Dec 2010/Jan 2011Wheaton north high School

December 12Holiday Concert2:00 p.m., Neibch Gymnasium

December 20–December 31Winter Break

JaNuary 11-14 Final Exams

JaNuary 17Martin Luther King Day NO SCHOOL

JaNuary 18Teacher Work Day NO SCHOOL

JaNuary 268th Grade Parent Orientation7:00 p.m., Taylor auditorium

February 22nd Semester Curriculum Night

may 27Graduation Practice/ Senior Honors Assembly

JuNe 4, 2011Commencement, 3:00 p.m.

A Message From The Principal...Dear Parents,

Wheaton North High School is a vibrant, thriving high school! I believe this to be true for many reasons. We have wonderful students, a talented, dedicated faculty and staff, and a supportive community. Our superintendent, Dr. Brian Harris, the district Senior Leadership Team, directors and support personnel as well as the members of our Board of Education continue to give us the support necessary to focus on providing a comprehensive, quality education for our students. The Thanksgiving holiday is always a time of reflection for me; I continue to be grateful for being fortunate enough to be part of this great high school and District 200 overall.

Wheaton North High School is proud to announce our nine National Merit Semifinalists: Evelyn Applewhite, Katherine Applewhite, Yuliya Birman, Sarah Cook, Rebecca McHenney, Rachel Poe, Michael Rau, Laura Skow, and Alisha Tungare. Our semifinalists represent the top 1% of seniors across the nation and now have the opportunity to compete in the National Merit Finalist competition. Additionally, we have twelve National Merit Commended Students: Theodore Bronson, Arin Butzon, Ryan Cassel, Kelsey Chow, Alex Cleveland, Jack Dickinson, Kurt Klinger, Mark Maskeri, Antonela Miho, Riley Peterson, Austin Sahly, and Kate Wiegman. Our commended students represent the top 2% – 4% of seniors across the nation who took the test. Congratulations to the Semifinalists and Commended students, their parents, their teachers, and District 200 for preparing them to reach their greatest potential!

In addition to our National Merit honorees, the following students have been selected as Illinois Music Education Association District IX Musicians: Honor Band – Shannon Gaetz, clarinet, Laura Skow, bassoon, Adam Spahn, clarinet; Honor Orchestra Winds – Isaac Stough, trumpet; Honor Orchestra – Theodore Bronson, viola, Christian Brown, double bass, Sareena Daniel, violin, Emma

Grisanzio, cello, Sarah Pflederer, violin, Sara Provost, violin, Jacob Walhout, violin; Honor Organizational Choir – Kayla Lollar, Erin Ryan; and Honor Jazz Choir – Rebecca McHenney. Wheaton North High School is very proud of these fine musicians! We extend our congratulations to their teachers: Mrs. Nooden, Mr. Noworyta, and Mr. Rudd for preparing them for this level of competition.

As you read through this newsletter, please make note of the many upcoming events occurring in December, January, and early February. Included is the final exam schedule. Please review carefully as it has changed due to the new ACCESS periods. Students do not need to be in attendance during their lunch/access periods. However, transportation will only be provided to school in the morning and from school at the conclusion of the exam periods. Students are expected to be in attendance on exam days unless they are sick. Planned absences must be cleared through Mr. Jim Venckus, assistant principal for student services.

Parents of Seniors, although graduation may seem a long way off, please make note of the following dates: Friday, May 27, 2011 is graduation practice and the Senior Honors Assembly, 7:20 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Graduation practice is required for all those wishing to participate in the graduation ceremony. Graduation is on Saturday, June 4, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. at the College of DuPage. You will receive specific information in the Senior Newsletter this spring. The dates and times listed here are to assist you with college visit planning, etc. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. I hope you enjoy the upcoming holiday season celebrating with family and friends. It continues to be a privilege to serve the students and community of Wheaton North High School.

Sincerely,

Jill Bullo, Principal

2 Falcon Focus

From the Desk of Lorie Camposassistant Principal of curriculum & activities

News from the Stage! Drama UpdatesBravo, bravo, bravo! Ramshackle Inn, this year’s fall play, was a great success! Congratulations to an excellent cast, crew, directing staff, and supporters.

And now on to our next production – Seussical, the musical! This year’s fun-filled spring production takes the stage Thursday-Saturday, March 10-12, 2011.We hope to see you at the performance! Auditions take place on Monday-Thursday, December 6-9, and rehearsals begin Monday, January 3, 2011. There are many opportunities to get involved on stage and behind-the-scenes, so students can see Ms. Nooden, Mr. Rudd, Mr. Griegoliet, or Ms. Schmitz to join our team. Parents, we need your help with sewing costumes, too! Contact Dee Horky at dhorky@cusd200.org if you can lend us a hand. As always, up-to-date information is available at http://www.wnhs.org/activities/Drama/index.htm, where you can sign up to have information e-mailed directly to your inbox.

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break. It is hard to believe it is December and final exams are right around the corner! First semester will end on January 14, 2011 with final exams on January 11-14. Report cards will be mailed home on January 24, 2011.

Mark your calendars.......

On January 26, 2011, we will hold the 8th Grade Parent Orientation for the parents of the Class of 2015. The evening will begin at 7:00 pm in the Taylor Auditorium to discuss high school procedures and course selections. We are

excited to have over 500 new freshmen joining Wheaton North next year.

