OPRFHS celebrates spring 2006 awards!

 

          Congratulations to Trapeze editors Chris McCole and Elena Levenson, on their winning the national Quill and Scroll journalism competition. Chris won for a sports story, "Playing the Offense," against 354 other students nationwide. Twenty-six were awarded. Elena was one of 127 winners nationwide, and won for her part in team coverage on the former Oak Park and River Forest alumna who was slain last year. Both are now eligible for Quill and Scroll scholarships of up to $1,500. Congratulations to Trapeze sponsor Elizabeth Kaufman and former Trapeze sponsor Toni Milak.

   At the Best Buddies Illinois Friendship Field Days hosted at OPRFHS in March, our students won the Best Chapter in the state award for the second time since the chapter’s founding five years ago. Co-sponsor Pat Crane also won a 5-year service award.

    

     Ian Flanagan was one of only 952 out the 135,000 students who took the 2006 National Latin Exam to receive a perfect score (40 out of 40).

      Other students honored were: summa cum laude (gold medal) - Ian Flanagan, Connor Stratton, Jack Trage, Brian Stratton, Eliot Abrams, Colin  McCarey, Cressie Stegner-Freitag, Sam Linder, Rachel Barnes Jamieson, Peter Stein, James Clark, Carling Fitzsimmons, Jennifer Monson, Matthew Campuzano, Clare Riesman; maxima cum laude (silver medal) - Emma Lewis, Nicholas Thompson, Morgan Schmidt, Jonathan Cox, Genevieve Wilkie, Daniel Foster, Jake Silverman, Tristan Rogers, Danielle Draper, Kimberley Monks, Josh Uchitelle-Pierce, Julia Locascio, Wes Samore; magna cum laude - John Value, Dan Hrynko, Sad'e Smith, Florian Schalliol, Claire Jolicoeur, Aaron Lesser, Sam Feldman, Karl Vogel, Sam Frank, Guillaume DePerlinghi, Caroline Holkeboer, Doug Goldsmith, Mel Kassel, Matt Puccetti, Pete Rhomberg; cum laude - Dan Martin, Devin Rusnak, Katy Dammers, Rachel White, Michael Browne, Gerard Gerace, Anthony Masi, Yijia Luo, Will Monson, Kate Swain, Mattie Prodanovic, Greg Holzer, Martha Baumgarten, Alli Slowiak, Amelia Hazinski.

       Our students swept the 13th Annual Chicagoland Television Video Festival, competing against more than 40 schools and 410 entries. Winning awards and students were: 1st Place Stop Motion Animation - Alex Curtis; 1st Place Public Service Announcement - Kirsten Plomin & Abby Heller; 2nd Place Music Video - Matt Mitchener; 3rd Place Music Video - Kris Rey-Talley and Sam Wootten; 3rd Place News Feature - Cathy Kelley and Joe Albano; 3rd Place News Program - Josh Prisching and Claire Johnson (Newscene).

     Also, Lorne Golman received an honorable mention from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his PSA on "Railroad Crossing Safety."  

     Also receiving certificates were Platinum - Lorne Golman; Gold - Lorne Golman, Sam Mausner; Silver - Lauren Grudzien, Isabel Jarvis, Joy Jones, and Bronze - Ryan O'Malley, Matt Mitchener, Nico Marquez, Lorne Golman.

     Congratulations to OPRFHS film, television and radio teacher John Condne!

     Congratulations to our math team and sponsors Sheila Hardin, Joe Kostal, Tia Campbell and Kay Moran at the ICTM State Math Team Competition at the University of Illinois at Champaign. John Binder took 4th place in the Algebra 2 written competition, and the junior team placed 5th overall in the written competition. Team members are John Binder, Charlie Barrows, Dan Turcza, Kay Lee, Andy Soffer and Gavin Schalliol. Our Junior-Senior relay team of Hannes Schimmelpfenng, Adam Schaal, Charlie Barrows and Kevin Wyllie placed 4th.

      OPRFHS placed 12th overall leading to a Most Improved Award from ICTM. 

