Greetings from the Principal s Office. For more information about the Common Core State Standards go to:

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1 December January 2013 Ranger Roundup Dr. William Wagner, Principal Lakewood High School Katrina Holmes PTA President Greetings from the Principal s Office Moving to the Common Core State Standards In any conversation about education these days, it is typical to hear the phrase Common Core being discussed. The Common Core is a set of educational standards in English/Language Arts and Mathematics that have been adopted by nearly every state in the United States over the past several years. These standards outline the key things all students should be learning in these two areas in all grade levels. They are NOT a national curriculum driven by the federal Department of Education, but rather a set of standards adopted by individual states established through collaborative work driven by state governors over the past several years. There is a website that provides a tremendous amount of information regarding this initiative and the reasons why nearly all 50 states have adopted these standards. For more information about the Common Core State Standards go to: The biggest question I often hear is, Why do we need to change? In this day and age, as we strive to prepare students not just to be successful here in Lakewood, but around the globe, it is important to expand our efforts to guarantee our students can compete with their peers from around the country and around the world. We need standards to ensure that all students, no matter where they live, are prepared for success in postsecondary education and the workforce. Common standards will help ensure that students are receiving a high quality education consistently, from school to school and state to state. Common standards will provide a greater opportunity to share experiences and best practices within and across states that will improve our ability to best serve the needs of students. ( Any time there is change, there is confusion. I also encourage you to check out the Myths vs. Facts tab on the Common Core web page. There are also several informational videos on the website that will help you better understand the why and what involved in this effort to dramatically increase the relevance and rigor of our English/Language Arts and Mathematics curriculum and teaching. In addition to moving to the Common Core, the state of Ohio has also developed new standards in Science and Social Studies. Teachers throughout the district are in the process of transitioning students to the higher demands of these new standards to prepare our students better for life beyond high school. We must constantly challenge ourselves and our students to perform at higher levels if we are to meet our ongoing goal to improve. Every Period, Every Day! Thanks for your trust, support and help. Sincerely yours with Ranger Pride, Bill Wagner Franklin Boulevard, Lakewood, Ohio

2 A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT District Message December is a prime time to sample some of the many talented music groups and programs throughout the district. Winter concerts from the orchestras, bands and choirs at the middle schools and high school will be held at the Civic a few days a week from now until Winter Break. The elementary schools will be showcasing their students musical talents as well. For dates and times, please visit the Performing Arts page on the district web site or visit the individual school web page for more information. December is also prime time for snowy weather. Being a walking district, it is imperative that our students have safe routes to school. Please be sure to clear your sidewalks as soon as you are able after a big snowfall. Too many times when sidewalks are not shoveled, students resort to walking in the streets, which is obviously a very dangerous situation. Let s help keep our kids safe! Wishing every family happy and healthy holidays! Sincerely, Jeffrey W. Patterson Superintendent Board of Education Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy, President Edward Favre, Vice President Linda G. Beebe, Member Tom Einhouse, Member Emma Petrie Barcelona, Member All courses and programs are offered by Lakewood High School without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, creed, gender, marital status, disability, or age in its education programs, activities, employment policies or admission policies and practices as required under Title VI and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of

3 President s Message, I would like to thank everyone who donated their time and/or treats for the Staff Conference Dinner. The staff really appreciated all the goodies. December is a busy month for everyone. I hope you get to enjoy the many concerts at the civic and watch our sports teams this season. PTA needs your help Accepting Nominations for Educator of the Year and Helping Hands. Does your child have a favorite teacher who encourages them? Is there a LHS Staff member who goes above and beyond their duty? Then the PTA needs you to nominate them. If you would like to nominate someone please Mona Atfield at mona@pixelfuel.com Please include the nominee s name and why you are recommending them for this award. Thank you for taking the time to show your support. Reminders Please join us at our next PTA meeting January 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm in room A102. If you haven t done so already please join the LHS PTA. Click here for Membership forms. Sign up for the many rewards programs in the area that donate a portion of what you spend to Lakewood High School. Heinen s - Target - GFS - Hope to see you soon, Katrina Holmes LHS PTA President 3

4 Tis the Season Get started on your holiday shopping at the Ranger Shop! Ranger Shop Hours Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9 am - 2 pm Home boy s basketball games Starting Thanksgiving weekend the Ranger Shop will be open every Saturday until Christmas: 10 am - 3 pm Special Evening Hours Monday, December 10, 3 pm - 7 pm New this year, print this and send in with your son or daughter to fill out and we will you their Wish List. Ranger Shop Wish List Item Size Price Item Size Price Student s name: Parent/Guardian s name: Parent/Guardian s address:

