LCHS Friday Focus

   Friday Focus  I hope everyone has had a great week! This will be the last Friday Focus of 2024. I do want to take the time to thank Mrs. Habeck. Mrs. Habeck will be finishing her position with us on December 20. She will be on our regular sub list so she will still be in the building on some days. Mrs. Habeck helped us out as we did not get the Freshman English position filled at the start of the year. Thank you for working with our students, learning new technolgies that didn't exist the last time you were in the classroom, and just being a great person! Starting January 2, Ms. Thomas will be taking over some of the Freshman English sections along with Ms. Hommes and Mr. Mena. Thank you for your work during inservice. Part of our plan in professional development this year is to give you new tools for your toolbox. Not everyone will use every tool that CIA shows you this year and that is fine. AI is just another tool out there for you to use. There are many potential u...

  Friday Focus  I hope everyone has had a great week! I am out of the building today attending the state dance competition in Des Moines.  We only have 7 instructional days and 3 semester test days left in this semester. As we quickly approach the end of the semester there are a few items I want to remind you about to ensure they are completed. 1. Grades are due before you leave on December 20. You will need to verify your Semester 1 grades. Please double check a few calculations to make sure PowerSchool is doing this correctly. Steps to verify your grades: 1. Log into PowerTeacher Pro, 2. Go to 'A+ Grading' and Click 'Traditional', 3. Click 'Final Grade Status' in the bottom right-hand corner, 4. Check the box for 'S1 Final Grades are Complete' and then click 'Save'. 2. Make sure that you have turned in the PASS Plan summary form for any student that failed a class to the office and have mailed a copy home . Please notify the guidance office so ...

Friday Focus - Thanksgiving Edition Thanksgiving Gratitude I hope everyone had a wonderful week! As we head into Thanksgiving break, I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible staff. Your passion and dedication continue to amaze me daily. I hope each of you – whether you're a teacher, aide, custodian, cook, or counselor – can truly disconnect during this break and enjoy quality time with your loved ones. Academic Calendar Update When we return, we'll have: 12 days of regular classes 3 days of semester tests Important deadline: Grades and pass plan summaries due December 20th PASS Plans and Incomplete Procedures ⚠️ Students with Existing PASS Plans: If a student with a PASS Plan did not pass your class: complete and submit the PASS Plan summary form  - You can email or turn in a print copy. Please use this form so I have a form for each student. If the student passed, then nothing needs to be submitted. Students Without PASS Plans: Issue an incomplete grade Co...

              Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a great week. I wanted to follow up on our previous discussion about implementing SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) strategies in our high school classrooms. I've been excited to see how many of you have been incorporating these techniques, and I have some additional suggestions to share. SIOP Implementation Update As you continue to integrate SIOP strategies into your lessons, here are some ideas to consider: Science : In addition to using visual aids and hands-on experiments, try implementing more collaborative lab work where students can support each other's learning and development of academic language. Math : Building on the word walls for mathematical terms and the use of manipulatives, encourage students to explain their problem-solving processes through structured pair and group activities. English : Alongside the graphic organizers for literature analysis and the us...

             Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a great week. This month I want to focus on the Boys Town training we had on the Well Managed Schools.  When we first implemented this program, our staff came together to identify the skills we wanted to prioritize: Working With Others, Staying on Tasks, Having a Conversation, Appropriate Voice Tone, and Following Instructions. These essential skills form the foundation for creating a positive, productive learning environment where students can thrive. In this week's blog post, I want to dive deep into the classroom process and share some strategies for how teachers can effectively cultivate these critical abilities. Working With Others Teamwork and collaboration are vital skills for success both in the classroom and beyond. Teachers can foster these abilities by: Assigning group projects that require students to work together toward a common goal Modeling effective communication, active list...

           Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a great week.  In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool that can enhance teaching and learning across disciplines. Far from replacing teachers, AI serves as a dynamic assistant that can personalize learning, streamline administrative tasks, and create innovative educational experiences. Benefits of AI in Education Personalized Learning Provides targeted support and enrichment Identifies learning gaps and suggests tailored interventions Efficiency and Time-Saving Automates grading and administrative tasks Generates lesson plan ideas Creates differentiated learning materials Enhanced Engagement Develops interactive learning experiences Provides immediate feedback Supports creative problem-solving AI Applications Across Disciplines Mathematics Classroom Generate practice problems tailored to student skill levels...