Parents

THORSday, August 5, 2021

Dear Viking F-A-M-I-L-Y (Students & Parents/Guardians),

I hope you’ve found time to rest with family and friends this summer, recuperate from the last 16 months, and watch some of the XXXII Olympiad. The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter, which means Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together. This year will be all about getting “Back to Our Base,” and coming back faster, performing higher, and getting stronger together. I’m excited to return to in-person learning, albeit with masks, and do what we do best in 2021-22, Lesher’s 15th quad, or XV Olympiad! Our BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goal (Good to Great, 2001, Collins) is still to provide students access to equitable and excellent learning experiences and outcomes through high expectations with high support. It’s our moral imperative, it’s our professional responsibility, it’s what we do, and it is THE LESHER DIFFERENCE!

Our declaration of care for those we serve and those we lead continues to be: LOVE YOUR PEOPLE. The people we allow to be in our lives and those who allow us to be in theirs. We make good things happen for other people whenever and wherever we can. We Love Our People, Live The Dream, Anchor Down, are Always Reppin’, Row The Boat, and have One Heartbeat because it’s all about F-A-M-I-L-Y… Forget About Me I Love You!

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Getting back to our base means getting back to our foci the last few years pre-COVID: EL Achieve (English Language Development) with a Building-wide Reading and Writing Framework, Student/Teacher Emergenetics Program (STEP), Expect Respect bullying prevention and social-emotional support, assessing Student Performance via the IB Middle Years Program (IBMYP) Criteria, Strands, and Approaches to Learning (AtL) Skills, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Progress Monitoring, Integrated Services and General Ed. Co-teaching, and Peer Observations in 2021-22 as we prepare our IB self-study and 5-year IB evaluation visit.

So Lesher F-A-M-I-L-Y, let’s make it happen IN-PERSON on August 16th, our 61st year, for our 800+ students! It’s going to be awesome.

Thank you and shine on,

T. DODD, PhD

Principal

 KEEP CALM & ROW THE BOAT!  

Our New Draft Picks:

  1. Natasha Wilson – Math 8/Geometry, Rm. 11
  2. Nicole Sietsma – Math 8/Geometry, Rm. 15
  3. Joey Heersche – Math 7/8, Rm. 6
  4. Conner Grace Lang – Math 7/Algebra, Rm. 25
  5. Ryan Van Roekle – Math/Science 6, Storm Cutter House w/ Wind, Rm. 300A
  6. Matthew Silvas – Social Studies 8, Rm. 17
  7. Birdy Harrison – Art 6-8, Rm. 300B Former Teachers Lounge/Conf. Rm.
  8. Sherise Dawkins – Computer Science, Rm. 19
  9. Kelsey Prather – Counselor, Rm. 35 Counseling Office
  10. Cassie Yoder – Counselor, Rm. 35 Counseling Office
  11. Cole Zempel – SRO, Rm. 37A SRO Office
  12. Lauren Roth – Secretary, Rm. 100 Main Office
  13. Noel Schumann – Paraprofessional w/ Mitchell & Weismann, Rm. 16
  14. Emily Mitchell – Floating Sub., Rm. 53 Media Center
  15. John Rosenthal –  Floating Sub., Rm. 53 Media Center

Returning Staff Update:

  • Becky Knips – 100% Ed. Tech./Bldg. Tech. Coordinator/Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA)
  • Julie Thompson – 85% Spanish 1B 7, Spanish 2, Rm. 4
  • Becca Spear – 100% Math/Science 6, Zippleback House w/ Swann, Rm. 2
  • Angela Bergmann – 100% Social Studies 7/8, Rm. 9
  • Greg Schulz – 100% Social Studies 7, Traveling, Rm. 45 Strength & Conditioning Office
  • Gary Warchola – 71% German 1A 6, 1A 7, 1B 8, 29% ELA 7, Rm. 3
  • Lisa Crossland – 100% Dean, Rm. 36 ISS Office
  • Jessica Palin – 100% Registrar, Rm. 35 Counseling Office

Summer Facility Update:

  • New intercom and digital clocks in every room, hallway and entryway carpet, health office LVT flooring, and stained concrete with helmet logo in the cafeteria.

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Please calendar these important dates:

DATE

EVENT

TIME & LOCATION

Fri., 8/13

6th Grade Orientation/Building/Teacher Workday

8am - 2:55pm, Lesher

Mon., 8/16

1st Day of School – ALL students Grades 6 – 8

8am - 2:55pm, Lesher

Wed., 8/25

Back-to-School Night

6 - 8:30pm, Lesher

Mon., 9/6

LABOR DAY HOLIDAY – NO SCHOOL

Fri., 9/17

Building/Teacher Workday – NO STUDENTS

Thu., 10/14

End of 1st Quarter

Fri., 10/15

K-12 Conference Exchange Day – NO SCHOOL

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Quick Reminders:

  • The student school day is 8am - 2:55pm (bell to bell). The teacher workday is 7:30am – 3:25pm. Our main office is open 7:30am – 3:30pm.
  • Parents/guardians and students can access grades, attendance, schedules and student information through the Synergy ParentVUE/StudentVUE portal or through the apps, which can be downloaded from the iTunes Store and Google Play.
  • PSD is offering free breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students again this year.
  • Masks are required for everyone inside PSD buildings. Masks are NOT required outdoors.
  • We will social distance 3-feet apart, open windows and doors, hold class outside (no mask requirement), and place desks as far apart as possible and facing the front of the room.
  • Air in all classrooms and offices is replaced by our ventilation system 3 times per hour.
  • Classroom seating charts will support contact tracing.

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