Friday, April 24, 2015

April 24, 2015

Check out the Viking Logue!
As the Viking Logue heads off to compete in Sectional Journalism this weekend, I wanted to take a minute to remind people of the new online format of our school newspaper this year. The address is simply vikinglogue.com.


If you are like me, it is difficult to remember to check in whenever new content is added to this platform. There is a “subscribe” feature at the top of the page. Check for the social media icons, where you can have the items pushed to your social media accounts or your email. (You can also subscribe to my blog by filling in your email address in the right-hand column of the page.)


While the shift to a digital platform has come with the inevitable growing pains, there is also great potential--reaching a wider audience, exploring multimedia options, and reporting on current events while they’re still current, to name a few. I am extremely excited about the opportunities this format will provide for our students.


For those who are wondering, the Senior Issue will still be published in hard-copy form. Sponsor Grant Dawson tells me that the staff is aiming for its release on/around May 22.


Highlights and Successes
  • Congratulations to Mike Bruce and PAVE on being named Operation Click’s Club of the Year!
  • Congratulations to the following students for achieving a perfect score on the ACT test:  Jennie Yang, Abigail Iuorio, Soumyaa Mazumder, Kelli Halloran, Daniel Classon, Cameron Harro and Jiamin Huang.
  • Congratulations to Mike Bruce and PAVE on being named Operation Click’s Club of the Year!
  • Congratulations to Coaches Nick Mamula, Keith Sorensen and Dan Sutton and the Boys Lacrosse Program on sweeping Hoffman Estates on all levels this past weekend. (Frosh, JV, Varsity.)
  • Congratulations to Coach Tim Hamman and the Boys Gymnastics Team on their  1st Place team finish at the Conant Invite
  • Congratulations to the following Fremd students who were award winners in the Harper writing contest:  Chloe David, Essay: 2nd place: Title: "Cosmetic Surgery: Representative of Beauty Standards Everywhere,  Annie Zheng,  Fiction:  2nd  place: Title: "Finding God through the Dogs,” Sophia Mavromatis,  Honorable Mention:  Title: "When the Red Circle Stops"  and Gretchen Coleman, Honorable Mention: Title: "Bravery in Its Truest Form."
  • Congratulations to Rebecca Xun Social Studies World History Student of the Month.
  • Congratulations to Fremd Social Studies Department on a successful Poverty Awareness Week.  Donations included:
  • 1,151 cereal boxes to the Palatine Township Food Pantry
  • 129 of those cereal boxes were donated by Mrs. Ganas’ period 5 AP Psychology class
  • $375 raised for the Palatine township Food Pantry from participation in the Hunger Banquet
  • 19,872 meals packed during the Service Night at Feed My Starving Children
  • Congratulations to Director Matt Moore and the Fremd Symphonic Winds and Director Jeremy Figlewicz and the Wind Ensemble for their straight “Division 1/Superior” ratings at the 15th annual “Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival” hosted by Hersey High School on April 18th.  Following their performances the bands also received outstanding educational clinics from three collegiate band directors.
  • Congratulations to this weeks Viking Pride winners:  Caitlin Adolphsen, Julia Bley, Jeffrey Galloway, Lauren Gregory, Natalia Kosla, Allison Leczycki, Michael Monaco, Melissa Nakazawa, John Park, Aaron Perlman, Sarah Roach, James Roman, Eric Ruzanski, Elizabety Sealey, Casey Tan, Maxim Unterfenger, Aidan Voehringer, and Katherine Zara.
  • Congratulations to the following students for achieving a perfect score on the ACT test:  Jennie Yang, Abigail Iuorio, Soumyaa Mazumder, Kelli Halloran, Cameron Harro, Daniel Classon and Jiamin Huang.
  • Congratulations to April  English Student of the Month  Nicole Kaushanski.


Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events


April 24
Boys Track & Field vs. Travis Classic @ Hersey - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Baseball @ Hersey - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Track & Field vs. Titan Invite @ Glenbrook S. - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Volleyball @ PHS Invite - 5:00 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse @ Warren - 6:30 p.m.

Boys Gymnastics @ HEHS - 6:30 p.m.
April 25
Boys Tennis @ Downers Grove S. - 8:00 a.m.

Girls Badminton @ East Aurora - 8:00 a.m.

Boys Volleyball @ PHS Invite - 10:00 a.m.

