Principal's Blog 2025-2026 #32

April 17, 2026

Dear Mustangs,

We have a little over a month to go, and with it comes a full calendar of opportunities for our students to learn, create, and connect at the end of the school year. From the arts to academics to community engagement, this week is a great reflection of the many ways our students shine.

We look forward to celebrating creativity at the Mundelein All Area Art Show and our MHS Musical, while also cheering on students participating in the Mayor’s STEM Cup Challenge. Events like these highlight the incredible talent, dedication, and passion our students bring to everything they do.

We are also excited to welcome guest author and illustrator Jason Walz to campus, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with storytelling and the creative process. In addition, we look forward to connecting with families through events like Universidad de Padres and our MHS Building Tour.

Lastly, due to a change in state testing dates for April 2027, the 2026–2027 Board-approved calendar has been updated and reposted. You can view the updated calendar here.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are helping our students make the most of every opportunity as we move through this final stretch of the school year.

Finish Strong Mustangs!

Dr. Alexandria Taylor

Principal

Mundelein High School

847-949-2200

www.d120.org

ataylor@d120.org

Apr 18 El Baile

Apr 19 Mayor's STEM Cup Challenge

Apr 20 Guest Author/Illustrator

Apr 20-24 National Library Week

Apr 20-24 Violence Prevention Week

Apr 22 Admin Assistant Professionals Day

Apr 23 MHS Building Tour

Apr 23 Universidad de Padres

Apr 23 "My Inspirational Teacher" Contest Entries Due

Apr 23-24 Mundelein All Area Art Show

Apr 23-25 MHS Musical

Apr 25 Mulch Fundraiser

Apr 28 Night of Percussion

Apr 29 Transition Center Incoming Parent Night

Apr 30 AI Scholars Program Applications Due

Apr 30 Honors Band Concert

May 1 Decision Day

May 1 Prom (early release)

May 1 National Luch Hero Day

May 2 A-May-Zing Mundelein

May 4-15 AP Testing

May 4-8 Staff Appreciation Week

May 5 Teacher Appreciation Day

May 6 School Nurses Day

May 7 Band Awared Concert

May 7 Transition Center Age Out Ceremony

May 12 Senior Honors Night

May 13 Choir Finale

May 13 Senior Last Day

May 14 Senior Cap and Gown Pickup

May 15 Evening of Jazz

May 17 Graduation

May 18 School Speech and Language Pathologist Day

May 18 Business Incubator Pitch Night

May 19 Wellness Bash

May 20 Early Release

May 21-22 Final Exams (early release)

May 22 Last Day of School

May 25 Memorial Day

May 26-28 Emergency Days

June 8 Summer School Session 1 Begins

July 6 Summer School Session 2 Begins

September 8 First Day of 2026-2027 School Year

Due to MHS building construction efforts, school days will be slightly different for the next couple of years. Our Board of Education has approved school-year calendars for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 so we may all have an opportunity to do some advanced planning.

Stress is something we all face, but how we experience it can vary greatly. While there's no one-size-fits-all definition, it's most often described as a state of physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.

The MHS Wellness Center team is proud to share Mental Health Must-Haves for Mundelein Mustangs, a resource packet filled with tips and tricks to manage emotions and stress, regulate thoughts and anger, improve self-love and self-confidence, increase executive functioning, and enhance overall self-care. Be sure to also check out this month's self-care checklist and list of helpful workshops.

Here are some additional suggestions that you may find useful.

One of the best things to help prevent and fight loneliness is to get out of your comfort zone by forcing yourself to meet people. Sometimes meeting new people can seem overwhelming, but with time and if you are your authentic self, you will eventually meet others who share similar interests and mindsets. Ways to meet like-minded people include joining a gym, a class such as cooking or art, participating in church groups, or outdoor activities such as running clubs, ski clubs, or participating in races. In addition, it is essential to surround yourself with people who help you grow, as surrounding yourself with those who pull you down can be detrimental to your stress levels and mental health.

Lonliness and Stress image and text courtesy of: AKUA Mind Body

Hope Squad - Monthly Theme is Mindful

April Workshops

Self Care Bingo

Congratulations to Will Bemrich for tossing a complete game no-hitter against Stevenson Monday evening!

