Lawr en ce Free S ta te H i g h S c h oo l

Inside this issue:

Daily Schedules 2

January Calendar 2

Girls Swim & Dive 2

After School Tutoring 3

Theatre News 3

Debate News 4

Local Scholarships 5

Inclement Weather 6

Mission & Vision

Statement

7

Volume , Issue JANUARY 2019

Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents:

The entire Free State staff welcomes you back for the spring

semester and a Happy New Year. Construction is underway and

will continue throughout the spring semester into the summer. The

spring semester is the time we ask students to prepare for the next

school year through an early enrollment process. This process will

begin on January 31 through the development of Individual Plans of

Study (IPS). The IPS is a requirement of the new accreditation

process for the State of Kansas. Students must complete an interest

inventory, four-year plan and a post-secondary plan as part of the

IPS process. The first part, the interest inventory will be completed

by all 9th through 11th grade students on January 31. On February 20

students will complete their four-year plan and complete the

early enrollment for next through the course selection process.

A parent meeting will be held on Monday, February 4 to provide

parents and students with information regarding the course

selection process for the next school year. As always, we ask that

parent take an active role in the process. Additional information will

be sent prior to the parent meeting.

The goal of the IPS is to provide students with a road map for their

education as they move into college or the world of work. The map

can always be adjusted as interests and skills develop throughout

their educational career.

We hope that everyone has a great second semester. If at any

time you have any concerns or questions please feel free to

contact any member of the administrative team.

Thank you,

Myron Graber

LFSHS Principal

WEDNESDAY—LATE ARRIVAL SCHEDULE

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

0 Period 7:00—8:00

1st Period 8:05—9:40

3rd Period 9:45—11:25

5th Period 11:30—1:30

1st Lunch 11:30—11:55

2nd Lunch 12:00—12:25

3rd Lunch 12:30—12:55

4th Lunch 1:05—1:30

7th Period 1:35—3:10

0 Period 7:00—8:00

1st Period 8:05—8:57

2nd Period 9:02—9:56

3rd Period 10:01—10:53

4th Period 10:58—11:50

5th Period 11:55—1:16

1st Lunch 11:55—12:20

2nd Lunch 12:14—12:39

3rd Lunch 12:33—12:58

4th Lunch 12:51—1:16

6th Period 1:21—2:13

7th Period 2:18—3:10

DAILY SCHEDULE—MONDAY TUESDAY FRIDAY

PLC 8:00—9:00

2nd Period 9:05—10:45

4th Period 10:50—12:50

1st Lunch 10:50—11:15

2nd Lunch 11:20—11:45

3rd Lunch 11:50—12:15

4th Lunch 12:25—12:50

6th Period 12:55—2:30

TEACHER PLAN 2:30—3:10

LOOKING AHEAD

JANUARY 2019

Jan. 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

1—7 WINTER BREAK—NO SCHOOL

8 CLASSES RESUME—REGULAR SCHEDULE

9 LATE ARRIVAL SCHEDULE (2,4,6)

10 REGULAR SCHEDULE (0,1,3,5,7)

11 REGULAR SCHEDULE

16 2:40—3:00 pm—Signup Meeting for Girls

Swimming & Diving rm 404

17—23 ORCHESTRA TRIP TO LOS ANGELES

21 NO SCHOOL—Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

23 7—8 pm—Parent Meeting for Girls Swimming

and Diving—Commons

SCHEDULES

GIRLS’ SWIMMING & DIVING

Girls interested in swimming or diving for Free State

should attend this meeting. The signup meeting for

girls swimming and diving will be on Wednesday,

January 16 at 2:40—3:00 in room 404,

Coach McDonald’s room.

The informational parent meeting for the Free State

Girls Swimming and Diving team will be on

Wednesday, January 23 in the Free State

commons from 7—8 pm.

The Free State Department’s production of

“Wait Until Dark” was adjudicated for Kansas

Thespians Festival, the state competition for high

school Theatre programs, and was selected as one

of three plays from the state to be performed at the

2019 Festival in Wichita, Kansas. The cast and crew

will take their show on the road to perform at

Century II on January 4.

Also, Colton Smith, FSHS Senior, was recently notified

that his original one-act play was selected by

Kansas State Thespians for performance at the

Kansas Thespians Festival on January 5.

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The FSHS Orchestra will be off on their trip to

Los Angeles, California beginning

January 17—23.

DEBATE NEWS It has been a great December for Firebird Debate! We started by hosting

our invitational tournament on December 1st – and we want to send a

thank you to all of the LFS community who came out and judged for us!

We couldn’t do it without your support! While we were hosting, our novice

teams were busy placing 1st AND 2nd at SMS – this is the FOURTH time this

season that FS novices have placed 1, 2 at a tournament! And, some of

the varsity were competing at Maize High School, where we completed

our regular season with more students qualified to the Debate Coaches’

Invitational than any other school, and more DCI bids earned than any

other school.

The following weekend we hosted the East Kansas NSDA

National Qualifier and District Novice Championships. In

addition to hosting, we had several teams competing –

and did they ever compete!

