Friday, January 26, 2018

Principal Wardle's Weekly Blog 01/26/2018


Friday Focus - Vocal Jazz and Chamber Orchestra perform in Peoria after being selected as all-state performers!
It was a special day yesterday as both groups performed in front of large audiences at the Illinois Music Educators Conference in Peoria, IL.  Led by our very own Deb Utley and Elizabeth Bennet, we also welcomed guest conductor and arranger Paul Langford, composer and conductor Russell Scarbrough, and poet and BGHS english teacher Kate Hutchinson.  Congratulations to both of these amazing groups of musicians!  



Heart Smart EKG Screening Coming to BG      
In 2005, Max Schewitz died without warning from a hidden heart condition. He was just 20.  Now, the Max Schewitz Foundation Heart Smart EKG screening helps find at-risk children so they can seek treatment and not share Max’s fate.

Buffalo Grove High School will host a screening, offered to all students, on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. Testing includes an EKG for all participants.   Only students with permission will be tested.  Testing costs $15 per student, but is free for students who are registered with the school to receive free or reduced lunch. Please register your student online at http://www.heartsmartekg.org/BGHS or on our BG website under quicklinks.

Please take advantage of this opportunity.


Celebrating Our Success!
  • Congratulations to Hailey Szydlowski on being named Honorable Mention to the Daily Herald Northwest Suburban 2017-18 Leadership Team!
  • Congratulations to Varsity Swimmers, Kevin Carr and Kenny Velu on swimming their lifetime bests at the Fred Palffy Invite at BG last Saturday.   Daniel Verdico was also a top 6 winner...2nd in the 500 freestyle and 6th in the 100 breastroke!
  • Congratulations to Diver, Ben Goldberg, on placing 2nd in the diving competition at the Fed Palffy Invite last Saturday at BG.
  • Congrats to our Winter Guard on their first ever performance this week!
  • Congratulations to our Senior Bowlers celebrating Senior Night this week!
  • Congratulations to sophomore gymnast, Dagmara Sobolak, All-around Medalist and 4th on uneven bars in the MSL Conference meet at Elk Grove!
  • Celebrating our amazing Vocal Jazz, Chamber Orchestra and All-State musicians down in Peoria this weekend.

Upcoming Dates

Date
Event
January 26
Last day to schedule Parent Teacher Conferences online https://bghs.d214.org/trending-bghs/
February 1
Parent Teacher Conferences 6:00-8:30 pm
February 2
In-Service Day - No School
Parent Teacher Conferences 8:30-11:30 am
February 8
Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm at Forest View Educational Center
February 16
Non-Attendance Day - No School
February 19
President’s Day - No School (Building Closed)
February 21
BGPA Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
February 22
Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm at Forest View Educational Center
February 24
Daddy Daughter Dance 6:30-9:30 pm $30/family
March 23
1:50 pm Dismissal - Spring Break Begins
April 2
Institute Day - No School
April 3
Classes Resume


Save the date!


Daddy-Daughter Dance
Buffalo Grove High School’s 2020 Class Board will sponsor its annual Daddy-Daughter Dance for the high school attendance area’s K-6th grade girls and their fathers. Proceeds will help fund Prom and Senior Day. Dads and their daughters will enjoy a semi-formal evening full of music and dancing, as well as games, crafts, a photo booth, refreshments and more. The cost is $30 for each family. Click here for more info.




Bison Boosters Las Vegas Night
The Bison Boosters are hosting their annual Las Vegas Night on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Ditka's, 2000 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights at 7:00pm. Last year's event was a near sell out, so get your tickets today at https://squareup.com/store/bghs-boosters/ and help support the 28 athletic programs of Buffalo Grove High School. Click here for more details


Back Those Bison!
Varsity Home Sports and Fine Arts for the Coming Week

Date
Time
Event
January 26
4:45 pm
Boys Swimming & Diving vs. Prospect
January 31
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Choir & Orchestra Solo and Ensemble
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Senior Art Show
February 2
6:00 pm
Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Hersey
7:30 pm
Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Hersey
February 8
7:00 pm
Orchesis Show tickets available at the door
February 9
7:30 pm
Orchesis Show
February 10
7:30 pm
Orchesis Show

For underlevel and away sporting events and the most current information for BGHS activities, please go to: Buffalo Grove High School Comprehensive Calendar