Mundelein High School senior Andrew Weaver has earned the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing, four-year college scholarship for golf caddies.

Weaver, who plans to study advertising at the University of Illinois, was nominated for the award by the Ivanhoe Country Club where he has caddied for the past four years. The scholarship is given by the Evans Scholars Foundation and is awarded based on a strong caddie record, excellent academics, and outstanding character.

Read the story here.

Thanks to all of those who attended our MHS Job Fair and Career Expo on Friday in support of our students. From summer jobs to future careers, many students were made aware of opportunities for them in their own community.

Mundelein High School's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America had a standout

performance at the annual FBLA State Leadership Conference in Springfield, with 27 students

placing among the top 10 finishers in their respective events.

The Mundelein chapter competed alongside 65+ chapters from across Illinois in more than 75

competitive events spanning business topics, computer skills, interview events, and

presentation categories.

Several MHS students earned national qualifier status by finishing in the top four of their events,

earning the opportunity to compete at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San

Antonio, TX this summer.

The top-10 finishers from MHS included:

• First Place: Priyanka Sahu, Rishi Sahu, Sneh Shah (Website Coding and Development)
• Second Place: Chance Winckler (Economics)
• Sixth Place: Owen Beake, Alan Fisher, Aidan Hanrahan (Broadcast Journalism), Warren Sison (Data Science and AI), Gabriella Goodson (Impromptu Speaking), Advik Sharma (Personal Finance), Sofia Brown, Emolyn Madej (Sales Presentation)
• Seventh Place: Renata Turska (Computer Problem Solving), Natalie Lee, Olivia Wallace, Violet Wasseluk (Event Planning), Bruce Dumblauskas (Introduction to Business Communication), Michael Sager (Journalism), Nihal Joshy (Public Administration & Management)
• Eighth Place: Jacob Welshans (Business Law), Nathan Desrosiers (Organizational Leadership), Anthony Vynnyk (Securities and Investments), Kaidan Boongaling (Supply Chain Management)
• Ninth Place: Ivan Petkov (Business Plan), Anna Knop, Emily Luu, Natalie Moon (Introduction to Social Media Strategy)

Additional MHS students who competed at the state level included: Darren Azul, Brianna

Bachmann, Mikaila Brown, Tyler Burnette, Charles Channon, Aaron Fuksman, Mia Granat,

Caleb Murphy, Morgan Pawlak, Mohin Patel, Xeia Ratan, Ashon Salski, Faisal Sanusi, Marek

Sikora, Tyler Snowden, Michael Townsend, Landon Van Arsdale, and Colin Wise.

In a standout achievement beyond the competitive events, junior Nihal Joshy was elected to

serve as Illinois FBLA State Reporter for the 2026-2027 school year, representing the MHS

chapter in an official state leadership capacity.

MHS FBLA faculty advisers Chris Hoster and Amy Amber accompanied the group and

supported students throughout the competition.

FBLA is the largest student business career and technical education organization in the world.

In addition to running the Mustang Nation Spirit Store, students prepare for careers in business

through academic competitions, leadership and service development, and educational

programs.

Awards sessions can be viewed at http://slc.ilfbla.org/.

MHS on Wednesday hosted a group of 25 students from Skals Efterskole Boarding School in Viborg, a small city in central Denmark.

The students toured the school, attended a variety of classes and presented to a group of MHS students about their school and life in Denmark.

Several MHS students participated in a panel to share what a typical day at MHS looks like, including their experiences in classes, activities, and student life.

See the full scrapbook here.

