Leicester High School
January 16th, 2022
Dates to Remember
January 17 - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 21 - Q2 Grades Close
January 26 - Early Release Day
January 28 - Report Cards Available in PowerSchool after 3:00
February 2-3 - Biology MCAS (Make-up Exams)
February 21-25 - School Vacation Week
Announcements
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
The paper-based Biology MCAS retest exam will take place on February 2nd & 3rd.
Students are scheduled to take this administration for one of the following reasons:
- They took the Biology exam last June and did not receive a passing score (or they were in cohort D and chose not to take the exam).
- They transferred into Leicester High School and did not take the exam last year in their previous district.
- They attended private school last year and therefore did not take the MCAS, which is not a requirement of that school.
Students have already been notified if they are testing. An email will be sent to them a week prior regarding testing location, times, etc.
Students will be reminded that this is a state requirement and MUST obtain a passing score in order to receive their diploma.
If you have any questions regarding MCAS testing, you can contact Chris Barry at barryc@lpsma.net.
Mid-Term Exams
Given the high number of absences at LHS that are beyond both students' and faculty's control, we have made the decision to restructure mid-term exams. A significant number of students missed instruction last week, more missed instruction this week, and we anticipate that many will be absent during mid-terms next week. Giving make-up exams to such a high number of students would be logistically difficult before the end of the second quarter on January 21.
Missing school is already stressful enough for our students, and we don't want to add to their anxiety by making them responsible for mid-terms at the same time we are seeing an increase in absences due to illness. Therefore, teachers who wish to give a mid-term exam as a measure of student skill level may do so, but that exam will be an internal assessment Others may choose to assess students through a project or other independent work. In this way, we hope to relieve some of the stress our students are feeling while still allowing them to showcase their content mastery from semester 1.
Lost and Found
Leicester High School Commencement
Attention Students
Yearbook
Dear Family and Friends of the Class of 2022:
Senior year is a special time for your friends and family. Students are their final classes at LHS, while simultaneously devoting a major portion of time to their future plans. Senior year may be a time of mixed emotions and serious pondering. Yet, it may also be a time of excitement, and for many of our students, senior year is the best year of all!
For the Class of 2022, a major highlight is receiving the Class Yearbook. It contains full-color pictures of members of the graduating class and provides a pictorial review of their years with us. It has been our experience that our graduating seniors treasure their yearbooks.
This year, there is a special section, “Family and Friends”, where parents, grandparents/family members may submit personal messages, demonstrating their pride and love for their students. Each message may contain a picture (baby, toddler, grammar school, etc.) and/or a drawing, along with your special message.
Imagine the surprise when your Senior finds your special message in the yearbook. And years after graduation, your special message will be permanently in print to look at it again and again.
Please feel free to create your own special message. To submit a personal message for your senior, please complete the attached form, and return it, with a check made out to Leicester High Yearbook, no later than February 12th. Please make checks payable to Town of Leicester or use the UNIPAY portal on the LHS WEBSITE.
Full Page - $170
Half Page - $100
Quarter Page - $45
Eighth Page - $25
Please use the QR codes and links below to be taken directly to order forms.
In The Classroom
Chemistry
GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
Chemistry Honors Students have conducted a 'Gravimetric Analysis' Lab to identify the unknown Metal Carbonate. This lab was conducted in 3 different parts.
Part 1-Chem students prepared a 0.20M solution of Calcium Chloride by using special glass equipment and techniques.
Part 2- They carried out a double replacement reaction and used 'Selective Precipitation and Filtration techniques' to isolate the Unknown Carbonate.
Part 3- They used different formulas and a series of Stoichiometric calculations to identify the unknown Metal Carbonate as Sodium carbonate. They used critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
English Language Arts
Guidance Department Updates
MyCAP
The letter linked below contains important information about Individual Career and Academic Plans (MyCAPs). Every 9th through 12th-grade student at Leicester High School will have a MyCAP. Parents and families play an important role in helping children plan for and reach their postsecondary goals. Please click on the link for this information.
