Friday, August 31, 2018

August 2018 News

Upcoming Calendar Events:


August 30 - Meet the Teacher Night 6:30 to 8:30 PM
August 31 - Early Dismissal at 12:45 PM

September 3 - Labor Day NO SCHOOL
September 6 - Freshman Yearbook Pictures
September 7 - Student Council Blood Drive
September 13 - D207 College Night at Maine East
September 27 - Sophomore Yearbook Pictures

Please check the Maine East School Calendar for current dates and times of all school sports and activities.


Greetings and welcome to the 2018-2019 school year!

Dear Parents & Friends of Maine East:

As we look toward the end of the third week of school, students and teachers are settling into the new hybrid bell schedule and our teams, performing groups, and clubs are active! 

I'd like to encourage ALL PARENTS to become active in the life of our school by participating in events throughout the year: 
  • Our first Parent Advisory Meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, September 11 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Room 230 (above the main entrance). All parents are welcome to attend. This meeting will feature information for parents about vaping and current drug trends presented by one of Deans and our School Resource Officer.
  • You'll be receiving information in a few weeks to schedule appointments for Parent/Teacher Conferences to be held on Tuesday, October 9.
  • Check the school calendar on our website for complete listing of all home games, performances and special events.

Referendum Information Tours Set for Maine East

In an effort to ensure that all voters are informed about the referendum ballot question, District 207 will be hosting Referendum Information Tours at Maine East High School. The first tour will be held on Friday, September 7, at 5:45 p.m.

Parents and community members are invited to participate in the tour, which will be co-led by students and administrators. In addition to learning more about the schools during the tours, questions from parents and community will be answered.

There will be a total of five tours at each school. The rest of the Maine East tour dates are:

  • September 28 at 5:45 p.m. (prior to the MW Football game and Middle School Band Night)
  • October 5 at 5:30 p.m. (Senior Night/Homecoming - prior to the 7:00 pm game)
  • October 11 at 7:00 p.m. (Stand alone meeting - no other events in conjunction)
  • October 19 at 5:45 p.m. (prior to the 7:00 p.m. Fall Choir/Orchestra Concert)

The meeting place to begin each tour will be Room 230 (directly above the main entrance under the tower).

If you are unable to make one of the five tours, please know referendum information is posted on the district’s website at https://maine207.org/overview/

For background, on August 6, the board of education voted to place a $195 million bond issue on the ballot in November. In general terms, the funds would be used to improve safety and security, replace outdated plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, and update classrooms and labs at all three high schools to create flexible learning spaces that promote collaboration.

In Closing, I want to encourage you to contact the school (teachers, counselors, administrators, or me) if you have any concerns or questions regarding your student's progress and success. All of us at Maine East are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of your children in addition to working to support their academic success. 

We hope to see you throughout the year here at Maine East - Thank You for all you do to support your children and our school!

Dr. Mike Pressler
Principal  

❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖     ❖ 

Follow Maine East news and events on Social Media
Facebook - @Maine.East.High.School
Instagram - @MEHS207
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Maine_East

Principal's Parent Advisory Meetings
Parent Advisory meets once a month on a Tuesday evening from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm in Room 230. Parent Advisory meetings are intended to be a positive forum to learn about programs and events at Maine East, and some meetings will be dedicated to a particular focus or topic.  

At the first meeting scheduled for September 11th, Maine East Deans and Park Ridge Police will be discussing vaping and current drug trends in American High Schools. We encourage all parents to attend this very informative evening.

Maine East Kids Closet
The Maine East Kids Closet is set to open on Monday, September 17th and will be available to students in need every Monday after school from 3:30 to 4:30. Any student who qualifies for the free or reduced lunch program is eligible to receive FREE items during the school year. Please see the Kids Closet Flyer for additional information.






A Message from the Deans

Long standing research proves that daily attendance is a critical component which positively contributes to a student's success in school, and each absence impacts their performance. 

Please go to AbsencesAddUp.org for additional information and resources to help you and your student stay on track.


District 207 College Night
This year's College Night will be held at Maine East on Thursday, September 13, from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Please see the attached flyer for information about the event, and how to make the most of this important evening. 


School Mailings
As a reminder, a copy of all school mailings can be found on the Parent Dashboard of the Maine East website under Parent Communications.

