Welcome Back!

Hello!

Scott Rolando here! Welcome back from the Spring Break! We hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable break and are looking forward to all of the end of the school year activities that are upcoming here at Lakeland. I know that I am! For a few updates, I want to start with something that has become near and dear to my heart here at Lakeland. Some of my Leadership students have gone out of their way to start a Relay for Life team for our Leadership and they are looking for YOUR help to make our mission of raising as much money as we can for the American Cancer Society. I would like to encourage you to visit the following site:

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=38434&team_id=1146247

and click on the link to "Donate to our Team". Help us make more birthdays for those in need of cancer treatments all across our area. We are also raising money in the name of one of our current Leadership students who has beaten cancer and we want him to stay that way! Thank you for your help, support, and your donations!

Another exciting event that is coming up this week is that on Wednesday during seminar some LHS Students will have a chance to hear a nationally know leadership speaker and motivational speaker. Mr. Ted Weise will be coming to Lakeland to discuss leadership and how our students can become better leaders overall and in their lifes. This program is brought to LHS by Lakeland Leadership, Lakeland Athletics, and with the help of some leadership funding from the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The LHS National Honor Society, The National Technical Honor Society, Class Officers, Lakeland Leadership class, and many athletes from across the building will have the chance to hear this dynamic speaker on Wednesday. We are looking forward to have Mr. Wiese come and talk Leadership to our students!

Besides that there are 9 weeks of school left overall before the big summer vacation. We know that everyone is looking forward to a nice summer vacation this year, as is the staff, but we encourage you to encourage your students to stay focused on the situation at hand and finish the year off on a good foot. This time after Spring Break is the real puch toward the end of the school year, and staying focused will help your student achieve to the best of their ability.

We hope that things are good with you and we hope to see you at a Lakeland event sometime in the near future! GO EAGLES!

Scott Rolando
Lakeland High School Student Activities Director

Lakeland Spring Activities

Hello All!

Scott Rolando here from Lakeland Student Activities! This warm weather has brought us to the spring in a hurry and Lakeland Student Activities is keeping up with two great events this week. The first is on Tuesday March 27th and is the 2012 Lakeland Prom Fashion Show! We have 20 Senior "models" from the Class of 2012 who are modeling dresses and tux's from David's Bridal and The Men's Warehouse in Novi. David's Bridal is located across from 12 Oaks Mall in the West Oaks Shopping Center. The Men's Warehouse is located in 12 Oaks Mall by Load and Taylor. The show is also sponsored by Flowers of the Lakes in White Lake, providing all of your flower needs, including prom flowers! Go see Orv and tell him Lakeland sent you! The show is also sponsored by Lakeland Leadership, and the Class of 2012! Come on out for a great night of dancing, there are 3 dance numbers by our models, music, fun and prizes at the 2012 Prom Fashion Show. Our Grand Prize is two (2) FREE prom tickets to the 2012 Prom.

Also on Wednesday March 28th we are happy to host Eagleball 2012, Lakeland's first ever dodgeball tournament in the fieldhouse from 5-9pm. Admission is $3 per person to watch some great dodgeball action! The concession stand will be open for food and beverages and you can watch our NCAA style bracketed double elimination dodgeball tournament! Come on out for some dodgeball fun!

Also as a side note, the Prom is coming up upon us fast! Tickets for Prom 2012 will go on sale after Spring Break online and in school. Tickets are $65 per person. More information to follow. For all the latest and greatest info on Lakeland, visit our website at www.lakelandhs.com. GO EAGLES!

I hope that everyone has a happy, healthy, and safe Spring Break next week!

Scott Rolando
Lakeland HS Student Activities Director

The Wonderful World of Student Activities!

Hello Lakeland!

Scott Rolando here! I hope that things in your world are just as good as they are in what I like to call the Wonderful World of Student Activities here at Lakeland. I want to start out with a big Winterfest thank you to all the parents who donated snacks, water, etc and who worked the Winterfest dance this year. Without your help, our event would not have been the success that it was. I was really happy to see a crowd of about 600 or so come to the event, and they all helped make their school a better place by participating in Lakeland Student Activities.

