
• Are there any major assignments, projects or exams coming up that I should be aware of?
• What are two things my student should work on to find success in your class?

Questions? Visit https://sites.google.com/hf233.org/parent-teacher-conf-10-27-2022/home or call 708-335-5541.

The Homewood-Flossmoor Parent Association (HFPA) invites all H-F parents and guardians to its first meeting of the school year, set for 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 26) in the South Building Viking Room (formerly known as the TLC). Please join HFPA President Dr. Aginah Muhammad and HFPA representatives for a special meeting with H-F department chairs and administrators. All are welcome!

While students, parents and teachers are preparing for conferences, H-F will welcome District 233 senior citizens back to campus for the first time in three years for the Senior Citizens' Coffee & Tour this Thursday! Seniors will be welcome at 9 a.m. in the Mall Auditorium for a special presentation with entertainment, followed by coffee and treats made by our Culinary students and an optional student-led tour. Last-minute RSVPs can be sent to HFInfo@hf233.org.

Monstersongs — H-F Theatre's fall play — will put you in a synthesized world of graphic novels, rock musicals, live performance and new technology. Following the journey of a child who opens a portal into the psyches of often misunderstood creatures, the storytelling incorporates a variety of musical genres: folk, gothic classical, '60s pop, hard rock and bluegrass, just to name a few. Scary, silly and heartfelt, Monstersongs flips the switch on the monster narrative, inviting you to explore the humanity that binds us all. Recommended for ages 10, Monstersongs will be directed by Mr. Willard-Rose and will feature a talented cast of H-F student-performers in the Performing Arts Center. The show will run at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, and Friday, Nov. 4; a 2 p.m. matinee show will run on Saturday, Nov. 5. Congratulations to the cast:

• Araceli Adames — Siren Sister
• Jamia Akil — Siren Sister
• De'Angelo Barlow — The Mummy
• Sam Bouyer — Igor
• Moises Contreras — The Yeti
• Judah Crowder — Mad Scientist Mom
• Marissa Diaz — Siren Sister
• Zelda Golland — The Child
• Stella Hoyt — The Witch
• Eleanor "Calcifer" Jenkins — Mad Scientist Dad
• Sullivan Matthys — The Sasquatch
• Gabe McKinney — The Doppelganger
• Tessa O'Keefe — The Dragon
• Jazmin Rhodes — The Ghost
• Steven Rogers — The Troll
• Annabelle Rudan — Siren Sister
• Casey Siengo — Siren Sister
• Madison Vitolka — Teenage Zombie
• Amy Ward — Teenage Vampire
• Brianah Williams — Medusa

General admission tickets ($10/adult, $5/student/senior) are now available by clicking here...

All Vikings — but especially freshmen & sophomores — are invited to the Early College & Career Night at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, in South Building Room E1. You can meet with college admissions representatives and can learn about career trends. For more information, please contact Ms. Edwards, school counselor, at 708-335-5616 or dawn.edwards@hf233.org.

The Girls' Varsity Volleyball team will face Lincoln-Way East in the IHSA Regional Final tomorrow night (Thursday, Oct. 27) at 7 p.m. in the South Gym. Please come out to support them in this important match! Tickets ($5/person) available only at GoFan (click here).

Then on Friday night (Oct. 28), follow the Varsity Football team to Glenbrook South H.S. for round 1 of the IHSA Class 8A playoffs on the free student fan bus! Forms are available in the Athletic Office or download a form here; they must be turned in by noon on Thursday, Oct. 27. Space is limited to the first 150 students. If you are going to the game separately or are an adult, tickets ($5/person) will be sold at the gate or you can purchase them online at GoFan (click here). Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Go, Vikings!

The winter athletic season begins soon, featuring the following sports: Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Cheerleading (Competitive), Dance (Competitive), Girls' Gymnastics, Boys' Swimming & Diving and Wrestling.

