Lake Orion High School

Dragon Families,

As we begin to prepare for Thanksgiving Break, we want to take the time to recognize and give gratitude to all those who work to make LOHS a special place. Here at Lake Orion High School, we are truly grateful for our community of parents, businesses, and staff who dedicate themselves to our students and their successes.

Thank you to those members of the community who engage throughout the year in service and partnerships. Your support to Lake Orion High School continues to bring opportunities beyond measure. Thank you to our LOHS Parent Group, CTE and Career Readiness Advisory Groups, Orion Chamber of Commerce, the many club boosters, parent/community volunteers, the Rotary Club, the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. Because of your energy and dedication, LOHS is a better place.

Thank you to our teachers and staff for the commitment they make every day to share their passions with our students, and for striving to go above and beyond. Thank you for taking the time to attend games, theater productions, supervising GAP clubs, etc. truly makes a difference in our students' lives.

During our Thanksgiving break, we hope that everyone is able to rest and reset. We are thankful to be part of Lake Orion Community Schools and the partnerships we have in and around the community. Together we help our students grow academically and find their passions and talents as they discover their college and career paths. The LOHS Administration wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving full of family, friends, love and laughter.

If you missed the previous newsletters, don't fret, we have them available for you on the LOHS Newsletter page.

Looking for the Full High School calendar? You can find it on our website under About LOHS tab.

• November 23-25 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
  
• December 5 - Senior All Night Party Parent Meeting 7pm
• December 6 - Winter Band Concert 7pm
• December 8 - Parent Teacher Conferences (High School)
• December 15 - Winter Choir Concert 7pm

The Lake Orion High School Parent Group is s looking for donations to help feed our staff before Parent Teacher Conferences begin on Thursday, December 8th. If you are able to donate any soft drinks, waters, baked goods, etc, please consider signing up on our sign up genius. We are also looking for parents to help clean up after conferences.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b44abad22a2ff2-lohs1

If you would like to make any monetary donations to assist with planning Parent Teacher Conference Dinners, or Staff Appreciation Week in May, please feel free to send your donations to the Main Office, attention LOHS PTO - ROSA EVERITT, or you may donate via Venmo to @LOHS_RosaEveritt with the last four digits 3256.

The LOHS staff is tremendous and the holidays are one time of year to let them know how thankful we are for the dedication to our kids! They work long hours…coming in early, staying well past dinnertime, not to mention the evening and weekend hours spent grading, assessing and compiling lesson plans. All this work leaves them little time to plan for the holidays with their own family, so LOHS families would like to help them out by providing Christmas cookies. We will be requesting 3 dozen homemade cookies and the sign up genius will be sent out the beginning of December with all instructions! Thank you in advance for helping the LOHS Parent Group support the staff!

10 tips to help get your child to school on time, every day

1. Set attendance goals with your child and track your child's attendance on a calendar. Try offering small rewards for not missing any school, such as a later bedtime on weekends.

2. Help your child get a good night's sleep. A lack of sleep is associated with lower school achievement starting in middle school, as well as higher numbers of missed school and tardiness. Most younger children need 10-12 hours per night and adolescents (13-18 years of age) need 8-10 hours per night. Check how many hours your child needs here.

3. Prep the night before to streamline your morning. Have your child lay out their clothes. Have backpacks and lunches packed. Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up like a missed bus or an early meeting. Have a family member, a neighbor or another trusted adult on standby to take your child to school should you ever need help.

4. Try to schedule dental or medical appointments before or after school hours. If children have to miss school for medical appointments, have them return immediately afterward so they do not miss the entire day.

5. Schedule extended trips during school breaks. This helps your child stay caught up in school learning and sets the expectation for your child to be in school during the school year. Even in elementary school, missing a week of classes can set your child behind on learning.

6. Don't have your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Reasons to keep your child home from school include a temperature greater than 101 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, a hacking cough, toothache or a positive test for COVID-19. Keep in mind, complaints of frequent stomachaches or headaches can be a sign of anxiety and may not be a reason to stay home. See School Avoidance: Tips for Concerned Parents.

7. Talk with your child about the reasons why they do not want to go to school. School-related anxiety can lead to school avoidance. Talk to your child about their physical and emotional symptoms. Try to get them to talk about any emotional struggles they may have with issues like bullying, fear of failure or actual physical harm. If you are concerned about your child's mental health, talk with your pediatrician, your child's teacher or school counselor.

8. If your child has a chronic health issue such as asthma, allergies or seizures, talk with your pediatrician about developing a school action plan. Meet with and get to know the nurse at your child's school. If you need guidance and documentation for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, ask for your pediatrician's help accessing services at school.

9. Follow the rules. Be sure you know what your school's requirements are for when your child will be absent or late. If you are supposed to call, email or provide a doctor's note after a certain number of days out, then do it. If we want our children to follow rules, we must lead by example.

10. Keep track of your child's attendance so you know when the days missed start to add up. Look into why your child is absent. Think about your child's mood. Have they been spending time by themselves lately? Is their chronic condition starting to be more problematic? Is this school refusal? You know your child best.

