Lexington High School - Lexington Public Schools

Lexington High School
Newsletter
March 2012
Volume 28, number 6
From the Principal
D
–Natalie K. Cohen, Principal
uring Professional Development days
this year in January, March and May, Lexington
High School teachers are fortunate to benefit
from the guidance of consultant Allison Zmuda.
Focusing on the principles of backward design,
Allison is guiding teachers through the ongoing
process of sustaining an environment where what
teachers and students are expected to know and
be able to do is challenging, feasible and worthy
of the attempt. The process includes establishing
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings and Essential
Questions for every course. Teachers are engaged
in identifying long-term desired results, determining appropriate assessment evidence to achieve
those results, and designing learning activities and
instruction to support these outcomes.
With ever-increasing demands on schools to
include more material, demonstrate proficiency
in an expanding number of content areas, as well
as prepare for high-stakes standardized testing,
it is essential that teachers collaborate in small
course-alike groups (Professional Learning Communities) to determine the desired outcomes of
their courses. PLC work was begun in earnest in
Lexington about six years ago, and the process
has been refined and polished every year since.
Using backward design focuses the work by
teacher PLCs and supports them in their creation
of thoughtfully developed, outcome-based units
of study.
The process of collaborating around curriculum,
pedagogy, assessments and standards is difficult
and messy work, requiring long hours of openminded conversations and thoughtful consensus
seeking. Once again, I offer my deep appreciation for the work of the LHS teaching staff in
clarifying expectations through developing
Continued on page 2
March
Thursday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Wednesday
1
1
6
7
8
8
9
10
14
Thursday
15
15
Friday
16
Monday
19
19
Tues-Wed 20-21
Thursday
Friday
Friday
Fri-Sun
22
22
23
30
30-4/1
April
Monday
2
Thursday
5
Friday
6
Tuesday
10
Thursday
12
Friday
13
Monday
16
Tues-Fri 17-20
Monday
23
May
Wednesday
Thursday
Thurs-Sat
Junior Parent Workshop, 8:15-9:30 am, Science Lecture Hall
Science Fair Awards, 7 pm, Science Lecture Hall
Athletic Spring Sports Night, 6pm, aud
LHS Choral Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
Professional Development Day; 11:15 dismissal
Concerto Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
Big Band Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
Winter A Cappella Jamboree $10/$5, 7:30 pm, aud
PTSA Forum, 7:30 pm, Science Lecture Hall. All
welcome.
Orchestra Festival Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
Shop at Wilson Farm Day. [See pp. 3, 20.]
Improv Troupe Show, $5, 7:30 pm, Blackbox Theater
School Council meeting, guidance conf. room, 7 pm
Spring Season Sports start date
MCAS testing for gr.10. Delayed start at 10:40 am for
grs. 9, 11, 12.
MCAS testing for gr.10. Delayed start at 9:15 am for
grs. 9, 11, 12.
Band Festival Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
Jazz Nite 3, 7:30 pm, Commons II
Third quarter ends
MICCA Festival at LHS
NHS Blood Drive, 8am - 1pm
Senior Art Show opens, Cary Hall [See p.7]
NO SCHOOL: Holiday
Pre-Tour Choral Concert, 7:30 pm, aud
German Fest, Commons I & II, 6-8pm
LHS Jazz Festival Concert, $5, $10, 7:30 pm, aud
NO SCHOOL: Patriots Day
NO SCHOOL: Offices open
School Council meeting, guidance conf. room, 7 pm
2 K-12 Art Exhibit Opening, CO, 6:30pm [See p.7]
3 Professional Development Day; 11:15 dismissal
3Community Service Fair, 11:15am-12:15pm [Tentative]
3-5 Musical: Urinetown $15/$10, 7:30 pm, aud
0
Continued on page 13
The calendar was compiled in February and events are subject to
change. Call the department involved for up-to-date information.
Lexington High School Newsletter
From the Principal continued from page 1
essential questions, revising curriculum and revisiting assessments.
As the innovative educator Ted Sizer wrote:
A mindful school is clear about what it expects of a student
and about how he can exhibit these qualities, just as a mindful
student is one who knows where he is going, is disposed to get
there, and is gathering the resources, the knowledge, and the
skills to make the journey.
March 2012
PHONE NUMBERS REFERENCE
Principal Natalie K. Cohen..............................
.........................................861-2320, ext. 1000
Assoc. Principal Laura Lasa ........................... .........................................861-2320, ext. 1003
Dean Charles Caliri..........861-2320, ext. 1420
Dean Nancy DeFeudis.....861-2320, ext. 7020
Dean JoAnn Kilpatrick....861-2320, ext. 5020
Dean David Lautman.......861-2320, ext. 3040
Foreign Languages Department
O
German Cultural Trip
n February 17-26, German teacher Heidimarie Floerke, Mr.
Floerke, and English teacher Karen Russell are taking 12
LHS students to Germany and Austria (München, Salzburg
and Innsbruck).
For attendance, call the appropriate
administrator for your child before 9:30 am
on the day of the absence.
The trip includes tours of each city, museum visits–Alte Pinakothek
und Pinakothek der Moderne and Karneval (Fasching) in Munich;
a soccer game at the Allianz Arena–arena built for the world cup; a
day of skiing in Innsbruck–former host of the Winter Olympics; a
visit to an alpine village (Mittenwald) and more.
The following students will be participating in this trip:
Michael Barry
Filip Bystricky
Gwendolyn Claflin
Elizabeth Green
Ben Kaufman
Anna Kern
Leigh Pompeo
Abigail Shenker
Teni Tashjian
Phoebe Troll
Megan Vanderhooft
Amelia Watterson
Newsletter Policy
The Newsletter will print items directly related to the
schools and their PTAs. This includes curricular, cocurricular, and extracurricular activities which are PTSA- or
system-supported, and school-sanctioned projects. All
articles are subject to editorial discretion.
2
LHS homepage...http://lhs.lexingtonma.org
PTSA website...http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/PTSA
School Committee email:
school-com@comet.ci.lexington.ma.us
The Lexington High School
Newsletter
Editor
Jean Cole
email: jeancole@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
Next deadline:
Friday, March 16, 2012
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
PTSA News
Landscaping: a beautiful work in progress
A
t a recent PTSA executive
board meeting, we had the opportunity to learn about the Landscaping Committee from Chair Pat Moyer,
and committee member Lynne Klemmer. The committee began in 2002
after renovations at the High School
left the school yard mostly dirt with no
funding for any landscaping improvements aside from hydro-seeding. A
group of dedicated parent volunteers
developed a ten-year master plan using mostly native plants and plants/
trees which would create color during
the seasons when school is in session,
yet leave open spaces. They planned
fundraising, purchased plants and held
two plantings a year––spring and fall,
and developed a summer watering program. Now, ten years and 20 plantings
later, their master plan is close to being fully achieved. Funds come from
plants sales, the PTSA general fund,
designated funds from parents through
the PTSA, letters to supporters, and
the Fund for Lexington.
Photos of their accomplishments can be
seen on this link of the PTSA website,
<https://sites.google.com/site/lexingtonhighptsa/committees/landscaping>.
Of course, along the way there are
challenges––the type of soil on the
property requires a lot of watering,
plants that need to be replanted due to
tough winters, snowplows or hurried
teens on their way across the property,
and the fact that purchasing plants is
very expensive and there is no line item
for landscaping in the town budget.
