LCHS Friday Focus

Happy Friday! As we turn the calendar to February, it seems like we start to hit that lull in the school year where students seem to struggle the most with school work. I want to remind you to remain patient with the students and to continue to push them to reach higher levels. If they are not doing their work now, do not wait to contact parents. In cabinet this week, we were discussing our next chapters in our book we are reading. These chapters focused on the importance of relationships, especially for those students who may lack a quality adult role model or just need positive interactions with others. This served as a good reminder for me that students need interaction with each other in class and with us. When done correctly, cooperative learning can lead to gains that equal a year's worth of growth. When organizing cooperative activities here are some points to consider: Give everyone a unique and valued role; set class norms for all group behaviors; give the group occas...

Happy Friday! I hope everyone enjoyed their shortened week. I have been asked about if we will need to make up these days. I would assume Dr. Webner will follow Dr. Wendt's example and he won't have the board make a decision until he is confident we won't have any more snow days. So the short answer is I don't know yet. Once the board makes that decision, I'll pass it along.  With the counselors beginning to have the registration talks with grades 9-11, they will start registering them soon. The goal is to have everyone registered by the end of February and then have the "number talk" the beginning of March.  Reminder, if you were supposed to be gone on Monday or Tuesday, please recall your leave request if you haven't done so all ready.  We have to make a change to advisory next week since Neal and I have Cabinet on Monday. We will have it on Tuesday, so Neal and I can meet with all Junior and Senior students in the competition gym to go ove...

Happy Friday! The first week of the 2nd semester is almost behind us now. As we start the second semester I want to remind you to take the time to go through your roster to see what students have an IEP. It is very important that you understand the accommodations and modifications that the IEP spells out for the student. Failure to follow a student's IEP could lead to legal issues for you and the district. This is something the school can not defend. Please make sure if a student has modified tests, that you modify the test for that student. If you have questions on how to modify for a specific student talk to that student's IEP teacher. This also includes 504 students. I did email the 504s out to the teachers that needed them on Wednesday. I will make sure if a 504 student changes his/her schedule, the new teacher will get that info.  The start of the semester is also a good time to review our emergency procedures with your classes. Make sure they know what to do in case o...

Happy Friday! As I am writing this the students are taking their first semester test. It feels good to get this first semester behind us and to start on second semester. Hopefully this semester starts better than our first one. No more health scares from any of you! As we work on implementing the Iowa Core, this is a good time to examine what essential learnings you have covered and what still needs to be covered in the next 90 school days. You may have to adjust pacing guides to make sure the essentials will get covered. Melissa and Judd will be starting to have registration talks with the classes in the next few weeks. This is a little later than normal, so our meetings will not happen until the end of February, beginning of March. Hopefully we will still be able to have a master schedule out before you leave for the summer on this time line.  I will be meeting with seniors next week who may have come up short in a class during the first semester. I know I will have ...

Happy Friday! One more week of first semester then we start the second half of the year. I only have a few announcements/reminders. I hope everyone had a great break and you were able to relax for awhile. Looking ahead to next week we will have advisory on Monday. We will watch another episode of The Harbor. I believe we are on Season 2 Episode 2. There is also a shelter drill at 11:00 am on Monday. We start semester tests on the 10th. January 12 will be the semester test make up day. Grades will be due on January 15.  All students have open lunch during semester tests. Students testing should remain in the rooms the entire time. Please do not let them leave. Students who are not testing are expected to be in the commons, library, or off school grounds. Please remind your students of this.  Building extra hour meetings are on January 10 & 24; district in-service is on January 17.  Be Extraordinary, Mark   Success Center Update As you prepare your...