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Laura Lasa
Principal
Lexington High School
251 Waltham Street •:• Lexington, Massachusetts 02421
To: The Lexington High School Council
From: Laura J Lasa
Re: March Meeting
781- 861-2320, x69103
Lasa@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
FAX: 781-861-2440
LHS School Site Council Meeting met on March 13, 2017 from 6:15-7:45 PM in the Library
Media Center.
Present: Laura Lasa, Suzanne Lau, Shiv Chandra, Sharon Kendall, Elise Rowley, Katherine
Manning, Nancy Shepard, Sheera Knecht, Katie Cutler, Liz Curtin, Dave Wininger
Absent: Polly Kienle, Leslie Zales, Alex McLaughlin, Elise Santiago
Guests: Christine Sullivan (teacher), Kent Nybakken (Parent)
L February 6 minutes approved with no changes.
IL Announcements from Council members
• Ryan Gendron will replace Katherine Manning in May as School Council representative
from the Humanities building. Many thanks to Katherine for her thoughtful contributions
to School Council over several years.
• The next meeting schedule on April 10 at 6:15 pm was re -scheduled to April 3 at 5:30 pm
to avoid conflics with the first day of Passover and the Town Meeting.
• Congratulations to Nancy and Katie on their re-election as Town Meeting members.
• LHS Math Team ranked 2nd in MA and 16th nationally (using the top 3 scores by team
members) in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination.
• The 3'd Annual Lexington Parent Academy will be held on March 25 at the Community
Center. The SADD club is partnering with Parent Academy to present "Hidden in plain
view" — a model teenage room. Admission is free but sign-ups can be found on the
Recreation Department website to reserve a place.
• Sophomore Dance was successful and attended by approximately 170 students.
• LHS Parent Group meets on Thursdays weekly and positively supports parents in
navigating LHS. Thanks to Associate Principal John Murray for running a meeting once a
month at LHS.
• LHS conducted a successful Shelter in Place drill during I Block. Each building smoothly
completed the drill (going to the field house, attendance and dismissal back to homeroom)
in 15 minute or less (23 to 46 homerooms at a time).
• Another evacuation drill to an outdoor location (football field or Grace Chapel) is planned
in April at an unannounced time during school hours where students will have to find their
homeroom teachers on arrival at the evacuation location.
• Preliminary AP course registration numbers were reviewed. Changes will occur as
students hold Academic Advising Appointments with counselors and the Placement
Review process closes.
• LHS is making progress with thoughtful discussions regarding balance and academic load.
May need further investigation of course selection for seniors.
III. Potential Recommendations for Extracurricular Start Times
• Continuation of discussion from February meeting regarding recommendations that
School Council would like to make to the Superintendent about earlier start times for
school related events during the week.
• Reviewed proposed recommendations.
• Positive outcomes could be getting students and staff home earlier, and developing healthy
habits of finding balance that are consistent with being student focused.
• Negative outcomes could be more stress on parents to get to events earlier, harder to eat
dinner before events, athletic and performing arts events may conflict more frequently.
• The Principal will draft a final recommendation for May Site Council review and June
presentation to the Superintendent.
IV. Embedding Citizenship in the School
• What does LHS do to teach students citizenship and civics in School and should they do
more?
o Examples of civic engagement in school includes Mock Town Meeting in 8th
grade, the Student -Faculty Senate (elected representatives, meeting follow Roberts
Rules), NHS voter drive, opportunity to watch televised Presidential Inauguration
ceremony.
o Questions to consider: What are the responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy?
Global citizenship, communication and sharing knowledge are discussed in World
History. What is the difference between being and activist and a supporter?
o Community service promotes citizenship and community involvement. This
program should be discussed to accommodate the large student population.
o Students could be encouraged to have clear goals and to be more
reflective about their community service and how meaningful it is to them and the
constituency being served.
o Could a sophomore curriculum be developed around community service
(between health in freshman and junior years)?
V. Life After LHS — Possible topics?
• College students coming back to talk to seniors — What would you have liked to have
known? Biggest problems? Roommates? Making connections — how did you meet people?
• Gap year options — formal and informal
• What to do if you are struggling? Where can you get help?
• Partner with Julie Fenn to let students talk about personal safety and how to address a
range of situations that occur after high school.
• Personal finance — budgeting, credit
VI. Adjournment 7:45 pm