LCHS Friday Focus

Happy Friday! We made it through the first whole week. Enjoy your three day weekend. Just a reminder that we will have advisory on Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week. After this, advisory will be back to the normal schedule. We will need to do class meetings on September 9 during advisory. Class sponsors please be ready to discuss homecoming and floats. Classes will need to decide if they are building a float or if they will use a pickup with the plywood signs.  It always amazes me on how quickly everyone gets back into the normal routine. We have had a great start to the school year. Keep pushing the students to reach higher than they think they can. We do believe all students can learn at high levels.   I just want to take a moment to go over some of the reminders that we skimmed over at the staff meeting on Monday. Don't forget grades need to be updated every Monday at 8:30 am for the previous week. Obviously, if you have a large project, I don't expect yo...

Happy Friday! We will be entering our last week of the school year on Monday. I always get asked about underclassmen and semester tests. If a student needs to take a semester test, they need to take it at their assigned time. However, if it benefits you in getting grades done, then the student may take it with you earlier, but the student must remain with you the entire testing period. They can not go early. If a student will be gone those days, he/she will need an advance make up so they can be taken in advance of being gone.  I am happy to say we have hired a new Assistant Principal. His name is Kyle Formanek and he will be joining us from Gladbrook Reinbeck. He started his teaching career in 2012 as as social studies teacher and in 2017 moved into the technology coordinator/integrationist role.   We have also hired a new science teacher, Sarah Wonders. She is joining us from Dakota Valley High School in South Dakota. She will be teaching biology. With semester te...

Happy Friday! A big THANK YOU for all that you do for our students! As we wrap up another week and get closer to our summer break. I want to thank you all for all your hard work. It is not always easy, sometimes we seem to want it more than the students. I have been busy talking with 12 seniors who are at risk of not graduating. When I look at the big picture, many of these students have never really experienced success, and all of them have some type of personal issue they are struggling with. Some of these students may be scared to graduate, because they don't know what is next. I try to reflect on what we could or should do differently to help these lost students. I do feel bad for this kids and think life for them should not be like this at this young of an age. Most of us were lucky growing up having stable homes and parents that pushed us. For many of us, school came easy and we were good at playing the game. For these kids, school has not come easy. As we come to the end ...

Happy Friday! We are down to just 6 more class days with Seniors. Just a reminder Seniors last day of class is May 13. They will take semester tests in the library on May 14 and 15. Seniors were told they needed to take them on the 14th if they have 4 or fewer tests. They may use the 15th if they have to take more than 4 tests. Tests need to be done at the end of 4th period on Wednesday and grades updated ASAP so Amy can run the final awards for Seniors. The awards program will be on May 15 at 6:30 pm. If you want your Senior students to take the tests in the library I need you to bring me the test with the students name, period, and class written on the top. If you are giving a computer exam, please send me a list of names and test so I can give that to the teachers covering tests for us. If you are giving the Senior exam in your room, I don't need anything from you at this time. Thank you to those teachers helping with tests. If you need the Senior test schedule emailed to you ...

Happy Friday! I hope everyone enjoyed their extended weekend and is ready to make our final push to the end of the year. I have been keeping an eye on several seniors who are on the edge of not making it to graduation. I will be starting to call home and update parents instead of sending letters next week since we are cutting it close. Speaking of Seniors, we will need to do Senior semester tests differently this year. If you have any ideas besides having each of you give the test during class please share. The Senior's last day will be on May 13, with semester tests on May 14 &15. Graduation rehearsal is on the 16th.  This Saturday we get to host prom. Thank you to Nancy Isebrand and our Junior class sponsors for all the work you have done to help make this a successful night. Reminder everything is moved up an hour from last year to accommodate the After-Prom.  Please continue to push the students to meet our expectations. The weather is warming up and we are see...

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week. Thank you for you flexibility and patience as we finish the ISASP today. Please keep notes on what went well in your room, and ideas on how we can improve on this process for next year. Instead of meeting as a big group on April 17, Neal and I will try to get to every group to get your feedback. I am curious on what you all thought about the block schedule we ran on Thursday and Friday. When I taught in Vermillion, we ran our normal 50 minute classes on Monday-Wednesday and then the block on Thursday and Friday. This could be something we can look into for future years. When I first started teaching at Vermillion, I didn't know if I would like the 90 minute class period. However, I found the students could get a lot more accomplished during that time. I structured my block with a mini lesson 20-30 minutes, then depending on what we were doing, working on a research project, bringing in guest speakers, giving my assessments, or doi...