Come Celebrate!
The Installation of Lou Salza as the Head of Lawrence School will take place
Tuesday, Nov. 20th at 10:00 a.m at the Upper School campus. All are welcome! Please RSVP to Jayne Eiben via e-mail or x 3107.
Lower School Conferences
Parent/Teacher
Conferences take place November 5 -
9. If you have not yet scheduled a
conference with your child's homeroom teacher, please contact him/her as soon as
possible to set up an appointment.
Lower School Social
Lower School families are
invited to attend a weekend social this Sunday, Nov. 4, from 1-2:30
pm at Iceland in Strongsville (Rt. 82 just east of the I-71
interchange). The
cost is $4 per person with a $2 skate rental fee. Hope to see you there!
Photo: 8th graders Brittany T., Rebecca C. and Taylor P. pose in
front of the White House during their recent class trip to Washington, DC.
ArtWorks
Upper School ArtWorks club is beginning on Wednesdays
from 3:30-4:30 pm. Interested students must see Mrs. Pedaline or Mrs. Browne ASAP as there are only ten slots available.
School Pictures
Picture retake day for both campuses is on Wednesday,
Dec. 5. Students who wish to have their pictures retaken must bring
in their current picture packet intact. Students who were absent on the original picture day will also have pictures taken on Dec. 5. Dress code is
mandatory.
Homecoming Dance Photos
Homecoming photos are available for viewing online at www.collages.net. The user name is Lawrence HC07 and the
password is
8667. Enjoy!
Photo: Lower School students enjoy their field trip to
Mapleside Farms
Lower School Fundraiser
Kathryn
Beich
fundraiser items have been sent home. Please check your order for accuracy, and if you have missing or damaged items, refer to the
instructions
included in your package. Payment
for items is due at this
time; checks can be made payable to Lawrence School.
Fishing Day at the Upper School
Due to inclement weather, the fishing day at the Upper School scheduled for Friday, 10/26 was postponed. The new date is Friday, November 9, from
3:20-4:30. Cost is $5 per person; please bring your own poles and bait. RSVP to Mrs. Callahan via e-mail or x2506.
SAT/ACT Testing
The
next
SAT test will be administered on Saturday, Dec.
1. The deadline to sign
up is
Oct. 30. The next ACT test will be administered
on Saturday,
Dec. 8. The deadline for registration is Nov. 2. For questions, see Mrs.
Mattes in the
guidance office.
Classroll Help
Miss Sally Garza has created a
guide for Upper School parents on how to use Classroll. You can download the form here or contact Miss Garza via e-mail or at x2140 to request a copy.
Photo: Freshman enjoy the weight room during gym
class
Soccer Uniforms
Soccer uniforms must be turned in to Mr. Messer by Monday, Nov. 5. Thank
you!
Athletics Gold Cards
Attention
soccer team families: All unsold Gold Cards are past due. Please
return unsold cards to Mr. Messer ASAP. Phone calls home to families who have not yet returned cards will be made this week, then invoices will be
sent for the
dollar value of any missing cards. Please understand that Lawrence will be billed for any cards we do not return to the company that provided them to
us. Thank you for your cooperation!
Basketball Tryouts
Tryouts for Boys Varsity Basketball take place next week on Tues - Thurs
after school. See Mr. Messer for more information.
Get in "The Loop"
If
you are reading this newsletter on a black and white piece of paper,
you are missing out! Did you know we can deliver a full-color version
of the Loop right to your in-box each week? To sign up, e-mail cbaker@lawrence.pvt.k12.oh.us with your
request. We will send to grandparents, relatives and friends, too!
Access the School Calendar
Online:
The Lawrence School calendar for
both Lower and Upper School is
available online here
(or you can access it directly from our home page).
The calendar contains dates of interest including: conferences,
vacations, athletics schedules, extracurricular schedules, events, and
grading period
information.
www.lawrencevip.org
The parent-run VIP (Very Involved Parent) website
allows parents to communicate with each other about carpooling, school
uniforms, and other school activities and events. You must be a member
to view content and reply to messages. Signing up is easy; simply go to
the "Register" link and sign up using your first initial and last name.
As soon as your account is approved, you will be able to view all
content.
