LOHS - Lake Orion Community Schools

Dragon News
Lake Orion Community Schools
March 2013
Dragon Art contest winner by Catherine R., LOHS
Dear Parents and Community,
The Board of Education offers seven scholarships each year to graduates:
o Ambassador Scholarships: High School (2) - $2,000.00 each
o Honors Service Scholarship: High School - $1,000.00
o Outstanding Service Scholarship: High School - $1,000.00
o Vocational/Technical Scholarship: High School - $1,000.00
o Ambassador Scholarship: Adult Education - $1,000.00
o Ambassador Scholarship: Learning Options - $1,000.00
AMBASSADOR SCHOLARSHIP: HIGH SCHOOL
This scholarship has been established to recognize two students who have demonstrated commitment to the goals of
scholastic achievement, community service, and responsible citizenship toward which our school aspires. Applications
are available in the high school office and online. Winners will be announced at the Senior Academic and Honors Ceremony on June 3, 2013.
HONORS SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP: HIGH SCHOOL
This scholarship has been established to recognize a student who has contributed outstanding service to Lake Orion High
School through his/her high school years. Applications are available in the high school office and online. Winner will be
announced at the Senior Academic and Honors Ceremony on June 3, 2013.
OUTSTANDING SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP: HIGH SCHOOL
This scholarship has been established to recognize a student who has contributed outstanding service to Lake Orion High
School through his/her high school years. Applications are available in the high school office and online. Winner will be
announced at the Senior Academic and Honors Ceremony on June 3, 2013.
VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL SCHOLARSHIP: HIGH SCHOOL
This scholarship was established to recognize outstanding performance and achievement in a vocational or technical program. Winner will be announced at the Senior Academic and Honors Ceremony on June 3, 2013.
AMBASSADOR SCHOLARSHIP: ADULT EDUCATION
This scholarship has been established to recognize a student who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of scholastic achievement and responsible citizenship toward which our school aspires. Applications are available in the Adult Education office and online. Winner will be announced at the Adult Education Graduation Ceremony on June 10, 2013.
AMBASSADOR SCHOLARSHIP: LEARNING OPTIONS HIGH SCHOOL
This scholarship has been established to recognize a student who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of scholastic achievement and responsible citizenship toward which our school aspires. Applications are available in the Learning
Options office and online. Winner will be announced at the Learning Options Graduation Ceremony on June 10, 2013.
The application deadline for all
scholarships is Thursday, May 16, 2013.
Please see our website at:
www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us/BOEScholarship.htm
for more information regarding
eligibility criteria.
Artist: Jackie P., Waldon Middle School, Grade 8
Page 2
From the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
The Michigan Department of Education has publicly released the results of the fall 2012 Michigan Education
Assessment Program (MEAP), the annual statewide assessment for Michigan students in Grades 3-9. Lake
Orion students have exceeded both State and County averages in all subjects, and at two grade levels, Lake
Orion is ranked first in Oakland County in reading!
In looking at all of the 28 districts in Oakland County, Lake Orion students rank:

3rd in Reading - grades 3 through 8

7th in Mathematics - grades 3 through 8

4th in Science - grades 5 & 8

7th in Social Studies - grades 6 & 9

4th in Writing - grades 4 & 7
Lake Orion in State's Top 20% of Students Achieving Beyond Expectations
Bridge Magazine, in collaboration with the Lansing-based research
firm Public Sector Consultants, created a ranking system measuring a school’s test scores adjusted for student family income,
which is often a predictor of academic achievement. In essence, it
is a ranking not of achievement, but overachievement. The analysis shows which Michigan schools do the best job in adding value –
helping students succeed beyond expected achievement.
According to the analysis, a Value-Added Matrix (VAM) score of
100 indicates students are achieving at expected levels for their
income level. The higher a school's score, the better their students
are performing on standardized tests. Scores below 100 indicate
that students are not achieving at expected levels for their income
level.
With a VAM of 105.5, Lake Orion ranks in the state’s top 20%;
109th overall out of 560 school districts. In Oakland County, Lake
Orion ranks 7th out of the 28 school districts. The chart at right
shows the top 10 Oakland County school districts and their state
ranking.
This study’s data is only one tool we use to evaluate our yearly
progress and shows positive results for Lake Orion Schools. While
this is only one indicator of our ongoing efforts for academic improvement, it does show that all of our Lake Orion Schools are
providing value greater than what is expected.
STATE
RANKING
DISTRICT
10
Bloomfield
112.91
36
Troy
109.4
43
South Lyon
109.08
52
Rochester
108.42
92
Novi
105.73
100
Birmingham
105.45
109
Lake Orion
105.05
117
Walled Lake
104.84
133
Huron Valley
104.24
140
West Bloomfield
104.08
VAM
Page 3
Lake Orion Schools Named High Performing Reward Schools
The Michigan Department of Education has named six Lake Orion Elementary Schools as "High Performing Reward
Schools" for 2012-13. Only 344 of the 4,247 schools in Michigan received this designation. High Performing Schools
demonstrate high achievement on state assessments in all five core subjects (reading, writing, math, science and social
studies), are high on improvement, and are closing the achievement gaps! Lake Orion’s High Performing Reward
Schools for 2012-2013 are:

