CONGRATULATIONS to our Student of the Month winners for October! Keep making Seneca High School proud! #TheSenecaWay ☘️
New Staff Spotlight: Albana Smith, Biology & Physical Science Teacher 🔬
“I went to Flanagan High School. After graduation, I attended Lincoln Land Community College and played volleyball there for two years while getting my associate degree. From there, I went to Millikin University and continued to play volleyball while getting my Bachelor’s in Biology Education. In recent years I also went back to get my Master’s in Biology Education from the University of Illinois. This is my fifteenth year teaching and I have also coached volleyball on and off.”
“Prior to teaching at Seneca, I was at Henry-Senachwine High School for twelve years and Flanagan-Cornell High School for the last two years. Over the past fourteen years I have taught many different classes, including Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Forensic Science, Dual-Credit Biology, Microbiology, and Environmental Science. I spent six years coaching volleyball at Henry, including four years as head coach and two at the JV level. Last year, I was the varsity head coach at Flanagan before coming here. When it works out with our kids’ schedules, I’d be interested in getting involved in coaching again.”
“My husband Brent (SHS’s new Mathematics Teacher & Assistant Football Coach) and I moved into town this summer. Our oldest son, Nolan, is in 6th Grade at SGS South Campus. Then our twins, Dylan and Owen, are currently in 4th Grade at North Campus. Nolan is starting to get very involved in baseball, flag-football, and basketball. The twins just started playing in a 4th Grade basketball league through Seneca. They are excited about wrestling next year once they get to 5th Grade.”
“Different teachers and coaches in high school and college made me start thinking about the education route. I thought it was a job I could go to every day where I would really enjoy what I was doing. Being able to interact with kids and potentially coach, I just saw it as something that would be more exciting and interactive than other jobs on a day-to-day basis.”
“My first impressions of Seneca have been very positive. Across the board, everyone is very welcoming and friendly. The transition has been smoother than what I thought it would, even at the grade schools with our kids too, because students and staff have helped our family transition into a new school. I feel like Seneca is the perfect size because students are ingrained in the school’s culture. If a school is too big, students might find it harder to get involved. Whereas if it is too small, then there are not enough activities to choose from.”
“In my first year, I hope to become more integrated into the school culture. I hope to build more relationships with all students and colleagues within the building. I also hope to get more involved with our extra-curriculars as the years go on. In the classroom, I hope to create a really positive environment that students enjoy coming to. If they don’t already, I hope that I can instill a love for science in students.”
#TheSenecaWay ☘️
The Seneca High School Cheer team invites girls in Kindergarten through 8th grade from MVK, Milton Pope, Ransom and Seneca Grade School to join our Holiday Cheer Camp on December 14th! The camp will be held in the SHS New Gym from 1:00-3:00 PM and will cost $25.00 per girl.
Wear comfy clothes and get ready for a fun afternoon of holiday cheer! Each participant will receive a cheer shirt and bow, and will perform with our SHS cheerleaders during halftime of the Varsity Fighting Irish Basketball Game on December 19, 2025. We ask that campers wear their camp shirt, bow, and black leggings for the performance.
Scan the QR code or visit the attached link to sign up. Please email Coach Nikki at nbricco@senecahs.org or call 815-357-5001 with any questions. We can't wait to welcome and cheer with the future of SHS Cheer! #IrishPride 📣
Sign Up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGg1TR66p4F6SLJOuUNIia7gCUZROg6ps1WiEqeX0zL9yh0A/viewform?usp=publish-editor
Mail checks (payable to Seneca High School) to:
Seneca High School
ATTN: Nikki Bricco
307 East Scott Street
Seneca, IL 61360
Last Thursday and this Tuesday, Mrs. Foster's Economics classes had the opportunity to learn about budgeting from Crystal Geiger of Financial Plus Credit Union! It was a very insightful session, covering practical tips and real-world strategies for managing money effectively. It's so valuable for our students to learn these essential financial literacy skills straight from the experts. Students took a big step toward smart spending and saving, and we are very grateful for Crystal and Financial Credit Union for preparing our students for financial success! #TheSenecaWay ☘️
If you plan on attending, please register using the QR code or the attached link. If you have any questions, please see the Guidance office!
https://jjc.edu/getting-started/schedule-visit/discover-jjc
If you plan on attending, please fill out the RSVP using the QR code or the attached link. If you have any questions, please see the Guidance office!
https://admissions.ivcc.edu/register/Explore
It's RACE DAY. The Fighting Irish XC team is headed to the IHSA Class 1A Cross Country Sectional at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island this afternoon. The girls race begins at 3:00 PM, with the boys to follow at 4:00 PM. Leave it all out on the course and LET'S GO IRISH! #IrishPride ☘️
https://youtube.com/live/Nm3nwIHBjDE
Join us on Friday, November 14th & 15th as Seneca High School presents A Wicked Christmas Carol! The play is a dramatically humorous spin-off of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol told using the characters from L. Frank Baum’s 14-book Wizard of Oz series! Admission is $5 per ticket and can be purchased by visiting https://cur8.com/16118/project/135176 or by scanning this QR code:
We were blessed to have three leaders from our community share their valuable experiences with our students:
Sara Olson - SHS School Board Vice President and Success Coach at Great Minds
Amy Zellers - Administrator at Pleasant View Luther Home
Alyssa Ugolini - Owner of Refuge Coffee & Co.
Among the many take-aways from the event were what it means to be a leader, following your own journey, building your support network, remaining open to opportunities, and unique challenges faced by women in the workforce.
Thank you to all of the individuals who worked to make this event a success! We are excited to see how we can grow this program in the future. #TheSenecaWay ☘️
PACK THE 'ROCK ☘️
It's GAME DAY. The Lady Irish Volleyball team will challenge the Manteno Panthers tonight for the IHSA 2A Regional Championship @ 6:00 PM! Tickets to enter will be $8.00 (Students, Adults, and Senior Citizens) and will be cash only at the SHS Event Entrance. Let's pack the stands and GOOD LUCK Lady Irish! #IrishPride 🏐
Today was a fun and memorable day at SHS for all ages! Our faculty and staff welcomed our preschoolers from Mrs. Read's ECE program for a morning of trick-or-treating. Their laughter and excitement filled the halls as they dressed up as spooky vampires, magical princesses, and brave superheroes. Along the way, they practiced good manners, waiting patiently, and taking turns! #TheSenecaWay ☘️
Students also got a hands-on experience by driving a golf cart on a controlled course while wearing fatal vision goggles that simulate different blood alcohol levels (.08, 1.5, and 2.0. ). This powerful demonstration showed just how quickly impairment can affect reaction time and coordination. Thank you, Officer Sangston and Mrs. Baxter, for continuing to reinforce the importance of making responsible decisions behind the wheel. Let’s keep having a fun and safe Red Ribbon Week! #TheSenecaWay ☘️
In the IHSA 2A Regional Semis on Tuesday night, the Lady Irish Volleyball team DEFEATED the Coal City Coalers in a nail-biting 3 set thriller: 26-24, 19-25, 27-25! With that win, the Lady Irish have punched their ticket to the Regional CHAMPIONSHIP Thursday night at 6:00 PM vs. the Manteno Panthers. CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLS! #IrishPride ☘️