Our 2nd Semester Curriculum Parent Night is scheduled for Wednesday, February 2, 2011. It was great to see such a large number of parents participate first semester; we look forward to everyone attending this semester!! (Please have your student complete their schedule on the enclosed flyer)

I hope that your student is having a rewarding high school experience. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at (630) 784-7303.

8th Grade Parent OrientationWill you have an incoming freshman in 2011-12? If so, mark your calendars for the 8th Grade Parent Orientation Night on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Taylor Auditorium. You will have an opportunity to learn about high school courses, the course selection process, course registration and meet your student’s counselor. We look forward to seeing you there.

Distinguished Alumni On Friday, January 28, 2011, we will be honoring our 2010-11 Distinguished Alumni at the Wheaton North vs. West Chicago basketball game. Please join us in celebrating their success. Please visit the alumni tab on our web site to see our 2010-2011 distinguished alumni and past recipients.

E-School Bag!District 200 is attempting to be more environmentally conscientious and reduce the amount of paper being sent home with students. In an effort to address this issue, we have created an E-School Bag (Electronic School Bag) link on the District’s Website, www.cusd200.org, that will house the flyers and brochures that are usually distributed to students by our community partners.

Pre-Press Production, design & layout done by

Wheaton north’s 4th Period graPhic design students.

Seniors: Last Chance to Be Pictured in YearbookAttention Class of 2011: If you didn’t get your senior yearbook pictures taken during the two weeks the photographer was at WN this summer and you still haven’t gone to the studio this fall to get them taken, you have until this Saturday (December 4) to get it done.

Call the HRImaging studio either in Naperville (630) 416-0552 or Schaumburg at the Streets of Woodfield (847) 706-9688. Call today to schedule an appointment to get your picture taken by this Saturday; otherwise, you’ll be in the “Not Pictured” category in the Class of 2011 section of this year’s yearbook. Remember, you don’t need to order a picture package from HRImaging; however, only the HRImaging photo can be used because of the computer panel flow system the yearbook uses. If you don’t want to purchase a package, just say “yearbook only” when you schedule your appointment, and you won’t be charged anything.

We want the entire Class of 2011 pictured in the yearbook, so “getter dun” by this Saturday!

PARENT CURRICULUM NIGHT

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

7:00 p.m. The faculty and staff at Wheaton North High School invite you to attend the 2nd Semester Parent Curriculum Night on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. You will have the opportunity to meet the faculty and staff by following an abbreviated version of your student’s schedule. The purpose of this evening is to give you an understanding of the 2nd semester curriculum, the teacher’s expectations, and establish communication networks with 2nd semester teachers. The program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m. with your attendance at your student’s first hour class.

We recognize the popularity of this program and value the high level of participation we receive from parents. We encourage you to carpool if possible as parking can be a challenge.

Please have your son/daughter complete the schedule below and bring it with you on February 2, 2011.Students often do not remember room numbers, but instead learn classroom locations. Please remind them to check room numbers when they complete the schedule.

You will have an opportunity to visit with Falcon Booster Club members in our commons area. The support personnel will also be available in their respective offices to meet with you and answer general questions about school programs.

Period Subject Room Teacher

7:00 - 7:10 p.m. 1 _________________________________________________________

7:16 - 7:29 p.m. 2 _________________________________________________________ (Announcements)

7:35 - 7:45 p.m. 3 _________________________________________________________

Parents do not need to attend ACCESS periods.Please feel free to visit Boosters and other support personnel.

7:51 – 8:01 p.m. 4 _________________________________________________________

8:07 - 8:17 p.m. 5 _________________________________________________________

8:23 - 8:33 p.m. 6 _________________________________________________________

8:39 - 8:49 p.m. 7 _________________________________________________________

8:55 - 9:05 p.m. 8 _________________________________________________________

Wheaton North - Home of the Falcons!!!

4 Falcon Focus

Freshmen Elections We recently held the freshmen elections. Congratulations to the following new officers: Yohanna Gidey (President), Alex McKee (Vice President), Anna Gorman (Secretary), and William Kostecka (Treasurer).We are eager to see these students’ leadership skills in action.

Post Prom NewsALL WNHS PARENTS (Freshman and Sophomore too!): Operation Safe Celebration needs your help! Each year, Operation Safe Celebration transforms the Wheaton Community Center for two magical evenings for the WWS and WN post prom parties. Prom will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 for all juniors and seniors and their dates. Planning has already begun for this year’s fun events and we are excited to announce that the theme will be THE AMAZING RACE. This adventure will transform rooms into far away countries, cities and local attractions. Chair people are still needed for the following committees: Decorations, Prizes, Security, Publicity, and Takedown. We are also always looking for creative talent to sign on to chair each of the decorating spaces within the Community Center.

This will be the 17th consecutive year of Operation Safe Celebration for our community. It is a wonderful event that keeps our children safe and supervised after the dance with fun activities, food, and opportunities to win prizes. This production takes many volunteers to be successful. Any amount of help is appreciated. For the parents of freshman and sophomores, this is a great opportunity for you to see what it’s all about and get involved before your child attends the event. For parents of juniors and seniors, it is great for you to see your child and their friends enjoy this wonderful event.

If you’d like to learn more about this project and how you can become involved, please contact Ann Impola at (630) 681-9623 or opersafecel@wnhsboosters.org.

