January 2008 - All Campuses

ALL CAMPUSES

Open House for PreK–12 at all campuses
Students and families interested in grades PreK–12 are invited to the Open House on Monday, Feb. 4, 6–8:30 p.m., at all four campuses. The event will include tours and conversations with teachers. For Kraybill and Lancaster, there will also be a 7 p.m. welcome assembly. The Lancaster Campus will also include department displays, course selection for grades 9–12, and information about financial aid/scholarships.

PreK/Kindergarten Open House events
Prospective kindergartners and their parents are invited to a kindergarten open house at the Kraybill, Locust Grove, and New Danville campuses on Wednesday, January 30. In addition, a PreK open house will be held Tuesday, January 29, at Kraybill and Locust Grove, and Wednesday, January 30, at New Danville. The events include visitation, discussion and tours.   

Prospective Student Day, January 24 & March 27
Prospective students are invited to visit the four campuses Thursday, January 24, and Thursday, March 27. Times are 8:05 a.m.–3:05 p.m. for high school and mornings only for other grades. To register, call Kraybill at (717) 653-5236; Lancaster at (717) 299-0436, ext. 311; Locust Grove at (717) 394-7107; and New Danville at (717) 872-2506. Parents should arrange transportation.

Reminder for parents of 8th graders
Parents of 8th grade students are asked to accompany their sons or daughters to the Lancaster Campus open house on Monday, February 4, 6:00–8:30 p.m., to meet with a faculty member and complete a course request form for next school year.

Financial aid/scholarship applications
All families interested in Partner Church scholarships, discounts, or scholarships based on family income should complete and promptly return the form, “2008-09 Application for Financial Aid,” that was attached to the registration forms distributed earlier this month. This form is also available on the school’s web site, www.lancastermennonite.org.

Merit scholarship applications (for students currently in grades 8–11) are due February 15. Applications for all other scholarships are due April 16. Students wishing to apply for a merit scholarship can pick up an application form at the high school guidance office or on the web site.

The school is committed to working with all families to make sure LMS opportunities are an option for them.

From Director of Advancement Heidi Stoltzfus
You recently received a letter regarding PAGE (Parent Annual Giving Event). Please give generously, as you are able, to help provide a well-rounded education for our students. Annual Fund gifts allow us to keep things like art, music, athletics and extra-curriculars in our programming. Parents will make calls this spring to families who have not responded.  

Give early and let your dollars help the students now! You can give online at www.lancastermennonite.org. Click on the “Donate Now” button.

Winter drama—this week!
High school students will perform The Robe Thursday through Saturday, January 24–26, at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center. Admission is $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for students. Tickets are on sale at the Fine Arts Center ticket office from 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. through Friday, and an hour before each show, or call (717) 299-0436, ext. 340.

Middle school spelling bee—reminder
The LMS Spelling Bee will be held Friday, January 25, at 9:45 a.m. at the Lancaster Campus. The bee will include middle school students from the four campuses plus some fifth graders. Our winners will compete in the Intelligencer Journal Spelling Bee at Conestoga Valley Middle School. Family and friends are welcome.

Dedication for Kraybill facility
A dedication service will be held Sunday, February 10, at 2 p.m. for Kraybill’s Kristin L. Palazzo Gallery and lobby. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in the auditorium/gymnasium lobby adjacent to the Kristin L. Palazzo Gallery. The public is invited.

Winter Concert
Everyone is invited to the high school Winter Concert which will be held Sunday, February 24, at 3 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center. It will include a variety of choral and instrumental groups.

Calling all quilters!
The Lancaster Campus will hold its quilting bee February 25–29,
9 a.m.–3 p.m. in the Alumni Dining Hall lobby. The noon meal will be provided. Quilters can also help by donating a top, finishing a top, donating a completed quilt, or by making a special quilt or wall hanging. Call Gary Hiller at (717) 653-5236.

Day trip to Big Apple
LMS still has 34 seats available for the day trip to New York City on March 22. Executive Coach will leave Lancaster Mennonite School at 6 a.m. and return that evening around 11:30. At $40 each, this is a great opportunity for you, your friends, family, or Sunday School class. To reserve your seat(s) contact Deborah Sprunger at (717) 394-7107 or sprungerdl@lancastermennonite.org.

Parents of preschoolers
Story Time Pre-school will be held 9:00–10:15 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday mornings March 25–May 15 for children ages 3–5. Sponsored by the high school child development classes, this event is held at the Lancaster Campus in the family and consumer science department on the lower level of Graybill Hall. For more information and to register, call Cheryl Miller at (717) 299-0436, ext. 426.

Annual golf tournament, committee forming
This year’s LMS Golf Tournament will be held at the Lancaster Host Resort on Wednesday, April 30. The fee of $85.00 per golfer includes light food before round, greens fee, cart, meal following round, and prizes (both skill and door). Brochures will be sent out in March. Please contact Al Shirk (chair) at (717) 299-0436, ext. 382, if you have interest in serving on the planning committee.