Our district is highly competitive and features some of

the top teams in Kansas. 33 teams from 14 schools

competed to earn one of only three spots at NSDA

Nationals next June, in Dallas. Two of those three spots

went to Free State!

Spencer Yost Wolff and Max Lillich finished with a 7-1

record and qualified to nationals!!

Alexi Somerville and James Vereen finished with a 6-2 record and also qualified to nationals!

In the East Kansas Novice Championships, which features

the top 40 novice teams from our NSDA District, Free State

had four teams place in the top 6!

Ryan Duan and John Marshall - 3rd

Simon Rutland and Sheya Bhakta - 4th

Serena Rupp and Audri Gutierrez - 5th

Rita Joseph and Abbey Hosslet - 6th

We ended our December (competitively) at the 6A, 4-Speaker

Regional hosted by our friends at Lawrence High School. Again

– the Firebirds competed strong! The Firebird Team of Zach

Hill, Jacob Wilkus, Alexi Sommerville and James Vereen finished with an 8-2 record, and earned 24 ballots (out of 30)

on the weekend. This was good enough for a 2nd place finish and ensures that we will now have 14 students (the

maximum allowed) representing Free State at the State tournament next month in Garden City!

WHAT SENIORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS 2019

Every year, Douglas County businesses, organizations and individuals

generously sponsor local scholarships for seniors at both high schools.

Over 60 scholarships have been established for Free State Seniors.

Mark your calendars NOW for the following dates!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, AFTER 4 P.M.

Visit the Free State webpage and click on the Student Services tab to locate the LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP link.

Download the following information/forms:

Local Scholarship Information Sheet—Important information and deadlines

Description List and Quick Reference Sheet—Description of the scholarships and criteria. Learn which ones you are

eligible to apply for.

General Application to use for those scholarships requiring the General Application

Private Applications—Listed individually on the website. Please DO NOT USE the General Application for the Private

Scholarship Applications.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 by or before 4 p.m.

Deadline to Submit Applications

LATE and INCOMPLETE applications WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Return applications to the Student Services Office

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 7 p.m.

Senior Recognition Ceremony by invitation. Invitations will be mailed the third week in April.

Questions and/or Assistance?

If you have questions or need assistance with the Local Scholarships Program, please contact

Bryan Duncan at bduncan@usd497.org / 785-330-1908.

L a w r e nc e F r e e

S t a t e H ig h S c h o o l

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of

Lawrence Free State

is to Educate all

students and

empower them to be

responsible citizens

and life-long learners

in a changing world.

VISION STATEMENT

Student Growth & Development

Students will be committed to high levels of academic achievement in order to develop skills

necessary to become independent, life-long learners.

Students will grow in their awareness and preparation for careers.

Students will participate in community service and increase their awareness of and participation in

the democratic process.

Students will give their best efforts to achieve high, yet attainable, goals and accept personal

responsibility for their actions.

Students will be involved in academic and co-curricular pursuits that will contribute to personal

growth and wellness.

Effort and achievement will be encouraged, recognized and celebrated.

Curriculum

Students will engage in comprehensive studies of college preparatory and vocational courses.

Through active, relevant instruction, teachers will challenge and hold students to attain high stand-

ards of achievement.

Students will attain mastery of essential knowledge and skills.

Staff will collaborate to develop integrated curriculum that raise expectations and hold students

accountable for achievement.

Learning Community

Staff will model life-long learning by participation in effective staff development aimed at

student and school improvement.

There will be open and ongoing communication among all members of the Free State community.

Free State staff and students will create and sustain effective partnerships with the Lawrence busi-

ness and civic community.

Parents will play an active role in the education of their children, monitor their children’s perfor-

mance, and understand the importance of their children’s attainment of proficiency on all stand-

ards.

Co– and Extra-Curricular Activities

Students will be involved in at least one co– or extra-curricular activity.

Staff members will be expected to moderate, coach, assist, or direct at least one co– or extra-

curricular activity.

Students parents, and staff will demonstrate school spirit by attendance of co– or extra-curricular

activities.

Climate and Culture

All members of the learning community will be responsible for promoting a positive atmosphere

through collaboration and communication.

Staff, students, and parents will celebrate student and staff achievements.

Staff and students will seek wellness physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

All members of the learning community will treat each other with mutual respect, consideration and

acceptance.

Principal: Myron Graber

4700 Overland Drive

Lawrence, KS 66049-4130

(785) 832-6050

Fax: (785) 832-6099

Mascot: Firebird

School colors:

Hunter Green & Silver

Students are assigned

to the following

Assistant Principals:

Amy McAnarney A—FA

Steve Heffernan FE—LA

Amanda Faunce LE—RI

Lisa Boyd RO—Z

Students are assigned

to the following

counselors:

Bryan Duncan A—FA

Sarah Leeser FE—LA

Marc Conover LE—RI

Ken Hile RO—Z

Tina Mitchell STAR

Ednice Metz SOAR