Thus the 13-acre property is always a
work in progress. In recent years the
committee has had a good working relationship with the town facilities department who takes care of the grass cutting.
It was very interesting to learn that
most of the volunteers on the committee no longer have students at LHS, but
have continued to work together for the
same goal. Each year a few new faces
join them. A special thank you to these
community members who continue the
work to beautify the school grounds for
the students who attend today and in
the years ahead!
More volunteers are still needed to
grow this core group who will eventually move into ‘retirement.’ You
don’t have to have any gardening
knowledge. The committee needs all
kinds of volunteers––people who are
good with email and organization,
people who are good with teenagers,
and people who know and love plants
and/or nature. Commitment to be on
this committee includes each year:
attending three to four meetings and
two plantings, and if possible, helping
supervise teens working in the summer
watering program. If you are interested in helping, upcoming new projects
may also include project-specific
fundraising, or laying down 100 feet
of boardwalk. If interested in being on
the list to be notified of the upcoming
spring planting day contact Pat Moyer.
Pat’s contact info is located in the front
cover of the LHS Student Directory
under ‘Landscaping Committee.’
If you’d like to make a donation, make
check payable to LHS/PTSA, write
‘Landscaping Donation’ in the memo
line and mail to PTSA Treasurer, 251
Waltham St., Lexington, MA 02421.
I can’t wait to see the flowering plants
on the property come alive this spring!
–Sharon Kendall
LHS/PTSA Co-President
Shop at Wilson Farms and Support LHS
Thursday, March 15
The Lexington High School Wilson Farms fundraiser is on Thursday, March 15. Save all your grocery and garden supplies shopping
for March 15. To participate, simply print out and bring with you
the flyer located on the last page of this newsletter. Then present
the flyer to the cashier when you check out and 20 percent of your
purchase will go to LHS!
Thank you for your support!
3
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
PTSA Forum: Wednesday, March 14, 2012
More than Moody:
Simple adolescent moodiness or symptoms of depression in adolescents?
Wednesday, March 14
7:30 - 9:00 PM
Science Lecture Hall
Speaker: Dr. Blaise Aguirre, Medical
Director, Adolescent DBT Residential
Program, McLean Hospital
Anyone who is currently living with
a teenager at home, knows they can
be moody. But what is the difference
between simple adolescent moodiness
and symptoms of depression? Adolescence is a time of mood swings, defiance, independence and establishing
identity. It can be difficult for parents
to know what “typical” behavior is
and what is worrisome.
Some facts regarding depression in
children/adolescents:
•In the U.S., approximately 10-15% of
children/adolescents show some signs
of depression.
•Adults are more likely to recognize
their depression and be treated, while
most teenagers will not receive the
help they need.
•Common symptoms of depression
among adolescents include irritability,
withdrawal, isolation, loss of interest
and/or pleasure in previously enjoyed
activities, sleep problems (reduced or
increased sleep), changes in appetite
(reduced or increased appetite), and
reduced energy.
•Physical symptoms can be a symptom of depression (especially chronic
headaches or stomach aches).
•Most young people with depression
suffer from academic decline.
•Some use street drugs and alcohol in
an attempt to self-medicate. Conflict
with authority may result from irritability.
In this forum, Dr. Blaise Aguirre will
discuss tools parents/guardians can
use to recognize simple moodiness
from symptoms of depression in their
adolescent.
Please send any questions you have
for the panel on this topic, in advance,
to Forums Chairperson, Kim Effron at
<Forums@LHSPTSA.org>.
Dr. Aguirre recently wrote an article
on “The Myth of Multi-Tasking” for
the Lexington Minuteman, posted on
Thursday, December 15, 2011. To read
the article, you can access a copy from
the LHSPTSA.org website.
PTSA Report: School Committee
School Committee Report
Per Massachusetts’ requirement, LPS is developing a
Head Injury Management Policy. The first draft can
be found at <http://lps.lexingtonma.org/site/Default.
aspx?PageID=1107>.
January 3, 20122 Meeting
•Dr. Ash announced the appointment of Associate Principal Laura Lasa as LHS principal effective July 1, 2012.
January 31, 2011 Meeting
•Dr. Ash presented the FY13 Level-Service and Recommended Budgets to the School Committee (SC) on January 3, 2012. FY13 Recommended budget is $73.14 million a 4.175% increase from FY12. Dr. Ash used eight
guiding principles in developing the budget including
“where possible, reduce or eliminate fees,” and “include
recommendations to increase the capital plan for technology where necessary, to move the district forward with
its long-range capital plan.” Specific fees under review
include Kindergarten, elementary instrumental music and
school bus fees at Estabrook during construction.
4
- A hard copy of the budget is available in Cary Library
and a digital version at <http://lps.lexingtonma.org//site/
Default.aspx?PageID=1457>. Public hearings on the
budget were held January 31, 2012 and February 4, 2012.
•Recommended FY12-13 System Goals and the Educational Technology Plan 2012-2015 reports were presented. The reports can be found at the LPS home page
<http://lps.lexington.org/site/default.aspx?PageID-1>
under Announcements.
•Dr. Ash further explained his decision to by-pass the
long-standing process of conducting a principal search.
•Bruce Wellman is scheduled to present his report
“Building Professional Relationships” at the March 13,
2012 SC meeting. Since the fall he has received feedback from 350 LPS staff and faculty.
•Superintendent Evaluation timeline and process was
discussed. The confidential online survey will go out to
designated constituents in mid-February. Results will be
discussed after March 13.
–Submitted by Nancy Bartlett
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Performing Arts Department
Coming this Spring
LHS Choral Concert
3
Concerto Concert
T
Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 pm
Donald J. Gillespie, Jr. Auditorium
he Concerto Concert on Thursday, March 8 will
feature LHS Chamber Orchestra under the baton of
Janet Haas. The program will include the Viola Concerto by Sir William Walton with viola soloist Carolyn Chang
’12; “Variations on Themes” from Verdi’s Rigoletto by Luigi
Bassi featuring clarinet soloist Thomas Jeon ’13; and Felix
Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, Reformation, II. Schezo, III.
Andante, IV. Chorale and Finale.
Wednesday, March 7
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
Concerto Concert
Thursday, March 8
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
Big Band Concert
The Concerto Concert winners are:
Tom Jeon,’13, clarinet
Carolyn Chang,’12, viola
Friday, March 9
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
3
Winter A Cappella Jamboree
Saturday, March 10, $10, $5
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
performing in the fall of 2012
3
Dan Kim,’15, piano
Honorable Mention
Hyungyun Boo,’12, cello and Sarah Newmann,’13, flute
Orchestra Festival Concert
Thursday, March 15
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
3
Band Festival Concert
Thursday, March 22
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
Jazz Nite 3
Friday, March 23
7:30 in Commons II
3
Pre-Tour Choral Concert
Tuesday, April 10, $tba
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
LHS Jazz Festival Concert
Friday, April 13, $10, $5
7:30pm, Gillespie Auditorium
Urinetown
Thursday-Saturday, May 3-5, $15, $10
8:00 pm, Gillespie Auditorium
Tickets on sale from members of the cast & crew in early April
5
Urinetown
Satirical Tony Award-winning musical by
composer and lyricist Mark Hollmann and
lyricist and librettist Greg Kotis
Thursday - Saturday, May 3-5
8:00 pm in Gillespie Auditorium
$15/$10
In an attempt to regulate water consumption, Urinetown
has outlawed the use of private toilets. The citizenry must
use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by
Urine Good Company, a malevolent corporation run by
the corrupt Caldwell B. Cladwell.