Meeting Updates
1/13/21 School Committee
If you were unable to attend or stream the November 9th School Committee Meeting, here are some highlights:
- Leicester High School presented STAR testing data that showed improvement from BOY to MOY assessments.
- The School Committee voted to have MASC assist in the superintendent search.
- The Superintendent reported that repairs to the high school sprinkler system were complete and an inspection of the repairs has been scheduled.
12/15 School Council
- Members discussed ways to mitigate student vaping. Vape signaling devices were discussed, but the Principal reported that these devices have been abandoned by local districts as they did little to curb the problem.
- Wait time for lavatories was raised as a concern. Students report that, due to student misuse of the facilities, wait times have been extended because of staff oversight. Myriad possible solutions were discussed.
- Parent/guardian members reported that they were pleased and thankful for the dedication and hard work of the faculty and staff.
- The Principal reported the beginning of a student-led anti-hate group that would work to develop activities and lessons to inform the student body and work to foster a sense of belonging for all Leicester High School students.
Athletics
Covid - 19
Covid Update Week 1/9/22 - 1/15/22
Total positive cases yearly total: 134
Covid-19 Testing Program (Test and Stay)
At this time, the Leicester Public Schools will only be participating in the Symptomatic Testing and the Test and Stay testing. To participate in the program, you must sign this http://cic-health.com/consent/ma on behalf of your student, agreeing to all components of the testing program, in case we need to shift between them. There is no charge for participating. To learn more about our COVID-19 testing program, please visit https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/testing/default.html. If you have additional questions regarding the program, please contact your respective school nurse.
Students only participate with permission from a parent or guardian. It is important that you are fully informed regarding the process and that we can answer any questions that you might have in advance of asking you to sign the consent form. Below we describe each of the three parts of the testing program, how they are conducted, and what they are used for.
Symptomatic testing is used when a student is showing symptoms of COVID-19 during school; students should not come to school if they are feeling sick while at home. Some symptoms of the virus look identical to other illnesses like the cold or flu, and this test tells us whether a symptomatic student has COVID-19 or not. This is a rapid test, and we receive the results of this test within 15 minutes. If a student has minimal symptoms and tests negative, they can remain in school. If they are experiencing moderate symptoms of COVID, the school nurse will determine if a follow-up PCR test is needed.
Test and Stay allows students who have had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 while at school to stay in school if the student is not showing symptoms. Instead of needing to quarantine and miss school, these students will take a daily rapid test while they remain in school as long as they are not symptomatic. Students participate in test and stay for at least five days after they may have been exposed.
If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they must isolate at home for the CDC-recommended ten days since symptoms appeared or ten days after the positive test before returning to school. The student must also be without a fever for 24 hours.
Although students who are vaccinated are much less likely to spread or contract the virus, it is important for us to create an inclusive environment for both vaccinated and unvaccinated students.
Quarantine Meals
If your child is quarantined at home, breakfast and/or lunch are available from the school at no cost to you. If you would like to take advantage of this option, please complete this Google Form the DAY BEFORE you would like a meal.
You must complete the above-linked form one day in advance in order to have breakfast/lunch prepared for your child.
Meals can be picked up between 10:00 and 10:30 at the main office on the date(s) you request.
The meal will consist of the main menu choice for that day - no substitutions. Click here for school menus.
Leicester High School 21-22 Bell Schedule
Mrs. Beth Johnson - Assistant Principal
Email: johnsonb@lpsma.net
Website: http://lhs.leicester.k12.ma.us/
Location: 174 Paxton Street, Leicester, MA, USA
Phone: 508-892-7030
Twitter: @LHSMrsJohnson
Mr. Ted Zawada - Principal
Email: zawadat@lpsma.net
Website: http://lhs.leicester.k12.ma.us/
Location: 174 Paxton Street, Leicester, MA, USA
Phone: 508-892-7030
Twitter: @LHSZAWADA