BGHS in the News

Boys swimming: Cary-Grove sets a record-breaking tone at Buffalo Grove
The Daily Herald, January 20, 2018
Buffalo Grove's Fred Palffy Invitational served two main purposes for a fine blend of 16 high school boys swimming and diving teams on Saturday afternoon. To the elite competitors, the meet serves as a nice simulation of what they can expect in the upcoming conference, sectional and state meets. Read Story

Meet the 2017-18 Daily Herald Leadership Team
The Daily Herald, January 18, 2018
In their short lives they have raised thousands of dollars for local charities, developed ways their school and community can be supportive of each other, and worked tirelessly to improve conditions for children around the globe.  These suburban teens far exceed expectations with their dedication to community and making the world a better place. They are the 2017-18 Daily Herald Leadership Team -- high school students who empower themselves to make change in the world through volunteerism and encouraging volunteer efforts in others. Read Story

Northwest Suburban Leadership Team, 2017-2018
The Daily Herald, January 18, 2018
Buffalo Grove student, Scott Mahon, named to the Northwest Suburban Leadership Team 2017-18. Read Story

Honorable mentions: Northwest Suburban Leadership Team, 2017-2018
The Daily Herald, January 18, 2018
Buffalo Grove student, Hailey Szydlowski, named to the Northwest Suburban Leadership Team 2017-18. Read Story

Siegal Named National Coach of the Year
Journal-Topics, January 16, 2018
The most-decorated head coach in state history was recently named 2016-17 National Coach of the Year for spirit by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.  "This is an unbelievable honor that I share with my coaching staff and all the student-athletes that I have coached over the years,” said Buffalo Grove cheerleading head coach Jeffrey Siegal.  Read Story

Click Here for BGHS’s Daily Announcements

Click Here for the Third Quarter Parent Newsletter


Staff Spotlight

1. What is your name? Danielle Branch

2. What department have you/do you work in and what do you do? I am the English and Fine Arts Department Division Assistant.

3. How long have you been working at BG? This is my 4th year at BG.

4. Where did you go to high school?  I went to Elk Grove H.S., also in district. (I won't say when I graduated.)
5. What part of working at BG do you find the most rewarding?  I find problem solving to be most rewarding. I am a division assistant in the department. Whether it's coming up with a new approach, looking through a different lens, or researching the answer to a question for a staff member.

6. What is something unique about you? Something unique about me.... The first thing that comes to mind is that I am adopted. I was reunited with my maternal birth family 10 years ago. The latter is not an experience many adoptees my age will come to know. I am very fortunate.

7. What activities or clubs do you follow?  I am not the sponsor of any activities or sports. I do love to support the teachers within my department for all that they do to bring enrichment to BG. I attend most plays, and enjoyed the excitement of this past football season, (I don't normally do sports), and I most recently enjoyed the Vocal Jazz and Chamber Orchestra Concert.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Principal Wardle's Weekly Blog 01/19/2018


Friday Focus -   Chamber Orchestra and Vocal Jazz performing at ILMEA!  

Following a rigorous audition process, our Vocal Jazz Ensemble "By Popular Demand" and BGHS Chamber Orchestra were selected to perform at the Illinois Music Education Conference on Thursday, January 25, 2018, at 12:15 pm and 5:00 pm respectively.  This is the highest honor for a music ensemble in the state of Illinois.

We will be hosting a free performance for our families, BGHS staff, and Buffalo Grove community members and friends on Sunday, January 21 at 4:00pm in our BGHS Miller Theatre.  This performance will serve as a preview performance and an opportunity for those who are unable to travel with us to Peoria to hear the ensembles.  The penultimate piece on the concert will be Solaces, the piece commissioned on a theme of B-G-H-S and featured on the front page of the Chicago Tribune and on WTTW's Chicago Tonight this week.

All who attend the performance are invited to stay after for some celebratory cake in the Theater Foyer and Cafeteria areas.

We hope you are able to join us for this special performance.  We appreciate your support of the BGHS Music Programs!