2002 Tony Awards
Best Book of a Musical................................... Greg Kotis
Best Original Score........Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Performing Arts Department
32 LHS Musicians Heading to All-States
The Lexington High School Performing Arts Department will send 32 students
to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Concert at Symphony Hall in March. Chosen by competitive audition, the students will
rehearse with nationally acclaimed conductors during the three days from March 1-3.
Rehearsals will take place at the Seaport Hotel in Boston and the festival will culminate in a gala concert in Symphony Hall on March 3.
Representing Lexington High School in the concert will be:
Chorus
Felix Cancre
Christine Chang
Vivien Chen
Isabel Evans
MayLin Heuchling
Alexander Sheena
Noah Virgile
Concert Band
Joe Blumberg
Taylor Chan
Tom Jeon
Philip (Ji Woong) Jung
Tevin Li
Kevin Wen
Naomi Wharton
Jimmy Xia
Andrew Zhu
Jazz Band
Josh Gilbert
Isaac Levien
Orchestra
Hyunyung Boo
Carolyn Chang
Katherine Chen
Krista Hu
Hao-Yuan Pai
Julia Park
Gregory Smail
Susan Wang
Josephine Wu
Kyuil Lee
Jenny Liu
Jason Stein
Eric Xu
Lily Zhu
Northeastern District Junior Music Festival
Sixty-seven Lexington students were selected to participate in the Northeast
Massachusetts District Junior Music Festival. After auditions of over 900 students
from more than 90 public and private schools held in January, 450 students from
grades six through nine were selected to participate in this prestigious Massachusetts Music Educators Association event. The program is offered by the M.M.E.A.
as an enrichment opportunity providing a musical experience to talented young
people. The students were selected to perform in the Junior District Concert Band,
Orchestra, Boys Chorus and Girls Chorus. They will rehearse with guest conductors and then perform in a concert to be held at Lowell High School in Lowell,
MA on March 17, 2012. Representing Lexington in the concert will be:
Sophia Hwang
Sam Kielar
George A. Attia
Shant Arakelian
Jeffrey Buchanan
Daniel Cherenson Jenna Krawczyk
Audrey Li
Maya Fein-Cole Janey Lee
Madison Su
Brian Nam
Joshua Kim
Karina Wen
Aleksandar Ojdrovic Ryan Lee
Sabrina Zhang
Mark Rosenberg
Allison Lee
Sophia Zeng
Chris Morse
Diamond
Meena Chakraborty Ruth Zheng
Minseong Cho
Noah Brown
Julian Berliner
Matthew Khudari
Jack Deschler
Eli Brodner
Nicholas Lanich
Jae Kim
Jiho Lee
Michelle Lim
JiMin Ko
Eric Rubenstein
Natalie Ramesh
Jueun Lee
Carter Yee
Derek Schneider
Marissa Lerner
Maeve Weisen
Peter Rowley
Olivia Manickas-Hill Angela Gong
Corinne Auger
Ethan McIntosh
Luke He
Lauren Chan
Matan Silver
LHS
Clarke
6
Jeanna Choi
Morgan Daciuk
George Estey
Somerset Gall
Richard Huang
Richard Kuang
Ethan Lin
Harrison Liu
James Liu
Sarah Park
Yibo Betsy Pu
Uma Roy
Minyung Suh
David Tu
Grace Wu
Michael Yang
Maggie Zhang
Carol Zhu
Jazz Ensemble and Jazz
Combo Selected for Mingus Festival Competition
C
ongratulations to the LHS
Jazz Ensemble, the LHS Jazz
Combo and their director, Mr. Ken
Gable, for being selected as finalists
in the 2012 Charles Mingus High
School Competition.
The festival takes place February
17-19 in New York.
This year’s nationwide competition
will include events produced with
Manhattan School of Music, as well
as other events produced by Let
My Children Hear Music including
a public concert of Mingus music
conducted by Gunther Schuller. The
Mingus Big Band will perform all
weekend at Jazz Standard, and on
Sunday night, Outstanding Soloists
from the Competition will have the
opportunity to sit in.
Saturday begins with a full day of
clinics and workshops at the Manhattan School of Music including
master classes for instruments and
sections, lectures, films, and clinics
that explore aspects of Mingus music, followed by a student Mingus
jam. Prominent educators and musicians have listened to tapes and will
participate in the clinics and adjudicate the Competition on Sunday,
also at MSM, which will feature the
top 12 big bands and combos from
around the country.
Lexington High School Newsletter
Fine Arts Department
March 2012
http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/Dept/FineArts/
Third Annual
Senior Art
Show
Open April 5 to April 22
Cary Memorial Hall lobby
Thursday, April 5 to Sunday, April 22
2012 K-12 Student Art Show
Opening: Wednesday, May 2, 6:30-8pm
LPS Central Office Gymnasium
The opening of the annual K-12 Student Art Show; showcasing student artwork from elementary, middle and high
school level students in the district.
This show will be available to the public on May 2, 3, 4,
and 7.
Opening 6:30-8 pm on April 5
Please be sure to check out this extraordinary collection of
student work!
Monday, May 14
2012 Second Annual
FOLMADS
Art Auction
Film Festival
featuring
the works of LHS
students
at The Venue 7-9 pm
at Lexington Depot
Friday, May 11
14
y
a
M
Admission:
Pre-sale: students $6, adults $8
4-7 p.m.
Student/faculty art auction on Friday, May 11,
4-7 p.m. at the Lexington Depot to benefit
FOLMADS (Friends of Lexington Music, Art and
Drama Students, Inc.).
7
May 14: students $8, adults $10
Plans are in the works for Lexington’s second annual student film festival. Approximately ten LHS students (out of
60 submissions) will present their work at The Venue on
Monday, May 14. Admission pre-sale: students $6, adults
$8; on May 14: students $8, adults $10.
For more information, call Mary Pappas, TV production
teacher (781-861-2320, ext. 1550)
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Fine Arts Department
Lexington Students Win Honors in Globe Scholastic Art Awards
F
orty-seven Lexington Public School student artists have been acknowledged for the excellent work
they submitted to The Globe Scholastic Art Awards
Competition. Since 1923 the Scholastic Art Awards have
awarded scholarships to qualified middle and high school students through this program The strict judging guidelines, have
ensured a high level of competition and quality in the show.
2012 Globe Scholastic Art Award Winners
Gold Key: The highest level of achievement on the regional level. Approximately 7-10% of all regional submissions
are recognized with Gold Key Awards and all are considered for national-level recognition.
Silver Key: Approximately 10-15% of all regional submissions are recognized with Silver Key Awards.
Honorable Mention: This Award recognizes students with
artistic potential. Approximately 15-20% of all regional
submissions receive Honorable Mention Awards.