Mr. Wheaton North We are currently planning Mr. Wheaton North: a male beauty pageant. Our Mr. Wheaton North contest will be held Tuesday, February 22. Any male student in grades 11-12 can come to either meeting on Wednesday, January 5 at 2:20 p.m. or Friday, January 7 at 6:50 a.m. to take part in this truly amazing contest. Some of Wheaton North’s talented will provide additional entertainment for the evening. It is a fun show full of talent and laughs that ultimately brings the student body together. Remember—it’s not too late to join Student Council! Everyone is welcome at our Tuesday and Wednesday morning meetings. We have lots of cool events coming up, so join a committee!

After only four years as a club the Wheaton North Boys Lacrosse Club won the B State Championship last season. We enter this season as an A level team and will be facing teams that have been in existence for 10-15 years plus. We are always looking for new players – especially FRESHMEN!! Come join us as we enter the next phase of competition! We operate as a club with three levels of play – Fresh/Soph, Junior Varsity and Varsity. Many of our alumni are playing at the college level! Lacrosse is a fast moving sport that combines many of the skills of football, soccer, hockey and basketball! We offer athletic letters and recognition for the scholar athlete. We have many new updates to our look this year as we move forward – new uniforms for one! We will be having our REGISTRATION DINNER IN EARLY JANUARY. In the meantime, we encourage all boys and families to check out our website at www.WNHSLAX.org. All registration and information about the club can be found there! If you have any questions please contact Holly Higgins – Club President, at hollyannehiggins@yahoo.com.

Boys Lacrosse Wins B State Championship!

Market DayMarket Day is available at Wheaton

North sponsored by the Falcon Band Parent Organization.

Pickups are on Mondays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the band

hallway on the northwest end of the building. Use door #16.

New this year – Drive-thru service!

When you place your order online at www.marketday.com and prepay with a credit card,your

order will be packed and waiting for you. The band students will load your order into your car when you pull up to the curb

by door #16! (Please arrive after 6:45 p.m. for

drive-thru service).Order forms are also available in the Main Office. Thanks for supporting the Band Program!

2010-11 Sale Dates:October 18, 2010

November 15, 2010December 13, 2010

January 24, 2011February 28, 2011

March 21, 2011April 25, 2011May 23, 2011

Judi GonzalezMarket Day Chairperson

5Dec 2010/Jan 2011

1st Semester Final Exam Schedule 2010-2011

Day 1 – January 11:Period 1 Review 7:20 a.m. – 8:18 a.m. Period 1 Exam 8:18 a.m. – 9:48 a.m.

4th A/B 9:53a.m. – 10:43a.m. 4A ACCESS Lunch Lunch 4B ACCESS 9:53-10:16 10:20-10:43 9:53-10:16 10:20-10:43

5th A/B 10:48a.m. – 11:38a.m. 5A ACCESS Lunch Lunch 5B ACCESS 10:48-11:11 11:15-11:38 10:48-11:11 11:15-11:38

6th A/B 11:43a.m. – 12:33p.m. 6A ACCESS Lunch Lunch 6B ACCESS 11:43-12:06 12:10-12:33 11:43-12:06 12:10-12:33 2nd Period 12:38 p.m. – 12:58 p.m. 3rd Period 1:03 p.m. – 1:23 p.m.

7th Period 1:28 p.m. – 1:49 p.m. 8th Period 1:54 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Day 2 – January 12: Period 4 Review 7:20 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.

Period 4 Exam 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Period 5 Review 9:05 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Period 5 Exam 9:15 a.m. – 10:45 p.m.

Break 10:45 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. Period 6 Review 10:55 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. Period 6 Exam 11:05 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Day 3 – January 13: Period 2 Review 7:20 a.m. – 8:20 a.m.

Period 2 Exam 8:20 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. Break 9:50 a.m.– 10:05 a.m.

Period 3 Review 10:05 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. Period 3 Exam 11:05 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Day 4 – January 14: Period 7 Review 7:20 a.m. – 8:20 a.m.

Period 7 Exam 8:20 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. Break 9:50 a.m.– 10:05 a.m. Period 8 Review 10:05 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.

Period 8 Exam 11:05 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.

‘Tis the Season for Christmas

Sharing! Wheaton North’s annual Christmas Sharing event will take place from Monday, November 29 to Friday, December 3. During this time students may donate nonperishable food, gently-used clothing, and toys. The items are collected in their first hour classes. All items are donated to families in need in the area. If you have any items you would like to donate, please send them with your child to school. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail Mrs. Lorie Martinez at lmartin@cusd200.org.

6 Falcon Focus

From the Desk of Matt Biscanasst. Principal of curriculum and Technology

Each year our Junior students participate in the Prairie State Achievement Examination which consists of the ACT (Day 1) and Work Keys (Day 2). As an incentive to do their best on the 2010-2011 PSAE, Wheaton North offered participating Junior students an opportunity to earn a 2011-2012 First Semester Final Exam Voucher(s) if they “met” or “exceeded” state standards in Reading and/or Math. The voucher(s) can be used for any final exam. The following information explains how current seniors can obtain their First Semester Final Exam Voucher(s).

First Semester Final Exam Voucher Process:•All Students will pick up their PSAE Score Sheet and accompanying voucher/vouchers (if they met/exceeded in Reading and/or Math) in the Commons area during lunches on December 13th.

•Students will submit vouchers to teachers from December 13th through

January 6th (Includes winter break).

•Students will submit the voucher to the teacher after the student and their parent have signed it. The teacher signs it—gives it back to the student as soon as possible.

•The student submits it to the counselor and the counselor signs it and enters the name into a list that can be accessed through the U:drive.