5 Students Examine Choices with The Other Wes Moore In October and November, LHS students partook in numerous events connected to our Summer Read, The Other Wes Moore. In addition to a week of school-wide self reflection activities, on October 23, forty students travelled to the University of Akron s E. J. Thomas Hall to listen to the author speak about his experience growing up in Baltimore and the Bronx. Less than a week later, as Hurricane Sandy was bearing down on his home in Baltimore, Wes Moore engaged in a Skyping session with 300 of our students in the Civic Auditorium. Students asked him questions about the choices he made, the lessons he learned from writing the book, and the legacy he hopes to leave. Mr. Moore was an electric speaker, connecting instantly with the students. He even tweeted about the good work we are doing later that day! On November 14, seniors Rokeishia Smith and Dominique Lee took part in the Community Conversation About Wes Moore at the Lakewood Campus of the University of Akron, hosted by the Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission, Lakewood Alive, and the Lakewood Family Collaborative. And to round out the Wes Moore activities, on November 16, 12 students shared lunch at the Ranger Café with ten seniors from Lakewood Division of Aging, engaging in a book discussion. A rich intergenerational dialogue highlighted the books major themes, such as decision making, peer support, values and personal loss and redemption. Thanks to the Social Studies department for choosing this important book and providing students with these opportunities!

6 PSAT Results Students who took the October, 2012 PSAT can pick-up their test results in the Guidance Office during the second week of December. (Listen for PA announcement) Remind your child to review the helpful information included in the results package and to see their counselors for assistance in interpreting the results. Financial Aid / FAFSA Workshop for Parents of College-Bound Seniors January 16 th 7:00 8:00 PM Lecture Hall 1 - Lakewood High School Mrs. Pam Sandoval of College Now will go over the process for completing the FAFSA and evaluating financial aid offers at this meeting. Mrs. Sandoval is also available at LHS on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to meet individually with students and parents. Her phone number is Thank you to the Lakewood Alumni Foundation for providing this valuable service to our families. College Planning Workshop for Parents of 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th graders February 12 th 7:00 9:00 PM Lecture Hall 1 and 2 Lakewood High School The Guidance Department is sponsoring this free, evening program which will be an overview of the college application process. We will have several speakers including an admission representative from Case Western Reserve University who will talk about getting into a selective process and a representative of Tri-C s Westshore campus who will talk about community college options. We will also review steps to college readiness, ACT and SAT preparation, planning for financial aid, and what needs to happen when. For more information, call the Guidance Office at New Support Service Lakewood High School has partnered with Recovery Resources to have the services of Ms Saskia DeRaat one day a week. Ms DeRaat is a licensed counselor and prevention specialist. She is in the process of starting a group for students affected by a family member s alcoholism or addiction. If your child could benefit from this type of support, please contact Mrs. Hoopes ( ) for information.

7 Scholarship Information Seniors and their parents: Please check the LHS Guidance webpage regularly to see the local and regional scholarships for which you may be eligible. It is important to meet the deadlines listed. Here is an example of a great local scholarship: Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out! High School juniors and seniors can compete for $50,000 of college scholarships by writing an essay on an act of discrimination they have witnessed and their reflections about their response. Here is the website with the information : Enrollment and Scheduling Information meeting for parents of 8 th graders NOT currently attending Lakewood City Schools January 16 th 4:00 5:00 PM Lakewood High School Lecture Hall 2 If you know someone who has a child in a parochial school, charter school or is home schooled and they want information about scheduling at Lakewood High School, please share this information. Questions? Call the Guidance Office at Course Selection for All current Lakewood High School students will soon begin the scheduling process for courses. Students are hearing about Career Tech options in December and can begin the application process. AP applications will be available in January. All students will be receiving an update on course offerings and the course request process. Scheduling Day will be February 6 th and students will be having individual meetings with their counselors during the last two weeks of February. Please encourage your student to take an active part in this process.

