Cardinal Corner

Aug 5: 6th Grade Orientation/PTA Chill Out, 9:30-11:30am - Students Only Event

Aug 8: 7th and 8th Grade Team Info Sent Home

Aug 18-20: Institute Days - Staff Only

Aug 21: First Day of School - Students Attend

Aug 26: 6th Grade Locker Set Up, 3-4pm - Parents Welcome

Aug 27: Picture Day - All School

Aug 27: 6th Grade Curriculum Night - 6:30 - 8:30pm

Sept 1: Labor Day, No School

Sept 4: 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night - 6:30 -8:15pm

Sept 9-10: Fall MAP testing

Dear South Parents and Guardians:

As summer winds down and we prepare for the new school year, I want to take a moment to share how honored I am to step into the role of Acting Principal at South Middle School. Having grown up in this community and served as Associate Principal last year, this school and all it represents means a great deal to me. I am committed to our students, families, and staff, and I am excited to continue building on the great things already happening here.

As we get closer to the first day of school, please take a moment to review these important reminders:

• Registration: If you have not yet completed the registration process, please do so as soon as possible. Your child must be registered in order to be considered an enrolled student at South Middle School.

• Health Requirements: Make sure all of your child’s immunizations are up to date and any necessary doctor’s appointments have been completed. Students planning to try out for cross-country or girls’ basketball must have a current sports physical on file before they can participate in tryouts.

• Schedules and Team Information:

  • Sixth-grade students received their team, Homebase placements and locker assignments on August 1, 2025.

  • Seventh- and eighth-grade students will receive this information on August 8, 2025.
    Please know that team placements have been thoughtfully determined by our staff. We are not able to accommodate requests for changes based on friendships or teacher preferences.

• Sixth Grade Orientation: We are excited to welcome our newest students during Sixth Grade Orientation on August 5, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. Additional details can be found below.

We are so grateful for your partnership and support as we begin this new school year together. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance with preparing for the start of school.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!

Steve Prorok, Principal

South Middle School

We have been busy over the the past school year and summer hiring new staff to replace those who retired or moved on. On behalf of the Cardinal family, we would like you to join us in welcoming our new staff:

• Aubrey DeMuth - Associate Principal
• Johnny Gerardi - 8th Grade Math
• Amanda Lace - 6th/7th Grade Resource
• Taylor Passarelli - 6th/7th/8th Grade ALA (returning staff member)
• Jenny Scapillato - Band Director

On August 1, 2025, 6th grade parents received their child's team and Homebase placements, as well as locker information. Please make sure your child brings this information to the orientation.

All sixth-grade students are invited to South Middle School for our Sixth Grade Orientation on August 5, 2025, from 9:30-11am. It will be followed by our PTA's Chill Out from 11-11:30am at South. These events are for students only. Students will receive their schedules, tour the school, find their lockers/Homebase, and have a Question & Answer session as well. Afterwards, students will gather outside the school by the track to listen to music, have an ice pop and participate in a raffle for South Swag.

Please drop your child off by the main entrance using the circle drive and park in the north parking lot to pick up your child at 11:30am. We are looking forward to seeing our new Cardinals!

Here is a link to the 2025-26 School Year Supply List. Please note that to assist students with organizing their materials, we are asking parents to purchase the materials in these colors:

ELA: Yellow

Math: Green

Science: Red

Social Studies: Purple

Health: Orange

World Language/Resource: Blue

Creative Arts: Black/Gray

The reason for the colors is to help your child organize their materials. This color system will follow students throughout their three years at South.

State of Illinois Certificate of Health Examination (AKA physical form)

• Due by October 15, 2025 (or first day of cross country practice if your student participates in this sport)

• All sports physicals are due BEFORE TRY-OUTS and must last for the entire season-NO exceptions

• Examination must be performed on or after 8/21/24 and must be on the state of IL form

• Includes Meningococcal (MCV4) and Tdap vaccines

Dental examination – Proof of Dental Examination Form

• Due May 15, 2026

• Examination dated November 15, 2024 or later

• Please do not drive through the bus lane.
• Pull as far forward as possible in the drop off lane, prior to exiting the car on the passenger side.
• Please have your child use the designated crosswalks and sidewalks, and not go between cars for their safety.
• Sixth grade enter at the far end of the front circle Door #3 & 4, Seventh grade students enter the doors on the track side, Eighth grade the two front entrances.
• On rainy days, students can enter any door; but please remember to pull all the way forward in the drop off circle and your child can enter the nearest door.

• Parents are NOT allowed to drop off in the staff parking lot.

• If interested in registering for bussing or determining if you are eligible for bussing to South please visit: https://www.sd25.org/transportation.

• Questions: District Transportation specialist is Laura Comastro lcomastro@sd25.org.

• School Messenger: Email, phone, text—make sure your contact information is up to date.

• Schoology: Student platform that hosts your child's classroom information.

• PowerSchool: If you're not able to access, reach out to SouthCLC@sd25.org.
  

• South Webpage: Daily Announcements and general information.

• Twitter: @AHSD25South

The District Student Dress Code is located in the Student-Parent Handbook, as well as in South's Ins and Outs document.

STUDENT APPEARANCE: Policy 7:160

Dress Code

Arlington Heights School District 25 student dress code supports equitable educational access and does not reinforce stereotypes or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, household income, or cultural observance. The district does not prohibit hair styles historically associated with race, ethnicity or hair texture. We expect that all students dress in a way that is appropriate for learning. Student attire should not interfere with the health or safety of any student or contribute to a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for anyone. The District believes that the responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and parent/guardian(s). Any restrictions must be necessary to support the overall educational goals of the school and must be explained within this dress code.

Students Must Wear:

• A Shirt: fabric in the front, back, and sides under the arms (faces must be visible to school staff and dresses are acceptable), AND

• A Bottom: pants/sweatpants/shorts/skirt/dress/leggings/skorts AND

• Shoes: Covering the bottom of the foot including, but not limited to sandals, gym shoes, flip flops, and boots. Anything with wheels or blades are not allowed.

Basic Principle: Certain body parts must be covered for all students at all times. Clothes must be worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks, breasts, and nipples are covered with a non-transparent fabric. As used in this set of guidelines, the word “clothing” includes accessories.

Except as Required in class or extracurricular program, students cannot wear the following items in school:

• Violent language or images.
  
• Images, language depicting, or promoting drugs or alcohol or any illegal item or activity.

No student should be disproportionately affected by dress code enforcement because of gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, cultural or religious identity, body size, body maturity or household income.

Student athletes may follow IESA guidelines when athletic dress conflicts with the contents of the dress code.

Ukraine Independence Day takes place on August 24 and it marks Ukraine's declaration of independence from the U.S.S.R. in 1991. The day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and is the most popular day of the year for Ukrainians around the world.

Established by Congress in 1971 to commemorate the 1920 passage of the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote, and to encourage the ongoing efforts for women’s equality in all areas of American life.

If your child is interested in joining South’s Golf Club, please fill out the golf registration form. Please click here to register.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Leiby (oleiby@sd25.org) or Ms. Buck (abuck@sd25.org).

Mrs. Schneider & Mrs. Scapillato have a fun year of music, concerts and events planned for the three South bands and two jazz bands. For more information and to register for the band program, please access that here.

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