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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
With our unconventional and totally welcomed weather, we can either say that spring is here or spring is just around the corner. Either way, we are beginning a busy time at the District. The 2017-18 budget is starting to form; staffing for next school year is in the last stages; and our summer Life Safety work will begin soon. Spring break is at the end of March, and I hope the weather will be as pleasant as it has been this past week. I hope our Bulldogs have a safe and enjoyable break!
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D
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Tennis Court and Parking Lot Update (Settlement Agreement)
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As previously reported, a settlement agreement regarding the zoning litigation was reached with the Village of Brookfield. The final meeting for Village Board approval was scheduled for Monday, February 27, 2017. The Village approved the agreement at that meeting, and construction should begin around May 1 on the tennis courts and parking lot. To see the rendering of this plan, use this link:
Conceptual Rendering
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Life Safety/Capital Improvement Projects
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The work on the tennis courts, parking lot, and sections of roof repairs is in the planning stages. The Board will review the bids for the summer 2017 roof work at the February 28, 2017, Committee of the Whole meeting.
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Track Update (Public Use)
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Our track should be available for the public this summer once construction is complete on the tennis courts and parking lot. Guidelines and restrictions will be posted at the entrances to the athletic complex, and the track will be monitored by staff and local authorities.
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There will be one Board meeting in March due to the spring break. The next meeting will be Tuesday, March 14, in Room 201 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Please check the RB website under the Board of Education tab or watch the meetings on
www.rbtv.tv.
There are three vacant seats on the District 208 Board of Education in the upcoming election in April. Five candidates have submitted the appropriate paperwork with the Cook County Clerk's office and will be on the ballot. The nominees are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Edward C. Jepson, Jr.
- Gina Sierra
- Matthew P. Sinde, Jr.
- William E. Smithing
- Ramona M. Towner
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Principal's Message
February has been filled with school spirit and many student accomplishments. On Tuesday, February 14, the Student Association organized a themed school spirit dress day. Both students and teachers had a great time dressing as "twins" and seeing double throughout the school day! Students have also been very busy cheering one another along as they compete in state competitions. This month alone members of the Chess Team, Speech Team, Wrestling Team, and Boys Swimming and Diving Team proudly represented RB at the state level. Last month the Cheerleading Team also competed in the IHSA State competition. This issue of Hallways also highlights the many talents students have in and outside of the classroom. From National German Exam award winners and successes from the Math Team to award-winning student artwork selected in the Scholastic Art Competition, students' hard work and determination paid off as they proudly showcased their many talents.
Kristin Smetana
Principal
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All Freshmen Students - PSAT 9 on Tuesday, April 4
All currently-enrolled RBHS freshmen will be sitting for a PSAT 9 exam on Tuesday, April 4, in the East Gym. No cell phones are allowed in the testing facility. Please make sure that you bring an approved calculator, pencils, and your student ID. More information about the PSAT can be found at
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-8-9
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All Junior Students - SAT on Wednesday, April 5
The state-funded SAT exam will be given to all students that are of junior status on Wednesday, April 5. Testing will take place during the school day. Parents do not have to register their children for this test.
School Wide Testing Day for Freshman, Sophomores,
and Juniors - April 19 (Early Dismissal)
Students testing with regular testing time will finish around 12:00 p.m. More information regarding this testing date will be shared at a later date.
- Freshman will be taking NWEA MAP tests and the Illinois Science Assessment
- Sophomores will be taking a practice ACT exam
- Juniors will be taking a district-funded ACT exam
- Seniors will have a non-attendance college visit day
Illinois Science Assessment
All RBHS students that are enrolled in a Biology class will be taking the Illinois Science Assessment this spring. The assessment will only be administered via the computer, and the test will be administered on Wednesday, April 19. Students should bring their fully-charged Chromebooks for the exam. More information will be released when available.
ACT
RBHS will host a national ACT exam on Saturday, April 8. The registration deadline for this exam date is March 3.
Please note that this is not the ACT exam being funded by RB that all juniors will be taking at RBHS on April 19.
Students interested in the April 8 ACT exam should register at
www.actstudent.org
.
