Schools

DHS Gives Preview of Renovated Classrooms

Deerfield High School Robotics team scores, 36 win DECA awards and more.

The following information is provided by Township High School District 113.

DISTRICT 113 PREPARES MOCKUP CLASSROOMS AHEAD OF RENOVATIONS 

This spring, both Highland Park High School and Deerfield High School will have a mockup classroom available for use by teachers and students. 

Find out what's happening in Deerfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The mockup classrooms are usable models of the renovations scheduled for about 70 rooms in both schools. The changes include new lighting, acoustic ceilings, HVAC systems, doors and high performance windows. Classroom renovations that fall within the scope of Phase 1 include Q and E Wings at DHS and the 3rd floor of A-Wing at HPHS. 

The renovation on the rooms that are a part of Phase 1 is scheduled for the summer of 2014. The classrooms are anticipated to be ready for students upon their return in the fall. 

Find out what's happening in Deerfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The mockup classrooms slated for completion in early April will give users an opportunity to see what is coming, and also give District 113 an opportunity to receive real-time information from the users, said Dan Mortensen, Director of Facilities Management at District 113. 

At DHS, four social studies teachers currently utilizing the model classroom, which will be located in the Q Wing, will return to that room. The room will also be available to teachers through scheduled open-house events during spring, according to Audris Griffith, principal at DHS. She said she expects the improved lighting and ventilation systems to receive a particularly warm welcome.

At HPHS, the 3rd floor model classroom is used by three English teachers. The mockup will illustrate the renovation work that is scheduled for 3rd floor A-Wing classrooms at HPHS over the summer. 

At a December 2 special meeting of the District 113 Board of Education, the Board approved bids for general trades, aluminum storefront and glazing work, mechanical work and electrical work for the mockup classrooms. 

In November, students from the DHS and HPHS environmental clubs met with architect and construction teams to discuss their ideas for environmentally friendly construction, and learned about the environmental and cost considerations that went into the selection of the lighting, HVAC systems and windows. Superintendent George Fornero requested that their studies be forwarded to him for consideration. The groups will meet again in spring. Please go to dist113.org to view a video of that meeting. 

DISTRICT ROBOTICS TEAM PERFORMS WELL IN CHICAGO TOURNAMENT 

The District 113 Robotics Club participated in the IIT Regional Robotics Tournament in Chicago on Saturday and 4 of the 5 participating teams made it into the final playoffs!

Congratulations to the following teams: Team 6287 (#3) Warbots-from DHS; Team 5254 (#5) Robot to the Knee-from HPHS; Team 5451 (#10) Da Big Meks-from HPHS; Team 6429 (#12) Wired Ones-from HPHS; and Team 7996 (#15) Optimis Prime Rib-from DHS. Team 5452, “Robot to the Knee” was awarded the third-place Inspire Award and the PTC award for Computer Design. Team 6287 “Warbots” and Team 6429 “Wired Ones” were on the winning alliance for the tournament.

DECA REGIONAL RESULTS 

Thirty six students from Deerfield High School qualified for the State Conference in March by either writing a paper or placing top three in their role play at the recent Regionals event. Please congratulate these students for their accomplishment.  Over 1,200 area students competed, and here are the role play results. Business Law and Ethics: (1st Place) Jake Price and Andrew Fisher; (2nd Place) Aarohi Mahableshwarkar and Aayush Mahableshwarkar; (3rd Place) Maren Gelfond and Chase Glick. Hospitality Services: (2nd Place) Jessie Stein and Joella Guagliardo, (3rd Place) Nir Zaslavsky and Danny Goldberg. Buying and Merchandising: (3rd Place) Jenna Lustig and Alyssa Domash; Marketing Communications: (3rd Place) Sam Kuznetsky and Jacob Silverman; Sports and Entertainment Marketing: (2nd Place) Ben Charlson and David Meyer; Travel and Tourism: (3rd Place) Jessica Swill and Alana Szilagyi; Sports and Entertainment Marketing: (1st Place) Ben Wolf, (2nd Place) Shale Mack, (3rd Place) Marc Noeh. 

EIGHTH GRADE CURRICULUM NIGHT AT DHS 

Eighth graders and their parents/guardians should attend Eighth Grade Curriculum Night on Tuesday, January 14th, or Thursday, January 16th, at Deerfield High School. Both evenings are identical in time frame, format, and content. Families are given the option to select the evening most convenient for them. Presentations will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. During the meeting, academic department chairs will provide course information in their respective curriculum areas. In addition, registration materials and health forms will be distributed. After attending this program, incoming eighth graders and their families will have sufficient information to make course requests online. 

DHS School Tours: Eighth graders and their parents/guardians will have the opportunity to tour the high school with a student guide. Tours will be available from 6:00 – 6:45 pm prior to the program in the auditorium. There is no need to sign up in advance. Tours will begin in the bookstore lobby and last approximately 15 minutes. 

If you have questions regarding Eighth Grade Curriculum Night, visit the DHS Counseling Website (http://dhs.dist113.org/COU) or contact Amy Bricker at abricker@dist113.org or 224-632-3043. 

OPTIONAL REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES OF INCOMING FRESHMEN

Families may attend the optional session on Thursday, January 23, 2014, in the Deerfield High School Library, from 7:00-8:30 pm. This opportunity is intended for families who still have lingering questions about curriculum options or the registration process. Computers will be available for families to register online and/or receive assistance with the online registration process. Deerfield High School counselors will be on hand for brief face-to- face conversations with individual families. Due to time constraints, individual counselor meetings will be limited to 15 minutes and focus on freshman year registration. Again, this evening is intended only for those families who need clarification in order to complete registration or need access to computers for the online registration process.

DHS COLLEGE COUNSELORS OFFER COLLEGE Q&A SESSIONS 

Beth Gilfillan & Kristen Thorburn, DHS College Counselors, will have informal meetings this year in the CCRC to answer questions and present information related to the college process. These meetings are supplemental to our formal college evening programs, so it is not necessary to attend. Any parents/guardians of juniors are invited and welcome to attend. The meetings will be held from 7:45-8:45 am on the following dates: January 15, February 19, March 19 and May 14. 

The next meeting will focus on choosing courses for senior year and learning about the different types of colleges. The day after the meeting, any handouts or notes will be posted on the CCRC website (dhs.dist113.org/cou/ccrc). 

FINANCIAL AID MEETING FOR SENIORS & PARENT/GUARDIANS -- FAFSA, FORMS AND FINANCIAL NEED 

District 113 is hosting a Financial Aid Workshop for seniors and their parents/guardians on Monday, January 13th at 7 pm in the Highland Park High School Auditorium. The workshop will provide critical information on completing the FAFSA, what comprises a financial aid package, and how and what to communicate with financial aid officers. The featured presenter is Mr. Jerry Cebrzynski, Director of Financial Aid, Lake Forest College. 

DISTRICT 113 AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION INVITE ALUMS BACK 

District 113 is excited to be partnering with its Educational Foundation to bring alumni back into an active Deerfield High School community, where they can stay informed on current programs, sporting news, fine arts events, distinguished graduates and reunion announcements. 

Any DHS alum wishing to sign up for a Constant Contact newsletter, which will keep alumni up to date on current events at the school and include invitations to be a part of the community and the connections, can go to DHS.dist113.org and click on the alumni page to sign up. Let the benefits of being a graduate of a top-tier high school continue on! 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here