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November 2,
2007
Upper School Life Savers: Life Savers is a parent support group to discuss social and
emotional issues of students in grades 7-12. Please join us on Wednesday, Nov. 28 from 7-8:30 pm in the theater, where a guest from the SPEA (Suicide
Prevention Education Alliance) will speak about recognizing adolescent depression. Please RSVP to Mr. Jason Culp via e-mail or at x2115.
Admissions Open House: Both campuses will be hosting Open House events for prospective
families this week. The Upper School Open House is on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 pm, and the Lower School Open house is Thursday, Nov. 7 at 9 am. If you
know a family who could benefit from learning more about Lawrence School, please invite them to RSVP by contacting Jan Robinson in the Admissions office via e-mail or by calling
440-526-0717.
Benefit Auction Meeting:
Those
interested learning more about this year's Benefit Auction are invited to the
Lower
School on Tuesday, Nov.13,
at 1:30 pm. We'll finish in time for dismissal at both campuses. Please RSVP to Jayne Eiben via e-mail or at x3107. All are welcome!
Help Needed: We are looking for parents
who are able to provide refreshments for the
reception following Lou Salza's Installation. Please contact Jayne Eiben
via
e-mail or x 3107 or return the
attached sign
up sheet to homeroom teachers if you're able to provide something for this event. Thank you!
Lower School International Banquet: A
detailed letter was sent home regarding the upcoming International Banquet for Lower School students, on Friday, Nov. 16. The banquet is a
celebration of the differences in our families, communities, country and world. Students will be invited to share their understanding of these
differences through art, music, activities, and by providing a cultural dish to share for lunch. Please see the letter for more information, or
contact Mrs. Jan Machniak via e-mail or
x1122.
Athletic Booster Club Meeting: Upper
School parents and friends are invited to attend the next Athletic
Booster Club meeting, on Monday, November 5 in the Upper School library
at 6:30 pm. For questions, contact Mr. Messer via e-mail or at x2410.
Athletic Booster Club 50/50 Raffle: 50/50
Raffle tickets are available from the athletics office, for $5
each. Tickets will be on sale until halftime at the first
basketball
game of the season, on Tuesday, Dec. 4.
Contact Mr. Ron
Messer at x2410 for questions or to purchase tickets. Proceeds benefit the Upper School athletic teams.
Lower School Assembly: On Thursday, Nov.
8, Lower School students will enjoy the Illusion Maker Environmental Magic Show, which uses magic to teach students about recycling, littering,
conservation, waste management and storm water protection.
Learn MS Word Basics:
The next
class in the series of free technology courses is "MS Word
Basics." This is an opportunity to learn the basic features of MS Word,
including
entering, formatting, inserting graphics, and using research tools and
tables. It
takes place on
Thursday, Nov. 8, from 4-5:30 pm at the Lower School (Room 306). Please
park in the back lot and enter through the doors near the fence behind
the
gym. If no one is there to let you in, please call 440-653-6415. To see
a
detailed schedule of all classes, please click here. Classes are open to all
adults including parents, relatives and community members.
Lower School Lockdown Drill: On Friday, November 9, the Lower School will take part in a lockdown
drill. Performing lockdown drills - along with fire and tornado drills - is part of the new state school safety law. Students have practiced these
drills in the past, and the utmost care will be taken to ensure that students understand the need for these drills, and are not unnecessary
frightened or alarmed. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Bill
Musolf via e-mail or x1115.
Thank you! Many thanks to Mrs. Moore, Mrs.
Kowalczyk, and Mrs. Hoyt for the great lunch they provided for the soccer and cross-country teams this past Monday. It was a beautiful day to grill
out, and the athletes and coaches appreciated the opportunity to celebrate their seasons. Also, many thanks to the Lower School Room Parents who
organized and helped with our fall parties. The students enjoyed a great afternoon of games, crafts and goodies.
Lower School Parent Coffee: The Lower
School Parent Coffee is on Wednesday, Nov. 14, from
8:15-9:30 am. Mrs. Hedy Laverdiere will share information on computer
safety. Topics include social networking sites, e-mail, instant
messaging, chat rooms, and how to keep track of how long your child is
spending on the computer as well as what they are browsing. Please RSVP
to Mrs. Pat Feith
(x1124) by Tuesday, Nov. 13.
Lower School Food Drive: The annual
Food Drive for Lower School will take place November 12- December 7. Students will be collecting non-perishable food items to benefit local families
in need. Stay tuned for more details.