MHS held its Spring Signing Day Wednesday afternoon for student-athletes, recognizing them for their commitment to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. The students included:

Andrea Snarski, Girls Basketball, Monmouth College; Spencer Sauer, Boys Tennis, Illinois Wesleyan University; Elijah Mendoza, Boys Cross Country and Track & Field, University of Illinois - Springfield; Emily Courtney, Softball, UW-Stevens Point; Shea Eaman, Softball, Kalamazoo College; Shae Johnson, Softball, Fullerton Community College; Samantha Biesterfeld, Girls Soccer, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE); Will Bemrich, Baseball, Parkland Community College; Peter Nanos, Baseball, Harper Community College; Dan Stricklin Baseball, McHenry County College; Johnny Weiss, Baseball, University of Illinois - Springfield; Eddie Zuniga, Baseball, Southeastern Community College; Thomas Schoo, Boys Golf, College of Lake County; Kyle Mason, Boys Swimming & Diving, College of Idaho; Cameron Wiklund, Boys Swimming & Diving, Augustana College; Drew Berek, Football, Augustana College; Mia Ryan, Girls Bowling, College of Lake County; Paige Winters, Girls Bowling , College of Lake County; and Lexie Ede, Girls Gymnastics, UW-Eau Claire.

Congratulations to these students and thanks for representing Mustang Nation so well!

Graphic designed by Mazin Hussain

Graduates, do people often mispronounce your name? We'd love to get it right for Graduation.

Use this QR code to fill out the Name Pronunciation by May 8th to help our presenters get it right..

Finalists will be scheduled the week of April 20th to present their speech to the selection committee. Decisions will be made by Friday, April 24th and all presenting students will be notified. If your speech is selected, you will then be given a mentor to guide you through the process of refining your speech and preparing you to speak in front of a live audience on the day of graduation.

The parking permit application opened on Wednesday, April 15 at 8:00 a.m. and will close on Wednesday, May 6 at 11:59 p.m. Students may apply at any time during this three-week window.

Please note that late applications cannot be accepted.

Students who are selected to receive a parking permit will be notified via email by the end of the school day on Friday, May 8. The permit fee must be paid by Friday, August 21 at 10:00 a.m. or the permit will be forfeited.

Permit Options and Cost

• Full-Year Permit: $250 (non-refundable)
• Single Semester Permit: $145 (non-refundable)

Students who plan to drive to school for the entire year are encouraged to apply for a full-year permit, as there will not be another opportunity to apply during the school year.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for a permit, students must:

• Be a junior or senior during the 2026–2027 school year (sophomores will not be considered)
• Be in good academic standing
• Maintain consistent attendance
• Have no out-of-school suspensions
• Have minimal or no parking violations
• Have access to a vehicle
• Hold a valid driver’s license*
• Provide proof of registration and insurance

*Students who expect to receive their driver’s license after the application deadline may still apply. If selected, their permit will be held until they obtain their license.

Selection Process

Students will be selected utilizing criteria decided by the building administration. Criteria may include but is not limited to items such as:

1. Student academic history
2. Student attendance history: all parent call-outs must be entered prior to application
3. Student behavior history

Important Reminder

A valid parking permit is required to park on campus. Vehicles without permits, or those parked improperly, are subject to ticketing and towing.

We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a fair and organized parking system for all students.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Next week is National Library Week and the MHS Library is celebrating the JOY you can find at your library.

What JOY have you found at the library?

Is it a Book Title? a Series? Games? Activities? Space or Service?

Come by the MHS Library to share your memories and comments about LIBRARIES!

Week Long Event: Students will be able to submit their violence prevention art piece for a chance to win a $50.00 Visa Gift Card.

Are you interested in Summer School? Our 2026 Summer School Information is now available online.

Click here for academic class options and summer school course guide

We will also offer an AP Boot Camp summer school course for session 1, running Monday through Thursday from June 8 to July 2, 2026. All classes run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Link will be available soon.

Click here for athletics class options. Summer Athletics Camp Registration will be listed under Programs and available beginning April 1st.

Check out our weekly newsletter for more important event and scholarship information.

Please save the date for El Baile 2026!

Saturday, April 18th

7:00 to 10:00 PM.

This year's theme is "Noche Bajo Las Estrellas."

Tickets are $5.00

• Online ticket sales through Omella from 4/6-4/17 at 11:59 PM!
• Ticket Sales during lunches 4/14-4/17
• Guest forms are available in the Deans Office and due 4/14.
• Guest tickets must be purchased online through Omella!

NO TICKETS AT THE DOOR THIS YEAR!

The first 50 students to buy their tickets will recieve free food at the dance!