Carpenter Year Round Elementary

Orion Oaks Elementary

Paint Creek Elementary

Pine Tree Elementary

Stadium Drive Elementary School of the Arts

Webber Elementary
From the Technology Department:
New Website Coming Soon!
The Lake Orion Community School District expects to debut our new website sometime in the
month of March. The new website will have a
clean, fresh look and have a simpler and more
intuitive flow. Are you a parent looking for a
form? Click on the Parents link! Are you a student trying to locate a flyer? Click on the Student link! You can easily follow the path to what
you need.
Another exciting feature of the new site is an
integrated District calendar. Users will be able
to view events on a District level, school level, or
with multiple sites displayed at once!
Websites for the individual schools are also part
of this makeover. You’ll notice a consistent look
amongst the schools so that no matter which
school site you go to, you’ll always know where
to find what you need.
Page 4
From the Special Education Office:
The Lake Orion Special Education Department provides an array of programs and services to meet all students’ individualized needs. It is our pleasure to work with families to collaboratively ensure an appropriate education for all. The
key component to our success is our students, staff, and parents. Families are encouraged to work with the school
their child attends to maximize their child’s educational experience.
IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD MAY NEED SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING:





Meet with your child’s teacher or counselor. Share your concerns and ideas. Develop a plan for working together.
Share information you have from outside sources. School personnel welcome input from family doctors, tutors,
private therapists, etc.
Talk with the principal. Often he/she can work with parents and teachers to come up with helpful new strategies or mobilize additional resources. You may wish to request a Student Support Team meeting involving one
or more of your child’s teachers.
Contact the Special Education Office if you have specific questions about evaluations or programming under
IDEA or Section 504 at 248.693.5430.
Address questions about services for preschool aged children at the Special Education Office.
Contact the Special Education Office immediately if you suspect your child has a disability.
Short and Sweet

Betsy Bonfield, 8th grade American History Teacher at Waldon, received a $700 grant
from the “Target Field Trip Grants”. The money is being used for a trip to the Lorenzo
Cultural Center at Macomb Community College where students will explore an interactive exhibit about Industrialization and Reform Movements and see a guest speaker that
portrays Susan B. Anthony and Juliette Gordon Low.

LOHS student, Timothy Giggie qualified as a semifinalist in the 2013 National Merit
Scholarship Program.

LOHS Special Ed Staff received a $1000 grant from the Autism Society of Oakland County
to reinforce job skills for students with autism.

Stadium Drive School of the Arts 2nd Grade Teacher Carrie Price received a $750 grant
from the Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union. The money will be used to
purchase an iPad and apps for her classroom.

