Viking Voice Parent Edition

Greetings and welcome to a new school year! We have been busy working hard to prepare our students for the new year.

This year you will find changes in key positions at Lansdowne High as well as procedures and protocols. I strongly encourage you to read through the edition of the Viking Voice as many of those changes will be outlined in this newsletter.

One of the biggest changes is that Lansdowne High is now a COMMUNITY SCHOOL! We are excited by this designation as it will allow us to find resources aligned to the needs of our students, our caregivers, and our community members. We are going to need your help, especially when we begin our needs assessment and hold our listening sessions. Please watch for communications from the school and Dr. Joy Carey, our Community School Facilitator!

It continues to be an honor to be the principal of Lansdowne High School and getting to know your child and the community. I look forward to the continued opportunities for us to work together in supporting our students throughout the year.

With gratitude,

Allison Seymour

Principal

#DoGreatBeGreat #VictoriousVikings

Follow LHS on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @LansdowneViking

Friday, August 9th: Schedules available in FOCUS

Wednesday, August 14th: Fall Athletics Begins

• Friday, August 16th: Golf and Badminton
• TBD: Allied Soccer

Thursday, August 15th and Friday, August 16th: Schedule Change Day @ LHS (see below), 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Thursday, August 22nd: Early Entry Day for Class of 2028! 7:30 AM - 11:15 AM

• Transportation and Lunch will be provided.

Thursday, August 22nd: Back to School Night, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Monday, August 26th: First Day of School for All Students
Monday, September 2nd: NO SCHOOL for Students and Staff
September 13th and 14th: Underclassmen Pictures at LHS
Tuesday, September 17th: PTSA Meeting, 6:30 PM, Library

Yearlong Refrigerator Calendar for 2024-2025

Log into the Parent Focus Portal. If you need directions on creating an account, the directions are below. Click this link for directions to access your students schedule, attendance, and report card.

Schedule changes will not be made to change periods, lunches, or teachers. Schedule changes will only be considered for the following reasons:

• Omission of a course required for graduation
• Incorrect level of a course
• Placement in a course you have already passed
• Participating in an internship program and needed release time
• Enrolling in a college course and needing to adjust schedule. Student must provide copy of college schedule.

To make a schedule change request before school starts:

• Open house on August 15 and 16 from 8am - 3pm for 10-12th graders. First come, first serve.

To make a schedule change request after school starts:

• Students will receive a schedule change request form in homeroom on the first two days of school. Submit the form and their school counselor will call the student down to address the schedule change. Students will only be able to request a change for the above mentioned reasons.

Parents are now able to log in to Focus, BCPS’ Student Information System, and Schoology, BCPS Learning Management System. Parents will need to create a parent account with the same e-mail address they provided to their school to sign up. Parents must be marked in Focus as having educational access to gain access to their student’s information. It will take up to 30 minutes to gain access to Focus and up to 48 hours to access Schoology. There is a link within Focus that will take parents directly to Schoology. If a parent clicks the Schoology link before the connection is established, the parent will receive an error message. Parents can contact their child’s school to resolve any issues with this process.

Here are the directions to create a parent account for access to student grades. The email addressed used to set up the account MUST match what is on file with the school. If you need to make a change to your email, please reach out to our enrollment clerk, Ms. Jiggetts at (jjiggetts2@bcps.org).

If you are still having difficulties after confirming your email addresses match, please contact the BCPS help desk at (443) 809-4672 or by visiting https://www.bcps.org/tech_support.

Directions in Spanish

Our goal is this year is for us to continue to improve our average daily attendance rate to meet the 94% standard set by the State of Maryland. We are also working to decrease the number of students who miss 18 or more days in the year. In order to reach these goals, we are putting some new procedures in place.

This year, families will receive weekly attendance updates on Friday afternoons. These updates will come by email and will include school absences, class absences, and lateness to school.

Lateness to school has been an ongoing concern at LHS. Starting this year, students will be required to use their Student ID to sign into school when they are late (not in class at 7:30 AM) to school.

• Students who had been in the building before 7:30 AM but didn't make it to class by the late bell will be required to report to the library to sign in for the day.
• Students who are dropped off by caregivers or arriving late by foot will be required to sign in the main lobby or main office.

Caregivers with a FOCUS account will receive an email notifying them of the time that their child arrived at school.

Chronic absences and lateness will be addressed by the Dean of Students and Assistant Principals.

Breakfast will be available in the main lobby starting at 7:15 AM for grab and go and will be served until 9:45 AM each morning.

Please share this cell phone policy with your student. We will share daily during the first month of school.

Students are expected to have their phones AWAY during instruction.

• In book bags or purses is acceptable.
• Students may also put their phone in a pouch that will be behind their teacher's desk.

If a student is caught using a cell phone during class without express teacher permission, the following consequences will apply:

• First Infraction: A verbal warning will be issued by the classroom teacher that includes a review of the cell phone policy for LHS. A message will be sent home by the teacher.

