Congratulations to the 2015 Morton Rugby State Champions!

MORTON HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 201

The Morton Rugby team celebrates their state championship in a parade held in their honor.  Mustangs beat New Trier for the state championship at both the Varsity and JV levels. This is Morton’s third rugby state championship, adding to titles in 2007 and 2011.

Fantastic School Year

We have now completed the 2014-15 school year, which holds important significance for me. This was my fifth full school year as your superintendent, and what another gratifying year it was.

OurOur school community has become a very proud district, and for good reason. We continue to increase our participation numbers in out AP classes as will as in out student athletics and activities. Our staff is working harder than ever to give students more opportunities to demonstrate mastery of key concepts and standards because when we say all studentsstudents will learn the only variables are time and attempts.  Our attendance rate is creeping up and the school climate is becoming ever more positive. Our graduating seniors are gaining acceptance into some of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning as well as entering into the noble profession of our US military. Our clubs, academic and athletic teamsteams are experiencing high levels of success with the final season (Rugby) finishing off the year with both the JV and Varsity State Championship trophies.  Looking back at all of the extraordinary accomplishments by our students and staff make me proud to be here as your superintendent.Although the last day of class was only just last week, we are already working hard on key initiatives for next school year. From technology advances to support our ongoing 1:1 program, to innovative instructional practices, to renovating instructional spaces for 21st century learning, there are exciting opportunities and enhancements for Morton 201 studentsstudents and staff to experience in the years to come. Learning continues as our summer school and bridge programs kick off soon as well as our summer sports camps. Also, I encourage parents and students to avail themselves of the ability to work on Achieve 3000 to further develop their skills.I look forward to sharing more about our summer successes and projects with you soon. Until then, please enjoy a well-deserved break from the school year routine and have a safe and relaxing summer vacation. Thank you for another fantastic school year.

Morton Pride Continues

TThis school year has emphasized the pride. #MortonPride that we as a school district have and display throughout the year. I too am so proud of the many accomplishments our students and staff have made this year in many different venues. Whether on the athletic field, in the stands, in the classroom, or in the community in general, I have seen and experienced the pride that experienced the pride that everyone feels.On the athletic field we all enjoyed the successes of the many Mustang sports teams that excelled this year. I am particularly proud of our Morton Rugby varsity and junior varsity teams that captured everyone’s notice as they emerged victorious at the state championship for each division, fostering our Morton Pride to swell. I wish all of our athletes and coachescoaches continued success to be carried into next season.In the stands, I was remarkably impressed at the extremely high level of student spirit that was shown at all of our sporting events, especially homecoming and Pack the Place. As a matter of fact, the Morton Student Cheer Section video, which showed the Mustang spirit, was selected as one of the top videos in Illinois. Our students show true sportsmanship alongalong with school spirit that those from other schools notice. I could not be prouder.In the classroom, Morton students excelled in a variety of different activities such as photography and web design, math competitions, writing contests and other academic endeavors. We are proud of those students who present technology projects to dozens of legislators in the Illinois State Capitol. I cannot miss the opportunity here to also highlight the fact thatthat Morton was identified by The Washington Post on their list of America’s Most Challenging Schools. In the community I felt the Morton Pride from the hundreds of students and staff members who volunteered at both the Cicero and Berwyn clean-up events. Students not only donated blood at blood drives and they completed projects to raise cancer awareness, they participated in projects to fight hunger.YYes, this has been a very good year for the Morton community. I look forward to next year to experience once again the #MortonPride that brings us all together on the field, in the stands, in the classroom and especially in our community.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR LEADERS:

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CARREER DAY ATMORTON FRESHMAN CENTERMorton Freshman Center hosted its annual Career Day, including dozens of professionals who were invited to present their career experiences with our students. Doctors, attorneys, and news anchors were among the many professionals who shared their career advice with our freshmen.

MORTON WESTSUMMA CUM LAUDEOn April 30, over fifty Morton West seniors were recognized for achieving the Summa Cum Laude distinction. To receive this distinction a student must have a 3.9GPA or higher by senior year of high school. Next year many of these students will be attending some of the best universities in the country, including Haincluding Harvard, Northwestern and the University of Chicago. Students were rewarded with a ceremony in the Morton West auditorium followed by dinner at Maggiano's Restaurant.

This past spring, Morton East and Morton Freshman Center Mathletes competed in the West Suburban Conference math competition. As a team, Morton earned first place in five out of 11 competitions. This school year also marked the sixth consecutive year that a Mustang Mathlete qualified for state, with six of our students competing in the ICTM State Math Contest at the UniContest at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These students concluded an outstanding year with an overall team total of 99 points at the state competition, making it the highest team total in school history.

MORTON EASTMATHLETES GO TO STATE

As the school year wrapped up, seniors relished their final days of high school.StudentsStudents celebrated the end of an era dressed in elegant gowns and handsome suits on Friday, May 15 while participating in their prom. Morton East spent " A Night in Paris" at McCormick Place in Chicago, while Morton West danced the night away at the Belvedere in Elk Grove Village. SeniorSenior breakfast was celebrated aboard the Odyssey on Lake Michigan. The large yacht featured three floors of music, buffet-style food, and an observation deck with the Chicago skyline in the background. Our students enjoyed a day together that they will never forget.FinalFinal goodbyes were bid on Sunday, June 7, as students accepted their diplomas at the UIC Pavilion. In front of friends, family and faculty members, Mustangs officially turned into Morton Alumni. Congratulations to our more than 1,600 seniors!

CONGRATULATIONSCLASS OF 2015

3812075

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Official Dell Partners

Number of interactive white boards and projectors installed district wide

Number of students with a new Dell laptop

235Number of Students enrolled in our new Technology Service Internship (TSI) class. TSI students are the first line of technology assistance in the district.

At the start of the 2014-2015 school year, District 201 launched its 1:1 computing program. Thanks to a partnership with Dell, the district was able to provide each incoming freshman with a complimentary laptop that would follow them to their senior year. TheThe laptops, along with the interactive whiteboards and projectors installed in every classroom, modernized and enhanced the learning experience for our students. This learning experience continues at home with Edline teacher pages among other programs that enable students and teachers to access the classroom online. To complete the transition into thethe digital era, students were also provided with a free version of Office 365 and several of our textbooks have now gone digital.

| Al inicio del año escolar 2014-2015, el Distrito 201 lanzó su 1:1 programa de computación. Gracias a la asociación con Dell, el distrito ha podido proveer a cada estudiante de primer año una computadora portátil complementaria que los seguirá hasta su último año. LasLas computadoras portátiles, junto con las pizarras interactivas instaladas en todos los salones de clase, modernizan y mejoran la experiencia de aprendizaje para nuestros estudiantes. Esta experiencia de aprendizaje continúa en casa con páginas docentes Edline que permiten a los alumnos y maestros acceso al salón de clase en línea. Para completar la transición a a la era digital, a los estudiantes se les proporciono una versión gratuita de Office 365.

LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM IS NOW MORE INTERACTIVE, ENGAGING, AND FUN. MOST IMPORTANTLY, LEARNING EXTENDS FFAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM. 

2014 / 2015

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