LCHS Friday Focus

Happy Friday! Two more school days and you get some much deserved R & R! Thank you for all that you have done in 2015 and making this a successful school year so far. As I reflect back on the year I have been very impressed with the number of teachers trying new strategies or new ways to do things. I know it isn't always easy and new strategies don't always go as planned, but keep pushing yourself and learning new ways to help our students.  I also want to take a moment to remind you about our model teachers. During our first model day we didn't have any high school staff take part. I would like to see some of you get out and see what some of the model teachers are doing. Just because a model teacher isn't in your content area doesn't mean they don't have something to offer. I truly believe good strategies can be adapted to fit any content. Good teaching is good teaching. So if you want to observe one of the models, Tami, Kurt, or Kellie, let me know...

Happy Friday! Thank you for all your work on the reading comprehension lessons. As I walked around the groups I was able to hear some good lessons. I know some of you are not seeing the improvement you have hoped, but keep pushing the students. Research shows that students need to be exposed to a strategy several times before it will become a habit. Once the student makes the strategy their own, the growth will occur. Just a reminder the extra-hour meeting on December 22 will be in your department PLC groups. I will be gone this today for a Lakes Conference Principal's meeting in Spencer. If you ever wonder what one of our conference schools do for something, let me know and I'll try to find out. Most of our meetings consist of sharing what we are doing or how we handle certain situations.  Looking ahead we do have a shelter drill on Thursday, December 17 at 1:30 pm. I will be out of town on Monday, December 14, so if you need a substitute please call Neal Sunday or Mon...

Happy Friday! Today is midterm of 2nd quarter! We will be sending out the midterms today. As of now, we are not going to move the end of the semester back a day. If we would have more snow days, we will revisit if we need to. but the plan now is we won't. Semester tests will be on January 13 and 14 with a make up day on the 15th. As some of may have seen, the House has passed the new ESEA legislation that gives control back to the states. The House version gets rid of the prescribed goals and punishments and allows the states and school districts to set their own goals. The House version still requires the states to have some plan on what to do with continually low performing schools. The bill still retains the testing requirements. The Senate still needs to act on the ESEA legislation, however, according to many of the "experts" the House was seen as the major hurdle. What this means for us is still unknown and we will have to see what guidance the state puts out i...