Friday Focus:
2024 Distinguished Service Award Winner - Manal Omar
Buffalo Grove High School is honored to announce Manal Omar as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Service Award! There are very few parents as dedicated and helpful as Manal Omar. Manal has volunteered for the Buffalo Grove Parent Association (BGPA) from the minute her son entered Buffalo Grove High School as a freshman. For several years now, Manal has selflessly stepped forward to fill needed BGPA Board positions; first as the BGPA Secretary, followed by a year as Vice President, and she is currently serving a 2-year term as the BGPA President.
Manal’s dedication and service have been a tremendous asset to Buffalo Grove High School. She always has the success of the students and BGHS as her highest priority.
Manal is forward thinking, always looking at upcoming BGPA meetings, fundraisers and other opportunities for the students of Buffalo Grove - from fundraising sales of 50th anniversary water bottles to spending hours at CAF Night and Open House selling spirit wear and recruiting new parent members. Despite her busy calendar, Manal never thinks twice about dropping everything at a moment’s notice to dash over to the school to fulfill a spirit wear order or make sure a holiday Bison sweatshirt is delivered in time to make a student or staff member’s day a little brighter.
Manal is the first to offer assistance when a need arises and does so with enthusiasm. Manal has organizational skills that are beyond compare; she is efficient in all that she does, has excellent communication skills, and has the ability to be direct when the need arises but always shows her friendly demeanor. Manal Omar is absolutely most deserving of the District 214 Distinguished Service Award!
STATE TESTING - March 19, 2024
Freshman and Junior students at District 214 will participate in Illinois State required testing on March 19th. The state of Illinois requires that all freshmen take the PSAT 8/9 and all juniors take the Illinois Science Assessment.
**Sophomore and Senior students will not attend school on Tuesday, March 19th**
Special Test Day Schedule - March 19, 2024
Testing beings at 8:30 am
Freshmen and Junior students will be dismissed upon completion of testing.
Buses will leave school at 11:55 AM. Some additional shuttles will be available for students with an IEP or 504 who have extended time or modified testing times.
CLICK HERE for Extended Time and Activity/Athletic Transportation Schedule
Activity buses and athletic buses will run at regular times.
Breakfast/Lunch: Cafeteria opens at 7:45 AM. Bag lunches are available for pickup after testing.
Junior students - Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)
On March 19, Juniors will take the ISA on their iPads.
Standard Test Time: 8:30 AM to 11:20 AM (Accommodation test end times vary).
What to Bring: A fully charged iPad and a student ID.
Learn more about how to take the ISA Exam: Student Readiness Tool
Freshman students - Digital PSAT 8/9
On March 19, Freshmen will take the New Digital PSAT 8/9 on their iPads.
Standard Test Time: 8:30 AM to 11:40 AM (Accommodation test end times vary).
What to Bring: A fully charged iPad and a student ID. There is a Desmos Calculator embedded into the test, but students may bring their own College Board approved calculator.
For more information, view this video: What to Expect on the Digital PSAT 8/9?
Future State Required Testing Date: April 11
Sophomores will take the Digital PSAT 10 and Juniors will take the Digital SAT with Essay.
Keep an eye out for an email after Spring Break with more details.
CLICK HERE for D214 Summer Experience information
The D214 Summer Experience - Summer Courses and Athletic Camps
Check out the D214 Summer Experience website for detailed information including the program overview, course offerings and descriptions, costs and transportation information, and Information on summer athletic camps. CLICK HERE for information and registration on the D214 Summer Experience. CLICK HERE for summer athletic camps information.
The Bison Impact:
Congratulations and good luck to the Scholastic Bowl team competing at State this weekend! Fight on!
Congratulations to Wrestler to Christina Marogy placing 3rd place at the IWCOA Girls State Championships!
Congratulations to our ICCA All State and IHSCCO All State Cheerleaders who were recognized tonight at the District 214 Board of Education meeting this week!
Congratulations to Orchesis on their performance this week at the District 214 Honors Dance Concert. Each school brings 3 dances to perform. The 3 selected from BG were: Orbit choreographed by Amanda Merret ( contemporary), Awaken choreographed by Anna Royz ( contemporary), and OG choreographed by Kyla Carrison and Dawn Park ( hip hop).
Congratulations to our JV Softball team starting the season 2-0, with a 7th inning win on Tuesday and another win Wednesday!
Congratulations to senior Hanna Glanz on being named to the All-Area Basketball team and to sophomore Hannah Weber receiving Honorable Mention!
Congratulations to the Frosh/Soph Girls Lacrosse team on defeating Fremd 4-2 on their first outing of the season!
Congratulations to senior Connor Woodin named All-Area for Basketball for
the second year in a row! Congratulations to senior Lucan Anam-Ndu and freshman Alex Sirbu receiving Honorable Mention!