•Teachers should keep track of who is using the vouchers for each of their classes.

•The master voucher list can be accessed through the U:drive.

•The deadline for students to submit the completed voucher to their counselor is Friday, January 7th at 2:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Matt Biscan at (630) 784-7302.

Opportunities multiply as they are siezed.

-Sun Tzu

Band Notes: From the Conductors Podium

Congratulations to our band students who were selected for the Illinois Music Educators Association District IX Honors Ensembles (see Ms. Bullo’s letter on page 1). A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped to make our first Music Department Pancake Breakfast such a big success in October!!

This year, the Music Department is splitting our annual Holiday Gala Concert into two separate concerts which will begin at 1:30 pm and 4 pm respectively.

As of now, the groups slated to perform at the 1:30 concert will include Concert and Symphonic Bands, Percussion Studies, Concert Orchestra, and Concert Choir. The 4 pm concert will include Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber, Treble, and Men’s Choirs. There is a slight chance that the concerts at which a particular vocal group performs may change.

Library Donating December Fines With the holidays upon us and the end of the first semester so near, the library is asking all students to clear any fines and book obligations they may have before Winter Break. The month of December has always been associated with caring and sharing. The library will be donating all fine money collected during December to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Please encourage your student to take advantage of this great opportunity to start the new semester free of any outstanding obligations while contributing to a worthy cause at the same time.

7Dec 2010/Jan 2011

From the Nurses:Emergency ContactsIn an effort to best serve your student, please notify the health office (630) 784-7327 if emergency phone numbers have changed since registration. We also appreciate notification if your student has experienced any significant health or medication changes.

School Day DismissalsRemember: unless you have prearranged for your student to leave school during the school day through the attendance office, students that are ill during the school day must sign out through the nurse’s office to be excused from school. To assist the efficiency of school day dismissals, please remind your student not to text you or call on their cell phones to leave school from outside the nurse’s office.

Sick, Urgent or Emergency Doctor Visits ... where do you get care?Many students tell us they went to the emergency room for routine sick medical evaluations. Choosing the most appropriate location for medical care affects all of our health care cost so please consider using the most appropriate source of medical service from the wide variety of services available in our area. Please call (630) 784-7327 if you need a list of local resources.

If you do not have health care insurance please consider enrolling in the state of Illinois All Kids healthcare program. This program is for any student with insufficient healthcare insurance. If you would like more information please look on the ALL Kids website (www.allkids.com) or call the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 682-7400. We also have three wonderful resources with the Access Family Health Centers where the fees are based on household income. They are located in Bloomingdale, West Chicago and Addison.

ORCHESTRA NOTESGreetings to Orchestra Students, Parents, and Friends! Congratulations to all Orchestra members on a very successful beginning of the year! We have had several highlights already this semester, and our schedule only gets busier from here! Seven of our orchestra members were honored with selection to the IMEA District IX Honors Orchestra (see Ms. Bullo’s letter on page 1). Congratulations on this major accomplishment!

HUGE thanks go out to all of the students and parents that made our inaugural Music Department Pancake Breakfast a resounding success! It was wonderful to come together as an entire department to share a morning of music, food and fun!!

The next few months will be very busy for the orchestra program. Please keep the following dates in your plans!

December 12: Holiday Concerts: Concert Orchestra 1:30 PM Chamber Orchestra 4:00 PM

Late January: Suessical: The Musical Pit Rehearsals Begin

January 27-29: IMEA All-State Festival

February 9: Orchestra/ Concerto-Aria Concert

February 25-26: Orchestra Tour to University of Iowa

March 10: Spring Musical- Seussical: The Musical

March 24: Concert Orchestra/Choir Combined Concert

April 19: Chamber Orchestra/Choir Combined Concert

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks again for your constant support of the Orchestra Program at Wheaton North!

Mr. Philip Rudd

8 Falcon Focus

Taking Final Exams Early

Students are expected to take their final exams on their scheduled days. Students who must take exams earlier are required to present a pre-approved absence form to the Assistant Principal of Student Services a minimum of two weeks before the exam.

If it is approved, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with his or her teachers to take the exams early.

Support Staff One of our goals is for all students to receive the best possible education and to have a successful and rewarding experience at Wheaton North High School. Many adolescents, though, confront challenges both in and out of school that may interfere with their education and/or personal growth if not properly addressed. In addition to our teaching staff, we have a multitude of support staff to assist our students. These include the deans, guidance counselors, school nurse, school resource officer, social workers and psychologists.

Our support staff teams meet weekly to discuss students who are at risk to receiving a quality education due to poor grades, attendance, behavior and/or outside influences. At these weekly meetings, we also determine appropriate interventions for these students. Parents and guardians are also an important part of this team. We will contact you to discuss our concerns and work with you to devise a plan to assist your student. Please contact a member of your student’s support team if you have any questions or concerns.

Winter WeatherStudents are still expected to arrive to school on time during inclement weather, so please allow for more time on these days. Traffic around the school increases especially heading east on Thomas Road from Gary Avenue.

School Safety & Drills

Safety is a number one priority at Wheaton North. We do everything we can to ensure a safe and secure environment for our students. For that reason, we have a number of safety procedures for a variety of crisis situations. We work closely with the Wheaton Police and Fire Departments to coordinate our efforts. To begin, we run three fire drills per year. We also conduct a lockdown drill, a severe weather drill, and a bus evacuation drill. After we conduct these drills, we review them to help us best prepare for the situations. In addition, we have off-site emergency evacuation areas in the case that we have to vacate the building. Our walking site is Wheaton Bowl, and our travel site is Wheaton- Warrenville South High School. These sites have been approved by the District Safety Committee. We urge you to make sure your telephone information is accurate in case we need to contact you from one of these sites.