• Second Infraction: A written reminder of the cell phone policy will be issued by the classroom teacher that includes a review of the cell phone policy for LHS. A message will be sent home by the teacher.

• Third Infraction: A safety assistant will be called to the room to confiscate the phone. The phone will be given to the Dean of Students who will call the student to address the cell phone policy. The phone will be returned at the end of the day. A phone call home to the parent will be made.

• Beyond the 3rd Infraction: Teacher will submit a referral to the office. This will be considered insubordination. The phone will be confiscated and securely locked up in the main office until a parent can pick it up. Repeated offenses after the 4th one will be consequenced by Friday School, Saturday School, Assignment to the Reflection and Refocus Room, and out of school suspension.

Full LHS Policy can be found here

We are thankful for the members of our student support team at LHS. Please take note of their contact information and do not hesitate to reach out at any time with concerns or questions.

School Counselors - (443) 809-1417

• Joshua Grubka, Chair, AVID and BARR (jgrubka@bcps.org)
• Megan Blue, Last Names A - D (mblue2@bcps.org)
• Jennifer Stefanoski, Last Names E - K (jstefanoski@bcps.org)
• Daniel Bramer, Last Names L - P (dbramer@bcps.org)
• Julie Cabaniss, Last Names Q - Z (jcabaniss@bcps.org)

School Social Worker - (443) 809-1415

• Angela Donn (adonn@bcps.org)
• Jonathan Rosenblum (jrosenblum@bcps.org)

School Psychologist - (443) 809-1415

• Krystal Neal (kneal2@bcps.org)

Pupil Personnel Worker - (443) 809-6869

• Venisha Simmons (vsimmons@bcps.org)

School Nurse - (443) 809-1477

LHS Wellness Center - (443) 809-4726

• Christina Halley (challey@bcps.org)

We will continue our enrichment program called SUCCESS Time. Overall, most students were appreciative of this program and took advantage of the opportunities it provided to them.

What is SUCCESS Time? It is an hour of time that we will focus on topics such as social-awareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills, self-management, and self-awareness. Students will also have time to check their current grades, develop a plan of action and then communicate what they need in terms of support to an accountability partner. Later in the year, students will then have the opportunity to sign up for various non-academic and academic activities such as financial literacy classes, open gym, clubs, and guest speakers.

When does SUCCESS Time happen? Most Wednesdays after 3rd period for one hour

What are our goals? To improve attendance to school, to improve grades, and to strengthen our community and sense of belonging at LHS

Welcome back! One of the big changes at Lansdowne this year will be our designation as one of Baltimore County’s 91 community schools. I will serve as your community school facilitator. In this role, my job will be to conduct a Needs Assessment Survey for students, staff, families, and community members. This information will be used in connection with our School Performance Plan to leverage partnerships with area businesses, organizations, and community members. These partnerships will support and strengthen our community by providing access to services and opportunities for our students, teachers, and families. Think of things like our Food Pantry, courses offered to our students for free through CCBC, and health clinics available for free to our families. My position is a conduit to identify the needs and find ways to address them.

We will also be creating a Shared Decision Making Team to help guide the Community School strategy. If you have any interest in participating, please let me know. If you would like to be involved in our work as a Community School, look for invitations to participate in our Needs Assessment Survey and Listening Sessions. My goal is to have as many families represented as possible. With all of our voices shared, we can best identify the needs of our community.

Becoming a community school is an exciting opportunity for Lansdowne! We join several of our feeder schools that are already community schools. I’m looking forward to working alongside you this year to make a difference for our students, families, and community.

Dr. Joy Carey

Community School Facilitator

More information about the Wellness Center can be found by clicking here.

Registration Forms (English and Spanish) can be found here: Registration Forms

Maryland State Department of Education has implemented it's Blueprint for Maryland's Future and there is some very important information that our students and their caregivers must be aware of.

College and Career Readiness begins BEFORE 9th grade! That's right, but we are still working to provide students with the supports they need to earn the designation of being college and career ready by the end of Grade 10. It is very simple for students to earn this designation. If your child follows these steps, they are well on their way:

1. Show up to school, on time, every day when they are well enough to come to school.
2. Attend every class, every day when they are in the building.
3. Come prepared with their device and learning tools.
4. Complete and submit all schoolwork in a timely manner.
5. Take every test - in the classroom and state tests - seriously. They most definitely matter.
6. Work hard to earn Cs or better in all classes. "I only need a D" mentality is extremely harmful.
7. Read, read, read.

The benefits of having the designation of being college and career ready at the end of grade 10 are many. A few include access to FREE courses at the Community College of Baltimore County, access to FREE Advanced Placement tests, and reimbursement of workforce development licensure fees.

More information will be shared with families throughout the year.

AVID’s Mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

AVID in BCPS is a schoolwide system in K-12 schools that supports all students across the campus with college and career ready skills.

