Friday, February 16, 2024

Principal Wardle's Weekly Blog 02/16/24

 Friday Focus:  

Class of 2028 Activities & Athletics Fair

Tuesday, February 20th 6-7:30 pm

In December, Class of 2028 future Bison came to BGHS to learn about the academic programs and electives of our great high school. We are now happy to invite you back to Buffalo Grove High School to explore the endless opportunities that await you in our co-curricular program. Over 80 Clubs, Spirit Groups, Student Government Programs, Athletics, Fine Arts, and Competitive Activities will be on display to entice you to participate during your high school career. We encourage all of you to come to our Athletic and Activity Fair scheduled for Tuesday, February 20th, 6:00-7:30 pm at BGHS.


February 20th Athletic and Activity Fair Schedule: 

  • 5:40 - 6:00 pm Class of 2028 students and parents begin arriving at Door 1 (Gym Entrance) and move to the gym.

  • 6:00 - 6:10 pm Official welcome and short video presentation in the gym. 

  • 6:10 - 6:15 pm Transition time

  • 6:15 - 7:30 pm Students and parents are invited to explore all of the co-curricular activities at the various booths.

Other items.....

Spirit wear: Our BGPA and Bison Boosters will be on hand to sell you all the great apparel to make you look like a Bison next year!


Summer Athletic Program - Information will be available regarding schedules and registration for this year's Summer Athletic Program! 


School Spirit Group Spring Tryouts - Information will be provided regarding this spring's clinics/tryouts for our Cheerleaders, Orchesis, and Bisonettes programs. 


FINAL NOTE: If you have not yet turned in your 8th grader’s birth certificate, this night is a great opportunity to get that obligation completed.   


ACCESS Testing - February 21-29, 2024

Students involved in taking the ACCESS test are listed by student ID number on the bulletin board outside the Assessment Center for testing dates and location.

CLICK HERE for detailed information on ACCESS testing.


Who takes the ACCESS Test?

Students identified as English learners (ELs), including students who have refused services, take the ACCESS English language proficiency test in February of each year until they exit the EL program with a composite score of 4.8 or higher.  


What is the ACCESS Test? 

ACCESS for ELLs is an English language proficiency test that measures students’ academic English language skills in the domains of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. You will take this test on your iPad. You do not need to study for this test.  


Why is the ACCESS Test important?

Test scores are used to…

  • determine what English language support services to provide you

  • determine the classes you will take

  • plan instruction and assessments by teachers 

  • monitor student progress in learning academic English 

  • qualify students for reduced EL courses & allow for students to take more electives when they earn higher literacy scores 

  • exit students from the EL program once they achieve a composite score of 4.8 or above 

  • qualify ELs for the English criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy upon exiting


Day of the test:

  • Get a good night's sleep.

  • Eat a good, quality breakfast.

  • Be on time for school.

  • Come prepared with a pen/pencil and charged iPad.

  • Try your best.

  • Believe in yourself!



LAST CHANCE TO ORDER 2023-24 Yearbook

Sales will close on Monday, February 19th

2023-24 yearbook sales will close on Monday, February 19th. While there will be a limited number of additional copies available for purchase during distribution we strongly recommend ordering in advance as last year we completely sold out of the "extra" copies after one day. CLICK HERE for instructions on how to order a Yearbook using Infinite Campus. Before ordering, please be sure to check to see if you may have already ordered a Yearbook during school registration. Order status can be found on IC by clicking "fees" on the left hand side and then selecting 'PAID" under the "type" dropdown menu.


School Resource Officer Appreciation Day!

Today is School Resource Officer appreciation day! SROs partner with the local schools to help keep students safe during the school day, and teach ongoing programs focusing on drug use prevention, internet safety, and basic life safety skills. Join us in thanking our SRO, Office Taylor Franzen for his continued support of our students!

BG’s very own SRO, Officer Taylor Franzen is pictured second from right


The Bison Impact:

  • Last week we celebrated National Counselors week! Shout out to hard-working and caring counselors: Maria Henry, Bill Brown, Brian Linhart, Paul Genovese, Jill Hamilton, Brittany Vesper, Gia Callesen, Lily Justiniano and Francesca Murphy!

