Friday, May 29, 2020

Principal Wardle's Weekly Blog 05/29/2020

Friday Focus
Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
CLICK HERE to watch the Commencement Ceremony, Principal’s Awards Ceremony, and Cap and Gown Photo Montage

The Bison Impact:  
  • Congratulations to our 2020 Prom Queen and King as chosen by our juniors and seniors, Queen Dagmara Sobolak and King Tyler Kipley!
  • The Perspectives Gallery show "Student Perspectives 2020"  featuring photographs by Madeline Dracopoulos and Arina Georgiievska is now live!  CLICK HERE to check out their work, as well as the talents of students from other Chicago area high schools.

Upcoming Dates

Date
Event
May 29
Last Day of School
June 15
Deadline to apply for 2020-2021 Fee Waiver (see detailed information below)
2020-2021 Online Registration Opens (go to bghs.d214.org for link)
June 20
Deadline for AP Seniors to send AP Exam scores to their college for free
August 112
First Day of School

2020-2021 Fee Waiver Information
Deadline is June 15
During these unprecedented times, District 214 will change the traditional “Fee Waiver Approval” process for the upcoming 20-21 school year.  The process of showing a tax return and other documents to our administrative teams for review is not possible in our current social environment.  To qualify and gauge a families need, District 214 is using the Free & Reduced Lunch Program application, available via the parent portal in Infinite Campus. (This is the same application and process that has been used for the past several years to qualify for Free & Reduced Lunch services).  In fact, if you applied for Free & Reduced Lunch at any point during the current school year and were found eligible for free lunch you do not have to do anything.  You have already qualified for a fee waiver for the 20-21 school year.  In September, you will need to fill out the 20-21 Free and Reduced Lunch application to continue to get lunch and the other benefits that go with it.

Being accepted in the free lunch program helps students in other ways than getting a healthy meal provided daily.  They would qualify for waived AP tests, many colleges waive their application fee, and for the 20-21 school year qualified families would have their District 214 school fees waived. 

To assist you in this process the links are below:



If parents need assistance with these links they are to call the district help desk at 847-718-7676 or helpdesk@d214.org for help with setting up a PIN# to the parent portal.

Like every school year, each District 214 family will still complete the on-line registration process, which begins on June 15th.  Families that qualify by utilizing the link above will not have to pay fees via credit card when registering. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call  847-718-4013 or e-mail at cindy.igyarto@d214.org.  The Deadline is 6/15/20 so please do not delay in applying. 

AP Exam Makeup Dates June 1-5
The AP Exam makeup dates are June 1 through June 5, 2020. If you have a question about online AP exams, you are likely to find the answer to your questions in one of the resource links below:
IHSA Encourages Student Athletes to Participate in UW Survey 
The IHSA is encouraging all high school student-athletes in Illinois to take the 
University of Wisconsin HealthSports survey. Are you a high school athlete? They'd like to hear how the cancellation of the sports season has affected you. Join athletes from across the US & answer a short survey for a research study by Dr. Tim McGuine! Questions? email: mcguine@ortho.wisc.edu.

BGHS in the News
Kincaid, Russell Named BG’s 1st Lacrosse Coaches
Journal-Topics, May 26, 2020
Buffalo Grove is among the six Township High School District 214 schools adding boys and girls lacrosse programs for the 2020-21 season. District 214 consists of Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hersey, Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling high schools. The Bison were the first school to announce their new coaches for the growing sport, naming Ray Kincaid the boys coach and Scott Russell the girls coach. Read Story

Fulfilling a dream: TV-10 Hall of Famer, who didn’t speak English until her teenage years, is now a bilingual reporter in Chicago market
Illinois State University News, May 29, 2020
When she was 13 and spoke no English, her family packed up their life in their native Colombia and immigrated to the Chicago area for new opportunities. Torres spent the rest of her adolescent years maturing in the Windy City and developing an interest in television news. After graduating from Buffalo Grove High School and attending Harper College in nearby Palatine, Torres wanted to turn her self-proclaimed TV nerdiness into a career. She was ready to leave the place where she evolved from a girl learning to speak English to a woman who had a vision for herself. Read Story

District 214 Covid-19 Information Center


District 214 has a Covid-19 Information Center page on the d214.org website. As new information concerning COVID-19 and its effect on District 214 becomes available, it is posted on this site. This webpage provides links to COVID-19 information from federal, state, and local public health agencies. 

