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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
Our 2018-19 school year is coming to an end. With graduation just a couple of weeks away, the school is busy with end-of-the-year activities. The seniors are excited to move on and continue with their post-secondary education or a career pathway. The rest of our students are "seasoned scholars" ready to advance to next year's challenges. The Board of Education and I would like to acknowledge all the effort that our staff and students devote to their education at RB. This combination of everyone working together makes RB an outstanding school.
On another note, I would like to personally thank three Board members who completed eight years on the Board of Education at the April 30 meeting. John Keen, Garry Gryczan, and Tim Walsh - Thank you for your time and commitment to the students, staff, and communities of Riverside Brookfield High School.
Below are some recent items of interest from our District.
Go Bulldogs!!
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D
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Collective Bargaining Agreement
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At the April 23, 2019, Committee of the Whole and Special meeting, the Board of Education and the Riverside Brookfield Education Association announced a new three-year collective bargaining agreement.
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Natatorium - Summary of Improvements
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Just a reminder
--- An upgrading of the pool HVAC system will get underway this month. The new system will replace our current system, which is near the end of its useful life. The system will feature numerous upgrades including:
- a significantly increased air turnover rate
- a more efficient ductwork configuration
- numerous heat recovery and other energy-saving features
- backup features for improved reliability
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The newly elected Board members took office at the April 30 organizational meeting (Bill Durkin, Laura Hruska, Tom Jacobs, Deanna Zalas). Wes Smithing was approved as the new Board President, and Ramona Towner will serve as the new Vice President.
The Board of Education will have two meetings in May. The meetings will be May 14, 2019, and May 28, 2019, in Room 201 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Information regarding Board meetings can be found on the RB website under the Board of Education tab or watch the meetings on www.rbtv.tv.
At the May 28, 2019, Committee of the Whole meeting, the parent groups will present their yearly reports to the Board. You can learn more about our parent groups (Boosters, PTO, Music Sponsors, and RB Education Foundation) by attending this meeting or watching it on RBTV.
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Principal's Message
Spring has arrived, and the Bulldogs have been busy! From competing in the first bass fishing tournament to FCCLA and math teams competing at state, to taking over 1,200 AP exams, the Bulldogs have been excelling in athletics, activities, and academics. The start of spring is also marked by the annual PTO Day of Service. On May 4 students, teachers, staff, and community members gave back to the community by beautifying areas surrounding the Des Plaines and Salt Creek Rivers, through completing one of the over 20 different available service projects. A big thank you to Lisa Gaynor, Day of Service Committee, and the PTO for making the Day of Service possible.
Finally, as the school year comes to a close, please assist your student in completing any missing assignments and creating a study plan for final exams. In this edition of Hallways, you will also find important information about summer opportunities, immunization information, and the annual residency event.
It's great to be a Bulldog!
Kristin Smetana
Principal
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Second Semester Final Exam Schedule
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May 21, 2019
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Period 1
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
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Period 2
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9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
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Period 3
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11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Make - up
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1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
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May 22, 2019
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Period 4
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
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Period 5
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9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
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Make-up
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11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
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May 23, 2019
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Period 6
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
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Period 7
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9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
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Make-up
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11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
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Our annual residency event dates for the 2019-2020 school year have been set. Please mark your calendars for July 18, 24, and 29 from 12:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Additional information about scheduling your appointment for one of these dates will be emailed home in June.
Parents/guardians and students that are currently enrolled must attend this event to establish residency and re-register for the new school year. Also, at this event, students will take their yearbook pictures and receive their class schedules and IDs. The Class of 2023 will receive their Chromebooks.
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Immunization & Dental Requirements
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All students entering 12th grade will be required to show proof of recent meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MCV). All 12th-grade students will need to show proof of receiving two doses unless the first dose was administered after 16 years of age. In this case, only one dose after 16 years of age is required. Students who do not provide the proper documentation of this vaccination before August 14 will be excluded from school. Please contact your health care provider with any questions. Vaccination documents can be submitted during our July Residency dates to the Nurse.
