LIONS ROAR
May 2018 (Volume I, Number 2)
LPS has a Presence at the VEX Worlds Robotics Competition
LPS teachers Mr. Harvell and Ms. Estrada, travelled with two students, Ayman Omar and Elise McDowell, to Louisville, Kentucky to observe the international VEX Robotics Worlds Competition in late April. Students ranging from elementary to college spent the year designing robots and competing in local competitions to conquer this year's engineering challenge. The top 1,600 student-led robotics teams from across the world gathered to compete for the title of "World Champion."
"Visiting the 2018 World VEX Robotics Competition was an exciting learning experience for LPS and me!" says Kevin Harvell, LPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher. "There are many attributes of this robotics program that I know will benefit our students, including collaboration, sportsmanship, innovation, resourcefulness, and, above all, the tenacity to persist when confronted with failure. I can't wait to introduce VEX robotics to our students."
Mr. Harvell met with a representative from Innovation First, the creator of VEX Robotics, earlier this semester to learn about their curriculum and their robotics competitions. The program impressed him, so he decided to take Ms. Estrada and two students to experience the energy and excitment surrounding VEX Robotics firsthand.
"It was awe inspiring seeing everyone from so many different places come together to create robots," said LPS student Ayman Omar. "To see their passion and creative solutions for technology and robotics was an incredible experience. To see essentially the Olympics for robotics here at VEX was a fantastic experience which leaves me with a lot of insight as to how robotics works and makes me extremely excited for our upcoming robotics program at LPS."
Upcoming Events
Travel to Your Future
7th through 10th grade students are invited to attend the LPS college education night on Thursday, May 17 from 6 PM to 8 PM at our secondary campus.
GradePower Learning will host four breakout sessions about how to prepare for college and what to expect. There will be snacks, door prizes, and a special gift for students who attend all four sessions.
Come check it out!
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7 - 11
#CharterSchoolWeek
Shout it from the rooftops - "Our Charter School is the PLACE to be!"
National Charter Schools week is May 7 - 11. Tell your story on social media with "#CharterSchoolsWeek" to explain why LPS is important to you and your family.
Also, please email your story to our Director of Public Relations, Sheacy Thompson, for her to share with our community and business leaders - sthompson@lpsfrisco.com.
Student Spotlight: Carley Thornton
Carley Thornton was recently appointed to the Junior Leadership Board for KidSwing, a nine hole scramble golf tournament created to raise money for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC). TSRHC is scheduled to open a Frisco campus this fall, and the funds from this year's KidSwing tournaments will be used to build a playground for patients and their siblings.
The Junior Leadership Board is comprised of approximately 20 individuals from ages 5 to 15, and the members meet once a month. The first tournament was 15 years ago in Dallas and raised over $20,000. The decision was made to expand and add two more tournaments - one in Trophy Club and one in Frisco. The tournament is an opportunity for kids to help kids.
"The Junior Leadership Board picks the shirts, hats, and bags for the golfers as well as benchmark prizes for raising money," explains Carley.
Carley, a former patient at TSRHC, is an avid golf player. She played in her first KidSwing tournament in August 2017. Last month, she took home third place in the individual category at a middle school state competition. Her team placed first in the same competition.
"Scottish Rite hospital is important to my family and me. I began receiving services through their dyslexia program when I was in kindergarten. I also received physical therapy at their sports medicine facility in Plano, and my twin sister went to Scottish Rite when she had a concussion. Serving on the Junior Leadership Board for KidSwing allows me to combine my passion for golf with my desire to help other kids," says Carley.
Carley is currently assembling teams of children to play in the tournaments. She is also seeking sponsorships. Her goal is to raise $1500. There are three tournaments to play in and support - June 18 in Dallas at Brookhaven Country Club; July 9 in Trophy Club at Trophy Club Country Club; and July 16 at Stonebriar Country Club.
For more about KidSwing, please visit www.kidswing.org. To support Carley's fundraising efforts, please go to http://tsrh.convio.net/site/TR/KidSwing/TeamRaiser?px=1001485&pg=personal&fr_id=1060.
LPS Partners with the University of Texas to Offer Dual Enrollment
LPS is excited to partner with the University of Texas at Austin (UT) to offer dual enrollment classes in Physics and Pre-Calculus for our high school students starting in the 2018-2019 school year. This program, called OnRamps, is an opportunity for students to experience high-quality college learning early in their academic career.
Students enrolled in OnRamps will have the opportunity to receive two grades: one from LPS for high school credit and one from UT Austin. Students have the option of accepting or rejecting the grade from the University. Students who choose to accept their college credit through the UT Austin college course will receive a college transcript along with separate high school credit and a high school transcript. OnRamps college course credit is accepted at any public university or college in Texas as well as many private and non-Texas institutions.
OnRamps' rigorous program gives students a glimpse into the expectations placed on them in college while they are still in a safe, familiar environment. Students are initially enrolled in a yearlong course taught by their high school teacher for high school credit. During the fall semester, OnRamps students must complete a series of required assignments, which are designated by an Instructor of Record at the University of Texas at Austin. Students must earn a grade that would be equivalent to UT Austin credit or better on the required assignments to be eligible to be dually enrolled in the university course offered during the spring semester. During the spring semester, OnRamps students must complete a series of additional required assignments that are designated by the University's Instructor of Record to determine successful completion of the college course. The University's Instructor of Record will award students the appropriate grade based on their performance for the college course. The high school teacher will separately award credit for the grade earned in the high school course, which may differ from that for the college course.
"Adding this rigorous program is a tremendous opportunity for our students to enhance the skills they are going to need when they enter college," says Dr. Katie Chretien, Academic Dean at Leadership Prep School.
Leadership Prep School
The mission of Leadership Prep School is to inspire students to learn, grow, and lead for a lifetime. The acronym P.L.A.C.E. summarizes the five key areas that have been selected as the focus of LPS’ vision: Parent partnership, Leadership development, Academics, Creativity and Excellence.
LPS is proud to be a Leader in Me based school that applies The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to emphasize a culture of student empowerment and help unleash each child’s full potential. Focusing on the program’s timeless leadership principles nurtures the skills students need for success in the 21st century.
Leadership Prep School is recognized as a “Computer Science Immersion School” by Code to the Future. LPS integrates programming and game design into its curriculum starting in kindergarten with more advanced computer science concepts introduced as students advance each year.
Leadership Prep School is part of the New Tech Network and partners with local businesses to engage students in project-based learning activities, which enhances critical thinking skills in order that students may become strong problem-solvers. Project-based learning methodology makes learning relevant and prepares students for the demands of the workplace.
Email: info@lpsfrisco.com
Website: www.lpsfrisco.com
Location: 8100 Teel Parkway, Frisco, TX, USA
Phone: 972.370.3650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadershipprepschool/
Twitter: @lpsfrisco