Hinckley-Big Rock High School

Hinckley-Big Rock High School Volume 7, Issue 3 NOVEMBER 2016 If you have any comments or questions regarding the Principal s message please click on the link here From the Principal s desk It is November, traditionally a time to reflect and give thanks for all that we have been blessed with. While I have so much to be thankful for, I would like to take this brief space to share with you some of my reflections on what I experience from my position as Principal of Hinckley-Big Rock High School. In this regard, I hope you had the chance to read the Community Blog Post from Friday, 11/18. I drafted the post in order to give you a brief glimpse into the concept of leadership at HBRHS. If you haven t had the chance, feel free to look it over and contact me if you have any comments, questions, or observations they are always welcome! As Principal it is my responsibility, among other things, to constantly ask the question: are we the best we can be? It is a simple question in that the answer is straightforward no, we are not. To accept that we cannot continue to improve, to do things better, to get it right, is simply not in my make-up. You will never hear me say mission accomplished, as that would be just another way of saying we give up. Leaders and exemplary organizations never give up when it comes to the mission at hand. Our Mission is to deliver a quality education that meets the needs of each and every student. Some would say, based upon societal and economic factors beyond our control, this goal is unreachable. I say it doesn t matter. It is about doing things right and, more importantly, doing the right thing. The rest takes care of itself. Another unique opportunity I have is the chance to work with, and learn from, people who have a very different job description than I. Being a life-long learner is something we strive to create in all of our students. Modeling this behavior is one way that we do it. When I arrive each morning, I am fortunate to have informal meetings with an office staff who take great pride in their work. While I may not answer phones and oversee the many facets of the front of the office, I get to watch Debbie Murphy handle multiple tasks at one time. I may not have to arrange referees and schedule sporting events, but I get to observe Bill Sambrookes as he keeps hundreds of details straight. I may not handle dozens of activity accounts that require precision and organization, but I do observe Jenn Porter keep the finances of the building running smoothly. I may have access to student data, but I am amazed by Gina Tauer s ability to manage it. And, while I have been where he is, I am constantly learning from Brandon Kriesch s thoughtful approach to the assistant principalship. So, as we move into this Holiday Season, I want to take this time to thank you for the faith that you show in the professionals in this building. I want to thank you for your willingness to work with us as we seek to carry out our Mission. Lastly, I want to thank you for sending us some amazing young people that you have worked so hard to raise. As a parent myself, I truly appreciate the job that you do. November 11/22 Fall Renaissance Rally 11/23 27 Thanksgiving Break - No School 11/30 NHS Blood Drive 9-2pm December UPCOMING EVENTS Senior Fruit Sales are due 12/1 Jr Class Pork Chop Dinner 4:30-6:30pm 12/11 Holiday Band Concert 2:00pm 12/16,19,20 First Semester Finals 12/21-1/3 Winter Break No School Wishing you a Safe and Happy Holiday Season! From the H-BR Staff Respectfully, Jay Brickman

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 COLLEGE & SCHOLARSHIP NOTES Tauer s Tips PAGE 2 Local scholarships geared toward H-BR students will start to become available in the spring. If a student knows where they will be attending college, please be sure to check their Financial Aid page for college-specific scholarships. There is a free scholarship website found here. CURRENT SCHOLARSHIPS: These are all available on the Scholarship wall in the counseling office. Sons of the American Revolution: Up to $2,000 award. Open to all grade levels. Due December 31 st, 2016. Mediacom World Class Scholars: $1,000 to student who lives in Hinckley. Due 2/17/17. Aspiring Fashion Professional Scholarship: $1,000 to student interested in pursuing a fashion degree at an accredited post-secondary school or college. Access the Scholarship online: http://www.fashion-schools.org/aspiring-fashion-professional-scholarship-program. Due 6/1/17. Aspiring Animation Professional Scholarship: $1,000 to student interested in pursuing an animation career path at an accredited post-secondary school or college. Find the scholarship at: http://www.animationcareerreview.com/animationcareerreviewcom-aspiring-animationprofessional-scholarship-program. Due 6/1/17. Waubonsee Community College Scholarships: Please visit www.waubonsee.edu/foundation to see available scholarships. The Lucile Gustafson Scholarship: is now available for students to apply. Students must submit the application to Ms. Tauer no later than February 1 st for consideration. Lucile Gustafson Scholarship Application Form Aspiring Business Professional Scholarship: $1,000 scholarship that will be awarded to students that are interested in pursuing a business degree at any accredited post-secondary school or college. Interested students can visit this link http://www.onlinembareport.com/ and find the scholarship located at the right side of the page and click on it. Community Foundation 2017 Scholarship Program: Students are encouraged to visit our website for more information or to obtain an Application Form at http://go.cffrv.org/scholarship2017 The application for the 2017-2018 Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver is now available online. Please refer to our website, http://osfa.illinois.edu/. The applicant will need to print out the application and mail it to our office with the required documents. A copy of the application is also attached to this email. There are also copies of the application in the counseling office. The Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver is a four-year in-state tuition waiver at the University of Illinois. The recipient may use his/her Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver at any of the University of Illinois campuses (Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, Health Sciences Center, or Springfield).