     Also, congratulations to all of our students who participated in the second round of the national American Mathematics Competition: OPRF’s team score ranked us 60th in the nation.  In addition, John Binder qualified to take the highest level of competition – a 9-hour exam over two days.

    Congratulations to OPRFHS math teacher Sheila Hardin and freshman Kevin Binder, winners of the "Use 'NUMB3RS' Every Day for a Hollywood Get-Away" Sweepstakes, sponsored by Texas Instruments in partnership with the “NUMB3RS” television series for CBS. Kevin Binder, who nominated Ms. Hardin, will receive a four-day, three-night trip to Hollywood for him and his family, including a meet-and-greet with a "NUMB3RS" cast member and a visit to the show's filming location. Ms. Hardin will receive the grand prize trip to Hollywood for her and her family and a walk-on role on "NUMB3RS."

     Congratulations to freshman Miles Gillenwater who placed 8th in the 5-state region in Class 8 level rings at the U.S. Gymnastics Association’s regional competition in men’s gymnastics!  

     OPRF’s 13 student and staff teams raised $17,500 in the fight against cancer as part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event May 5-6. Luke Zavala was the main coordinator of the student teams and participation in the week-long fundraising effort that culminated in an all night event at Concordia’s track. Of participating high schools and colleges, OPRF ranked second highest in participants and dollars raised, helping to bring in more than $52,000 for cancer research!

     About $8,750 raised for PADS and the Food Pantry from the community Empty Bowls Dinner project.

     Congratulations to the following OPRFHS students who were honored for their outstanding volunteer accomplishments at the Applauding Our Youth ceremony, sponsored by the Volunteer Center, Hephzibah, and the Villages of Oak Park and River Forest: Tyesha Malone, Tomas DeMedici, Michael Bindoku, Chris Wilson and Luke Zavala. Other OPRFHS students were honored by individual organizations such as Hephzibah, Shriners Hospital, the Ernest Hemingway Foundation and the libraries for their assistance.

     Michelle Mbekeani was asked to provide the keynote speech for the Village of Oak Park Health Department’s annual banquet and awards ceremony, “Designing Healthy Communities, Raising Healthy KIDS,” during National Public Health Week.

 

 

Graduating '06 senior athletes sign letters of intent

 

     Congratulations to the following student athletes who have recently signed letters-of-intent, committed to accept athletic scholarships, or indicated their participation to continue to pursue their respective sports at the collegiate level.  

       

2006 OPRFHS STUDENT-ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Carlie Beach,Volleyball,Grinnell College

Ashleen Bracey,Basketball,Illinois State University

Sarah Bunch,Soccer,University of Santa Barbara

Jacob Cappell,Tennis,Whitman College

Amanda Corcos,Soccer,University of Chicago

John Davis,Wrestling,Lincoln College

Annie Demas,Softball,DePaul University

Aly Euler,Softball,Northwestern University

Bobby Fratto,Baseball,Oakton College

Camille Gebert,Tennis,St. Mary's (IN)

Kathryn Gevitz,Track & Field,University of Pennsylvania

Deann Green,Track & Field,Rutgers University

Jim Gullo,Soccer,U.S. Air Force Academy

Robin Hargadon,Soccer,University of Rochester

Andrew Hagins,Baseball,St. Francis University (IL)

Liz Herner,Diving,Illinois State University

Katie Hopkins,Track & Field,Indiana University

Emily Japlon,Swimming,Tufts University

Tori Karsten,Field Hockey,University of Delaware

Meaghan Kelly,Lacrosse,Regis University

Megan Kiefer,Softball / Cross Country, Smith College

Jon Meacham,Football,Illinois Wesleyan

Anna Moriarty,Lacrosse,University of Redlands

Brendan Murphy,Cross Country,Wheaton College

Alissa Pullos,Field Hockey,University of Michigan

Jeremy Potts,Football,Carroll College

Jared Rifis,Soccer,Butler University

Holly Roadruck,Softball,St. Joseph's College (IN)

Leslie Robertson,Lacrosse,Allegheny College

Brett Schiffman,Football,Washington University (MO)

