Eagle Express
LHS Staff Newsletter--Year 18, Vol. 18, 01/07/19
Staff Meeting Today
Student Volunteers Needed
I Make a Difference
From Melissa Porter
Our Landstown Family has so many people who make a difference, choosing one person was a difficult task. I would like to recognize and pass on this honor to Mr. Bob Vader. Bob has been with us since 2002 in a number of roles: ISS Coordinator, Permanent Substitute, and his longest and most impressive job in our Social Studies Department. He has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I have met, and he shows it everyday in his passion for imparting invaluable knowledge to our students, his everyday acts of kindness, and his caring nature. His door is always open to students during One Lunch, and he tutors any child who seeks his help during the day or after school. Bob has faced a number of personal obstacles in the past few years, yet (like Rocky) he never lets these challenges affect his presence and professional spirit. Congratulations, Bob! You Make a Difference everyday!
Announcements & Reminders
Welcoming Visitors: On Wednesday (1/9), we will welcome colleagues from Tallwood High School who will be visiting during Lunch. They are checking out our Lunch processes and looking for ideas to take back to their school. Please welcome these teachers as they walk around on Wednesday and feel free to share successes as well as challenges. We are all looking for ways to improve!
DECA Needs You! Our DECA group needs your help. Judges are needed for their March 2nd event at the Virginia Beach Conference Center! DECA hosts the State Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach this year and we are looking for adults to be judges for the event. If you want to be impressed by some amazing teenagers presenting innovative business ideas, this day will deliver! To sign up, please go to the following link; https://www.vadeca.org/slc-judges You can add Ailstock, Balestino, Wright or Williams as the advisor.
Students' Well Being: This article is a timely reminder of the importance of tending to our students' mental health and well being. It has some great tips that are easy to employ as we ensure our Eagles feel loved and cared for.
An Eagle in Need: Sabrina Conner in our Special Education department is in need of sick leave donations. Please see Terri Muench in the main office if you are willing to help Sabrina out.
Collaboration Opportunity: Clubs, teams, and classes looking to design posters or video commercials for social media or Eagle Talon News should contact Mr. Swartz in Room 124. His graphic communication students are learning project management and have four teams looking to create various photographic, video and graphics for marketing material to support school activities. The graphics communication class meets during 3A, and it would be great to have students pitch their ideas to the assigned team but a well written, who, what, when, where, why and how document will work along with samples of past creations and graphics files. The goal is to have student-produced work to support our school while teaching students valuable workforce skills.
New Accreditation Requirements: Check out this recent article related to the changes in accreditation.
Lunch Review Committee: Are you interested in serving on a committee that will review feedback related to our Lunch processes and develop improvements? If so, please submit this quick form.
Upcoming Events
Monday, 01/07 (B)
Staff meeting, 2:20, Schola
Scholastic Bowl @ Tallwood, 3:00
JV Basketball @ Tallwood, 5:30
Gymnastics @ FC, 6:00
Tuesday, 01/08 (A)
Basketball vs Bayside, 5:30
Wednesday, 01/09 (B)
Parent-Teacher Conferences, Cafeteria, 2:15
JV Baskeball vs Cox, 5:30
Wrestling @ Bayside, 6:00
Thursday,01/10 (A)
ILT, Library, 1:00
Indoor Track @ Boo Williams, 1:30
JV Wrestling, 5:00
Gymnastics @ Cox, 6:00
Friday, 01/11 (B)
Wrestling @ Norfolk Duals
Dive @ PA Rec, 3:30
Basketball @ Kellam, 5:30
Saturday, 01/12
Wrestling @ Norfolk Duals
Boys Basketball @ Green Run, 7:20
Holocaust Film Screening
An invitation has been extended from the Holocaust Commission to attend a screening of The Samuel Project as a part of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s 26th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film. They are offering LHS teachers and students complimentary tickets with RSVP required. The screening will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 2:00 pm at the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center.
This film stars Emmy Award-winning actor Hal Linden (of Barney Miller fame) as the Holocaust survivor grandfather of iCarly and Pair of Kings’Ryan Ochoa, a teen with artistic talent who wants to bring his grandfather’s never-before told Holocaust story to life for a school project. It is a story of the Holocaust and of family that is accessible to many generations. Both of the film’s stars will be with us for a panel discussion after the film, so we hope that you will bring your students for this important conversation.
You will find a curriculum package here that was produced for use with the film by Young Minds Inspired that includes activities, resources, and reflections that can be used in tandem with our screening. Aside from the included curriculum, there is a website full of lesson plans related to the film, so you and your students will be able to dive deep into the story of The Samuel Project. To RSVP, please click here. Names will be added to a will call list for admission at the theater.
Thank a Teacher Art Contest
The Virginia Lottery wants to thank teachers, so it is launching it's Thank a Teacher Art Contest for the second year. Students in Virginia's public schools can create artwork that could appear on thank-you notes that will be distributed to thousands of teachers. The contest will be open from January 1 to February 1 and pieces can be submitted online. For more details, visit the website here. Please share with students you think might be interested.