We hope you are having a great school year. I would like to take this opportunity to mention a few words about two topics relative in the winter months, and summarize two important services in our office that involve safety and student support. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

From the Desk of Jim Venckusassistant Principal for Student Services

Guidance Dept. Scholarship Bulletin Every month the Guidance Department provides students and parents with a list of local scholarships and some national scholarships through the Scholarship Bulletin. The Scholarship Bulletin is updated monthly and is available in the College and Career Center and on-line at wnhs.org > Counseling >Guidance Department>College/Career Resources. Senior students can also access it through PrepHq. Please have your student contact their counselor if he/she has forgotten their PrepHq log-in ID and password.

9Dec 2010/Jan 2011

2nd Semester Course Verification Forms

Students’ second semester course verification sheets will be distributed to students on Friday, December 3rd during student’s ACCESS period. Students and parents should review this form for accuracy and speak with their respective counselor with any questions. Students will have the opportunity to request a schedule change for elective courses only from Monday, December 6th through Friday, December 10th. After the10th, no schedule change requests will be honored, except for level changes.

Attention Senior Parents Hopefully, your senior student has completed most, if not all, of their college applications. However, this is just a reminder that students should turn in applications and transcripts to their counselor for colleges with a January 1st deadline no later than Monday, December 13th. This will ensure the counselor and registrar have ample time to complete any necessary forms (i.e. recommendation letters, counselor page, etc.) and mail the application/transcript before Winter Break.

NEWS FROM THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

Many students apply to colleges before they have ever stepped foot on the campus. As counselors, we do not suggest a student make a final decision to attend a school without a campus visit. If you can take a trip and physically visit a school, maybe even spend a night, that would be the best case scenario; however, college visits can be challenging for some due to financial reasons and geographic location. In place of an actual on-campus visit, a virtual tour might be the next best thing. Here are a couple suggested websites students can explore for this additional resource:

campustours.com - CampusTours builds virtual tours, interactive maps, and content-managed multimedia presentations for high schools, colleges & universities, non-profits and govern-ments worldwide. CampusTours also specializes in photorealistic campus

map development (cartography), video production and photography services.

ecampustours.com - a revolutionary college planning web site featuring 360° x 360° virtual campus tours of over 1200 college campuses. Each campus tour allows you to see what college life is really like through unique panoramic photographs. If you like what you see in the virtual campus tour, you can search the college website, contact the college’s admission office, or save the virtual college tour in your eCampusTours portfolio.

**Looking for other useful sites? Take a look at these as well for other useful information:

Knowhow2go.org – career info, athletic info, financial aid, decorate a dorm room, etc…

www.educationplanner.org – one stop shop for college and career planning

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

The quickest and most convenient way to complete the FAFSA is by using the on-line application. However, in order to use the on-line application a pin number is required. All parents and their dependent students applying for financial aid for the 2011-12 school year should get their pin number NOW! To obtain a pin number simply go to www.pin.

ed.gov.After January 1, 2011, you can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the FAFSA. Individual help in completing the FAFSA is available daily from the financial aid professional at the College of DuPage (630) 942-2251. You do not have to be a COD student, present or future, to receive this invaluable help.

College Visits

News from TCDAll interested students and their parents are invited to the Annual Open House-Wednesday, January 19, 7:00 p.m.– 8:30 p.m. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and see current students in action, talk with teachers and staff, and learn about internships, scholarships, and related post-secondary opportunities for TCD graduates. TCD is located at 301 S. Swift Road in Addison, between North Avenue and Army Trail Road.

Local Scholarship ApplicationThe Local Scholarship Application is now available in the College and Career Center. This is a great opportunity for students to apply for a number of scholarships by filling out one application. This year there are fourteen scholarships that are generously endowed by local community organizations. Awards range from $350 to $1500. The deadline for the application is Thursday, February 24, 2011.

Other Scholarship Search Sites Fastweb.com, Collegeboard.com, Scholarships.com, Collegenet.com

Falcon Focus 10

Course Selection Calendar

Beginning in January, counselors will begin meeting with freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to determine students’ course selections for the 2011-2012 school year. This is a two meeting process. The first meeting is an information session and will take place in mid-January. In this session counselors will discuss graduation requirements, new courses, and the overall course selection procedure. First semester teachers will recommend students for the 2011-2012 school year using the school’s scheduling software. These recommendations/courses will be automatically placed on students’ schedules for next year. Students will be given their recommendations during the course selection information session.

Parents play a vital role in this process and should discuss and review their student’s recommendations and course selection sheet before signing off on final selections. The second meeting is a completion session where students present their course selections to their counselors. Completion sessions will begin in late January and continue through mid-February. Unlike past years, students will not have an opportunity to change their course selections at the end of the year. Therefore, it is even more important that students put time, research, and thought into their course selection decisions for next year.

1. FEES – You shouldn’t have to pay to search for or apply for scholarships. Scholarships are about giving not taking!

2. Credit card/bank account information needed: You should never have to give credit card or bank information to award providers.

3. Scholarship guarantee: No one can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship because no one can control scholarship judges’ decisions. Also, be wary of “high success rates” – they usually do not refer to actual award winners.