Volunteer phonathon callers needed
We need parents and alumni who are willing to call alumni during February and March to raise funds for our Annual Fund. If you do not feel comfortable calling, please consider helping in other ways. Please contact Jeff Shank at (717) 394-7107 or shankja@lancastermennonite.org.

New Mennonite Sports Organization
LMS, working closely with a parent-run committee, recently established a new Mennonite Sports Organization (MSO). The organization will initially feature three sports for grades PreK–6: soccer, field hockey and basketball. When making your plans for this fall and next year, please consider participating in the MSO. Registration for fall soccer and field hockey will begin in April. For more information, please see the article in the winter issue of Bridges (page 6) or call Jeff Shank at 394-7107.

Students in the news:
• Junior Andrew Martin has been named Paradise Rotary Club Student-of-the-Month for February.

•Nine Hans Herr FFA students received Keystone Degrees during the Pennsylvania Farm Show.  They are:  Angela Becker, Charise Garber, Kandace Hershey, Lindsay Lapp, Derek Nissley, Ann Ntari, Christopher Root, Suzanne Yocom, and Katie Zimmerman. Only three to four percent of the approximately 8,000 members of Pennsylvania FFA qualify each year for a Keystone Degree.         

• Six Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members successfully competed in the regional event earlier this month and will advance to state competition in April. They are: Calvin Ruth, Management Decision Making; Chad Newcomer, Management Decision Making; Peter Mickley, Management Decision Making; Laura Benkendorf, Accounting I; Cara Good, Word Processing II; and Sharon Sheppard, Marketing.

Everyday Math program discussed

In a recent Sunday News column, an opinion writer criticized the Everyday Math (EM) program for kindergarten to grade 6. This was written in response to an article written by Dr. Jacques Gibble, a well-respected local educator. The author questions whether basic math facts are taught, how calculators are used and what algorithms are used.

New Danville implemented Everyday Math six years ago. Since adoption, the math achievement test scores have improved. First grade New Danville teacher Jen Miller says, “After teaching Everyday Math for six years, I have found that it gives a broad understanding of math concepts. This includes a depth of number sense, unlike other curricula I’ve seen. Concepts are revisited, keeping the main concepts in front of students throughout the year. Calculators are used to look at place value and what happens when you count and get to a number that ends in 9.”

Last year the sixth graders from ND moved to the middle school at the Lancaster Campus; teacher Brenda Bare was amazed at their mathematical understanding. Everyday Math exposes students to several ways of solving problems, helping them gain a stronger understanding of math. Principal Judi Mollenkof says, “Our teachers supplement the curriculum with review of the basic facts and differentiate instruction as needed to ensure the success of each child.” Four years ago Locust Grove began the Everyday Math program, and two years ago Kraybill made the change. Both have been pleased with the EM training and the transition.

To read Dr. Jacques Gibble’s article, go to http://local.lancasteronline.com/6/213781. 
The website, http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/, includes the research behind the program and is independent of the product. To find independent articles, go into the educator’s homeroom and then click on the link that says Papers and Bibliography (under FAQ’s). 

LMS summer sports camps & enrichment           
Revised since the school calendar was printed!

Basketball

• Girls basketball, grades 5–10    July 7–11
  
• Boys basketball, grades 5–10   July 21–25

Field Hockey

• Jr. high field hockey, grades 6–8: June 9–13
  
• Sr. high field hockey, grades 9–12: August 4–8

Soccer

• Elem. Co-ed soccer, grades 1–5: June 23–27
  
• Sr. high boys soccer, grades 9–12: August 4–8
  

• Intermediate tennis, grades 4–8: July 28–Aug. 1
  
• Advanced tennis, grades 9–12: Aug. 4–8

Volleyball

• Girls jr. high volleyball, grades 6–9: July 14–18

Other camp opportunities

• Coed culinary arts, grades 4–9: July 14–18
  
• Intro. to Stop-motion animation, grades 6–10: July 15–17
  
• Intro. to video production (iMovie), gr. 7–10: July 14–18
  
• Intro. to digital photography, grades 6–10: July 21 & 22
  
• Middle school drama, grades 6–8: July 28–Aug. 1
  
• Digital video editing, grades 6–12: July 23–25
  
• Spiritual fitness, grades 10–12: June 6–8

Other camps being planned: boys volleyball, girls & jr. high soccer, and lacrosse. For a brochure and application (available soon), please call (717) 299-0436, ext. 310.

Don't miss the other sections of Report Online:

• Kraybill Campus
• Lancaster Campus
• Locust Grove Campus
• New Danville Campus
• Athletics
• HS Guidance