As stated above, the RBHS-funded state level ACT exam will be given to all students that are of junior status on Wednesday, April 19. Testing will take place during the school day. Parents do not have to register their children for this test. All sophomores will be taking a practice ACT exam on Wednesday, April 19, in the Main Gym. Testing will take place during the school day. Parents do not have to register their children for this test.
AP Testing
For those students that will be taking an AP test this spring, the AP Student Bulletins have been distributed in AP classes. If your student did not receive their AP Student Bulletin, please have them see their AP class teacher or they may stop in Student Services for a copy.
All students taking an AP Exam must register themselves for the exam they are planning to take in order to have an exam ordered for them. This must be completed online by March 3 and takes 5 -10 minutes to complete. Please use the following link to complete the process:
AP Registration
. Students will still need to attend an AP pre-administration session before or after school on a date to be determined in April.
PSAT
Paper copies of the scores have been distributed to students. If your student did not pick up their score sheet and test booklet, please have your student see Mrs. Bauer before school in Room 238.
For testing-related questions, please contact Michelle Bauer, Testing Director, at
bauerm@rbhs208.net
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The PTO Announces the New Summer Academic/Leadership Enrichment Grant
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The Summer Academic/Leadership Enrichment grant is to assist students with the costs of attending camps/workshops during the summer of 2017, which provide academic enrichment and/or enhance their leadership skills. This grant is not for athletic or music programs. It is for individual, not group use. The grant is open to current RB freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who will be enrolled at RB in the fall of 2017.
The completed applications must be placed in an envelope labeled 'PTO Grant' and dropped off in the Main Office for placement in the PTO mailbox no later than Monday, April 17. Applications are now available on the PTO website (see link below).
Grant applicants will be notified by Wednesday, May 10. To view the application, please visit the website below:
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RB Boutique Flash Sale
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 Are you looking for that perfect prom dress? The RB Boutique Flash Sale is on Saturday, March 4, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The boutique will feature hundreds of new and gently used long and short dresses as well as accessories. Long dresses are only $10 each while short dresses are $5.
Questions, contact: Mary Ellen Meindl
meindl@rbhspto.org
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Information from the Office of Student Affairs
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As the weather gets warmer, the Deans Office is anticipating an increase of excusal calls into the Attendance Office. We would like to remind parents and guardians that student attendance is vital, and classroom seat time is invaluable for your students' learning and growth. We encourage parents to take vacations or college visits during days when school is not in session. If you need to excuse your student out of school for a daily absence, please see our general attendance procedures below. If your student will be out of school for an extended period, they will need to complete the extended absence form available in the Main Office.
General Attendance Procedures
It is the parent's or guardian's responsibility to call the Attendance Office by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the absence for the student to receive full make-up privileges. Parents or guardians may report absences by calling the RBHS Attendance Line, 708-442-8407, 24 hours a day. Failure to call within 24 hours of the absence will result in an unexcused absence. Any deviation from this procedure must be discussed with the Dean and is the parent's or guardian's responsibility. Only calls from parents or legal guardians will be accepted. The following information must be provided to excuse the absence for valid cause:
- Parent / Guardian must identify themselves
- Student name
- Reason for the absence
If a parent/legal guardian anticipates being out of town and, therefore, will be unable to provide official notification of a student absence, the parent/legal guardian must provide written documentation of the adult designated to approve student absences. This written notification must be turned into the Attendance Office prior to the parent/legal guardian leaving town.
Fun in the RBLibrary!
March is going to be a very exciting time in the RBLibrary. First, we will be  hosting our next Bulldog Book Club meeting on Thursday, March 9, to discuss Out of the Easy by bestselling author Ruta Sepetys. This exciting novel tells the story of 17-year-old Josie Moraine, who lives in the French Quarter of 1950s New Orleans. Josie desperately wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer, but her plans are put into question when she gets entangled in a police investigation of a death in the Quarter. She's caught between the dream of attending an elite college and the underworld of the French Quarter. Sepetys creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny in this captivating novel. Copies are available to check out in the library now!
Also starting in March will be an exciting new program - March Madness: A Tournament of Books! Combining the thrill of the NCAA March Madness tournament and popular young adult novels, this contest pits books against each other to find out which is ultimately the best book at RB. Sixteen popular titles have been chosen.
