The The Official Newsletter of Lincoln Southwest High School Volume 9, No. 8 May, 2011 http://lsw.lps.org/ Principal: Rob Slauson Assoc. Principals: Keri Applebee John Hastings Susette Taylor, Ph.d. Instructional Coordinator: Virginia Geiger Sped Coordinator: Sara Mann Athletic Director: Dave Gillespie Assist. Athletic Director: Kim Carson Attendance Coordinator: Duane Baack INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Important Dates Counselor Info. Senior Info. Testing Info. Immunizations Cell Phone Policy Awards Yearbook Info. Prom Silver Strike/Booster Information Misc. Lincoln Southwest High School 7001 S. 14th, Lincoln, NE 68512 (402) 436-1306 “Lincoln Southwest High School…A place where safety and learning are the highest priorities.” The Finish Line—the Next Chapter Dear LSW Community: Wow, what a year! As we finish another school year, it is important that we take a mo- ment to ponder what transpired this year. While we have been tested and challenged, we have learned a great deal and developed a stronger community. We learned we can count on one another and become stronger in the collective. We need to remember that in any race the finish is the most important phase. How you finish determines the outcomes for you personally. Did you accomplish everything you set out to do? Did you reach your goals? Were you as successful as you had hoped you would be? What did this school year mean, anyway? Each of us just invested the most premium commodity available to us—time! We just spent eight months of our lives on this past school year. It is important to ask the question, “Did we get a quality return on our invest- ment?” Sometimes it is easy to forget that time is a resource that is critically important in our lives. While money and tangible material items are important to many people, time is the one resource over which we have the most control. Each of us gets to decide how we spend our time. Did you spend your time wisely? Will you do what it takes to finish strongly? We will look forward with a great deal of pride on the accomplishments of our seniors and the exciting future they have ahead. Most people know that in order to be successful in any endeavor you must set goals. However, in addition to setting realistic and challenging goals, we also have to budget the time and invest the effort. If a goal is really important, you must develop a mindset geared toward achievement. When you focus your priorities and focus on your goals, you will do whatever it takes to accomplish them. We will look at our under classmen and cele- brate the great year we have had together and the exciting future we have planned together. People whom are struggling with achievement can often point to two main areas that need a stronger focus: visualizing the goal and setting aside the time. You might have heard it said, “If you can dream it, you can do it!” In addition, the other part of this equation is, “If it is meant to be, it is up to me!” When we can really see ourselves in the future and we can visualize our future success, we have already won half the battle. To finish strong we simply have to make the necessary effort. This has been an incredible year at Lincoln Southwest High School. We have everything we need to reach the highest level of success. We look forward to the future with a great deal of optimism and excitement. Things will only get better from this point forward. The reality of life is that none of us has really completed anything. We begin our life at birth and we finish at death. The time in between is a series of cycles and events that make up our lives. We are coming to the end of another cycle so we can take the opportunity to reflect on what happened this year and use it for a springboard for the future. The good news is that we can start the rest of our lives right now. No matter what has happened, we can start fresh! One of the keys to a successful life is to not take success or failure to seriously. Learn from each of your experiences to adjust your effort and time investment in the future. Take care, Rob Slauson
Transcript
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The The Official Newsletter of Lincoln Southwest High School
Volume 9, No. 8 May, 2011 http://lsw.lps.org/ Principal:
Rob Slauson
Assoc. Principals:
Keri Applebee
John Hastings
Susette Taylor, Ph.d.
Instructional Coordinator:
Virginia Geiger
Sped Coordinator:
Sara Mann
Athletic Director:
Dave Gillespie
Assist. Athletic Director:
Kim Carson
Attendance Coordinator:
Duane Baack
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Important Dates Counselor Info.
Senior Info. Testing Info.
Immunizations Cell Phone Policy
Awards Yearbook Info.
Prom Silver Strike/Booster
Information Misc.
Lincoln Southwest High School 7001 S. 14th,
Lincoln, NE 68512 (402) 436-1306
“Lincoln Southwest High School…A place where safety and learning are the highest priorities.”