Incoming freshman students will need a current physical and updated immunization record. Freshman students who do not provide this documentation by October 15 will be excluded from school in accordance with Illinois School Code. For more information about both of these requirements, please visit the RBHS Health Office website.
Dental Requirements for Incoming Freshmen
All incoming freshmen must have a completed dental examination on file in the Health Office by May 15, 2020. Dental examination forms can be dropped off to the Nurse during our July Residency dates and or anytime throughout the school year to the Health Office. Freshman students without a dental examination on file could be excluded from school after May 15, 2020.
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Sign-Up Now for Summer Academics/Workshops and Athletic Camps
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Summer academic and athletic offerings for 2019 are posted on the RB website under the news and events tab that you can access by  clicking here. 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, and experience RBTV. There are also several athletic camps throughout the summer.
In order to increase efficiency, registration for all academic and athletic offerings must be completed online through May 24. 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.
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Testing Information
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AP Testing
AP Testing will begin on May 6 and will continue through May 17. Please click the following link to access the
2019 AP Exam Schedule.
Students that are taking AP exams should remember to bring two #2 pencils, two pens with blue or black ink, and a calculator for the Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, or Stats exams. Snacks and drinks are allowed during breaks but must be left in a specific area as directed by the proctor. All AP testers are encouraged to bring their own lunches on testing days as the time to eat before and after exams is limited.
All-School Testing Information
Thank you to the entire RBHS community for the success of our all-school testing day on April 9. Attendance for testing was great! If you have any testing-related questions, please contact Marc Helgeson, Testing Director, at
helgesonm@rbhs208.net
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Office of Student Affairs
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Yearbook Distribution
Yearbook distribution will be after school for all students on Friday, May 17. If you have not ordered a yearbook yet, they can still be purchased in the Business Office for $55. Checks should be made out to RBHS. Limited quantities remain, so place your order as soon as possible. Not sure if you ordered a yearbook? Contact Mrs. Marsh at marsha@rbhs208.net. Did you miss you out on last year's yearbook? Leftover yearbooks from the last four years (2018-2015) are on sale for $40 each. Contact Mrs. Marsh with any question.
Graduation Ceremony Details
The ceremony will be held on Friday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Dudley Gymnasium. All graduates will be receiving a total of six  tickets. Four tickets will be issued for the Dudley Gymnasium and two for either the Little Theater or the Auditorium where the ceremony will be on a live broadcast. 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 any unpaid fees.
Class T-shirts and Presentation Bouquets at Graduation
The Commencement Group will be selling presentation bouquets and class t-shirts by Door A on Graduation Day. You can place your order online at the RBHS Graduation Flower and T-Shirt Link and will be able to pick up your order on Graduation Day near the Main Entrance.
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Technology Spotlight
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Kathleen McGowan, a member of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office since 2005, recently spoke to students about being  responsible and staying safe online. Ms. McGowan joined the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in 2010 as Outreach Coordinator and Services Specialist for child victims of Technology Facilitated Crime. Her visit was recorded by RBTV, and all juniors and seniors will watch the broadcast in their English courses and reflect on the information she shared. The presentation also will be aired on RBTV.
BrightBytes Survey
Students and staff recently took the BrightBytes tech survey, which examines how technology improves student achievement. For the past three years, the results have shown significant growth in the four major domains: classroom use of technology, access to technology, skill with technology, and environment for technology. The most recent data ranked the District as Advanced, with an overall score well above the national average.
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Student Services Events and Information
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Local Scholarship Ceremony on Wednesday, May 15
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 in early May.
"The Day of Silence"
On Friday, April 12, RB honored "The Day of Silence." It 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 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 on the visit www.dayofsilence.org.
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Department Spotlight - Social Studies
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World History Pilot Course in Social Studies
In the 2019-20 academic year, about half of the freshman Western Civilization classes and all of the sophomore Western Civilization classes will collaborate to pilot units from Big History, a free, online, open-source curriculum created by historians, teachers, and students. Big History is fully accessible to the public at https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive. If the pilot is successful, teachers hope to adopt the entire curriculum, replacing the existing Western Civilization curriculum during the 2020-21 academic year. RB students and teachers will provide feedback to the developers throughout the year. Although there is still a lot of work that needs to be completed, our Social Studies department feels honored to have the privilege of assisting in the development of a new curriculum.
