The Library is Open! Edition

The Library Grand Opening in Pictures

On Monday, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Library. (Yes, I called it the "Library!" After a naming contest, students overwhelmingly voted for this name over "Media Center," "Learning Commons" or similar names.) Here are some pictures of the new Library and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mrs. DiModica, our Librarian, cuts the ribbon, which was made of the pages of old copies of Of Mice and Men and Gone With the Wind.

Mr. Moore leads members of his band in the playing of our school song.

Mr. Weaver, English teacher, warms his hands by our new fireplace, which was purchased through the generous financial support of our Viking Booster Club.

View of main room with study carrels, conference room.

Circulation desk, cafe and fireplace.

Tech Center Help Desk

Back area of Library.

Cookie Sign-Up for Fall Sports Awards

There's still time to sign up to bring in cookies for Fall Sports Awards! Here's how:

1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on Volunteer Spot: http://signup.com/go/KCgfxrc      

2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)

3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone.

Proud Principal Moment

Today, we held a Veterans Day assembly for our students, along with some honored guests that included veterans connected to our Fremd community. The ceremony was run by senior Amy Ma and junior Chris Oakley, who did a wonderful job explaining the significance of the occasion.

I must share a huge thanks to Matt Moore and Marla Caballero and our Music Department for providing moving music, including the Star-Spangled Banner, the Armed Forces Medley, and America, the Beautiful. Christie O'Donnell (English) played a significant role in organizing the assembly. And Courtney Billittier (Social Studies) was the mastermind behind the week's festivities, including dress-up days, a dodgeball tournament, and fundraising efforts for CreatiVets, a non-profit that helps veterans cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder through art, and Folds of Honor, an organization that provides scholarships to families of fallen and disabled veterans.

I am also proud of our entire student body. It is not often that you can put 2600 students in one location and hear a pin drop. Our students were respectful and reverential. Their attitude and behavior reflected the power of the ceremony, but it also revealed the character and class that they possess. Kudos to you, Fremd parents, for raising great kids! And kudos to our students for showing respect and gratitude for the sacrifices others have made to protect our way of life.

Highlights and Successes:

• Congratulations to the Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas Debate Team on their performance at the Fremd Viking Invitational.  In Lincoln-Douglas: Andy Ruan, 2nd place Varsity, Kashif Javid, 5th place Varsity, Kylie Zhang, 2rd place JV, Eileen Peng, 3rd place JV. Speaker awards were won by Ji Eun Kim on the novice level, Kylie Zhang and Eileen Peng on the JV level, and Andy Ruan and Kashif Javid on the Varsity Level. In Public Forum: Mayank Bhatia and Matt Kim, 2nd place JV, Miguel Mercado and Andrew Kim, 5th place, Rida Ahmed and Zaid Iqbal, 1st place novice, and David Phillips and William Zhong, 3rd place novice. Speaker awards in PF were earned by William Zhong, David Phillips, Mayank Bhatia, Adhith Palla, Matt Grabianski, and Piyush Biswas.
• Congratulations to Rose Dinh, Mayur Popuri and Vikas Reddy on achieving a perfect score on the ACT exam.
• Congratulations to this week’s Viking Pride winners:  Ishan Anand, Eric Bryniarski, Lina Chiang, Megan Forrest, Anna Gontar, Gillian Jackson, Rachel Kang, Aparna Nidamanuri, Devyn Oak, Karolina Ryczek, Mako Sumida, and Brooke Toriani.

Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events

November 11	Speech Invite - all day Daddy/Daughter Dance - Gym 7-9 pm
November 14	Fall Sports Awards - 7:00 pm
November 15	Choir Solo & Ensemble - Music Dept. 6-9 pm Girls Basketball Tournament @ FHS - 7:30 pm

For a more complete list, please visit our Athletics Page or the Athletic Department Blog.

Staff Spotlight

Name: Toni DiModica

Position: Library Department Chair

Years at Fremd: 20 years! I taught Biology my first seven years and have been the Library Department Chair for the past thirteen. While at Fremd, I have sponsored the Multicultural Club, Science Fiction Reading Club, Health Careers Club, and Junior Class.

Life Before Fremd:  I started my teaching career as a Biology teacher and taught at Von Steuben Metropolitan High School in Chicago for two years before coming to Fremd.

Hobbies/Interests: Besides my obvious reading interest, I enjoy healthy cooking, spending time with my family, and doing agility training with my dog Barrett. My husband and I also love traveling across our great country looking for that perfect retirement spot. So far, it’s a tie between Maui and Sonoma.

Insider Tip for Parents: Fremd has so much to offer students. Encourage your child to be involved and stay involved.

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.