Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Thornton Fractional North High School and the Class of 2013 wish to officially announce plans for our graduation ceremony. The 2013 Commencement Program will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 and will begin promptly at 6:00 PM in the Purple Gymnasium.

Graduates must report to the auditorium promptly at 5:00 PM for check-in purposes, final instructions, and to form the procession line. Guests of the graduates should plan to be seated no later than 5:45 PM as the doors to the purple gym will close at 5:55 PM. All guests will be required to have a ticket to enter the gym and will be required to be seated in the stands.  Standing is not permitted.  No balloons or flowers, and noisemakers of any kind, are allowed at the ceremony.  Graduation is an important milestone in the lives of TFN students and their families and can be one of the fondest memories of one's high school experience. With that in mind, we ask that all parents and guests remain quietly seated throughout the program. Your assistance in helping to maintain the formality of the ceremony will be greatly appreciated as we share with you the joy that this momentous occasion brings.

Looking ahead to the fall of 2013, all students in grades 6 through 12 will be required by Illinois state law to show proof they received the Tdap (combined tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) shot. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued this new requirement in response to an increase in pertussis, also known as whooping cough, among adults and children in our area.

If your child has not already received the Tdap shot, he or she will be required to have it updated before August 1, 2013. We strongly encourage you to make an appointment with your child's doctor now, since clinics will have a heavy demand for appointments during the summer.  Students will not be able to enroll in school in August without the Tdap vaccine, unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption on file with their school.

The updated health form that reflects this new requirement is available online at http://www.isbe.net/school_health.htm.  Please submit verification of this vaccine to our school nurse, Mrs. Frangella, as soon as possible.

In addition, all school districts throughout the State of Illinois are now required by law to administer the Illinois 5 Essentials Survey to students in grades 6 through 12, parents, and teachers. This survey is designed to assist with school improvement by providing an in-depth look at each school's progress.

I encourage you to complete the survey by going to https://illinois.5-essentials.org starting February 1, 2013. Your feedback in this survey is critical to our school improvement planning efforts. Your child will complete the survey during his or her English class.  Survey results will be available online in June 2013 and will be included on the Illinois School Report Card for your child's school in October 2013.

We have a new student email system, access to Facebook, Linked In and Twitter. To stay abreast of important school information and events, check out our weekly newsletter, District 215 Quick Notes, or visit TF North's Dashboard.

We are making a commitment to the academic success of our schools. Together we can make a difference.

Go Meteors!

Dr. Dwayne E. Evans, Principal