Start dates are

• Boys’ Basketball – Monday, Nov. 7
• Girls’ Basketball – Monday, Oct. 31
• Competitive Cheerleading – Monday, Oct. 24
• Competitive Dance – Monday, Oct. 24
• Girls’ Gymnastics – Monday, Nov. 7
• Boys’ Swimming & Diving – Monday, Nov. 21
• Wrestling – Monday, Nov. 7

Student-athletes, please remember that physical exam forms must be on file in the Athletic Department by the start date in order to participate. Forms can be submitted at the Security Desk in the North Building (Enter Door A) or sent via email to ddehaan@hf233.org. Please note: The Physical Exam/Vaccination Report required for incoming freshmen can be used to participate in athletics.

A student-athlete interested in participating in a winter sport must also be registered on the 8to18 Dashboard. Please visit https://hf.8to18.com/accounts/login to register.

Above: HBCU Exploration Night

It was a full house in the Mall Auditorium on Wednesday night when representatives from Historically Black Colleges & Universities promoted their schools and share their experiences with H-F. Represented schools were: Spelman College, FAMU, Xavier U. of LA, NCAT, Fisk University, Jackson State U., Tennessee State U., Morehouse College, Grambling State U. and Howard U.

Below: Special Classroom Visitors

Last Thursday our VTV students enjoyed a visit from Randy Merkin, ESPN 1000's executive producer, author and Class of 1988 H-F alumnus / WHFH station manager! He shared great stories from his days at H-F and from the sports radio industry about sports celebrities and memorable games. Then on Friday, our Microbiology students were inspired by Aisha Kendrick, a school parent, R.N. scientist and Ph.D. candidate. She talked to the students about her career, the crucial need for nurse scientists and disparities in perinatal healthcare.

Monday morning this week H-F was celebrated by Special Olympics as a National Unified Champion Banner School! H-F is one of only two schools in the state of Illinois that has received this honor twice. It is given to schools that intentionally promote meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting environments, using three interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership and whole-school engagement. Monday's presentation in the North Gym included representatives from H-F's Unified teams & classes, Special Olympics Illinois, D233's Board of Education, the Village of Flossmoor, and U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly's Office. Special Olympics presented the official National Champion Banner, and Congresswoman Kelly's Office presented an Oct. 24, 2022, Congressional Record Submission from the U.S. House of Representatives, honoring the school. Thank you to all who attended to support our students, coaches & teachers!

Congratulations — and thank you — to H-F Marching Band students and their teachers (Mrs. Whitlock & Mr. Riedel) for bringing music to Homewood SD 153 Willow School 1st Graders on Friday! The little musicians had saved up points to get an opportunity to play with the high school musicians. They worked together in the classroom and also played in a mini parade around the school building to practice their skills. (Photos by Shelley Peck, HSD153)

Congratulations to the 15 H-F Music students who were selected to the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) District 1 Honor Ensembles! They will participate in a festival at Elmhurst U. on Saturday, Nov. 19. Illinois has nine music districts across the state, and being selected for these ensembles puts these students among the top high school musicians in our area! They are also now eligible to audition for their respective All-State music ensembles. Congratulations to:

• Avery Calhoon - Senior Chorus (Alto I)
• Alyssa Daley - Senior Chorus (Alto I)
• Cameron Elam-Guthrie - Senior Jazz Band III (Jazz Trombone) & Senior Orchestra (Bass Trombone)
• Anly Flores - Senior Band (Clarinet)
• Julian Grisius - Senior Orchestra (Cello)
• Georgia Holt - Senior Orchestra (Double Bass)
• Kendall Laven - Senior Chorus (Alto II)
• Sullivan Matthys - Senior Chorus (Bass I)
• Ruby Mikulski - Senior Orchestra (Viola)
• Kaleel Morris - Senior Band (Trombone)
• Jazmin Rhodes - Senior Chorus (Soprano I)
• Joseph Robertson - Senior Jazz Band I (Drum Set)
• Wesley Schmidt - Senior Chorus (Bass II)
• Ave Van Til - Senior Chorus (Alto II)
• Amy Ward - Senior Chorus (Soprano I)

Congratulations to sophomores Stella Hoyt and Gabe McKinney for being selected after a rigorous audition to join the cast of the All-State Illinois Theatre Association production of Shrek: The Musical! Stella was cast as an ensemble member, and Gabe was cast as an ensemble member/ Donkey understudy for the show, which is scheduled to run Jan. 12-14 during the Illinois High School Theatre Festival, held at the U. of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign. For more information on the show or festival, please click here...