The Finish Line—the Next Chapter
Dear LSW Community:
Wow, what a year! As we finish another school year, it is important that we take a mo-ment to ponder what transpired this year. While we have been tested and challenged, we have learned a great deal and developed a stronger community. We learned we can count on one another and become stronger in the collective. We need to remember that in any race the finish is the most important phase. How you finish determines the outcomes for you personally. Did you accomplish everything you set out to do? Did you reach your goals? Were you as successful as you had hoped you would be? What did this school year mean, anyway? Each of us just invested the most premium commodity available to us—time! We just spent eight months of our lives on this past school year. It is important to ask the question, “Did we get a quality return on our invest-ment?” Sometimes it is easy to forget that time is a resource that is critically important in our lives. While money and tangible material items are important to many people, time is the one resource over which we have the most control. Each of us gets to decide how we spend our time. Did you spend your time wisely? Will you do what it takes to finish strongly? We will look forward with a great deal of pride on the accomplishments of our seniors and the exciting future they have ahead. Most people know that in order to be successful in any endeavor you must set goals. However, in addition to setting realistic and challenging goals, we also have to budget the time and invest the effort. If a goal is really important, you must develop a mindset geared toward achievement. When you focus your priorities and focus on your goals, you will do whatever it takes to accomplish them. We will look at our under classmen and cele-brate the great year we have had together and the exciting future we have planned together. People whom are struggling with achievement can often point to two main areas that need a stronger focus: visualizing the goal and setting aside the time. You might have heard it said, “If you can dream it, you can do it!” In addition, the other part of this equation is, “If it is meant to be, it is up to me!” When we can really see ourselves in the future and we can visualize our future success, we have already won half the battle. To finish strong we simply have to make the necessary effort. This has been an incredible year at Lincoln Southwest High School. We have everything we need to reach the highest level of success. We look forward to the future with a great deal of optimism and excitement. Things will only get better from this point forward. The reality of life is that none of us has really completed anything. We begin our life at birth and we finish at death. The time in between is a series of cycles and events that make up our lives. We are coming to the end of another cycle so we can take the opportunity to reflect on what happened this year and use it for a springboard for the future. The good news is that we can start the rest of our lives right now. No matter what has happened, we can start fresh! One of the keys to a successful life is to not take success or failure to seriously. Learn from each of your experiences to adjust your effort and time investment in the future. Take care, Rob Slauson
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Important Dates
May 3: Flight Night Auditions, 3:30 p.m., Parent Teacher Confer-ence, 4-7 p.m. May 4: NESA-S testing, Flight Night Auditions, 3:30 p.m. May 5: Drama Club Meeting, 7 p.m. May 7: Prom, 8-12 p.m. May 9: Music Banquet, 6 p.m. May 11: 8th grade visit, Fresh-man, Reserve Baseball Banquet, 6 p.m. May 12: 8th grade visit, Multi-Cultural Student Night, 7 p.m. May 13: Swing Night Dance, 6 p.m. May 17: Drama Club Meeting, 3:15 p.m. May 18: Senior Recognition, 8:15 a.m., Boys Soccer Banquet, 6:30 p.m., Band/Orchestra Con-cert, 7 p.m. May 19: Girls Soccer Banquet, 6 p.m. May 20: JV and Varsity Baseball Banquet, 6 p.m., Flight Night, 7 p.m. May 21: Flight Night, 7 p.m.
May 23: Athletic Awards Cere-mony, 6 p.m. May 24: Track Banquet, 6 p.m., Choir/Show Choir Concert, 6:30 p.m. May 25: I.T.S. Initiation Cere-mony, 4 p.m., Special Olympics Banquet, 6 p.m. May 26: Finals, Senior Meeting, 12:30 p.m., Theater Banquet, 6 p.m., Boys Golf Banquet, 6 p.m., Girls Tennis Banquet, 6 p.m. May 27: Finals, Science Olym-piad Celebration, 6 p.m. Last Day of School May 29: Graduation, 1 p.m. August 3: Locker Checkout, 8-3:30 p.m. August 4: Locker Checkout, 8-3:30 p.m. August 12: Open House, 1-3 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
May 3rd 4-7 p.m.
Jr/Sr. Prom
May 7th
Silver Hawk Authentic Store Manager Position—Volunteer
Silver Hawk Authentic—Official Southwest Apparel/Southwest Booster Club is seeking a store manager for the 2 year term of June 2011-June 2013. Please email Barry Gates at [email protected] or Barb Nitz at [email protected] or any member of the Southwest Booster Club board if interested.
Become a Fan @ Facebook | LSW Counseling Center Follow LSW Counseling Center @ twitter.com | LSW Counselors
LSW Counseling Center | http://isite.lps.org/pvolker/web/
Summer School Summer school information, including course descriptions, is available at the LPS website. The direct link is http://www.lps.org/instruction/summer/. Summer school will be held at North Star during June 8th through July 20th with no classes on July 4th. As a reminder, students may register for two summer school courses. Period 1 is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. and period 2 begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 11:50 a.m. E-Learning classes will be held at LSW for stu-dents who are not enrolling in any additional summer school classes. The 2011 tuition rates are as follows for students who reside in the LPS district:
Tuition cost Credit hours $65.00 2.5 credit hours $130.00 5 credit hours $65.00 Each additional 2.5 or 5.0 credit courses Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch may take summer school classes at no cost. Registration for summer school began the week of April 18th. The registration dates for LPS students are shown below: Date Grade level Week of April 18th LPS Seniors only at Week of April 25th LPS Seniors and Juniors only Week of May 2nd All LPS Students Week of May 9th All LPS Students May 20th (4 p.m. deadline) Last day for registrations at schools June 6th & 7th Registration at North Star June 8th, 9th, & 10th Late registration at North Star Current seniors who need to enroll in summer school in order to graduate will be given first priority. Seniors may participate in graduation if they only have 10 hours left to complete during summer school. Once successful completion of summer school has been verified, they will receive their signed diploma. Sum-mer school does not offer excused absences and will be dropped from classes as a result of missing class time. Services available at summer will include child care and a social worker on duty.
