Friends of Amundsen | Back to School BOOST
Back to school means the Back to School Boost—Friends of Amundsen’s 8th annual fundraising campaign. This year’s Boost focuses on technology: new Chromebooks, charging carts, and a repair budget. While last year’s Boost helped, it didn’t fully meet our school’s tech needs, and with CPS budget cuts, your support is more critical than ever. Chromebooks are essential tools for student learning, but many of ours are outdated or broken. Our goal is $55,000 by September 19 to fund 108 new Chromebooks, 3 charging carts, and repairs. Please help us keep Amundsen students connected and learning—Donate to the 2025 Back to School Boost HERE.
UPDATE | Support Clean Classrooms
The district recently announced it will reduce the supply of paper towels to schools as part of budget deficit cost-saving measures. Last year, disinfecting wipes were also cut, and now teachers are being asked to provide their own paper towels, tissues, and wipes for classroom use. If you would like to help, donations of these items are greatly appreciated. You can order supplies and have them shipped directly to the school:
Amundsen High School
Attn: Principal Kristi Eilers
5110 N. Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
Principal Eilers will ensure donations are distributed equitably to classrooms.
REMINDER | Volunteering at Amundsen
Please be reminded that CPS requires all volunteers to renew their approval each school year. If you have not already done so, please visit the CPS Volunteer Programs website to complete or renew your application. Most opportunities at Amundsen require Level 2 approval, which is a simple process for activities like field trip or dance chaperoning, guest speaking, or helping at school events. Level 1 approval (background check and TB test) is required for more involved roles such as athletics, tutoring, or overnight trips. We welcome and appreciate volunteers for field trips, dances, open house, after-school programs, and many other events!
ON THE FIELD | Athletics This Week
It’s a busy week for Viking athletics! Come out and cheer on our student-athletes as they compete across soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, swim, volleyball, football, and more. Highlights include Boys Soccer kicking off at home on Tuesday vs. Juarez, multiple golf matches throughout the week, a packed Thursday with six different sports in action, and big matchups on Saturday for Varsity, JV, and Flag Football.
For full details, times, and locations of all games, please check the Amundsen Athletics Calendar. Go Vikings!
SAVE THE DATE | Homecoming Tickets on Sale Friday!
The 2025 Homecoming Dance will be held at Rockwell on the River (3057 N. Rockwell St., Chicago, IL 60618) on Friday, September 26, from 5:30–9:30 PM. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 5.
To simplify purchasing, a $25 ticket charge will been added to all student accounts in Aspen. Students do not have a ticket until it is purchased in Aspen. If a student does not plan to attend, the charge can be ignored and will automatically be removed after the September 24 ticket purchase deadline. You must have Aspen access to purchase tickets.
If you need Aspen account access or a password reset, please complete this form.
For more information, view the Homecoming Dance Flyer shared with students.
CALLING ALL PARENTS | Homecoming Chaperones Needed
We are looking for parent and guardian chaperones to help make the Homecoming Dance a safe, fun night for our students. Interested in volunteering? Please complete the Chaperone Interest Form and we’ll follow up with details. Thank you for supporting our Vikings!
REMINDER | Homecoming Golf Classic
Sponsored by the Amundsen Athletic Foundation, families and friends are invited to join the annual Homecoming Golf Classic on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Register as a foursome or individually and compete for prizes including closest to the pin and longest drive. Registration covers 18 holes, parking, a golf cart, lunch, and a beverage. New this year: enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Friends of Amundsen’s Raise the Sails fundraising event!
More details and registration information are available on the event page.
DID YOU KNOW | Erie Health Clinic at AHS
We’re proud to share that Amundsen High School hosts a school-based health center through Erie Family Health Centers. Students can access a wide range of services right here on campus, including physical exams, immunizations, treatment for illnesses and injuries, mental health counseling, and referrals for additional care. These services are designed to support the overall health and well-being of our students, ensuring they are ready to learn every day.
For more information, please visit the Erie Family Health Center at Amundsen website, or presentation deck.
SPOTLIGHT | Meet Our School Counselors!
Every student at Amundsen has a school counselor! Students are assigned by their last name. Ms. Darugar (Last Name: A - Cr), Ms. Suh (Last Name: Cu - H), Ms. Lopez (Department Chair) (Last Name: I - Me), Ms. Maldonado (Last Name: Mi - R), and Mr. Tucker (Last Name: S - Z). Counselors are available for students to drop-in during their lunch period on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 114. No appointment necessary. For more information visit our School Counseling website.
RESOURCE | Scholarship Opportunities
Each year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards 150 college scholarships worth $20,000 to high school students across the US. Students need a 3.0 GPA and to complete an online application that requires no essays, no recommendations, and no transcripts by September 30, 2025. Find full details and the application at: Cokeurl.com/Apply2026!
The Lumiere Scholars Essay Award invites high school seniors to examine issues that matter to them, cross disciplinary lines, test assumptions, and defend their arguments with rigorous evidence. 6 winners from 3 categories (Humanities, STEM, and Social Sciences) will receive a total of $20,000 in cash prizes and scholarships.
Free to enter and open worldwide, the award celebrates rising thinkers, sparks dialogue about the ideas shaping our future, and continues Lumiere's mission of empowering the next generation of researchers. The winter cohort application deadline is November 16, 2025. Click here to apply.
Want scholarships in your inbox? The CPS Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) sends Scholarship Alert e-blasts directly to your in-box! Please encourage your students to sign-up (a cps e-mail address is required). Sign-up here: Chicago Public Schools Scholarship Email Blast - Opt In Form.
SPOTLIGHT | The Vikings Shop
Shop the Vikings Shop for back-to-school 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, September 1 | Labor Day--No School
Tuesday, September 9 | 9th & 10th Grade Parent Night (in-person)-6pm
Thursday, September 11 | 11th & 12th Grade Parent Night (virtual)--6pm
Saturday, September 13 | FOA Back to School Bash--Montrose Beach
Tuesday, September 16 | LSC Meeting--6pm
Friday, September 19 | Q1 Progress Reports
Thursday, September 25 | Homecoming Game
Friday, September 26 | Staff Development Day - No Student Attendance
Friday, September 26 | Homecoming Dance
Sunday, September 28 | AAF Homecoming Golf Classic