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Class of 2020 Senior Portraits
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- Prestige Portraits will be photographing senior portraits at Riverside Brookfield High School from June 10-17
- Look for your senior portrait letter in the mail in May
- Each upcoming senior will be given an appointment date and time in their letter
- The summer photos are for your yearbook photos as well as your personal senior portraits
- Questions: Contact Prestige Portraits at 630-910-6800 option 5
- You MUST be photographed by Prestige Portraits to be included in the yearbook
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Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of the 2019 Spring Musical production of Newsies. This year, RB Theatre is participating in the Illinois High School Music Theatre Awards through Broadway in Chicago. Six students are competing for best actor and best actress, and the entire production is also up for specialty awards including Best Ensemble, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, Best Direction, and Best Production. We are incredibly proud of all the student participants!!!
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RB Families Host French Students
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Seventeen RB students of French hosted seventeen students from France in April for two weeks.
The students/families in the RB French program (French 1,2, 3, 4 Honors and AP) anxiously awaited  their new French friends to arrive from Etampes, a suburb 45 minutes south of Paris. The hosts entertained their guests, showed them their community, and shared their school experiences. Students of French began exchanging emails, Snapchatting, and Face timing each other since the beginning of February, enriching their cultural awareness, helping them to develop stronger links with France, and learning to adapt to new views and customs.
Students have also been Skyping in class with their future guests, which have provided stimulating real-life experiences for our students of French. In addition to the hosting experience, the French program has teamed with the AP Euro class to take 25 students on a tour of England and France from June 11-19, 2019. Students will have the opportunity to visit London, the American cemetery and the Mont Saint-Michel in Normandie, and visit various castles in the Loire Valley. They will finish in Paris with a cruise on the Seine river, and they will enjoy the views of the French capital from the Eiffel Tower. This expedition is the fourth trip to France and Europe proposed by the French program since 2006 (Canada, France, Switzerland-Italy-Monaco-France-Spain, England-France). Please note that this trip is sponsored by an outside organization.
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Prom - A World of Pure Imagination
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A World of Pure Imagination was held on Friday, April 26, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Over 500 students were in attendance and enjoyed a great night of food, fun, and dancing.
The Prom Court was nominated by teachers and staff, and then students had the opportunity to vote via text message on the buses on the way to the venue. Kailyn Ngo and Ryan Cermak were crowned King and Queen.
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Extracurricular Activities Update
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Best Buddies - "Inclusion Day" 
March was Best Buddies month, and they celebrated "Inclusion Day." T-shirts were sold, and there was a special announcement at the beginning of each class period. During all lunches, students had the opportunity to sign an Inclusion poster and/or purchase an Inclusion bracelet.
FCCLA
Below are the results from the FCCLA State Tournament. We had 26 students in FCCLA this year, with 11 qualifying for State. At State, we had a strong showing and are proud of the students' hard work.
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Gold
Karen Hammond
Sylvia Harvin
Rixzie Jimenez
Liz Murphy
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Silver
Stefani Gonzalez
Autumn Halfpenny
Roisin Maloney
Alyssa Monti
Abby Swiatek
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Bronze
Anh Luong
Erika Zamarripa
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Alyssa Monti
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Autumn Halfpenny
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The Fishing Club
The Fishing Club competed in its first bass tournament on April 13.  Two students -- Ian Wimmer-Senior and Nick Kaliterna-Sophomore -- fished against 57 other boats on Saturday. The conditions were chilly and windy, but they finished in 18th place, weighing in two fish at 3.95 lbs. Not bad considering over 20 boats came back without any fish.
Math Team Qualifies for State
Several members of the RB Math Team Qualified for the ICTM State Math Competition! The following students competed on May 4 at University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana. Calculator Team - Felix Jacquet, Cain Gonzalez, Jacqueline DiMonte, Joe Kawiecki, and Andres Resto Junior/Senior 8-Person Team - Grace Di Bartolomeo, Will O'Brien, Ryan Power, David Waas, David Keen, Michael Kusz, Luka Malovic, and Elise Wojack Orals Team - Jacqueline DiMonte and Josh Turner.