CLICK HERE to visit the District 214 Covid-19 Update Information Center
Help D214 Students and Families in Need
Those wishing to support our D214 students and families directly amid the C-19 pandemic should do so using the official D214 Foundation online giving page at www.214foundation.org, or CLICK HERE.

The Foundation has committed to a dollar-for-dollar $10,000 match for the initial $10,000 raised, and we know we'll go beyond.

Funds will assist with needs at many levels, and distribution will be coordinated in part through the Foundation's Student Needs Task Force, a group of volunteers who help meet student needs throughout the year. These allocations will be made based on requests from principals in consultation with counselors. This effort is focused on addressing direct, real, pressing needs of students who need assistance now. Funds collected will be prioritized based on need.

Please spread the word and invite neighbors, friends, parents and others to use this Foundation page to give here. You can share the link directly via social media. All donations are tax-deductible.

Resources for D214 Families



A Comprehensive List of Local Food Supplies:

Additional Resources:
Here are some resources that I’ve found helpful from Deb Heitner, author of Raising Digital Natives:
Looking for More?
Click Here for the Fourth Quarter Parent Newsletter
Click Here for BGHS’s Daily Announcements
Click Here for BG's student newspaper, The Charger
Click Here for the oneBG Podcast
Click Here for One Grove Gallery exhibits and information
Click Here for the detailed daily BG Activity/Athletics Calendar

Friday, May 15, 2020

Principal Wardle's Weekly Blog 05/15/2020

Friday Focus
How to Watch Graduation
The Graduation Ceremony will be held at 7:00pm on Wednesday, May 20th. 

**It is important to note that a Preview video to the Graduation, with students thanking their teachers, will begin at approx. 6:45pm or soon thereafter, followed immediately by graduation, on the same link, at 7pm. There are several options for viewing the ceremony:

Live Viewing Linkhttps://vimeo.com/user102322836


Cable Access:
Arlington Heights: Channel 17 Comcast Xfinity, Channel 6 WOW and AT&T (Shown on May 21st from 11am - 1pm, and also 9pm - 11pm) 
Buffalo Grove: Comcast Xfinity and AT&T local channel (7pm on May 20th) 
Wheeling: Channel 17 Comcast and Channel 99 AT&T 

Google Drive folder to Download File: Check BGHS website at 7:15pm for the link to download the video and a downloadable program (as a backup if you have trouble with livestream)

Should concerns arise during the ceremony, you may reach out to our helpdesk:

BGHS Helpdesk
847-250-7062
bghshelpdesk@d214.org

Principal’s Awards to Air Monday, May 18 at 7:00 pm
The annual Principal’s Awards Ceremony will be broadcast on Monday, May 18 at 7:00 pm. 7 Semester Honor Roll, Illinois State Scholar, AP Scholar, and National Merit Scholar students will be recognized, along with many special awards and scholarships. 

Live Viewing Link:  https://vimeo.com/user102322836

Google Drive folder to Download File: Check BGHS website at 7:00pm for the link (as a backup if you have trouble with livestream)

Senior Car Parade Wednesday May 20 4:15-5:30pm
There will be a Senior Car Parade in the BGHS Parking Lot on Wednesday, May 20th from 4:15 - 5:30 pm. Feel free to decorate your car for this fun event and wear your cap and gown! Please note the following:
  • Cars MUST enter off of Dundee Road driving westbound (Right hand turn only!), and exit northbound on Arlington Heights Road (right hand turn only!)
  • Staff will be spread out appropriately to cheer you on.  Families and graduates must stay in your car.  
  • In order to alleviate a large traffic backup on Dundee, we ask the last name A - M arrive between 4:15 - 4:45, and N - Z arrive between 4:45 - 5:30 

The Bison Impact:  
  • Congratulations to senior Nick Castenada on not only being named a National Merit Finalist, but also winning a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship! The winners were chosen from a talented pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.
  • Congratulations to the newly elected National Honor Society officers:  Benji Wellisch (President), Leah Limber (Vice President), Joseph Morain (Webmaster/Treasurer), and Matthew Verdico (Secretary).
  • Congratulations to Zori Angelova, Mia Shiakallis, Rachel Sowa, and Brooke Wilkinson on taking 5th place in the Econ Challenge. The challenge is usually held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, but was online this year.