Other News
Oakton Community College will be hosting a bilingual college workshop and resource expo on September 12th. Please click on the following link for additional information regarding this event. 
Latinx College Resource Expo



Monday, April 23, 2018

April 23 News

Upcoming Calendar Events:


April 27 - Finale Band & Choir Concert 7 PM - 9 PM

May 3 - Spring Play "Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
May 4 - Spring Play "Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
May 5 - Spring Play "Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
May 11 - Senior Breakfast
May 12 - Senior Prom
May 15 & 16 - Senior Finals
May 16 - Senior Honors Night 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
May 20 - Commencement 3:00 PM
May 23 - 25 Final Exams


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SENIORS:

Graduation is just around he corner. If you want to march with your class, don't forget to clear up your student obligations. If your obligations are not cleared by May 11th, your cap and gown will be held until you have returned all books, equipment, served detentions, and paid all fines. Take the receipt for your obligations to Marching Practice just in case the obligations are still on your record.

VENTRA CARDS DURING SUMMER SCHOOL:


Attention Summer School Students: If you will be using your VENTRA card for summer school, please notify the Bookstore so your bus card can be renewed. If the card is not renewed, you will be charged full fare.


SEAL OF BILITERACY:




POWER LIFTING:

Congrats to the first ever Maine East Power Lifting Competitors - Patrycja Pekala, Angie Hernandez, Kayla Gregorio, Tino Mathew, Chris Macwan, Frankie Koziol, and Alvin Thomas as they competed in the St. Viator Invite vs. New Trier and St. Viator.  The Female competitors took home first place, and Kayla, Angie and Alvin took 1st place in their weight division.  Congrats on all your hard work paying off.  The team is now on to State, May 5th at New Trier.  Go ME Strength and Conditioning Power lifters!!




GLOBAL STUDIES - SPANISH:

In the summer of 2015 Mr. Bernie Lewis, French and Spanish teacher at Maine East, participated in a Fulbright trip to Bolivia and Peru.  The focus of the program was the effects of modernization on indigenous societies. In March, Mr. Lewis was a guest speaker in Mrs. Teresa Cipolletta’s Global Studies Accelerated class and in Mrs. Nicole Beyers’ Spanish 5 A.P. classes.


In Global Studies, students had been studying early Latin American civilizations including the Inca empire in South America.  To enhance their understanding of the impact of the indigenous culture, Mr. Lewis focused on Inca society and its continued impact on Bolivia and Peru today.  When responding to an exit slip asking what they found interesting in the presentation, one student commented, “I found interesting that when they take from mother nature that they must give back to mother nature. Usually here we don't really think about giving back to the earth, we usually just talk about the benefits that the earth gives us.”  Another student also found the connection to the earth interesting, stating, “The most interesting thing I found about the indigenous culture is that Mother Earth (referred to as Pachamama) is an aspect of reciprocity. Meaning whatever you take from the earth, you must give back, or else Pachamama will give you punishments like earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other natural disasters.” Other cross departmental presentations are scheduled for mid April.


In A.P. Spanish, students are studying cultural comparisons.  They were especially interested in global challenges as well as families and communities, which are A.P. themes.  As a follow up activity, students compared an energy shortage in Chile to the water shortage issues in Bolivia and Peru they learned during the presentation.

 




Thursday, April 5, 2018

April 5 News

Upcoming Calendar Events:


April 6 - Orchesis Concert 7:30 PM - 9 PM
April 7 - D207 International Celebration at Maine West 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
April 10 - SAT Test (Juniors only in attendance)
April 12 - Vaping/E-cigarettes presentation 6:30 PM
April 13 - Jazz Dinner Concert 7 PM - 8:30 PM
April 23 - Orchestra Gala 7 PM - 9 PM
April 27 - Finale Band & Choir Concert 7 PM - 9 PM

DISTRICT 207'S BEST:

District 207's Best for April - Technology Leader - Akash Magnadia
"Akash Magnadia has earned a reputation for being insightful, analytical, self-motivated, meticulous, tenacious, thoughtful, kind, and reliable. Having worked with him on my Leadership Team for the past three years, I have the highest regard for Akash Magnadia as a student, leader, and as a decent and kind human being. With his natural curiosity and his stick-to-it attitude, I am confident he will be successful in his future pursuits. It gives my great pleasure to recognize him as one of District 207’s Best!"

VAPE/DRUG PRESENTATION:

Please save the date!  Your are invited to attend a presentation hosted by Dr. Teri Collins (MCYAF) and School Resource Officer, Kevin Ryan (Park Ridge Police), discussing current trends regarding "VAPING" (electronic cigarettes) and Drugs in American High Schools.  The event will take place at Maine East High School on Thursday, April 12th at 6:30 p.m. in Room 230.

