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A FEW WORDS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Volume 24 Number 4 March/April 2015
One of the best attributes to being a resident of Western New York is the change of seasons. No change has been more anticipated than the one from our current weather pattern. But the length of the day signals that winter is coming to an end and obviously nature will provide us with numerous examples of new beginnings. We want you to be aware of all that can be accomplished this spring as a student here at Lancaster High School. Mentioned in this newsletter are many opportunities for students and parents to experience LHS to its fullest with the focus on the Music, Art, Physical Education and Science departments. The musical, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, was a huge success. The amount of work put in was obviously reflected in the final product. Record numbers attended the production and we are confident that all were thoroughly delighted with the performance. It was a true community effort with students, staff and parents working together. All involved should be extremely proud of their accomplishments. Also, Lancaster High School will be represented by some of our most creative and engaged students in the 3rd Annual BAND Against Bullying Competition. The competition was created to raise community awareness of bullying related issues and empower youth to be advocates for change in their homes, schools and communities. In Art, the hallways of Lancaster are decorated with work from our students in conjunction with leadership and the Art department. We continue to display student work at our gallery at Central Avenue School. Our young ladies and gentlemen are making a conscious effort to improve the presentation of our district by redecorating the walls and it has made a significant impact on the culture of the building. Physical Education is winding up the inside portion of the curriculum with units in volleyball, fitness and snowshoeing to name a few. Students and staff alike are looking forward to a break in the weather, allowing more outside activities to commence. The Science Department has continued to implement new technology into the classrooms to improve student learning. From flipping their classrooms to using technology to assess student learning, teachers have stayed on the cutting edge of technology using augmented reality, plickers and the google classroom. Spring is a time when the Administration has a dual role. We are facilitating the end of this school year while planning for the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. To that end the scheduling process is in full implementation. The counselors are continuing to meet with students to schedule for next year and give advice regarding future considerations. Parents and students, please continue talking about those choices because it is an important, yet exciting, family decision. Enjoy this edition of the Newsletter because I know you will find it to be both informative and enlightening. Let’s take advantage of the energy that comes with this time. Mr. Marchioli
*** Please note that Thursday, April 9 & Friday, April 10 school will be in session with student attendance.***
ART DEPARTMENT NEWS
The Lancaster Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts has had several successful exhibits so far this year at our student run Art Gallery. Our first exhibit, titled “To Exist Is To Change” featured photographs and digitally manipulated images created by Lancaster High School students exploring the theme of Change. In our second exhibit, students were challenged to answer the question “What If” through a piece of art, and the results were very diverse works that featured a variety of different medium and subject matter. Our upcoming exhibit will celebrate National Youth Art Month in March for the Youth Art Month Exhibit is Thursday, March 12 from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm, and includes free refreshments and a variety of kid’s art activities. The Arts Academy gal-lery is located at 149 Central Avenue (former Central Avenue elementary school) Room #130. The Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts and the LCSD Art Dept. will also be hosting the annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Festival of the Arts on Saturday, May 9, from 11:00 pm—7:00 pm, at Lancaster High School. In addition to the dinner theatre, other events and activities featured include a district wide art show, an art sale and auction, a baked goods sale, children’s crafts and activities, and a theme basket raffle with hundreds of baskets and gift certificates.
This year’s murder mystery dinner theatre performance titled “The Case of the Malted Falcon” is a parody of the 1941 classic detective movie “The Maltese Falcon”, and is sure to keep you entertained! There will be two performances on May 9 at 1:00 pm lunch matinee and a 5:00 pm dinner performance. Tickets are $15 and include admis-sion to the show, Chiavetta’s chicken dinner with a drink and dessert, as well as a free spin on our prize wheel. Tickets may be purchase from any Arts Academy student or by calling the LHS art office at (716) 686-3255 extension 9351.
Lab Requirements
The lab requirement for science courses whose final exam is a New York State Regents Exam must be completed by 2:45pm on Friday, May 29, 2015. Students who have not completed this require-ment cannot be allowed to sit for the New York State Regents examinations in Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, or Living Environment. This is a state regulation for which we cannot make any exceptions. Please be sure that students in Regents and Honors science cours-es complete this requirement by handing in all of their written lab work by the stated deadline.
Health Care Academy News
The Health Care Academy once again has had a busy
year. Many of our seniors have been accepted into very competitive healthcare programs at a variety of colleges and universities. We have hosted many guest speakers from the medical field, including Dr. Ken Snyder, a well respected neurosurgeon from The Gates Vascular Institute and members of the Robotic Surgery Program from Roswell Park. Outside of school our students have spent time volunteering at various healthcare facilities and have been working at internships at the VA hospital. In May some academy members will be traveling to Cleveland to tour the Cleveland Clinic. We recently finished our very first “Make-a-Wish” fundraiser and were able to donate over $300 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Finally, this February we accepted 52 new members to the academy and welcome the HCA Class of 2018.