Gold Key
Michelle Batho-Photography-Tri Me
Claire Huang-Drawing-Of Natura and Libertas
Vincent Jerosch-Herold -Design-Fine Arts Poster
Yennie Mok-Photography-Eggs
Shayna Rubenstein-Photography-350 Degrees
Jimmy Xia-Comic Art-Yogurt Mystery
Annie Yang-Ceramics & Glass-Yixing Teapot
Nancy Zhang-Drawing-Self Portrait
Silver Key
Jae Ung Jang-Drawing-Bird Line Animal
Jenna Krawczyk-Drawing-Cherry Blossom Sparrow Line
Animal
Patrick Burns-Ceramics & Glass-Graffiti Teapot
Nancy Chomitz-Photography-Perpendicular
Charlotte Cohn-Film & Animation-Epidemic
Joanna Garmon-Drawing-Crushed
Juliet Goodman-Comic Art-7 Days of Flowers
Audrey Li-Painting-Still Life
8
Aitana Martinez-Fashion-comics
galore
Moira McCavana-Digital ArtDancers
Christopher Perry-Film &
Animation-Chilly Winter
John Srour Painting-Decision
Victoria Suber-Drawing-Self
Portrait
Elana Super-Ceramics &
Glass-Mondrian Orb
Alexandria Wright-Photography-My Christmas Spirit
Sahil Belgaonkar-Photography-The Cracked Wall
Honorable Mention
Ivy Gao-Sculpture-Bird Ocarina
Yeji “Janey” Lee-Sculpture-bird ocarina
Kyona Schacht-Drawing-Owl Line Animal
Michelle Batho-Photography-Bubble
Rami Benayad-Cherif-Digital Art-Ignored by Society
Hanako Brais-Drawing-Self Portrait
Charlotte Cohn-Film & Animation-What Big Teeth You Have
Jamie Fonarev-Photography-Greek Gardens
Addison Gierkink Ceramics & Glass-Winter Wonderland
Elise Goplerud-Ceramics & Glass-Memories
Dan Kim-Drawing-untitled drawing
Netana Markovitz-Photography-Lyla and Raviv
Moira McCavana-Digital Art-Manhattan Sunset
Richard Oliveira Soens-Photography-Spices
Richard Oliveira Soens-Photography-Iskander Kul
Daniel Sears-Drawing-untitled drawing
Ching-Ching Shiue-Ceramics & Glass-Origami
Jussi Silliman-Photography-Portrait
Angel Lina Tsai-Drawing-Moving Shadows
Lauren Yates-Ceramics & Glass-Sea-Washed Luminary
Lauren Chan-Sculpture-Phoenix bird whistle
Cameron Cyr-Photography-Beautiful Trash
Alexandra Franks-Sculpture-Fire Elephant
Lexington High School Newsletter
Lexington Education Foundation
LEF Announces Celebration for
Education – A Night at the Museum
March 31, 7-11 p.m.
M
ark your calendars! Lexington Education
Foundation (LEF), a non-profit organization bringing
21st century technologies, training, and innovation into
Lexington Public School classrooms, will hold Celebration for Education––A Night at the Museum on Saturday,
March 31, from 7-11 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture
Park and Museum in Lincoln. Celebration for Education
is LEF’s largest fundraiser for its grant programs benefiting all nine Lexington public schools.
The venue, deCordova’s Dewey Family Gallery, is
dynamic, featuring large-scale wall installations. Guests
will have the option to roam through the Museum’s other
fascinating galleries presenting The 2012 deCordova Biennial, featuring dynamic art from across New England.
The Lexington community is invited for an evening of
dining, dancing, and socializing to help support the next
round of grants that enrich the education of all our public
school students. There will be an incredible list of silent
auction items. Doug Stinson will drive a fun and exciting
live auction and Technology Blitz.
March 2012
PTSA News
With Gratitude from the PTSA
R
emember when your child was in elementary school
and used to bring Valentines to school for each classmate
and teacher? Well, granted those days are long gone, but
the PTSA likes to still remember our teachers by giving a
small treat on Valentines Day on behalf of ALL students
and parents. Our thanks go out to Stacey Penniman who
organized and distributed the goodies.
The PTSA provided hospitality to several events taking
place at LHS last month. Thank you to all the parents who
contributed breakfast items for the Sophomore Career
Days on January 30 and February 2. Special thanks to
Lori Tambone for coordinating such a fantastic spread for
our community volunteers who came to speak about their
careers with members of the sophomore class.
Thank you to those who provided goodies and
volunteered for
the LHS Science
& Technology Fair
on February 14. Thank
you to Rachel Cortez
for coordinating desserts
and to Hyesung Park for
recruiting volunteers for set up
and clean up.
Th
an
kY
ou
A Night at the Museum will include dinner bites with an
international flair and refreshments. An LHS jazz ensemble will provide live music, followed by a program
highlighting LEF successes this past year. Pure Energy
Entertainment’s top DJ Angel Torres will then keep the
dance floor packed, spinning favorite tunes from the 80s
through today. “Artistic” dress is encouraged!
A list of silent and live auction items will be available
prior to the event. Tickets are limited and will be available mid-February. For more information, please visit
<www.lexedfoundation.org> or find us on Facebook.
LEF is not affiliated with the Lexington Public Schools.
Next PTSA
Forum Meeting
March 14
7:30-9 p.m.
Science Lecture Hall
9
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
AP Test Dates
Testing Calendar - Spring 2012
2012 Exam Calendar - Week 1
March
Mon.,
May 7
Saturday
Friday
Tues.,
May 8
Weds.,
May 9
Thurs.,
May 10
Fri.,
May 11
Morning - 8 a.m.
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Computer Science A
Spanish Language
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
English Literature and
Composition
German Language and
Culture
United States History
Afternoon - 12 p.m.
Psychology
Art History
Chinese Language and
Culture
Japanese Language and
Culture
Latin: Vergil
European History
Studio Art: Last day for your school to submit digital
portfolios and to gather 2-D Design and Drawing
students for the physical portfolio assembly. Students should have forwarded their completed digital
portfolios to their teachers well before this date.
2012 Exam Calendar - Week 2
Morning - 8 a.m.
Mon.,
May 14
Biology
Music Theory
Tues,
May 15
United States Government and Politics
Weds.,
May 16
English Language
and Composition
Thurs.,
May 17
Fri.,
May 18
Macroeconomics
World History
Human Geography
Spanish Literature
Afternoon
- 12 p.m.
Physics B
Physics C:
Mechanics
Comparative
Government
& Politics
French Language and
Culture
Afternoon
- 2 p.m
Physics C:
Electricity &
Magnetism
Statistics
Microeconomics
Italian Language and
Culture
Source:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/cal.html
10
Friday
April
Friday
Saturday Friday
May
9
10
23
6
14
20
Friday
4
Saturday
Tuesday
5
8
Friday
18
Tuesday
22
Registration Deadline for 4/14 ACT
Exam- through www.ACT.org
SAT Exam (No Subject Tests) at LHS
Late registration deadline for 4/14 ACT
Exam
Registration Deadline for 5/5 SAT Exam
-through www.CollegeBoard.com
ACT Exam, not at LHS
Late registration deadline for 5/5 SAT
Exam
Registration Deadline for 6/9 ACT Examthrough www.ACT.org
SAT Exam at LHS
Registration Deadline for 6/2 SAT Examthrough www.CollegeBoard.com
Late registration deadline for 6/9 ACT
Exam
Late registration deadline for 6/2 SAT
Exam
June
Saturday
2 SAT Exam at LHS
Saturday
9 ACT Exam, not at LHS
Lexington High School is a Test Center (Offers the Exam), on
the National Test Dates Listed in BOLD during the 2011-2012
School Year
To register SAT: www.collegeboard.com
* AP Registration info will be available through LHS in the
spring ACT: www.actstudent.org
Please note:
** Fee waivers cannot be used for Late Registration
WEEKLY
PARENT
DISCUSSION
7:45 to 8:45 a.m. every
Thursday
in the Guidance Conference
Room
Drop in and share in the
circle discussion!