Betsy Bonfield
Carrie Price
Lake Orion High School was awarded a $135,000 grant from Orion Community Cable
Communications Commission. The grant provides for the replacement of core elements
of the LOHS control room and TV studio. The equipment is used by all 8 Dragon Broadcasting classes, from Introductory Broadcast 1 all the way up to the capstone Television
Production Workshop course, which is now in its 27th year!
The New Studio Equipment
Page 5
From the Office of Human Resources:
Teacher of the Year Awards Honor Lake Orion’s Gems!
Lake Orion is pleased to announce this year’s district nominees for the Oakland County Teacher of the year award.
This prestigious annual award program began in 1987 to honor and reward teachers who have achieved, through
their effort and example, the highest standards of excellence in their profession. As in previous years, Lake Orion has
nominated teachers at each level. Nominees must be exemplary, certified, full-time teachers in grades Kindergarten
through twelve, who are employed in a public school in Oakland County and have a minimum of five years of classroom teaching experience.
This year’s high school nominee is Kari Hayes who joined the district in 2002 as a Special Education teacher, transition coordinator, and Special Olympics Coach. Kari’s instructional innovation is matched only by her enthusiasm and compassion for the
students and families that she serves. Parent after parent and colleague after colleague testify to Kari’s remarkable energy and drive as she partners with community
and county agencies to find the educational and emotional support that her students
need to succeed.
Kari Hays—Special Education—LOHS
This year’s middle school nominee, Toni Rossi from Scripps Middle School, is also
a career special education teacher who joined Lake Orion in 1997 after 8 years
as a teacher in Chicago, Illinois. Toni is described by peers as a nurturing teacher
who is especially effective at making even the most apprehensive student feel
welcome in the classroom. A leader in Special Education, Toni serves as Department Chair, helping to ensure that all students are provided individualized and
effective programs that match their specific needs. Peers describe Toni as a person who is uniquely able to diffuse a tense situation or assist a frustrated parent,
helping them to understand the bigger picture.
Toni Rossi—Special Education—Scripps
Second Grade Pine Tree Elementary teacher, Michelle Russell is this year’s elementary nominee. Michelle is not only a
talented teacher who is knowledgeable about curriculum
and effective teaching strategies, but she is also a leader
who assists teachers throughout the district and elsewhere
with reading and writing workshops. Michelle’s labs are visited by teachers beyond Lake Orion’s boundaries who wish to
learn more effective strategies to keep students enthusiastic
and highly engaged.
Michelle Russell—2nd Grade—Pine Tree Elementary
Kari, Toni and Michelle will now be considered with nominees from all other Oakland County districts for the county
level award and will be recognized at a celebration in their honor on May 9, 2013.
Page 6
From the High School:
Lake Orion Student to Sing in National Honor Choir
Alexis Sargent, an LOHS 10th grader, has been named to the American
Choral Directors Association National Women's Honor Choir. The
choir will perform at the ACDA Conference to be held in Dallas, TX in
March. Alexis was accepted based on an audition submitted electronically. Lake Orion had a total of four students who applied to the competition which had over 3600 applicants.
Alexis has loved singing her entire life. She has had the opportunity to
sing solos at church programs and services since she was in 2nd grade.
In addition to participating in the school choir, show choir, and plays,
Alexis performs with Peanut Gallery Players throughout the year at
charity events such as Crittenton Hospital fundraisers, Feets for Seats,
and Rochester Spotlight. She also participates in plays performed by
Peanut Gallery Players. In past years, she has been ‘Kim’ in Bye Bye
Birdie and the ‘Star to Be’ in Annie.
Alexis is also a competitive dancer and participates with her team in a
variety of dance competitions. Alexis has participated in Regional and
State Honors Choir and has been invited to participate in All-State
Honors Choir.
At this time, her career goal is to be a choir teacher who runs the
school's musical theater program.
State Honor Choir Singers Perform in DeVos Symphony Hall in Grand Rapids
Lake Orion’s State Honor Choir students experienced exhilarating performances in DeVos Symphony Hall at the Michigan Music Conference. The Honor Choir program is run by the Michigan Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) which also
offers students opportunities for performance and adjudication through a variety of festivals.
Students earned their places in each of the choirs through a rigorous individual and small group audition process beginning last October and continuing through December into January. The audition includes an evaluation of their tonal
quality, intonation, pitch and rhythmic accuracy, and stylistic accuracy.
Congratulations to Lindsey Eveland, 9th, Hannah Albright, 9th, and Maryanne Roughton, 9th who performed with the
Middle School/Junior High SSA Honor Choir on Thursday evening. This choir of 99 students from around the state of
Michigan was directed by Lake Orion’s own Deborah Fristad.
At the conference, our students performed as follows:

Alex Capasso, 12th, in the TTBB Choir conducted by Mr. Steve Lorenz of Pioneer High School, Ann Arbor

Alexis Sargent, 10th, in the SSAA Choir conducted by Ms. Sheri Tullch of Grand Ledge High School

