![Three Dance Force student athletes pose with the IHSA cutout of Illinois signifying they qualified for state]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1770234827/fenton100org/hxvpgnz3vcdw4oikiskx/Preview-of-Dance-Force-State-Bound-2026.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1770234827/fenton100org/hxvpgnz3vcdw4oikiskx/Preview-of-Dance-Force-State-Bound-2026.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1770234827/fenton100org/hxvpgnz3vcdw4oikiskx/Preview-of-Dance-Force-State-Bound-2026.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1770234827/fenton100org/hxvpgnz3vcdw4oikiskx/Preview-of-Dance-Force-State-Bound-2026.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1770234827/fenton100org/hxvpgnz3vcdw4oikiskx/Preview-of-Dance-Force-State-Bound-2026.jpg","width":1500}])
Week of January 26 to January 30 2026
Para leer este artículo en español, haga clic en la bandera en la esquina inferior derecha y cambie el idioma.
Update from Superintendent Bentsen
Dear Fenton School Community,
I’m honored to introduce the newest member of the Fenton Board of Education, please welcome Dr. Nikita Johnson-White.
The Board of Education on Wednesday, January 28 approved the appointment of Dr. Nikita Johnson-White to fill the seat vacated by Rachel Matug, who moved out of the district.
Dr. Johnson-White has been a proud resident of the Wood Dale community for nearly 10 years, where she lives with her husband, Leon White, and their children. She is the parent of one Fenton graduate and currently has one child enrolled in the district.
Dr. Johnson-White brings a wealth of experience in accounting, finance, and operations, with a professional background spanning both the educational and nonprofit sectors. She is deeply passionate about education and committed to the success of all students.
She is honored and excited to join the Fenton Board of Education and looks forward to supporting and advancing the district’s mission and vision.
All State Musicians
Also at Wednesday’s Board meeting was a fantastic group of student recognitions from our music department. Three students were invited to the Illinois Music Education Association All-State Festival January 29-31.
We gave them a State Bound Sendoff earlier that morning, after which they spent Thursday and Friday in Peoria collecting plaques and rehearsing for Saturday's performances. Please join us in congratulating the following:
-
Ezrael Lukman was selected as a cellist for the ILMEA All-State Honors Orchestra.
-
Jan Olmos was selected as a Bass I for the ILMEA All-State Choir. This is his second consecutive year being an All-State musician.
-
Faith Wrzeciona was selected to represent Fenton in the Future Music Educators Seminar, and she spent the trip participating in educational sessions at the All-State Convention.
Students in the performing ensembles represent the best student musicians in Illinois and students in the Future Music Educations Seminar represent our next generation of classroom heroes.
Mrs. Seredy Williams accepted the 2026 ILMEA Outstanding Service Award on behalf of Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter 6807. The award recognizes Illinois Music Honors Society Chapters for outstanding and ongoing service to the school and community.
Our music students are definitely very active around Fenton, at our feeder schools, and in our community in general. Their passion for music is unwavering and worthy of recognition!
Congratulations to all!
INCubator MVP Pitch
Our young entrepreneurs were at it again, pitching impressive new business ideas to a panel of industry professionals on Thursday, January 29 on our STEM Wing Learning Stairs. The all-morning business incubator event closely resembled the hit TV show Shark Tank.
Congratulations to the three teams that won monetary prizes for their ideas!
This marks the halfway point in their business development process. Important feedback from the objective panel allows our students to make changes leading up to the Final Pitch Night in May, when even more money will be up for.
Thank you to our panel for volunteering your valuable time and insights:
-
Anthony Kandah from Wood Dale Bank & Trust
-
Frank DeSimone, Village President for the Village of Bensenville
-
Patrick Roland from Wood Dale Bank & Trust
-
Pamela McNabb from The Village Flower Shop in Bensenville
-
Jimmy Ochoa from The UPS Store in Bensenville
-
Talia Hawkins from Help For All Logistics
A special Bison Thank You to Village President Frank DeSimone for the $1,000 donation to the INCubator prize fund, as well as Pamela McNabb from The Village Flower Shop for the $200 donation. Teams that win money at MVP Pitch may put it toward their proposed business ideas.
Business INCubator students create and fully develop their own product or service and incorporate it into a real-world business they own. Guided by real-world entrepreneurs and local industry-leading mentors, students experience the full range of business operations, including ideation, research, marketing, accounting, human resources, as well as the legal aspects of running a business.
Hats off to our INCubator team Mr. Garcia, Mr. Lurigio, Ms. Leclercq, and Ms. Papanicolaou for your continued innovation.
We certainly have a lot to be proud of here at Fenton.
Sam Bentsen, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Glenbard Parent Series Offers Parent Program on Navigating Child Mental Health
Fenton is affiliated with the Glenbard Parent Series, which is a large group of area schools working together to find guest speakers and produce informative literature to help families navigate life with a growing teenager.
On Tuesday February 10, guest speaker Dr. Christine Crawford will host a webinar titled “You Are Not Alone: Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health with Wisdom from Experts and Real Families.”
Preteens and teenagers face a multitude of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders – all of which can significantly impact their well-being and future opportunities. Participants will discover the early warning signs of mental health conditions and learn about the reasonable expectations for recovery.
It’s crucial to understand that mental health problems are real and that seeking help is essential if warning signs are observed. Crawford will come to GPS to provide a compassionate and practical resource for anyone concerned about their child’s mental health.
The free program is available on Zoom at 7 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link on the Glenbard Parent Series website.
We invite parents to bookmark the Glenbard Parent Series website and sign up for their emails.