Special Feature: Pages 3
Career and College Preparation: A Guide for Parents
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Seize Your Summer
Summer is right around the corner. Although school will not be in session, it is important for you to continue to develop your post high – school academic and career plans. There are many op-portunities for you to consider as shown below. The Careers and Colleges: Spring 2011 publi-cation available in the Counseling Center also discusses many opportunities. Southeast Community College Summer Automotive Camp: Are you interested in automo-tives? Southeast Community College at Milford is offering a great opportunity for students to spend June 10th and 11th on the Milford campus so that you may experience the world of auto-motive technology. The cost is $ 25.00. Info is in the Counseling Center. College/university visits: Juniors/seniors planning to attend a 4-year college/university need to begin to narrow down their college choices to 3-5 institutions. If at all possible, take time over the summer to make some college visits to get a feel for life on a college/university campus. College admissions examinations: Juniors – Have you taken your college admissions test? The next ACT will be given on June 11th. The registration deadline is May 6th. The next SAT will be given on June 4th. The registration deadline is May 6th. For additional information, please go to www.actstudent.org (ACT) or sat.collegeboard.com/register (SAT). Summer employment: Although the job market is tight, it is still possible for you to find a sum-mer job. Check out your local newspaper and look around your neighborhood to see who is hir-ing at this time. Volunteer opportunities: Lincoln has a variety of ways in which you can help others in need of assistance. Consider volunteering at a hospital; the Zoo; Matt Talbot Kitchen; the Humane Soci-ety or other places throughout the city. If you are going to be seniors in the fall, you may be able to use your hours to fulfill your GoPo community service requirement. Ask a Social Studies teacher about volunteer options. The official Community Service hours log is available in the So-cial Studies department or the Main Office. Summer internships: Not only do high school students benefit from the practical experiences they gain in summer internships relevant to their personal interests, but they also learn what it is involved in the operation of a company or organization; make invaluable contacts in a field of in-terest; strengthen college applications; and explore potential careers. Students who are seeking internships should contact museums, colleges/universities, businesses, and other organizations to inquire about available internships. Students interested in pursuing internships in other states or internationally are encouraged to check out the websites below.
However, be aware that students and their families are usually responsible for expenses associ-ated with housing, travel, etc. And be aware that it is the responsibility of students and their fami-lies to research whether additional online organizations are reputable.
~ Internship information adapted from: Workplace Options, Inc. 211
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Career and College Preparation: A Guide for Parents
According to Linda O’Brien, author of Career Planning and Educational Choices and Prepar-ing for College, parents know their children better than anyone else and this can be an asset when helping them select potential careers to explore. She encourages families to go through the following steps in identifying career possibilities: Step 1) Self-assessment; Step 2) Investigate your career choices; and Step 3) Find a career match. During the career exploration process, O’Brien stresses that parents should consider their children’s strengths, personality traits, and interests so they can explain how these factors are assets in various career fields.
Online self-assessments for exploring career options are available at such websites as www.mappingyourfuture.org, www.self-directedsearch.com, http://possibilities.unl.edu/, and www.careercruising.com [User ID: LPS-StudentID# (no spaces) | Password: LPS Computer Password]. Investigating career choices involves researching careers, visiting with individuals employed in areas of interest, and gaining experience that will provide insight into career choices. A great resource for researching careers is available at the Occupational Outlook Handbook’s website located at www.bls.gov/oco/. Job shadowing, volunteering, and part-time employment are also opportunities to investigate career interests. Parents may assist their chil-dren in finding potential career matches by having them identify the types of activities they enjoy through the self-assessments, consider the type of post-secondary education they want to pur-sue, and consider career fields related to current likes (i.e. classes, activities, hobbies, etc.)
While fast growing career areas currently include health care professions, careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as green specialists (saving the environment); par-ents are reminded that demands for careers change so they should encourage their students to consider careers based on who they are today with the realization that they may choose different career options in the future. In preparing for their children’s college admissions process, families should be aware that the typical criteria goes beyond students’ test scores and GPAs/class ranks to include factors such as the strength of subjects, teacher recommendations, special talents, honors/awards, personal qualities, activity involvement, essays, interviews, and experiences that demonstrate students’ initiative, motivation, responsibility, maturity, work ethic, commitment, leadership, integrity. Additionally, college admission personnel look for students who are able to successfully balance academics with extra-curricular activities (i.e. organizations/clubs, athletics, part-time employment, volunteer work, school activities, etc.).
The majority of colleges base admissions criteria on the end of students’ junior year such as the GPA and Class Rank. Many schools will only allow SAT and/or ACT tests to be taken until De-cember of the senior year to count toward admissions status. Although the NCAA will allow a senior to take the ACT and/or SAT after December. Often times colleges/universities, especially those with highly selective admissions standards will require a school profile to be submitted in addition to a student’s transcript, letters of recommendation, application, and ACT and/or SAT score. A profile provides admissions officials with an overview about a student’s high school and community. A copy of the current school profile follows, which provides information about LSW.