Some upcoming event for LHS Student Activities include two big events next week! First on March 27th at 7pm in the LHS CPA Lakeland will be putting on their annual Lakeland Prom Fashion Show. Admission is $2/person and this event is sponsored by Lakeland Leadership, the Lakeland Class of 2012, David's Bridal of Novi, and The Men's Warehouse and Tux in 12 Oaks Mall. Come on out and see some of the latest and greatest fashions for the 2012 prom season at the Lakeland Prom Fashion Show!

The following night, March 28th, is the first of what we hope to be an annual event, Eagleball! The Eagleball dodgeball tournament is new to Lakeland and we are looking forward to a great night of fun! Admission is $3 for folks to come on out and see some great dodgeball action. We are also still taking team registrations through this Friday March 23rd. See myself or Mr. Fray for more information!

On May 22nd, we will be hosting our 2012 Mock Car Crash (MCC). The MCC is a powerful event geared towards our seniors and juniors to help them realize the dangers of drinking and drinking and driving. Some seniors and juniors will be playing the actual roles of dead students, and a drunk driver. This event is very moving and very powerful for all who participate and for all who watch the event. Lakeland Leadership really hopes that this event makes a major impact and makes a difference in the lives of our students.

Well I hope to see you an upcoming Lakeland event!

Scott Rolando
Lakeland High School Student Activities Director

Lakeland High School Updates...

Now that marking period 4 has come to an end, it is time for Spring Conferences. Please stop by the school Thursday 3/15/12 from 3:30 - 6:30 and check in with your student's teachers.

It's that time a year again... Tornado Drills come to LHS! The increase in temperature signifies the change of seasons and for many of us it is a welcomed relief from the winter months. Unfortunately, this time of year also presents the possibility of severe weather. With this in mond, LHS has two scheduled tornado drills in the next month. The first drill will take place on Thursday 3/15 during the students 3rd hour class. The second drill is scheduled as part of the Oakland County test on 4/18 at 1:00pm. All students will take cover in a secure interior room or hallway during these drills. It is important to us that our students and staff are prepared for the possibility of severe weather in our area.

The Arts: Footloose

I hope everyone will come the weekend of March 16, 17 & 18 to see the Lakeland Drama and Lakeland Player presentation of "Footloose." Our students have worked for the last several months learning their lines, songs and dances. It is important to get the same types of crowds we get at athletic events at our other events as well. All of our students deserve the support of their community for activities.

Personally speaking, I am fortunate enough to have a small role in this Musical (although thankfully for everyone I am not singing). I am willing to be heckled and ridiculed as long as it gets people to come out and see the performance.

Tickets will be on sale both online and in the cafeteria next week. Come out and tell our cast to "break a leg."

Lakeland Success!

Hello All!

Scott Rolando here with an update on here for everyone. This time of year has been successful for Lakeland over the past few years and this year is no difference. Last Saturday night our Lakeland Varsity Hockey Team pulled off the biggest upset of the year so far for the team, defeating Waterford Mott in the MHSAA Regional Hockey Finals to win the team's first Regional Title since 1981. Junior Kyle Jakubowski shot one past the Mott goalie Tyler Vaughn on a great pass from Senior Bobby Schumacher to score the game winner in overtime. The hockey team now advances to the MHSAA State Quarterfinal game tomorrow night, 3/6/2012, when they will take on Brother Rice High School. The puck drops at 6:30pm at Novi Ice Arena in Novi, MI. Tickets are $5 and no passes are accepted. Come on out for a great time and cheer on our Eagles!

Tonight, 3/5/2012, our Lakeland Boys Basketball team takes on our cross town rival Milford in the first round of the MHSAA Boys Basketball District Tournament, held here at Lakeland. Tickets are $5 and no passes are accepted. We would love to see a big crowd to come on out and help support our Eagles tonight!

In the world of Student Activities, Lakeland Leadership is busy working on the 2012 Prom Fashion Show for the Class of 2012 here at Lakeland. The show will be on Tuesday MArch 27th at 7pm in the Lakeland CPA.