Congratulations to our Boys' and Girls' Cross Country teams for great efforts and results at IHSA Regionals last week! On the Girls' Team, senior Caroline Schoen finished as Regional Champion and senior teammate Daija Brown also qualified for IHSA Sectionals. The full Boys' Team will compete at IHSA Sectionals! Junior Habtamu Epley finished in 3rd Place, and junior John Hockenberry placed 11th at Regionals. IHSA Sectionals are set for this Saturday, Oct. 28, at Normal H.S. Go, Vikings!

Congratulations to the H-F Mathletes team for some outstanding performances at the 2nd SWSC Meet on Oct. 19 at Bradley-Bourbonnais H.S.! The team was led by the junior team of Jack Piros, Asha Garrett, Tinbit Dogisso & Ethan Mangram; they took 1st place in the Coordinate Geometry Event. Jack scored a perfect 10 out of 10 on the competition! Also scoring high for the team were oral presenters sophomore Everett Van Til on Sets, and senior Alex Pease on Probability. Perfect scores on competitions were scored by senior Jered Maltbia, junior Jack Piros (x2), junior Tinbit Dogisso, sophomore Tolani Babawale, sophomore Everett Van Til (x2), and freshman Gregory Mitchell. Coached by Mr. Sacks, Math teacher, the team competes next at Sandburg H.S. on Nov. 9.

Congratulations to the H-F Chess team for having a tremendous performance at the Ram Medley Tournament 2022, held at Glenbard East H.S. this past Saturday. The team went 5-1 on the weekend, sweeping their Rapid matches to come in 1st place in the tournament! The team was led by seniors LeShon Courts and Joshua Bray, and sophomores Lyndon Proby and Matthew Brison, who each earned 5 points for their matches. Other highlights:

• Senior Allison Webb scored 3 points in the Open Rounds.
• Sophomore Tolani Babawale scored 3 points in the Open Rounds.
• Freshman SA Davis scored 3.5 points in the Rapid and Classical rounds.

The team is coached by Mrs. White, Math/CTE teacher.

Thank you to Mrs. White, Math/CTE teacher, for inspiring a group of 5th & 6th Graders at the Homewood Science Center by talking to them about the field of Civil Engineering on Sunday! They discussed what the differences are between being a scientist and an engineer, how to become an engineer, engineering opportunities in middle school and engineering opportunities at H-F High School.

After studying Rhetoric in the Real World last week, students in Mrs. Day's English 2 class presented their own fully developed advertising campaigns. Students created or chose an already-existing product to feature, decided on which persuasive rhetorical devices would be most effective, narrowed their focus to a targeted demographic, and designed and executed both print and video ads for the product. This project was an overwhelming success and a collaborative experience for everyone involved. Some students even designed t-shirts for their campaign and handed out samples.

Congratulations to Director of Communications & Community Engagement Carla Erdey for earning her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) last week! This credential from the Public Relations Society of America certifies her drive, professionalism and principles, positioning her as a leader and mentor in the competitive public relations field.

Please note: Only home athletic games & playoff games are shown below. For complete athletic schedules, please click here...

7:30-8:15 a.m. — Tutoring @ South G18 (Math), @ South B23 (Science) & @ H-F Library (Writing)

8:30 a.m. — Visit with Columbia U. @ College Room

9:52 a.m. — Visit with Butler U. @ College Room

1:55 p.m. — Wellness Wednesday: Rich vs. Wealthy with Mr. Suarez, School Counselor @ South G5 (Click here to sign up)

3:15-4 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (English, Math, Biology & Writing) & @ North 226 (French)

7-9 p.m.