CEEB Code 281-309 Rob Slauson, Principal Sara Mann, SPED Coordinator Keri Applebee, Associate Principal Dave Gillespie, Athletic/Activities Director John Hastings, Associate Principal Kim Carson, Asst. Athletic/Activities Director Dr. Susette Taylor, Associate Principal Duane Baack, Attendance Coordinator Virginia Geiger, Instructional Coordinator CITY OF LINCOLN Population: approx. 251,000 -- State Capitol Home of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union College, Southeast Community College, and several private vocational-technical schools Major employment includes government, banking, insurance, education, light industry The city is considered very livable with an abundance of parks, bike trails, and entertainment/ recreational venues. LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT LPS serves approximately 35,000 students utilizing the K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade level configuration and consisting of 6 public comprehensive high schools, 4 high school focus programs, 1 alternative high school, 11 middle schools, and 38 elementary schools. LINCOLN SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS
Comprehensive, four-year high school. Opened Fall 2002 – 1125 students Past four graduating classes: 2007 – 469; 2008 – 466; 2009 – 480; 2010 - 415 Faculty: 141 teachers: 86 hold Masters Degree; 4 PhD’s; Student/Faculty Ratio - 13:1 Students: Total enrollment 1922 / 9th – 474; 10th – 441; 11th – 494; 12th – 513 Students on honor roll (3.5 GPA) - 46% ; Average daily attendance 2008-2009 - 93.42 % Number of National Merit Scholars - 27
ACCREDITATION Lincoln Southwest is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation of Secondary Schools. The parent organization of NCA is AdvancEd. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS A minimum of 230 credits is required for current seniors to graduate. Graduation Requirements include the following: Required Areas Credits Required Required Areas Credits Required Applied/Fine Arts 15 credits Career Education & Planning 2.5 credits Economics 5 credits English 30 credits Oral Communications 5 credits Human Behavior 5 credits Mathematics 20 credits (Including Algebra) Health 2.5 credits Physical Education 7.5 credits Science 20 credits Social Studies 30 credits Technology 10 credits
Students must also meet District proficiency requirements in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM The academic program is organized in a 4 X 4 block schedule of 90 minute blocks. A full load is four classes per term. Differentiated classes are designed for able and motivated learners. Contents, processes and products are at a higher level to provide appropriate challenge. Listed on the second page are differentiated classes, Advanced Placement classes, and any other weighted classes offered at Southwest.
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ART MATHEMATICS SOCIAL STUDIES WORLD LANGUAGE AP Drawing Portfolio* Diff Geometry Diff Civics AP Spanish 5* AP 2-D Design AP Statistics* Diff Sociology * AP French AP 3-D Design Diff Pre-Calculus* Diff Geography AP German Diff Advanced Algebra* AP Psychology* BUSINESS AP Calculus* AP Government and Politics* College Accounting* AP Diff Calculus* AP Human Geography* AP World History* ENGLISH AP US History* Diff English AP Macroeconomics* Diff Oral Communications Diff English 10* Science AP Language/Composition* Diff Biology AP Literature/Composition* Diff Chemistry* Advanced Chemistry* INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY Diff Anatomy & Physiology* Applied CAD Architecture/Engineering* Diff Physics*
AP Advanced Physics* Weighted courses are marked with an asterisk. GRADING SCALE Weighted Weighted Grade Percent Points Points Grade Percent Points Points A 90 - 100 4.0 5.0 C 70 - 74 2.0 3.0 B+ 85 - 89 3.5 4.5 D+ 65 - 69 1.5 1.5 B 80 - 84 3.0 4.0 D 60 - 64 1.0 1.0 C+ 75-79 2.5 3.5 F <60 0 0.0 RANK POINTS Lincoln Public Schools has created a points system to determine class rank. All courses a student takes will be assigned class rank points (with the exception of courses graded S/U). Earned class rank points will be determined by the grade the student receives in a course and the number of credit hours the course is worth. Weighted courses receive more class rank points than non-weighted courses. Class rank will be determined by the total of a student’s class rank points. A cap of 35 hours per semester will be used to calculate rank points. If a student earns more than 35 hours in a semester, the lowest grades and hours will be dropped from the class rank calculation. The class rank point system rewards students for taking weighted courses as well as a full schedule of classes. CLASS OF 2009 – 480 Graduates Post-Secondary Education Plans
4-year college 59% Military 1% 2-year college/transfer to 4-year 20% Workforce 1% 2-year college/vocational 18% Other 1% TEST DATA 2009-2010 ACT 71% of senior class Middle 50% Composite Score= 23.6 SAT 11% of senior class Middle 50% Critical Reading = 563; Middle 50% Math = 596; Middle 50% Writing = 553 Middle 50% Composite Score= 579 (Verbal and Math) CLASS OF 2010 -- Cumulative Weighted GPA Distribution after 6 semesters 4.25 - 4.422 8% 3.25 - 3.49 12% 2.25 - 2.49 4% 4.0 - 4.24 13% 3.0 - 3.24 11% 2.0 - 2.24 4% 3.75 - 3.99 15% 2.75 - 2.99 8% 1.75 - 1.99 3% 3.5 - 3.74 13% 2.5 - 2.74 6% 1.5 - 1.74 2% (4.422 highest GPA in class) <1.5 1%
COUNSELING DEPARTMENT Phone (402) 436-1306, Ext. 66300, Fax (402) 436-1086
Lincoln Southwest High School is a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
and adheres to NACAC’s Statement Principles of Good Practice.
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Highly Selective Colleges: Are they really the best?
According to the American School Counseling Association, Joel Kupfersmid, reports that re-search comparing the earnings of more than 2,000 student pairs, where one student was admit-ted and the other rejected from the same highly selective school indicated that there was little difference in yearly earnings between the pairs when matched by occupation after the students graduated from college. The best school is the one which will best meet the student’s needs, in-terests, and personality. In their research on highly selective schools, Pascarella and Terenzini reported there was very little support for the belief that attending a highly selective institution will have a consistent and substantial positive influence on how much a student learns. The number one reason why most students enroll in a highly selective school is because students and their families are seeking the social recognition and the cost is not overwhelming for them. The sec-ond highest reason why some students choose to enroll in a highly selective college is when he/she can receive a “full-ride” to the school and other costs will be minimal. Most importantly, there is a wide variety of colleges/universities that best fit students, whether they are high-achieving or are average in their academic status. Parents should keep in mind that their students should be the ones to have the most influence on what type of education they will receive.