Girls Softball @ Libertyville - 10:00 a.m.

Boys Baseball vs. Glenbrook N. - 10:30 a.m.

Girls LaCrosse @ CHS - 11:30 a.m.

Girls Soccer @ Naperville N. - 12:00 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse vs. Highland Park - 1:00 p.m.
April 27
Boys Baseball vs. PHS - 4:45 p.m.

Girls Softball vs. CHS - 4:45 p.m.

Boys Water Polo @ SHS - 5:30 p.m.

Girls Water Polo @ SHS - 7:30 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse vs. SHS - 7:30 p.m.
April 28
Boys Tennis vs. SHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Track & Field MSL W.  @ CHS - 4:45 p.m.

Boys Track & Field vs. MSL - 4:45 p.m.

Girls Water Polo @ Mundelein - 6:00 p.m.

Boys Volleyball vs. Barrington - 6:00 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse @ Waubonsie Valley - 7:30 p.m.
April 29
Boys Baseball @ PHS - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Tennis vs. Wheaton Warrenville S. - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball @ PHS - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Water Polo @ Mundelein - 6:00 p.m.

Girls Soccer vs. Prospect - 6:45 p.m.
April 30
Girls Softball vs. RMHS - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Tennis @ Barrington - 4;30 p.m.

Boys Baseball @ Stevenson - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer vs. Naperville N. - 5:00 p.m.

Girls Water Polo @ Naperville Central - 6:00 p.m.

Boys Volleyball vs. HEHS - 6:00 p.m.

For a more complete list, please visit our Athletics Page.


Staff Spotlight


Name:  Kurt Tenopir


Position: Principal


Years at Fremd: 4 years (first as principal)


Life Before Fremd: I grew up in a small town in western Nebraska (Cambridge), where there were 24 students in my graduating class. I went to Nebraska Wesleyan University, where I starred on the bench for the Men’s Basketball team and worked for the campus newspaper. I taught English for four years at Grand Island Senior High (Nebraska) and four more at Belvidere High School. I then worked as an assistant principal at Belvidere High School and Deerfield High School before coming to Fremd.


Hobbies/Interests:
I love golf, even if I don’t get to play very much--a byproduct of having three kids under the age of eight. I love music, and dream of doing something musically (either piano or guitar) in my next life.


Insider Tip for Parents:
I recently used this line with my Leadership Team: It's important to know how to balance when to give someone a push/nudge and when to simply give a pat on the back. Our students attend a school where their expectations--of the school, but also the students and parents--are often very high. In your conversations with your student, don't forget about a pat on the back often motivates just as well.


Ask the Principal

Are you curious about something at Fremd but have never asked? Email me at ktenopir@d211.org. If your question is pertinent to a wider audience, I will include it in the next blog post.

Friday, April 10, 2015

April 10, 2015

A Few Words From Mr. Tenopir

I am a great believer in luck. The harder I work, the more of it I seem to have.
- Coleman Cox

On a social media site recently, I saw a picture of an anonymous teacher’s open letter to her students. The essence of the letter was this: “For those of you who didn’t earn the semester grade you wanted, please remember the way you feel right now. In order to avoid feeling like this at the end of 2nd semester, follow through on your obligations in this class and you will be fine. Study. Complete your homework. Ask questions. And study some more. Why would I allow you to boost your grade through non-essential extra credit assignments if you haven’t completed the required work and put forth the expected effort?”

While I cannot endorse the tone used by this teacher, she has a good point. After all, grades are not about the accumulation of points. They are about learning! Here at Fremd, we are trying to emphasize that grades are a reflection of what students know and are able to do. The best way to demonstrate this knowledge or skill is to provide consistent evidence over time. That is, show the teacher--and show yourself--what you can do every single day.

There are six weeks of learning left in this semester before Final Exam Week. Six weeks to think about the size of the gap between your student’s current grade and desired grade. Six weeks to think about how he/she intends to close that gap. And six weeks to work hard and capitalize on the right kind of luck, that which is achieved through hard work.