Thank you and I hope to see you at a Lakeland Event sometime in the near future!

Scott Rolando
Lakeland Student Activities Director

Our Students Safety- Spice/K2

We know that there is an increasing use of the "legal" drug of Spice or K2 as it does not come up in drug testing kits (although we have a company we use that can now test for this drug). Spice/K2 is extremely dangerous maybe even more dangerous than Marijuana. I am giving you a website to go to so you can read a story out of Wyoming that shows the dangers of this drug. Please read this and have a discussion with your student about the dangers of Spice/K2.

http://news.yahoo.com/outbreak-kidney-failure-wyoming-linked-spice-024307988.html

ACT/MME Testing

This coming week is annual ACT/MME time. If your student is a Junior they should rest the night before and eat a good breakfast (Breakfast is available on Wednesday and Thursday in the Cafeteria). Remember that these tests are for college entrance as well as for the Lakeland to get it's annual AYP. Juniors are able to leave after the testing is over on all three days if they have transportation. On day 1, Juniors may park in the student parking lot but only those with purchased parking passes may park on day 2 & 3 as all other students are in attendance.

Monday is an instructional day for everyone so do not believe it if your student tells you it is a skip day.

Staff sets their sights on Route 66

Today officially kicked off the LHS staff fitness challenge named "Route 66." A group of teachers, led by PE teacher Sam Mills, have been gathering to work out after school. This idea inspired Associate Principal Liz Mosher and office para-professional Jeanine Roberto to start a fitness challenge. The challenge is for teams of staff members to race across the country on Route 66. With 53 staff members signed up, 7 teams will be competing to be the first to California. With every 10 minutes of work out equaling 1 mile traveled, the competition to finish first should be intense. In case you wonder who is in the lead, weekly updates will appear on a giant map in the staff lounge. Best of luck to all those competing and thank you to the staff for their commitment to collaboration and comraderie.

Lakeland Excellence in Education Expo

Hello!

I would like to thank all the parents and students who came out to the 2012 Lakeland Excellence in Education Expo for incoming 9th graders last evening here at Lakeland. We all hope that you and your students are excited about the high school experience that is upcoming for both of you. As we mentioned last evening, getting invovled is a key to a great high school experience, and I would say that goes both for the students and the parents. We always encourge our parents to get involved with Lakeland. Join our parent council, help chaperone events, be a parent class sponsor, and we have so many other chances for parents to help and participate in their students education at the high school level. Also for students, getting involved will help make their high school experience a memorable one. Going to football games and other sporting events, participating in school events, going to drama productions, taking challenging elective classes, and overall being a Lakeland Eagle will help your student become the best that they can be and will help them be ready for what comes after high school. Thank you again for attending and if you would like any further information, please visit our website at www.lakelandhs.com and click on the link for the "packet of information" located directly in the center of the Lakeland website in the Lakeland Links area. Thank you and GO EAGLES!

Compassionate Staff

It is sad but inevitable that our students face losses within their families during the school year. Recently, this occurred within the family of a student whose mother was concerned about how this would be handled within the school. It was nice, today, to get an email from this parent praising our teachers, counselors and entire staff for all their support and compassion during this time in their families life.

Once again, education is well rounded and our staff at Lakeland cares about the student both in the classroom and out of the classroom. We know that on ocassion students and teachers have conflicts but the Lakeland High School staff is caring and committed to making sure that all of our students have positive adults to whom they can turn when times are not so good.

It never hurts to send an email to your students teachers to thank them for the job they are doing on a regular basis.

Student Achievement

I would like to mention that three of our Advance Placement Psychology students have been published in the Winter 2012 Whitman Journal. This psychology journal is a nationally recognized forum in which student conducted research is recognized. Jon Washburn and Eric Gerber did a study on the effect of gender on driving aggression finding that males engaged in more aggressive driving behaviors than females. Alex Sokoll did a study on group polarization (the tendency for our opinions to strengthen after discussion. Alex used his debate class to collect data and write his findings.