~ Adapted from: ASCA School Counselor, November/December 2010
What’s Next? Community Conversations continue at Lincoln Public Schools this spring as the School Dis-trict’s third Conversation – set for 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at Lincoln North Star High School – asks the question: “What’s next?” The What’s Next Parent Event is an informational evening that targets issues surrounding the key transitions for students in school: preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school to postsec-ondary success. The event showcases a panel of parents and students who will offer insight into how parents and guardians can engage in these critical transitions. LPS Superintendent Steve Joel said. “The event continues the School District’s community conversation about im-proving graduation rates, and this time we focus on how to help our students survive and thrive through the key transitions in their education…We will have a chance to learn from the personal experiences of our panel members, as well as open up the conversation to community partici-pants.” Joel will offer welcoming remarks for the Community Conversation, while the panel dis-cussion is facilitated by Eddie Brown, an LPS graduate, LPS parent, community volunteer and local businessman. Free dinner and childcare will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the panel discus-sion. North Star High School is located at 5801 N. 33rd St. The event is a collaborative effort that includes a wide list of community partners: Lincoln Public Schools, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, Parent Involvement Resource Centers (PIRC), Lincoln Education Association, Nebraska State Education Association, National Educa-tion Association, EL Centro de Las Americas, Malone Center and United Way. Information booths will be available from the EducationQuest Foundation, Southeast Community College, University of Nebraska Lincoln, and more. For more information contact: Josh Cramer Supervisor of Federal Programs Lincoln Public Schools
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Life Lessons for Achieving Academic Success
According to Kurt J. Grube, who has more than 30 years of experience in technical and executive management positions at a premier global information technology firm, there are five basic life lessons associated with being successful in the workplace that can be used by students to achieve academic success.
Lesson #1: Attending every class Be present every day. As in the world of work, your presence is required unless you want to be fired. Whether you work for large or small company, your attendance is vital to its daily operation. As with work, your presence in the classroom is equally important to help you succeed with aca-demia.
Lesson #2: Being on time One of the worst errors a person can make in the world of work is to be late. For those employ-ees who are being habitually late, they quickly develop a reputation for being undependable which can result in not being eligible for a raise or promotion, loss of job, etc. In the classroom, not being on time can have a negative impact upon your learning.
Lesson #3: Using a syllabus Like a meeting agenda at work, a syllabus is your guide to knowing the expectations for a course, who they are to be accomplished, and what the deadlines are. If you have questions, contact the instructor for clarification.
Lesson #4: Meeting deadlines In the workplace, there are deadlines that need to be met or you will not earn a paycheck. In the classroom, not meeting deadlines can also have negative consequences.
Lesson #5: Requesting feedback In the corporate realm, feedback is part of the socialization process that involves requesting com-ments/critiques for projects, documents, etc. that you are proposing. Feedback provides insights, perspectives, etc. that you may not have considered which may also be helpful when received from a teacher or professor.
~ Adapted from: NextStepU.com
NCAA and NAIA Eligibility Centers Student-athletes, who are currently juniors, are reminded to register with the NCAA or NAIA Eligi-bility Center if they have not previously completed this task. The NCAA’s Eligibility website is lo-cated at http://eligibilitycenter.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.html and the NAIA’s Eligibility Center may be accessed at http://www.playnaia.org/. Student-athletes planning on competing at a Division I or II college/university must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center before tak-ing an official college visit. If a student qualifies for an ACT or SAT fee waiver due to being on Free/Reduced Lunch, he/she will also qualify for a NCAA or NAIA fee waiver.
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Seniors’ Final Transcripts Seniors are reminded that it is their responsibility to submit transcript release forms to Mrs. Car-man in the Registrar’s Office for the schools they will be attending in the fall, NCAA or NAIA Eli-gibility Centers if participating in collegiate athletics, and organizations that require this informa-tion for scholarship purposes. May Events May 1st Notification Deadline for Colleges/Universities
Most colleges/universities require students to notify the admissions office by May 1st of their final school choice.
May 2nd Summer School Registration at LSW thru May 20th Contact: Student’s Assigned Counselor & IEP Manager (if applicable)
May 3rd What’s Next? North Star High School 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Contact: Josh Cramer (LPSDO) 436-1994
May 5th Career Ed Interviews Term 4 Career Ed classes Contact: Mr. Feeken
May 11th 8th Grade Spring Visits at LSW May 12th 8th Grade Spring Visits at LSW Contact: Mrs. Finkhouse
May 19th New Student Registrations May 20th New Student Registrations Contact: Mrs. Carman (Registrar’s Office)
May 29th Graduation Pershing Auditorium
“Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.”
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Senior Information!
2011 Graduates
Please check your name on the list posted on the Attendance Office win-dow. The LEGAL name of the student will be printed on 2011 diplomas as they appear on the list. Any change must be made through Mrs. Carman, the Registrar, by May 2nd.