On Sunday, April 19, 2026, Mundelein High School will proudly host the Eleventh Annual Mayor’s Cup STEM Competition. Many of you will remember that in 2019 we expanded the long-standing Math Challenge to include a team-based STEM Challenge—and it has since become one of our community’s most inspiring academic events. This competition highlights the vital fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, and brings together talented students from local middle and high schools.

Click here to learn more.

On April 20th, the MHS English department and Library Media Center will host a visit to our school by Author/Illustrator, Comic Creator, Jason Walz. He is know for sensitive teen portrayals that highlight the drama of being young and coming of age into a larger and often confusing world.

He will talk periods 1, 2 and 4 in the MHS Auditorium.

Administrative Professionals are the steady force behind so much of what makes our school run smoothly each day. From managing calendars and coordinating meetings to solving problems before most of us even see them, their work is both essential and often behind the scenes. Today, we take a moment to shine a well-deserved spotlight on these incredible professionals. Their attention to detail, calm in the midst of chaos, and unwavering support make a lasting impact on our entire school community. We are grateful for all they do—today and every day.

To celebrate educators around the 26th Senate District, I am writing to request your encouragement of your students to participate in my 2026 My Inspirational Teacher Essay Contest. Students in grades 6-12 are invited to write an essay of 250-500 words on a teacher that has had a positive impact on their life. This year’s contest theme is: How My Teacher Inspires Me.

PARTICIPANTS: All participants will receive a certificate of recognition from State Senator Darby Hills’ legislative office.

FINALISTS: Finalists from grades 6-12 and excerpts from their essays will be featured on SenatorDarbyHills.com. Finalists and their nominated teachers will also be invited to a reception at Senator Hills’ district office in Lake Zurich on Monday, May 4 from 5:30PM-6:30PM to receive their awards. Additionally, the winning essays will be displayed in the Springfield Capitol building to showcase your student’s talent.

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS: Two grand prize winners (one winner from grades 6-8 and one winner from grades 9-12) will each be awarded a $100 Amazon gift card to be used for educational supplies. (Governmental funds are not used for prizes. Amazon gift cards are donated).

Students must submit their essays no later than Thursday, April 23rd to be eligible.

Please send all entries to thankateacher@sgop.ilga.gov.

Mundelein High School

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Mean Girls The Musical

By Tina Fey
Directed by Maddie Martorana

Teenage Cady Heron was educated in Africa by her scientist parents. When her family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, Cady finally gets to experience public school and gets a quick primer on the cruel, tacit laws of popularity that divide her fellow students into tightly knit cliques. She unwittingly finds herself in the good graces of an elite group of cool students dubbed "the Plastics," but Cady soon realizes how her shallow group of new friends earned this nickname.

Thursday, April 23, 7:30 PM
Friday, April 24, 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 25, 2 PM and 7:30 PM @ Mundelein HS

Click here to Purchase Tickets

We are proud to host visitors to learn more about our programming and facilities. In order to minimize the impact on the educational environment, we have chosen to host visitors on select days throughout the school year.

Therefore, to secure a visitation time, please select from the following options so we are able to provide the necessary information and personnel during your visit.

Our next tour is on April 23th at 4:30pm. Click here to register.

La sesión de abril del Colegio de Padres se llevará a cabo el 23 de abril en la cafetería de la escuela, de 18:00 a 20:00 h. Para más información, comuníquese con Fred Kliora al 847-949-2200, ext. 1410.

Please come support the MHS Drink OASIS! All purchases go towards the Supported Learning Program!

It’s time again for our annual MHS Mulch Fundraiser! The dates will be Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, from 8am-4pm (weather permitting). We will be working out of the MHS Transition Center parking lot this year. We offer Dark Brown, Red, and Black... Unfortunately, Natural is not an option for us this year.

Bags are $4 each (No Bulk Mulch). If you normally purchase bulk mulch by the yard, about 18 of our bags is the equivalent to 1 cu/yd. Now for the best part, we can deliver and spread it for you! Why do you want to get your car and hands dirty? If you normally have landscapers spread mulch for you, we can still help.