AVID middle and high schools offer an AVID elective class for students in the academic middle with aspirations of completing an early college experience (AP/IB/dual enrollment courses) during high school in preparation for matriculation. For one period a day, students receive the additional academic, social, and emotional support that will help them succeed in their school’s most rigorous courses.

It is not too late to enroll your child in AVID. There are seats open in classes across all 4 grade levels. Email Ms. Monica Jett (mjett@bcps.org) and Mrs. Tiffany Saylor (tsaylor@bcps.org) to learn more.

CCBC Catonsville Upward Bound Program is an intensive enrichment program that enhances the academic and personal growth of students. We serve 9th - 11th grade Lansdowne High School students.

• We provide FREE tutoring via google meet on all core subjects Monday-Friday after school or 24/7 via tutor.com
• FREE college tours (virtual, day, and overnight)
• FREE academic and enhancement two Saturdays a month at CCBC Catonsville
• We give stipends for participation

For more information, please contact us at catonsvilleupwardbound@ccbcmd.edu or call us at 443-682-1187.

BCPS Tuition Free Program is an early college access program for all BCPS students, offered by the Community College of Baltimore County and Baltimore County Public Schools.

About the program

• Eligibility: Students must be enrolled in a BCPS high school.
• Cost: Students only pay for supplies. Tuition, fees, and books are covered.
• Benefits:
  • Get a jump start on your college education while saving money and time.
  • Be better prepared for college academics and college life.
  • Earn credits toward your CCBC associate's degree, a continuing education certificate or credential, or transfer to another college of your choice.

Are you looking for plans after high school? How about trade school, community college, or a 4-year college! UMBC’s Educational Talent Search Program (ETS) is for you! We are a FREE college access program designed to support students in 6th-12th grade explore their post high school options. Some FREE activities include college campus visits, cultural field trips to museums and plays, as well as trips to Six Flags and Dave and Buster’s. We also offer individual, small, and large group check-ins and workshops on career/college readiness topics.

Pick up an application from the School Counseling office.

Questions? talentsearch@umbc.edu or 410-455-2901

Did you know that LHS has developed a Positive Behavior Plan to help guide us with our work around supporting the social-emotional needs of our students? While currently under revision, once it is finalized for the 2024-25 school year, we will share with families and post on our website.

There are three components to our work that we are focusing on monthly.

1. Social Emotional Learning Skills

• CASEL is the organization that we have begun to use as a framework to guide our work. Monthly our students are engaging in classroom lessons that focus on one or more of the topics in the framework: Self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills and social awareness.

2. BCPS Mind Over Matters Campaign

• Mind Over Matters is an ongoing movement to raise awareness about mental health and promote wellness for students and staff in Baltimore County Public Schools. Each month there is a different theme that we focus on in a variety of ways. More information about the Minds Over Matters campaign can be found here.
  

3. Celebration and Acknowlegement of Virtues

• Why virtues? Virtues are universal and recognized by all cultures as basic qualities of well-being. When we practice virtues and build our “character muscle,” we attract what may have been missing in our life such as fulfilling relationships and achievement of meaningful goals.

We know that there is more work to be done to support our students emotional health and our team is committed to developing and offering more opportunities to help our students grow in these ways. Besides our student support team of school counselors, social worker, school psychologist and social-emotional learning teachers, we have partnered with Villa Maria and are currently in the process of partnering with other community-based providers to support our students and families. Should your student or family be in need of additional supports, please call our school counseling office at 443-809-1417.

Students are required to earn 75 hours of service learning in order to graduate. Many of these hours are infused in the courses students take, and are often linked to successful completion of final exams in middle school, as well as grades 9 and 10.

Members of the Class of 2025:

All hours (75) completed AND paperwork submitted by January 24, 2025. Students will not be able to participate in the end of year Senior Events (including Prom) until SSLH requirements are satisfied.

Members of the Class of 2026:

50 hours completed AND paperwork submitted by January 24, 2025.

Opportunities for service learning are shared regularly on the morning announcements. Students may speak with Ms. Harris (room 217) or Ms. Cabaniss (School Counseling Office) about service learning opportunities, to turn in forms or to pick up forms to document hours.

To be eligible to play winter sports, students MUST maintain at 2.0 unweighted GPA for the 1st marking period and have no more than one failing grade.

Registration paperwork MUST be submitted through FOCUS. Call Coach Murphy if you need assistance with submitting your paperwork.

If you have questions, please reach out to Coach Murphy, Athletic Director, via email smurphy4@bcps.org or at (443) 809-1424.

We are very thankful for those members of our school community who have joined our PTSA. We encourage you to join them because we know many hands make light work.

PTSA of Lansdowne High School

Please reach out to our Athletic Director, Shaun Murphy (smurphy@bcps.org) for more information about Boosters.

Email: ashinners@bcps.org
Website: lansdownehs.bcps.org
Location: 3800 Hollins Ferry Road, Lansdowne, MD, USA
Phone: (443) 809-1415
Facebook: facebook.com/lansdowneviking
Twitter: @lansdowneviking