THIS WEEK | Winter Spirit Week
Winter Spirit Week is here! From holiday colors to cozy classics, we can’t wait to see everyone’s creativity. Monday kicks things off with Winter or Holiday Headwear, followed by Festive Sweaters on Tuesday. Wednesday is Winter Character Day, so come dressed as your favorite seasonal character. Thursday brings the Snowball Battle (staff wear blue and students wear white). Friday wraps up Spirit Week and Semester 1 with Cozy Pajama Day, and it’s also Senior Breakfast.Join the fun and help brighten up these chilly days!
THIS WEEK | Taste the Difference: Viking Winter Food Drive
Get ready to make a huge difference in our community with the annual Viking Winter Food Drive, running from Tuesday, December 9th, through Wednesday, December 17th. Bring your non-perishable donations to your FIRST PERIOD CLASS to help those in need and join the competition. The class that collects the most items wins a Dunkin' Donut Breakfast, with second place earning Munchkins! Let's unleash our Viking generosity, make this drive a huge success, and grab that sweet victory! View the flyer.
CONGRATULATIONS | Viking Decathletes Take 2nd Place!
Please congratulate our Viking Decathletes on their performance in the Lane Tech High School Academic Decathlon Scrimmage on 12/6/2025, where they took 2nd place. Students completed 335 multiple-choice questions on this year's theme, the 1920s Jazz Age. Some notable results include:
Team High Scorer: William R.
Overall Ranking
Jonah F. - Varsity - 6th Place
Jackson J. - Scholastic - 2nd Place
Colin M. - Scholastic - 4th Place
Please wish us luck as we move onto the official competition season. The Chicago Public Schools Round 1 competition will have the same format as the Lane Tech scrimmage and will be held on Wednesday 1/7/2026! Please wish us luck!
Sincerely,
Mr. Zhu
JOIN US! | Friends of Amundsen (FOA) January Meeting 1/12/2026
Friends of Amundsen’s first meeting of the new year will be held on Monday, January 12 @ Amundsen. Join Us!
VIKING VILLAGE | 2026 Monday Meetup
Let’s ring in the new year at Friends of Amundsen’s “Monday Meetup” @ Gio’s 4857 N Damen @ 7:00pm after our monthly meeting @ Amundsen on Monday January 12. Come out and meet fellow Viking parents. Let’s socialize and build a connected Amundsen Community!
CONGRATS | Viking Mathletes Advance to Contest 3!
Please congratulate our Viking Mathletes on their successful completion of the City of Chicago Math League - Contest 2 last month at Lane Tech High School!
Some notable results include:
Overall:
Video Contest 2 - 2nd Place, Algebra 1 Team - 2nd Place, Algebra 2 Team - 3rd Place, Precalculus Team - 3rd Place
Algebra 1:
Colton L. - 2nd Place, Niki K. - 3rd Place
Wish us luck as we move onto Contest 3 on 1/24/2026!
Sincerely,
Coach Zhu - Amundsen High School Math Team
SAVE THE DATE | Parent Series: Navigating College Testing
Please join us for an online presentation from Joy Mollet of BEC Tutoring.
The session will cover SAT/ACT comparison, testing timeline, and parent strategies for supporting students. Here is the Zoom link to join 1/7/2026.
CONGRATS! | All-City Visual Arts Senior Portfolio Exhibition
Congratulate our Amundsen Seniors who were accepted into the Portfolio Exhibition this year! Seniors across Chicago submit their top artworks for a chance to be honored and showcased in a gallery space downtown. While currently being curated, you can add January 7th, 2026 to your calendars! The opening reception will run 4-7pm at
The LeRoy Neiman Center, 37 S. Wabash Ave. Hope to see some familiar faces that day!
Physical Exhibition Acceptances: (Displayed in person):
Jasper C.
George S.
Fatima F.
Monica P.
Jonathon J.
Olivia A.
Sky R.
Ava V.
Samantha L.
Honorable Mention Virtual Acceptances: (Displayed during the reception and online!):
Erin R.
Jackson L.
Benjamin G.
Lillian P.
Lyric B.
HIGHLIGHTS | Key Info Shared in Previous Issues of the Newsletter
Erie Family Health Center at Amundsen presentation deck.
Amundsen School Counseling website
CPS Volunteer Programs website
Amundsen Donors Choose Projects
School Fees Website
Chicago North Hockey Club
2026 Raise the Sails Volunteer Interest Form
SPOTLIGHT | The Vikings Shop
Shop the Vikings Shop for AHS spirit wear! Orders are produced on the 15th and 30th of each month. Every purchase supports Friends of Amundsen (FOA), which funds academic and extracurricular programs for all Amundsen students. Thank you for showing your Viking pride and supporting our school community!
Important Dates
Monday, December 15 | Final Exams (Odd Periods)
Monday, December 16 | Final Exams (Even Periods)
Tuesday, December 16 | LSC Meeting - 6pm
Friday, December 19 | Q2 Ends & Senior Breakfast
Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2 | Winter Break
Monday, January 5 | No Class for Students (Staff Development)
Monday, January 12 | FOA Monthly Meeting & Viking Village Meetup
Thursday, January 15 | Early Dismissal for Students (Staff Development)
Monday, January 19 | MLK Day - No School
