H-F FYI - 12.14.22

Vikings, this is your last full week of classes for the semester! Finals week is ahead. Finish strong and take note of the finals week schedule below:

Monday, Dec. 19

7:30-8:50 a.m. — Period 1 Exam

Shortened Periods 2-7 the rest of the day with a 3 p.m. dismissal

Tuesday, Dec. 20

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 2 & 3 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 2 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 3 Exam

11:30 a.m. — Student Dismissal

Wednesday, Dec. 21

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 4 & 5 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 4 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 5 Exam

11:30 a.m. — Student Dismissal

Thursday, Dec. 22

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 6 & 7 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 6 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 7 Exam

11:30 a.m. — Student Dismissal

Friday, Dec. 23

Marking Day (No classes)

— WINTER BREAK: DEC. 26-JAN. 8 —

Our Music Department and our student-musicians have been rehearsing for weeks to help get the community in the holiday spirit! Please join them for one — or all — of the following special musical events this week:

• H-F Winter Jazz Concert — Wednesday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center
• H-F Winter Orchestra Concert — Thursday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. in the Mall Auditorium
• H-F Winter Band Concert — Sunday, Dec. 18, 2 p.m. in the Mall Auditorium
• H-F Winter Choir Concert — Sunday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m. in the Mall Auditorium

You can help make the concerts even more festive by purchasing a poinsettia plant for the Music Department's Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser. Each year more than 100 of the red-and-green plants adorn the stage in the Mall Auditorium for the concerts. Plants purchased through the fundraiser are then available to pick up immediately following the end of the Choir concert on Dec. 18. Plants are $20 each and available through 8to18 on this webpage (look for Music Department Poinsettias under "Activity"). Thank you for your support!

Preparing for life after high school can be overwhelming for many. Join the H-F Special Education Department tomorrow — Wednesday, Dec. 14 — at 6 p.m. on Zoom for the 1st presentation in its Transition Resource Series. These virtual presentations are designed to help you feel more confident in making the best decisions for a positive and smooth transition out of the school system. Presentation #1 — Exploring Options with New Star Services — will explain New Star Services' full spectrum of employment opportunities, life skills enrichment program, related services and community living options, as well as how to get connected.

Click here to join the presentation (Passcode: 910942)

Also, check out the Transition Resource Library for supplemental resources or contact the Special Education Department with any questions at (708) 335-5691.

VTV is looking for students with talents of all kinds — magic, dance, singing, comedy, music, juggling & more — for its first All-School Talent Show, set for Friday, Feb. 3, in the Mall Auditorium! Sign up by this Friday, Dec. 16, then practice your routine throughout Winter Break.

Click here to sign up via a Google Form...

For more information, contact Mr. Ciesielski at mark.ciesielski@hf233.org.

Registration is now open for ExcelEdge SAT Test Prep for juniors! The SAT is still important for college planning, as it is used not only for college admissions, but also for placement and scholarships. H-F juniors will take the SAT on April 12 during the school day. To help them prepare for the test, H-F has invited ExcelEdge to offer its program, SAT 1600, here at school. The program will be offered in-person by experienced instructors who are certified content specialists to teach point-producing offensive and defensive strategies on how to navigate difficult items on the SAT. Register now for one of two available sessions:

• Tuesdays from Jan. 31-March 14 at 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Saturdays from Feb. 4-March 18: Saturdays at 10 a.m.-Noon

Fee is $180/student. Juniors only. Registration is open now and will close on Jan. 13 or once the sessions are filled. To register on 8to18, click here.

Questions? For more information, contact the Assessment Office at 708-335-5584 or cbucci@hf233.org.

Thanks to VTV for capturing this memorable concert featuring our talented students! Click above to watch the Nov. 22 Guitar Preview concert on YouTube.

Above: More than 200 freshmen celebrated at the Class of 2026 Silent Party last Friday afternoon in the South Gym. The party was designed to celebrate our first-year students who have been doing well academically and behaviorally.

Below: Later that night, more than 800 students from all grade levels were invited to the H-F Kickback in the Fieldhouse. Students enjoyed basketball, volleyball, football, dancing, snacks and a selfie station as rewards for meeting set expectations for grades and behavior.

Congratulations to our students in H-F Speech Team for achievements at tournaments this month!

D230 T-Bolt Invitational: Dec. 3 (4th Place Team Finish)

• Aaron McIntyre — Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament Champion & 3rd Place Special Occasion Speaking!
• Jazmin Rhodes — Oratorical Declamation Tournament Champion!
• Stella Hoyt & Jazmin Rhodes — Dramatic Duet Acting Tournament Champions!
• Emma Steiner — 2nd Place Extemporaneous Speaking & 3rd Place Impromptu Speaking
• Ronald Gerring & Tinbit Dogisso — 4th Place Dramatic Duet Acting
• Sidney Bester — 5th Place Oratorical Declamation

Naperville Central Tournament of Roses: Dec. 10 (8th Place Team Finish)

• Rachel Griggs — 2nd Place Oratorical Declamation & Radio Speaking
• Halena Laven — 3rd Place Poetry Reading
• Aaron McIntyre — 4th Place Extemporaneous Speaking
• Ronald Gerring & Tinbit Dogisso — 4th Place Dramatic Duet Acting
• Sidney Bester — 4th Place Oratorical Declamation
• Emma Steiner — 5th Place Impromptu Speaking
• Ariel Miller — 6th Place Special Occasion Speaking

Coached by Mr. Mulling, English teacher, and Mr. Lowe, Math teacher, the students will compete this Saturday at the Sparta Winter Classic at Romeoville H.S. Go, Vikings!

