Cardinal Corner

Oct 15: Sunrise Hoops, 6:45 - 7:45AM

Oct 16: Variety Show Assembly, 8:00 - 9:30AM

Variety Show, 7:00PM

Oct 17: Cross Country State Meet, Normal, IL

Variety Show, 7:00PM

Oct 20: School Board Meeting, 6:15PM

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

Oct 21: First Quarter Ends

Sunrise Hoops, 6:45 - 7:45AM

Oct 22: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 8:20 - 7:40PM

Oct 23: Parent-Teacher Team Conferences, 8:20-11:40AM

Oct 24: Trunk or Treat, Pioneer Park, 10AM - 12:30PM

Oct 26: Boys Basketball Tryouts, 3:00 - 6:00PM

Oct 27: Boys Basketball Tryouts, 3:00 - 6:00PM

Oct 28: Bus Evacuation Drills, 8:00AM - 2:00PM

Sunrise Hoops, 6:45 - 7:45AM

Oct 29: Sunrise Hoops, 6:45 - 7:45AM

CARDS Wall Signing, 7:35AM

Oct 30: Quarter 1 Report Cards Issued

Speech Team Contest, Millbrook Jr. High, 4:00 - 9:00PM

Dear South Middle School Families,

It is hard to believe we are already well into October! As the school year continues, our students are building routines, strengthening relationships, and growing both academically and socially. We love seeing the many ways our Cardinals are getting involved and contributing to our school community. Thank you for the role you play in helping make South such a positive place for students to learn and grow.

As we move through the fall, we encourage families to continue checking in with their students about their classes, friendships, and overall well-being. Middle school can be a busy time as students balance academic expectations, extracurricular activities, and social relationships. Taking a few minutes to listen, celebrate successes, and talk through challenges can make a meaningful difference. We also encourage families to continue checking PowerSchool and Schoology to stay informed about academic progress and help students develop strong habits around organization, time management, and responsibility.

Finally, thank you for your continued partnership and support. A successful school year is built on strong relationships between students, families, and staff, and we are grateful to work alongside you. We look forward to another great week at South and all the opportunities ahead for our Cardinals!

The South Administration Team

We look forward to connecting with our South Middle School families during Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 22 and 23, 2026. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for parents, guardians, students, and teachers to work together, celebrate student progress, and discuss areas for continued growth.

IMPORTANT INFO

• Parent Letter for dates, conference details, registration instructions, and additional information about our fall conference schedule.
• Online Conference Signup LINK - PTC Wizard
• Signup Opens: Monday, October 5 @ 8:30 AM and closes Monday, October 19 @ 8:30 AM.
• Families will use their child's Student ID to create an account and schedule conferences.
• Student ID's will be emailed to families on Monday, October 5th.

Students are invited and encouraged to attend conferences with their parents or guardians.

We look forward to partnering with our Cardinal families to support the continued learning and growth of every student!

• Physicals (on the state of Illinois form) and vaccines (including TDap and Meningococcal) are due BEFORE 10/15/26. This is a state of Illinois mandate for all sixth graders and students new to AHSD 25. Physicals must be dated on or after 8/21/25.

• Physicals (on the state of Illinois form OR the IESA form) are due BEFORE any sports practices or tryouts. No exceptions.

• All forms can be found on the AHSD25 website

Please contact us with any questions as soon as possible: echapin@sd25.org or smusolf@sd25.org or 847-506-6305.

The high schools in Township High School District 214 are preparing for the incoming Freshmen Class of 2031 (current 8th grade students).

The first step in getting ready for high school is to complete the Intent to Enroll form. The Intent to Enroll form will be available from September 14 through October 30. Please complete this information as soon as possible, so the high schools can communicate directly with you about parent nights, the placement process, and annual high school registration (opens in June).

To complete this form visit the District 214 Intent to Enroll page.

Looking for a fun way to connect with your child and be part of the South Middle School community? We are inviting parents of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to join us as lunchroom volunteer supervisors throughout the school year. Even if you’re only able to help for one day, we would love to have you!