CHERRY PIE FESTIVAL:

Maine Historical Society held its annual Cherry Pie Festival on February 27, 2018.  Two hundred and thirty students were in attendance along with faculty and staff. Mr. Hussain Bhanpuri, a graduate of Maine East in 2000, was the guest speaker. Upon his high school graduation, Mr. Bhanpuri went to University of IL at Urbana/Champaign and graduated with a degree in Economics. He went on to join Americorps working with the nonprofit group, Chicago Community Ventures. Here, Mr. Bhanpuri helped create and manage a small business development course for entrepreneurs and existing business owners wanting to gain a few more insights on running a business.
As part of his role, he helped develop the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights that is now part of the Responsible Business Lending Coalition. Several lenders, brokers, and small business advocates have signed on to this, which provides for protection for small business borrowers against predatory and irresponsible lending practices. From there, Mr. Bhanpuri made the leap into the for-profit world, and currently serves as a Relationship Manager at CIBC US. In this role within the bank’s Community Development group, he helps ensure the bank provides investments and works with organizations and businesses located in low or moderate income communities and businesses that are under served.
 

Keeping with the tradition of this celebration, Mr. Bhanpuri shared the story of his immigrant father from Pakistan and what following the American dream has meant to his entire family.  He encouraged students to work hard and to set their goals high. Mr. Bhanpuri talked about George Washington and his legacy, concluding that his principals then were the same as ours are today; anything is possible if one is willing to fight for it. A number of students stayed and spoke to Mr. Bhanpuri after the presentation. They were interested in internship opportunities with his organization because many of them plan to pursue this line of work.  It was a rewarding exchange for Mr. Bhanpuri and the Maine East students alike.

MEHS POETRY SLAM:


On March 13, four members of the MEHS Poetry Slam team - Bella Principe, Michael Zoeller, Mya Pierson, and Ash Golebiewska - performed on “Windy City Live” on ABC7.  They recited their group piece entitled “A Critique of the Curriculum.” A clip of the performance can be found here.

The Slam Team did very well this year, placing second at the quarterfinals of Louder Than A Bomb on Tuesday 3/7 at Columbia College.  That showing earned the team a spot at the semifinals, held 3/11 at The Metro in Wrigleyville. At the semi-final bout, the team came in 3rd place, ending their great run.  

At the Louder Than A Bomb final event on March 18, Ash Golebiewska was honored with the Greyson Telander Brave Space Award, a prize given to the poet who has demonstrated great courage in tackling an important issue. Congratulations to Ash on this wonderful honor! At the event, Ash performed “Transgender Means I Have to Explain Myself.”

Congratulations to the Poetry Slam team and its coaches, Eric Coval and Nicole Beyers, for a great year!  Bravo.

POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION:

WORDWRIGHT CONTEST:

In the February contest of Wordwright, a national literary analysis competition, a team of Maine East students won high honors, as well as nine individual students.  Overall, more than 65,000 students from 48 states participated in the contest, which challenges students with nuanced comprehension questions about literary texts.

At the junior level, Maine East’s eleventh grade students placed 11th in the nation among a pool of 647 teams! Fantastic!  Congratulations to our junior entrants as well as their teachers: Bob Brown, Kate Lee-Chin, and Greg Lundberg. In terms of individuals, we had standouts at every level.  Sophomore Rebekah Choi earned a perfect score, which puts her in a group of just 12 students nationwide!

Other students who achieved great results include freshmen Alexia Kando, Ashutosh Kumar, Adisa Music, and Bella Piekut; junior Claudia Poptile; and seniors Myrrh Gobenciong, Christine Pae, and Rachel Vaidya. Congratulations to these nine students as well as their teachers: Greg Lundberg, Wendy Reitz, Don MIller, Kate Lee-Chin, and Maria Garvy.
ATHLETICS:
Registration for Summer Sport Camps begins on April 3rd, and is done on the East 8to18 website. Go to http://il.8to18.com/maineeast, and click on Registration. 


SCIENCE:


Maine East Students Engage in Research Through Argonne Program: Maine East students have been blazing trails in materials science research this year as part of a program called the Exemplary Student Research Program (ESRP.)  This program, sponsored by Argonne National Laboratory, allows participating high school students to engage in a real-world research experiment in conjunction with scientists at Argonne.  

Last Fall, students chose to study the properties of ferrofluids (iron nanoparticle-containing fluids that are used both commercially and in demonstrations of their unusual behavior in the presence of magnetic fields.)  Students wrote a research proposal in which they proposed an experiment that could reveal what was happening at the microscopic level in these fluids. After meeting with Argonne scientists, they designed and built several apparatuses to test their samples using the high-intensity x-rays generated by Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS) facility.  On March 17, students conducted their experiment at the lab. Preliminary results provide evidence for as-yet-unexplained ordering effects in the ferrofluid. Students are currently working to analyze these results. They are also preparing a poster to present at the May, APS Users Meeting.

