From the Principal's Desk
Maintaining an Attitude of Gratitude
November has always been a time when my family and I intentionally try to reflect on the past year so that we can appreciate everything we have to be thankful for. The past several months have presented many challenges for families, students and educators, however, they have not been devoid of opportunities to be thankful and appreciative of the opportunities and supports around us. Throughout this journey, I have seen incredible moments of compassion, teamwork, kindness, understanding, and sacrifice, as the community has worked to make the most of the opportunities we’ve been able to maintain, and the responsibilities we have to fulfill. In our house, we have discovered a renewed appreciation for the little things, that we may have taken for granted before the pandemic.
Over the past several weeks I’ve had the opportunity to check in with students about their experiences this year, and to learn more about how they are doing or how they feel about the way things have gone here at school. Their responses tend to include a range of thoughts and emotions, as many of them shared examples of the challenges they are working to overcome, at school, at home, or as a part of their overall experience navigating life right now. However, what has stood out the most in these conversations, has not been the things that students lament losing or missing, it has been their appreciation for what they have been able to do. Almost every time a student expressed frustration about something, they would also acknowledge how happy they are to have the opportunities that have been maintained, even in an altered format. The attitude of gratitude that I have heard from our students has been inspiring. It reminds me how thankful I am for how hard everyone has worked to manage so much change, in such a short period of time. I am a firm believer in the power of a positive attitude, and the past several months have only reinforced this belief. It has been great to see so many people helping others around them stay positive, and persevere through the adversity of the times we’re living in.
To help amplify the power of positivity, the week of November 6th will be “Positivity Week” here at LSW and be hosted by the LSW Student Council. Throughout the week, Student Council will help spread positive vibes by sharing stories from students about the about positive experiences they’ve had this year, in addition to decorating hallways with positive affirmations and helping to start each day with inspirational reminders in the morning announcements.
It’s easy to dwell on the negative aspects of any experience, so it has been great to hear so many of our students focused on finding the silver linings in all of this. By focusing on what we have and what we can control, we will continue to rally together as a community to make the most of the road ahead, wherever it takes us. We’re all in this together, and we will all continue to help each other move forward one step at a time.
Thanks for all you do for our Silver Hawks
Mike Gillotti – Principal
Upcoming Events
*All dates and events are subject to change due to current health directives
November
02: Teacher Workday, No School
03: Election Day, No School
04: Picture Retakes (Group A/ Group Z)
05: Regular Scheduled Day
10: Parent Teacher Conferences
25: Thanksgiving Break, No School
26: Thanksgiving Break, No School
27: Thanksgiving Break, No School
December
04: Theatre Performance, 7:00pm
05: Theatre Performance, 7:00pm
11: Theatre Performance, 7:00pm
12: Theatre Performance, 7:00pm
21: Finals
22: Finals
12/23-1/4: Winter Break, No School
Parent Information
Pass/Fail Course Grade Requests
A mark of S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory) can be recorded on the transcript when specifically requested by the student with approval from the student’s parent/guardian and LSW school counselor. Students in all grades can opt to receive an S/U mark rather than a standard letter grade for any course. Requests must be made and approved in writing (or electronically) by the end of the 5th week of a standard one-quarter class at Southwest.
You can find the form to submit a request to take a course for an S/U grade HERE on the counseling center website.
Please reach out to your counselor if you have any questions.
Student Meals
Free Breakfast and Lunch for all LPS Students: Due to the pandemic, the USDA is federally funding breakfast and lunch for all students while the federal funding lasts. All LPS students in preschool – 12 grade and Independence Academy students will be offered breakfast and lunch at no charge.
To receive the school meal at no charge:
- The student must select a serving of fruit or vegetable plus at least two other components of the meal (meat, grain, milk, fruit, vegetable).
- Failing to take a fruit or vegetable plus two other food components will lead to the student being charged a la carte pricing.
- A student selecting pizza and milk would need to pay for these food items since there is no fruit or vegetable.
- A student may select all five components of the meal.
- A la carte food items including milk and second entrees will still be available to purchase with money in the meal account or cash.
LPS will communicate when the program is coming to an end for families to plan around breakfast and lunch purchases.
Just a reminder, families must continue to fill out applications for free or reduced priced meals for the 2020- 2021 school year. You can access a meal application at https://home.lps.org/ns/free-reduced/.
Food Distribution for 100% Remote Learners
LPS is offering all PreK-12 grade 100% Remote Learners meals for the week to be picked up on Mondays from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at three locations- Lincoln High, North Star, and Southeast. Find more information about food distribution here.
Student Picture Information
Picture Retake Day: Thursday, October 29 (B Group) and Wednesday, November 4 (A Group). C Students and Remote Learner can come either day. Any student needing their picture re-taken or taken for the first time will need to have it done on these days. If your student did not have their picture taken at School Readiness Day or the first day of school, they need to have it taken on this day. Students wanting re-takes will need to bring back their picture packets fully intact if pictures were purchased. Note this picture will be used for the yearbook. Retake Day ID Code: EVT2T22KF
Remote Learners: Please park in the north parking lot and use Door 10. The photographer will be set up from 7:15-11:00, 11:30-2:00.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Term two parent teacher conferences will be conducted using the same format as term one, with teachers, counselors and administrators sending home email updates and making phone calls during our scheduled hours for parent teacher conferences. More information will be sent out prior to our November 10th date for conferences.