Katie Todd,Field Hockey,Colby College

Todd Teren,X-C / Track,U.S. Naval Academy

Kendra Zager,Field Hockey,Depauw University (IN)

 

Dr. Goldberg wins national global understanding award

     Congratulations to history teacher Steve Goldberg on being selected to receive the 2005 NCSS Award for Global Understanding given in honor of James M. Becker. The National Council for Social Studies honors outstanding teachers and researchers who have made notable contributions in helping social studies students increase their understanding of the world. The award was presented during the 85th Annual Conference of the National Council for Social Studies, “Social Studies: The Heart of Curriculum” in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 18-20. Dr. Goldberg was also asked to present a special session on global education at this prestigious national conference. Dr. Goldberg,teaches history, philosophy and Asian Studies courses at OPRFHS, and will be started a Middle Eastern Studies course next year. A Fulbright scholar who has studied in Japan and in China, Dr. Goldberg also co-leads educational trips to India for OPRF students with two Oak Park physicians who are knowledgeable about the country, its culture, and history. 

 

Baseball Coach Chris Ledbetter named Area Coach of Year

       Oak Park and River Forest High School is proud to announce that Baseball Coach Chris Ledbetter has been selected the Area Coach of the Year, an award given to recognize outstanding coaches who have led their teams to an exceptional season of play. This is the second time that Coach Ledbetter, a physical educaiton teacher at OPRF, has received this prestigious award during his 5-year coaching career at the high school. He received teh award his first year as a coach. 

     “The kids earned this award,” Coach Ledbetter said. “I have good kids. They work hard. This award is because of the students I have the honor of coaching.”

 

 

OPRFHS softball coach and state Softball Coach of Year celebrates 400th win!

       OPRFHS Softball Coach Mel Kolbusz earned his 400th win Tuesday, April 11, in a 4-0 victory over Wheaton-Warrenville North!  Mr. Kolbusz has a career record of 400-94-2 over 14 seasons as head coach of the Huskies and currently ranks 20th in the state of Illinois for career victories for high school coaches!

     The Huskies are currently 9-1-1 on the season and ranked 6th in the state. Congratulations! 

 

 

OPRF Board approves proposal for Stadium lights

 

 

OPRFHS receives final discipline audit findings

 

Nov. 4, 2005 - The Oak Park and River Forest High School Board of Education and administration have received the long-awaited final report of the nearly year and a half long discipline audit. The Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education (SCCROE) concluded its comprehensive review of the high school’s discipline system and procedures, issuing a three-page report that finds that the high school has been consistent in its application of disciplinary actions and consequences. The report also includes several recommendations for improving communications and sensitivity related to disciplinary issues.

 

“To the best of our knowledge, based on the data supplied, the SCCROE review committee can find no difference in the disciplinary consequences dealt to a child once the child is in the discipline system,” the report stated. “It must be understood that confidentiality regarding student discipline is a mandated regulation for school districts; thus, it may be the perception that consequences are not applied equally when specific information can only be shared with a parent or guardian.”

 

 

Regional Superintendent Robert Ingraffia will discuss the team’s findings at a Board of Education meeting to be scheduled later this month. A Nov. 8 meeting to receive initial comment on the report has been cancelled. 

 

The report commends OPRFHS for its policy of holding expulsions in abeyance, offering students the option of continuing their education off-site at the District’s expense rather than ending their schooling. The team also commended the school for the breadth and depth of its co-curricular, guidance and support services.

The audit also recommends the school consider the following improvements or changes:

 

·         Tempering its wide-open door policy:  “…this openness is interfering with the administrators’ ability to fulfill their primary objective – the education of the students in their charge;”

·         Improving communication between parents and disciplinary personnel.  Parents anguished about their child’s impending expulsion need timely and  “meaningful dialogue;”

·         Improving training for its deans of discipline and deans;

·         Becoming more preventive and proactive in keeping students out of the system;

·         Providing staff in-service sensitivity and diversity training;

·         Reviewing the efficacy of the dual position of Superintendent/Principal.

 

 

The Board and school administration will discuss these recommendations on Tuesday.