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 more Tips from Tauer PAGE 3 Fastweb & Zinch Most locally-sponsored scholarships will not be available until the spring semester. I will post any national scholarships I receive in the counseling office. In the meantime, students of any grade can register for a free account at Fastweb.com, a free scholarship search website. Students create a profile and are then matched with scholarships they may qualify for based on different factors including grade, gender, and intended major. Zinch.com is another free scholarship search website I recently discovered. These are great tools to help navigate through the many scholarships available. National ACT Test Dates: For any senior who would like to retake the ACT or any junior who would like to take it outside of school, below are the remaining national test dates for the 2016/2017 school year. The ACT with Writing is $58.50 and the ACT without Writing is $42.50. Students who receive free and/or reduced lunch are eligible for an ACT fee waiver. Fee waivers do not cover the cost of the late fee if you register past the deadline. See Ms. Tauer for a waiver. Test Date Registration Deadline (Late Fee Required) December 10, 2016 November 4, 2016 November 5-18, 2016 February 11, 2017 January 13, 2017 January 14-20, 2017 April 8, 2017 March 3, 2017 March 4-17, 2017 June 10, 2017 May 5, 2017 May 6-19, 2017 FAFSA ***If you have not completed the FAFSA application yet, be sure to get it done as soon as possible and preferably before thanksgiving. The Map grant which is a state funded grant is on a first come first serve basis and is likely to run out soon.*** The FSA ID In the past, students and parents had to secure a PIN number in order to file a FAFSA. However, the PIN has been replaced by the FSA ID, which you can use on any Department of Education website, including the FAFSA. The FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain Department of Education websites. Both a dependent student and a parent must have a unique, individual FSA ID. To create your FSA ID, log on to www.fafsa.gov, click on FSA ID along the toolbar at the top and follow the prompts. You ll need to provide an email address, a unique username and password, your Social Security number, name, date of birth, mailing address, telephone number and language preference. After you submit this information, you ll be asked to verify your email address. Your FSA ID is a permanent item; you don t need to re-apply for one every year.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 more Tips from Tauer PAGE 4 GRADES HomeLogic As we are more than halfway done with the semester, it s a good idea to check in with your student regarding course progress. Check HomeLogic together to see if your student has any outstanding work to turn in, view quiz/test grades, and talk about what work is coming up. If you have more specific questions about a class, you are encouraged to contact the teacher directly. INDIVIDUAL STUDENT MEETINGS: Between October and December, all junior, sophomore and freshmen students will have individual meetings with me to work on their four-year plans and course options for next year. More information will be sent home when the catalogs are printed to explain ways that you can discuss the programs of study with your student. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Gina Tauer gtauer@hbr429.org National Honor Society News Next Blood Drive: Wednesday, November 30 th, from 9am-2pm in the small gym will be our next blood drive. All donors will receive a free pint of ice cream and a $10 Target Gift Card just in time to do some holiday shopping! Community members are welcome and can walk in anytime. Congratulations to the new NHS Inductees: Sophie Laws Chloe Laws Thomas Sestak Rebekah Small Myah Vlahogenis

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 6 Sports Schedules Please see the attached PDF File for the Winter Sports Schedules

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 7 Holiday Band Concert December 11th @ 2:00 PM In the Fine Arts Zone

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 8 Junior Class News...

Senior Class News... VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 9 Senior Class Fruit/Cheese & Sausage Fundraiser Our Seniors have begun their cheese and sausage/ fruit sales. If you don t know any Senior students and are interested in placing an order, simply call the high school office at (815)286-7500 or contact Kim Halverson (khalverson@hbr429.org) and we can take care of any questions you may have. Orders along with payment are due to Mrs. Halverson on Wednesday, November 30th.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 13 District 429 News Inclement Weather Schedule Hinckley-Big Rock CUSD 429 has created a one hour delayed start schedule for possible use on days of inclement weather to provide us with an alternative to ensure the safety of your students when inclement weather hits our district. Everything would be delayed by one hour from regular start times, including bus pick-up times. However, all schools would dismiss at their regular time. On days of inclement weather with extreme cold temperatures at the start of the day or poor road conditions due to snow or ice, the one hour delayed start option will be considered in lieu of cancelling school for an entire day. An automated call would be made to every household notifying parents and students of the delayed start. If you have any questions, you are encouraged to contact your student s building. For bussing questions, you may call (815) 286-7578 to speak with Marikay Slosar. **The instructional day for high school students will begin at 9:40 am. Dismissal will be at 3:05.**

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PAGE 15 KZ Studios Photographers Note Check out KZ Studios' website kzstudios.net for photos of all the various school events during the year. Create your own "Memory Book" of your favorite photos. Or buy the "event CD". Follow us on Facebook -- KZ Studios and/or Ken Zink. Posting of comments are welcome. Order forms for school and team photos are in the office. Email kzink@mchsi.com or call 815-739-9431 with any questions. H-BR Mission Statement Hinckley-Big Rock High School is committed to excellence in teaching and learning for all students. The administration and staff will provide effective instructional leadership, promote quality learning environments, and monitor high academic expectations for all students while maintaining responsible fiscal management. We share with our community the responsibility for the education of our students in preparation for living and working in a rapidly-changing world while understanding the lessons of the past. WWW.HBR429.ORG Make it a favorite Check it daily for grades, lunch menus, calendar items, newsletters, sports updates, teacher pages, daily bulletin, teacher e- mail directory, registration forms, transportation information, and building use forms.