Both articles can be found at http://www.whitmanpsych.com/images/winter%202012%20final.pdf

We congratulate all three students along with their teacher Stacey Oddi.

Athletics – an extension of the classroom

I am certain at one time or another throughout your son/daughters athletic experience you have heard that high school athletics are an extension of the classroom. Studies show that athletic participation improves student performance in the classroom. Most of our program coaches at LHS are teachers who add an educational component to the X’s and O’s of a sports season. They spend time teaching our athletes about character and providing them with the skills to become quality citizens. It appears that our athletes can’t escape the classroom and in turn they are faced with additional educational opportunities by participating in sport. With that said, athletics are an extremely large classroom which includes the student body, community, and parents.
Expectations for all those who attend athletic events are to be good sports…model sound behavior, support the team, coaches and officials. Recently, some of our student body has engaged in unsporting chants directed at the opponent. You, you, you, you, aaahhh, YOOOUUU “______.” Hey number 15, you are a “______.” Go ahead and fill in the blanks and try to justify that this behavior is ok. Furthermore, obscene hand gestures directed at the visiting crowd or opponent is a sure sign of disrespect. The age appropriateness of sportsmanship is often overlooked. Just because behaviors like these are widely accepted at the professional or collegiate level, it doesn’t make it right to expose our high school athletes to poor sportsmanship. The old cliché “kids will be kids” is a convenient excuse not to correct the behaviors of our students who attend Lakeland athletic events.
Students who participate in unsporting behavior will face consequences for their actions. As mentioned earlier, athletics are treated as an extension of the classroom. Our students would not be allowed to take part in inappropriate chants or display obscene hand gestures in the classroom and will not be allowed to do so in the athletic arena. The rules for our Lakeland athletic classrooms are simple: Cheer for Lakeland in a positive manner - let the players play, the coaches coach, and the referees ref!

Greg Michaels – Lakeland, Oak Valley, White Lake Athletic Director
2/17/12

We C.A.R.E.

Today was the first Caring Community staff T-shirt day. On the 3rd Thursday of every month, the LHS staff will all be wearing an orange T-shirt with the schools We C.A.R.E slogan printed on the front. These days are another opportunity for staff to show students that importance of creating a respectful environment. In addition to the T-shirts, staff and students have been purchasing orange silicone wristbands with the We C.A.R.E slogan. These wristbands are a commitment to being an active part of a caring school community. Please talk to your students about being a caring and positive member of the school community.

Success

Persist
There is no greater frustration
than to be stubbornly misunderstood
by a child who is afraid that she can’t learn.
And there is no greater elation
than when the light of understanding
burns away the fear and makes her smile return.
by Ronald Ferguson

Our teachers truly are the second batch of these people. When the Lakeland High School students begin to understand a concept when it seems they are confused, their teachers here are truly proud of them. It is not about our success each day but about the success of our students. Please know that every day your student is in great hands with the teachers of our building.

Winterfest 2012!

Winterfest 2012 is coming up next week here at Lakeland and we are hoping that everyone comes on out for a great time. Our Spirit Week looks great filled with games and exciting activities including a great pep assembly next Friday. Tickets are on sale NOW online at www.lakelandhs.com. Tickets are $15 a single and $28 a couple. A couple is any 2 people who want to go to the dance together. The dance is scheduled for Saturday Feb 25th from 7:30-10:30pm in the Lakeland Fieldhouse. The dance will be a lot like Homecoming and the dress code is the same as Homecoming, semi-formal. Please remember that all HVS Dance Guidelines and the HVS Dress Code will be in effect for the event. I can guarentee that it will be a good time for all, so come on out for a great evening and start looking forward to a great Winterfest 2012!