8 Lakewood Music Boosters News Next general meeting: Monday, Jan. 7 at 7:30pm in the LHS Band Room Be sure to check out the new Music Booster s Web Page on the Lakewood City Schools website under the For Parents tab here to find information on fundraisers, scholarships, volunteering and membership. Reminder: If you ordered poinsettia Plants, Thank you, and don t forget to pick them up after your selected concert! Mitchell s Ice Cream Celebration Don t miss this tasty new Music Booster s fundraiser. For only $3 per generous heaping cup, Music Boosters volunteers will be dishing up your choice of 3 delicious flavors of homemade ice cream from Mitchell s. Join us immediately following each Middle School concert in the East Cafeteria of LHS on Dec. 5, 11 and 17. All proceeds will support the Lakewood Schools Music Programs. There s no need to go out for ice cream when you can indulge right here! Volunteer! We re always looking for volunteers, especially during this busy concert season and can use extra help at the Ice Cream Celebration fundraiser. We need ticket sellers, ticket takers, concession help and 50/50 raffle ticket sellers for all concerts at the Civic. And we need ice cream servers and sellers for the three Middle School concerts listed below. Please contact Mary Ryan at marylizus@yahoo.com to let her know when you can help. 6th Grade Winter Concert on December 5 LHS Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Winter Concert on December 6 8th Grade Winter Concert on December 11 LHS Choral Winter Concert on December 12 7th Grade Winter Concert on December 17 LHS Orchestra Winter Concert on December 19 Many thanks to the over 100 parents who have already joined Music Boosters and/or offered to volunteer this year. Remember, by joining Music Boosters your student will be eligible for many LMB sponsored scholarships. Click here to download a Music Boosters Membership form. It s never too late to join!

9 Orchestra, Band and Choir News Just for pure fun, come join the LHS Orchestra in a Kazoo Band on Saturday, December 1 st at Light Up Lakewood. For information, contact Ms. Hankins at elizabeth.hankins@lakewood.k12.oh.us. Also on Dec. 1 st at 2pm, you can see the famous Singing Angels at the Civic for only $10 general, $8 seniors. Tickets available at the door. Proceeds for this concert benefit Harding Middle School s 8 th grade class trip to Washington, DC in the spring. On Thursday Dec. 8th the LHS Symphonic Band and the LHS Wind Ensemble will present its December concert at 7:30pm in the Lakewood Civic Auditorium. Featured will be music by Karl King, Robert Sheldon, Clarence Barber, Danny Elfman, and Darius Milhaud. The highlight of the evening will be Milhaud's Suite Francaise performed by our LHS Wind Ensemble. To conclude each portion of the program we will perform holiday-themed favorites. Jazz Band and Jazz Workshop auditions will be taking place before and after school during the first two weeks of December. See Mr. Maskow for more information and audition music. Please join us for the Winter Choral Concert on Wednesday, December 12 at 7:30 in the Civic Auditorium. The concert will feature the Concert Choir, Symphonic Treble Choir, Vive l'four, Chamber Choir and Symphonic Mixed Choir and will include our traditional candlelight processional and end with favorite carols sung by the combined choruses and alumni. The LHS Orchestra Winter Concert will be held on Wednesday, December 19 at 7:30 in the Civic Auditorium. Enjoy an evening filled with music as we perform a Bach Concerto and other classical pieces along with many of your holiday favorites. Students are beginning to prepare for the OMEA Solo and Ensemble Contest, which will be held on Saturday, February 2nd at Tri-C West. Over 40 choir students from LHS will be participating this year either as soloists or as a part of small ensembles. Chamber Choir and Vive l'four will also be performing. We re looking forward to hearing the entertaining and inspiring sounds of the LHS Pep Band, performing for both the boy s and several of the girl s varsity basketball home games this season. Go Rangers! Warm up this January at The Lakewood Project Winter Concert on Saturday, January 26th. This year we are combining with a funk band from Coventry High School. The concert will feature a number of hits from the Motown Era as well as Disco. Several students are working hard on arrangements and it promises to be a fun-filled, disco-dancing good time! Congratulations to the following orchestra students who auditioned and were accepted into the Ohio Music Education Northeast Region Orchestra: Violin Cooper Brown, Kendall King; Viola Nora Varcho, Tayler Schnear, Devon Caskey; Cello Chelsea Polk, Danny Toner, Jimmy Toner, Moira Horn; and Harp Irina Vatamanu. Chelsea Polk and Danny Toner will represent LHS in the All State Orchestra in Feb Alternates for All State Orchestra include Cooper Brown, Kendall King, Tayler Schnear and Jimmy Toner.