Click the video box above to see how Mrs. Acebes' AP Spanish students used their new language skills to present solutions to challenges in Latin America.

Congratulations to our H-F Peer Mediators and sponsors Ms. Mitchell and Ms. Edwards from the Guidance Office for organizing students to sign a banner to take a pledge to Chill on Conflict during lunches last Friday!

Congratulations to the Debate Team for great efforts of team building and competition at Belvidere North last weekend! Debating by himself in a partnered event, Max Zeman finished in 11th Place in JV Public Forum. Junior Kevin Gibek finished in 5th Place team in Varsity Lincoln Douglas, and senior Peyton Jackson finished in 2nd Place speaker in Varsity Lincoln Douglas.

Come see our debaters at the first public debate at H-F in two years on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. in the North Cafeteria! Coached by Mrs. Cole, English teacher, Natalie Benson & Nehemiah Holmes will face Mickey McGrory & Everett Van Til as they debate price controls in the pharmaceutical industry. Ballots will be $3 each and concessions will be available, as well. Go, Vikings!

Congratulations to the Varsity History Bowl team for its performance at the Chicago Fall Regional, held at H-F last Saturday. With wins over Barrington H.S. and Stevenson H.S., the team qualified for Nationals in April in Reston, Va., and was a semifinalist at the tournament. The team consisted of junior Jack Piros and seniors Rodney Branch, Mickey McGrory & Alex Pease.

In individual event qualification, many members of the team also qualified for nationals. Both Rodney and Jack were finalists in the History Bee, earning their spot. In the U.S. History Bee qualification, both Alex and Rodney qualified. In the Geography championship qualification, Jack qualified in Varsity, and Everett VanTil & Luke Debruin qualified in JV. In the National Science Bee qualification, Alex qualified in Varsity, and Everett, Luke and Annelise Latham qualified in JV. In National Political Science Bee qualification, Rodney & Jack qualified in Varsity, and Everett & Luke qualified in JV. Sponsored by Mr. Sacks, H-F Math teacher, the team will compete next at the Chicago Winter Regional, set for Jan. 28 at Stevenson H.S. Great job, Vikings!

Congratulations to Cody Odom and Anthony Thomas for winning the Power Lab Challenge in Mrs. LaPlante's Physics class last week! Students had to mathematically determine their work and power while racing up a staircase. Winners were determined by most power overall and most power against peers doing similar work. Great job, Vikings!

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

1:55 p.m. — Wellness Wednesday: Boundaries Keep Us Healthy - Relationships 101 with School Counselor Mrs. White @ South G5 (Click here to sign up)

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

3-6 p.m. — Auditions: Performance in the Round @ South Building Room A15

5 p.m. — Boys' Basketball (S & V) vs. Stagg @ South Gym

5:30 p.m. — Girls' Gymnastics vs. Riverside-Brookfield @ North Gym

6 p.m. — H-F Special Education Department's Transition Resource Online Presentation (click here)

7 p.m.

• Winter Jazz Concert @ Performing Arts Center
• 2nd Quarter Public Debate — Resolved: The USFG Should Impose Price Controls on the Pharmaceutical Industry @ North Cafeteria

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)

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

5 p.m.

• Boys' Swimming & Diving (JV & V) vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais @ Natatorium
• Boys' Wrestling (F, JV & V) vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais @ Fieldhouse
• Girls' Basketball (FA & FB) vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais @ North Gym

7 p.m. — Winter Orchestra Concert @ Mall Auditorium

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)

3:15-4 p.m.

• Tutoring @ H-F Library (Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Writing)
• After-School Book Share @ H-F Library

3:30-5:30 p.m. — Call Backs: New Faces Theatre, Scapin @ Performing Arts Center

5 p.m. — Boys' Wrestling (F, JV & V) vs. Lockport @ Fieldhouse

9 a.m. — H-F Fencing Invitational @ Fieldhouse

2 p.m. — Winter Band Concert @ Mall Auditorium

6 p.m. — Winter Choir Concert @ Mall Auditorium

7-9 p.m.

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

7:30-8:50 a.m. — Period 1 Exam

9:05-9:44 a.m. — Period 2 Class

9:55-10:34 a.m. — Period 3 Class

10:45-11:24 a.m. — Period 4 Class

11:35 a.m.-1:20 p.m. — Period 5 Class & Lunches

1:31-2:10 p.m. — Period 6 Class

2:21-3 p.m. — Period 7 Class

5 p.m. — Boys' Basketball (S & V) vs. St. Francis @ South Gym

7-9 p.m.

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

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 2 & 3 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 2 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 3 Exam

7-9 p.m.

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

7:30 p.m. — D233 Board of Education Meeting @ Performing Arts Center

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 4 & 5 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 4 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 5 Exam

5 p.m. — Athletic Commitment Ceremony @ Mall Auditorium

7-9 p.m.

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

7:30-8:30 a.m. — Period 6 & 7 Office Hour

8:35-9:55 a.m. — Period 6 Exam

10:10-11:30 a.m. — Period 7 Exam

5 p.m. — Girls' Basketball (JV & V) vs. Thornwood @ South Gym

8 a.m.- 2 p.m. — Make-Up Exams @ South Building Room E1 (Check in is required no later than 12:30 p.m.)

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.

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Need a quiet place to study for your semester exams? The Homewood Public Library will stay open one hour longer — until 10 p.m. — Dec. 19-21 for high school students only. Snacks will be provided. A tutor will be available. Students must show school ID.