This is a great opportunity to see a part of your child’s school day and support our students in a meaningful way. If you are interested, please email chumbert@sd25.org and let her know which day and lunch period you would like to help. Our lunch periods are:

• 6th Grade: 11:09–11:49 a.m.
• 7th Grade: 11:53 a.m.–12:33 p.m.
• 8th Grade: 12:37–1:17 p.m.

We hope you’ll consider joining us!

Please use the following links to access important information for the school year:

• South Middle School Website
• District 25 Student/Parent Handbook
• School Supply List
• “In’s and Out’s” and procedures of South Middle School

Congratulations to our South Middle School cross country athletes on an outstanding performance at Sectionals! Congratulations to Maria B, Lydia L, and Sam P, on earning medals at the event!

Our boys team earned an impressive 2nd-place finish, and our girls team took 3rd place! Both teams have qualified to compete at the State meet this weekend!

Congratulations to our boys team members: Eddy B, Arjun M, Jayjay F, Shane H, Alex K, Owen L, Andrew M, Cole C, Nate M, and Sam P.

Congratulations to our girls team members: Jane C, Mia L, Emma N, Pepper C, Erin W, Maria B, Elise C, Hadley D, Gianna D, and Lydia L.

We are incredibly proud of our athletes, coaches, and the hard work, dedication, and teamwork that brought them to this exciting achievement. Best of luck to both teams at State, we’ll be cheering you on, Cardinals!

South's Fall production of VShow 2026: A South Theatre Mystery runs Friday, October 16th-17th at 7pm each night. Come see our talented Cardinals perform acts from music to magic to dance and more, all tied together with a "whodunit"-style story written by our 8th grade Junior Thespians! Tickets are on sale NOW! Visit our South Theatre website to purchase. Please email Wes Skym with any questions or seating accommodation needs.

We are also partnering with AniMend - Support for Shelters again this year to collect donations of pet food/treats, new or gently used blankets/towels, paper towels, and cleaning supplies at each show. Feel free to bring something to drop off! Visit animend.org for more info.

The girls basketball season is officially underway, and we are excited to see our Cardinals back on the court! We look forward to a great season filled with teamwork, growth, and school spirit. Best of luck to our 7th and 8th grade teams. We can’t wait to cheer you on!

Here is the Sign Up Genius link to show our incredible staff & teachers some love via food and beverage donations for Parent/Teacher conferences! Thank you in advance for your support.

We have a NEW South PTA instagram account. Follow us at southmiddleschoolpta today!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! The PTA will send out a monthly newsletter called 'The Chirp' starting this month. We will use this as another way to keep parents updated about all things South PTA related so you can stay informed. One of the features of this newsletter will be a 'Community Corner' that will highlight information pertaining to activities and events outside of South Middle School that relate to our families. If you have something community minded to share that will benefit our readers, please email it to president@southpta.org to have it included.

There are still a couple of PTA volunteer positions we would love to have filled with some fantastic folks! Please reach out to Abby Harkey if you are interested in taking on the role of Yearbook and/or 8th Grade Picnic. Prefer to be a part of a dynamic duo instead of standing out solo? Ask a friend to partner up with you! Many hands make less work.

Do not hesitate to reach out to us with any concerns or questions. GO CARDINALS!

Abby Harkey / President president@southpta.org

Carla Walloch / Vice President vp@southpta.org

Ivette Ramirez-Defever / Treasurer treasurer@southpta.org

Ryann Uden / Secretary secretary@southpta.org

Our South teachers work hard to support our students, and the PTA would love to show them some appreciation during Parent-Teacher Conferences! We are organizing a dinner for our teachers and staff and would appreciate donations from our wonderful South families to help make it a success. If you are able to contribute, please take a look at our SignUpGenius link to see available donation items and sign up. Every contribution, big or small, helps us show our teachers how much they are valued.

Thank you for your continued support of South and our amazing staff!

Thank you to all of our families for your continued support of the PTA so far this school year! We truly appreciate everything you do to support our students and school community.

Mark your calendars for our next PTA meeting on Thursday, November 19th @6:30pm through Google Meet. We hope to see you there!

Remember to join South PTA during your student’s registration to support all our student, family, and school programs.

Note that each D25 school’s PTA is independent.

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