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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
We are entering into the last quarter of the 2016-17 school year. Plans for the 2017-18 school year are almost finished. I hope that the students and their families enjoyed their spring break. Please support your students in their academic and extra-curricular efforts as the second semester comes to an end. Their goal should be to finish this school year by giving it their best possible effort. Encourage them to take advantage of all the opportunities that RB has to offer.
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D
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2017-18 Staffing and Class Size
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At the March 14, 2017, Board of Education meeting, the Board approved a staffing plan provided by the Administration that would add an additional two teachers to the certified staff count at RBHS for the 2017-18 school year.
The addition of this staff will continue to support the Board's goal to lower class sizes in the core academic areas and continue to offer a rich variety of elective courses. Courses that did not have enough students sign up will not run next school year, but will be listed again during the course selection process next fall.
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School Year
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Enrollment
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Certified Staff
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2012-2013
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1461
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85.9
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2013-2014
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1514
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88.9
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2014-2015
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1586
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94.4
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2015-2016
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1633
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97.3
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2016-2017
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1635
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101.3
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2017-2018
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1645
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103.3
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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, and the target date to begin construction is
May 1, 2017.
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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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As reported at our last Board meeting, the bike path is complete except for a small triangle section that needs paving. Thank you to the Board, Administration, and surrounding communities for all of their work to provide a safe path for everyone.
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The next two meetings will be Tuesday, April 11 and 26, 2017, 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.
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Principal's Message
With only weeks left in the 4th quarter, summer is just around the corner. Below you will find information about the summer opportunities available for students at RB. Due to the generous donations from the RB Educational Foundation's annual telethon, the Foundation is able to provide students with grants to help offset any summer opportunities including those outside of RB that may be of interest to students. To apply for a grant, visit the
RB Educational Foundation
website and submit the application by April 14. The PTO is also offering a grant to students this year to support summer opportunities that provide
academic enrichment and/or enhance their leadership skills.
Also highlighted in this edition are upcoming spring standardized tests. From SAT to Advanced Placement to MAP, these tests provide students, parents, and teachers important information about an individual's academic progress. Engage in conversation with your student about the importance of these tests. Encourage your child to give his or her best effort, to get a full night's sleep, and to eat a healthy breakfast before taking these assessments. More details about these upcoming assessments are included later in this edition.
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.
This test is required by the State of Illinois.
Any individual high school students who had the opportunity to, but chose not to take the required state accountability assessment will lose their eligibility to receive a regular high school diploma.
AP Testing
All students registered to take an AP exam must attend a mandatory pre-administration session during 6th period in the East Gym on Wednesday, April 5, to fill out demographic information on their AP answer sheet in advance of their exams. It should take about 45 minutes to complete. Please bring a #2 pencil with you.
Any student submitting a portfolio for AP Studio Art and not taking any other AP exams, does not need to attend a pre-administration session. Please contact Mr. Helgeson (
helgesonm@rbhs208.net) or Mrs. Bauer (
bauerm@rbhs208.net) with any questions.
School Wide Testing Day for Freshmen, 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.
- Freshmen 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 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.
This test is required by the State of Illinois.
Any individual high school students who had the opportunity to, but chose not to take the required state accountability assessment will lose their eligibility to receive a regular high school diploma.
Sign-Up Now for Summer Academics/Workshops and Athletic Camps
Summer academic and athletic offerings for 2017 are posted on the
RB website under the Student tab, "Forms and Documents." The academic offerings include several academic workshops and camps as well as credit recovery opportunities. The non-credit academic workshops will assist students in transitioning to Advanced Placement (AP) or pre-AP courses. There are also academic camps to provide students with opportunities to participate in band, prepare for the college application process, experience RBTV, and become familiar with Chromebooks. There are several athletic camps throughout the summer.
New this year, in order to increase efficiency, registration for all academic and athletic offerings must be completed online through May 26. Payment can be made either online or in the Business Office. The registration process is not complete until payment has been received. Currently enrolled students will be given priority for registration. All tuition and fees must be paid at the time of registration.