ParentVUE
Synergy ParentVUE is increasingly becoming your “one-stop shop” for information about your student’s teachers and classes. In addition to providing parents/guardians secure access to student grades (secondary), assignments, attendance, and class information, ParentVUE is also the avenue for parents/guardians to verify student enrollment in LPS. New this year, secondary parents can pay fees via ParentVUE.
The District’s goal is to ensure at least one parent/guardian per household has activated their ParentVUE account. If you haven’t yet activated yours, please contact the school office at (402) 436-1306 for an activation key.
Support for Students Learning Remotely
Remote Learning Supports: Stop by the LPS website and enter the word “remote” into the Search, Keyword field in the top-right.
The “Student Support” page on the Remote Learning site has links to valuable resources to support your student while learning from home. Make sure your students are familiar with the information about how to successfully connect with their teachers using StudentVue.
The “Parent and Guardian Support” page on the Remote Learning site is filled with valuable information designed to help you help your student. Be sure to look through the “10 Remote Learning Things to Know.”
LPS Help Desk is available: Is your student having trouble connecting to their classes? The LPS Help Desk is available to help! Call 402-436-1735 between 7:00am-4:30pm Mon-Fri.
Senior Information
Announcements/Caps & Gowns
Lincolngraduation.com is now up and running with an updated website. All orders are now being encouraged to be done online. New this year: Your order will ship directly to you, instead of being handed out at the end of the school year.
If your student qualifies for Free and Reduced Meals, please have them visit with Abbey Traynowicz in the main office to submit their cap and gown order. You will also need to submit a Fee Waiver for your student’s graduation cap and gown. Fee Waiver form here. These items will be delivered to the school this spring.
Senior Ads
Senior ads for the yearbook are currently 30% off! The yearbook is running a senior sale through December 1. Information can be found on the senior ad link. Space is limited so reserve yours today to ensure your senior has a message in the yearbook.
Senior Academic Reminders
- It is YOUR responsibility, if you are transferring from outside LPS, to provide documentation regarding Honor Roll from another school in order to be eligible for LSW 7 Semester Honor Roll. Do NOT wait until the last minute to address this issue.
- If you are graduating early as a JUNIOR, please let Brianne Wright (main office) know if you would rather be honored at the LSW Honors Convocation with the junior class, or if you would rather be honored at the Senior Honors Program.
- Any academic achievement awarded at the senior honors convocation and/or at graduation are based on a student’s GPA through their seventh semester. Academic achievements are subject to change after the final semester grades are included in the overall GPA. It is important to remember that taking a lighter course load in your final semester could affect your GPA and academic standing.
Government and Politics
GOPO service-learning hours for all students who will take the course during the 20-21 school year are waived.
Student Grade Withdrawal Information
If a student withdraws from a class late in the term, below is the grading table that we follow:
SOAR Rewards
Would you like to be a part of promoting a positive culture at LSW? If so, please consider donating to our SOAR Rewards student acknowledgement system. Our goal is to help incentivize and recognize students who are “caught SOAR’ing” by demonstrating that they are being Safe, Open-Minded, Accountable, and Respectful. Students who are recognized by staff for modeling SOAR expectations are eligible to receive prizes such as (Gift cards to restaurants, movie passes, Husker/LSW apparel, etc).
If you would like to be a part of this please contact Laura Runge (lrunge@lps.org) or Brett Schuster (bschust@lps.org) to ask about which items students enjoy the most and how to donate. Donations can be dropped off in the main office here at school. Thanks for helping our Silver Hawks SOAR!
Library News
Diverse Books for All
Are you looking for books with diverse characters and themes? The MOSAIC is an annual collection of high interest diverse books for preschool through high school students reviewed by LPS librarians.
- Look for the MOSAIC Multicultural Book Display link on your school library website.
- Browse the collection and download the ebooks or audiobooks.
- Want a print copy of a book? Ask your school librarian!
Digital Citizenship Tips
Would you like to have a conversation with your student about staying safe online? Here are some questions to get the conversation started:
- What information should we share with others online and what information should we avoid sharing online (address, phone number, passwords, and other personal information)?
- What websites should we use when we go online?
- How can you protect your digital reputation?
Theatre
Join us for our winter musical, Disney’s NEWSIES
Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right! Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots).
Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe,” Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.
Tickets and Showtimes
December 4, 5, & 11, 12, 2020 at 7:00 PM
TICKETS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE AT www.showtix4u.com
LIVE STREAM Reserved Tickets on sale: November 2
- 1-4 Viewers – $15 each
- Family/Group Viewing – $65
Questions? Call the Silver Hawk Theatre Box Office at 402-436-1335
With the ongoing pandemic, please watch for updates and changes to scheduling.