Government and Poli-tics Volunteer Hours
Due dates for Government and Poli-tics volunteer hours: If your student is enrolled in Term 4 Gov-ernment and Politics, volunteer hours are due: May 23rd. Ques-tions? Contact Social Stud-ies teacher Ryan
Seniors Graduation is May 29, 1:00 p.m., at Per-shing. There will be a senior meeting for all seniors on May 26 at 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Please plan to attend as cap and gowns will be distributed after the meeting. All fines and costs will need to be paid be-fore you will be able to pick up your cap and gown. Please check with the bookkeeper regarding any fees due. If you have not ordered your cap & gown, please do so immediately as time is running out! The website for this information is: lincolngraduation.com. The school does not provide the cap and gown for graduation and you will not be able to participate in the graduation ceremony if you do not have them. The first week of May, a letter with information regard-ing commencement, will be sent to seniors. Please watch for this important information to arrive in the mail.
Reminder for seniors from the Health Office: most colleges will require a
copy of your immunization record for admission purposes. For your conven-ience, this document will be placed in
every graduate's diploma folder.
Senior Honors and Recognition
On Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 8:15 a.m. in the auditorium, seniors will be recognized by the Lin-coln Southwest staff. In April, all Seniors were given a green Senior Information Sheet that they were required to fill out and return to the Counsel-ing Center by April 29th. This form asked for the senior’s plans for after high school and any scholar-ship(s) the senior will be using to attend col-lege. The information provided on this sheet along with academic honors will be included in the recog-nition. We encourage all seniors to attend so we can celebrate their future plans.
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***PLEASE NOTE*** CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE—NeSA TESTING DATES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW
***Science (NeSA-S) – May 4
The state of Nebraska will now conduct assessments of students in several academic areas and at desig-nated grade levels. At the high school level all the assessments occur in Grade 11. The testing includes assess-ments in writing, reading, math and science. Assessment results are part of the state report card that provides indi-vidual school data to the public in the areas of student participation and proficiency. All juniors participate in all of the assessments and are encouraged to give their best effort.
The state assessment in Science is a one day online test. Students respond to a series of multiple-choice questions. The assessment results provide data on individual student progress in meeting state/local standards that are designed to improve reading skills of Nebraska students.
Parent Advisory Council
Interested in learning more about Southwest? Come to the Parent Ad-visory Council meetings
the second Monday of each month. This is an open forum where parents and community members can meet with school administration to receive informa-tion and discuss issues and concerns re-lating to LSW. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and end no later than 8:30 p.m. They are held in the A118 forum unless notified differently. No membership is needed. Come when your schedule al-lows. The next meeting is May 9, 2011, and the topics for the evening is the End of the School Year Report.
IMMUNIZATIONS!
This notification is a reminder of a very important change in Nebraska State law regarding immunization requirements for the 2011-2012 school year. All LPS students will be required to be immunized against varicella with 2 doses of vaccine or the parent/guardian must provide a signed statement of past history of chicken pox dis-ease. You will be noti-fied by the health of-fice if your student does not meet this re-quirement.
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Cell Phones/Electronic Devices The following policies and procedures apply to student cell phone use at LSW. Cell Phones/Electronic Devices use will be restricted to non-class times. Students will ensure that their phones are in the ‘off’ or ‘silent’ mode during class times. Students who have a legitimate purpose to use cell phones during class time will do so at the direction of their teacher. (This should be cleared in advance before class begins) Students who are seen using phones/electronic devices in the hallways during class times have their phone confiscated by administration and security. Teachers may also confiscate phones.
These will be turned into security until the end of the school day. (this includes tardy times as well as class times)
Students who are caught using phones in class will be subject to a three-step response- 1st incident-teacher will give a warning to put phone away 2nd incident-teacher will keep phone until the end of the day 3rd incident-teacher will turn phone into security, a referral will be made, student may be suspended for one
day and a plan will be developed for device Students who may already have been informed will be subject to current level of intervention that already
exist We believe that student cell phone use is a privilege not a right. Students who bring cell phones and electronic de-vices to school are doing so at their own risk. The school does not guarantee the safety of secu-rity of these devices even when they are impounded. We feel these devices should not interfere with the learning environment. We ask for your support and that you remind your student(s) to only use their phone/electronic devices during appropriate times.
Congratulations! Congratulations to Connor Dahlke for his 2nd place finish in the Technical Drawing Competition at the 2011 Skill-sUSA State Conference.
Alan Vo place 10th in Technical Drawing and Will Fol-som placed in Architectural Drawing.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to Lincoln HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) club members who represented LSW, LNS and Lincoln Public Schools at the State HOSA Conference over spring break, March 24-25 at Boys Town. The top three qualify for Nationals in Anaheim, CA June 23-26.
Pictured above are: back row: Luis Miranda (LNS), Ramsey Jaber (LNS), Sara Christianson (LSW), Matt Lickei (LSW),
HOSA Bowl: 1st Place and National Qualifiers Ramsey Jaber, Sara Christianson, Luis Miranda & Tyler Peterson
Medical Reading: 2nd place and National Qualifiers Ramsey Jaber , Sara Christianson, Tyler Peterson
Medical Photography: Sara Christianson-LSW —2nd place and National Qualifier in Medical Photography
Medical Terminology: Ramsey Jaber – LNS—2nd Place and National Qualifier
Luis Miranda - LNS —5th Place Pathophysiology Knowledge Test:
Ramsey Jaber-LNS —1st Place and National Qualifier Luis Miranda - LNS
Creative Problem Solving: Kyle Hinz, Matt Lickei and Tyler Peterson – LSW
Medical Math: Tyler Peterson – LSW Sara Christianson - LSW Outstanding Member, Lincoln Chapter: Sara Christianson (LSW)
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Jr. & Sr. Prom Junior and Senior Prom is Saturday, May 7th from 8:00-12:00 p.m. at UNL Centennial Room (main campus union). Tickets are $15 per person. Tickets go on sale (May 3-May 5) Tuesday after-
school, Wednesday before school, at lunch, and afterschool. On Thursday tickets will be sold before school and at noon! Tickets will not be sold after the noon hour on Thursday so please make sure your student purchases a ticket before the cut off. All fines will need to be paid before students will be eligible to purchase tickets for prom. Don’t wait until the last minute to pay your fines!