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Physical Education and Wellness Department
Athletic Training/Sports Medicine
Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Protein and Athletic Performance:
The data from the 2011 YRBS at LHS will be available for
community discussion and sharing in the early spring. The
forums will include presentations to an LPS School Committee meeting, LHS faculty and a community presentation
sponsored by the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).
Times for these presentations will be announced in the
coming weeks.
Teen Dating Violence Month
See the communication below from Colleen Armstrong,
Youth Education Specialist from REACH Beyond Domestic Violence:
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
(TDVAM). The goal of this month is to “bring national
focus to the issue of teen dating violence, highlight the
need to educate our youth about healthy relationships,
raise awareness among those who care for them and
provide communities with critical opportunity to work
together to prevent this devastating cycle of abuse”
<www.teendvmonth.org>. I am writing to your school
from REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, a domestic
violence agency based in Waltham. At REACH we serve
27 towns, including yours. We work with high school
students doing outreach and prevention work around
dating violence. For more information about REACH
and our teen services visit <http://www.reachma.org/
pavenet>.
Physical Education/Health Classes
The second semester/third quarter has just started and LHS
students will be taking the following classes: Freshman
Health, Fencing, Volleyball, Strength & Fitness, Total Body
Conditioning, Basketball/Games, CPR, Athletic Training,
Pilates, Yoga, Jazz, Stretch/Strength for Dance and Musical
Theatre. If you have any questions about the electives, do
not hesitate to contact the department.
Some of the misconceptions, realities and recommendations
for protein consumption and athletic performance
Protein-rich foods have traditionally associated with muscular athletes, but extra protein does not build extra muscle
––a good resistance program along with a diet with a solid
carbohydrate foundation is essential to build muscle and
improve performance.
Protein is necessary to build and repair muscle tissue, grow
hair and fingernails, boost the immune system and replace
red blood cells.
Most people who eat a balanced diet obtain an adequate protein intake, and excess protein is burned for energy or stored
as fat or glycogen. Protein is not stored in the human body so
it is necessary to consume adequate protein on a daily basis. In
general there are two types of athletes––those who consume
too much protein, such as football players or bodybuilders, and
the long-distance athletes who consume too little protein.
It is not an exact science to pinpoint the protein requirements of each athlete, but the accepted range is between
0.6 and 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight with
the lower end recommended for endurance athletes and the
upper end of the scale recommended for growing teenage
athletes or those who wish to add muscle mass.
There is currently no scientific evidence to suggest that excess protein consumption beyond these levels will improve
performance.
There is relatively easy formula to figure out the individual
protein needs of the athlete, namely multiply body weight
by the recommended protein range (140 lbs x0.7g/lb = 98
grams of protein) recommended for the activity in question.
Consuming too much protein can also cause problems, such
as not providing the body with enough energy for muscular
endurance due to inadequate carbohydrate intake or dehydration
due to excess urea (a waste product of protein or excess fat or
cholesterol if the individual consumes too much animal protein).
Vegetarians also need to be aware of the proper protein choices
required to maintain performance levels. Kidney beans, peanut
butter, tofu and chickpeas are excellent sources of plant protein
and should not be neglected as part of the overall vegetarian diet.
There is also strong evidence to suggest that vegetarian
female athletes need to be aware of the risk of amenorrhea
which results from a restricted calorie intake along with a
high level of activity. Research indicates that female amennorheic athletes have a four and a half times higher risk
continued on page 12
11
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Physical Education and Wellness Department
Forum on Marijuana on March 29 at LHS
Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 7-9 p.m
I
Lexington High School Auditorium
s marijuana harmless? What do parents and teens need
to know?
Learn the facts about marijuana use from a panel of experts
on Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 7-9 p.m. at the Lexington High School Auditorium.
Julie Fenn, LICSW, Prevention Specialist, Lexington Public Schools, will discuss marijuana use among Lexington
teens based on data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
and her experience counseling students.
Traci Brooks, MD, Director of Adolescent Services, Cambridge Health Alliance, will provide an overview of the
teen brain and discuss how the teen brain differs from the
adult brain.
Bob McConnell, Esq. Lexington attorney, will discuss the
legal implications of the state’s law decriminalizing marijuana and what this means for teens.
Sion Kim Harris, PhD, Investigator, Center for Adolescent
Substance Abuse Research, Children’s Hospital Boston,
will draw upon the latest scientific studies and research to
address frequently asked questions about marijuana and
synthetic marijuana.
Officer Robert Mercer, Lexington Police Department and
member of regional drug task force, will discuss teen mari-
juana use from the perspective of law enforcement.
Across the country policies are being made to decriminalize
marijuana, legitimize it as a medicine and even legalize it.
A referendum to have medical marijuana available in Massachusetts is being promoted this year across the Commonwealth. So what’s the big deal about marijuana use? What
should parents tell their children? What should teens say to
their friends?
Lexington’s School Health Advisory Council and the
Collaborative to Reduce Student Stress want you to know
the facts and to be aware of the latest scientific research.
Whether your child is at the high school or still in elementary school, it’s never too late or too early to start talking
about challenging choices and decisions. Whether you’re a
high school or middle school student, you need to know the
FACTS.
There will be an opportunity to discuss questions with the
panelists after the presentation. This forum is FREE and
open to the public.
For further information, contact Jennifer Wolfrum, Assistant Coordinator of Physical Education and Wellness,
Lexington Public Schools, (781-861-2320, ext.6080) or
<wolfrum@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us>.
Athletic Training/Sports Medicine Continued
of suffering a stress fracture than regularly menstruating
athletes.
When it comes to protein supplementation, simplicity can
often be the answer to a complicated question:
- Exercise not excess protein is the answer to developing
bigger muscles.
- Extra saturated fat can be a consequence of consuming
too much animal based protein foods.
12
- There is no scientific evidence of note to suggest that
taking amino acid supplements (proteins are made up of
amino acids which the body needs to build tissue) have a
body-building effect.
Protein is just one part of a muscle-building program. Adequate carbohydrate consumption, healthy overall calorie
intake, and a well-planned exercise program are the other
essential components of a muscle building program.
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
School Council
LHS School Council Parent Volunteer Opportunity
T
he LHS School Council is seeking one LHS parent to
serve a three-year term starting in 2012-2013.
The purpose of the School Council is to work collaboratively with the Principal to develop school improvement plans
consistent with systemwide goals and student performance
standards set by the Massachusetts Board of Education. Council members plan ways to meet the diverse learning
needs of students; establish a school climate of tolerance
and respect for every individual; involve parents in the life
of the school; impact safety and discipline; enhance extracurricular activities and more.
The Council is composed of five LHS parents, four faculty,
community representatives, three students and the Principal. Parent representatives are elected by ballot in May.