Highlights and Successes
  • Congratulations to Coach Kevin Palmer and the Fremd Scholastic Bowl Team on placing 3rd at the IHSA State Final Tournament.
  • Congratulations to Coach Judy Klingner and Coach Marilyn Berdick and the Fremd Group Interpretation Team on winning the IHSA State Championship.
  • Congratulations to Coach Martin Zacharia and the following IHSA State Debate medalists: Madisen Hursey, Finalist, Congressional Debate; Zachary Jordan & Ishan Taparia, Semifinalists, Public Forum Debate; Rebecca Beale & Eric Simon, Quarterfinalists, Public Forum Debate; and Matthew Carlins & John Komoll, Octafinalists, Public Forum Debate.
  • Congratulations to the All-State Debate Team: Rebecca Beale, Madisen Hursey, John Komoll, and Eric Simon.
  • Congratulations to Coach Tim Hamman and the Fremd Boys Gymnastics Team on winning 2nd place at the Rolling Meadows Invite.  Award winners include:  Champions: Eric Barnd 1st Place on Vault; Daniel Classon 1st place on Pommel Horse; and Ryan Roth 2nd Place on High Bar.
  • Congratulations to senior Haley Gorecki on being named Chicago Tribune Illinois Miss Basketball.
  • Congratulations to sophomore, Naman Agarwal, for earning national recognition in The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards of 2015. Naman won a gold medal for his personal essay, “Pulp Nonfiction”. This year, 300,000 works of art and writing were submitted. Only the top 1% were recognized at the national level. Naman has been invited to attend a ceremony at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, June 11.
  • Congratulations to this week’s Viking Pride winners:  Marissa Barhorst, Kate Bodensteiner, Sammy Brazier, Zachary Bryniarski, Ashley DeRoche, Emily Hopkins, Grace Humphris, Kayleigh Jetel, Cassidy Lemme, Victoria Metzger, John Parzynski, Yazmin Rustomji, Kyle Saxon, Hannah Schiraldi, Vincent Sorrentino, and Kevin Stevens.


Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events

April 10
Boys Baseball @ Glenbrook - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball vs. Stevenson - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Gymnastics vs. Conant - 6:00 p.m.
April 11
Boys Tennis @ Hersey Invite - 8:00 a.m.

Boys Volleyball @ Rolling Meadows - 8:30 a.m.

Girls Badminton @ Wheaton Warrenville S. Invite - 9:00 a.m.

Girls Water Polo @ Niles W. - 10:00 a.m.

Girls Softball vs. St. Charles E. - 11:00 a.m.

Boys Water Polo @ Naperville N. - 11:00 a.m.

Boys LaCrosse vs. Grayslake N. - 12:00 p.m.

Girls Track & Field @ Buffalo Grove Invite - 12;00 p.m.
April 13
Boys Baseball @ HEHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball vs. Wheeling - 4:30 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse @ Stevenson - 6:15 p.m.

Girls Soccer vs. Elk Grove - 6:30 p.m.

Girls LaCrosse @ Barrington - 7:00 p.m.

Girls Water Polo vs. HEHS @ SHS - 7:30 p.m.

Boys Water Polo vs. HEHS @ PHS - 7:45 p.m.
April 14
Boys Tennis vs. Hersey - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Badminton vs. PHS - 4:45 p.m.

Girls Track & Field vs. CHS/RMHS - 4:45 p.m.

Boys Track & Field vs. CHS/RMHS @ Rolling Meadows

Girls LaCrosse @ Highland Park - 4:45 p.m.

Boys Volleyball @ PHS - 6:00 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse @ Lyons - 7:00 p.m.
April 15
Boys Baseball vs. HEHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball vs. Elk Grove - 4:45 p.m.

Boys Water Polo @ Barrington - 5:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer vs. RMHS - 6;30 p.m.

Girls Water Polo @ Barrington - 7:30 p.m.
April 16
Boys Track & Field vs. Fremd Throws Invite- 4:30 p.m.

Boys Tennis vs. RMHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Badminton @ CHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball @ Lake Park - 4:30 p.m.

Boys Volleyball vs. CHS - 6:00 p.m.

Boys LaCrosse @ PHS - 6:30 p.m.

Girls LaCrosse vs. PHS - 7:00 p.m.
April 17
Boys Baseball vs. RMHS - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Softball @ Hersey - 4:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer @ PHS - 6:00 p.m.

Boys Gymnastics vs. Ed Raymond Invite @ CHS - 6:00 p.m.


For a more complete list, please visit our Athletics Page.


Ask the Principal

Are you curious about something at Fremd but have never asked? Email me at ktenopir@d211.org. If your question is pertinent to a wider audience, I will include it in the next blog post.