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT NEWS
Science Electives The Lancaster Science Department offers a variety of elective courses that cover a range of interests. Many of these carry pre- requisites so please refer to the course description guide during your scheduling. Electives Offered: Meteorology
Astronomy General Chemistry
Health Care Academy Sequence Oceanography
Science in the Media/Forensics Anatomy
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT NEWS con’t.
The Meteorology Class from Lancaster High School recently had the privilege to visit the WKBW-TV (Channel 7) studio in February. We met with on-air meteorologist Autumn Lewandowski and she discussed her responsibilities as a TV meteorologist, both on-air and off. Autumn showed stu-dents how she generates her weather forecasts and the challenges that weather in Western New York often brings. Students were given the opportunity to work with the Chromakey (the green screen be-hind the on-air meteorologist) and the weather maps as if they were on TV. Autumn then fielded many insightful questions from the class about her position, her training and her previous work in the south-eastern United States. We then had the privilege of being on the set during the live production of the News at Noon! This was a valuable experience for our students to see how a television studio operates and the number of people it takes to make it work. It was also beneficial to our students who have a strong in-terest in pursuing a career in meteorology, communication or TV production. The students loved this trip and we thank Autumn Lewandowski, Channel 7 and the Lancaster School District for allowing us to visit. Meteorology is a science elective offered at Lancaster High School. Mr. Niescier is the Meteorology teacher and is a certified meteorologist.
Check out the LHS School Store for all kinds of Redskin apparel and accessories.
(See school website for available items)
Science Honor Society Hosting the ‘Third Annual’ Science Night Friday, April 24
6:30 PM—8:00 PM High School Cafeteria
This will be geared toward Elementary aged students, but all are welcome. It will be free to the public and its’ purpose is to get young students excited about science while giving our Science Honor Society members an opportunity to plan, interact, and teach young people in the community. Dress appropriately—it may be messy!
. Wear Your Hat Day
Science Honor Society is hosting a “Wear Your Hat” to school day on Friday, March 13. All proceeds will be donated to the James Metz Foundation to help restore the basketball courts at Keysa Park. Purchase a blue sticker for $1.00 from any SHS member or in Room 107 between March 10th through morning of March 13.
SCIENCE HONOR SOCIETY
Science Honor Society applications, which are on Lancaster
High School’s website, will be accepted in April. .
The induction of new members will take place in the fall at a date TBD. Check the school calendar.
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT NEWS con’t.
. Do you need help in Science?
Come to the Peer Tutoring
Meet and Greet on Wednesday,
March 4 at 2:20 PM in Room !07.
Science Honor Society tutors will
be there to exchange contacts and
get you set up with tutoring.
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT NEWS con’t.
On January 31st, after several months of preparation, the high school Science Olympiad team participated in the regional Science Olympiad competition against 42 high school teams from Western New York. The competition took place at Canisius College. The team finished in 4th place. They will advance on to the state competition at Le Moyne College on March 13-14. The students designed bridges and airplanes from Balsa wood. They constructed a vehicle to carry an egg a certain distance very quickly and stop without breaking it. In addition, some students performed experiments in Forensics and Chemistry lab to identify unknown substances. While other student’s evaluated genomes, fossil samples, insects and the spread of diseases by analyzing CDC reports.
The following students won individual medals:
Second place Forensics Lydia Hyla and Taylor Zaccarine Invasive species Alyssa Kenyon and Brian Cornell Technical Problem Solving Lydia Hyla and Raymond Zheng
Third place Mission Possible Mason Phibbs and Mike Yedinak Wright Stuff Sam Young and Mike Yedinak Fourth place Cell Biology Anish Mahadeo and Taylor Zaccarine Fifth place Compound machines Diana Franzone and Raymond Zheng Chem lab Lydia Hyla and Diana Franzone Congratulations! Awesome job! Good luck at States!
MEDIA CENTER NEWS
MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWS
TECHNOLOGY DEPT. NEWS LMS TECH NIGHT
Students at Lancaster Middle School got a glimpse at their future opportunities and options during the first Tech Night held in the district on Jan. 29. The event, held at the middle school, brought eighth-grade students together with high school students who participate in various technology courses and programs at the high school level. Students interested in technology at the high school can choose individual courses they wish to take, or they can become involved in Project Lead the Way. That program is one of the academies offered by the high school where students can focus on a particular field, in this case, technology.
The older students who participate in the various technology courses showcased some of the work they have done in their classes for the middle school students who will soon begin choosing their first high school courses.
According to Phillip Streit, a technology education teacher at the high school who helped coordinate the event, 37 middle school students attended the program, and each of them brought a parent along.
Roughly 25 high school students greeted the soon-to-be freshmen and their parents, including Amy Bucklaew, a junior and member of Project Lead the Way. Students enrolled in that program have a focus on technology-based classes through their latter years at the high school, and have the opportunity to earn college credits before they cross the stage at graduation.