Click here to link to the program booklet.
The PTO Announces the New Summer Academic/Leadership Enrichment Grant
This grant assists students with the costs of attending camps/workshops during the summer of 2017 that 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. This 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:
http://PTO-Summer Grant Application-2017.pdf
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Day of Service 2017 - Make a Splash
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 Mark your calendars! The RBHS Day of Service event will be April 29, from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. This year our Day of Service efforts will focus on the areas surrounding the Des Plaines River and Salt Creek including the communities of Riverside, North Riverside, Brookfield, Broadview, and Lyons. We have developed 20 service projects involving RBHS students, staff, parents, and community. Sign up by April 7 using the links below and plan to join us to "Make a Splash!"
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Information from the Office of Student Affairs
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Prom Tickets are on Sale!
The Class of 2018 proudly presents the 2017 Prom: A Night in Italy on Friday, April 21, at Galleria Marchetti in Chicago. Prom tickets will be on sale at the Bookstore during all lunch periods from March 20 - April 13. They will be sold for $90.00 per ticket. Students will be required to show their ID at the time of purchase and approved outside guest forms for any non-RBHS students will be accepted at that time as well. Outside guests forms are available now in the Main Office. All outstanding fees must be paid to purchase a ticket, and school attendance is required on April 20 to attend prom.
On March 20 student expectations for Prom were emailed home to all junior and senior guardians and parents. They are also posted on the
RBHS website.
Please note that Prom attendees are expected to ride a chartered bus to the venue and back to RBHS following the dance. Students must arrive at RBHS with their Prom ticket by 5:30 p.m., and all students will return to RBHS by 11:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Dave Mannon, Assistant Principal of Student Affairs,
mannond@rbhs208.net
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Graduation Information
Due to construction on the new tennis courts, graduation will be held in the recently renovated Dudley Gymnasium. All graduates will be receiving a total of six graduation tickets. Four tickets will be issued for the Gymnasium and two for either the Little Theater or the Auditorium where the ceremony will be broadcast live. Any student with outstanding debt needs to contact the Business Office to discuss payment arrangements. Only one ticket will be issued to any student with unpaid fees. The ceremony will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. If you have purchased a Graduation Package from the RBEF telethon, email Mr. Mannon at
mannond@rbhs208.net
. Additional details about graduation will be emailed home to all senior families and posted on the RBHS website later this month.
Dodgeball Tournament
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Pictured L to R: Team Toolbox - Zach Vaia, John Kosner, Jake Vaia, Ryan Cicenas, Anthony Esposito, Matt Domeier and Rommel Bogdan
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On Sunday, March 19, the freshman class hosted a Dodgeball Tournament in the Main Gym and Fieldhouse. All the proceeds will help to reduce the costs of the 2019 Prom. One hundred twenty students participated and formed 17 teams. Team Toolbox was named the 2017 Dodgeball Champions.
Bulldog Book Club
 April's book club selection is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
Summary: A circus, titled Le Cirque des Reve, comes to town out of the blue and without warning. Within its tents, young magicians Celia and Marco compete to be the best, having done so since childhood. However, under the backdrop of their intense rivalry, a blossoming romance develops. Join the Bulldog Book Club for our discussion at 8 a.m. on Thursday, April 13, in the RBLibrary!
Morningstar Field Trip
On Friday, February 17, twenty-eight students came to school at 7:40 a.m., on  their day off, to head to Morningstar, Inc. The students, accompanied by teachers Sandy Czajka, Dan Bonarigo, and Kevin Dybas, commuted downtown using the Metra Train and made their way to the Morningstar Corporate Office. Rich Buffo, member of the Cloud and Automation Team at Morningstar, helped to organize this optional field trip for the AP Computer Science classes. Students learned about the various careers related to finance in Computer Science at Morningstar, were given tours of the wonderful offices, and even  participated in small group activities to analyze the company's website and available apps. This was an excellent learning opportunity for students to learn about the work environment associated with computer science/technology and explore potential careers. Students Makenna Walsh and Nick Mascitti, along with Ms. Czajka, participated in a Facebook Live Interview discussing this amazing event. Click this Facebook Video link to view the interview.