Thanks and GO EAGLES!
Scott Rolando
Lakeland Student Activities Director

A Proud Eagle

As I sat at the Assistant Principal/Dean of Students Summit in Mt. Pleasant earlier this week, I was reinforced that Lakeland High School is truly a great place for academics, athletics and the arts. I listened as other administrators talked about the weaknesses of some of their staff and once again realized how lucky I am to be surrounded every day by teachers and support staff who believe in education and believe in the students of Lakeland High School. I listened as others talked about the loss of some of their athletics due to budget cuts and thought how fortunate we are that we have an athletic director who is willing to go out and raise money to keep our athletics at such a high level. Lastly, I heard of cuts to other districts arts programs and thought of how our arts are at an all time high. The art classes we teach, the incredible band, our video program and our thespian company (in conjunction with the Lakeland Players) are all something within me must take pride.

Every morning I walk through the doors of Lakeland High School proud to be part of the Eagle family.

Getting There On Time!

Prior to the end of the 1st semester, the LHS administration visited each of the buildings English classrooms to discuss a change in the building tardy policy. Students are now receiving a consequence for every 4th tardy to a class, while also having to avoid the random hall sweeps. As was explained to the students, being caught in a random hall sweep results in an automatic detention. After a couple weeks of the new semester the perception from staff is that the policy is working. There has been a noticable decrease in the number of students in the hallways after the bell, as well as a number of students "hustling" to make it on time. In fact, the most recent hall sweep only caught 12 students in the hall way after the bell. This is pretty impressive when you consider the building enrollment of roughly 1600 students! Kudos to the students of LHS!!!

Creating a Safe School

One of our greatest responsbilities is to provide all staff and students of Lakeland High School with a safe place for work and learning. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously. With this in mind, we coordinated with the Oakland County Sherrifs on Wednesday to complete a canine drug search at the school. During the process, we placed the building in lockdown. This ensures that the dogs are free to walk the halls without any interactions with our student body. In addition to walking the hallways, the dogs also canvassed the student parking lot. When a dog "hit" on a locker or car, the student responsible for the locker or car was identified and removed from class by school staff for questioning and a search of personal belongings. Upon completion of this process, all parent/guardian(s) of the identified students were contacted by a member of Lakeland's administrative team. If you have any questions or corcerns regarding the events that took place on Wednesday, please feel free to contact the school and speak with an administrator. Thank you for your support and GO EAGLES!

Play Time

Is the issue of playing time the most emotional and widely debated topic in sports?

Top performing coaches tend to be humble and modest leaders. Upfront and direct conversations that outline (PT) at the start of the season is the catalyst to success for athletes and parents. Coaches who demonstrate honesty and integrity are the ones who get the most out of their athletes, gain support from parents, and are well-received in the community. With that said, coaches are challenged each season with building team cohesiveness and defining each player’s role for the season. Inevitably a season rarely avoids the widely and emotionally debated topic of (PT.)

Coaches often find themselves battling the feelings of role players and the parents of athletes who aren’t earning enough (PT). Role players who are unhappy can undermine the coach and disrupt the chemistry of a team. Parent frustration and the frequently asked question of “why is my kid not playing” ultimately contributes to the emotional debate of how much (PT) an athlete should get.

In order to balance the emotional rollercoaster debate of (PT), it’s essential that coaches give role players something they can value besides game-time. Athletes who fall into the framework of role players need a coach to demonstrate consistency and passion for coaching (for every athlete on the team.). A mutual respect between coach and player must be created in order to head-off hardships throughout a season. Open communication between the coach and athlete is essential in resolving the (PT) issue. Parents should encourage their athlete to embrace the opportunity to have this conversation with the coach. The opportunity for character development and life-lessons are there. This formula is not full-proof, however, over time, proves to be successful.

Fairness does not mean everyone always gets the same thing. If that is not understood, this is the fastest road to unrealistic expectations. Fair is not the same as equal. I am confident our coaches treat each athlete fairly but when it comes to playing time, the reality is not everyone will get equal (PT.) Our mission statement is simple “Huron Valley Schools' Athletic Department supports competition in educational athletics and promotes the development of character”. Research proves that athletic participation increases academic performance, reduces disciplinary problems, improves health and teaches life lessons. For those who struggle with the debate of (PT), remember that athletics is much more than how much someone plays. (Refer to the Athletic Code of Conduct for more information on playing time)


Greg Michaels, Lakeland Athletic Director

New Semester!