  • Congratulations to the NJROTC recruits Selena Gutierrez and Alessandra Bolanos who have been selected from our area, which consists of 10 states and 69 NJROTC high schools, to attend the National Competition this weekend in Alabama. Alessandra is ranked 10th in the country out of 1,600! Selena has only been with the team for 6 months and is a pure natural - most cadets will never qualify for this and she did in that short period of time! This is the first time in the NJROTC District 214 55 year history that we have students qualify to compete at the national level. Fight on!

  • Congratulations to Wrestler Caden Watson who qualified for State with a win by pin over the #5 ranked wrestler in the State in 3A! Caden finished 3rd in the 215 lbs sectional bracket behind the #1 and #3 wrestlers ranked in 3A.

  • Congratulations to the Scholastic Bowl team on winning the MSL Conference Championship for the 6th consecutive year! In an epic MSL Championship match, a rerun of last year’s National Championship for Scholastic Bowl, it came down to the last toss up of the match. Barrington v Buffalo Grove. This time, BG finished on top to win the MSL Championship!

  • Congratulations to Diver Michael Surowaniec on a 3rd place finish at Varsity Conference!

  • Congratulations to Swimmer Edgar Rutkauskas, 3 time Conference Champion in the 100 Breastroke AND also the champion in the 200 IM!

  • Congratulations to the 200 free relay team on their 4th place finish!

  • Congratulations to the Class of 2024 Boys Basketball teammates celebrating Senior Night this week!

  • Shout out to Lucas Anamndu, one of the very best Basketball players in the MSL, who turned in a historic scoring performance this week. Anamndu finished with 45 points which is the highest single game total in the MSL this season and 1 point off a school record set by Kam Craft.

  • Congratulations to Connor Woodin, one of the best shooters to ever put on a Bison Jersey. Two-time All-Conference selection, this time unanimous!

  • Congratulations to varsity coach Kevin Geldon, named MSL East Boys Basketball Coach of the Year!

  • Congratulations to the Class of 2024 Coed Cheerleaders celebrating Senior Night this week!


CLICK HERE for the blood donation requirements

CLICK HERE for the Parental Consent Form

CLICK HERE to sign up to donate


VOTE for BG Artists!

Art Expo is a digital art show featuring all D214 high schools and their middle school feeder schools. Please take some time to encourage your students to vote for the artwork they like in both the middle and high school categories. BG student artist represented:  Kalyani Sunil, Krista Szecsi, Tyler Verschelden, Joselyn Martinez, Lily Cretien, Faina Bedka, Maya Nowakowski, Shrividya Ghosh, Peter Kim, Milena Matseliukh, Salema Dordoeva, and Anna Gerdes. 

CLICK HERE to view the student works and vote!


Upcoming Dates

Date

Event

February 16 

Non-Attendance Day

February 19 

President’s Day - Building Closed

February 20 

2024 Blood Drive 7:30 am-2:00 pm in the gym

Parental consent required CLICK HERE. To sign up to donate CLICK HERE.

Class of 2028 Athletics and Activities Fair 6-7:30 pm

February 21 

Bison Academy in the Library  3:15 - 5:45 pm

Buffalo Grove Parent Association (BGPA) meeting 7:00 pm Community Room

February 27 

Sophomore Student/Parent College Planning Seminar 7:00 pm in the Theater

March 2 

Sweetheart Dance - families and children preschool and up CLICK HERE

March 8 

End of 3rd Quarter

March 11 

4th Quarter begins

March 18 

BGPA presents “What to know when your child turns 18” 7pm in the Theater

March 19 

Buffalo Grove Parent Association (BGPA) meeting 7:00 pm Community Room

March 22 

Spring Break begins at the close of classes

March 29 

Building Closed

April 1 

Classes resume

April 5 

Non-Attendance Day


Bison Academy 

February 21st 3:15-5:45 pm

Next week will be this semester's first installment of Bison Academy. It will be Wednesday, February 21st in the Library from 3:15-5:45 pm. Students can come to work on missing assignments, take any missing tests/quizzes, have a quiet place to work and get help with schoolwork. There will be teachers and student tutors available to help in various subjects. Bison Academy is a great opportunity for students to have focused time to work! If you have any questions, please email Brian Linhart (brian.linhart@d214.org) or Lisa Raucci (lisa.raucci@d214.org). You can also reach out to your student's individual teachers to find out what specific items they may need to focus on.