 

 

“We deeply appreciate the time and care the Regional Superintendent and his team have spent over the last year examining these issues, reviewing the complaints and cases in depth, and interviewing our parents, students, and staff,” District 200 Board of Education President John Rigas said. ‘Their comprehensive research and their findings provide all of us with important insights that will only strengthen our discipline system and improve the way we work together with our families on behalf of our students.”

 

 

The report documents the steps the auditing team took over the last months in reaching its findings.  In addition to extensive time spent reviewing school records and statistical data and interviewing school personnel, the team actively pursued parents and parties who might wish to express concerns or lodge complaints about the disciplinary system, extending its deadlines several times to try to solicit responses from additional families and sources. On Aug. 9, 2005, the team mailed final individual invitations to every family of students whose disciplinary files the team had reviewed, as well as additional parents identified by the Citizens Code of Conduct Committee.

 

 

In July 2004, five Illinois legislators, led by State Senator Don Harmon, asked the regional office of the Illinois State Board of Education to conduct the audit in response to concerns raised to them directly by representatives of A.P.P.L.E. (African-American Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education), a group representing parents of District 200 students who raised concerns about disciplinary procedures at the school.  A group called the Citizens Code of Conduct Committee also joined A.P.P.L.E. in expressing concern about the consistency, fairness, adequacy and application of ORPFHS disciplinary procedures and policies.  Both groups had asked for an independent review/audit of the high school’s discipline system.

 

 

In September 2004, the four-person audit team began its work. The team reviewed District 200 written discipline policies and procedures and comprehensive and comparative data kept over several years; requested and received written information on discipline policies and procedures; conducted interviews with District 200/OPRFHS personnel and with representatives of A.P.P.L.E. and Code of Conduct parents, and reviewed specific discipline cases that were of specific concerns to these parent/community groups.

 

 

 

 

Nov. 3, 2005 - Oak Park and River Forest High School celebrated its 23rd annual Tradition of Excellence Awards with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3 and student assemblies at 8:45 –9:35 a.m. and 9:40 – 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4.  Established by the Class of 1982, the award has been presented annually to a total of 85 alumni or former students who have distinguished themselves professionally and who, through these accomplishments, have brought great credit to their alma mater. This year, the selection committee has honored four alumni who have made significant contributions in their  fields of entertainment and broadcasting, education, musical composition and film scoring, and community service. 

 “Through their outstanding professional pursuits and contributions to our society, these alumni truly embody our school’s motto, ‘Those things that are best.’ We applaud them for their accomplishments and thank them for the inspiration they provide to our students here today,” said Dr. Susan Bridge, Superintendent/Principal.

OPRFHS is proud to announce it 2005 Tradition of Excellence winners:

 

Paul Harvey Aurandt, Jr. - Class of 1966  - Author / Radio Producer

Author, pianist, composer, and broadcaster Paul Harvey, Jr. is creator, producer, and writer of the longest-running and most popular series in radio history, “The Rest of the Story® ,”  which ran for twenty-nine years. His musical credits include a successful twelve-year concert career and numerous original compositions, among them an opera and a piano sonata, which has been recorded by concert pianist Robert Hamilton.  As a broadcaster, Paul Harvey Jr. created, produced, and starred in films, and has written, produced and hosted two news specials entitled “American Family Album.”  His play, “Burton,” premiered July 1996 at the Caldwell Theatre Company in Florida. Recent honors include his 2001 induction into the Radio Hall of Fame and two Edward R. Murrow Awards for writing presented in 2000 and 2004 by the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

 

Alex Wurman - Class of 1984 - Music/Composer

Film composer Alex Wurman is a versatile composer with a broad musical palette.  His compositions include piano melodies of “ Confessions of A Dangerous Mind,” orchestral chases of “Hollywood Homicide,” the Emmy-nominated HBO film “Normal,” and soulful melodies combined with ethereal orchestrations for “March of the Penguins,” in which the music gives voice to the characters. His signature style is defined by an emphasis on harmony, rhythm and melody, not sound design. Mr. Wurman hails from a family with generations spent devoted to the study and performance of music. He has won the respect of directors and film critics alike.