10 Congratulations to the following students who were inducted into la Société Honoraire de Français: Ashley Albright Inez Bakia Alexandra Belardo Madison Burns Devon Chodzin Kylie DeCorte Grace Hinslea-Burke Charlotte Hisel Rosalie Kissel Renee Klann Max Koster Ryan Mitchell Katherine Renaudin Kayla Sadeckas Adnan Shafik Abigail Shuga Sarah Smith Bely Stockman Leila Sukalic Kathryn Urban Morgan Worthley Our induction ceremony took place on November 6, with plenty of gâteau and bisous to go around. These students, all in either French 3, 4 or 5, have maintained an A average throughout their studies in French. Félicitations!

11 LHS Newsletter Ranger Round Up December / January 2012 Discover Your Future at West Shore On November 28 th, the West Shore Career Technical District hosted an assembly for tenth grade students to learn about the many program opportunities available to them their junior and senior years of high school. Located at LHS, West Shore offers students relevant, real-world technical and academic experiences. West Shore classes are part of a student s high school course work. Our graduates are prepared for further education, professional programs, and/or immediate employment. Student opportunities include: professional certification, college credit, field trips, guest speakers, career shadowing, internships, industry competitions, professional affiliations, leadership training, and team building. Programs for students include: Auto Technology Health Careers Technology Medical Office Management Interactive Media Project Lead the Way Engineering Electronic Technology Construction Trades Business Management Networking/Cisco Biotechnology Culinary Arts/ProStart Service Occupations Training Early Childhood Education/Senior Services Priority registration for West Shore programs begins after the assembly in November. Please stop by the West Shore office or contact your LHS guidance counselor for registration information. For a complete program catalog, visit us on the web at: and click on West Shore CTD under Schools. Preparing You Today for Tomorrow s Careers Education * Innovation * Technology * Hands-on The West Shore Career-Technical District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person(s) have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Lakewood City Schools 1470 Warren Road Lakewood, OH * Section 504: Christine Palumbo, Director, Student Services Phone: * Title IX: Jim Reitenbach, Director, Human Resources/Employment Phone:

12 West Shore Ranger Round Up Article for the December/January Issue: Ohio Career Information System Ohio Career Information System (OCIS) is available, at no cost, to all Lakewood High School Students for: Academic & Career Planning College Search Creating and/or updating your resume Career Assessment Tools Education & Training Financial Aid Information To log on to OCIS go to: User Name: Lakewood HS Password: ohiocis03 Followed by your personal user name and password; if needed you can create a user name and password after you sign-in to OCIS. Many students use OCIS during the school year. If you have any questions, please stop by the Career-Tech office in Room B-101. LHS PTA Newsletter Ranger Round Up December / January Ranger Café Take a break from the holidays and the chill of winter with a delicious and relaxing lunch at the Ranger Café. Our student operated restaurant, located at Lakewood High School, is open from 12:00 to 1:30 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reservations are required: (press 1 for reservations). Menu selections, made fresh daily, include soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. For a full menu selection, visit us on the web at: and click on West Shore CTD under Schools. Ranger Café gift certificates are just the right size; stop by this holiday season and pick one up at the West Shore Office in Room B-101.

13 4 5 6 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY December Toys for Tots collection begins Winter Choral Concert 7:30 pm in the Civic Winter Orchestra Concert 7:30 pm in the Civic WINTER BREAK BEGINS 31 Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Band Winter Concert Early Dismissal 13 Toys for Tots last day for collection 7 1 Wind Ensemble at U of Akron for OBDC ACT TESTING

14 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY January School Re-opens No School Semester Exams begin Early Dismissal End of 2nd Quarter Early Dismissal Barnstormers Winter Play No school for students Snowball Dance SAT TESTING Lakewood Project Winter Concert 7:30 pm in the Civic

15 Lakewood City Schools 1470 Warren Road Lakewood, Ohio Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OHIO Permit No DATED INFORMATION Board of Education Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy, President Edward Favre, Vice President Linda G. Beebe Tom Einhouse Emma Petrie Barcelona A service of Ranger Roundup Lakewood High School Dr. William Wagner, Principal December January 2013 Katrina Holmes PTA President December Time Place 12/10 & 11 Trim-a-Tree setup. After School L-Room 12/12 Trim-a-Tree judging morning L-Room Winter Choral Concert 7:30 pm Civic 12/17 Fee forms for Snowball available 12/19 Winter Orchestra Concert 7:30pm Civic January 1/7-1/10 Snowball Dance fee can be turned in Bookroom 1/9 Music Group pictures taken 1/12 Snowball Dance 7-10 pm E. Gym 1/26 Lakewood Project Winter Concert 7:30pm Civic 1/31-2/2 Barnstormers Winter Play 8 pm Tryout Theater