YEARBOOKS!!
LAST YEARBOOK SALE: May 2-6 before and after school, including at Parent Teacher Conferences, May 3. Cost is $60. Get your book reserved now. No books will be sold after this time until they are distributed. Cost will be $65. Yearbook Distribution: Yearbooks are tentatively scheduled for distribution on Thurs-day, May 19 after school and Friday, May 20, before and after school. Students who have bought a book may pick it up at this time. Extras will be sold for $65. More information will be provided in the student bulletin in May.
Class of 2012—Senior Photo Information For information regarding the Class of 2012 senior portraits, please review the information on the link below: http://www.lps.org/instruction/curriculum/english/yearbookphotos.html
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Welcome Back! SILVER HAWK BOOSTER
BENEFIT AUCTION
FALL 2011 Silver Strike is back by popular demand! The Silver Strike Benefit Auction, sponsored by the Silver Hawks Booster Club, will be back in the Fall of 2011! Silver Strike is a Silent and Live Auction held for the benefit of our Lincoln Southwest High School community! Proceeds from past auctions have been used to provide individual assistance to more than 50 activities, athletics, and performing arts groups and make improvements to out-door facilities. The 2011 Silver Strike proceeds will be used to grant the needs and wish lists of those groups in the 2011/2012 school year, while working on our bigger capital improvement projects benefiting all Lincoln Southwest students. More details about this exciting event will be released over the next several months! Check out the following ways you can get involved:
SILVER STRIKE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
An event of this size provides opportunities for families throughout the Southwest commu-nity to get involved. The Silver Strike Planning Committee will provide additional informa-tion to all volunteers: _____ Advertising/Public Relations _____ Gift Acquirement _____ Auction Catalog _____ Tickets _____ Auction Display & Set up _____ Treasurer/Cashiers _____ Decorations _____ Dinner/Table Set-Up _____ Other (we will match your talents/interests with help needed!) Name: ________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________Email: ________________________________
SILVER STRIKE DONATION OPPORTUNITIES
Considering a donation to our silent and/or live auctions. We have provided a list of sug-gested items below, but all offers and donations will be accepted and appreciated!
Professional Services— Attorney, Chiropractor, Computer Tech, Contractor,
Dentist, Decorator, Doctor, Landscaping, etc.
Sports/Entertainment Memorabilia
Lunch with a celebrity/government official
Gift Baskets, Once-a Month Club (coffee, desserts, flowers, etc.)
Sponsorship/Purchase of Items Needed (call for wish list items)
Cash Donations
Please mail or email responses to: Shelly Anderson or Jodi Rowlett
Thank you for supporting the students and programs at Lincoln Southwest High School!
SILV
ER S
TR
IKE
20
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Shelly Anderson Silver Strike Event Co-Chair 7448 Elk Creek Dr Lincoln NE 68516 402.328.9578 [email protected] Jodi Rowlett Silver Strike Event Co-Chair 3101 Chisholm Rd Lincoln NE 68516 402.423.8556 [email protected]
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Spring Projects? Graduation? Don’t forget to use Scrip!!
Remember to buy Scrip gift cards for all your spring pro-jects, graduation gifts or parties. We carry home improve-ment stores, grocery stores, discount stores…now includ-ing Target. See attached order form for all participating re-tailers. Or pick up a Scrip order form outside the Booster Store today! You simply purchase the cards at face value and our school receives a percentage of that sale…at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU!! Simple, easy and beneficial to our students and school! Order form on next page!
LSW Booster Store
Store Manager Position—Volunteer
Silver Hawk Authentic—Official Southwest Apparel/Southwest Booster Club is seeking a store manager for the 2 year term of June 2011-June 2013. Please email Barry Gates at [email protected] or Barb Nitz at [email protected] or any member of the Southwest Booster Club board if interested.