 

Mike Feinberg - Class of 1987 - Education

Mike Feinberg is co-founder of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Foundation and the Superintendent of KIPP Houston, which includes two middle schools, an early childhood and elementary school and a high school.  Today, KIPP is a network of more than 45 high-performing schools around the nation. KIPP has been recognized by First Lady Laura Bush, featured on CBS Sixty Minutes, ABC World News Tonight, in The New York Times, Houston Chronicle, Washington Post, and more.  Among the many awards Mr. Feinberg has received are the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service from the City of Houston and the Heritage Foundation's Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship. In 2004, he was named an Ashoka Fellow, awarded to leading social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions and the potential to change patterns across society. 

 

Patricia S. Paulsen - Class of 1945 - Community Service

Patricia S. Paulsen has served the community of Flossmoor in many ways. Among her many service contributions in the area of public service, she has served as the President of the League of Women Voters and President of the Iron Oaks Foundation Board. In 1973, she became the first woman elected as a Trustee of the Village of Flossmoor. Patricia has been instrumental in the formation and operation of numerous charitable and cultural programs in Chicago’s southern suburbs, including PADS, a shelter for the homeless. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Eureka College.

 

 

 

 

 What's a little snow when you're a hardy Huskie!

 

  

     Scores of other Chicagoland schools may close during Chicago's winter snows, but at Oak Park and River Forest High School, you'll find the first hardy Huskies bravely and proudly walking through the doors as early as 7 a.m. regardless of the dire forecast or the state of village streets. At OPRFHS, students have learned the lessons of history well. In its 134 years, the high school has closed for snow only four times.
 
1. Tuesday March 25, 1930 14.2 inches of snow
2. Monday January 9, 1939 14.9 inches of snow
3. Friday January 27, 1967 24 inches of snow
4. Monday January 25, 1979 20.7 inches of snow
 
     It is no coincidence that our school's mascot is the Siberian Husky!

     State education officials say snow closings are a local district decision based solely on local conditions. In determining the danger of the next day’s conditions, school leaders consult updated weather reports and discuss the decision with counterparts from Associate School Districts.  The Superintendent and other school leaders also drive the roads, Eisenhower Expressway, watch the L, and look for buses to check conditions and accessibility before making a final decision.

     Often times, school districts must close because their bus companies cannot provide timely service, given the complex logistics of dispatching a fleet of buses in poor weather. But District 200 students typically walk or drive to school or take public transportation -- all feasible options for most, even during heavy snows.

    Much is made of the danger of wind chill, but the National Weather Service and Tom Skilling, WGN-TV weather forecaster, note that wind chill remains an imprecise factor. Forecasters sometimes cite wind chill factors of minus-20 or below as a threshold to take appropriate precautions. But proper dress eliminates any real danger. Wind chill doesn't become a direct threat unless in the range of -50 or below like during the winter of 1982, when real temperatures were minus-20 and lower and “wind chills were relentlessly barbaric,” Skilling said.

     The school calendar also plays a key role. Snow makeup days would require attendance on days already scheduled holidays, such as the Friday before spring break. Students also could be required to return to school after June commencement for makeup days, which could conflict with the scheduled start of summer school, family vacations, and faculty and staff summer employment.

     For the time being, OPRFHS proudly maintains its philosophical Midwestern attitude of “This is Chicago, and it’s winter.  We’re made of tough stuff." School records show there was another time in the early 1900s when the school closed during a particularly ferocious community outbreak of tuberculosis or influenza.

While we’re proud of our record of keeping school open, we’re also mindful of the risks and dangers during inclement weather, and we take precautions and make decisions based on good information. 

 

 

       

 

 

London’s top teen poets explore Chicago’s spoken word roots   

Seven of London’s top teen poets are arriving next week for their “ grand prize” tour of Chicago, the birthplace of America’s Spoken Word scene. Thanks to an alliance with Oak Park and River Forest High School’s Spoken Word program, the winners of the 3rd Annual Inner London Teen Poetry Slam will be guests of the high school from November 5-12.The winning team of seven students is from the Lister Secondary School in the borough of Newham. They will be joined by their teacher, Katie Dwight; their coach and well-known London DJ, Charlie Dark; by Jacob Sam-La Rose, a founding member of the renowned writing and poetry cooperative, “Malika’s Kitchen,” and by two college-aged teen poets.