Hello!

Well welcome to the new semester! With the start of the new semester brings new classes, and some new events here at Lakeland. In my world of Student Activities we are looking forward to our annual Winterfest! This year's theme is "Remember When..." and will feature many fun games, spirit days, assemblies, and of course a great dance on Feb 25th here at Lakeland High School. Tickets for the dance are on sale NOW through PaySchools. You can use the link at http://www.lakelandhs.com/ to go right to the page you need to get those tickets! Further in the future I am looking ahead to the 2012 Mock Car Crash to prevent drinking and driving dangers this prom and graduation season. That event will be held in May and is always a good event to help our juniors and seniors see what can really happen if a choice is made to drink and drive. Lakeland is also proud to host their first EVER student Dodgeball tournament sometime in mid to late March. This event has been a staple at Milford High School for many years and after looking at all the rules and the layout have decided to give it a try ourselves. We are also planning a MHS winner vs LHS winner dodgeball game sometime in the near future, combined with another charity event. Stay tuned for more details as they become available! In the end we also look ahead to all of the Senior only activities including the Prom/Yearbook Party 2012, the Prom Fashion Show, the 2012 Prom itself, Senior Honors Night, and of course Graduation 2012. This year's Graduation will be held here at Lakeland in the Fieldhouse on June 3rd at 4pm. The Senior All Night Party will be following that and look to the Lakeland Update emails for all of that information and some fundraisers to help them with the costs. Well I hope that the first semester was successful for your student. Good Luck in the second semester!

Mr. Scott Rolando
Lakeland High School Student Activities Director

The Weekend

This weekend is one of the rare times that our students will not have any homework in any class. This is a great opportunity for families to spend time together and discuss the successes and weaknesses for the student during the second semester. Furthermore, begin setting goals for second semester. Remember to discuss what it will be like starting with new teachers and putting the best foot forward to be successful during this semester. Also remind your student that there are several types of interventions if they are feeling overwhelmed or behind. They should talk with their teachers as communication is the best way to work on creating a successful intervention if there should be the need.

Our teachers are here to help our students both academically and in taking responsibility for their work and their decisions. It is important that parents talk with their student about acting responsibly and taking this responsibility when times get hard.

Second semester is coming and now is the time to work with your young adult and plan for their success.

Our Great Staff

In taking a survey recently, the first question posted was, what do you like MOST about the Huron Valley School District. When answering the survey, I started to think, "what thing do I like MOST about Lakeland High School." And as I reflect, there are so many items that make Lakeland High School a one of a kind place, so to pick just one wouldn’t be possible. Lakeland High School has a true sense of community. In responding to the amazing things about Lakeland, the Staff ranks number one. Every staff member of Lakeland High, regardless of their position, is always willing to help and build relationships with one of our best assets, our students. There is a genuine concern for every student. Our office staff is helping kids regularly whether they are feeling ill or need to talk with someone, the custodial staff often is helping with a locker and keeping a safe environment for our kids, the athletic department keeps kids involved, and teachers are continually helping students achieve at a higher level. The staff at LHS does an amazing job engaging students and aiding in the success of all students.

Tardies and Hall Sweeps

Beginning the 2nd semester we are implementing some changes to our tardy policy. Please note the following:

1. Students who come to school late MUST check in at the office to receive a pass to class. Teachers will not allow students into their classroom first hour without a pass.

2. For 2nd - 6th hours, students will be allowed to enter their class without going to the office. Teachers will mark the tardies and then report tardies to Mike Fray, Dean of Students.

3. Teachers will be reporting tardies when students accumulate them on the 4's. Consequences can include detentions, loss of parking, in school suspensions or out of school suspensions. Of course, suspension will occur after other consequences have not worked.

4. On weekly occasions, administrators will be conducting random Hall Sweeps. When these sweeps occur, teachers will close the door and students who are in the hallway will be taken to the office and given a detention.