Due to LPS Rules and Limits: ONLY pre-approved family members of cast/crew may purchase socially distant, in person tickets for a specific performance.
Winter Musical Performance Recordings
The Music Department is still doing wonderful work! Since we are unable to host a winter concert with a full audience in our gym, our bands, choirs and orchestras will be scheduling times to gather as a full ensemble to rehearse together. We will record the music they have been working on in class and then send a link to parents
to enjoy with friends and family at their convenience. Music students will receive information about when their group will perform for their recording session later this term. We are thrilled to share with LSW Families the Music that is ringing through the E-wing halls.
Note: there will be no audience present at these events. All rehearsing and recording will take place while physically distanced in the auditorium/gym. Masks may not be removed for any reason (except for Band students).
Yearbooks
2020-2021 Yearbook: Yearbooks for the year 20-21 may be purchased through MySchoolBucks.
Yearbook Prices by Term:
- Term 1: $60
- Term 2: $65
- Term 3: $70
- Term 4: $75
Last Year's Yearbook Sale
If you would still like to purchase LAST YEAR’s yearbook, they are now on sale for $30. This price will last until 19-20 yearbooks are gone and is only available for LAST YEAR’S yearbook. If you ordered a 2019-2020 yearbook last year and have not picked it up yet, please stop by room C110 or the bookkeeper to pick up your book.
Driver's Education Courses
Driver’s Education is NOT offered through Lincoln Public Schools. However, there are several organizations here in Lincoln that do offer courses at various times during the fall. They are:
- Nebraska Safety Center @ Innovation Campus
- Southeast Community College, (402) 437-2710
- Nebraska Safety Council, (402) 483-2511
- Road-Ready, (402) 477-5933
LSW Boosters
Silver Hawk Authentic Booster Store: Now Online!
Please visit lswsilverhawks.com for additional details and to place your order!
Silver Hawk Authentic Booster Store is part of the Lincoln Southwest Booster Club. All store personnel are volunteers and all profits go to the Lincoln Southwest Booster Club for support of LSW school programs, student activities, athletics, and performing arts. New volunteers are always welcome; please inquire at the store! Thank you for supporting your school!
LSW Booster Membership
Please visit our website for more information on joining LSW Booster Club.
Membership forms are also available in the main office. You can either pay online or print and mail the membership form to:
Silver Hawks Booster Club
Attn: Memberships
7001 S 14th St, Lincoln, NE 68512
SCIP Nebraska November Newsletter
Staying Connected
Did you know that there is a “feel good” hormone called oxytocin? This hormone is responsible for positive thinking and maintaining an optimistic view on life. Oxytocin also helps with bonding and can generate feelings of compassion. This then leads to the expansion of trust for those individuals. So how do we release this hormone? The answer, human touch. This could be as simple as a pat on the back, a hug, or a handshake, to name a few.
Physical touch can also increase levels of dopamine and serotonin. These are neurotransmitters that help regulate your mood and help your body relieve stress and anxiety. Touch can also have a positive effect on your health. It can boost your immune system and lower blood pressure. A study found that women who receive more hugs from their partners have lower heart rates and blood pressure than those that do not receive these hugs.
Disposable E-Cigarettes: An Emerging Trend in Youth Tobacco Use
Policy and regulation are key factors in reducing youth tobacco use. As the numbers of youth vaping soared over the past few years, initiatives to reduce youth access to electronic cigarettes have been at the forefront of tobacco
regulation. Following epidemic levels of youth use of e-cigarettes and the popularity of certain flavors of e-cigarette
products that appeal to kids, the FDA enforced a policy banning the manufacturing, distribution and sale of flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes other than tobacco or menthol. However, the policy which took effect last February only targeted reusable vaping devices, like JUUL, and the flavor restrictions did not include disposable vaping products like the Puff Bar, Blu Disposable or the POSH Vape. Tobacco prevention experts say this loophole in policy has already begun to impact youth. According to Rebekah Willoughby, Tobacco Public Health Educator with the Lancaster County Health Department, “While it is encouraging that 1.8 million fewer youth vaped in 2020 compared to 2019, it is worrisome that newer disposable e-cigarettes, like Puff Bar, threaten that progress. 2020 data shows disposable e-cigarette use has increased from 2.4% in 2019 to 26.5% today.”
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) was developed and added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to more accurately help diagnose young kids with a mood disorder that did not truly fit the bi-polar Disorder criteria. Prior to developing a more pin-pointed disorder, many of the kids with DMDD either went undiagnosed because they did not fit the necessary criteria for bi-polar disorder or they were mis-diagnosed with bi-polar disorder or with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
DMDD is a mood disorder in which young kids and early teens have continual and extreme irritability, anger, and
frequent temper outbursts.
Kids with DMDD are generally diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 10. To be diagnosed with DMDD, a child must have experienced symptoms continually for 12 or more months.
The symptoms of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) are much more than a kid having a bad day or being in a bad mood. Their symptoms are considered serious and severe.