Olivia Demmers, 11th, and Evan Thurwachter, 12th, in the SATB Choir conducted by Mr. Steven Hinze of
Chelsea High School
The Honor Choir concerts were open to the public and were held in conjunction with the 8th annual Michigan Music
Conference for music educators at the Grand Rapids Convention Center.
Page 7
Dragon Art Contest Inspires High School Artists
The LOHS Art Club sponsored a dragon art contest to find the perfect dragon to hang in Principal Stephen Hawley’s
office. Almost 30 pieces of art were created, resulting in a very difficult decision regarding the winner. The first place
winner was Catherine Robertson, whose creation is featured on the front of this Dragon News. When asked about
her art work, she said, “At first, I wanted to do my own interpretation of the Lake Orion dragon based on the story of
the Lake Orion dragon, but I didn't want to be confined to just that. I ended up creating a water dragon to go along
with the Lake Orion theme, although the dragon is just from my own ideas and how I would imagine a water dragon to
look. I think that everything underwater is beautiful, and I wanted to incorporate that into the colors of the dragon
and the background."
Some of the other entries are pictured here and throughout this publication.
Nina Matharoo—12th grade
Kelsey Bird —12th grade
Riley Crandall —11th grade
Thomas Gawne —12th grade
Page 8
Marie Pozan—12th grade
Grace Scoville—10th grade
Emily Phipps—12th grade
Jordyn Lance—11th grade
Allison Crick—12th grade
Camille Boker—11th grade
Page 9
Lake Orion High School Students Win Regional Scholastic Art Awards
Congratulations to these high school students who won regional scholastic art awards. Their work is being displayed in
a regional art show from Feb. 16th - March 8th, at the College for Creative Studies. All Gold Key work will be judged
at the national level in March.
Award winners are shown below, and the Gold Key recipients in bold received a Gold Key for their entire portfolio.
Congratulations to all!
, Lauren Abbasspour—Silver Key Painting
, Caitlyn Diroff—Silver Key Photography
, Mathew Aeillo—Gold Key Portfolio
, Leona Flowers—Honorable Mention Photography
, Matthew Aeillo—Silver Key Sculpture
, Sean Goodall—Gold Key Portfolio
, Matthew Aeillo—Silver Key Sculpture
, Sean Goodall—Gold Key Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Gold Key Portfolio
, Sean Goodall—Gold Key Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Gold Key Drawing
, Sean Goodall—Silver Key Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Silver Key Drawing
, Sean Goodall—Silver Key Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Silver Key Drawing
, Sean Goodall—Silver Key Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Honorable Mention Drawing
, Sean Goodall—Honorable Mention Painting
, Kelsey Bird—Honorable Mention Mixed Media
, Mary Hudson—Silver Key Photography
, Kara Calvert—Gold Key Photography
, Mary Hudson—Honorable Mention Photography
, Kara Calvert—Honorable Mention Photography
, Lexi Mannino—Silver Key Photography
, Thomas Connolly—Gold Key Photography
, Lexi Mannino—Honorable Mention Painting
, Thomas Connolly—Silver Key Photography
, Jon Monat—Silver Key Digital Art
, Leah DeGhetto—Gold Key Portfolio
, Alex Rogala—Silver Key Film & Animation
, Leah DeGhetto—Gold Key Drawing
, Nicholas Sally—Honorable Mention Drawing
, Leah DeGhetto—Silver Key Drawing
, Olivia Spolyar—Silver Key Photography
, Zachary Diener—Gold Key Ceramics & Glass
, Elena Stewart—Honorable Mention Photography
, Zachary Diener—Honorable Mention Ceramics & Glass
, Evan Thurwachter—Gold Key Photography
, Zachary Diener—Honorable Mention Ceramics & Glass
, Rebecca Zimmerman—Silver Key Drawing
, Zachary Diener—Honorable Mention Ceramics & Glass
, Colin Zyrek—Silver Key Photography
, Caitlyn Diroff—Gold Key Photography
, Colin Zyrek—Silver Key Design
Page 10
Kelsey Bird - Gold Key Portfolio - LOHS
Gold Key Winner
Page 11
Lake Orion Athletes Commit to College Sports
Several Lake Orion High School Athletes have committed to playing their sport in
college. The final signing period will be on April 17th, with more signings
expected then. Congratulations to the following athletes and their families:
T. J. Carey - University of Missouri - Track & Field, Cross Country
Derric Williams - Eastern Michigan - Football
Chaz Miller - Saginaw Valley - Football
Hannah Kish - Pfeiffer University, N.C. - Soccer
Ryan Lambrecht- Madonna College - Baseball
Nick Deeg - Central Michigan - Baseball
Alex Waelchli - Oakland University - Golf
Beth Guigere - Siena Heights - Lacrosse
LOHS Freshman Wins Design Competition
Lauren Gamboa, a freshman at Lake Orion High School, has
won the design competition for the 2013 Michigan Wild
Turkey Cooperator patch contest sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Gamboa, who was
an eighth-grader at Waldon Middle School in Lake Orion
