HF FYI

Happy New Year, Vikings! As we plan for an awesome 2024, let's remember our core competencies of the Profile of a Viking: Diversity & Inclusion; Innovation & Problem-Solving; Reflection & Resilience; Communication & Collaboration; and Citizenship & Character.

New this week: We're back with another episode of our "Profile of a Viking" video series, featuring

International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator Libby Day on Reflection & Resilience. "I firmly believe that we learn more from our failures than our successes," she says. "It's really important to think about how we would do things differently." Watch the episode here.

Catch the recording of December's informational meeting on the IB Diploma Programme for freshmen and sophomores here. Questions? Contact Libby Day at LDay@hf233.org.

As we look at the weather forecast for later this week, we would like to remind students and families about the procedures for a weather-related eLearning Day.

At this time NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, however, we believe it is important to communicate the eLearning process to be sure staff, students and families are prepared.

We will communicate a decision as soon as we can, keeping in mind that weather forecasts change therefore the timing of a decision will depend on the weather conditions. Communication will be by phone message, text, and email through Parent Square and a website posting.

You can view the procedures for eLearning Day here.

It's already time to plan for Summer School 2024! Summer School registration will take place online beginning this Tuesday, January 16. The Course Request Google Form will go live at 7:30 a.m., and will remain open until April 26, 2024 (or until classes are full).

Note: Submission of the form alone does not guarantee registration for the course. Once the form is submitted, fees will be put on your student's account. Once payment is received, the student will be registered for the class.

Learn more by visiting the Summer School page of our website here.

Starting the year with great news, congrats are in order for HF Senior Jalen Allred-Coleman, for receiving the Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies, a full tuition and housing scholarship! The scholarship recognizes an "impressive caddie record, excellent academics, and outstanding character." Jalen is planning to study kinesiology--he's still deciding on his college choice but looking at Howard University, University of Illinois (Chicago) and Michigan State. Congrats to you, Jalen!

HF is excited to host "The Dream Continues" Suburban Classic this Sunday, January 14 and Monday, January 15 in the South Gym (fans are asked to please enter Door 15). Make a difference this weekend by bringing non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Respond Now Food Pantry in Chicago Heights.

View the full schedule of teams below and be sure to cheer on your Vikings as they take on Romeoville at 4 p.m. on Monday. Admission is $15 per day and must be purchased on GoFan. You can also watch the livestream here.

We have discovered the solution for people who have been having problems accessing their GoFan tickets. It is a setting issue with iPhone and Apple Pay. Please follow the instructions below. The updated GoFan FAQ is also posted in students' Announcements Google Classroom Classwork section.

Apple Pay Settings

• To prevent issues in accessing purchased GoFan tickets, adjust your email in “Settings” under “Wallet & Apple Pay” to match the email used for your GoFan purchase.
• Enter the matching email address in the “Transaction Defaults” section.
• Emails can also be managed in the “iCloud Settings”.

The Vikings Baseball Booster Club is hosting its Hot Stove Fundraiser on Saturday, January 27 from 6-9 p.m. at Balagio in Homewood (17501 Dixie Hwy). Tickets are $75 and can be purchased here.

The Booster Club is a non-profit volunteer organization composed of parents and others in the community who are interested in supporting HF's Baseball Program. Their mission is to enhance the high school experience by fostering Spirit, Sport and Tradition within the HF community. The majority of their funding is generated from annual membership dues and the Hot Stove Fundraiser. We hope to see you there!

Homewood-Flossmoor High School and Honest Game have partnered to provide students and families with an easy-to-use College Athletic Pathway software and additional educational resources. We know that accessing scholarships and college athletics requires not only a commitment to athletic training and competition but also a commitment to academic success.

Honest Game’s online platform provides students and families with individualized tracking across FIVE college athletic opportunities, including NCAA DI, DII, DII, NAIA, and Junior College pathways. Learn more and get started by clicking the link below.

For the first time in HF history, our Symphonic Band was invited to be a part of the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference in December.