Silver Hawk Authentic May Garage Sale!! Week 1 of May: Clearance 20% off marked prices Week 2 of May: Clearance 25% off marked prices Week 3 of May: Clearance 40% off marked prices Week 4 of May: Clearance 50% off marked prices
OPEN HOURS:
Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences, May 3, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Buy your letter jacket NOW! Letter jacket prices will be going up in the fall 2011 so buy now, most styles and sizes are in stock. Last day to shop May 27 – 11am to 1pm
Cheesecake Factory 25.00$ 5% $ Kohl's Department Store 25.00$ 4% $
Chili's Grill & Bar 25.00$ 9% $ Lowe's Home Improvement 25.00$ 4% $
Chipotle 10.00$ 10% $ Macy's 25.00$ 10% $
Cold Stone Creamery 10.00$ 8% $ Marcus Theatres 10.00$ 15% $
DaVinci's 5.00$ 8% $ Old Navy 25.00$ 9% $
Famous Dave's 10.00$ 10% $ Pottery Barn 25.00$ 8% $
Godfather's 5.00$ 15% $ Scheel's 25.00$ 5% $
Great Harvest 10.00$ 8% $ 50.00$ 5% $
Macaroni Grill 25.00$ 9% $ Shopko 25.00$ 3% $
Noodle's & Company 10.00$ 8% $ Target 25.00$ 2% $
Olive Garden 25.00$ 9% $ 100.00$ 2% $
Old Chicago 25.00$ 6% $ T.J. Maxx/ Marshall's 25.00$ 7% $
Omaha Steaks 25.00$ 11% $ Walgreens 25.00$ 6% $
P.F. Chang's China Bistro 25.00$ 8% $ Wal-Mart/ Sam's Club 25.00$ 2% $
Panera Bread 10.00$ 9% $ 100.00$ 2% $
Red Lobster 25.00$ 9% $ Younkers 25.00$ 8% $
Red Robin 25.00$ 9% $ GasRuby Tuesdays 25.00$ 8% $ U-Stop 10.00$ 5% $
Sam & Louie's 10.00$ 5% $ Order Total $_____________Starbucks 10.00$ 7% $
Subway 10.00$ 3% $
Texas Roadhouse 25.00$ 8% $
Make Checks Payable to: Silverhawk Booster Scrip
Silverhawk Boosters ScripLSW Staff? Yes or NoForm drop off box outside the booster store.Questions or special requests? Email [email protected]: Check #: Order Date:
LPS to host next community conversation about supporting students, improving graduation rates Community Conversations continue at Lincoln Public Schools this spring as the School District’s third Conversation – set for 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at Lincoln North Star High School – asks the question: “What’s next?” The What’s Next Parent Event is an informational evening that targets issues surrounding the key transitions for students in school: preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school to postsecondary success. The event showcases a panel of parents and students who will offer insight into how parents and guardians can engage in these critical transitions. Last year Lincoln Public Schools hosted a successful two-meeting Community Conversation that addressed and identified solutions to major issues impacting students who not graduate from high school: issues involving family support systems, poverty, mental health issues, and additional community and societal challenges. The Lincoln Education Association hosted additional Community Conversations last spring that added to the discussion. “This is a continuation of that conversation,” LPS Superintendent Steve Joel said. “The ‘What’s Next’ event expands and further explores the School District’s community conversation about improving graduation rates, and this time we focus on how to help our students survive and thrive through the key transitions in their education. We will have a chance to learn from the personal experi-ences of our panel members, as well as open up the conversation to community participants.” Joel will offer welcoming remarks for the Community Conversation, while the panel discussion is facilitated by Eddie Brown, an LPS graduate, LPS parent, community volunteer and local businessman. Free dinner and childcare will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the panel discussion. North Star High School is located at 5801 N. 33rd St. The event is a collaborative effort that includes a wide list of community partners: Lincoln Public Schools, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, Parent Involvement Resource Centers (PIRC), Lincoln Education Association, Nebraska State Education As-sociation, National Education Association, Malone Center and United Way. Information booths will be available from the Educa-tionQuest Foundation, Southeast Community College, University of Nebraska Lincoln, and more. For more information contact: Josh Cramer at LPS, 402-436-1994.
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Nebraska Safety Council will offer driver’s education classes at Southwest High School this spring. The classroom lectures and times will vary due to the session cho-sen. Course Curriculum 22 hours of classroom instruction 5 hours hands-on driving 5 hours of observation (suggested but not required) 1/2 hour Behind-The Wheel Drive Test for Provisional
perpendicular/angle parking, marked and unmarked streets/intersections, interstate driving, heavy city traffic driving.
Advance registration and payment are required. Students must possess a learner’s permit to enroll. Lecture dates: June 6-9, Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., June 13-16, Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 18-21, Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.– 3 p.m. Driving Appointment Cancellation Policy: Student must give their instructors at least four (4) hours notice before cancel-ling a driving appointment. Failure to do this will result in a $20.00 no call, no show charge and must be paid before stu-dents can receive their P.O.P forms. Please contact Nebraska Safety Council regarding ques-tions and registration fees. (402) 483-2511
Southeast Community College will offer driver education classes at Lincoln Southwest. The classroom lectures will meet twice each week for 5 weeks The drive lab will meet for 2 hours once a week for 6 weeks. Students also have the option of tak-ing the lecture on-line. Students must have a school or learner’s per-
mit and complete both the lecture and driving to be eligi-ble for documentation for the Provisional Operator’s Permit and/or insurance requirements. Participation in a mandatory orientation is required be-fore each class. The orientation for student and adult representative is scheduled before each session to pro-vide important information and to schedule the drive lab. Please bring a planning calendar for this purpose. A registered student who is not accompanied by an adult representative (i.e., parent, legal guardian/representative/sponsor) at the orientation will be dropped from the class. Orientations will be held at the Continuing Education Center, 301 South 68 Street Place. Required book is available at the Orientation and the SCC Bookstore. Orientation date: May 26, Lecture dates: June 6-17, Monday-Friday, 12-2 p.m. Orientation date: June 9, Lecture dates: June 20-July 1, 12-2 p.m. Orientation date: June 30, Lecture dates: July 11-22 12-2 p.m. Tuition $225 Please contact Southeast Community College regard-ing questions and registration fees.
