Holiday Wishes

Usually, winter break marks the halfway point for our school year, however this school year has been very different. We have come together to teach, learn and celebrate while we try to retain a rich Red Devil tradition. It has been a school year that has seen us come together to support each other, recognize our students and to celebrate public education. Throughout the semester, I have been gifted the joy of observing your child's positive energy of being on campus and of hearing your child's laughter as they walk the hallways and fill the classrooms with their peers.

As we look to enjoy winter break with friends and family, I hope we recognize that nothing good comes from allowing bitterness or envy to creep into our lives, instead we look to CELEBRATE others. Our choice to celebrate others encourages those around us. I find it affirming to know that as parents, you are making a difference in the lives of our students and Red Devil staff. Thank you for all you are doing, as we work to make a difference in the path your child, our student, will pursue and give the attention required of the profession we care so deeply about. For that, I say thank you.

Enjoy connecting with family and friends in a manner that is safe and appropriate. I look forward to seeing your child, our student, in the new year!

Happy Holidays!

Bill Walsh. Principal
It is a great day to be alive and a Red Devil. ~alum, teacher, coach, & HoF Bill Huskisson
#RedDevilNation
Attention: 2nd Semester Driver Ed Students

Mr. Daly will be conducting permit testing on the following dates, January 5th and 11th from 3:05pm to 4:00pm in room 155. This is a great opportunity to get your testing done right after school and before the semester begins. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Daly at ddaly@hinsdale86.org.
Q2 Make a Difference Award Recipients

Thank you to all who submitted nominations for the Q2 Make A Difference awards. After reviewing the dozens of nominations received by the committee, the PTO is pleased to announce the Make A Difference award winners for the second quarter of the 2021-22 school year.

Congratulations to:
Jacqueline Berenson – Math
Marvin Breig – Science
Abbey Green – Math
Alan McCloud – Science
Alisha McCloud – World Languages
Dan Otahal – Social Studies

A big thank you to these teachers for their commitment and kindness to our Red Devil community. They are going above and beyond and making a true difference at Hinsdale Central!
Process, Protocols and Procedures for Inclement Weather

As we head into the winter months, we want to remind students, staff, families and community members about the process, protocols and procedures we will initiate and follow should we need to close our schools due to inclement weather.

Please visit https://bit.ly/3rREamP for information about how and when we will communicate weather-related updates. There are also details about the Emergency Weather Learning (E-learning) Days we will implement if we need to close our schools.
Classrooms, Cell Phones, and Distractions

In the coming weeks you may receive an email from your child's classroom teacher about a cell phone protocol in their classroom. As students have returned to in-person learning environments, our teachers have been experiencing an excessive use of cell phones during class time. While teachers have been redirecting students back to the learning environment and, in some cases, writing an office discipline referral for Cell Phone Use, these interventions have not been as successful as our teachers and building leadership team would like. Therefore, the next level of intervention may include a cell phone protocol in your child's classroom. An example of a next level intervention may include a teacher having a "cell phone cubby" permanently installed on the wall in their classroom. The cell phone cubby is intended to be a temporary home for a student's cell phones during class. Students would deposit their phones at the start of class and pick up their phones near the end of class. Please look for this communication from your child's teacher(s) and reach out to them about the protocols that may be used in their classroom regarding cell phones.
First Semester Final Exams

During the District 86 Board of Education meeting on Nov. 18, it was announced that we will be administering "no harm" final exams for first semester. "No harm" means that the score a student receives on an exam cannot lower their grade for the semester - i.e., if they have an A going into the final, that is the grade they will receive regardless of how they do on the test.

In addition, attendance for these exams will be optional. Students do not have to take final exams, but can if doing so might improve their grade or offer them experience taking a test in a particular subject area.

Please visit https://bit.ly/30dMSR0 for more information about the plan for first semester final exams, including the schedule and attendance protocols.
Hinsdale Central Covid Guidelines for Athletics 2021-2022

Game Day and COVID-19 Safety Protocol
The following protocols are being implemented for the winter athletic season to help ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and spectators. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
 
COVID-19 Protocols 
Our athletics program has and will continue to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines established by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Illinois High School Association (IHSA).

Indoor athletic events held at Hinsdale Central will operate at 100% capacity. Once we reach capacity, no additional tickets will be sold. With this in mind, we encourage people to arrive early for events.