4. No work involved: With the exception of sweepstakes, legitimate scholarship applications require time and energy.

5. No contact information: Legitimate sponsors should provide contact information upon request. If the sponsor does not supply a valid e-mail address, phone number and mailing address (not a PO box) upon request, that could be the sign of a scam.

6. Unsolicited scholarships: If you are called to receive an award for which you never applied, be alert – it’s most likely a scam.

7. Pressure tactics: Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into applying for a scholarship, especially if the sponsor is asking you to pay.

8. Claims of “exclusive” scholarships: Legitimate sponsors won’t restrict knowledge about their award to a single search service.

9. An official-sounding name or endorsement doesn’t automatically mean legitimacy: A sponsor may use words similar to legitimate organizations or have an official-looking seal, but might still be a scammer. Also, the federal government and the U.S. Dept. of Education do not endorse private businesses.

10. Your questions aren’t answered

directly: If you can’t get a straight answer from a sponsor regarding their application, what will be done with your information (e.g., if it will be sent to a third party) or other questions proceed with caution.

*If you still have doubts about a particular scholarship you should contact your student’s counselor immediately.

College Zone.com - The website from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is a site that provides scholarship and financial aid information. It is an excellent resource that provides the information you need, when you need it. College Zone also offers Outreach Centers at all 48 community colleges in Illinois. Wheaton North students and parents are invited to make an appointment with the Outreach advisors in the financial aid office at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, (630) 942-4264. Again, you do not need to be a COD student to receive this service.

Finally, College Zone Advisors can be reached by phone (8:30a.m.-5:00p.m.) at 1-800-899-4722 and email (collegezone@isac.org).

studentaid.gov – Source for free information from the U.S. Department of Education for funding education beyond high school. This site also provides very useful information on filling out and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (www.fafsa.ed.gov)

managingcollegecost.com – This site is run by Frank Palmasani from Hinsdale South High School. Frank is also a former Director of Admissions at Lewis University. There are a ton of very useful 3 to 10 minute videos of all kinds on financial aid topics. Users need to create a user name and password, but all content is completely free.

Other Financial Aid Sites

A Helpful Tip: Scholarship Scams10 Warning Signs*

11Dec 2010/Jan 2011

Congratulations to our fall athletes and coaches on a great fall season. Wheaton North finished the fall season with one IHSA Regional Championships, Boys Cross Country. Along with our team accomplishments, Wheaton North had some outstanding individual accomplishments and it is an honor for me to recognize them at this time.

From the Desk of Matt Fisherassistant Principal of athletics & curriculum

2010 Fall DuPage Valley Conference All Academic Team

Congratulations to the following students who have been named to the DuPage Valley Conference All Academic Team. In order to be selected to the All Academic Team, student athletes need to meet the following criteria:

1.Varsity letter winner2.Have a minimum accumulative GPA of 4.03.Previous semester made the Blue or Gold Honor Roll

Eric Altimari, Zach Andor, Hillary Barry, Alyssa Berry, Michael Biegalski, Casey Blair, John Bloss, Jack Borto, Landon Bruni, Laura Bucci, Reece Butler, Michael Caponi, Andrew Carlburg, Elisabeth Casey, Olivia Catuara, Kelsey Chow, Sean Cleveland, Joshua Currie , Kailey Dahlman, Antonea Danegelis, Matthew Davis, Megan Davis, Anne Denz, Wyatt Didier, Andrew Dietz, Thea DiLeonardi, Olivia Doner, Joshua Doty, Jason Dowell, Laura Drabant, Carl Dudgeon, Brendan Dunlap, Zachary Ewoldt, Richard Finley, Laura Gann, Blythe Garma, Lauren Graham, Zak Gudanick, Maurice Harris, Mikayla Hartel, Samuel Hoffman, Christian Hollinger, P. J. Impola, Ntahoturi Jacques, Karen Jensen, Zachary Johnson, Shilpa Joshi, Brooks Joy, Shaniel Katariwala, Courtney Kayne, Rafe Kiely, Ian Kile , Natalie Kinsey, Katherine Kirschbaum, Kurt Klinger, Brett Kohler, Maddie Lenz, Kelsey Lewandowski, Jack Lorentsen, Boyd MacKenzie, Nicholas Matosian, Matthew Medendorp, Alexander Meek, Branden Miller, John Murphy, Sean Nee, Stephen Norregaard, Ben

Nussbaum, Isaac Oberlin, Daniel O'Malley, Samuel Otto, Micah Penn, Lauren Peters, Brittany Pfaff, Sarah Pflederer, Caleb Philbrick, Gareth Phillips, Kinga Radowska, Jack Rea, Alexa Reinecke, Jordan Richert, Catherine Richter, Marissa Russmann, Austin Sahly, Daniel Sales, Matthew Sambo, Jake Schieber, Trevor Schmit, Alexandra Schuzer, Andrew Shadid, Colin Sharkey, Amelia Siemer, Rebecca Smith, Samuel Smith, Paul Steeno, Haley Straus, Michelle Stuhlmacher, Michael Swider, Mary Szeliga, Katelyn Thornton, Margaret Uhen, Lucas Walzak, Tom Ward, Michael Weinberg, Maggie Westwater, Christina Wilke.

