From the desk of Principal Deborah Finn
Issue 5, February 4,2021
School News You Can Use
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

  1. Community Day - read about the great activities from this past Monday and plans for this coming Monday, February 8 under services and support SIGN UP DUE TODAY AT 4:00 PM!
  2. February is Black History Month - more info below in message from the principal.
  3. Test Prep - see Academics for more information about opportunities for current juniors.
  4. Hybrid Transition - February 23, 2021 - family webinar 6:30 pm 2/10/21 - link to be shared soon - more info below in academics.
  5. This is the last week of Charity Drive - see activities below for what’s happening this week and the link to the website!

Message from the Principal
As you know from this past Monday’s BOE meeting, we will be transitioning to a hybrid rotational model on Tuesday, February 23.  Please keep in mind that returning to in-person learning is a privilege with associated risks.  We minimize these risks by following the safety protocols we have been talking about since the pandemic began.  Please know that you may NOT come to school or attend any in-person activity if you have had exposure or are feeling unwell.  If you are sick and will not be present in class (on-site or remotely) notify the attendance office at  HPHSAttendance@dist113.org.  You will learn remotely when/if you need to stay home assuming you are able to participate.  Our hybrid situation will only be able to continue if we all work together and are committed to everyone’s safety.   This means we pledge, without exception, to following the CDC, IDPH, Lake County Health Department, HPHS and District 113 guidelines to stay home after Covid exposure and follow all mask, distancing and other safety precautions. We will be offering a HPHS/DHS joint webinar from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, February 10 to share more details about this transition and answer questions. You can access the webinar via this link.  See academics below for suggestions to start preparing for our transition to hybrid.

I also want to take this opportunity to remind us all that annually, February is Black History Month.  Please listen in these coming weeks as HPTV offers powerful segments and quotes to honor this critical time.  Our 24/7/365 team has also created the Family Catalog project to archive important stories.  Our students so astutely tell us that this will honor “past African-American achievements, unite our community, and inspire everyone to believe in the power of equity, inclusion, and justice as we shape the future.”  Click here for the form if you would like to contribute.  

Happening Next Week
Monday, February 8 - GIANT Community Day, Asynchronous Giant Schedule
Tuesday, February 9 - White Day Schedule
Wednesday, February 10 - Blue Day Schedule
Thursday, February 11- White Day Schedule
Friday, January 12 - Blue Day Schedule

Academics
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
Click here to read the fabulous updates from our Social Studies department!

PREPARING FOR HYBRID
As we prepare for our transition to a hybrid model of instruction, it is important that the students attending in-person instruction are prepared with the necessary materials and supplies each day that they attend HPHS. More detailed information will be shared closer to the start of hybrid instruction, however, here is a checklist of important things to remember:
  • Log into the Infinite Campus Health Screening Application now in order to become familiar with the health screening process. Completing the health precertification is required each day prior to entering the building.
  • Bring your school ID card - either a physical copy (an old ID card will work) or the digital copy via the Infinite Campus app (instructions on how to access the digital ID). Your ID card will be scanned to verify your health screening status.
  • Bring a fully charged Chromebook and charger.
  • Each day, bring only the materials needed for the classes you will be attending. You will not have access to a locker, materials will not be loaned or checked out (including Chromebooks and chargers), and you will not be allowed to share with another student.
  • Bring a coat that you can carry with you throughout the day as the temperature may vary in parts of the building. 

  • Food is not permitted while on campus except for a documented medical need. Be sure to eat a meal before arriving on campus.
  • Students will be informed of their cohort (A or B) in the next few days.  

As a reminder, here is our remote and hybrid daily schedule:
Student Life
ACTIVITIES
This is the last week of Charity Drive! Join us this final week to raise money and awareness for Saving Tiny Hearts Society. Saving Tiny Hearts is dedicated to eliminating Congenital Heart Disease by funding revolutionary life-saving research to improve, prolong, and save the lives of children. Visit the school's Charity Drive website to see all the ways one can participate and donate. Thank you to all who are participating in this event!

ATHLETICS 
Winter sports are starting to compete this week and many of our spring and summer sports are engaging in Contact Days. Our coaches are enjoying seeing so many student-athletes coming into school to participate in the sport they love. A reminder to all students and parents that we are all dependent on each other. Please do your part both in and out of school. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Watch your distance. Avoid gatherings. We ask all parents and students to take the pre-screening certification seriously. That is our contract with one another. We can do this! #hpgiantpride
 
Services and Supports
ACADEMIC TUTORING - SAT/ACT
Highland Park High School is excited to once again partner with Academic Tutoring Centers (ATC) to provide junior students the opportunity to participate in SAT and ACT test preparation courses free of charge. This year, the courses will take place virtually, scheduled to coincide with HPHS GIANT Community Days. Please read this document for more details and for information about how to register.

COMMUNITY DAY 2/8
We had over 230 sign-ups for this past Monday’s Community Day and we were so glad to see our students! They took advantage of a multitude of opportunities including meeting with their math teachers, experiencing a science lab, watching an historical movie, using the maker space to create a t-shirt, lap swimming, badminton, and so much more.  
 
Don’t forget to have your student sign up for next Monday’s (2/8) Community Day by 4:00 pm today. As we will be in hybrid very soon, we will not be planning official Monday Community Days in the near future.
 
Here is all of the information you need for Monday’s Community Day:
 
PRIOR TO ARRIVAL TO THE BUILDING ON 2/8, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

ONCE YOU ENTER THE BUILDING
  • You are expected to walk on the right side of the hallways (blue tape marks the middle)
  • You are expected to stay at least 6 feet away from others in the hallways and rooms
  • You will need to proceed directly to your first session
  • During sessions, you will need to follow the protocol and expectations of the staff member in that room
  • Between and after sessions, you may not hang out in the hallways - you should proceed immediately to your next session or exit the building
  • Students may not eat in the building at this time; the only exception is for documented medical needs

TRANSPORTATION
Please fill out this Google Form If you need bus transportation on Monday, 2/8. You will be notified of your pickup time and location on Friday, 2/5.  
If you have other questions about transportation, please contact Mr. Wallace
District News
Procedures to Change Learning
Preferences in Semester 2
See Dr. Law’s 2-03 email for the procedures to change the preference from Hybrid Learning to Remote Learning or Remote Learning to Hybrid Learning
The IC Portal will open again on Monday, March 15 and close at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 17, for parents to change their selection from Remote Learning to Hybrid Learning 
Check out the updated Hybrid Learning Student & Family Guidebook to see more information on the details of the bell schedules