Scholastic Bowl
Scholastic Bowl had a great season, with Varsity scoring the third  highest total for game points and JV scoring the fourth highest total in our conference. They had five All-Conference players: Lindsey DeJesus, Ben Harrison, AJ Morrissey, Nicholas Sacharski, and Ben Schmitt. The team beat Lyons Township in the first round at Regionals, but ultimately lost against Glenbard West. It was a fun season, and they did an exceptional job competing.
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Spring sports are approaching their state-series competitions. Be sure to visit http://il.8to18.com/RBHS for daily scheduling updates and cancellations. Also, sign up for email alerts to receive scheduling notifications.
Spring Sports Update
Boys Baseball
- Currently 14 - 6 overall
- Currently 5 -1 in Metro Suburban Blue (Tied for 1st)
Badminton
- The badminton team finished the regular season with a match record of 7 and 2
- Champions of the Leyden HS invite as well as our own RBHS invite
- Abby Swaitek was the first Bulldog ever to place at the Willowbrook invite with a 3rd place finish at #1 singles. This invite has many of the top teams in the state.
Boys Lacrosse
- 2019 marks the first year the boys Lacrosse program is participating as an IHSA member (no longer a club team). The program has registered four victories so far this season.
- The program has 12 freshmen listed on the roster. These freshmen will play a significant role in developing the foundation for future Bulldog Lacrosse teams.
Girls Lacrosse
- The team is off to an outstanding 9-1 record to start their first season as an IHSA participating member.
Girls Soccer
- The girls have posted a 9-7-2 (win-loss-tie record) through the month of April.
- Have outscored their opponents by a total of 18 goals.
- Currently seeded 5th in their IHSA Soccer Sectional.
Softball
- Current record 17-3 (4-3 in conference)
- Team Batting average is .408 with 27 Home Runs, 196 RBI in 20 games
- Team pitching staff has 141 Strikeouts in 20 games
Boys Tennis
- Currently, hold a 4-5 record in dual competition
- At the Willowbrook tournament, the program had three members finish with a 2-1 record (win-loss record)
Boys Track & Field
- Boy's Track and Field just completed their short but competitive indoor season showing high potential in the sprint relays, 800 m, and 1600 m.
- The Bulldogs look to build momentum this spring in hopes of capturing their 7th straight MSC Conference Championship in May.
Girls Track & Field
- The girls have gotten off to a tremendous start during the outdoor season.
- Throughout the first half of the season, the program has had several girls reach new personal records in at least two events, and several more have experienced personal records in individual events.
- The girls are set to build on their early success at their upcoming state series competition!
Boys Volleyball
- Currently 17-7 overall and 3-1 in conference.
- Took 2nd Place at Joliet West Invite out of 16 teams
- Took 4th Place at Warren Invite out of 24 teams
- Currently ranked #17 by illprepvb.com and #19 by MaxPreps
Boys Water Polo
- Currently, Varsity is 9-14 and JV is 9-4 (win-loss records)
- Varsity was able to earn a 3rd place overall in the Elk Grove Tournament. While the JV was able to Earn a 2nd place in the Andrew tournament.
Girls Water Polo
- The team has picked up right where they left off last year in racing out to a 12-6 win-loss record and won The Riverside Brookfield Invite.
- The team was ranked 21st in the state during this season (the highest ranking in school history).
- The team is led by their two Team Captains Leah Harazin and Michelle Jacobs. Other impactful contributors include Sarah Pilewski, Shea Connelly, Abby Regan, Veronica Cariveau, Lynna Leimberer, Clair Kawiecki, and Danielle Abalde. The team is looking forward to a strong finish to the regular season.
The RBHS Athletic Department is excited to share that the RBHS Booster Club is bringing back the Golf Outing!