ATTENTION EDGAR A. POE SCHOOL FAMILIES:
Poe is celebrating their 50th anniversary this spring with a commemorative tile wall display put together by our students, staff and alumni.  They would like to invite any former Poe students, families or staff that are at BGHS to contribute a tile to our wall to celebrate their time at Poe, or to honor someone who might have.  Tiles will be sold for $10, and packets with the directions, an order form, and special paper designed for the project are available in the Poe school office now for pickup.  Designs should be turned in by February 5, 2018 and the tile wall will be unveiled at their 50th celebration on May 3, 2018.   You can also save the date for their celebration on May 3, 2018 from 6:30-8:30, details will be out soon.  Questions to pto.poe@gmail.com.

Celebrating Our Success!
  • Congratulations to our Coed Cheer team on placing 2nd at both the Niles West invite and the MSL Conference at Conant!
  • Congratulations to our Speech Team on a great competition at Conant! Congrats to Allison Zyck (Informative Speaking), Sydney Sadler (Dramatic Interpretation), and Cat Cabrera & Phoebe Rusch (Dramatic Duet Acting) who all placed first in their respective events; Kelly Duong placed second in Oratorical Declamation; and Nolan Son (Radio Speaking) and Shannon Clancy (Poetry Reading) took third place in their events. Despite having a small team and a number of events without competitors, BGHS Speech took third place overall in team sweeps. FIGHT ON!
  • Congratulations to our JV Girls Gymnastics team on winning the Prospect High School JV Invite for the second year in a row!
  • Congratulations to our Varsity Girls Gymnastics team on winning the Prospect High School Varsity Invite!
  • Congratulations to our Girls Basketball senior Alyssa Floro on Senior Night!
  • Congratulations to our Boys Basketball Seniors celebrating Senior Night!
  • Congratulations to BG alumna, Monica Misch, on being selected to 2018 Team USA Cheerleading Team! Monica also cheers at Indiana University.


Upcoming Dates

Date
Event
January 20
Winter Wonderland Tea presented by Orchesis 1:00-3:00 pm (see flyer below)
Turnabout Dance 7:30-10:30 tickets on sale now $17 single/$34 couple
January 22-26
Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Open
February 1
Parent Teacher Conferences 6:00-8:30 pm
February 2
In-Service Day - No School
Parent Teacher Conferences 8:30-11:30 am
February 8
Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm at Forest View Educational Center
February 16
Non-Attendance Day - No School
February 19
President’s Day - No School (Building Closed)
February 21
BGPA Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
February 22
Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm at Forest View Educational Center
February 24
Daddy Daughter Dance 6:30-9:30 pm $30/family
March 23
1:50 pm Dismissal - Spring Break Begins
April 2
Institute Day - No School
April 3
Classes Resume


Save the date!


Daddy-Daughter Dance
Buffalo Grove High School’s 2020 Class Board will sponsor its annual Daddy-Daughter Dance for the high school attendance area’s K-6th grade girls and their fathers. Proceeds will help fund Prom and Senior Day. Dads and their daughters will enjoy a semi-formal evening full of music and dancing, as well as games, crafts, a photo booth, refreshments and more. The cost is $30 for each family. Click here for more info.




Bison Boosters Las Vegas Night
The Bison Boosters are hosting their annual Las Vegas Night on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Ditka's, 2000 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights at 7:00pm. Last year's event was a near sell out, so get your tickets today at https://squareup.com/store/bghs-boosters/ and help support the 28 athletic programs of Buffalo Grove High School. Click here for more details


Back Those Bison!
Varsity Home Sports and Fine Arts for the Coming Week

Date
Time
Event
January 20
6:00 am
Boys Swimming & Diving Meet
January 21
4:00 pm
Vocal Jazz & Chamber Orchestra Concert - Preview of State Performance and Solaces World Premier - FREE
January 23
7:30 pm
Girls Basketball vs. Wheeling
January 24
4:30 pm
Bowling vs. Prospect
January 25
4:30 pm
Bowling vs. Vernon Hills
7:30 pm
Girls Basketball vs. St. Viator
January 26
4:45 pm
Boys Swimming & Diving vs. Prospect

For underlevel and away sporting events and the most current information for BGHS activities, please go to: Buffalo Grove High School Comprehensive Calendar


BGHS in the News

Buffalo Grove HS orchestra to perform piece written to honor 3 teachers
The Daily Herald, January 19, 2018
Music has the power to heal in times of tragedy. Last school year, three revered Buffalo Grove High School teachers died within months of each other, inducing a sense of shock and underlying grief for students and colleagues. The school's chamber orchestra is helping the community cope by performing an original composition, "Solaces," dedicated to the three teachers and those connected to the school's past, present and future. Read Story

