Monday, October 30, 2017

November Adult Lunch Menu

This Week at LPMS: 10/30-11/3

Hello All,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We don't have a lot going on this week during the school day, which is a great thing! 

After school, LPHS is hosting Volleyball Districts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

On Wednesday, Student Council will host their monthly meeting in the Media Center following school. 

On Thursday, we have a Lock Down Drill at 9:00.

Have a great week!

Friday, October 27, 2017

Twenty Percent

As the season noticeably turns from Summer to Fall this week, fall sports wind down and the boilers fire up, we cross the line of 20% completed for our school year.  Twenty percent of a student's freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year is over.  This blog post is my reflection on that time and an opportunity to refocus us on the thought of urgency. 

I have been impressed by the staff here and by their collective dedication to making sure students have a positive experience at Lincoln Park High School.  We have begun some challenging work on improving the efforts that we make in promoting social and emotional health for our kids, including a positive start with our full PBIS Committee and significant efforts in incorporating the Responsible Thinking Center in to our every day.

While all of this is going on and improving our school, I want to highlight the fact that the greatest impact we are going to have on our students happens inside your classrooms.  At the 20% mark or almost halfway through the first semester, are you where you want to be with your students and your goals for the school year?  Are your students where you wanted them to be at this point?  How are we addressing the ones that are not? 

The one major point I would like to discuss is the idea that behavior is communication.  We use this comment over and over again in regards to our students, as we try to decipher their behaviors to figure out what is happening in their lives and how we can help them.  But the behavior that is most important in our building is our own.  As adults, are we leading by example?  Are we building the sense of community that we would want our own children to experience in their school?  Based on my observations, I think we are giving this our best effort.  There is room for improvement in some areas though. 

Some things that I would like to see communicated a little more clearly is a big part of CKH, where we are greeting students at the door and welcoming them to our classrooms and setting the tone for the day.  This does not happen enough in our building and is a district initiative, so please be sure to make an effort at each passing time to be stationed at your door and communicating this to our students.  It's your first opportunity to gauge student moods and to begin to assess how you will move forward with each hour. 

The last communication that I would like to see made more clear is the value of each minute in your room.  We don't always think of what we are communicating to our students during "down time" in your classroom, but it can often show that we aren't valuing student time or our time with them.  As we continue to move forward, please take advantage of every minute that you have these students in your room. Start on time and teach them the importance of being in your room promptly.  Engage them for the entire hour, every hour.  Our kids need structure and engagement constantly and we know that.  Just five minutes of "down time" in each hour loses 15 days of instruction for those kids.  They can't afford that. 

Finally, as the weekend approaches and we get ready to turn the calendar to November, take the time to reflect on what is happening in your rooms.  Celebrate the successes you've had to this point, there have been plenty in our building!  But set a goal moving forward for how you are going to improve and remember that is ultimately our number one goal.  We must always improve!





Monday, October 23, 2017

This Week at LPHS: 10/23 - 10/30

Tuesday:

* Early Release - SIOP Training - All staff reports to LPHS Media Center at 1:55

* Paying for College Night, 6:00 in the LPHS Cafeteria

Wednesday:

* LPHS Blood Drive

* Recruiting 101 for Student Athletes, 6:00 in the LPHS Cafeteria

Thursday:

* Band Concert, 7:00 pm

Friday:

* Spooktacular, 5:00-9:00 pm in High School Auditorium

Sunday, October 15, 2017

This Week at LPHS: 10/16-10/20

Monday: 

* Varsity Soccer plays Fordson in the first round of districts at Edsel Ford

Wednesday:

* PBIS Committee Mtg, 7:00 in room 145

* Fall Flannel Fancy, 6:00 at Steele Trap Tavern  ($15 per person for a meal and 2 drinks)

Thursday:

* BTN Committee Mtg, 7:00 in room 145




Sunday, October 8, 2017

Pediatric Oncology Donation

Friday night was an incredible experience as the teamwork put forth for the previous weeks by so many paid off with a huge donation to U of M's Mott Children's Hospital for Pediatric Oncology.  The grand total was over $9,000 and our students and staff could not be prouder.  The weather couldn't even dampen the spirits!  Thank you to everyone that was involved!  It was certainly a proud moment for Lincoln Park High School!

 

Introducing Grant McKenzie!!

At 1:30 am on Sunday, October 8, Halley, Don and Clara McKenzie welcomed Grant Richard into both their family and the LPHS family!  Grant weighed in at 7 lbs, 3 oz and is 19 inches long.  Mom and baby are both reported to be doing well.  

Congratulations to the whole McKenzie family!  We couldn't be happier for you! 



This Week at LPHS: 10/9 - 10/13

Tuesday:

* Early Release/Staff Meeting Collaboration Time (1:45 dismissal)

Here is the message from district HR regarding this time:

Tuesday, October 10 will be our first time having an early release and staff meeting where many teachers will be traveling to different buildings to meet.

Over the past few years we have had many requests for grade level/subject area teachers to collaborate and learn together. We are very excited to have this opportunity through the new early release time. Please use this time to collaborate with your colleagues to develop best practices within your grade or subject area. This collaborative time will be beneficial as we continue to build the system of teacher collaborative routines and ensure high quality instruction.

As we continue to prepare for next week's early release please keep in mind a few suggestions:

Please do your best to arrive at your location as quickly as possible. Try to ignore that urge to check your mailbox or stop for that coffee:) We would like to maximize the time available to the teams that will be meeting, as everyone's input is valuable.
Also, per your MOU with LPEA, you will not be required to stay more than 2 hours past student dismissal time at your building.

Thank you!!!


If you are unsure of where you are meeting, please let me know or consult with your department heads.

Wednesday:


* PSAT will be offered by LPHS Counselors

* Ghouls, Grub and Clubs at Lunch

* Academic Awards Night in LPHS Auditorium, 7:00

Thursday:

* Picture Retake Day

Friday:

* Fall Auditions after school

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Homecoming Kudos!

I wanted to thank everybody for an incredible homecoming week.  I was blown away by the participation by staff in everything from hall decorating, to dressing up for the theme days.  It started off with some miserable conditions in the school due to heat, and you did not let that get in the way of making sure it was a special week for our students. 

Our students also did a very nice job and were well behaved throughout the course of the week, including at the football game on Friday night and again at the dance on Saturday night.  It was great to see so many of them enjoying themselves. 

So many people did so much, but thank you especially to Ann and Leslie for all of the work you did to make the week special. 

This Week at LPHS: 10/2-10/6

Monday:

* Cookies and Clubs after school

Tuesday:

* PSP Meeting - We will all be meeting in the media center for PSP meetings - Please bring data collected by your department.

Click here for the correct PSP link.  Please bookmark this page and discontinue use of old bookmarks.

For the most part, the September PSPs that we completed were done successfully.  Please be certain that we pay special attention to the Causal Theories and the plan created after reviewing data.  You do not need fill in something for every causal theory.  If it does not apply, simply put N/A in the form.  For review, here are the directions for how to complete the causal theories:


The final section, developing our plan for improvement is the most important.  These must be time bound (include a date for data collection) and measurable (how will you know we improved?).  They must include what you will be doing either individually, or as a group, to ensure increased student understanding.  For review, here are the directions for this portion of the process: 


* Drama Day following school in the large auditorium.  

Wednesday:

* Count Day - IMPORTANT
Here are the directions for teachers to follow for Count Day.  This will be done through second hour at LPHS.




* Student Council Meeting in the Media Center following school.

Thursday:

* Hands of the City New Volunteer Night, LPHS Cafeteria

Friday: