Shorian Nation eNews
November 30th, 2020
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Newsletter Overview
Within this Shorian Nation eNews, you will read an update from Superintendent Dr. DiPonio and building schedules, Shine on the Shores, positivity project, CDC reminders, and stories highlighting inspiration, innovation, and celebration.
We are committed to keeping you informed as we confront COVID-19 together. If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 as it pertains to school and your needs, please email covid19help@lsps.org.
Update from Superintendent Dr. DiPonio
On Monday, November 23rd, a collective decision was made by Lake Shore Public Schools to alter the schedule the week we return from Thanksgiving Break, November 30th through December 4th for our students at Rodgers, Violet, and Masonic Heights Elementary Schools and Kennedy Middle School to reduce the risk of transmission and exposure to COVID-19. This action is being done in collaboration with school districts throughout Macomb County and in consultation with the Macomb County Health Department. All face to face instruction scheduled for next week will transition to virtual, all learning will take place from home. Our high school students are currently under an order from the Michigan Department of Health And Human Services to pause in person learning until December 9th.
We will continue to evaluate our ability to deliver in person instruction in a safe and sustainable fashion throughout the upcoming weeks in hopes that cases throughout the county will decline and our staff and students can return to the classroom. This is as challenging a situation as we have encountered as we balance the learning, social, and emotional needs of our students along with health and safety concerns resulting from this pandemic. Our continued goal is a full return to in person learning under the guidance and considerations from the Macomb County Health Department, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and Center for Disease Control.
In the interim, please do your part to mitigate the spread of this virus by adhering to the standard safety protocols of mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent washing and sanitizing of hands. Together, our efforts can lead us back to a full return to in person sooner than later.
Building Schedules
To access building-specific schedules, including start and end times, reference this link and follow the current schedule changes for all hybrid students linked below:
Lake Shore High School
Virtual Schedule (11/17-12/8)
North Lake High School
Virtual Schedule (11/17-12/8)
Kennedy Middle School
Virtual Schedule (11/30-12/4)
Masonic Heights, Rodgers, Violet Elementaries
Virtual Schedule (11/30-12/4)
Shine on the Shores
Lake Shore Public Schools invites all students, families, and community members to our 1st annual Shine on the Shores event, less than one month away!
After two years of showing up to support Beaumont Children's Pediatric Advisory Council's Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, we have decided to serve in our backyard this year.
For 1-night only at 7pm on December 10th, our Shorian Nation will stand outside Lakeshore Senior Living (28801 Jefferson Ave, St Clair Shores) and shine a light into the hearts of the residents while sharing this unified, simple message: We are thinking of you.
If you plan on meeting us at Lakeshore Senior Living, please arrive by 6:45pm. The event begins at 7pm and lasts roughly 15 minutes. Dress warm and in Lake Shore gear and bring a flashlight. Thanks to Sgt David Lawson with the United States Air Force, we have flashlight donations available, if needed.
In order to meet proper social distancing guidelines, we are asking that our Shorian Nation stay with their families and spread out across the parking lot. We suggest to park onto St. Gertrude Street and walk to the front of the building. Please line up along either of the circled red areas in the pictures or the main sidewalks.
Joining us will be the Saint Clair Shores Fire Department represented by Matt Chambers and Saint Clair Shores Police Department represented by Jessica Drulia. We are fortunate to also have holiday performances by our own students from our Music Department.
Please use #myLSPSShines when sharing photos from the event. Feel free to make a poster to bring to this event, too!
Enjoy last year's Moonbeams video, created by Class of 2019 graduate Adele Puckett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKgW5UdAkyo&feature=youtu.be.
Positivity Project
Under the guiding principles of our districtwide initiative, the Positivity Project, the #PositivityinAction mindset is our top priority. These past two weeks we focused on the character strength of GRATITUDE.
People with the character strength of gratitude are aware of and thankful for good that happen.
We are grateful for all 437 new students to Lake Shore Public Schools this year. One of these students is Haven Roberts. Haven is an 8th grader at Kennedy Middle School who transferred from Prince George, Virginia where she has lived since birth. She was initially anxious about the move, traveling 667 miles away from home. However, her Language Arts 8 teacher, Mrs. Bishoping, made her feel welcome by her outgoing personality and warm classroom. Because of her, Haven refers to her new city and school as a "good experience."
We look forward to sharing, through a series of weeklong compliments, several reasons why we are grateful for people who are part of the Shorian Nation.
2020 is throwing a lot of challenges our way. Tapping into our positive relationships and our character strengths, by demonstrating #PositivityInAction, will be critical in helping us be resilient and successful in the face of these tough times.
Looking forward, our upcoming character strengths are KINDNESS (11/29-12/5) and KNOWING MY WORDS AND ACTIONS AFFECT OTHERS (12/6-12).
CDC Reminders
Take steps to care for yourself and help protect others at Lake Shore Public Schools and our community by practicing healthy habits to help slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Wear a mask
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
- Clean and then disinfect frequently used surfaces
- Stay home if you’re sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Put space between yourself and others
Learn more about staying safe and healthy by visiting the CDC website.
Inspiration
Community Favorites Survey
We are asking for our entire Shorian Nation to complete this Community Favorites survey: https://forms.gle/MDU8ZVHGgWRNjT4P7.
Lake Shore Public Schools would like to continue our tradition of celebrating the valuable business partnerships we have within our community by honoring those connections that have impacted our students, buildings, and programs.
Thank you for taking a moment to participate in our Community Favorites survey. We are thrilled to read and later recognize your top selections.
The deadline to complete this survey is Sunday, December 6th!
Operation Christmas Cards
It is the time of year where you begin purchasing holiday cards, carefully writing a heartfelt message, and mailing them to friends and family. While you're home for the Thanksgiving break, we encourage you to participate in our Operation Christmas Cards campaign.
Please help us to make sure that no Air Force Honor Guardsman member feels forgotten this holiday season by using one of your extra cards to write a message on their behalf.
Operation Christmas Cards ends on Friday, December 11th. Please drop off your cards inside the red POST box, located outside our Administration Center (28850 Harper Ave), to help us collect Christmas Cards for their flight.
Note: The box has a delayed delivery date so hold on to your cards until the week of December 7th to submit.
Innovation
Zentangles
In Ms. Dmochowski's Art class at Kennedy Middle School, students created their own Zentangles.
Zentangles are an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns using combinations of dots, lines, and simple curves.
Sixth grader Nyhla Mack enjoyed this assignment which she called calm doodling. She explained, "I began drawing at 7 years old. My mother and her side of the family are artistic so this passion runs in my family." Nyhla used squares and her imagination to complete her Zentangle.
There are many reasons that art is a stress relief tool and Zentangles are a perfect fit. Not only do you not have to be "good" at art to create one, these patterns were especially relaxing to create.
In addition to this creative assignment, Mrs. Dmochowski put together a KMS Virtual Art Show. Please enjoy: https://spark.adobe.com/video/BnF8pt7zHkvVW.
CELEBRATION
Shorians Make Wishes Come True
Lake Shore Public Schools wrote 804 letters and raised $804 for Make a Wish Michigan. Alison Horrocks, who volunteers for Make a Wish, received our check donation and shared how this money will be used to make life better for kids with critical illnesses.
Every year Make a Wish Michigan partners with Macy’s on the Believe Campaign. The Believe Campaign is a letter writing campaign where each letter brings in $1 to Make a Wish Michigan: https://youtu.be/VLCQ_VomKLM.
In effort to fundraise for Make a Wish Michigan while supporting our Positivity Project efforts, letters focused on the character strength of gratitude. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.
The most truly generous are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.
Lake Shore Public Schools collected nonperishable food items and packaged 1,519 items inside 250 Blessing Bags for Goodfellows and the homeless! Those items were delivered to the local Fire Station and MCREST.
The eighth grade first hour classes and virtual students, with 813 Blessing Bag items, were the winners from Kennedy Middle School.
Goodfellows is a longstanding Civic Organization with a mission to provide to St. Clair Shores residents who may find themselves in need.
P.S. Another 200 letters came in later in the day for a total of $1,004!
Thanksgiving Day Parade
Our 3rd grade team, consisting of 9 classrooms districtwide, designed and built their own miniature floats for a virtual Thanksgiving Day Parade. First, they studied different types of floats. Next, they came up with four possible parade themes. After, they narrowed their choices, completed an organizer to share their ideas, and built their floats using household supplies.
Third grader Caleb Ruemanapp created the perfect Race Day 2020 float. He said, "Race cars are my favorite toys so it was an easy pick!" The flames on the sides were a nice detail, too. When asked about this add-on, he responded, with confidence, that he "had to watch a YouTube video on how-to use construction paper to make flames". Kids are so resourceful!
To view our 3rd grade virtual parade, visit this slide deck.
Miscellaneous
eNews
Connect With Shorian Nation
Email: social@lsps.org
Website: http://lakeshoreschools.org
Location: 28850 Harper Avenue, St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: (586) 285-8481
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Twitter: @myLSPS