Brackets
have been made. Vote for your favorite during all lunch periods starting February 28 and see which book rises to the top. Turn in a completed bracket by March 1 for the chance to win one of three gift cards! Vote each week for the chance to win raffle prizes! Help RBLibrary make this March Madness a memorable one.
WE Day
AP Computer Science and AP Spanish Language students will attend WE Day on March 1 as a result of the partnership between The College Board and a service organization called, "Free the Children." WE Day is a celebration of service acts designed to encourage youth to become active, service-minded citizens. These major events throughout Canada, the UK, and the US are for students who complete at least one local and one global act of service. RB Math and Computer Science teacher Sandy Czajka has been invited to speak on stage with one of RB's students (student is yet to be determined) in front of an expected crowd of 10,000 people about RB's experience integrating service learning into the AP curriculum.
Spring Musical, Annie
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RBHS Welcomes the Lacrosse Club!
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As an emerging IHSA sport, lacrosse has been adopted as a competitive  activity at RBHS and will be competing during the upcoming spring season. Lacrosse is a hybrid sport similar to that of hockey, football, and soccer. Lacrosse is
a goal game in which players use a long-handled stick that has a triangular head with a mesh pouch to catch, carry, and throw a ball into a goal. The Lacrosse Club is coed but will begin the first season with both boys and girls teams as they have different rules and equipment. All interested students that wish to play lacrosse during the spring season should seek out Mr. Styler or Mr. Mannon as well as utilize the lacrosse activity page on the RBHS website for practice times and schedules.
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Student Services Events and Information
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College Planning Tips for Junior Parents
March 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium
Jim Franko will give some helpful tips for parents of juniors on admission, college applications, and financial aid.
Local Scholarship Applications for Seniors
The local scholarship applications are available on the Student Services website. The deadline for most applications is March 10. Please see your counselor with any questions. Link to scholarships: Local Scholarships
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Spring sports are almost here, and we are hoping for good weather! Check 8 to 18,
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS
, for daily changes and cancellations. Sign up for email alerts for up-to-the minute cancellations and make-up dates.
Winter Sports Update
A comprehensive winter sports update will be presented to the Board of Education once all winter sports are done competing. This update along with the recognition of winter student athletes for their athletic accomplishments will occur at the March 14 Board of Education meeting. This report will be included in the next newsletter.
Summer Camps
All Summer Camp dates and times will be published and posted on the school and athletic websites in early April. Sign-ups and payments will go through the Business Office.
 To help keep the Bulldog Community connected, sign up and follow us on TWITTER, @rbhsathletics
The Riverside Athletic Boosters are always appreciative of help. They can be reached by going to our website,
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS
, then go to the BOOSTER Tab, which will connect you to their web page, where you can see all their information. Sign up to help work concessions, buy RB gear, read minutes of their meetings, etc.
Our website called 8to18.com, which we launched in early August to communicate Athletic information to the public, continues to grow and has many links and school forms for parents and the community. Please check it out at
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS
and sign up now for e-mail alerts from the Athletic Department regarding important information about our athletic contests. RB "Athletes of the Week" are also highlighted on this site.
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Student Recognition
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Students of the Second Quarter
On Friday, December 16, we honored 11 students representing each academic department, in addition to a Student Building Leader, who exemplify our values of "Excellence and Ethics in all Bulldogs Do!" These students were nominated by faculty for excelling in two areas: academics and character.
Front Row (L-R): Olivia Buffo (Freshman) Science Department Recipient; Melinda Kelstrom (Sophomore) Special Services Department Recipient; Hunter Soumar (Senior) Math Department Recipient; Nicole Bajerek (Senior) Building Leader Recipient; Lilliana Dziagwa (Junior) Fine Arts Department Recipient.
Back Row (L-R): Gustas Gladstein (Sophomore) World Language Department Recipient; Brian Wolff (Senior) Applied Arts Department Recipient; Ms. Kristin Smetana (Principal); Andrew Roudebush (Senior) Wellness Department Recipient; John Kosner (Junior) English Department Recipient; Isabella Martucci (Senior) Social Science Department Recipient; (Not Pictured) Monica Schmidt (Senior) Library Department Recipient.