What’s In a Name? At Buffalo Grove High School, Grief – and Solace
chicagotonight.wttw.com, January 16, 2018
For Buffalo High School Orchestra Director Elizabeth Bennett, it was less a name than the name’s initials that held an unrealized power. Bennett, a sophisticated musician, knew there was music in the high school’s initials BGHS, but she didn’t  know what to do with the idea—until recently. “Why did it take me nine years to come up with this idea?” Bennett asked. “I think that maybe this piece wasn’t meant to be written before this time.”  Read Story

Buffalo Grove's Siegal named coach of the year
The Daily Herald, January 12, 2018
Buffalo Grove High School cheerleading coach Jeff Siegal, the winningest high school cheerleading coach in state history, was named National Coach of the Year for spirit by a national coaches group. Siegal, who has led Buffalo Grove and Elk Grove high schools to a collective eight state championships, was recognized this week by the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association.

Girls gymnastics: Buffalo Grove excited after winning Prospect Invitational
The Daily Herald, January 13, 2018
There is a bit of excitement brewing for the Buffalo Grove girls gymnastics team and the sophomore duo of Madison Morelli and Dagmara Sobolak have been a big part of it. The BG pair were at it again on Saturday giving their team a big lift, especially on bars, in powering the Bison to the title at Prospect Invitational with 134.15 points.

Buffalo Grove wins fifth straight
The Daily Herald, January 13, 2018
Buffalo Grove’s boys basketball team stayed hot on Saturday. The Bison scored a 56-52 victory over DuBuque Hempstead, the seventh-ranked team in Iowa, in action at Loras College in DuBuque. Caleb Mayhorn led the scoring effort for Buffalo Grove (12-7) with 17 points. Coach Keith Peterson lauded his team's "great execution down the stretch and great effort against a very talented team." Read Story

Buffalo Grove turns in winning direction
The Daily Herald, January 13, 2018
Buffalo Grove girls basketball coach Steve Kolodziej has been telling his players how close they are to success. On Saturday, the Bison found success twice at the Lake Forest tournament in games that weren't all that close at the end. Read Story

Bison benefit from winter break work
The Daily Herald, January 9, 2018
Buffalo Grove's girls basketball team broke an 11-game losing with a 46-33 win over visiting Conant in Tuesday's Mid-Suburban League crossover. Bison coach Steve Kolodziej called it a 'true team win' as sophomore Kendra Lee led the way with 15 points, her fourth double-digit scoring performance of the season. Read Story

Basketball Focus
The Daily Herald, January 15, 2018
The recipient of the National Coach of the Year Award for spirit is Jeffrey Siegal, the cheerleading coach at Buffalo Grove. Read Story

Schaumburg HS athletic trainer in running for national honor
The Daily Herald, January 4, 2018
In addition to DeVries, there were several other exceptional candidates considered for regional nomination for the 2018 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award, including Colin Doherty of William Fremd High School, Greg Garofalo of Hoffman Estates High School and Kelly Vanderstappen of Buffalo Grove High School.

Buffalo Grove takes control at Grayslake North
The Daily Herald, January 6, 2018
Buffalo Grove's boys basketball team picked up a 73-62 victory Saturday in non conference play at Grayslake North. The outcome wasn't in much doubt after the Bison opened up a 25-5 lead after the first quarter and led by as many as 22 in the fourth. Read Story


Click Here for BGHS’s Daily Announcements

Click Here for the Third Quarter Parent Newsletter


Staff Spotlight


1. What is your name? Kevin Schrammel

2. What department have you/do you work in and what do you do? Dean of Students.

3. How long have you been working at BG? I have been at BG for 15 years, 10 as a special education teacher and 5 as dean.

4. Where did you go to high school? I went to Palatine High School.
5. What part of working at BG do you find the most rewarding?  I find connecting with students and problem solving with them for a variety of different challenges that they may have at school to be most rewarding.

6. What is something unique about you?  Before having kids, I did a lot of outdoor activities; climbing Mt. Shasta and kayaking about 400 miles of Lake Superior.

7. What activities or clubs do you follow?  I coach Girls Tennis.