October 25, 2019

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Happy Friday! Today is the last day of the first quarter. Just a reminder grades are due Tuesday at 8:00 am. Please make sure you have verified your grades, please follow these instructions:
  1. Choose the class from the Class Selector.
  2. Choose the reporting term from the Term Selector.
  3. On the bottom of the Traditional Grades, Standards Grades, or Comment Verification page, click Final Grade Status.
  4. In the dialog, select (term) Final Grades are Complete checkbox, and enter any comments in the field.
During advisory, please have the students complete the Quarter 1 reflection. 

 Looking ahead, we have our extra hour meeting Wednesday. These will be grade level plc's and will meet in different rooms. Please refer to Mr. Bahr's email on rooms. For those of you who teach students from multiple grade levels, please attend the grade level where you have the most "at-risk" students. If you need to go to another grade level, please feel free to do so. Everyone needs to come prepared to discuss students and strategies you have used and those that have been successful. This is a time to come up with ideas and solutions to reach those students who really don't have a significant connection to the school. 

 At the end of last school year, the board changed the district's drug policy and the consequences that go with it. In previous years, a student caught with possession of an controlled substance could have been expelled from school for the reminder of the term. Under the new policy, they are excluded for 45 school days. This is an example of trying to get students help and not give them an "academic death" sentence. When a student is expelled, they lose credit and will not graduate on time. When they are excluded, they can still earn credits, but they are not allowed on school grounds without permission from administration. The previous policy also had provisions if the infraction occurred with 30 or more days left of school for that semester. If there were more than 30, the the expulsion or exclusion would begin then. If there were less than 30, the student would be excluded for the rest of the semester and the expulsion or exclusion would then begin the next term. So a student who gets caught with 31 days left of the semester would serve 31 days, but a student who get caught with 29 days left serves 119 days. 

 The board also changed the distribution part of the policy. The previous policy called for expulsion for 2 semesters. The new policy calls for expulsion for 90 days. Both the old and new policy allow the board to exclude instead of expel. 

 For those of you with trimester classes, the 1st trimester ends on Nov. 15. Please make sure you have had PASS Plans for these students as they will be moving onto new classes. 

 I have seen an uptick in PASS Plan meetings, remember these need to be done before 2nd quarter midterm, November 26.

 Have a great weekend!
Mark

Students as Leaders

The following students will be attending the National FFA Conference next week in Indianapolis: Kiley Allen, Layla Searl, Mia Hagge, Madison Sargison, Jecenta Sargisson, Wade Fisher, Jacob Spencer, Damion Grasz, and Mitchell Schilmoeller.

 Congratulations to Jason Sudtelgte, Ethan Hulinsky, and Chloe Calhoun for qualifying for the State Cross Country Meet! The boys finished 4th overall and the girls finished 6th.

Staff as Learners

Assistant Principal's Happenings

I will be in Des Moines on Monday with the student council.  We will be at the Iowa Student Council Leadership Conference learning more about other student councils and the great activities they are involved in their schools.  I should have access to my phone most of the day so feel free to email me with any issues you may have throughout the day.

 As it gets colder more students have been wearing hoods and hats in school.  Please make sure you are addressing it with all students and not allowing them to wear those in school.  If everyone is consistent it won't be as much of an issue.

 Also, please remember to be updating attendance.  It doesn't look good to parents when I call home can't say for sure if they were or were not in some classes.  On a positive note, I've had very few instances where students are counted incorrectly in the first quarter so I greatly appreciate that!  



Notes from the Librarian

The titles list for Book Bash competition will be released soon. Book Bash is a competition in which teams of 2-6 students read as many as the books possible from a list and then answer questions (in March or April) to compete against other teams (from LCHS and other schools). The top teams will then compete at Hinton in April. It is a fun way to have kids read different genres and work as a team for book discussion. Please let students know and have them contact me if they are interested. 

Success Center Update

For those of you who have been asking for more information on RtI and tiered instruction, rtinetwork.org is a great website with a lot of relevant information.  This article from the website discusses strategies for effective instruction when students struggle with reading.

Tracy's Technology Tidbits.

Chromebook Tip #1 -- You can increase the size of all items on the screen by pressing Ctrl Shift + to increase and Ctrl Shift - to decrease. Note that the tab strip and status tray enlarge too

Chromebook Tip #2 -- Did you know there is a built-in Magnifier? It can be found in Settings > Accessibility > Enable Screen Magnifier.  To adjust, hold Ctrl and Alt and scroll 2 fingers on the trackpad.

Chromebook Tip #3 -- Another magnifying option is the Docked Magnifier. It can be found in Settings > Accessibility > Docked Magnifier. To adjust zoom level, choose a zoom level from the dropdown in settings, or press Ctrl + Alt and scroll 2 fingers on the touchpad.

Hacking Instagram Stories in the name of classic literature. Could instagram stories get students to read classic literature on their own? The New York Public Library has uploaded entire works of classic literature to the Stories platform and gives readers everywhere the chance to sit down with a great book.

Article Worth Reading

Upcoming Activities

Friday, October 25
4:00 pm Freshmen Football vs Denison
4:00 pm Soup and Pie Supper - HS Commons
7:00 pm Varsity Football vs Denison
Halftime - Mass Band Show

Saturday, October 26
All State Music Auditions
9:00 am Wrestling Cheer Camp @ Clark

Monday, October 28
7:30 pm Orchestra Concert

Friday, November 1
7:30 pm Indoor Marching Band - Competition Gym
Saturday November 9
NWI HS Honor Band Auditions

Thursday, November 14
7:00 pm Fall Play

Friday, November 15
TBD - Robotics
7:00 pm Fall Play

Saturday, November 16
TBD - Robotics
7:00 pm Fall Play

Monday November 18
7:00 pm Music Boosters Meeting

Wednesday November 20
7:00 pm Athletic Boosters Meeting

Thursday, November 21
All State Music Festival @ Ames

Friday, November 22
All State Music Festival @ Ames
6:00 pm JV Girls Basketball - Hall of Pride Scrimmage
7:30 pm Varsity Girls Basketball - Hall of Pride Scrimmage

Saturday, November 23
All State Music Festival @ Ames

Monday, November 25
3:30 pm JV/Varsity Bowling vs. Sioux Central
6:00 pm JV Girls Basketball @ Spencer
7:30 pm Varsity Girls Basketball @ Spencer

Monday, December 2
1:00 pm JV/Varsity Bowling @ Sioux City North
6:00 pm Freshmen Girls Basketball @ Sioux Center
7:15 pm Freshmen Boys Basketball @ Sioux Center

Tuesday, December 3
6:00 pm Spanish Club Party

Thursday, December 5
4:00 pm JV Boys and Girls Basketball @ SBL
5:30 pm Varsity Girls Basketball @ SBL
5:30 pm JV/Varsity Wrestling @ Heelan
6:00 pm Freshmen Girls Basketball vs. Sioux City North
7:00 pm Varsity Boys Basketball vs. SBL
7:15 pm Freshmen Boys Basketball vs. Sioux City North

Friday, December 6
4:30 pm JV/Varsity Wrestling @ Hinton
6:30 pm Madrigal Dinner

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