May continued
Wednesday
Friday
Saturday
Monday
9
11
12
14
Tues-Wed 15-16
Thursday
17
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
18
21
21
22
23
23
23-25
Thurs-Fri 24-25
Friday
25
Saturday
26
Monday
Wednesday
28
29
30
30
Thursday
30
30
31
31
13
If you are interested in serving on the LHS School Council, please email a brief summary (up to 250 words)
of your qualifications and interest to Sharon Kendall
<Pres2@LHSPTSA.org> no later than April 1, 2012.
This information will be submitted for the May edition of
the LHS Newsletter which is posted on the LHS website.
Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Sharon Kendall at above email or (781-861-0421).
Questions involving the work of the School Council may
be directed to current members of the School Council:
Ellen Hilsinger-781.860.7270-ehilsinger@verizon.net
Hyesung Park-781.538.5639-hyesung.park@post.harvard.edu Bob Ruxin-781.734.2300-ruxin76@gmail.com Jill Smilow-781.862.4152-jillsvoice@yahoo.com
Eileen Jay-781.860.0689-beany.jay@yahoo.com
June
Special Olympics, 8 am-2:30 pm
Art Auction at the Depot, 4-7 pm
Junior Prom, Burlington Marriott
Annual LHS Student Film Festival,
7-9pm, The Venue, Lexington Center
MCAS testing for gr.10. Delayed start at
10:00 am for grs. 9, 11, 12.
Foreign Language Awards Night, aud,
7-9pm
Improv Troupe, 7:30 pm, Blackbox Theater
Monday Recital - Senior gala, 3 pm, aud
School Council mtg, guid. conf. room, 7 pm
Last day for Seniors
PTSA Forum, 7:30 pm, Library Media
Classroom. All welcome.
Senior Transition Parents Workshop, 8:159:15 am, Sci. Lec. Hall
Senior finals
LHS Pops $10
Human Rights Day-Sophomores
Jazz Nite 4 at Discovery Day, Commons
II if rain, noon-3pm
NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day
Senior Athletes Dinner, 6:30pm, Commons II
Cap & gown distribution, 9:30 & 1 pm
Graduation rehearsal, mandatory, 10:30am,
Field House
Senior Barbecue, noon, senior quad
Senior Awards Night, 6:30-8:30pm, aud
Improv Troupe, 7:30 pm, Blackbox Theater
Senior Prom, Danversport Yacht Club
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Sunday
3
Monday
Tues-Weds
Wednesday
Friday
4
5-6
5
5
6
15
15
Swing Nite, 7 pm, Commons II
Spring A Cappella Jamboree, $10, $5,
7:30 pm, aud
Graduation, Tsongas Arena, Lowell,
MA; concert at 12:30pm, ceremony at
2 pm
NHS Induction Ceremony, 7-8 pm, aud
MCAS testing - Biology - for gr.10.
Delayed start at 9:30 am for grs. 9, 11
Grade 8 Step Up Day [tentative]
Junior Book Awards Night, 7-8 pm,
Library Media Center
Fall Sports night, 6pm, aud
Last day of school if no snow days
Improv Troupe, 7:30 pm, Blackbox Theater
For Athletics schedules,
visit the LHS website at
http://lps.lexingtonma.
org/domain/657
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Health Office
W
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint,
and that voice will be silenced.” –– Vincent Van Gogh
e would like to send out a big Thank You to the
Physical Education Department for helping with
the recent ninth-grade health screening. The
three-day screening was a big success with nearly 90%
of the freshman class being checked for vision, hearing,
height/weight, and scoliosis. The screening could not happen without assistance from Director Eamonn Sheehan and
faculty: Jane Bergin, Ann Carey, Amanda Ciarletta, Frank
Pagliuca, Jason Rajotte and Steve Solly.
Healthy Spring Sports
Spring sports are just around the corner, and taking a few
minutes to think about teen sports safety may help insure
that this spring is a healthy, happy one for your teenager.
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than
seven million teenagers took part in high-school sports each
year. Of those students, two million suffered from sports
related injuries, one quarter of which required medical treatment. Some tips for keeping sports fun and safe are:
1. Remember that an up-to-date physical exam will be
required for your child to participate in sports.
2. Make certain your child has been provided with wellfitting and appropriate protective gear, plenty of water,
and sun block.
3. Please keep your teen out of practice when feeling sick.
A student’s reaction time is slower when not feeling well which could put him/her at increased risk for
injury.
4. Remember that gaining or losing weight too quickly to
meet weight requirements can have a serious impact on
a teen’s health.
5. Talk with your teen about the dangers of using so-called
“performance-enhancing drugs”.
6. And, finally, the emphasis should be on conditioning
that increases the body’s flexibility, muscle tone, and
endurance and not on body building.
Reduce Test Taking Stress
High school can be a whirlwind of tests, from MCAS to
midterms and finals, to college entrance exams. With all
this experience, teens should find test taking a breeze.
Right? Unfortunately, students rarely feel that way. Pressure to get high marks can increase a student’s anxiety
over grades and make tests a nerve-wracking experience.
14
Follow these helpful hints to reduce stress during test taking:
• Try to get eight to ten hours of sleep several days before
the test.
• Exercise or burn off extra energy by doing something fun.
• Eat a balanced meal before the test.
• A high-carbohydrate dinner the night before helps to
raise energy levels.
• Get a drink of water before the test.
• Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine.
Ask Your Nurse
Dear Jayne:
Q: I hear a lot about marijuana and how teenagers are using it more than ever. I know that when kids are in their
teens their bodies are still growing and maturing so I
was wondering how this affects their health.
A: This is a great question. You are right the use of marijuana among teenagers is on the rise. Marijuana use among
teens rose in 2011 for the fourth straight year, a sharp contrast to the decline that was seen in the preceding decade,
according to a survey sponsored by the National Institute
of Drug Abuse (NIDA).
About 47,000 eighth, tenth and 12th-graders participated in
the survey which found that daily marijuana use is now at
a 30-year peak level among high school seniors. More than
36 percent of 12th-graders used marijuana in the past year,
compared to nearly 32 percent in the 2007 survey. Almost
29 percent of 10th-graders and 12.5 percent of eighthgraders used marijuana in the past year, the survey found.
“These high rates of marijuana use during the teen and preteen years, when the brain continues to develop, places our
young people at particular risk,” said NIDA Director Nora D.
Volkow, M.D. “Not only does marijuana affect learning, judgment, and motor skills, but research tells us that about 1 in 6
people who start using it as adolescents become addicted.”
According to researchers, “A delay in adolescent brain
development is common when marijuana usage begins at a
young age.” (Wapner, Roger, 1995) “Basically, the teenage
brain stops developing. ‘Some frequent users feel a lack of
initiative and concern about the future, find it hard to become or stay motivated, and think things will take care of
Continued on page 15
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Health Office continued
themselves.’ As a result, the normal maturation process is
interrupted. Development of coping skills, a code of ethics,
acceptance of responsibility, and other signs of maturity
frequently cease or regress.”
People who use marijuana over the long term self-report
less life satisfaction, poorer education and job achievement, and more interpersonal and mental health problems
compared to people who do not use marijuana, according
to the NIDA. Marijuana also may affect the teen’s mental
health. Studies show, NIDA reports, that early marijuana
use is associated with anxiety and depression and may
increase the risk of developing psychosis, a severe mental
disorder in which there is a loss of contact with reality.
