Lexington High School ! 251 Waltham Street Laura J. Lasa Principal ! Lexington, Massachusetts 02421 781- 861-2320, ext. 1000 email: [email protected] August 2013 Dear Parents and Students, One of the most exciting aspects of summer is the sense of renewal that arrives with the start of a new school year. Most students are ready to connect in person with old friends, create new relationships, start new classes, and become part of Lexington High School life in new or familiar ways. I know the faculty and staff are excited about meeting new students and looking forward to reconnecting with familiar faces. The time spent in homeroom during the opening days of school will provide opportunities to review information and schedules, and to ask questions. Student schedules and related information from the Guidance office will be sent in a separate mailing. Important information is also located on the final page of this letter. Please note the list that follows, indicating the additional materials that were included in the summer mailing. If you did not receive a copy of any of the materials, you can download a copy of items #1 through #4. We are not publishing the peer contact information on the website. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Opening Week Schedule; Lexington Public Schools revised School Calendar; Military recruitment letter (seniors and juniors only); please complete and return; Open Campus permission form (seniors and juniors only) please complete and return; and Peer Mentor contact information (freshman only). Over the course of the summer a couple of important changes in leadership have occurred here at LHS. Please welcome Dr. Jacalyn Crowe as the Department Leader for Science and Ms. Nicole Canniff as Dean in the Science building. Ms. Canniff will be taking over the dean responsibilities for Mr. Lautman, who will retire in December. (Mr. Lautman will be at the high school, taking on several major projects, but also working closely with Ms. Canniff on her transition to LHS). Ms. Canniff will send an introductory letter in the fall with more detailed information about her professional background. Ms. Kelly Mertens has also joined our administrative faculty as one of the new Educational Team Supervisors (ETS) in the Special Education department. Several dates to mark on your calendar: • Our annual Freshman Parent Information Night on Wednesday, Sept. 11th at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. • Our annual Back to School Night program on Wednesday, October 2nd from 7:00 PM until 9:25 PM. (The purpose of this evening is to give you the opportunity to follow your son’s or daughter’s schedule via ten-minute presentations from each of your child’s teachers.) Further information about both of these programs will be communicated to you in the fall via the school website (lps.lexingtonma.org/lexingtonhs). I strongly encourage you to become a member/renew your membership to the Lexington High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). This organization provides generous financial support of various events, an array of forums throughout the year, and human resources to support much of what goes on at LHS. The high school deeply appreciates the efforts of the PTSA. Please go to www.LHSPTSA.org for Back to School tips, information about the PTSA, membership, and access to the PTSA listserv. In addition to continuing relationships with students and parents I have come to know in the past, I am very excited to meet new members of our community. I wish you fun and relaxation during the waning days of summer. Sincerely, Laura Lasa A word regarding student schedules. . . All students will receive a hard copy of their schedule on their first day of school in homeroom. To returning Lexington Public School (Grade 9) students: • Your schedule is viewable on the Aspen portal beginning August 20th utilizing the same Aspen password given to you in grade eight. • The Guidance Department is also mailing a hard copy to all ninth graders with information regarding procedures for requesting resolution of conflicts. • On the first day of school in homeroom, students will receive a high school email account and password. In the future, this will be the account from which you must email the District with a request to reset your Aspen password. This procedure is in place to protect the security and privacy of student information. Thus, if you do not have, or have forgotten, your Aspen account password, you will need to wait to receive an email account to be able to request a change in your Aspen password. NOTE: Please, do not call or email the high school requesting your password. We do not have access to that private information at this time. To new Lexington Public School (Grade 9) students: • Your schedule is being mailed home by the Guidance Department. • The Guidance Department is also mailing information regarding procedures for requesting resolution of conflicts. • On the first day of school, you will receive email and student account information (Aspen). To new Lexington High School (Grade 10-12) students: • Your schedule is being mailed home by the Guidance Department. • • • The Guidance Department is also mailing information regarding procedures for requesting resolution of conflicts. On the first day of school, you will receive email and student account information (Aspen). The orientation for new students is on Tuesday, September 3rd from 10:00-11:20 in the Library Media Center. To returning Lexington (Grade 10-12) students: • Your schedule will not be mailed home. Your schedule is viewable on the Aspen portal beginning August 20th utilizing the same Aspen password from last school year. • Information regarding procedures for requesting resolution of conflicts can be found on the Aspen and LHS homepages. • If you forgot your password, you must email the District utilizing your First Class email account only (to request a password reset). This procedure is in place to protect the security and privacy of student information. NOTE: Please, do not call or email the high school requesting your password. We do not have access to that private information at this time.