Winners will be picked from three levels: elementary school, middle school and high school. Each winner will get $1,000 for their school's art department and a $150 gift card as well as having their creation on the thank-you cards. The winning designs will be announced in March.
The Great LHS Chili Cook-Off
If you will be bringing in chili, please complete this quick form. Thanks!
Book Talk PL Available
"What if education could be better--for students and for educators? Our changing world demands creative thinkers and collaborative problem solvers, but too often, schools stifle growth and discovery in favor of getting through the curriculum or preparing for "the test." Learning opportunities and teaching methods must evolve to match the ever-changing needs of today's learners. When we tell learners to complete an assignment, we get compliance. When we empower learners to explore and learn how to make an impact on the world, we inspire problem solvers and innovators. This required change in education involves more than providing training for administrators and teachers to implement new curriculum or programs and resources; it demands that we, as teachers and leaders, create an environment where learners at every level are empowered to take risks in pursuit of learning and growth rather than perfection. This book is for you if you are wondering . . . What if learners were valued for their diverse talents and not just our traditional model of "smart"? What if I could create new and better experiences for those I serve? What if I could inspire students to learn, to discover their passions, and to share their ideas with the world?"
If this synopsis peaks your interest and you are interested in participating in a book talk on the book, Learner-Centered Innovation, please complete this form by Monday, January 7 so we know how many books to order. The group will meet on Wednesdays after school starting January 30th and PL points will be awarded.
Kudos
Congratulations to our wrestling team who took 4th place with a record of 4-3 in the first ever Beach District Dual tournament at Kellam HS this weekend. Special congrats to Cam Robinson and Brett Sanderlin, who finished the weekend undefeated, both 7-0.
Kudos to our Student Advisory Board. These students have identified three areas in which they want to effect change--Communication, Involvement, and Student Voice. Over the next few months they will be implementing small projects to help us improve in each of these areas. They are a hard-working group!
Happy Birthday to You!
January 7: Sachiko Sakamaki, World Languages
January 10: Charlie Holmes, Security
January 10: Ilda Madridejos, Distance Learning
January 13: Esther Coulter, English
January 13: Theresa Drayer, Reading
January 13, Paige Moore, Social Studies
The next upcoming Virtual Learning Day will be on Friday, February 1st, a designated A Day, which is on the last day of the second quarter. For semester classes, the VL assignment must be given to students in advance and the grade must recorded in the first semester.
For teachers teaching yearlong courses, you can reflect this grade in the second quarter or in the third quarter. Please recall the 10 day window for completion of the assignment. If you do plan to count it as a grade in the second quarter, you must prepare in advance of February 1st.
Grades must be posted by noon on Friday, February 1st. If you need further clarification, please see your administrator.
Guidelines for Final Assessments--Semester Classes--January 2019
Monday, January 28: Blocks 1A and 2A
Tuesday, January 29: Blocks 1B and 2B
Wednesday, January 30: Blocks 3A and 4A
Thursday, January 31: Blocks 3B and 4B
Guidelines for final assessments in semester classes can be found here.
Calendar Shift
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) will use February 18 (Presidents’ Day) to make up instructional time lost during Hurricane Michael. Given the length of time out of school thus far, the division will also extend the first semester from Monday, January 28 to Thursday, January 31. Consequently, the division’s previously scheduled staff day/virtual learning day will now be Friday, February 1 and the second semester will begin Monday, February 4.
Report cards for the second nine weeks/first semester will be sent home Monday, February 11.
The 2018-2019 school calendar has been updated to include the makeup day and semester changes. The updated calendar is available on www.vbschools.com. Updated 2018-19 Calendar
Principal's Advisory Committee
The Principal's Advisory Committee serves in an advisory capacity to address employee concerns as they relate to site conditions that negatively impact on high student achievement and high employee morale. The PAC is committed to resolving issues professionally and in a timely manner. The following staff members have been elected to serve on this year's PAC: Katie Bennett, Caroline Clark, Jae Clark, Terri Gayer, Woody Gehlert, Kay Gramling, Kathy Holbert, Suzette Johnson, Connie Martinez, Michael Robinson, Kelly Singer and Anne Marie Sprague. Use this form to submit concerns to the PAC.
Quarter 2 Grading Dates
Beginning Date--November 6
Progress Reports Issued--December 14
Ending Date--January 31
Report Cards Issued--February 11
Our Guiding Questions
- How do students determine and engage with their learning targets?
- What is the evidence that students are exercising their voice and choice throughout the learning process?
- What evidence is there that the teacher has planned opportunities for students to choose from a variety of tools/structures during their learning?
- How are teachers using assessment tools as part of their assessment strategy?
- What evidence exists that supports student collaboration, exploration, and creation efforts?
Landstown High School
Email: cheryl.askew@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.landstownhs.vbschools.com/
Location: 2001 Concert Drive, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Phone: 757-648-5500
Twitter: @LandstownEagles