WE Day
AP already brings college-level learning into the high school classroom. Now, in partnership with educational partner
WE
, AP is bringing the classroom into the world. By combining the academic challenge and rigor of Advanced Placement® with WE's education and citizenship model, AP with WE Service creates an opportunity for students to consider their classroom work and how it applies to the real world, while working closely with their peers to address social issues. During the 2016-17 pilot year, a selected group of teachers from around the country implemented the program. At RBHS, AP Computer Science-A teacher, Sandy Czajka (one of the leaders and contributing authors to the College Board Service Learning Modules), and AP Spanish teachers, Jessica Mauritzen and Jill McGrath, implemented this program in their classrooms.
The culminating event for the classes occurred on March 1 at the Allstate Arena as the students attended WE Day. The event is a powerful, life-  changing celebration that combines the energy of a live concert with the inspiration of extraordinary stories of leadership and change. Students cannot buy a ticket to WE Day, instead, they must earn it with one act of local service and one act of global service. WE Day brings together world-renowned speakers and award-winning performers with tens of thousands of young people to celebrate their contributions and kick-start another year of change. Our AP students heard from Buzz Aldrin, Arne Duncan, Stedman Graham, and several others who spoke on how the WE philosophy is meant for positive change while also enjoying performances by celebrities Andra Day, Xzibit, Grace Vanderwaal,
and many others.
Ms. Czajka and her APCS-A student, senior Cynthia Smith, had a special  moment at WE Day representing RBHS. They gave an onstage presentation to the audience of over 15,000 people about the AP with WE program on behalf of the College Board. Great job to all the students and teachers who participated in this wonderful program and event!
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Visual and Performing Arts
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On Wednesday, March 8, the Hauser Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble performed in concert along with RB's Wind Ensemble. All the ensembles performed to a full auditorium and were received by an enthusiastic audience.
On Thursday, March 9, RB hosted the Big Band Blast. Vern Spevak (RB class of 1977) and David Katz conducted a clinic for the RB Jazz students. Each RB Jazz Band had the opportunity to perform for the clinicians and receive feedback. Students also heard about some of the historic performances held in the RB Auditorium. Duke Ellington, Harry James, and Tommy Dorsey all performed at RB as well as Buddy Rich and Stan Kenton. Mr. Spevak was very impressed with the students' performances and invited them to open for a special performance of his big band on May 7 at their studio. That evening Hauser's Big Band performed along with RB's big bands and all of the students did a great job! Following our performances, the Vern Spevak Big Band took the stage for the first time in 40 years. It was a spectacular performance from the professionals playing before a full audience. You can check out a clip of the Vern Spevak Big Band at:
On Monday, March 13, RB's music department featured several small group and solo performances at the Chamber Orchestra and Friends recital. Once again, the RB musicians did a great job. Every performance that night received a first place from their previous performance on March 4 at the IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest. Check out these pictures from parent, Wendy Winkler at
https://goo.gl/photos/hmFuygVRdqbPPSDT7.
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Honoring the Day of Silence
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Riverside Brookfield High School honors the Day of Silence on Tuesday, April 18. "The Day of Silence is a national day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. The Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment, and effective responses. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
In a Harris Interactive study on bullying, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school. Students across the country participate in the
Day of Silence to bring attention to this problem, let students who experience such bullying know that they are not alone, and ask schools to take action to address the problem."
The day is a positive educational experience, and it is an opportunity for RB students to work toward improving school climate for all of our students. For information visit
www.dayofsilence.org.
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Student Services Events and Information
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"What I Wish I Had Known" - April 12 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 201
Juniors and sophomores and their parents are encouraged to attend this yearly event to hear advice on the college admission process from a panel of current RB seniors and senior parents. The panel will share their experiences regarding the application process, college visits, essay writing, scholarship opportunities, completing the FAFSA, and more.