When a child misses even one day, they miss a lot!

As we approach the one year anniversary of the Oxford tragedy, we are going to work to achieve a balance of showing support for all of those affected, and also allowing those who need it, to have a “normal” school day.

With that in mind, we are going to wear Oxford Blue and Gold on Wednesday, November 30th. This is to show our love and support, while allowing those who need it the ability to carry on with their day. Wearing the colors of our neighbors to the north will be the sole means of recognizing the day. Students who need to talk to someone will be directed to their counselor for individual support. Understanding that this event has affected individuals in a wide range of ways, we are keeping our plan simple and heartfelt.

Thank you for your support.

The Seal of Global Diversity supports College & Work Place Readiness in today's global world.

Colleges, universities and global institutions are looking to attract students and employees who value diverse perspectives and cultures, while working collaboratively with others to make a positive impact on the world.

A Lake Orion Community Schools Seal of Global Diversity provides an advantage for college and job applicants who can certify their personal efforts and commitment to global & diversity initiatives.

Just a reminder that Sendmoneytoschool.com has been replaced by lakeorion.familyportal.cloud. Please visit the site to set up a lunch account for your student. There is a tutorial at the bottom of the Family Portal page that walks you through the process of setting up an account. Information on meal prices for the 2022-2023 school year are listed below:

High School Prices

Breakfast Meal Price $2.00

Lunch Meal Price $3.50 - $3.75

For more information regarding our food program, please visit the Foods and Nutrition page

Reminder - OSTC is hosting a Career Night on December 8, 2022 from 4:30pm-7:30pm at the Northeast (Pontiac) campus.

For additional information about OSTC and programs offered, please visit OSTConline.com.

OWLs is the Organization for Women Leaders. It's a club focused on what it means to be a feminist and how we can support women in our community, from the schools to local businesses. If your student is interested in joining OWLs, contact the adviser Stephanie Orth at stephanie.orth@lok12.org.

Senior Parents,

It is time to start talking about the Senior All-Night Party! The Senior All-Night Party is a non-school sponsored event, coordinated and supervised by a group of dedicated parents. The event takes place each year following the LOHS Commencement Ceremony.

Please mark your calendars to attend an informational meeting on Monday, December 5th at 7pm in the KIVA at LOHS.

For more Senior Information click the above "Senior 2023 Information" button.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer launched a new webpage to help the graduating class of 2023 apply for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and lower their cost of college by thousands of dollars a year. Students should talk to their parents or guardian, gather documents, and fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible to save up to $8,250 over three years as they earn their associate degree at a community college, up to $20,000 over five years at a private college, or up to $27,500 over five years at a public university.

For more information on how to get your Michigan Achievement Scholarship, visit Michigan.gov/MIStudentAid.

The Dragon Yearbook would like to offer you the opportunity to congratulate your graduating senior with a Senior Parent Ad. See "2023 Senior Parent Ads" for information and instructions on how to place an ad. The deadline is Friday, December 16, 2022. We encourage early submissions because space is limited. Please contact Stephanie Orth, Dragon Yearbook Adviser, at Stephanie.Orth@lok12.org or 248-693-5420 if you have any questions. Ads submitted after this deadline cannot be guaranteed a place in the yearbook.

• Senior parent ads

At LOHS, we strive to be intentional about supporting students beyond just academics. To be successful and well-rounded, LOHS proactively seeks to develop each student’s character traits that will serve them well in the future. The school-wide commitment here at LOHS involves recognizing, dignifying, and rewarding students for demonstrating the qualities of Generosity, Responsibility, Integrity, and Tenacity (GRIT). When staff members witness students exemplifying these admirable characteristics, they write out a “ticket” describing the pupil’s positive actions.

GRIT winners are awarded prizes, which greatly enhances this recognition program and creates excitement and enthusiasm among the student body. We are currently looking for donations from local business (or community members). If you or your business are interested in donating to the GRIT program, please reach out to Rosa Everitt. You may also drop off your donations to the main office or Safe Ed. Donation letters are available for tax deductions.

Past donations have included, gift cards to local establishments, candy, LO gear, fidgets, etc.

We have started utilizing School Dismissal Manager (SDM), a program for parents to communicate early student departures. LOHS successfully used the SDM program last year. It is accessible on either computer or smartphone, allowing parents the opportunity to officially submit an early dismissal request without calling the school.

On approximately September 22, you should have received a communication from School Dismissal Manager with additional details. Parents are encouraged to check their designated email accounts. Also, be advised the message might be redirected to your “junk” folders. The welcome email from SDM provides all relevant information necessary to activate and begin using your account.

OK2SAY is available state-wide for public and private schools in Michigan; anybody can submit a confidential tip. Specially trained technicians receive the tips and filter the information to the appropriate agency to provide a timely and effective response.

Website: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/high-school-home
Location: 495 East Scripps Road, Orion Township, MI, USA
Phone: (248)693-5420
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LkOrionHS
Twitter: @LkOrionHS

Instagram: lkorionhs