Delivering bags allows us to do the same job as them, but cleaner, faster, and 90% of the time cheaper than they can. Reach out, and we can work out the details. Our flier is linked here for more information.

To place an order, please fill out this form.

If you’re not sure yet or decide to purchase bags last minute, we should still have what you need available at the school. Stop by anytime between 8am-4pm, during that weekend.

If it's not too much trouble, I would love for you to help us get the word out. Please share the Google Form link and our flier on all of your social media platforms, as well as with your neighbors, family, and friends. Please reach out if you have any questions. Thank you for your support.

MHS Auditorium

7:00pm

(Flyer was designed by MHS student Maddie Reuter)

On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the D120 Transition Center will host an orientation night where you will meet staff and learn more about the next step and expectations in your educational journey.

This evening is very important for you to attend.

The evening will be held at the D120 Transition Center.

• Location: 1500 Hawley st

• Time: 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Stanford AI and Emerging Technology Program

Inspirit AI pairs grades 6–12 students with Stanford and MIT researchers to build original AI projects such as cybersecurity threat detection, and intelligent traffic flow optimization. Students publish their research in academic journals and compete at competitions like Regeneron ISEF. Applications close April 30.

MHS Auditorium

7:00pm

College Ambassadors are busy planning this year's Decision Day Celebration for the Class of 2026, which will take place on May 1st this year during periods 3&4. It is a great opportunity for our seniors to gather together and take photos with each other while enjoying food that is donated in support of them by our amazing community!

Check out our Class of 2026 Future Decisions Instagram page!

Prom

May 1st

6:30pm - 11:00pm

Marriott Lincolnshire

Ten Marriott Drive

Lincolnshire, Illinois, USA, 60069

Click here for our early release schedule.

A-May-Zing Mundelein is a day set aside to help our neighbors who need assistance with light outdoor yard maintenance and area clean-up projects.

It is a time when we all have a chance to give back to our community.

The event will kick off at the Mundelein Police Department with registration from 8:00 A.M. until 9:00 A.M. Volunteers should plan on working through late morning or early afternoon. We will have coolers with drinks (water, Gatorade) and light snacks available.

Download the flyer for more information - English | Spanish

The 2025 AP Exams will be administered over two weeks in May: May 4–8 and May 11–15. AP coordinators will notify students when and where to report for the exams.

Seniors participating in AP Tests on May 14 and 15 may return MHS property and pickup their cap, gown and graduation tickets in the Principal’s Office on May 14 from 2:00pm-4:00pm, or May 15 from 7:00am-3:00pm.

Athletics events week of 4/20/2026

2025-26 Sports Season Start Dates

Submitted by Coach Willis

It was a strong week for our boys volleyball program, with wins against Vernon Hills and in our conference opener against Zion which was a great way to kick off conference play. The energy across all teams was electric.

Our JV team battled through the Libertyville Tournament last Saturday and secured wins against Deerfield, Highland Park, and Grayslake Central to claim a well-earned third-place finish. Great teamwork and resilience were on full display! Our Frosh/Soph team also had a strong showing at the Lake Forest Invitational, finishing with a 3-2 record and also bringing home third place. The team continues to grow each week, showing promise and competitive spirit in every match.

It is a busy weekend ahead with Varsity hosting a Quad at home on Saturday, JV is at the BarringtonTournament, the Frosh/Soph will be at the Libertyville Invite, while the Freshmen team plays in the Warren Quad.

We’re proud of all our players for their hard work and dedication. Let’s keep the momentum going—good luck to all teams this week!

Submitted by Coach Rutz

Yesterday at Schaumburg was a great chance to stretch our legs for the first time outdoors. Some great performances up and down the board, as our F/S took a very solid 3rd with 114 points, only 15 points out of 1st, with the varsity taking 5th. Some of the highlights-

First my picks for Performers of the Meet. There were three of them, starting with Jack Van Kammen. Jack, very unfortunately, was injured during his first race. What impressed me was his dedication. Despite being out of town, Jack was determined to be at the meet. He made his family get up at 4am so he could get to Schaumburg on time. That's dedication! Second POTM was Cameron Earing. This was Cameron's first track meet ever, and he made a splash in the High Jump, taking 3rd with a jump of 5'8". A great start to his track career. 3rd POTM was James Glaskin-Clay. James had a huge PR in the 3200m run, breaking 11 minutes for the first time, and running 10:53. This has been a goal of his for quite some time, and seeing him accomplish it was great!

