LHS Principal's Update 11/8/24
District Calendar: Click here
School Instagram at lhsbluedevilnation
Drivers Ed Parent Class
The next driver education parent class is on November 18th from 6-8 in the school cafeteria. No registration is required. Parents should show up for 5:45 to sign in the attendance sheet. Please use the side doors at the flagpole entrance.
This is for parents only, students do not have to attend.
Cheer Competition Sunday
LHS cheerleaders have kicked off their competition season with back to back wins! The team took first place and received the Bewitched Cheer award for the Most Memorable routine at the Halloween Invitational at Shepherd Hill High School.
Last Sunday the team took 1st place in the Game Day division at Marlboro High school with their highest score of the season thus far with a 177.7 beating their nearest competitor by over 10 points!
The team will compete at Gardner High School this weekend where they will defend their Midwach league title. The team is scheduled to compete on Sunday Nov. 10 and will perform around 1:00! Crowd response is a big part of the competition so we would love to have as many LHS fans as possible in attendance
Report Cards
First term report cards were released on Thursday November 7th. You can access them on ASPEN.
No School November 11
There will be no school on Monday November 11 for Veteran’s Day (which is also my daughter’s birthday!)
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be on Monday November 25th from 4:00 to 8:00 and Tuesday November 26th from noon to 4:00. You should receive an email from your student’s teachers to sign up.
Remember, those are also early dismissal days, with students dismissed at 10:45 on both days.
Tutoring
LHS will begin drop-in tutoring next week. Tutoring will run on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays right after school in Room C221. Students can stop by for help with their classes or just a place to get homework done.
Ski Club
Greetings LHS Students and Families from the Ski and Snowboard Club, It's that time of year to get ready for ski and snowboard season and start thinking about SNOW.
LHS ski and snowboard club will begin skiing weekly on January 6th, 2024 (only 59 days). We have a google classroom for all communications, the code is evwgpmu. There you'll find a calendar of our dates along with other information.
The ski and snowboard club will provide transportation. The transportation is a first come first serve basis. You need to let me know by November 26th. This will allow me to arrange all transportation and communicate the plan before Winter Recess because when we return, we head to the mountain! So exciting!
Please direct any and all questions to david.larson@leominsterschools.org and I look forward to getting on the slopes!
Program Name: LEOMINSTER HIGH SCHOOL
Program Day: MON
Coordinator: DAVID LARSON
Parents can start ordering program services October 2, 2024 and ordering will close December 13, 2024.
Bussing is a first come first serve
Parents Step ONE: Sign up with Coordinator for transportation. david.larson@leominsterschools.org
Parents Step TWO: Go to wachusett.com/schoolgroups
Parents Step THREE: Enter this code: LEHSC to access your program's form.
If a student already has a Season Pass, there will be a check box during ordering to select that they already purchased a pass.
Important Dates
11/26 Last Day to sign up with david.larson@leominsterschools.org for bussing.
12/2 - Pass prices increase
12/13 - Last day to order passes
1/6 - First day of Leominster program 3:00-8:00 pickup @ LHS
1/20, 2/17-2/21 - No programs, holiday/school vacation
GIVE Clothing Drive
GIVE is collecting gently used warm clothing donations through November 14th. Items can be brought to any history class.
Canned Goods Collection
Every year LHS and Fitchburg High compete to collect the most canned goods for local charities, and every year we lose by a lot! We are trying to catch up this year and help out more families. Donations of canned goods can be brought to the school office or your student can bring them in to any class. Collection ends on November 26.
Football Game Friday
Friday November 8th LHS Football is hosting Westford Academy at Doyle Field in the Round of 16 tournament.
All ticket sales (and prices) for tournament games are set by the MIAA. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY CASH AT THE GATE TO GET IN! Tickets need to be purchased at https://gofan.co/
Go Big Blue!
Tree Decorating at City Hall
The Mayor’s Youth Council is decorating a tree at City Hall November 14th and are looking for donations of blue or white lights, blue or white garland, and ornaments that are school-themed or represent programs at school (theater, music, sports, etc). Items can be brought to the LHS office
LHS In the News
LHS was in the news for the Women of Color Speaker Series! https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2024/11/05/a-visionary-leader/
Transportation
This year we are continuing the use of the First View bus app. This user-friendly tool allows families to monitor school bus routes in real time. The link to instructions can be found on our website and Facebook page. The district code is T7G3. If you have questions or issues with buses, please email transportation@leominsterps.org.
Breakfast for the Bands
Mark your calendars today for the 27th Annual “Breakfast for the Bands” which will be held on Sunday November 24, 2024, from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, at Leominster High School, 122 Granite St, Leominster, MA. During the breakfast, the Bands of Fitchburg and Leominster High School, will take turns playing throughout the morning. See the attached flyer!
Substitute Teachers
LHS has need of a few people with a lot of patience and savviness to help us out as substitute teachers. Please email me if you are interested.
School Schedule next week: Shop Week B
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Day 6
Wednesday: Day 7
Thursday: Day 1
Friday: Day 2
Next Week’s Athletic Schedule
https://arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=12673
MCAS Countdown:
The six days your student takes the MCAS are the six most important days of a student’s entire K-12 experience. Passing the MCAS is a requirement to get a diploma in Massachusetts. Students take the ELA MCAS in March of Grade 10, the Math MCAS in May of Grade 10, and the Biology MCAS in June of the year they take Biology, usually Grade 9.
MCAS is coming up fast. The ELA MCAS is in 144 days (not school days, calendar days!) The Math MCAS is in 200 days, and the Biology MCAS is in 215 days.
Reminders:
Calling for student absences
If your student is going to be absent please call the school at 978-534-7715. The absence line is option 1.
If you get an auto-call that your student is marked as absent and you think they are at school, don’t panic. Sometimes they accidentally get marked absent (especially with a sub) and sometimes they do cut class. Call the school and we will confirm they are not here.
School Attendance:
It is essential for you to get your student to school as much as possible. I am compelled by law to work to get your student to school as often as possible. Absences are excused by a doctor or dentist’s note, court appearance, college visit, driving license appointment. Vacations are not excused absences.
When a student gets five unexcused absences we will require a meeting with parents to make a plan to get them to school more often. Remember that students will need to make up time from unexcused absences at our Saturday Academy.
Buses:
School bus routes are on the district website at https://www.leominsterps.org/. I would plan to be out there a few minutes early just in case.
Student Dismissals
If you need to dismiss your student you can send them to school with a note to bring to the office when they get to school. Your student will receive a pass to be dismissed and can just check out at the office when it is time for them to go. You won’t need to come into the school and it’s much faster than coming in to dismiss your student.
Please have the note state the time you need the student to leave, not the time of the appointment!
FAFSA/CCS Information
Attention College Bound seniors!
If you haven't heard, the 2025-2026 FAFSA will not officially open until December 1st this year. Make sure you create your studentaid.gov usernames between now and November so you're ready to go once it opens.
Don't forget the CSS Profile is required by MANY local colleges and is currently OPEN and ready to complete. Are you curious if a college on your list requires this form? Check here!
Have questions about completing the CSS Profile? Feel free to reach out to College Affordable via email at financialaid@collegeaffordable.org or call/text (781) 343 - 1941.
Elks Scholarships
Hello senior parents! The Most Valuable Student scholarship, awarded through the Elks, is now taking applications. Applications can be found and completed online by November 12, 2024. Here is how you access the application:
Go to: www.elks.org
select "Our Programs"
select "Scholarships"
select "Most Valuable Student
Joshua Romano
Principal