Spring Choral Showcase Premieres on YouTube
The Buffalo Grove High School Spring Choral Showcase premiered live on YouTube last night. Our talented students performed at home, and their recordings were combined to produce a remarkable and beautiful concert. The Spring Choral Showcase is available to watch anytime on YouTube.

One Grove Gallery Remote Art Show
One Grove Gallery is still putting on art shows, just virtually this semester! Check out what BG’s talented students have been creating while at home in our Remote Expressions Exhibit. CLICK HERE to view the One Grove Gallery Remote Exhibition

Upcoming Dates

Date
Event
May 18
Principal’s Awards - Streamed online. CLICK HERE to watch at 7:00 pm
May 20
Senior Car Parade 4:15-5:30 pm (see info and map above)
Commencement CLICK HERE to watch at 7:00 pm
(see other viewing methods listed above)
May 25
Memorial Day
May 29
Last Day of School
June 20
Deadline for AP Seniors to send AP exam scores to their college for free

IHSA Encourages Student Athletes to Participate in UW Survey 
The IHSA is encouraging all high school student-athletes in Illinois to take the 
University of Wisconsin HealthSports survey. Are you a high school athlete? They'd like to hear how the cancellation of the sports season has affected you. Join athletes from across the US & answer a short survey for a research study by Dr. Tim McGuine! Questions? email: mcguine@ortho.wisc.edu.

BGHS in the News
National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners announced
The Daily Herald, May 15, 2020
National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced this year's National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners. The winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. They were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised information submitted by the finalists and their high schools: academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned: scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.  Read Story

Area Students Named National Merit Scholarship Winners
Journal-Topics, May 12, 2020
BUFFALO GROVE, IL — Four Buffalo Grove high school students received national recognition Tuesday with the announcement of this year's National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners. They were chosen by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation from a talent pool of more than 15,000 students.

Nicholas C. Castanada, Buffalo Grove High School — Probable career: Actuarial Science Read Story

District 214 Covid-19 Information Center


District 214 has a Covid-19 Information Center page on the d214.org website. As new information concerning COVID-19 and its effect on District 214 becomes available, it is posted on this site. This webpage provides links to COVID-19 information from federal, state, and local public health agencies. 

CLICK HERE to visit the District 214 Covid-19 Update Information Center
Help D214 Students and Families in Need
Those wishing to support our D214 students and families directly amid the C-19 pandemic should do so using the official D214 Foundation online giving page at www.214foundation.org, or CLICK HERE.

The Foundation has committed to a dollar-for-dollar $10,000 match for the initial $10,000 raised, and we know we'll go beyond.

Funds will assist with needs at many levels, and distribution will be coordinated in part through the Foundation's Student Needs Task Force, a group of volunteers who help meet student needs throughout the year. These allocations will be made based on requests from principals in consultation with counselors. This effort is focused on addressing direct, real, pressing needs of students who need assistance now. Funds collected will be prioritized based on need.

Please spread the word and invite neighbors, friends, parents and others to use this Foundation page to give here. You can share the link directly via social media. All donations are tax-deductible.

Resources for D214 Families
A Comprehensive List of Local Food Supplies:

Remote Learning:

Additional Resources:
Here are some resources that I’ve found helpful from Deb Heitner, author of Raising Digital Natives:
Looking for More?
Click Here for the Fourth Quarter Parent Newsletter
Click Here for BGHS’s Daily Announcements
Click Here for BG's student newspaper, The Charger
Click Here for the oneBG Podcast
Click Here for One Grove Gallery exhibits and information
Click Here for the detailed daily BG Activity/Athletics Calendar