This collaboration is facilitated by Maine East Science teacher Dr. David Schultz, who worked for four years at the APS as an assistant research professor.  The following students are involved in this project: Isaac Banes, William Cashen, Kacper Cebula, Erion Duro, Kristjan Gudmunsson, Cassidy Hicks, Nidhi Kadiwala, Akash Magnadia, Harshitha Padiyar, Richard Phan and Aleksandra Typkheeva.

Pictured from left to right: (Front row) Harshitha Padiyar, Nidhi Kadiwala, Erion Duro, and Kamila Wiadarek.  (Back row) William Cashen, Isaac Banes and Akash Magnadia.





Images show samples of the x-ray scattering data that students obtained in their experiment.  The image on the left shows the “ring” pattern of x-rays scattering through their sample. The image on the right shows how the intensities of one of these rings (far right) is “bumpy,” providing evidence for nanoparticle ordering.


Monday, March 19, 2018

March 19 News

Upcoming Calendar Events:


March 21 - Band Concert - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
March 22 - 60 Minute Homeroom (Juniors SAT pre-grid, Freshmen, Sophomores, & Seniors-details to follow)
March 26-30 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
April 2 - Teacher Institute Day - NO SCHOOL


HAVE A SAFE AND RELAXING SPRING BREAK!

EAST - WEST CONNECTION:
L_R: Mrs. Campisciano, Patrick Donnelly, and Sean Donnelly

I remember teaching Italian at Maine West a few years back and had a student by the name of Patrick Donnelly in my Italian 2/3/4 class.  I vividly remember Patrick, as he was serious about school and dedicated to learning Italian. I had no idea at the time, but learned later, that Patrick’s father, Mr. Donnelly, is the Custodial Supervisor at Maine East. While teaching at Maine East this year, I recently had a conversation with Mr. Donnelly, and learned that Patrick had decided to join the Army National Guard and would be deploying to Iraq soon. Patrick came in to chat with me about his experiences after high school at Kansas University and his decision to join the Army National Guard.  As he described what he’d be doing and where, I truly felt like he was speaking another language, one that I did not know, as he educated me about his work and upcoming experience. It was great to catch up with Patrick as he embarks on this very important journey. We often hear “it’s a small world”... isn’t it true?


Safe travels to Patrick!  We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Mrs. Campisciano Ungaro

HUNGER BANQUET:


AP Environmental Science students and Ecology Club members are hosting an Oxfam Hunger Banquet fundraiser to highlight the disparity in access to food and resources between low and high income groups. The purpose is to raise awareness about poverty and hunger around the world and help us to see the overlap between environmental and humanitarian issues. The Maine East Rhythm Project, our African drumming group, will be the entertainment for the night. The proceeds will be donated to our school-wide global initiative, supporting hurricane survivors in Puerto Rico (Unidos Por Puerto Rico). The last Hunger Banquet event in 2016 raised over $300 for our school-wide initiative. Tickets are $5 for Maine East students and $10 for others and can be purchased at the bookstore.  We only have 60 tickets so get yours now! If you'd like to purchase a ticket for a student to attend, let us know.


When: Thursday, March 22, 2016 5:00 pm - 6:30
Where: Maine East High School Faculty Lounge

Email Shelby Riha with inquiries: sriha@maine207.org

JUNIOR LEADERS:

The PE Junior Leaders had a busy month.  February began with CPR/AED training. Our focus began on safety and soon blossomed into celebration. Junior Mateusz Wilk learned CPR in his Sophomore Physical Education Class last year. He never thought what he had learned in his CPR unit would transfer over to a real life experience.  In the summer of 2017 while on a family vacation, Mateusz leapt into action when his younger brother Conrad began choking during mealtime. Without hesitation, Mateusz performed the Heimlich Maneuver and saved his brother’s life!  On Tuesday, February 20th at the Senior Night Boys Basketball game, we celebrated with both brothers at our Healthy Hearts Night. The Junior Leader Program raised over $800 dollars for the American Heart Association.  Each dollar raised supports research, training, and CPR education across America.
Conrad (Left) and Mateusz (Right) 

For part of our CPR/AED unit, the leaders also were exposed to personal safety and self-defense. Master Jeong from Maxma Martial Arts in Niles led our leaders through an intense class of Taekwondo. Assisting him was our very own Junior Leader, JJ Sergey. JJ is a current student of Master Jeong and assisted in organizing the event. We are grateful to all of our community members who donated their time and expertise to make that day a tremendous event.

