Cardinal Corner

Important Dates

School News/Sports

* May 16th - Track Sectionals 9-11AM @ RMHS

* May 18th - PHS Band Bound 8th Grade Rehearsal @PHS 6:00 - 8:00PM

* May 20th - 4th Grade Band Registration Open House 3:45 - 6:45PM

* May 21st - South Jazz/Choir Concert 4:00 - 9:00PM

* May 22nd - Track State Meet TBD

* May 23rd - Track State Meet TBD

* May 28th - 8th Grade Great America Field Trip

* June 1st - 8th Grade Picnic

Dear South Parents and Guardians,

As we move into the final stretch of the 2025 to 2026 school year, things at South have been busy in a positive way. It has been great to see students staying engaged in their classes while also taking part in so many activities that highlight their talents, energy, and creativity.

One of the big highlights this spring has been our school musical, Anastasia. I had the chance to see it last Friday and it was impressive. Our students did an outstanding job in every area including acting, singing, dancing, set design, and stage crew work. It is clear how much time and effort went into bringing the show to life. There are still two more performances coming up tonight and Saturday night and if you are able to attend, it is worth seeing.

This time of year always brings a lot of great moments across the building. We have had concerts, classroom projects, athletic events, and many end of year activities. It has been fun watching students finish the year strong and take pride in their work and their accomplishments.

We also want to share a thank you to our South PTA for all of their support this year. From staff appreciation to helping with events and activities, they continue to make a real difference for students and staff and we appreciate everything they do for our school community.

As the new principal of South, I want to say how much I have enjoyed my first year here. Getting to know the students, staff, and families has been a positive experience and I am looking forward to continuing that work moving forward.

Thank you for all of your support this year. We hope everyone has a relaxing and enjoyable summer!

South Administration

The South PTA has been working on our 1st ever South Middle School Upcycle Spiritwear Raffle. This is open to all Current & Incoming South Students, as well as Staff & Employees. Here is the link to view the items, please make the "interested" box to be entered into the drawing for the items. The deadline to enter is Friday May 22nd and the items will be delivered to the students by May 29th. Any questions please reach out to Nikki Mather mathfam4@gmail.com

Please come in and check our Lost & Found before the school year ends. If your child is missing an item, it is potentially sitting in the vestibule here at school.

All items will be donated in June!

School-age children are susceptible to various common illnesses.

We encourage you to take a moment to review this Information Letter on Common Illnesses for valuable guidance.

To help prevent these illnesses, please remind your child to practice healthy habits, including:

• Washing hands frequently.

• Staying well-hydrated.

• Avoiding the sharing of personal items, food, or drinks.

• Refraining from touching their eyes.

• Covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter as we work together to keep our students healthy and safe.

Attention 6th grade parents:

The Illinois State Department of Human Services requires a dental examination for all children entering kindergarten, second and sixth grades. The compliance date for this regulation is May 15, 2026. We can accept dental exams that have been completed after November 15, 2024. Children in kindergarten, second and sixth grades that do not have copies of the required dental exam on file by May 15, 2026 are not in compliance with this regulation.

Please feel free to contact echapin@sd25.org and smusolf@sd25.org with any questions.

Dental forms can be downloaded at www.sd25.org.

• May 28th - 8th Grade Great America Field Trip

• June 1st - 8th Grade Picnic from 12:30-2:45pm at South
• June 2nd - 8th Grade Graduation @ 4:00 pm (ceremony starts promptly at 4:30) at Forest View Education Center Field House: 2201 S. Goebbert Rd., Arlington Heights.

Calling all 8th grade families! We need your help! It is a tradition at South to decorate the 8th grade hallway to send off our students to high school. We need you to fill out the Google Doc with your student and upload a picture of them from kindergarten.

It is very important that we have answers from everyone so that all students are included in the display. Please complete this survey by April 20th. Questions? Contact Julie Eisenhut & Ann Poyer: tanni3@hotmail.com

ATTENTION 6TH & 7TH GRADE PARENTS

If you need to report damages to your child's device over summer break, please fill out the D25 Summer Device Repair Form.

ATTENTION 8TH GRADE PARENTS

If your eighth grade student would like to keep their Google Drive documents, they can create a backup using Google Takeout. Google Takeout exports your data from your Google account to a zip file that can be stored on your computer, external hard drive or USB Flash Drive. This should be done on a home computer.

Student Google accounts and Chromebooks will be disabled, while off school grounds, after June 2nd for 8th graders, and June 4th for 6th and 7th graders.

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, it is dedicated to paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, it is an annual recognition and celebration of Jewish Americans’ achievements and contributions to the United States of America.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the US, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

*Date changes year to year

Eid-Al-Adha, known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is the second of two great Muslim festivals, the other being Eid al-Fitr. It is considered the holiest of the two Eids and celebrated by millions of people around the world. Eid al-Adha is also a time for visiting with friends and family and for exchanging gifts.

*dates may vary and change from year to year

“Tickets are on sale now for our spring musical, Anastasia - Youth Edition! Come support our cast and crew as they showcase their work from rehearsals the last few months, along with our Cardinal Players who will be performing an opening skit and improv each night. Shows are at 7pm on Friday and Saturday, May 15-16. You can get your tickets at the South Theatre site here for $10 each, $6 for students:

https://sites.google.com/sd25.org/souththeatre/tickets

AniMend - Support for Shelters will have a collections box at each show, taking donations of new or gently used pet toys, blankets, supplies, food, and cleaning supplies. Cash Concessions, baked goods, and flowers will be available for sale as well. Hope to see you at the show!

Did you know South hosts Homework Hangout twice per week? Encourage your student to start 2026 on a positive note by establishing good homework habits and staying on top of assignments. Many students struggle with procrastination, distraction, and busy schedules once they get home from school. Homework Hangout can help by providing a quiet and structured environment for students to get work done. Homework Hangout meets on Tuesdays in the Music Room from 2:45-3:25 and Wednesdays in the Library from 2:45-3:25. It is supervised by certified staff. We hope you’ll drop by and give it a try!

Most students receive a yearbook through either a Parent SMSPTA Membership or an individually purchased, "a la carte", order. Parents were emailed in February and March if their student had no order, and at this point most students are set to receive a yearbook. However, any students who had NOT yet ordered were given an order flyer in late April to take home. Questions or just want to confirm your student is getting a book? Email Heather Lepold at SouthCardinalsYearbook@gmail.com.

8th Grade Activities Update

• 8th Grade Dance-Wed. May 27th, 7-9pm at SMS-Hawaiian/Tropical Theme, this will be the decor, it does not mean the students need to dress like this.

• 8th Grade Trip to Great America-May 28th

• 8th Grade Picnic-Monday, June 1st 12:30-2:45pm

• 8th Grade Graduation-Tuesday, June 2nd 4:00pm-Forest View Academy, there are no tickets needed

• Graduation Signs-pre-ordered, delivery & pick up info to follow

Any questions? please reach out to us at 8thgradeactivities@gmail.com

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

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