• HFPA Meeting @ South Viking Room (formerly the TLC)
• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

Asynchronous Learning Day

9 a.m. — Senior Citizens' Coffee & Tour @ Mall Auditorium

11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Online Parent-Teacher Conferences, Session 1

Noon — Deadline for Football Student Fan Bus Forms @ Athletic Office

5-8 p.m. — Online Parent-Teacher Conferences, Session 2

7 p.m. — IHSA Girls' Volleyball Regional Championship @ South Gym

No Classes

7:30 p.m. — IHSA 8A Playoff Game: H-F Football vs. Glenbrook South @ Glenbrook South (Free 5:30 P.M. Student Fan Bus! Forms available in the Athletic Office or download one here; they are due by noon on Thursday, 10/27)

7 a.m. — H-F Speech Invitational @ South Building

8 a.m. — IHSA Cross Country Sectionals @ Normal Community H.S.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Math & Science Tutoring @ H-F Library (Enter Door 12)

7-9 p.m.

• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

7:30-8:15 a.m. — Tutoring @ South G18 (Math), South B23 (Science) & H-F Library (Writing)

9:31 a.m. — Visit with Trinity Christian College @ College Room

3:15-4 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (Math, Physics & Writing)

3:30 p.m. — Tryouts: Girls' Basketball @ Fieldhouse (Freshmen), North Gym (JV) & South Gym (Varsity)

7-9 p.m.

• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

7:30 a.m. — D233 Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting @ Viking Room

9:52 a.m. — Visit with the U. of St. Francis @ College Room

1:55 p.m. — Visit with Purchase College - SUNY @ College Room

3:15-4 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (Math, Physics & Writing), @ North 223 (Spanish) & @ North 205 (Chinese)

7-9 p.m.

• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

9 a.m. — Visit with Syracuse U. @ College Room

1:55 p.m

• Wellness Wednesday: Treat Yo'Self Self Care with Mrs. Palermo @ South G5 (Click here to sign up)
• Visit with Purdue U. - Northwest @ College Room

3:15-4 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (English, Math, Physics & Writing) & @ North 226 (French)

7-9 p.m.

• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

7:30 a.m. — D233 Board of Education Personnel Committee Meeting @ Superintendent's Conference Room

7:30-8:15 a.m. — Tutoring @ South G18 (Math), South B23 (Science) & H-F Library (Writing)

9:52 a.m. — Visit with Lincoln College of Technology @ College Room

1:55 p.m. — Visit with the U. of Oklahoma - Norman @ College Room

3:15 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (Math, Chemistry & Writing)

6 p.m. — Early College & Career Awareness Program @ South E1

7-9 p.m.

• Opening Night! H-F Theatre presents Monstersongs @ Performing Arts Center
• Online Science Tutoring @ Google Classroom
• Online Math Tutoring @ Google Meet

7:30-8:15 a.m. — Tutoring @ South G18 (Math), South B23 (Science) & H-F Library (Writing)

9:31 a.m. — Visit with Kenyon College @ College Room

10:27 a.m. — Visit with Eastern Illinois U. @ College Room

3:15-4 p.m. — Tutoring @ H-F Library (Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Writing)

7-9 p.m. — H-F Theatre presents Monstersongs @ Performing Arts Center

We are so happy to have our students back in person this school year! An important step to keeping school on track is to be sure to stay at home if you are not feeling well, especially if you are having COVID-19 symptoms or suspect you have COVID-19. If a student is COVID-19 positive, parents/guardians, please complete the District 233 COVID-19 Reporting Form (click here) for the Nurse's Office.

High school basketball: Ranking the top basketball coaching jobs in the south suburbs - Chicago Sun-Times

Plant the Gem volunteers get 300-plus trees in the ground across Flossmoor in one morning - HF Chronicle

Homewood-Flossmoor alum part of team that altered orbit of asteroid - CBS Chicago (alumna)

Skyrocketing costs put H-F culinary, fashion design projects on hold - HF Chronicle

Michelle Chen’s curiosity helps lead to new discoveries — including bopping an asteroid - HF Chronicle (alumna)

Beatles tribute Abbey Road performs Freedom Hall concert in Park Forest (alumnus)

Payton Malinoski delivers on defense as Lockport downs H-F

High school football: Previewing and predicting the Class 8A state football playoffs - Chicago Sun-Times

H-F Theatre production 'Monstersongs' on stage Nov. 3, 4, 5 - HF Chronicle