PLAINFIELD
SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
COUGAR
NEWSLETTER
Volume 2,
Edition III
January-February, 2003
Important
Dates:
From the Desk of Tom Hensel:
v Our deepest sympathy goes to the family and friends of Diona Garcia. Diona passed away January 7th. She was a junior student and varsity cheerleader for PSHS.
v PSHS hosted the 2nd Annual District 202 Job Fair Saturday, January 4th. Thanks to all who assisted. A special thanks to the PSHS Tour Guides; we received many compliments from the 500+ teaching candidates who visited our school that day on their knowledge and positive attitudes.
v I encourage all students and their families to ask for assistance in any academic area that they may find challenging. We offer a variety of programs to help any student in any academic area that needs assistance. Remember that attendance is a necessity to succeed in the classroom. We are aware that emergencies and illnesses prevent a student from being in school at times. The support from the family emphasizing the value of being in school is important to a student’s success.
v The semester marks the halfway point of the school year. I challenge our staff and students to renew their enthusiasm and dedication to a positive second semester and look forward to working to provide an enjoyable, sharing and learning environment
Student Services:
v As part of our efforts to prepare juniors for the college search, we are pleased to be able to offer a presentation that can play an important role in the process. Making Your College Search Count, a practical, current look at college selection and application, will be presented here at Plainfield South High School on January 29th as an assembly for all juniors. This presentation offers valuable information to students on how to:
ü Manage materials sent to them by colleges
ü Focus their search based on their interests and needs
ü Gather information on campus visits
ü Understand how schools select students
ü Utilize different types of financial aid
ü Create a personal college search that will lead them to the college that is the best match for them
If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Lee at 577-5560.
Explorations Night:
Plainfield South High School will host an EXPLORATIONS NIGHT on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 and also on Thursday, February 27, 2003 for eighth grade students and their parents. EXPLORATIONS NIGHT 2007 is an orientation for eighth grade students and their parents in the Timber Ridge and Drauden Point Middle Schools attendance areas. Included as part of EXPLORATIONS NIGHT 2007 will be a formal informational program concerning course selections, graduation and college entrance requirements. This program will be held in the Auditorium beginning promptly at 7:00 p.m. at Plainfield South. Following the formal presentations on February 25th and February 27th, eighth grade students and their parents will have an opportunity to visit the departments and teachers, hear presentations concerning curricular offerings, and ask questions about the courses and activities available to freshmen. Attending EXPLORATIONS NIGHT 2007 is the single best thing our eighth grade students and their parents can do to help smooth the transition from middle school to high school. It is extremely important for our eighth grade students and their parents to make plans NOW to attend this event. Timber Ridge eighth grade students and their parents should attend February 25th and Drauden Point eighth grade students and their parents should attend February 27th. If you have any questions, please contact Ken Decker at 439-5540 at Plainfield South High School.
Math Department:
v Geometry classes have been busy building homes out of quadrilaterals. You may have seen them around school or being finished at your homes. They may have looked a little unusual because they were not allowed to have right angles for their walls. The students did very well and maybe some future architects were displaying their first building.
v The Math Club had a 3rd place finish in an individual Geometry category, and would like to improve upon that performance in upcoming meets.
v The Math Club is still seeking interested students who would like to increase mathematical skills, participate in a club that looks great on college applications, and enjoy a great time and various competitions.
Science Department:
v Science teachers Bernadette Gruca-Peal, Megan Malcolm, Pat Scanlan and Scott Albright answered questions for 27 students the night before semester exams began. All science students were invited to attend the study session to prepare for science exams. Small groups formed by course as students received help from each other and the instructors. The Study Lounge was open from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The science department is planning to sponsor a second study session before the spring semester exams.
College Information Night:
v Plainfield South High School is sponsoring its first annual College Information Night especially for the class of 2004 and their parents. It will be held in the PSHS Auditorium on Tuesday, February 4th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Admission representatives from Northern Illinois University, University of St. Francis, Joliet Junior College and DeVry University will be here. In addition, financial specialist Al Hogan of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission will be here to share basic information about financial aide and how to access that funding.
Illinois Vehicle Code Law:
v Please take note of a recent change in the Illinois Vehicle Code Law. This new law permits the enforcement of “Speeding in a School Zone” on school property. Our new signs will be clearly posted as a school zone and will have a limit of twenty miles an hour. A minimum of a $200 fine and suspension of driving privileges are mandatory consequences as set by the State of Illinois. We have notified our law enforcement agency and have been informed that it will be strictly enforced.
Aux Sable Creek:
v On January 15th, freshmen biology teachers Ben Kulbartz and Joe Vladika attended a public meeting hosted by the “Citizens for Aux Sable Creek” organization at the Platteville VFW hall. The organization is dedicated to protecting the entire Aux Sable Creek watershed, which is considered a “Biologically Significant Stream” by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The biological significance of the creek is due to the high quality of water, the surprising diversity of mussel and fish species, and the presence of the state endangered greater Red-horse Sucker fish. In fact, Steve Pescitelli, the IDNR representative at the meeting, referred to the Aux Sable Creek as a “gem”. The Citizens for Aux Sable Creek won a significant victory in December when the City or Joliet agreed not to discharge treated wastewater from a proposed water treatment plant into the stream. Instead, the water is now going to be pumped from the water treatment plant into the DuPage River. The citizens are still concerned because the plant is still going to be located only a few hundred yards from the Aux Sable Creek. In the event of yet another local flood, overflowing wastewater from the treatment facility and storm water overflow from new developments could still destroy the impressive Aux Sable Creek ecosystem. John Mezera, Joliet’s City Planning Manager, stated at the meeting that Joliet is dedicated to working with local citizens to make the water treatment facility as ecologically safe as possible for the area. The water treatment plant is needed to serve the predicted 77,000 new residents who will be moving into the area in upcoming years.