The reason for re-looking at our tardy policies in midyear is to recognize that not all of them were working for the best of our students and teachers. The goal of these policies is to reduce the number of tardies students are receiving, make them responsible for their actions and for being to class on time and most importantly so that our teachers can utilize the most of their time for educational purposes.

Education is the key to our students achievement at Lakeland and we continue to look at our policies with that in mind.

STUDY TIME!!!

That's right, final exams are next week! On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday students will have the opportunity to display their mastery of the concepts on cumulative exams. These exams are very important as they carry 20% of a students overall course grade. Please encourage your students to start planning now. Most classes have already began to provide review materials and exam preparation. Also, while not all classes have the same expectations, many classes will be allowing the use of a "cheat sheet." Again, please check with your students to see if they are able to take advantage of such an opportunity. If you have any questions regarding an exam, please contact your student's teacher.

~Mr. Fray

Why Policies?

As administrators, we do not create policies just for the sake of having something on paper. In fact, we think long and hard about each policy that is enacted. These decisions often come after discussions with staff, students and parents. Whether policies are created for the beginning of a new school year or something that we need to improve on during the school year we take seriously our responsibility of making Lakeland a safe environment as well as one where academics is the most important idea so that each student has the ability and the opportunity to succeed in all aspects of high school life as well as when they move on to the next phase.

Administrators will be going into English classes over the next few days to talk with students about some policies that will be enacted next fall and some that will be revamped for second semester. Even though students think we create these policies to punish them this could not be further from the truth. As we unroll these plans we will be sending out listserves with the information as well as putting here on the blog.

Student Responsibility

At Lakeland, we find it important to teach our students the importance of responsibility. This responsibility may be in performing well academically, playing well in sports, band or drama, being kind to each other and the idea of creating employability skills. These employability skills incoroporate those things that are needed when our students move on to college, military or the job market.

One of the key employability skills is realizing that you cannot move on to another level of school, military or work without the prior knowledge needed. Huron Valley, for the last several years, has allowed our students to be less responsible in their academics by allowing student to progress to the next level of courses without passing the previous one. Yes, we allow students to go back and make up credits but are they truly able to do this proficiently if we do not insure that they have the knowledge neccessary?

We at Lakeland are beginning to rectify this situation this coming semester. Any student in Algebra 1 or Geometry who fail semester one will not be allowed to move on to semester 2. These students will be enrolled in our e-learning community to re-take their failed class so that they are prepared correctly for the next course. Once students have passed the class and earned the credit they will be able to move on to the next course. This could be done through more e-learning or by taking the course in the traditional manner next fall.

It is our goal to get our students to understand that it is their responsibility to attend classes and do the appropriate work to attain credits and thus attain a diploma that says Huron Valley Schools and Lakeland High School. Having a diploma from our school district and our school should say more than just you gained the credits. It should also say that we prepared you for the next chapter in your life.

We have some other plans which will roll out this school year and next but know that our goal is to make all of our students knowledgable, responsible and employable when they leave our care.

Caring Community... We C.A.R.E

As many of you know, Huron Valley Schools has made creating a Caring Community a priority. As part of this initiative, Lakeland High School has embraced a number of ideas to recognize our commitment to making school a positive environment. Through out the year, we have been recognizing students with a Caring Community Ticket when they do something to make the school a better place. These tickets enter the students into a weekly drawing for homemade chocolate eagles courtesy of Mrs. Skufca. In addition to the tickets, Lakeland students will soon be able to purchase an orange Caring Community wristband with the buildings adopted slogan of We C.A.R.E. (Creating A Respectful Environment). The wrist bands will be orange and resemble the Livestrong wristbands made famous by Lance Armstrong. Everyone wants to be a part of a safe and caring school community and Lakeland will continue to make every effort to promote this cause.

Mike Fray - Dean of Students

Athletic Department Code of Conduct

Overlooked and often Forgotten – Athletic Code of Conduct

Did you know the Huron Valley Schools Athletic Code of Conduct (ACOC) is enforced 365 days a year? Once an athlete signs the (ACOC) it’s valid throughout their athletic career. The primary purpose of the document is to provide parents and athletes with general information regarding the Athletic Department. This includes information pertaining to student expectations and rule violations.