Speech Goes to State 
On Saturday, February 18, Elona Selenica competed in Peoria at the IHSA Speech State Series. She came in 10th place with her piece, "This is a Test."
Math Team Competes
The Math Team took 2nd in conference at the MSC Math Competition on Saturday, January 28. There were many individual and team awards.
In the Algebra 1 competition, Jacqueline DiMonte took 9th place, Claire Kawiecki and Josh Turner tied for 2nd, and Kiri Salij took 1st place. Also, the Algebra 1 team (Jade Connor, Jacqueline DiMonte, Claire Kawiecki, Will O'Brien, Kiri Salij, and Josh Turner) took 1st place.
In the Geometry competition, Elise Wojack took 9th place.
 In the Algebra 2 competition, Jackson Hajer took 4th place and Jason Kenny took 1st place. Also, the Geometry Team (Kaitlin Gaynor, Mary Clare Greenlees, Jackson Hajer, Claire Jacobs, Jason Kenny, and Radka Pribyl Pierdinock) took 2nd place.
In the Pre-Calculus competition, Melissa Tovar took 10th place and Sam Miezio and Maura O'Brien tied for 6th place. The Pre-Calculus Team (Hailey Jurgens, Sam Miezio, Maura O'Brien, Melissa Tovar, Jacob Wardzala, and Natalia Zhukova) took 3rd place.
The Freshman/Sophomore 8-person team (Grace DiBartolomeo, Jacqueline DiMonte, Will O'Brien, Josh Turner, Noah Hoadley, Luka Malovic, Joey Vitek, and Elise Wojack) took 1st place.
The Junior/Senior 8-person team (Kaitlin Gaynor, Jackson Hajer, Jason Kenny, Jacob Wardzala, Sam Miezio, Maura O'Brien, Melissa Tovar, and Natalia Zhukova) took 2nd place.
Girls That Code
The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) has
selected Elona Selenica as a 2017 Northern Illinois Aspirations in Computing Award Honorable Mention! R
ecipients are chosen for their demonstrated interest and achievements in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for post-secondary education. This is a great honor for Elona, and will provide her with many resources and networking opportunities as she pursues a degree and career related to computer science.
Scholastic Art Competition
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Lillian Wu, Junior
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Congratulations to the following 2017 Regional Scholastic Art Competition winners from RBHS! The winning works were on exhibit for the opening reception at Downers Grove North High School on Sunday, February 5, from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. The competitive show is a collection of the highest quality high school art work in the region, selected from over 20 schools and thousands of entrees. For more information view
www.scholastic.com
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Five students exhibited in the Illinois High School Art Exhibition at Zhou B
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Katie Storage, Senior
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Gallery in Bridgeport, Katie Storage, Delaney Bryant, Daiva Walz, Lorena Hinojosa, and Magon Pedroza. The show is the largest high school art
exhibition in the state and quite an honor to be selected.
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Alyssa Farnham, Sophomore
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Gold key
Calista Lopez, Ceramics + Glass, 'Three Bottles'
Riley Shaw, Digital Art, 'Isolation Island'
Brianna Spinelli, Photography, 'Bones'
Katie Storage, Ceramics + Glass, 'Marbled Set'
Emily Temmer, Ceramics + Glass, 'Cookies and Milk'
Silver Key
Magon Pedroza, Photography, 'Ghostly Reads'
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Daiva Walz, Sophomore |
Honorable Mention
Nick Allegretti, Digital Art, 'Atlas'
Alyssa Farnham, Drawing, 'Sensaina'
Sumner Feary, Photography, 'Fireworks'
Stephanie Molina, Photography, 'Foreshorten'
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Nick Allegretti, Senior
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Milena Parenti, Drawing, 'Distortrait'
Daiva Walz, Sculpture, 'Read Petals'
Lilian Wu, Digital Art, '4x5'
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Calista Lopez, Senior
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IHSA State Chess Tournament Results
On February 10 and February 11, the Chess Team competed in the
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Pictured L to R: Mr. Monti, Andres Resto and Mr. Boyd
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largest chess tournament in the country. Andres Resto won 6 of his 7 matches on Board 4 and finished 5th. Andres received a medal and All State Honors! Megan Sroka had 3 wins and 2 draws on Board 6 and finished in 51st place out of 169 competitors. She is the first female Bulldog chess player to compete at state. Ray Greco had 3 wins on Board 5. Jacob had 3 wins and a draw on Board 7. Joe Vitek had 3 tough wins on Board 3 with 1 loss. Jackson Hajer and Luke Graham, playing the top 2 boards and every schools' toughest players, added 2 wins, a win, and a draw respectively. Nathan Sanchez had 1 victory but was winning in at least 4 of his other games. The team finished in 86th place out of 149 teams.