 

While here, the London students will perform with OPRF students at the Spoken Word Fall Showcase, at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 8, in the OPRF Little Theatre. Other highlights of the trip include a performance with Julian Middle School students; a guest teaching and performance experience at the University of Illinois Chicago; a performance at Kenwood Academy in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, and a performance as part of Malika’s Kitchen International Poetry Gathering at the Silver Room, 1442 N. Milwaukee Ave.

 

This 3 ^rd annual exchange has been coordinated by Peter Kahn, the OPRFHS Spoken Word Club and faculty member who took a two-year leave of absence in London to explore innovative uses of spoken word within school settings to inspire student achievement.  One of the original “Malika’s Poetry Kitchen” members, Mr. Kahn worked with fellow poets and the Lynk Write arts organization to develop the London Teen Poetry Slam and take spoken word and new writing techniques into schools and theatres throughout inner city London – work that merited a feature write-up in the Times’ Literary Supplement.

 

Upon his return to OPRFHS, Mr. Kahn resumed his sponsorship of the OPRFHS Spoken Word Club, and developed an innovative pilot program at OPRFHS that currently works with teachers and students to incorporate spoken word techniques throughout the curriculum. The seven teen poets from London were among the more than 70 students who made it to the finals slam competition this past summer, vying for the coveted top prize of a trip to Chicago. Their written and verbal virtuosity transforms disadvantage and hardship into powerful social commentary, compelling rhyme, and riveting performances.  

 

 

OPRFHS honors 2005-06 National Merit program semifinalists

 

The National Merit semifinalists are among 16,000 academically talented students named nationally who represent less than 1 percent of the nation’s high school seniors. The Oak Park and River Forest High School students named are: Caitlin R. Bray, Dara H. Carroll, Amanda R. Corcos, Elizabeth M. Dengel, Erin L. Dudek, Victoria G. Gillet, Franklin R. Guenthner, Samuel M. Kaplan, Elena V. Levenson, Brian D. Libgober, Lauren N. Lucchese, Jonathan Monroe-Cook, Jane M. Papke, Clo Pazera, Kathryn A. Risher, Adam C. Schaal, and Simon Schneider.

"We applaud these students’ exceptional achievement and the dedication and hard work their semifinalist status represents," said Superintendent/Principal Dr. Susan Bridge. "We thank their families and their elementary schools for preparing them so well for the challenges of rigorous academic work. Their success also is an indicator of the high caliber of instruction that our faculty is able to offer our two communities’ high school students."

Of 178 participating Illinois schools, OPRFHS tied for sixth in the state this year in the number of National Merit semifinalists in the 2005-06 program.

More than 1.3 million juniors participated in the 2006 National Merit Program by taking the 2004 PSAT/NMSQT test. Only the highest scoring students in the state were named semifinalists. These students are eligible to advance to finalist standing.

The National Achievement Scholarship program semifinalists and National Hispanic Program Scholars will be announced publicly on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

 

OPRFHS honors 2005-06 Achievement, Hispanic scholars

Sept. 28, 2005 - Oak Park and River Forest High School is proud to announce that nine of its students have received top placement in the National Achievement Scholarship Program and in the National Hispanic Scholars program in recognition of their exceptional academic achievement.

 

The National Achievement Scholarship Program semifinalists are among the 1,600 academically talented seniors named nationally in the 42nd year of this National Merit Scholarship-sponsored program. The Oak Park and River Forest High School students named are: Alison M. Barthwell, Allison D. Brackley, Nicholas D. Demorest, Janel N. Higgs, Andrew S. Peel, and Kyra C. Pulliam.

 

Of 49 Illinois schools participating in the 2005-06 National Achievement Scholarship program, OPRFHS tied with two other schools in having the third highest number of semifinalists in the state next to St. Ignatius College Prep and Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.  Only the highest scoring students in the state were named Achievement semifinalists who are now eligible to advance to finalist standing.

