Little Elm High School
Weekly Newsletter -February 11, 2018
Teaching Teens the Ability to Cope
Stress, Anxiety, Depression - Navigating the Teenage Years
Everyone deals with stress. It is an unfortunate reality of life. There are expectations that aren’t always met and events that occur outside of our control. Teens deal with many sources of stress. Tests, homework, parents, siblings, friends, job, body-image, money, peer-pressure, and extra-curricular activities are just some of the pressures that create stress for teens. Not all stress is bad, there are stressors that activate the right hormones to enhance and quicken our responses to stressful situations. A car that pulls out in front of you will power up your fight or flight response and help you to slam on your brakes. Poised at the starting line at a track meet and your nervousness will initiate your body to become taunt and ready for action. Stressors can really help you out in a pinch, however, when stressors are a constant draining part of your life, then you need to learn how to control and combat them. Adolescence is an important time to learn to deal with stress because teens can then deal with it better in college and in their adult lives.
How do parents and teachers create the right kind of environment for teens in which teens are preparing for the stresses of life but aren’t harming themselves in the process? Parents can help their kids cope and find balance, even in their most stressful times, by encouraging them to schedule down time and helping them find coping strategies that work for them. Sometimes, parents who address their child’s stress head-on find themselves reevaluating their family values buy asking, “What is really the most important thing for my child?” Teens especially need to make time to sleep. Sleep deprivation affects your ability to cope with stress and parents can help teens by insisting they get enough sleep. Teachers can help teens learn to deal with stress by intentionally teaching skills such as time-management, goal-setting, role-playing, collaboration, and the importance of healthy habits such as nutrition and exercise.
Current research is suggesting that screen time is one of the major contributors to teen anxiety. Have you tried taking a teen's phone away lately? They have visible physical and emotional reactions. Brain research has shown significantly increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol with the increase in screen time for children of all ages. This increase in stress hormones creates an increase in the growth of the areas of the brain that respond to stress, ultimately, resulting in a person with a lower threshold for stress and anxiety. Other stressors related to screen time are teens constant connection with social media sites. These sites are minefields full of false messages of self-image, opportunities for anonymous bullying, and unhealthy sometimes dangerous challenges. Reducing screen time, as best you can, at all ages of development, is key to reducing anxiety in the teen years and beyond.
The mission of Little Elm ISD is to Equip, Engage, and Empower each student to realize their full potential. Teaching students how to cope with stress is one way we are equipping them to become the best that they can be. LEISD has invested in this core value in a big way. We now have two Intervention Counselors at the secondary level. Mrs. Kelly Beyer (kbeyer@littleelmisd.net) supports Lakeside Middle School and Prestwick STEM Middle School students while Ms. Sarah McKimmey (smckimmey@littleelmisd.net) supports LEHS students. These new counselors provide specialized services to students who are experiencing emotional, social, and physical problems and provide assistance to students to utilize community services and agencies as well as promote awareness programs. They work together along with our Community In Schools (CIS) Site Coordinator, Amanda Zimmerman, to support students at-risk and in crisis. We would like to invite you to participate in an upcoming parent program provided by our CIS partners on suicide prevention. Please see the information flyer below for details. If you plan on attending please RSVP here so we can make sure we have plenty of room for all who want to attend. According to Mahatma Gandhi, "Peace is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it."
Renee Pentecost
Principal
Little Elm High School
Please remember that we can not accept deliveries of flowers, balloons, etc. for Valentine's Day. Please refer to the LEISD Secondary Student Handbook on page 34 - "DELIVERIES Deliveries of flowers, balloons, outside food and other gifts for students will not be accepted. Please limit deliveries to items that are necessary for school."
We also ask that all flowers, balloons and food items be exchanged after school hours due to the distraction to learning and the possibility of allergic reactions. LEHS Administration appreciates your help in this area.
Lobo Honors Award - Student Nominations Needed!
Students - if your letter and ultimately your honorary teacher are selected, you both will attend the awards banquet in May!
See the letters linked below for more information.
LEHS Participates in National Signing Day
Read a article on the event at My Little Elm News -
Breaking Records on National Signing Day at www.mylittleelmnews.com.
And read a second article in the Little Elm Journal -
Lobos ink 17 to college sports: Taking a look at locals on National Signing Day
Above video courtesy of LEHS Athletics produced by Coach Mark Cain.
Above video courtesy of LEHS Athletics produced by Coach Mark Cain.
Above video courtesy of LEISD Communications as part of the My Little Elm News article Breaking Records on National Signing Day.
February Student Athletic Trainers of the Month
SATs cast their votes on 2 Veteran & 2 Rookie student athletic trainers to be recognized. Please read over what their Favorites & "LOVES" are about February! (Click on link below)
Blue Angels Begin Competition Season
Saturday, February 10
Independence High School
10555 Independence Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75035
CrowdPleasers North Dallas Showcase
http://crowdpleasersdance.com/schedule/north-dallas-showcase/
Saturday, February 17
Celina High School
3455 N Preston Road, Celina, TX 75009
Danceline North Texas Regional
Saturday, March 3
Northwest High School in Justin
2301 Texan DriveJustin, TX 76247
HTEDance Texas State Championship
http://www.htedance.com/contest.htm
We hope to see you there! Admission is generally $10-$12 cash and you may come/go throughout the day-see specific websites for details.