To learn more:
http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj1.php
http://healthcenterinternationalresearches.webs.com/apps/
blog/categories/show/678949-mental-health
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/frequently-asked-questions-and-facts-about-marijuana
Lexington High School’s
Chapter of Amnesty International invites you to
Food for Thought: A Benefit Dinner
Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM
at
St. Bridget’s Parish Hall
2001 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington MA 02421
Ticket prices: adults $15, students $10. Tickets will not be sold at
the door, to reserve a ticket please email
<LHSAmnestyInternational@gmail.com>
Featuring an international buffet dinner, and speaker
Proceeds benefit Charity Water:
building wells for water in Haiti
As always, we welcome your ideas, questions and comments.
Janet Foley, RN, ext. 1012
Susan Kaftan, RN, ext. 1013
Cheryl Johnson, RN, ext. 1014
Phone: 781-861-2320
Confidential Fax: 781-861-2611
LHS Robotics Team Qualifies
for FIRST® Tech Challenge State Championship
T
he LHS Robotics Team qualified on January 14,
2012 at North Andover High School for the FIRST® Tech
Challenge (FTC) State Championship. Twenty-three students participate on the team which is coached by Jeffrey
Harris and Cathy Abbot. The team qualified by winning the
elimination tournament thereby earning the Winning Alliance Award. Additionally, the team was awarded the Inspire
15
Award which “is given to the team that truly embodies the
‘challenge’ of the FTC Program. The team that receives
this award is chosen by the judges as having best represented a ‘role model’ FIRST Tech Challenge Team.” The
team’s journey from a fledgling club to its current success
in such a short time is truly noteworthy. Congratulations to
all the members of the team and the coaches!
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
PTSA: Principal’s Forum: january 12
PTSA Panel Brings New Perspectives to Life after LHS
The PTSA brought together a diverse group of past students
to share their experiences after graduating from LHS. Over
80 parents and students attended the PTSA’s January 12 forum. The students had a lot to say about the decisions they
made after high school and the paths they followed. A big
thank you goes to Jill Smilow for moderating this program.
She did an excellent job of steering the conversation and
bringing out insights from the panelists.
Some students spoke about following a more traditional
path: researching various schools, visiting campuses, talking
with counselors and parents, and applying to several colleges. A couple of students had specific programs or majors
they were looking for in a school. Others looked for variety
in the types of school majors offered at colleges because they
did not know what they wanted to study. One student was
attracted to the number of interdisciplinary offerings at
one college.
A second group of students started on the traditional path of
applying to various colleges, but then decided to wait for a
semester or year before beginning their coursework, taking
what is called a gap-year. Of these students, one joined an
outdoor program called NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership
School program). One student chose to study the Chinese
language through an immersion program in China. Two of
the students took a less structured approach to their gap year;
one worked at an organic farm in Hawaii, another took off
for California. Another student chose to do a post-graduate
year at a prep school in order to enhance his chances to be
recruited for a sport at a college.
The students offered some helpful tips to parents and students beginning the college process.
Advice to students:
• Find out from the colleges when you have to declare your
major. It is good to have more time to try different classes
and disciplines in your freshman and sophomore years
before having to declare.
• There are colleges that have programs for students with
learning disabilities. This has been a great choice for one
of the graduates who has a learning disability.
• Visiting many different types of colleges was very helpful
to narrow down where you want to apply. It is good to get
to talk with current students at the college; get a feel for
the atmosphere; and find out what kinds of activities are
offered.
• Don’t worry about the status of the school. You can get an
excellent education at any school if you apply yourself.
• Figure out what you don’t want in a school to help you
16
narrow down your choices.
• Listen to your parents, but also follow your instincts.
• Take responsibility for your admissions; your parents can’t
get you into college.
• If you can, try spending an overnight at your top college choice(s). This will give you a good feel for the
place and a greater opportunity to talk to current
students.
Advice to parents:
• Ask how you can help your son/daughter with the process.
• Remain calm and supportive . . . it is a stressful time.
Students felt like there was not a stigma to taking a gap
year after high school, but did feel like there was a stigma
to not going to college at all. The two students who took a
year off agreed that college opens up a lot of opportunities.
The panelists were asked what they would do differently if
they could go back to their junior year. The overwhelming
feeling was not to stress as much. Everyone seems to find
the right place for them at the end of the process.
The quote from one student seemed to sum up the decision
process, “It is not the 2400 (on the SAT) that is important.
It is being happy with yourself.”
Course Sign Up Schedule
for 2012-2013
March 6
Instructions on electronic course entry. Grade
8-11 students receive instructions in homeroom
for electronic course entry via student portal.
Deadline is 11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 14.
March 15
Deadline for submitting any placement review
forms to academic department heads at LHS.
March 30
Grade 8-11 Course request verification sheets.
Grade 8 mailed home. Grades 9-11 distributed in
homeroom.
April 5
Deadline: Final course request corrections submitted to Grade 8-11 guidance counselors.
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
PTSA News
Foreign Languages Department
Certamen results
LHS/PTSA Board Positions
had a great day recently at the Boston Latin School
for the 2012-2013 School Year We
Certamen. In case you aren’t familiar with it, Certamen is
a team competition in quiz-show format with questions on
Latin grammar, mythology, history, literature and culture.
P
arent involvement at LHS
is strikingly different from the
elementary school model, yet
it is no less important. The
creativity, financial contributions and behind-the-scenes
efforts of parents from science
project judges to booster clubs,
from school council members to
makers of exam refreshments,
from math help room supporters to staff luncheon volunteers,
parents are a critical part of the
LHS community.
Please help us do
more next year
by responding to
the emails, list
server announcements and Newsletter opportunities that you’ll
be receiving
over the coming
Now is the time when “Next
weeks.
Year” looms large with possibilities and many transitions
are still being negotiated. So before your calendar fills up,
the LHS/PTSA hopes each parent spends a little time considering what he/she can offer to LHS. We’d appreciate it
if you would to take a moment to look at the inside of your
directory and consider running for a board position or helping (running) an existing committee or creating one that you
feel is missing. Please don’t wait to be asked! Please help
us do more next year by responding to the emails, list server
announcements and Newsletter opportunities that you’ll be
receiving over the coming weeks.
Lesley Benson, Ann Redmon, and Alice Meade, the
newly elected Nominating Committee would like to hear
from parents who would be interested in serving on the
PTSA Board or on PTSA committees for the next school
year. The board is looking for volunteers for committee
co-chairs for the Forum Committee, Landscape Committee,
School Committee Liaison and others.
If there is committee or a position in which you are interested, please contact Lesley at <LesleyBenson@yahoo.com>,
Ann<ann@gant.org>, or Alice <alice.meade@rcn.com>.
Please provide information on what committee or board
position interests you and a few sentences about yourself.
17
The Novice team scored in each round -- a great accomplishment, all the more so because it was their first Certamen ever! The advanced team came in fourth, missing the
semi-finals by just one place. Considering that many of
the best Certamen players start Latin in middle school, our
players do an amazing job. Please congratulate our students, and wish them luck at Harvard at the end of March!