Please note that changes in community transmission levels may result in adjustments to our capacity limits. Any changes to these limits will be communicated via our website for athletics (https://il.8to18.com/hinsdalecentral).

The indoor mask requirement applies to all indoor spaces (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms, field house, etc.) regardless of vaccination status. Masks must be worn over your nose and mouth at all times while on-site.

Physical distancing is encouraged in all settings, when possible, regardless of vaccination status.

At the conclusion of an indoor contest, parents/guardians and spectators may meet with student-athletes after the visiting team has departed the gymnasium or fieldhouse.

Any spectator who is removed from a venue for failure to follow the host school’s COVID-19 protocols will be prohibited from attending all future home competitions for the remainder of the school year.

While we expect these protocols to remain in place for the rest of the 2021-22 school year, we will keep you apprised of any changes that occur. We also encourage you to check our website for updates prior to attending an event.

General Updates
Locations: The main gymnasium is located on Grant St.; the field house is located to the west of the main gym; and the Don Watson Aquatics Center is located off the field house ramp. All of these venues can be accessed via Door #3 (entrance for the main gym) or Door #14.
  
Entry and Exit: Spectators should enter through Door #3 for all events in the gym. While you will typically be able to leave through any exit, we may use designated exits for larger events in order to reduce congestion. Door #14 can be used for all other events.  
 
Tickets: Ticket sales are required for home basketball games. Admission is free for Hinsdale Central students who have a valid activity pass. Booster passes will be accepted for all regular season home events. No activity or booster passes will be accepted for home tournaments, invitationals, or IHSA postseason events. Admission may be charged for lower level competitions.
 
Parking: Visiting teams can load and unload their buses in front of the gym. Bus parking will be provided in the lot across the street from the gym. Spectators will not be allowed to park in front of the gym. There will be a limited number of spaces available on Grant St. for those who are attending events. 
 
Concessions: Concessions will be available for purchase during most varsity events. Purchased items can be consumed in the stands, and masks can be removed while eating or drinking. However, masks must be put back on over your nose and mouth when you are finished. 
 
Live Stream Schedule: All varsity home events in the main gymnasium will be broadcast on the NFHS Network, as will most events held in the pool. You can access Central’s channel on the NFHS website by visiting https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/hinsdale-central-high-school-hinsdale-il.

Media: Members of the media seeking credentials or access to our venues must contact Wanda Swik, the administrative assistant to the athletic director, at least 24 hours prior to each respective contest. Ms. Swik’s email address is wswik@hinsdale86.org. 
Weekly Thursday Progress Reports and Grading Reminders

We want to make sure that all families understand how teachers are using the grades of "M" and "ME" this school year.

  • M (for Missing) is entered in a gradebook when a student has not turned in an assignment. It communicates to the student, parent/guardian and school support teams that an assignment has not been completed

  • ME (Missing and Essential) is entered in the gradebook when an assignment that is essential for understanding a student’s performance has not been turned in or completed. An example of this might be a unit assessment, a research paper, or an end of semester project. When a grade of ME is entered in the gradebook, the student’s grade will appear as "Incomplete (IC)" until the ME is resolved. Once the student has completed the Missing and Essential (ME) assignment, the grade in the class will reappear in HAC. Please note that a student cannot receive a passing grade or credit in the course with an ME in the gradebook at the end of the semester. The IC should serve as serious red flag that the student's grade is in immediate need of attention. Should you see an IC on a weekly IPR or in HAC, please contact your student's teacher directly and they will work with you to explain what your student needs to do.

You can see if your student has an ME in the gradebook if they have an IC on their progress report. In this example, this student has an ME in their World Cultures class because the grade in the class is showing as IC instead of a letter grade.
Technology Help Desk

Students having difficulty with technology, should contact the Hinsdale Central Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@hinsdale86.org or call 630-655-6180. The IT staff can help students reset passwords or repair Chromebooks as well as many other tech issues. 
Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine in DuPage
 
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to anyone 12 years or older. There are now many locations available to get your COVID-19 vaccine in DuPage County. To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you, visit www.vaccines.gov.
 
The Dupage County Health Department also offers COVID-19 vaccinations on a walk-in basis in Wheaton, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, visit dupagehealth.org/covid19vaccineclinic.
Hinsdale Central High School
5500 South Grant Street • Hinsdale, IL 60521
Phone: (630) 570-8000