DVC All Conference Girls Tennis Olivia Doner, Lauren Graham, Shilpa Joshi, Maggie Uhen

Football Richard Finley, Rafe Kiely, Reece Butler, John Bloss, Trevor Schmit

Girls Volleyball Kelsey Ullrich

Girls Golf Natalie Kinsey

Girls Cross Country TBA

Boys Cross Country TBA

Boys Soccer Ntahoturi Jacques

Girls Swimming TBA

*Girls Swimming and Boys and Girls Cross Country post-season meeting are scheduled after our winter news letter deadline. All Conference selections will appear in the next newsletter.

12 Falcon Focus

Spring Sports InformationSpring sports season for Boys Gymnastics will begin practice on Monday, February 14, 2011. Boys Baseball, Girls Badminton, Boys Tennis, Girls Soccer and Girls Softball will begin February 28, 2011. And last, Boys Volleyball will begin on March 7, 2011. Listed below is coaches contact information if you have questions or comments regarding practices, starting times, and location for each sport. If you want to participate but cannot make the first meeting, please call the Athletic Office (630-784-7318) and let us know. All participants must have a current physical, a parental permission form filled out and signed, and an emergency card for the trainer, before beginning practice. Freshmen may use their freshman physical; simply make a copy for the Athletic Office and mark it at top “Athletics”. This should have been turned in at registration for the nurse’s requirements. These forms can be downloaded from our web site or stop by the Athletic Office and pick them up.

Open gym schedule for each spring sport will begin several weeks before practice begins for students not involved in a winter sport. Check with head coaches and listen to announcements.

If you have any questions about practice times or tryouts, please contact the head coach

Boys Baseball - Dan Schoessling, dschoess@cusd200.org

Boys Gymnastics - Chad Downie, cdownie@cusd200.org

Boys Tennis - Rick Rateike, rjrateike@gmail.com

Boys Track - Don Helberg, dhelberg@cusd200.org

Boys Volleyball - Ryan Baker, rbaker@cusd200.org

Girls Badminton - Becky Blacharczyk, rblachar@cusd200.org

Girls Soccer - Tim McEvilly, tmcevill@cusd200.org

Girls Softball - Karen Calabrese, kcalabre@cusd200.org

Girls Track - Pete Macabobby, pmacabob@cusd200.org

Winter Sports I hope you have had a great fall season and that you are excited to begin the winter season as a Falcon. Listed below you will find information regarding all of the winter sports programs. Hopefully this will answer most of your questions. However, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to call the Athletic Office or contact the coach directly. If you are looking for updated schedules, please visit our web site at www.wnhs.org.

Important Dates

November 18 - Winter Pictures

December 20-23 - Bill Neibch Falcon Classic Girls Basketball Tournament

January 18– Boys and Girls Indoor Track begins

Winter Head Coaches

Boys Basketball -Jim Nazos, jnazos@cusd200.org

Boys Swimming - Jacob Ayers, coaches@wheatonswimming.com

Girls Basketball -Dave Eaton, deaton@cusd200.org

Girls Gymnastics -Lee Wood, woodzss@comcast.net

Wrestling -Steve Holland, sholland@cusd200.org

Boys Indoor Track -Don Helberg, dhelberg@cusd200.org

Girls Indoor Teack -Peter Macabobby, pmacabob@cusd200.org

Competitive Cheer Team -Stephanie Eaton, seaton@cusd200.org

13Dec 2010/Jan 2011

Falcon Booster NewsHappy Holidays to all – it is hard to believe that Halloween and Thanksgiving are past us and the winter holidays are upon us. A BIG thank you to all of our football parents who helped out with concessions and programs and just your support in general. We have the best volunteers and parent support; without you, we wouldn’t succeed. Remember our big fund-raiser for Wheaton North High School is the Dinner/Silent Auction being held at Arrowhead Golf Course Saturday, March 5, 2011 – more info will follow. We are always in need of donations, volunteers, and of course, attendees. Should you have any questions please contact Chris Smith or Dee Horky through the Wheaton North High School Booster website.

We don’t have a December meeting, but our meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month in rooms 802-804 off of the Commons area. Jill Bullo our Principal, Matt Fisher our Athletic Director and Kevin Williams our Activities Director always have a report to let us know what is happening in our school.

Hope to see you at our next meeting held January 11, 2011 – please check the Booster Club website at www.wnhsboosters.org for the latest news.

Warm regards, Dee Horky Booster President

Girls Track and Field officially begins January 19th, however we currently have open gym for girls to condition with other athletes. Everyone is welcome. Show up outside the field house at 2:30 or talk to a track coach (listed below). Our season begins with an indoor schedule, so you can be in great shape before the snow melts!

We are open to anyone who wants to improve their athletic ability and conditioning. Our team is a combina-tion of girls that have competed at the state level, to those that have never been involved with the sport. We compete in 18 events including sprints, distance, jumps, pole vault, shot and discus. Coaches will work with you

to find your area of success. Our main objective is to see that every girl improves, and that we make the most of your time and talent.

Workouts will match your fitness level. Coaches will be sure that you are fully prepared before competing. We individualize our training to ensure each girl gets stronger and better, not injured and discouraged!

To join, you need to pay your athletic fee in the Athletic Office and make sure you have a current physical and parent permission form signed. Practice starts at 2:30 everyday inside the field house. Any questions please see Coach Macabobby, Coach Anderson, or Coach Schmalz.

Girls Track and Field

Boys Tennis Are you interested in playing or learning a new sport? Tennis, which is unique in that it can be both an individual (singles) and a team (doubles) activity, is a sport that one can play for life. The boys tennis program needs players for the upcoming season. We have both a varsity and a freshman/sophomore team. No playing experience is necessary and we always keep as many players as possible on each team.

