Dear Thornton Fractional School District 215 Family,
Time flies when we are having fun! As we approach the end of a productive 1st semester, I would like to reiterate how District 215 staff and students are moving towards achieving successful outcomes. New and existing programming have paved the way to ensure that students are engaged in career preparation and development, attaining hands-on training in high skilled, high demand areas of our labor market, and obtaining employability in their preferred career pathways.
When we began the new school year, new resources, initiatives, and programming were just getting started or in the works. I am proud to say with the intentional practices of our equity initiatives, we have expanded opportunities for students with new programs and enhanced existing ones. At the Center for Academics and Technology, we launched the new Junior Academic Scholars Institute (JASI). The Center for Academics and Technology and Center for Alternative Learning are proudly recognized as “Two schools, One campus.” As of this Fall, TF Center is now an upper-level campus that services third and fourth-year students. JASI and Virtual Success Academy (VSA) will continue to help students get back on track for senior year or complete credits and obtain their high school diploma.
What else is new? We are proud and excited to complete construction of new restrooms throughout the building at TF North and move forward with the grand opening of the newly renovated A.C. Jaack’s Auditorium. We are also excited about reviving the childcare program and adding a new childcare lab as part of a new career pathway at TF North. We will be moving forward this Spring with a Memorandum of Understanding with Chicago State University that will afford students the opportunity to enroll in college courses held at one of the campuses within the district. This is one of many opportunities that we offer to students to prepare for college and attain college credits while in high school.
At TF South, we launched a new TV Production career pathway program and are in the finishing stages of completing a new, modern TV Production lab. TF South’s Henry L. Hertz’s Auditorium also received a beautiful facelift during the summer. We also celebrate the beautiful new football field turf and completed eight-lane track at TFS. These are just a few examples of the many great initiatives, events, activities, and programming that are consistently happening at all our schools, and I am so proud of the many efforts of our staff, students, parents, and community members.
With the semester ending soon, I continue to stress the importance for parents/guardians to continually monitor their students’ academic progress via our PowerSchool Parent portal. We also encourage students to continue to regulate their own progress daily and prepare diligently to be successful on their upcoming final exams. As always, I encourage parent/guardians to feel free to contact their students’ teachers with any questions and/or concerns.
I wish all the TFD 215 Family a pleasant and safe holiday season! #No Stopping 215!
Yours in Education,
John M. Robinzine
Interim Superintendent
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The second quarter is well underway, and it will be final exam time before you know it. I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made so far this year. The first quarter was a time of growth and discovery for our students.
I am proud of their achievements and the resilience they have shown as they navigated new challenges. Our dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to provide a supportive and enriching learning environment, and I’m excited to see how our students will continue to thrive in the coming weeks.
Dear Thornton Fractional High School District 215 Students and Families,
I am excited and honored as we start the 2024-25 school year and my first year as your Superintendent of Schools. My focus as well as our staff is students first to ensure success for all. However, we cannot do this on our own. I encourage all of you to be in control of your academic journey. You decide the path that you want to take but be assured the administration, teachers, and staff of TFD 215 are here to assist you in any way to be successful and achieve all your high school goals. This handbook serves as a guide to ensure that you know your rights, responsibilities, and the expectations of the school district. It is important that you become familiar with the entire handbook and especially the student code of conduct.
Dear Thornton Fractional School District 215 Family,
I would like to thank all staff, students, parents, and career representatives for participating in our Infinite Scholars Fair and the IACAC College, Career, and Transitions Fair that was held at TF South. The event provided an opportunity for our senior students to meet with over 100 college representatives from around the country. The Infinite Scholars Fair promoted on-site admissions and scholarship opportunities. At our 3rd Annual District 215 IACAC Fair, students across the district at all grade levels were able to attend the fair. Students had the opportunity to gain new knowledge and an understanding of what is beyond high school by interacting with an additional 130 or more colleges, universities, careers, military branches, and transitions services.
We encourage all parents/guardians to make necessary arrangements to join us on Thursday, October 5, 2023, for Parent/Teacher Conferences that will be held at all campuses. You can decide to meet with teachers virtually or join us in person.
Dear Thornton Fractional School District 215 Family,
It is w
ith great pleasure, honor, and humility to serve you as Interim Superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year. I am excited to work with students, parents/guardians, the leadership teams, and staff in this new role. It is my true desire to accept new challenges, duties, and responsibilities to provide a collegial and productive working environment for all students and staff. I am especially looking forward to establishing and maintaining a school community environment of respect, care, and rapport for all.