National German Exam Results
The German National Exam consists of two parts, the listening and viewing of authentic language materials, and the reading component in the target language. Students answer 50 questions for each section. Students will receive certificates and medals.
German II
Gold - *Evan Dunbar, *Gustas Gladstein and Jonah Raith
(*these students are eligible to compete for the Travel Award to Germany)
Silver - Luke Graham and Laura McLean
Bronze- Cheryl Longo, Julia Maywood, Benjamin McGuffey, Kristina Tepic, Sophia Gose, Niela Callanan and Sylvia Harvin
Achievement Award - Marissa Drake, Mara Dunn, and Alexander Thomas
Honors German III
Silver - Robert Parisi
Bronze - Sara Vacek
Achievement Award - Jason Kenny and Amanda Voth
AP German IV
Bronze - Carleen Egan and Julian Brudnak
Achievement Award - Calista Lopez and Henry Scheffer
Repertory Dance Ensemble (RDE) and State Dance Festival
Two pieces were auditioned for the Illinois High School Dance Festival on February 18 at Buffalo Grove High School. The first piece titled "Drifting," was choreographed by Rachel Bakalich, a senior and third year member of RDE. The contemporary modern piece was set by Rachel during rehearsals in semester one for the RDE Winter Concert. It explored the concept of relationships with others, and how they change over time.
The second piece auditioned was a newly commissioned work choreographed by Sarah Brom, senior, Julianna Fields, junior, and Rachel Backalich. The piece titled, "Never Far Apart" was a modern work that explored the relationships of humans on a daily basis, and how fate allows for them to be in the same place at the same time, with completely different lives and objectives. This piece was a full company dance whereas "Drifting" used ten dancers from the ensemble.
Out of over 30 dance works auditioned from various schools in Illinois, Rachel Bakalich's work "Drifting" was accepted into the student choreography showcase for the State Festival in May. Not more than ten dances are selected for this showcase. Congratulations Rachel, on your accomplishment and growth!
Metro Suburban Band and Jazz Festival
Congratulations to Kaitlin Gaynor, Natalie Lisle, Rebecca Perry, Matthew Michaelson, Ally Hodges, Sophia Bolton, Manny Sida, Amanda Enstrom, Grace Fosselman, Ben Schulte, Marta Janas, Joseph Connelly, Joseph Kinnan, Nicolette O'Keefe, Payton Fitzgerald, and Sam Zalewski. These students were selected to participate in the Metro Suburban Band and Jazz Festival.
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Excellence and Ethics
in Education
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Important Dates
Please check our website for the dates and locations of all performances and events.
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________________________
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Jostens Graduation Announcement Delivery
Student Café during all lunches
March 2
Spring Musical Annie
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
March 3
Spring Musical Annie
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
March 4
RB Flash Boutique
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Commons Area
March 4
Spring Musical Annie
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
March 5
Spring Musical Annie
2:00 p.m.
Auditorium
March 6
PTO Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
March 7
College Planning Tips for Juniors
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
March 13
Chamber Orchestra Recital
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
March 17
End of Third Quarter
March 18
RBEF Telethon
March 20
Music Sponsor Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Band Room
March 27 - March 31
Spring Break
April 3
PTO Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
April 6
Jazzapulooza XI
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
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Contact Us
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(708) 442-7500
newsletter@rbhs208.net
See our website for individual staff email addresses
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