Items Needed for Drama Club: The drama
club is in need of clear, glass animal figurines for its upcoming production of The Glass Menagerie. If you have figurines that you would be
willing to donate, please contact Mr. Jason Culp
via e-mail or at x2115. Best efforts will be made to return
these items to you in January unscathed, but due to the nature of the
scenes where the figurines are being used, we unfortunately cannot
guarantee
their safety! So, please do not donate anything you would not be
willing to ultimately part with should accidents occur. Thank you!
Market Day: Market Day pies
and desserts
are a great addition to your holiday celebrations! They taste homemade,
and
selections range from fruit pies to cheesecakes. There are even "no
sugar added" selections. This month, if you order four desserts, you
receive a
free insulated bag. Lawrence School will also receive additional profit
on any desserts ordered this month. Order online at www.marketday.com or
return order forms to the school by Thursday, Nov. 8.
Pick up is on
Wednesday, Nov. 14.
Living Room Chats with Lou Salza: There will be
one final opportunity to visit the home of a fellow Lawrence family, enjoy wine and cheese, and chat with our new Head of School, Lou Salza. Please
join us on Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 7-8:30 pm, at the home of Gwen and Todd McCuaig in Chagrin Falls. The evening is co-hosted by Becky and Brad
Borden. Bring an interested friend! Please RSVP to Jayne Eiben via e-mail or at x3107.
HEAD NOTES
From Head of School, Lou Salza
I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet parents at the Living Room chats
organized for us by Jayne Eiben, and hosted by Karen Bradley and Tom Norton, Luan and Mike Bobinchuck, Debby and Chuck Scholl, Pam and Greg Bean,
Rosemary and Ray McKinney, Gwen and Todd McCuaig, and Becky and Brad Borden. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity these venues offer us to
share conversation and questions in an informal setting with other parents and friends.
One of the topics that has surfaced at each of the meetings concerns what Lawrence does that is different from other schools, and what happens to
Lawrence students when they move back into a general education environment or matriculate into college.
The concern is usually expressed something like this by Lower School parents:
"My child has found success at last at Lawrence. Our family is happier too, because we now have time for after-school activities and for family
activities - but how will my child become prepared for the world of high-stakes testing and heavy homework expectations if we choose to move into the
general education environment?"
Similarly, Upper School parents have concerns about how we prepare students
for the market place and for higher education. These are pressing questions.The fact is, at Lawrence - and at many other schools across the country
that have similar missions - students do indeed find success both in the general secondary education environment and beyond in college and in
the marketplace.
How does that happen if we don't load them with homework and tests? Here is one perspective to consider:
First, Lawrence offers children and adolescents a safe environment where they are accepted for who they are, where negative assumptions are not made,
and where everyone works with positive expectations and sufficient support to succeed. This is perhaps the source of the great relief that
students and families feel when they first come to us.
Second, we offer each student the opportunity to experience academic success; an event that has eluded them in previous settings. Often this
achievement is the result of the structure, design, and support offered by the curriculum and the way each teacher introduces, practices, and
assesses skills and concepts.
While I have only anecdotal data, what I have observed over the years is that students gather strength when they experience success and safety in
school; they learn from success perhaps more (and better) than they learn from failure. As they move through the structure and protocols of learning
and practice here, they assemble both a "tool-box" of skills and techniques that support learning in other places, and they acquire a sense of
self-confidence that serves well wherever their future takes them.
Some may continue to struggle and even have false starts and failures at
college and in other endeavors. But the experience of success as students, and the opportunity to participate in activities in our environment, lend
a kind of resilience that serves well when they meet future challenges.
In Tracy Kidder's book, Among School Children, he traces the life
experience of a fifth grade teacher and her students for one year in Massachusetts. He learns that when a teacher is able to help or support a child
as they navigate through a crises or moment of truth, the memory of that accomplishment buoys and supports the child through every other crisis they
face.
While, unfortunately, high-stakes testing and a gauntlet of excessive
homework is used to define rigor in many educational settings, neither will ultimately have much use outside of school. I hope our students at
Lawrence learn that success or failure anywhere are often the judgments of others and rarely permanent states, and what is most important is that we
continue to learn and grow throughout our lives.
Did this week's Head Notes column inspire you, puzzle you, or otherwise
stir a response you would like to share? Let Lou know how you feel! He welcomes all comments and correspondence via e-mail
or phone (440-526-0003 x2102). |