CLICK HERE to buy tickets to the Sweetheart Dance


Varsity Home Sports and Fine Arts for the Coming Week

Date

Time

Event

February 15

4:45 pm

Boys Track & Field vs. Round Lake

7:00 pm

Girls Basketball Varsity Regionals TBD

February 17

10:00 am

Girls Track & Field vs. Mundelein

February 21

4:45 pm

Boys Track & Field Varsity Meet

**Please call our Sports/Weather Hotline at (847) 718-4213 for sports status updates.**

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




Bison Class of 2024 Graduate Yard Signs

Deadline to order is February 29th

Congratulations Bison Parents/Guardians on your SENIORS! Celebrate and Honor your Senior's accomplishments by displaying your very own Bison "Class of 2024" yard sign. Pre-order your Bison Graduate Class of 2024 Yard Sign today! Deadline to order is February 29th. PICK UP ONLY at BGHS. An email will be sent out closer to the date for pickup. CLICK HERE to Pre-Order Bison "Class of 2024" Yard Sign

CLICK HERE to Pre-Order Bison "Class of 2024" Yard Sign



Attention Seniors!

The D214 Scholarship portal is NOW OPEN! Visit https://bit.ly/41Z99O1 to apply. Create a profile and be matched with the scholarships for which you are eligible.


The BGPA Scholarship Application is now open

Application Deadline - April 2, 2024 at 4:00 pm

The Buffalo Grove High School Parent Association (“BGPA”) and donor Mrs. Jackie Sell are pleased to award scholarships to recognize the achievement of our students. The winners will be selected based on school and community involvement, leadership, motivation, and academics, as well as a compelling personal essay. All graduating BGHS Class of 2024 seniors are eligible for this scholarship. Additionally, scholarship Applicants must plan to attend a post-secondary or technical school as a full-time or part-time student and must meet District 214’s requirements to participate in and to be awarded a diploma at commencement in 2024. The Scholarship is an outright gift and will be announced and disbursed at the Principal’s Awards Assembly on May 13, 2024.


All applications will be reviewed with complete anonymity. The completed application (with required signatures) must be received in the BGHS College/Career Center by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. All decisions made by BGPA will be final. Any application not submitted with required signatures by the 4:00 pm on April 2, 2024, will be rejected. CLICK HERE to apply


Attention Thomas Middle School alumni

Each year college scholarships are awarded through the Thomas Middle School Pride of the Wolf Pack organization to college bound high school seniors who graduated from Thomas Middle School. Applications are due by March 1, 2024.

CLICK HERE for more details and to apply




Need a job that works with your kids’ schedules?

Come work with us!

D214 has immediate openings for food service workers. Enjoy 5-hour work days and shifts end at 2pm! Apply now: http://links.d214.org/foodservice


Students Looking for a Job?

CLICK HERE for the BGHS Job Board. Check back often for updates and new postings.


Looking for More?

Click Here for the BGHS Website

Click Here for the 3rd Quarter Parent Newsletter

Click Here for the BGHS College & Career Website

Click Here for the detailed daily BG Activity/Athletics Calendar

Click Here for the New Bell Schedule

Click Here for the Blue & Orange Day Calendar

Click Here for the D214 School Calendars

Click Here for D214 Food Services Information

Click Here to Join/Support the Buffalo Grove H.S. Parent Groups

Click Here for BG's student newspaper, The Charger

Click Here for the Unspoken Herd Podcast

Click Here for One Grove Gallery exhibits and information

Click Here for the BGPA Bison Spiritwear online store