Among Bucklaew’s favorite experiences in the technology department was the opportunity to build and then test a model bridge in her principles of engineering class. She noted, however, that the courses offered at the high school in the technology department are diverse, and students with varying interests could each find their own place. “I hope that they [middle school students] take out of here that there’s a lot of stuff you can do in the technology field,” she said. “If you’re interested, try it.”
Among the courses listed on Project Lead the Way’s page on the district’s website are design and drawing for produc-tion, principles of engineering, computer integrated manufacturing and digital electronics. According to Streit, there are a total of 15 courses in technology education offered at the high school level. In those courses, students can gain experience with resources such as a 3-dimensional printer, laser engraving and advanced CAD software.
Likewise, at the event, there were several stations set up where stu-dents could see the various fields of focus within the department. In one cor-ner, middle school students could see a robot wheel across the floor that is part of a high school course’s curriculum. In another room, the young students put together a trebuchet.
For Streit, the event was a success but has much greater implications
than what might be immediately apparent. “There is a great need for tech-
nical minds in our world,” he said. “We want to expose the students to as many STEM [science, technology, engineering, mathematics] and technical fields so that they are engaged in problem solving as much as possible while working through the regular course load at the high school level.”
Article by Julie Halm, Lancaster Bee
NEWS FROM THE NURSE’S OFFICE
School physicals will be given in the Nurse’s Office in May. Students interested in playing sports next year MUST have a current physical. Physicals can be done by your own physician or by the school doctor. The student will not be eligible to participate in the sports program if he or she has not received the required physical. A copy of the physical on the LSCD Health Appraisal Form must be on file in the Health Office before any student will be allowed to try out. 10th Grade Mandated Physicals — All 9th grade students MUST have a physical done as the Grade 10 New York State mandated physical. Physicals are also offered to students who want to obtain working papers. Applicants must have a physical within one year of the application. ****If you wish to have your child get a physical for sports, working papers, or the mandated 10th grade physical by the school physician, please call the Health Office at 686-3266 or 686-3343, or email:
to make an appointment starting March 2 through April 2. No student will be scheduled for these physicals unless we hear from you, the parent/guardian.
If there are any questions, please call the Nurse’s Office at 686-3266.
SENIORS AND THEIR PARENTS Senior immunization records are currently on the parent
portal. They will be available to you from now until July 1. You are welcome to print as many copies as you need for college admission requirements, employers, etc. Please keep a copy for yourself for future needs. Obtaining copies from the health office after July 1 is more difficult, and may cause delays.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Science Honor Society Fundraiser
Flapjack Breakfast
Where: Applebee’s 4967 Transit Road, Depew When: Saturday, May 2, 8-10am Cost: $6/Ticket (room #107 or see any Sci-ence Honor Society Member) What: Good food, Chinese Auction, supporting a great cause, and lots of fun!
Friday—March 27
Immediately following the
Mr. Lancaster show—ends at 11 PM
Cafeteria
Mega ticket available for both the Mr. Lancaster
show and the dance
Mr. Lancaster t‐shirts available for purchase
**Come dance with the Mr. Lancaster contestants**
UPCOMING EVENTS
Spring Spirit Week Volleyball Tournament
Where: Lancaster High School Field House
When: Saturday, March 28, 10:30a.m. - 3:00p.m.
Who: You and 4-6 other teammates
$12 per team
Signups outside of room 242
3/16-3/23
You’ll like it when we spike it!!!
Lancaster High School Counseling Center
Counselors
A-Com Mrs. Megan Hewett
686-3229
Con-Ge Mrs. Rebecca O’Connor
686-3265
Gf-Kod Mrs. Nancy Hejaily
686-3264
Koe-Mio Mrs. Jodi Parisi
686-3263
Mip-Pat Mr. Don Marchese
686-3853
Pau-So Mrs. Tryjankowski
686-3261
Sp-Z Mrs. Danielle Len
686-3399 ——————–
Secretaries
Mrs. Pat Curtis 686-3258
Transcripts
Mrs. Nancy Rinow 686-3259
Appointments
Counselor’s Newsletter
March-April 2015
Family Edition
AP Exam Schedule and Registration It’s almost time for AP exams! Students enrolled in AP courses will receive information on registration shortly from their teacher. The cost to take each AP exam is $91 per exam ( plus $1.75 processing fee). Free/reduced lunch —students can see their counselor for a fee reduction waiver. Students can sign up to take an AP exam on-line February 23 — March 27. Exam Date Chemistry May 4 Psychology May 4 (p.m.) Calculus AB May 5 English Lit (Berger) May 6 Spanish May 7 Studio Art (room 149) May 7 (8th period) US History May 8 Biology May 11 Music Theory May 11 Physics C: Mechanics May 11 (p.m.) Gov’t. & Pol. May 12 English Lang. May 13 Statistics May 13 (p.m.) Economics (macro) May 14 (p.m.)