Special thank you to the HF Chronicle for covering this big news: "Sarah Whitlock, teacher and band director at H-F, said being selected was an honor both for the band and for her as a member of the music educators’ community. The teacher submitted recordings, photos and a statement of why H-F should be included in the program for the “pretty rigorous” selection process. H-F was notified in April that the band was chosen for the December program." Read the full feature from the HF Chronicle here.

Once a Viking, Always a Viking. If you had the chance to watch the annual Rose Bowl Parade, you may have caught three HF alum from the Class of 2019. Zahra Harmon-Cohran, Antonio Bonds II, and Cameron Barton of Glenwood were band members for each of their four years as a Viking, and took their talents to Greensboro, North Carolina, to join North Carolina A&T University’s Blue & Gold Marching Machine. Read the full story from the HF Chronicle here.

We want to hear from you with your alumni news, happenings, and opportunities for current HF students. Contact our Director of Alumni Engagement & Development Victoria Koblick at vkoblick@hf233.org.

Starting today, January 10, the Illinois State Board of Education will be sending surveys to all parents whose children receive special education services. The surveys are designed to improve special education services for children across the state. Please take a few minutes to share your opinions by completing the survey and returning it to the ISBE.

The SAT is still important for college planning as it is used not only for admissions, but also for placement and scholarship money. Illinois will be paying for every student in the Class of 2025 to take the SAT in April 2024. To prepare the junior class, HF has invited ExcelEdge to offer SAT 1600. You can sign-up now through this Sunday, January 14 (or until classes are filled). Check out the attachment here to learn more.

Homewood-Flossmoor High School distributes the caps and gowns for graduates at the graduation rehearsal in May. In preparation for distribution and the ceremony, we are collecting gown sizes and colors. If you haven't done so already, please fill out your cap and gown form here.

HF School Counseling Department held a webinar for families of rising 9-12th graders about the course selection process for next school year. A recording of the session has been uploaded to the HF website, and you can re-watch it here.

As the Class of 2028 prepares to begin their Viking Voyage, this guidebook provides all the information families and students need to get started. Please share this with any eighth graders and their families that will be Vikings next school year.

The Village of Hazel Crest will be joined by students from around the community to discuss Dr. King's legacy on Friday, January 12, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Vernard L. Alsberry, Jr. Municipal Center (3601 W. 183rd Street).

The Village of Flossmoor invites you to join the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, featuring a number of wonderful service projects from nature clean ups to making lunches for shelters and more. Make it a day on, not a day off! Learn more about Flossmoor's Day of Service: View the project list and sign up to volunteer here.

Join the Village of Homewood in honoring Dr. King on Monday from 9am-12pm by dropping off items in need for the following organizations: Anew, Respond Now, and South Suburban Humane Society. You may drop-off items at Village Hall (2020 Chestnut Rd., west entrance past the main entrance).

If you can't make it on Monday, please consider donating throughout the month of January at one of the following locations in Homewood: James Hart School office, Willow School office, Churchill School Office, District 153 Office, or Village of Homewood Village Hall (1st floor) during regular business hours. Learn more about Homewood's Day of Service here.

ΧΛΛ Chapter of ΩΨΦ Fraternity Inc, along with the Village of Flossmoor's Day of Service, is hosting a community blood drive from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Irwin Community Center in Homewood (18120 Highland Ave.) Appointments are preferred, make yours here.

The time has come for another epic #DadSquad turnout! The Homewood-Flossmoor Parent Association (HFPA) cordially invites its Dad Squad members to attend the Varsity Boys Basketball Game, as they compete against Bolingbrook High School on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the South Gym. During the game, dads and legal guardians will wear their Dad Squad t-shirts that were given in October (check out the recap here), to create a sea of red and provide a positive presence while rooting for a Viking Victory!

Please note that entry to the basketball game is free for all Dad Squad members who show up wearing their Dad Squad t-shirt. For anyone who did not receive their t-shirt, please send an email to rlewis@hf233.org. Any non-member/ additional guests accompanying dads will need to have a paid ticket to ensure that the gymnasium does not exceed capacity. Please RSVP here by Monday, February 5. We look forward to having our Dad Squad back!

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