Congratulations to our talented Band, Orchestra and Choir musicians on their excellent performance at the annual Pick-Staiger Concert at Northwestern University this week!
Congratulations to Kadence Gilmore, Lia Drazin, and Isabella Gratzl, members of the Fillies Hockey team, on winning back-to-back Illinois Women’s Hockey State Championships!
Upcoming Dates
“What You Need to Know when Your Child Turns 18”
The Buffalo Grove High School Parent Association will be hosting a presentation on "What You Need To Know When Your Child Turns 18" on Monday, March 18th at 7:00 pm in the BGHS theater. When your child turns eighteen, they are considered legal adults. With this milestone comes some important changes for them, for you, and your family. Once your child becomes a legal adult, your rights to their financial, medical, and educational records are limited without the proper authorization in place. During an unexpected critical situation and without proper documents in place, a parent may find themselves in a position of despair. Get informed, and learn more!
There will be two guest speakers presenting, Alan R. Press, JD, CPA, and Caren E. I. Naidoff, JD, from the Shire Law Group, PC®. Following the presentation, we will have a Q&A session. The event is open to all D214 parents/guardians. Reserve your seat today! FREE TO BGPA MEMBERS - BGPA Members Reserve Here. It is $5 per ticket for non-members, Buy & Reserve Here. Cash only at the door.
***ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO BGPA SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS***
Tarkington Elementary School Alumni Scholarship
Apply by March 22, 2024
The NEU Tarkington Scholarship will provide a $500 scholarship to a former Tarkington student. This scholarship is for current high school seniors who will be enrolling in college, university or career training coursework for the fall 2024 school year. In addition to submitting academic records, applicants will be asked to write an essay in response to the question: How has attending a No Excuses University school impacted your choice to pursue higher education/training? The deadline to apply is March 22, 2024. CLICK HERE to apply online. CLICK HERE for a paper application.
Varsity Home Sports and Fine Arts for the Coming Week
For underlevel and away sporting events and the most current information for BGHS activities, please go to: Buffalo Grove High School Comprehensive Calendar
Go the Extra Mile Solidarity Walk
April 28th 1-3pm at Palatine High School
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and BG is joining forces with District 211 and Palatine High School to raise awareness and walk in solidarity with victims and survivors of sexual assault. Students can CLICK HERE to submit steps or miles throughout the month to help reach the goal of 60,000 miles to represent the number of children impacted by sexual assault each year. Join the final push at the "Go the Extra Mile" solidarity walk on Sunday, April 28th from 1-3pm at Palatine High School. We would love to have you finish off your miles with us on that day! See the flyer below for more information.
Staff Spotlight - Julie Peterson
What is your name? Julie Peterson
What department do you work in? Little Bison Daycare
How long have you been working at BG? This is my first year
Where did you go to high school/ college? Grayslake Central High School, North Park University.
What part of working at BG do you find the most rewarding? I love getting to know the wonderful and supportive preschoolers, high schoolers, parents, and staff here at BG!
What are you currently reading, and/or do you have a favorite author or podcast? I’m reading Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy and my favorite podcast is Armchair Expert.
What is something unique about you? My husband and brother-in-law have worked at BG for years, so this community has been part of my life for a long time.
What’s a bucket list item for you? I want to travel to all 50 states and go to the Olympics.
Bison in the News
Buffalo Grove High School Scholastic Bowl buzzes its way to state finals
The Daily Herald, March 14, 2024
Buffalo Grove High School’s (BGHS) Scholastic Bowl team is headed to the IHSA State Finals after knocking off key rival Barrington High School to win its March 9 Sectional Tournament. The IHSA finals will take place on Saturday, March 16, at Heartland Community College in Normal. BGHS is one of eight finalists competing in the Class 2A tournament. BGHS’s sectional triumph comes on the heels of winning the 2023-24 MSL Conference Championship as well as the prestigious NAQT Illinois State Championship on Feb. 24. Buffalo Grove bested Barrington to take home the NAQT state crown for the third year in a row, led by the tournament’s top scorer, senior Rohan Ganeshan. Read the Story
Boys basketball: Cook County All-Area team
The Daily Herald, March 12, 2024
Connor Woodin, Buffalo Grove, Sr., F
Girls basketball: Cook County All-Area team
The Daily Herald, March 5, 2024
Hannah Glanz (Buffalo Grove) Sr. G
Girls soccer: Scouting Cook County
The Daily Herald, March 14, 2024
The Bison lost a marvelous player in two-time all-state MF Kora Kipley, who provided box-to-box quality, and an incredible work ethic, who has since gone on to do well on the collegiate level at Western Kentucky. "We hope to lean on our six seniors for guidance and leadership, especially during our early games which will tell us what we'll need to focus on in training," said coach Pat Dudle, who with eight freshmen on his roster looks to see his club playing its best soccer come May. Read the Story
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
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 4th 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