Results from this weekends competition at Independence HS:
HELP NEEDED - Calling All Lobo LEaders!
Thanks to the Little Elm ISD Education Foundation, a new program called Lobo Leaders has been created to provide an opportunity for students to participate in peer modeling and leadership to support students who are continuing to develop social and emotional skills. One of the Core Values of Little Elm ISD is “ALL our kids are ALL our kids.” This program gets to the very heart of that matter as it provides an inclusive and safe environment for all students to learn and practice social skills and develop social competence. This helps them to become better leaders, employees, neighbors, and community members. Events are held after school and include games, physical activity, and FUN!
We are currently recruiting student volunteers to participate in this program who believe that they are leadership and peer model material. Students who are comfortable working with students with special needs or who have volunteered for Special Olympics are encouraged to apply. Please complete the following form here if interested. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Amber Larue (alarue@littleelmisd.net) or Thomas Swinden (tswinden@littleelmisd.net).
Why Is LEHS Participating in the SAT School Day Program?
Check out the video below to find out.
LEHS will provide a FREE SAT® during the school day on March 7th for Juniors
For the first time ever, we will be offering the SAT® to all juniors at Little Elm High School on a school day. Students typically have to sign up for a Saturday test date on their own, but we will be registering all of the juniors to take it on Wednesday, March 7th – free of charge! We think this will allow ALL of our juniors the opportunity to show colleges that they’re ready.
Each student will be allowed to send their scores to up to four colleges, universities, or scholarship programs for free, so students need to begin thinking about where they’d like to send their scores. They will have an opportunity to mark their four choices on their answer document when they take the test.
Students should have received an email from College Board with instructions on how to access their PSAT/NMSQT® scores from October, and on how to set up a College Board account. Please check your school email account if you missed it and set up your College Board account. Once you’ve set it up, you’ll be able to link it to a Khan Academy® account and take advantage of free SAT test prep. Khan Academy will give you a personalized study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT scores.
Why practice?? A study of 250,000 seniors from the class of 2017 found that 20 hours on Khan Academy helped students increase their scores by an average of 115 points from the PSAT to the SAT. Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy helps students work on the areas they need it most. Khan Academy has 8 full-length tests written by College Board, video lessons, and thousands of practice questions – all online so students can practice whenever and wherever they’d like. And it’s free! Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy can be found at satpractice.org.
Questions about the SAT day opportunity see Mrs. Heller in Room 2100.
Questions about signing up or accessing your College Board account see Mrs. Keisha Brown in the library.
UNT Department of Computer Science and Engineering Events
The UNT Department of Computer Science and Engineering is hosting a number of Diversity Summit Events for Young Women in High Schools and Community Colleges. Go to www.cse.unt.edu/diversitysummit to learn about open house and mini-camps events all spring!
We will be hosting summer camps in Robotics, Mobile App Development, Animation and Computer Games this summer. Camps are open to students who will be entering grades 8-12. Visit www.cse.unt.edu/robocamp for schedule and registration information.
UNT College Visit - Details Below
Report Harmful, Harassing, and Bullying Behavior
LEISD has an on-line tool called "Anonymous Alerts" that students, parents, and teachers can use to report harmful, harassing, and bullying type behaviors. Anonymous Alerts bullying reporting mobile app helps combat bullying and other negative activity in schools by empowering students to speak up. Social and peer pressures are some of the hardest obstacles for students to overcome. Anonymous Alerts encourages students, parents and staff to quickly, easily, and anonymously report bullying, cyber-bullying, gang-related issues, and other sensitive topics through private messages to school officials by building. All reports remain completely anonymous even during a two-way email conversation, although submitters have the option to reveal their identity if they prefer to have a person-to-person discussion.
To send a report from the Web/Internet go to: www.anonymousalerts.com/littleelmisd/
To send a report from your phone:
- Download the Anonymous Alerts® app for free from the Apple Store, Google Play store, and the Chrome store
- Start the App, enter login: leisd and password: leisd
- Send important reports to school officials
- Add a screen shot or photo about the incident
Scholarship Opportunities
#1) DEADLINE MARCH 9, 2018
The Alliance for a Brighter Community (ABC) Foundation is proud to offer the 2018 ABC Scholarship for students living in the boundaries of and attending high school in the following school districts: Frisco ISD, Little Elm ISD, Prosper ISD, Denton ISD and The Colony High School. The 2018 ABC Scholarship is offering one (1) $2,500 and (1) $1,500 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who plans to enroll and attend a four-year college or university in the fall of 2018. The scholarship may be applied toward tuition or books. The purpose of the ABC Foundation is to enhance the educational development for underprivileged and at-risk students; provide financial assistance to students pursuing further educational development; and sponsor programs that will support the target service areas of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ®. Application can be downloaded here. Additional information can be downloaded here.