ASVAB Test
If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior and are interested in potentially entering the military after high school, we are offering the ASVAB Test on Wednesday, April 12, at 8:00 a.m. in the Alumni Lounge. If you would like to sign up, please register with Ms. Englehart in Student Services by Monday, April 10. If you have any questions, please see your counselor.
Local Scholarship Ceremony on April 24
All students that are awarded a local scholarship will be invited to attend this event with their parents. The ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium followed by a light reception. Invitations will arrive mid-April.
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The 2016-17 Winter Athletics Summary includes Team Results and Awards from this year's winter season. It can be viewed on our Website at
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS.
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. Below is a list of each spring sport and the home venue at which each team plays.
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SPORT
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HOME VENUE
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B. Tennis
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Indian Gardens or Sedgwick Park
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Baseball
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Ehlert Park=S/V
Veterans Park= Frosh
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B. Volleyball
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RB Main and East Gym
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B. Water Polo
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RB Swimming Pool
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Badminton
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RB Main Gym
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G. Soccer
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RB Stadium
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Softball
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Veterans Park
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G. Track, B. Track
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RB Stadium
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G. Water Polo
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RB Swimming Pool
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All Summer Camp dates and times are posted on the school and athletic websites. Registration and payments will be done online
https://rbhs208.revtrak.net/.
 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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The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), recognizes middle level and high school students across America for outstanding volunteer service. Two students were nominated for national honors this fall in recognition of their volunteer service. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria including personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth.
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Jovita Berzanskyte
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Jovita Berzanskyte (Senior) has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a Certificate of Excellence from The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and with a President's Volunteer Service Award.
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Alexandria Hodges
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Alexandria Hodges (Senior)
has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President's Volunteer Service Award.
School Citizen of the Year (SCOTY) Award
 Rachel Lemont, a junior at RB, was recognized by the West 40 Intermediate Service Center as a recipient of the 2017 SCOTY (School Citizen of the Year) Award. Rachel was recognized for her steadfast commitment to her own academic success as well as her positive contributions to her school community through her leadership in and out of the classroom.
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irls Who Code Club
The Center for Women and Informational Technology has awarded certificates of distinction to Natalia Zhukova (Senior), Vasara Kulbis (Junior) and Migle Medelis (Junior), members of RB's Girls Who Code club. Recipients are chosen for their demonstrated interest and achievements in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for post
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secondary education. This is a great honor for all the girls and will provide them with many resources and networking opportunities as they pursue education and careers related to computer science. Club sponsor, Sandy Czajka, is also the recipient of the 2017 Northern Illinois Educator Award.
State-wide Art Award
Sunday, February 26, was the closing reception for the Illinois High School Art Exhibition - one of the state's premier shows featuring student visual artworks from the top city, suburban, public and private high schools at Zhou B Art  Center in Bridgeport. It is a "Best of the Best" competition where each school submits twenty-five artworks into eight categories: Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, Design, Photography, Ceramics, Sculpture, and Time Arts categories for a total of over 2,500 artworks for consideration. These are then juried down to the best five pieces from each school for the final 500 exhibited works.
Each category awards one piece "Best in Show," and this year RBHS senior Katie Storage won for the Ceramics category.
Congratulations for this prestigious award, along with our four other exhibiting students: Delaney Bryant, Daiva Walz, Lorena Hinojosa, and Magon Pedroza.
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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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Jazzapulooza XI
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
April 11
Band & Orchestra Concert
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
April 12
What I Wish I Had Known
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
April 12
Madrigal Concert
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
April 14
Non-attendance day
April 19
All school testing day
April 21
Prom
Galleria Marchetti
April 24
Local Scholarship Night
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
April 27- April 29
Orchesis
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
April 29
Day of Service, "Make a Splash"
8:00 a.m.
May 1
PTO Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
May 3
Senior Awards Ceremony
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 4
Spring Choir Concert
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
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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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