This complicated ecological issue is being studied in great detail by the honors biology classes here at Plainfield South. Under the director of Science Department Chairman Scott Albright, honors biology teachers Ben Kulbartz and Joe Vladika introduce the topic and subsequent Rivers Project in the spring semester. After learning of the local issue, students perform a comprehensive study of the Creek itself. Students participate in hands-on fieldwork at several sites along the creek. They determine the overall biological quality of the creek by capturing and identifying species of macro invertebrates (small organisms that live in the water), testing for clarity of the stream, and performing a long list of extensive chemical tests on water from the creek. This hands-on biological approach, combined with ecological and water treatment research, student presentations, classroom debates, and a final written project, stimulates our honors biology students to determine for themselves how to balance the needs of a delicate and biologically significant local ecosystem with the needs of the ever-growing human development.
French Club:
v In November the French Club celebrated National French Week. The week began with a traditional French breakfast of croissants and baguettes with butter and jam, as well as pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants), served with coffee, tea and hot chocolate. In attendance at the breakfast were club members, administrators, support and foreign language teachers. Information about France and other French-speaking countries was read over the P.A. during the week. The final activity for National French Week was a French cheese-tasting open to all French students. Many students attended and delighted at the opportunity to try Brie, Camembert, Boursin, Bleu, and Comte. The students also spent time playing French board games. National French Week 2002 at PSHS was a huge success!
In December, Mlle Todd decided that it was time for another French breakfast for the French Club members, so on December 19th, that’s exactly what they did. They also made traditional French Christmas ornaments during the meeting. Some of the plans for the remainder of the school year are to watch French movies and eat at a French restaurant. New members are always welcome to join!
Choral News:
v Congratulations go out to all of the choir members who participated in the Collage Concert on December 12th and 13th. Everyone in the audience enjoyed the show immensely and was quickly placed into the holiday spirit. Thank you to all who put forth such a great effort.
v Congratulations also go to the 2002 Madrigal Choir. Their dinner this year had over 150 audience members for the two nights of the show. Many parents had the opportunity to see their students’ face within the three different articles written about them. A thank you to Mrs. Veray Mackley, who coordinated the tickets for the show. Both nights were extremely memorable for everyone involved.
v Don’t forget the next two items of business for the choir department. Our next concert takes place on February 20th at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. We will be singing many different songs from many different cultures. Everyone who attends will be very impressed at the progress our choirs have made this year. On Saturday, March 8th many of our choir students will be taking part in the IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest. Students started preparing for this contest at the beginning of January, so be sure to cheer them on before that date.
Band News:
v Two PSHS band students were selected to participate in the Illinois All-State Music Festival held January 30th-February 1st in Peoria. These students began the selection process in November by auditioning for the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) District Music Festival. Because of their outstanding audition and high ranking at the district level, Eric Thorsen, bass clarinet, and Caitlyn Smith, French horn, were selected for All-State. They auditioned again in Peoria for placement in either the All-State or Honors group. Results of this audition were unavailable at this time.
The Plainfield Band Boosters are having a successful year once again. The fall fundraising efforts went very well and the spring fundraisers have great potential. This spring and summer the band boosters will take up many projects at several different schools in the district, continuing with their tradition of providing support to all of the band students in the Plainfield school district. If you would be interested in learning more about the Plainfield Band Boosters, please consider attending one of the meetings. Upcoming dates to note are:
q February 4th – Band Booster Meeting - PSHS band room at 7:00 p.m.
q March 1st and 2nd – Spring Craft Show – PHS Field House
q March 4th – Band Booster Meeting – PSHS band room at 7:00 p.m.
The PSHS bands will perform their Mid-Winter Band Concert on Wednesday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium. This will also be the first performance by the PSHS Jazz Band.
On Friday, February 21st, Dr. Michael Smith from DePaul University will be coming to give a clinic to the band students. He will focus on several different ensemble techniques and discuss the value of music in their lives.
Several PSHS students will travel to Seneca High School on Saturday, March 8th to participate in the Solo and Ensemble Contest. At this contest students will perform solos or small ensembles that they have prepared for a judge to evaluate their level of performance. The students are not competing against each other, just themselves. This is an invaluable experience for the students and they are all encouraged to participate.
On Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th, the PSHS music department will present the Spring Musical, Anything Goes. This is a very entertaining production and the students have put in many long hours of preparation. For ticket information please contact Holly Kamberos at 815/577-5655.
The PSHS and PHS bands will be teaming up to take a trip to Toronto, Canada over spring break. The dates for the trip are Sunday, March 23rd – Thursday, March 27th. The cost of the trip will be approximately $400. Students can use any money they have accumulated in their band account to help offset the cost. We are in need of several parents to act as chaperones. Please contact Mr. Cook at 815/577-5702 if you are interested in chaperoning this trip.