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Date: Friday, June 28
Location: Willow Crest Golf Club (3500 Midwest Rd., Oak
Brook, IL)
The Riverside Brookfield HS Athletic Boosters are always appreciative of help. Please consider joining the Boosters since all of their funds go directly to RB Athletics. You can register for membership online at https://www.rbsportsboosters.com/. All members are invited to the monthly Booster meetings that fall on the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge. The upcoming Booster Meeting date is May 16.
The Football program will be conducting their 4th annual mattress fundraising sale on Saturday, June 29, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Stay tuned for additional details.
Congratulations to the Bulldogs for taking silver in the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 16.
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Marissa Drake received a 'Gold Medal' award for her artwork  'Realistic Abstraction'.
This is a big accomplishment and is to be recognized at the national level in the
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
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This year there were 2800 Artwork entries in our Chicago region. Only eight of those 2800 received a National Level Gold Medal.
Congratulations Marissa!
2019 Certificate of Distinction Award Recipient
Junior Jacqueline Dimonte, a member of the Girls That Code Club, is  a 2019 Certificate of Distinction Award Recipient of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. Jacqueline has already taken APCS-A during her junior year and is planning on taking APCS Principles her
senior year. Jacqueline has been an active member of Girls That Code for the past two years, helping to organize fundraising games during Homecoming Week, and expanding awareness of Computer Science during CS EdWeek in December. Jacqueline was chosen as an award recipient because of her "computing-related aspirations and for her demonstrated interest in technology, solid leadership ability, tenacity in the face of barriers to computing and plans for post-secondary education." For this award, Jacqueline will receive a personalized certificate and a prize bag from NCWIT (National Center for Women & Information Technology). We are very excited for Jacqueline and look forward to her leadership in Girls That Code her senior year.
Prudential Spirit of Community Award
The Prudential Spirit of Community Award is sponsored by  Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). It recognizes middle level and high school students across America for outstanding volunteer service. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria including personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth. Congratulations to Conor Raymond who has been given the President's Volunteer Service Award.
School Citizen of the Year (SCOTY) Award
 Grace Di Bartolomeo, junior, was recognized at a ceremony on April 16 by the West 40 Intermediate Service Center as a recipient of the 2019 SCOTY (School Citizen of the Year) Award. She was given the award 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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AP with WE Summit
On March 4 and 5, Sandy Czajka and Jessica Mauritzen were  fortunate enough to attend the AP with WE Summit at the Microsoft Headquarters in Seattle, Washington. This Summit was run by the College Board and WE Movement, and both were not only invited to attend, but also each was asked to do a presentation for the teachers. RBHS was the only school to have two teachers from the same district invited to be a part of this conference in any capacity. Both Jessica and Sandy were very proud to talk about our work in Service Learning in our AP classes and to represent RB. Sandy stated, "I know we are both grateful for the support we have received in our efforts to incorporate AP with WE into APCS-A and AP Spanish. We learned a great deal at the Summit and came back with not just new ideas but also inspired to continue this important work in our AP classes."
Congratulations to John Fields
Illinois State University identifies high school teachers that have  been influential in students' educational journeys. This year, we have one teacher who has received the Influential High School Teacher Recognition. This teacher was recommended by a former RB student, Lilly Holubeck, who stated, "After talking, seeing student interactions, and having this teacher in class, I knew I wanted to teach history. He made it fun and engaging, and he knew all of his students."
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Excellence and Ethics
in Education
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Please check our website for the dates and locations of all performances and events.
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May 13
Music Sponsors Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Band Room
May 14
Cap & Gown / Ticket Distribution
Lunch periods
Commons Area
May 14
Board of Education Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
May 14
Spring Choir Concert
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 15
Local Scholarship Night
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 16
Apollo Music Awards Concert
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 16
Booster Club Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Alumni Lounge
May 21
Final Exams 1, 2, and 3
May 22
Final Exams 4 and 5
May 23
Final Exams 6 and 7
May 24
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal
11:30 a.m.
Cafeteria
May 24
Commencement Ceremony
6:30 p.m.
Main Gym
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Contact Us
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See our website to contact individual staff members.
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