when she submitted her design, created a patch using
drawings of feathers from a turkey’s breast, wing, and tail
as part of her design.
“The first thing I think about when I think of turkeys is the
feathers,” Gamboa said. “I like the feathers, especially the
black and white (wing) ones.” Gamboa’s design will grace
the commemorative patch that is available through the
Michigan Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
The Winning Patch Design
Don’t forget!
Friday Night Family Splash Bash!
The 2nd Friday of every month
Pay cash at the door:
$4.00 children (12 & under)
$5.00 for adults.
Splash Bash Dates: March 8, April 12, May 10, & June 14
Hours: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lauren Gamboa with Her Award
Page 12
Lake Orion High School Students Reach Out to Support Peers
Given the continued high rates of teens in crisis and suicide among adolescents and young adults (1524 years of age), the Lake Orion Community Schools has initiated a promising and innovative program
of student-to-student support. A key to addressing these issues is getting students involved in a unified
and ongoing approach to helping each other.
Based on their desire to help their peers, 100 student volunteers have been empowered as the first
SOS (Students Offering Support) team to create a culture of awareness about teen crises and break
down the barriers and stigmas surrounding mental health issues and youth suicide.
In an all-day session, the SOS team was trained to recognize signs of mental health distress in key areas (e.g. depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse) and how and where to seek help if
an individual needs it or if they have reason to believe their peers are showing signs of crisis. The training included how to effectively present this information to others so that over the next two months the
SOS team will be going from class to class to educate their peers about crisis warning signs and provide
information and resources about how and where to seek help.
This first phase of the SOS program includes a unique activity, “GOto5”, that will result in every LOHS
student having identified five personal resources/people they can go to if they need help or support.
The SOS team will lead this activity with the outcome that every student will create a small card with the
names and contact information of their personal resources that they can carry with them at all times as a
reminder that they have others in their life that love, care, and are there for them if they need help or just
someone to talk to.
The goal of the SOS program is to have an ongoing student-to-student system of support in place to
provide help to anyone in crisis. “It's clear that our students want to be part of the solution, and if we
don't involve them, we are underutilizing a valuable resource,” said Superintendent Marion Ginopolis.
For further information about the SOS program,
contact Superintendent Marion Ginopolis (248-693-5414) or
LOHS Counselor Michele Novak (248-693-5638)
Page 13
From the Middle Schools:
Middle Schoolers Engage in Battle of the Books
Lake Orion’s middle schools once again competed in the
Battle of the Books. A Waldon team, The Liberologists
III, consisting of Raven K., Michael L., Maddie L., Tristan
M., and Jaylen S., emerged in first place. The Scripps’
team Teddy Bear Doom proudly took second place, and
there was a tie for third between Scripps’ The Bibliophiles and Waldon’s Masquerade Readers. All through
the battle, the middle school teams showed great
sportsmanship, and all of the teams did a wonderful job
preparing for the battle!
1st Place—The Liberologists II—Waldon MS
2nd Place—Teddy Bear Doom—Scripps MS
3rd Place—The Bibliophiles—Scripps MS
Scripps NJHS News
The NJHS chapter at Scripps has been keeping
busy during the past few months. In November,
they held their annual Orion/Oxford FISH
Drive. From November 26 through December 14,
personal needs items were collected in STAR classes to help supply the FISH organization. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap, as well as paper towels, tissue,
and cleaning supplies filled their collection boxes. Mrs. Griswold and her student helpers were
able to fill a truck with the donated products. In
December, NJHS Scripps members were involved
the AngelFISH program. They “adopted” children
in need and supplied them with gifts for the holidays. Enough money was raised to provide support to four children last year!
3rd Place—Masquerade Readers—Waldon MS
Elizabeth Prebus
10th grade
Mackenna Hren
10th grade
Page 14
Waldon Team Wins The Michigan Award
The Waldon Team 8B class of 2012 was recently presented with The Michigan Plaque award from Keep Michigan Beautiful in the
Youth and Schools Division. The Michigan Plaque is given for outstanding effort by a group or an individual in furthering the goals of