Valentine's Cinema
Fenton’s Film Club and Student Council Present a Valentine’s Cinema on Friday, February 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. with the movie “10 Things I Hate About You” playing in the auditorium. The event is free, and snacks are provided. Contact Ms. Norris with any questions.
An Evening of Black Excellence on Thursday, February 19
As part of Fenton’s Black History Month celebrations, we are inviting the community to our now 3rd annual Evening of Black Excellence. This event is designed and planned by students in Fenton’s Black Student Union and has become an enriching tradition at our school. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, February 19, at 6 p.m. Festivities will take place in the Fenton Cafeteria.
Our students and valued partners have prepared a meaningful evening, rich with personalized experiences around the theme of music - “Feel the Soul.” You can look forward to:
-
Performances from the Fenton Choir and Band
-
Fenton students from the Black Student Union sharing their favorite artists and what their art means to them
-
A hearty dinner of Soul Food
-
Guest speaker & Performer
-
Radio personality Daniel “Big Poppa” Dees
-
A “Michael Jackson” appearance by Daniel Dees III
-
Please join us and our students in celebrating an Evening of Black Excellence. You can click here to RSVP for this year’s event. We hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, send an email to Mr. Lorenzo Rubio (rubio@fenton100.org).
Exploring Ecosystems Up Close at the Shedd
Students in AP Environmental Science enjoyed competing in scavenger hunt competition during a trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago on Wednesday, January 28. Teams of four investigated ecosystems, biodiversity, energy flow, human impacts, and conservation strategies using evidence from exhibits at Shedd Aquarium.
Mr. Jeff Baeder and Ms. Stephanie Downen awarded points based on information students collected from the exhibits (no internet searches allowed) and each of the five categories had unique questions based on the topic.
Midwest’s Finest Take the Stage!
Fenton band students were among 140 of the best musicians in the Midwest when they took the stage on Saturday, January 17th in Hammerschmidt Chapel as part of the Elmhurst University Midwest Honor Band.
Representing Fenton with distinction included…
-
Denisse Hermida – Percussion;
-
Paula Serpa – Tenor Sax;
-
Garrett Wawczak – Trombone;
-
Yoselin Colin – Clarinet;
-
Bella Van – Clarinet; and
-
Abby Schmidt – Flute
Students rehearsed for a little over four hours and then performed a concert that afternoon. New music was composed by Elmhurst University Professor Josh Rodriquez specifically for this event!
This achievement is a big addition to their musical resumes. Congratulations!
Dance Force Takes 7th in State!
Congratulations to our Fenton Dance Force for taking 7th place out of over 80 teams in the IHSA Competitive Dance State Competition! The team competed hard and qualified for Day 2 of the competition, with watch parties at Fenton viewing the live stream and cheering from afar.
The coaches are so incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication these students have poured into this routine. They're also thankful for the families, friends, administrators, and community who came to cheer on the team in Bloomington on January 30 and 31.
Dance Force qualified for the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals for a second year in a row! Their pirate-themed hip hop routine took 4th place out of 16 teams at the Maine South Sectional on Saturday, January 24 (with the top six teams go to state).
Their journey is not over yet as they set their eyes on the Illinois Drill Team Association (IDTA) tournament this upcoming week. Let’s continue to cheer them on!
Well done, ladies!
John Laswell Qualifies for State!
Congratulations to John Laswell for qualifying to the IHSA Boys Bowling State Finals! John finished in third place out of 100+ bowlers at Sectionals on January 24, earning him an IHSA medal that's only given to the top four bowlers in each of the six sectionals throughout Illinois.
John is Fenton's first state qualifier in the last four years. He later competed in the state tournament on January 30 and 31 in O’Fallon, Illinois.
Way to go John!!!
Two Girl Wrestlers Win Conference Championships
Congratulations to Matylda Piskorz and Giselle Castillo for taking 1st place and becoming Individual Conference Champions for their respective weight classes at the Upstate Eight Conference tournament on Saturday, January 24.
Other outstanding results include...
-
Ariana Solideo taking 2nd Place,
-
Kai Zamora finishing in 3rd Place, and
-
Samantha Silva taking 5th
Gavin Stewart Wins Conference Sportsmanship Award
Congratulations to Gavin Stewart for receiving the “Ed Washington Sportsmanship Award” from the Upstate Eight Conference. Coach Brian Hastings praised Gavin for being supportive, helpful, positive, and responsible to his teammates as well as Fenton’s competitors.
“We are extremely proud of him and thankful that the Upstate Eight Conference coaches agreed Gavin is deserving of this honor,” Coach Hastings said.
On the mats, Omar Diaz finished as runner up in his weight class at the January 18 conference meet, while Rene Reyna and Dereck Mazariegos both placed 3rd to earn All-Conference selections. Jose Honorato placed 5th.
DuPage Health Department Recommendations this Cold & Flu Season
It’s that time of year when a variety of illnesses become more prevalent. Please exercise self care as we jump into this new semester; drink plenty of water, wash your hands, get plenty of sleep, and go to the doctor if you feel unwell.
Additionally, the DuPage County Health Department has provided a variety of information on vaccinations and staying well. Please read the documents below:
Noteworthy Dates
- February 2 – NHS Winter Community Service Deadline
- February 5 – Future Ready Fenton Day
- February 5 – PreACT (juniors) and ACCESS Testing
- February 16 – No School - President's Day
- February 19 – Evening of Black Excellence, 6 pm
- February 24 – Talent Show Dress Rehearsal
- February 25 – Winter Choir Concert, 7 pm
- February 25 – Board of Education Meeting, 7 pm
- February 26 – Talent Show, 6:30 pm
- February 27 – No School; Teachers Institute Day
- March 3 – Tri-District Band Fest
- March 5 – Winter Band Concert, 7 pm