Forreston

Forreston Junior-Senior High School students and staff were welcomed back to school in August with an unveiling of remodeled classrooms. Junior high classrooms, along with the Chorus and Band rooms, received a full makeover with the installation of new windows, HVAC systems, lighting, paint, cabinets, and desks. Students, parents, and community members were invited to an open house to tour the new classrooms before the first day of school.

Along with the remodeled classrooms, many classrooms and the cafeteria were returned to pre-pandemic status. Students and staff were excited for this return to “normal,” as the last two school years presented many challenges.

This school year, an additional Project Lead The Way (PLTW) course — Engineering Design and Development — was introduced to senior students as their capstone course. Students identify a real-world challenge to research, design, and test a solution. In culmination, the students present their project to a panel of engineers.

Two new Advanced Placement (AP) courses are also being offered this school year: AP US History and AP Chemistry. Staff completed the necessary training for the courses over the summer and are excited to share new material with the students. FORRESTON cont’d to page 21

20 Pride 2022/23

Junior high classroom renovations included new carpet, paint, lighting, and desks.

Band room renovations included new carpet, windows, ceiling, and lighting.

Left: PLTW students work on a claw robot project that serves as a remote controlled lunar rover device. At left and below: PLTW students work on a car that runs on hydrogen fuel cells and competed for endurance.

FORRESTON cont’d from page 20

Fifth-graders get a lesson on combination locks, courtesy of TAP students.

The girls softball team finished in third place in the IHSA State Series, advancing further than any other softball team has in Forreston history

Forreston High School students continue to participate in the TAP (Technical Advanced Placement) program, which is designed to introduce students to careers in the field of education. This year students have the opportunity to earn dual credit through Highland Community College by taking an “Introduction to Special Education” course. Students will also spend time throughout the school year observing teachers in the classroom and working hands-on with students. As seniors, students have the opportunity to earn an Education Pathway endorsement upon completion of a portfolio of their learning. Resources from ROE #47 and the Educational Pathways Program have made this opportunity possible. Forreston Junior-Senior High School’s extracurricular programs saw a lot of success and changes this summer. The softball team finished in third place in the IHSA State Series in June, advancing further than any other softball team has in Forreston history. The team finished with a 23-5 record and will return 7 of 9 starters this upcoming spring season. The band and chorus rooms saw a beautiful renovation, creating one of the greatest spaces to continue the school’s long tradition of success. As long-time hosts of the IHSA Organizational Contest, this will increase space and allow for even greater hospitality for those schools that are joining us this upcoming April.

Forreston takes pride in its students’ connection to the school, and currently have just under 80% of their student body involved in an extracurricular activity of some kind. n