 

In addition, three OPRFHS students were among the 3,300 selected nationally to be named National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars in the College Board program:Leonard S. DeFranco, Hillary R. Esqueda, and Angela Rivera.

 

“All of these students have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement due to dedication and hard work,” said Superintendent/Principal Dr. Susan Bridge. “We thank their families for supporting and nurturing their students’ success, and we acknowledge their teachers, who through the years have prepared these students so well for rigorous academic work.”

 

Earlier this month, the National Merit Scholarship Program had announced that 17 OPRFHS students had attained National Merit semifinalist ranking. 

 

 

State releases 2005 PSAE/ACT scores

Aug. 25, 2005 - Preliminary reports on stsate mandated Prairie State Achivement Exams, which include the ACT college-entrance exam, taken by Oak Park and River Forest High School juniors in the Spring of 2005 indicate that OPRFHS remains consistently ahead of state averages in all areas, according to an initial analysis by OPRFHS Director of Instruction Amy Hill. 

 

The ACT analysis also shows that OPRF students on average scored higher than their peers statewide no matter the level of math and science courses they had completed. For instance, OPRF students who reported taking higher level math courses, including algebra, geometry and trigonometry and calculus, scored 28.1 compared to 25 statewide. OPRF students who reported taking a biology/chemistry/physics science sequence scored 24.9, a full point higher than peers statewide who reported taking a similar high school course sequence.

 

New this year, the ACT has established "college readiness benchmark scores." These benchmarks indicate the minimum score a student should have on an ACT subject-area test as an indication of their having about a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in a corresponding college-level course. Thirty-seven percent of OPRF students - compared with 20 % statewide -- met all four benchmarks: 78% of OPRF students met the 18 English test benchmark score (contrasted with 63% statewide); 59 % met the 22 Math score (38% statewide); 64 % met the 21 ACT reading test benchmark for college-level social sciences (45 % statewide), and 41 % met the college biology benchmark of 24 on the ACT Science test, compared to 25 % statewide. This is the first year the ACT has included these benchmarks and the district has not yet had a chance to analyze their significance or compare the results with other peer schools, said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Phil Prale.

 

PSAE and Illinois Alternate Assessment
The preliminary analysis of 2005 PSAE scores indicate progress in meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind law, despite some disappointing setbacks in math and science. OPRFHS tested 99.7 % of its juniors, a total of 745, well surpassing the required 95 % participation rates set for all subgroups, an improvement over last year, when OPRF fell short of required participation rates for its special education students. (NCLB requires schools to report data separately for NCLB-defined groups if the school has 45 or more students who are identified within those groups or categories.) Reading scores appear to show strong gains from 2004, with 76.4 % of all students tested meeting or exceeding state standards - a 5-point increase from 2004 for students as a whole.

 

"Gains in some subgroups were even more dramatic," said Ms. Hill. An additional 7.7 % of African American students and an additional 17.8 % of low-income students (qualifying for free/reduced lunch) students met or exceeded state standards compared to 2004. Preliminary results indicate the school made AYP in reading for all subgroups.

 

The reasons for these increases are speculative until further analysis of the data, Ms. Hill said. However, the district and its academic divisions have focused considerable resources and attention on initiatives that may have contributed to improved test performance, including an intensive focus on preparing freshmen to move out of transition level courses into college prep courses by second semester; on moving students toward more rigorous honors level studies; on training teachers in all content areas how to use effective literacy strategies to increase students’ understanding of course materials, and in incorporating Spoken Word strategies throughout the curriculum, as well as expanding its co-curricular reach.

 

Preliminary data show disappointing math and science results, however. The percentage of African American students meeting or exceeding math standards declined 10 % in 2005 after a four-year trend of improving math scores. Overall, the percentage of juniors meeting or exceeding state math standards was at its lowest rate in five years, dipping to 65.7 % from 69 % in 2004. Only female, Asian/Pacific Islander and free/reduced lunch students showed modest gains. It appears OPRFHS did not make AYP in math performance for African-American, special education and low-income students. In Science, 68.4 % of the students met or exceeded standards compared to 67.9 % last year, with only female, Asian/Pacific Islander and free/reduced lunch students showing percentage gains. AYP goals are not applicable in science until next year.