At the start of each season, coaches review the (ACOC) with their athletes discussing the particulars of the document and other team rules. Each athlete is provided with their own copy of the (ACOC). Athletes are required to return a signed copy with a parent signature acknowledging they have read the (ACOC). Thus, accepting personal responsibility to follow the rules contained therein.

Unfortunately, there are times when the (ACOC) is used to administer penalties for athletes violating rules. More times than not, athletes and parents are not aware of the following:

The (ACOC) is enforced 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Consequences may include game suspensions, drug and alcohol testing, counseling, community service, and or loss of honors

Consequences are cumulative

The (ACOC) applies to an athlete’s entire career

Simply put, our athletes are held to higher behavioral and academic standards than non-athletes. We expect a great deal from our athletes and consider their participation in high school sports a privilege. (Parents) If you haven’t already done so…please take time to review the (ACOC) with your son/daughter. It’s a valuable resource to gain greater understanding of their athletic participation at LHS.

Greg Michaels – LHS Athletic Director / Oak Valley / White Lake

Have You Thanked a Teacher Today

The teaching staff is the backbone of our school. These people spend hours both in and out of the building. They spend their time after school working with students to insure their academic achievement. They spend their time grading papers and giving feedback so that students can improve. They spend time creating lesson plans that will be engaging, relevant and rigorous so that your student will be prepared for life after high school. They spend time playing psychologist helping your student with social problems. These people are creating the high school experience for your student.

Remember that they are doing the job asked of them by the district, the state and the federal government. They are working under great stress to see that your student is ready for class tests, state, tests and the real world.

As the semester winds down, remember to shoot your students teachers an email thanking them for choosing a profession whose profession is to make sure that your student is one day ready for the world in front of them.

New Year... Old Semester!!

Happy New year to everyone! For many people the new year brings with it an opportunity to pursue life improvements. This is also true with our students. I have already heard from a number of students whom have made New Year's resolutions to improve grades, get to school on time, become more involved at school, etc. All of these are great and I encourage all of our students to look for opportunities for self-improvement. However, I also remind them that we still have 3 weeks until the end of the 1st semester. This is important for many students as the work to achieve at the best of their abilities. Remember the only grade that stays with a student when they leave High School is these semester grades. These last few weeks are filled with semester ending projects, unit tests and papers. Please make sure to encourage your student as they push towards the 1st semester finish line. Finally, remember that final exams will take place on January 25th, 26th and 27th. It is never too early to start talking with your student about preparing for these important exams.

Happy New Year!

Mike Fray - Dean of Students

New Year’s Resolution and Fitness

Every year people make New Year’s resolutions to get fit. We know that being fit not only benefits us physically but emotionally and mentally as well. Samantha Mills, one of our energetic physical education teachers, is working hard to help others get fit. She has started and encourages fitness for our staff, by setting up a fit club. She sends out weekly reminders inspiring staff to get fit through walking and running. Many staff members have taken part in Mrs. Mills opportunities to be fit. This is another example of a Lakeland staff member dedicating their time and expertise to help others.

Welcome Back!

To all of the Lakeland Community Welcome Back! I hope that you had a great holiday break and that you and your family are doing excellent as we enter the new year of 2012. 2012 will bring a lot to Lakeland, just as 2011 did. As we enter 2012 our students start to think of not only the immediate things, final exams, the new semester, Winterfest, etc but also long term things such as Graduation, Prom, and Spring Break. All of us here at Lakeland hope that the rest of this school year is successful and promising for all of our students, and remember we are always ready to help with student needs as they arise. Please don't be afraid to ask a teacher, staff member, administrator for help or support. I know that I am looking forward to a great 2012 and I hope that you are also!

In other news, our Lakeland Lipdub is now finished and posted on YouTube! You can check it out by visiting the Lakeland HS webpage at www.lakelandhs.com and click on the link for it there.

Thank you for all the support in 2011 and here's to looking at a great 2012!

Scott Rolando
LHS Student Activities Director