On the track, we had a number of 1st place finishers. At the F/S level, we had wins in the 100m (Nathen Hamrick), 1600m (Aidan Sweet), Long Jump (Daniel Felli), 4 x 400 relay (Erick Cordova, Henry Molozaiy, Aidan Sweet, and Josh Karolczak), and my favorite of the day, the 4 x 200m Relay (Daniel Felli, Nathen Hamrick, Kolton Sydanmaa, and Josh Karolczak). Kolton's leg was electrifying!

We also received 2nd place finishes from the 4 x 800 relay (Erick Cordova, Jake Williams, Aidan Sweet, and Daniel Jones), 200m (Daniel Felli), 110m HH (Josh Karolczak), and Long Jump (Nathen Hamrick). Great job, guys!

At the Varsity level we received our lone win by Izic Miller in the 800 (1:59.19). We received 2nd place finishes in the 4 x 800 relay (Andrew Weaver, Jackson Tibus, Elijah Mendoza, and Delmar Mena), and the 3200m (Mendoza). We also received 3rd place finishes in the Discus (Holden McFall), and the High Jump (Cameron Earing). All in all, a good start to the outdoor season.

Wednesday we are at the Lane Tech Pizza Battle, and on Saturday we travel to Springfield for the Capitol City Invitational. Hope you can come out to see us!

Submitted by Coach DeVito

On April 15th, the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team earned an exciting win over Lake Zurich High School. The game was a back-and-forth battle from start to finish, with the Mustangs securing a 6-5 victory in the second round of overtime. Our freshman goalie Danielle Juarez also reached an incredible milestone, recording her 100th save. This achievement is a testament to her hard work and a big moment for our team!

Did you know? You can stay on top of all the MHS athletic schedule changes and reminders for your favorite activities!

With Notify Me!, you can set yourself up to receive automatic text and email notifications. Simply log in to choose the teams and activities you want to track, and we'll send you updates directly to your phone or inbox.

It's easy to use and you can log back in anytime to modify your settings. Don't miss a game or important update again!

Https://as3.rschooltoday.com/public/notify/genie/632/school/632

Seniors! Check out the new edition of the CCRC Newsletter!

Class of 2027: Start planning for college NOW by reading the Junior Edition of the CCRC Newsletter!

Peer/AP Tutors has updated the link to the Advanced Placement web page where students can access videos that detail nearly two dozen AP courses offered at MHS. We are grateful to senior Sophie Hammer who taped and edited every video, and the cast of seniors and juniors who provided insights behind selecting advanced placement courses.

The link can be found on the Literacy Center and Peer/AP Tutors website.

• Before school, during lunch, free periods, study hall. Staff help and student (peer) tutors available.
• ARC Academic Resource Center B145-147: help with any subject. Mon.-Fri. 7:00am-3:25pm.
• Teacher office hours: contact the teacher for time/day.
• Guidance: Counselors can make arrangements for help. Check Power School for name of assigned counselor.
• Student-led AP and Honors Study Group schedule; Remind codes for each group (Text the code to 81010):

Scan the QR Code below for your weekly menu options.

For those times when you need a little extra support.

For some additional reading, view our:

• Principal's Blog Archive
• District Developments Newsletter
• The Mustang Newspaper
• The Messenger Newsletter

Website: www.d120.org

Location: 1359 West Hawley Street, Mundelein, IL, USA

Phone: 847-949-2200

Mundelein High School District 120 may take photographs/slides, film, video and/or audio tape recordings of our students during classroom instructions, assessment, or other school-related activities that will be produced and used for educational purposes. This media may be used on a school-related website or school-related social media accounts and/or included in a school district or educational foundation related publication. District 120 may also release students’ names/photos to the local media for honor rolls, athletic events, plays, concerts, or community projects (Relay for Life, etc.)