Community Lion's Roar!
February 2023
Please take a moment to listen to the first episode of the Lion's Minute. This episode discusses a fixed mind-set vs. a growth mind-set. It is based on data collected from our students which shows many of our students believe their learning and intelligence is "fixed." It can not grow. This is definitely #fakenews. In this Lion's minute, Dr. O'Neil will also share ideas and discussion starters to use when talking with your children. Let's help our children focus on growth and becoming stronger, better, and smarter each and every day!
You can turn on closed caption in your preferred language of choice.
Dr. O'Neil would like to thank our LHS Technology Students
for producing, recording and editing this video!
BLACK HISTORY MONTH:
The Lindenwold Public Schools are proud to honor Black History Month through curricular experiences, school-wide events and festivities, and community partner celebrations.
Each year Lindenwold chooses a theme to celebrate a specific aspect or dimension of Black History. Teachers, particularly in social studies, provide students with instruction on that theme within the context of their curriculum. For example, for the 2022-23 year, our theme is “Black Resistance.” During February each week receives a specific focus within that theme.
This year the focus areas are as follows:
Week 1 - Resistance during Slavery
Week 2 - Early 1900’s
Week 3 - Resistance during Civil Rights
Week 4 – Resistance Today
Teachers use provided curricular resources to develop lessons relating to each of these aspects of the yearly theme. Throughout the month students in various grade levels are engaged in a wide variety of learning experiences:
Students have engaged in projects such as: biography research of black heroes, legends, and/or leaders; literature has been shared about Black History and influential leaders, too.
LMS students in various grades have engaged in:
- an activity entitled - "Our Progress: A Look Into Social Injustice,"
- a Black History Month Quilt Project,
- a Choice Board: The Forces of Abolition,
- a reflection activity -
"If you could meet one African American in history who would it be and why?"
- and students have explored history through spiritual song - "Wade in the Water."
These are some of the different examples of activities our students are engaging in:
Students have engaged in the 21st Century Mount Rushmore Project. Students are discussing & debating who should be placed on a 21st Century version of Mount Rushmore. The final selections will be painted into a mural in the History Hallway.
2/16/23: KINDNESS DAY
Staff and students will take time on Thursday, 2/16/23 to discuss respect and kindness when interacting with one another. The middle school years are challenging for our children. There are external pressures as well as internal journeys. Middle school aged children are trying to figure out who they are. This is the time in their lives when they are learning how to be themselves; however, it is critical that we remind students how to treat one another while learning from this adventure. All of us should be treated with kindness. We are all beautiful because of our uniqueness.
2/16/23: CULTURAL PRIDE DAY
Our LHS student leaders have requested to make Thursday, Black History Month "Pride Day." Students may leave their uniform dress home and choose to wear a red, black, or green shirt/sweatshirt, a shirt/sweatshirt with a positive / inspiring quote/phrase by an African American Leader / role model, or an African style shirt, too. Students who choose to participate may wear jeans (no holes or rips), sweatpants, or uniform pants.
Students will also engage in a "sharing your voice" activity. Students will have the opportunity to share their perspective on what it means to honor Black History, students may also share what Black Resistance means to them, or how the school can best understand what life in 2023 looks like for our students and your peers. This is a great opportunity to learn about one another from one another - students and staff.
It was great to see Lindenwold included in the list of presenters at this year's NJASA's TECHSPO 2023 Conference! (NJ Association of School Administrators / Education & Research Foundation) Dr. Mancinelli, Lindenwold's Director of Curriculum, presented to administrators, teachers, and technology staff across the state of NJ on ways in which data can be leveraged to drive instruction. This year Dr. Mancinelli co-presented with Tre Gonzalez, Director of Growth for OnCourse Systems for Education on how data really works in education.
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The Lindenwold Coaching Team was also invited to present our instructional coaching model to the Camden County Curriculum Consortium. While we have employed instructional coaches to support staff in years past, this year we have really honed our skills, focused on a consistent protocol, and adjusted our model to a "District Support Lens." We are honored to share our great practices with our county partners and are proud of the ways in which we support our fellow Lion teachers.
Our District was excited to welcome representatives from the New Jersey Department of Education and representatives of New Jersey's Office of Homeland Security. They surprised School 4, School 5, LMS, and LHS with a visit to each of their schools.
We were fortunate to have them watch our security drills and then meet with us to discuss and debrief together. The safety and security of our staff and students is our #1 concern. Learning from the best and our state experts is the best way to perfect our practices.
Congratulations to our classes who CRUSHED their quarterlies in their grade!!!!!
Way to go!!!!!!
Our Theater Set Design Class is preparing for our spring performance,
"THE WEDDING SINGER!"
Check us out - March 30th Weekend.
We hope to see you there!!!!
Our students know what they like!
What a fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day!
Love is in our hearts!
LHS welcomed former Olympian, Ms. Priscilla Loomis to our District. She shared her journey as an Olympian as well as her struggle to reach high levels of success in the United States. Thank you Ms. Loomis for sharing your greatness and important learning lessons with us.
Congratulations to Mrs. Pollock and Mr. Cope on a very successful Winter Production! And a VERY SPECIAL congratulations to Mr. Cope on his very first Lion Concert.
As always, we need to give a shout out to Mr. Flick and his videography team! They always do a beautiful job allowing our community access to our school's beautiful music.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VENDORS!
Our students and staff celebrated Hispanic Heritage by learning about different Spanish speaking countries and sharing their knowledge with others. We also hosted an evening event and invited our community to join us.
Families who learn together and have fun together - grow together!
Thank you for being a part of our learning journey!
#loveourfamilies
#thankyouforyoursupport
20% of our students asked us (in our 2022 survey) to improve upon our lunch selections.
This has been a year long process. Representatives have visited several other districts to review their lunch practices. We have ordered new cafeteria / lunch equipment. Students now have the opportunity to review our new lunch selections. Now our students at LMS & LHS are being invited to test taste some new selections / foods.
We are working hard to meet our students likes, choices, and interests.
Congratulations to our January Pawsitively PURRFECT students!
Students are nominated based on some or all of the following characteristics: Citizenship, Compassion, Cooperation, Courage, Effort, Fairness, Flexibility, Honesty, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, and/or Significant Behavior Improvement.