KMB. The teachers and 90 eighth grade students participated in an Adopt-a-Road service learning project in Orion. They filled 60
plastic trash bags full of trash for the 2.3 miles of roadway along Waldon Road near the school. The students tracked the amount of
trash they picked up as a part of the project. Records indicate they picked up over 5000 pieces of trash, including everything from
cigarette butts to discarded wooden pallets. The service learning project provided funds for their field trip to Waste Management’s
Eagle Valley landfill and the GM Orion Plant. The students learned about recycling, reducing, and reusing plus the process which converts the landfill’s methane gas to energy.
Oakview Student is Two-Time Spelling Bee Champ
Kyle M., a student at Oakview Middle School, became the school’s first 2-time school
Spelling Bee winner with back-to-back victories this year as an 8th grader and last year in
7th grade. He went on to take 13th at the Oakland County Regional Spelling Bee last year
and will compete there again this year on Sunday, March 17.
Kyle is a straight-A student at Oakview and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. He is an avid reader and his favorite subjects are Science and History. His school activities include Science Olympiad, Battle of the Books, Media Production, Choir, and Ski
Club. Outside of school, Kyle enjoys piano, swimming, horseback riding and pudding. Kyle
spends his summers at Upland Hills Summer Camp where he is a Counselor-inTraining. He is really looking forward to attending Lake Orion High School in the Fall.
Scripps Students Give a Helping Hand
In November, the Scripps Student Council sponsored a food
drive. Scripps students collected over 3,500 food items
that were donated to the Lake Orion Lions Club and Orion/
Oxford FISH organizations. In December, Scripps Student
Council sponsored a giving tree, and Scripps students donated new hats, mittens, and scarves that were given to
the Lake Orion Lions Club.
Page 15
Waldon Students Win Creative Awards
Waldon Middle School students earned 13 awards in the 2013 Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. This is a very
prestigious National competition for 7-12th grade students, and it is a great honor to be selected. Their work was
honored at an awards ceremony on February 16th and will be on display at The Center for Creative Studies in Detroit
through March 8th. Following is a list of winners.
GOLD KEY:
Anna C. (Drawing)
Sam S. (Painting)
SILVER KEY:
Erin F. (Painting)
Belina G. (2 awards in Painting)
Jaclyn P. (Painting)
HONORABLE MENTION:
Ellery A. (Painting and Photography)
Calvin B. (Painting),
Melanie C. (Painting)
Peri K. (Mixed Media)
Leo N. (Painting)
Katie O. (Photography)
Anna C.
8th grade
Sam S.
8th grade
Ryan Beatty Visits Lake Orion Schools
Singing sensation Ryan Beatty visited Oakview Middle School in
January to spread his anti-bullying message. Ryan has become
one of the entertainment industry's newest breakout stars. His
ability to perform live sets shows that he is extremely talented,
and he continues to please his fans as his music climbs the iTunes
charts.
Ryan has partnered with Defeat the Label, a non-profit organization that brings awareness of bullying issues and has been traveling to various schools across the U.S. to send an important message about self-empowerment as a call to action to stop bullying.
Even with Ryan's exceptionally busy schedule in the music industry, he remains dedicated to stopping bullying and empowering
teens across the nation. Defeat the Label chose to bring Ryan
Beatty to Lake Orion because of the district’s continuing commitment to stopping bullying through district-wide initiatives such as
the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
Page 16
Lake Orion Middle School Students Perform in All-State Band
Several Lake Orion High School and Middle School students earned the honor of performing with the All-State Bands as part
of the Michigan Music Conference in January. The performances were held at DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids. The following
students performed there:
All-State HS Band
All-State MS Band
Thomas Vieira, trumpet
Emma Pendergrass, alto saxophone
Scripps
Morgan H., oboe
Payge L., horn
Trent B., percussion
All-State HS Jazz Band
Raymond Whittenberg, baritone saxophone
Waldon
Keara K., baritone saxophone
Oakview
Gina T., horn
Middle Schoolers ‘Hitting the Slopes’
The snow is excellent on the slopes at Pine Knob this
year! Students are tackling advanced hills with no
fear, riding the moguls, and having a really great
time. Miss Jennifer Pleva is the new club sponsor.
She herself enjoys skiing and plans to try snowboarding before the end of the season.
Pine Knob is a premier ski resort with 6 chairlifts, 3
terrain parks and a wall. They also have 17 runs and 3
snowboard parks, so there is plenty to keep everyone
busy
Megan Prawdzik– 10th grade