 

"The reason for these disappointing results is really a big question mark at this time," Ms. Hill said. The district intends to continue mining the ACT and PSAE data throughout the coming year to try to get answers. For instance, the district will look at the individual records of all students who did not meet standards to see what courses they have taken in hopes of identifying specific curriculum or support program deficits and needs.

 

"We will be studying the data carefully throughout the year to assess how we can continue to improve student performance on these tests and positively affect their overall academic achievement," Ms. Hill said.

 

Since the 2001-02 school year, the state has required all juniors, with few formal exemptions, to take the ACT standardized college admission test as part of the overall state mandated standardized assessments. The number of OPRF juniors taking the ACT portion of the PSAE last spring was 716, compared with 509 students tested in the 2000-01 school year and 652 in the 2003-04 year. In 2005, the composite average score for OPRF students was 23.2 compared with the state average of 20.3. By subject area, OPRF students’ average score in English was 23.3 compared with the state average of 19.9; in reading, OPRF students averaged 23.6 compared to the state’s 20.3; in math, they scored 23.1 compared to the state’s 20.2, and in science, 22.4 compared to 20.4.    Sept. 14, 2005 - Oak Park and River Forest High School is proud to announce that 17 of its students have placed as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists in the 2005-06 program.

 
Other Chicagoland schools may close by the score during Chicago's winter snows. But at Oak Park and River Forest High School, the first hardy Huskies are typically starting to straggle through the doors as early as 7 a.m. At OPRFHS, students know the lessons of history. In its 134 years, the high school has closed for snow only four times:  

Tuesday March 25, 1930 - 14.2 inches of snow

Monday January 9, 1939 - 14.9 inches of snow

Friday January 27, 1967 - 24 inches of snow

Monday January 25, 1979 - 20.7 inches of snow

It is no coincidence that the school's mascot is a Siberian Husky!

School records show there was another time in the early 1900s when the school closed during a particularly ferocious community outbreak of tuberculous or influenza. Students, take heart, though: based on the dates of the closings above, OPRFHS is long overdue for a 5th closure. Could this be the year?

March 10, 2006 - At a special meeting on Thursday, March 9, the Oak Park and River Forest High School Board of Education voted in favor of a proposal to install lights on the Stadium field and directed the administration to be ready to present a detailed proposal to the Village of Oak Park for necessary zoning/planning approval by late Fall 2006.

 

The Board vote authorized a resolution: "to approve the proposal to install lights on the O.P.R.F.H.S. Stadium Field and to send the proposal to the Village of Oak Park subject to restrictions concerning lighting technology, game start times, number of games, practice times, the establishment of a neighborhood advisory committee, preparation of a comprehensive security plan in conjunction with the Villages of Oak Park and River Forest, a litter control plan, a traffic and safety plan, and related matters, and the limitation of use by non-OPRF teams."

 

Following approval of the resolution, the Board directed high school administrative staff to begin developing the necessary detailed plans related to these restrictions and conditions, including a comprehensive traffic and parking study to be conducted by consultants next fall. The Board indicated it would plan to bring a lighting proposal forward to the Village after the completion of the traffic study, probably in late Fall 2006.  The matter would likely go to the Plan Commission or Zoning Board, at the Village's direction.   The OPRFHS Booster Club has offered to raise all funds needed to pay for the installation of Stadium lights, including a 25-year, full-service maintenance agreement.

Congratulations also go to Mr. Kolbusz for his selection by the National Federation of High School Coaches Association as the Illinois Softball Coach of the Year. Mr. Kolbusz, who is getting ready for his 20th season of coaching at OPRFHS, has also been named one of only 16 sectional Illinois Softball Coaches of the Year for the 2004-05 softball season. The award recognizes coaches who have worked extremely hard to promote the game of softball and excelled within their own programs. Mr. Kolbusz who coached the Huskies to a 1st place state championship last spring!