#2) DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2018
An off-shoot of Grande Cares is the GRANDE EMPLOYEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND (GEMS) which was established to honor deceased employees by awarding college scholarships to selected high school seniors in two Grande markets each year on a rotating basis. To date, scholarships have been presented in Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, San Marcos, Midland/Odessa, Dallas and Waco. Students click HERE to apply.
#3) DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2018
The National Videogame Museum is proud to announce the first annual NVM College Scholarship! While the NVM is devoted to chronicling and preserving our industry's rich past, we also look to contribute to the future of the videogame and technology industries through our new scholarship program. There are four different scholarship opportunities available to high school graduates pursuing careers in gaming or technology-based fields. Three of the four are limited to Texas residents but the fourth is open to women across the country. Applications will be accepted until April 1, 2018, and should be submitted to the e-mail address info@nvmusa.org. Please download the application here and follow the instructions included. More information can be found at http://www.nvmusa.org/nvm-scholarship.
#4) DEADLINE FEBRUARY 15, 2018
NTCRA scholarships are available for the second year and the application is posted. Application deadlines are February 15th. Please share this information to your students interested in pursuing/ continuing their education in Environmental Sustainability at a college here, in the North Texas area. This is for a one-time scholarship of $500 per year presented to up to 3 candidates.
For more information and to apply to the scholarship, visit our website at: http://ntcra.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/NTCRA-Env-Scholarship.pdf or download the attached PDF.
#5) DEADLINE AUGUST 31, 2018
NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com has just launched its fourth annual Aspiring Nurse Scholarship. Our website will award a $1,000 scholarship to a future nurse in the high school graduating class of 2018.
We will award this scholarship to the applicant who best demonstrates:
+ A track record of academic excellence, particularly in science and mathematics
+ A passion for the nursing profession and the overall field of healthcare
This scholarship competition is open to all high school seniors who plan to pursue college education in nursing, including LPN / LVN, ADN, and BSN programs. Scholarship applications will be accepted until midnight on August 31, 2018.
Interested students may visit https://www.nursingschoolsalmanac.com and click the banner on the right-hand side of the website's homepage. Here they'll find detailed scholarship information and the official application form.
8th Annual Dallas Mavericks Scholarship Program
Deadline: February 23, 2018
The Dallas Mavericks, Harrison Barnes and Century 21 Mike Bowman, Inc. have teamed up to present the 8th annual Dallas Mavericks Scholarship Program to DFW Metroplex high school seniors in financial need. Seniors will have the opportunity to apply for one (1) of four (4) $5,000 scholarships. See link below for eligibility and details.
https://www.mavs.com/community/education-and-recognition/scholarship/
Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest
Deadline: February 28, 2018
I am a living legend. In honor of Black History Month and those who changed history, Regions is giving students an opportunity to embrace their own legacies. Tell us about an African-American who has inspired you by entering the Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship Essay Contest, and you could earn a $5,000 or $3,500 college scholarship.
UTA's College of Education Scholarship Opportunities
Scholarship Search Site - Provided by College Board
College Covered
While you are there, check out the website College Covered. Do you want to know what you need in a winning college essay, what college entrance test score you need, or what makes a top notch college application? Get what you need to help get into the college of your dreams with the help of College Covered.
An App Matches Students with College Scholarships They Can Use
Are You Planning on being a Civil Engineer? Then check out this grant.
The Texas Dept. of Transportation offers a Conditional Grant Program to eligible students pursuing a degree in civil engineering or a department-approved operational business discipline. The Conditional Grant Program will consider both Texas public and private four-year institutions.
Students accepted into the program receive up to $3,000 per semester or $6,000 per academic year for tuition, based on financial need.
The application may be downloaded at: http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/hrd/cgp-application.pdf , completed and mailed to the address below.
Mail application packets to: Texas Department of Transportation
HRD/Employment Opportunities/CGP
125 East 11th Street
Austin, TX 78701-2483
Applications to the Conditional Grant Program must be post marked prior to March 1st.
Little Elm High School
Chris Reza - Associate Principal (creza@littleelmisd.net)
Alen Palislamovic - White House Principal A - D (apalislamovic@littleelmisd.net)
Ruben Molinar - Grey House Principal E - K (rmolinar@littleelmisd.net)
Kyle Heller - Blue House Principal L - Ra (kheller@littleelmisd.net)
Terilyn Thomas-Monday - Gold House Principal Re - Z (tthomas-monday@littleelmisd.net)
Website: http://www.littleelmisd.net/Domain/9
Location: 1900 Walker Lane, Little Elm, TX, United States
Phone: (972) 947-9443
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Elm-High-School/736775073135970?notif_t=page_fan
Twitter: @LittleElmHS