Novice Team
Paul Breitenfeld
Steven Qiu
May Tomic
Advanced Team
Nick Chaput
Isabelle Engelberg
Elizabeth Kuszmaul
Miriam Lipshchultz
– Maureen Haviland, Latin Teacher
New LPS K-12 Director of Guidance
I am pleased to announce that Ms. Valerie Viscosi has been
appointed as the new K-12 Director of Guidance, effective July 1, 2012. Ms. Viscosi comes to Lexington from the
Methuen Public Schools where she has served as Director
of Guidance for pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 for the
past five years and as high school guidance counselor for
seven years prior to her assuming the position of director.
Previously, she served as a high school and elementary
counselor and school psychologist in Belmont and served
as a school psychologist for the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District at the elementary and middle school
levels. Ms. Viscosi is currently the president of the North
Shore Guidance Directors’ group. She holds a Certificate
of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling and School
Psychology from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, also from Tufts University.
On a personal note, Ms. Viscosi is very passionate about
her field. She is very energetic, personable and has a great
sense of humor. Her passion and enthusiasm is contagious!
I would like to publicly thank the following people who
served as members of the Guidance Director Search committee: Amy Chamberlain, Tessa Clare, Cynthia Tang, Lucia Gates, Natalie Cohen, Anne Carothers, Les Eggleston,
Mary Anton, Sharon May, and of course, Bob Harris, who
chaired the committee.
– Paul Ash, Superintendent of Schools
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Lexington Community Education
Pushed Too Hard: Parenting in an Achievement Crazy Culture
An Evening with Alfie Kohn
Thursday, March 1, 7:00-8:30pm
Gillespie Auditorium, Lexington High School
Cost: $10.00
What does it mean to say we want our kids to be “successful”? In some neighborhoods, that word translates as
making higher grades and test scores than other people’s
children . . . so they’ll be accepted by elite colleges . . . so
they’ll get high-paying jobs . . . so they can . . . well, what?
Erich Fromm once observed that “few parents have the
courage to care more for their children’s happiness than
for their success.” Indeed, research shows that affluent,
high-achieving students are more likely to suffer from
depression––and less likely to value learning for its own sake.
Alfie Kohn invites us to rethink basic assumptions about
competition, school achievement, and the relationship
between how we’re raising our kids and how we hope
they’ll turn out. Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely
on human behavior, education, and parenting. The latest
of his twelve books are Feel-Bad Education and Other
Contrarian Essays on Children and The Homework Myth:
Why Our Kids Get Too Much of A Bad Thing and Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason. Kohn has been described in
Time magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken
critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test scores.”
His criticisms of competition and rewards have helped to
shape the thinking of educators––as well as parents and
managers––across the country and abroad.
Kohn has been featured on hundreds of TV and radio
programs, including the Today show and two appearances
on Oprah; he has been profiled in the Washington Post and
the Los Angeles Times, while his work has been described
and debated in many other leading publications. Kohn lectures widely at universities and to school faculties, parent
groups, and corporations.
In addition to speaking at staff development seminars and
keynoting national education conferences on a regular
basis, he conducts workshops for teachers and administrators on various topics. His efforts to make research in
human behavior accessible to a general audience have
also been published in the Atlantic Monthly, Parents, and
18
Psychology Today. His many articles on education include
a dozen widely reprinted essays in Phi Delta Kappan from
1991 to 2008. Among them: “Choices for Children: Why
and How to Let Students Decide,” “How Not to Teach
Values: A Critical Look at Character
Education,” “Test Today, Privatize Tomorrow,” and “Why
Self-Discipline is Overrated.”
Please pre-register for this event, using a MasterCard or
Visa, by contacitng Lexington Community Education at
(781-862-8043).
Earn Community Service Credit with
Lexington Community Education
High School Students entering sophomore, junior or
senior year in September may earn COMMUNITY SERVICE CREDIT this summer as aides in the summer Lexplorations program. The program runs for five weeks from
July 2 through August 3. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Volunteers must commit to a minimum of one full week.
Classes will be held at Fiske Elementary School and Lexington High School If you are interested in volunteering,
please stop by the Lexington Community Education office
in the LHS main office to pick up an aide application.
Questions? Please call LCE (781-862-8043).
Lexington Community Education
Lexington High School Newsletter
March 2012
Social Studies Department
The History Bowl!
History Day Competition
entered its first History Bowl in January at
Everett High School and performed very well. We sent
two teams to the event and both teams qualified for the
Bowl Playoffs. LHS Team A faced Lexington Team B in
the Semifinals, guaranteeing Lexington a place in the Final
duel, where they were beaten by North Quincy’s A Team.
LHS Team B dropped only one match-up in the five preliminary rounds and LHS Team A went 7-0 until their final
match-up with North Quincy.
n February 13, the Social Studies Department
sponsored the LHS History Day competition.
Please congratulate the finalists below who are moving on
to the regional competition on March 3 at Winchester High
School.
LHS
Vikas Shiva, Noah Coolidge, and Zaroug Jaleel also
entered the individual History Bee competition, held in the
middle of the day, and all three qualified for the playoffs.
Zaroug made it to the final duel, but was defeated by the
returning champion, also from North Quincy.
Please congratulate our team members when you see them,
and wish them well as they have all qualified to compete
in the National History Bowl in the Spring in Washington,
D.C.!
Team A
Zaroug Jaleel
Patrick Neal
Andrew Yang
Douglas Luo
Jonathan Tidor
Team B
Vikas Shiva
Anish Kanesa-Thasan
Noah Coolidge
Brandon Nguyen
Pavitra Chari
–Erin Barrett
Proud History Bowl Advisor
O
Students
Topic
Alex Chunhwa Lee
The Green Revolution
Emma Levine
Discovery of Insulin and its influence
Jumana Dahleh
Sara Fopiano
Alice Ren
Elizabeth Kuszmaul
Rebecca Weiser
Alan Bartels
Science Department
Starting Sunday, February 12, at 6:30 pm on WGBH 2,
Billy Costa hosts 16 public high school teams from Massachusetts in the ultimate battle of brainpower!
Follow Lexington High School’s team beginning March
18, and please congratulate Ben Edelstein, Andrew Yang,
Jonah Bader and Alison Stein on their fine performance.
The depth and breadth of their knowledge is a testament to
the excellent comprehensive education provided by LHS.
–Rachel Mitton and Whitney Hagins, coaches
19
Penicillin and its role in WWI
The impact (or lack of impact) of
the Tank Manphoto during Tienamen Square
Of Machines and Men: how
American Industrialization Led to
the Social Security Act of 1935
The Shocking Reform of Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Treatment
in Healing Mental Illness
Public, Politics and Polio
Spencer Daus-Haberle Expanding One Amendment
Through the Repeal of Another –
Pauline Sabin and the Formation
of the Women’s Organization for
National Prohibition Reform
Eric Chiang
WGBH High School Quiz Show
1999 Women’s World Cup: Pivotal
Moment in Women’s Sports
Jeffrey Lang
Nila Arumugam
Geneva Kropper
Dan Bernstein
Cole Oshiro Leavitt
Matt Shorter
The Innovation of Nikola Tesla
on Technology: A Revolution in
America
The Reagan Reforms
Impressionism
Zoot Suit Riots
Religion in the Revolutionary War
Gandhi in South Africa
Emancipation Proclamation
School
Fundr
aiser
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March 15th
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10 Pleasant Street, Lexington, MA 02421 • 781-862-3900 • www.wilsonfarm.com