NEWS FROM THE CRC:

Please encourage your students to take part in the following important events hosted by the CRC staff. Please use the links for additional information, and to see which schools will be participating. If you have further question, please contact Alen Ibrahimovic at (847) 692-8514 or aibrahimovic@maine207.org

College Panels will be Tuesday, March 20 - Thursday March 22. 

Benefits of spring panels:
● Learn about several schools during the same class period
● You’ll miss less class time to get more information
● Get exposed to new schools

College Panels

The Post-Secondary Options Fair will be Wednesday, April 4


Representatives from a wide range of post-secondary training options will join us to provide our students with the opportunity to learn firsthand about some of the programs available to them as they plan for their lives after Maine East!

Students may also attend in the 20 minutes before school begins, during their morning free period, or with permission from their teacher during periods 1, 2, or 3a. Any students exploring on their own will be able to pick up an Options Fair Pass and Student Planning Guide from the CRC on Tuesday, April 3, 2018.


Thursday, March 8, 2018

March 8



Upcoming Calendar Events:

March 14- Band Concert 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
March 21 - Orchestra Concert - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
March 22 - 60 Minute Homeroom (Juniors SAT pre-grid, Freshmen, Sophomores, & Seniors-details to follow)
March 26-30 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL


DISTRICT 207'S BEST:


D207's Best for Elective Area of Achievement - Ali Chaus




Ali Chaus truly exemplifies what being a well-balanced, selfless high school citizen is all about. Ali is a very talented, well rounded young man. His ability to lead and help others, his achievement in both core and elective classes (particularly his exceptional business and financial knowledge) positions him for success in college and beyond. We are proud to recognize Ali as one of “207’s Best”!



DISTRICT 207 TEACHERS HONORED WITH SUPERINTENDENT'S AWARD:


L-R: Shelby Riha, Karen Hall, and Carrie Saurer

At a recent Board of Education Meeting, District 207 Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace presented teachers Karen Hall and Carrie Saurer with the Superintendent's Award in recognition of their Tony nominations for  Excellence in Theatre Education.

He also presented the Superintendent's Award to Shelby Riha in recognition of her being named Teacher of the Year by Friends of the Chicago River.









myON Reading Challenge: 

Fifty-one Maine East students completed the Black History Month myON Reading Challenge. In order to complete the challenge, students selected three informational biographies or topics about African American history.  Congratulations to Magali Medina-Palillero, winner of a $20.00 gift card.

The March into a Career Challenge is due the Tuesday after Spring Break.

Magali Medina-Palillero (Center) with her teachers Kim Uribe and Natalie Bourn
  


FINE ARTS:

Welcoming Maine East Alum Jaygee Macapugay

On Thursday, March 1st during 6th and 7th Periods in the Auditorium, Maine East welcomed alum Jaygee Macapugay, Class of 92 as she visited with the Cast, Crew and Pit of SHREK. Jaygee just completed a 2 year run on Broadway as a cast member of Andrew Lloyd Webber's SCHOOL of ROCK.  Among her other theatrical credits, she has also starred as Imelda Marcos in HERE LIES LOVE.  This is a great opportunity for our students to hear from a Maine East success story.  





NEWS FROM THE CRC:


Options Fair!
                        
Student Cafeteria
April 4, 2018
8:30 am - 10:30 am
End of Collaboration &
Periods 1, 2, and 3a

Students can visit with representatives from two-year schools, the trades, and the military during their morning free period, or with permission from their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd period teacher.

Stop by the CRC for a pass!

ATHLETICS:

We are pleased to announce Robert Winkel as Head Football Coach at Maine East High School. Coach Winkel brings an extremely high level of skill and knowledge of the game along with compelling energy, high expectations, and a clear vision for the future to the Maine East Football program. Coach Winkel has developed a detailed action plan to build for the 2018 season - he looks forward to getting started by meeting the team, parents, and other members of the Maine East community.

For the past four years, Bob has been on the Varsity Football staff at East Aurora High School, where he spent two years as Linebackers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator before becoming the Defensive Coordinator for the last two years. In the four years at East Aurora, Bob worked tirelessly with the rest of the coaching staff to increase numbers and competitiveness for the entire program.  


Prior to his experience at East Aurora, Bob played linebacker and special teams at Northern Illinois. During his time there, Northern Illinois won three Mid American Conference Championships and participated in three bowl games, including the Discover Orange Bowl during the 2012-13 season.

DANCE:


The Maine East Dance Program has started a blog to keep you informed about their accomplishments and upcoming events. Please click on the following link for to access their blog: Maine East Dance

If you have any questions or concerns about the Dance Program at Maine East, please email Mrs. Greiwe at kgreiwe@maine207.org