Amanda Baumgart- 10th grade
Katherine Purvin- 10th grade
Page 17
From the Elementary Schools:
Carpenter Kids Re-Create Lake Orion Dragon
What did the Lake Orion Dragon ‘really’ look like? That’s the
question that some Carpenter Elementary students were
tasked with answering. These scientists were studying heredity; they were learning how traits are passed from parents to
offspring. They were given a genetic code and had to determine the recessive and dominant traits, such as skin color,
eye color, horns, wings, etc., that their dragon would have.
Other than those specifics, they could be as creative as possible—and they were!
Paint Creek Science Fair & Art Show
Paint Creek Elementary hosted its annual Science Fair and Art Show on Thursday January 28th. Each and every Paint
Creek student participates in the Art Show, and this year over 65 students entered to compete in the Science
Fair. Students were judged in multiple categories with prizes being awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and Outstanding
Achievement. Paint Creek 1st grade students displayed their animal dioramas, 4th grade students displayed their lighthouse projects, and Mrs. Dukus’ 5th grade students displayed their DNA Dragon projects. The Paint Creek Science Fair
and Art Show is sponsored by the amazing PTO and is put on by our awesome parents!
Page 18
Blanche Sims Elementary Events
Blanche Sims’ students have been busy with many extra–curricular and co-curricular activities. Check out the fun!
Daddy-Daughter Dance
5th Grade Musical
Lego League
Webber Artists Honored
Webber Elementary had six students whose art work was selected to be on display at Oakland Schools. Students selected were
first grader Alekya L., second grader Danielle D., third graders
Joseph R. (photo of art work attached) and Kylie Y., and fifth
graders Alex R. and Alex B.
Page 19
Community Circles
Students and staff at Paint Creek Elementary participated in a building-wide assembly to introduce Community Circles.
Community Circles is a program designed to develop and build community among all grades in the school. During the
assembly, they shared the definition of a community (those that LIVE, WORK, PLAY and SOLVE PROBLEMS together)
and a slide show of students and staff doing many of these activities. Community Circles has students meet in mixed
grade-level classes every other week for 25 minutes with their Community Circles teacher and classmates. Every Community Circles lesson focuses on one of the Pillars of Character which is the foundation of the school. During the assembly, they also shared how we all can and should be “bucket-fillers” not “bucket-dippers” each and every day. Three
amazing 5th graders read the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud, a native of Brighton, Michigan.
Twenty students who have shown outstanding character this school year were recognized.
Orion Oaks Has Talent!
Orion Oaks Elementary held their annual Talent Show in January. Students could perform
individually or as part of a group and were
required to participate in a tryout before being accepted. Here are some photos of the
awesome acts that were part of the show!
From Early Childhood:
Lake Orion Early Childhood Great Start Parent Conference
On Saturday, April 27, the Lake Orion Community Schools Early Childhood Department will host the 7 th Annual Great
Start Parent Conference and Resource Fair at the CERC building. Lake Orion Community Schools along with the Michigan Department of Education Great Parents - Great Start, the Great Start Collaborative, and Oakland Schools will offer
the conference FREE to all parents with children from newborn through five years old throughout the county. To register, please visit the Early Childhood website in March.
Come Take a Peek—Open House
New Family 2013-14 Open Registration
Thursday, March 7, 2013—5:30 - 7:00 pm
Monday, March 25, 2013 from 7:00 am - 7:00 pm at CERC
Meet teachers and visit classrooms at Community Educational
Resource Center (CERC). For more information please call
248-693-5439.
Early enrollment is recommended to receive desired program.
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Lake Orion Community Schools Administrators
Marion Ginopolis - Superintendent
Heidi Kast - Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
John Fitzgerald - Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance
Larry Lobert - Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education
Debbie Porter - President
Birgit McQuiston - Vice President
Melissa Miller - Secretary
Jim Weidman - Treasurer
Steven Drakos - Trustee
Connie Meech - Trustee
Bill Holt - Trustee
District Vision: Educating our students for the challenges of tomorrow
District Mission: Providing an exemplary education for all learners
Lake Orion Community Schools
Administration Building
315 N. Lapeer Street
Lake Orion, MI 48362
248-693-5400