A preseason meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 16th at 2:20 p.m. in room 408. Tryouts are scheduled to begin on Monday, February 28. If you have any questions please contact Coach Rateike at (630) 464-5857 (rjrateike@gmail.com) or see Coach Laird in room 408.

Falconettes’ 8th Annual Dance Competition I am extending an invitation your way for an event that is sure to excite! The Wheaton North Falconettes Dance Team is hosting their Eighth Annual Dance Team Competition on January 23rd, 2011. It is a day-long event beginning at 8:30 a.m. showcasing dance teams and pom poms from throughout the state of Illinois. It is a family event for all ages. Proceeds go to support the Wheaton North Dance Program. Come support your Falconettes in their performances of hip hop and open pom. See you there!

~Melissa Pierceall

14 Falcon Focus

MORE WAYS TO KNOWBEFORE YOU GO

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TO FIND INFORMATION FOR THE FOLLOWING:WHEATON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

(630) 784-7300

15

Second Semester Driver Education Parent Night MeetingDriver Education Parent Night will be Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. Atten-dance is MANDATORY for the student and at least one parent/guardian. The driver education user fee and the $20 check to the secretary of state for a learner’s permit will be due at this time. Please make sure any obligations or fees have been paid or the student will not be able to enroll in the class. Any questions please see or call the treasurer, Joann Hogan at (630) 784-7301.

Driver Education Fee: $250, reduced lunch program is $166.66, and free lunch is $83.33.Learner’s Permit: $20 (check/money order made to the Secretary of State).

Attention Students:Second semester students should use our website at www.wnhs.org (Driver Education) in order to prepare for the Rules of the Road Test for their learner’s permit that they will take

the first week of the semester. You are advised to use the Illinois Rules of the Road Review Course Workbook and the Rules of the Road that are posted for you.

Students who are currently in Driver’s Education, or who have taken Driver’s Education in the summer or spring of this year: You should use the Student Coursework Completion – Status Inquiry – from our website. This verifies you passed both classroom and behind the wheel at Wheaton North.

Enrollment in the Course and Waiting ListIf you are interested in enrolling in Driver Education, or want to be put on the waiting list please contact Carol McCallum in the guidance office at 630-784-7311. There are spots available as some second semester students were put into first semester class this fall! To be eligible for the class the student must be 15 years old. Once a permit is issued it must be held for a minimum of nine months. Once the student turns 16, and has 50 hours of practicing with a parent (ten at night), they will be eligible to get a drivers

license. If the student receives an ‘A’ or ‘B’ in the class they can take their road test with their instructor, if they pass they will not have to take the road test at the DMV!

Did you know?By the Numbers:

1 – Rank of traffic crashes as a cause of death for 16-19 year olds.

25% – Percentage of all 15-20-year-old drivers killed in crashes that were alcohol-impaired.

73% – Percentage of youth alcohol-impaired fatalities who were not wearing seat belts.

27,052 – Estimated lives saved since 1975 as result of raising the drinking age to 21.

350,000 – Annual injuries from crashes for 15-19 year olds.

-Source: 2008 data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Highway Safety Administration

If you have any questions please contact Mr. Oleszek at moleszek@cusd200.org.

The Track and Field season is here! We encourage all young men to join our squad. By running track and field, you will get stronger and faster! We especially encourage athletes from other sports (football, soccer, basketball…) to join us because being faster and stronger is the key to ALL sports!

There are 18 different events to compete in. These include: sprints, hurdles, distances, jumps (long, triple, high),

shot put and discus and the pole vault. There is a spot for everyone! We strive to have the athlete look at their own performances and see if they get a P.R. (Personal Record). We look at P.R.’s over wins every time! EVERY individual that stays in our program gets better!

To join, simply pay your athletic fee ($150.00) in the Athletic Directors office, make sure you have a current physical and parent permission form

signed. We will issue gear the week of January 3-7 after school in the locker room. Practices start January 19th (first day of 2nd semester) and are everyday at 2:30 p.m. and end around 5:00 p.m. (we lift everyday). We have meets at least once a week. There are no BENCH WARMERS! Everyone gets to compete in the meets! We usually have around 120 athletes out for the team. Any questions see Mr. Helberg, Mr. Graf, Mr. Potter, or Mr. McQuaid. See you soon.

Boys Track & Field

Driver’s Ed Update

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PaIDcarol Stream, ILPermit No 6032

“cHaNGe SerVIce reQueSTeD”

TO CURRENT RESIDENT or

Wheaton North High School 701 W. Thomas road Wheaton, IL 60187-3189

Finals Care PackagesIt’s that time of year again, and it’s time to order a care package for your son/daughter to get him/her through finals week. Last year’s packages included a bottle of water, candy bar, bag of chips, fruit snacks, gum, mints, a #2 pencil and more! This year, we’ll still be delivering them to your child. Order now and support Wheaton North Student Council and help your child survive finals! Orders must be mailed or turned into the main office, Attention: Mrs. Lotspeich or mr. Neuhaus, by December 14th.

Student’s Name: _________________________________________________________ Grade:_________

circle the day(s) you would like the package(s) delivered:

Day 1 of Exams Day 2 of Exams Day 3 of Exams

# of Packages Ordered ______ Amount Enclosed ($5 per package): __________ checks payable to Wheaton North High School (Please put student’s ID number on memo line of check.)Note to your child:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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