cub
REPORTER
September 30, 2011
Lawrence Central High School, Indianapolis, Indiana
Volume 63, Issue 3
Modified calendar decision tabled Next year’s calendar similar to this year’s MeredithVarie meredithvariecub@gmail.com
While a final vote was expected by many to either implement a modified calendar or maintain the traditional school year calendar, the school board decided Monday that discussions regarding the 2013-2014 school year would be continued until, at the latest, January,
and that no change would be made for the 2012-2013 school year. “We are more or less waiting to see what our colleagues in neighboring districts decide to do,” school board president Carol Helmus said. The board seeks to align the calendar with bordering districts if possible. The modified calendar proposal includes an earlier start time (most likely early August) that ultimately allows for one week off during the fall, one
week off for Thanksgiving, one parent-teacher conference day each semester, and two weeks off for spring break, with the first week of spring break containing snow make-up days. Summer break will be eight weeks long. The decision that any potential changes would not take effect until the 2013-2014 school year was made in part out of respect for families’ and staff members’ plans already made using the traditional calendar.
“There are too many variables in too short of a time,” school board secretary Jeff McKean said. The calendar change is being considered for several reasons. First, the original proposal sought to provide a two-week break between each of the nineweek marking periods. The modified calendar has resulted in attendance improvements and a reduction in the number of disciplinary referrals in other districts and may also result in
district-wide savings. “When MSD Warren went to the modified calendar they experienced a significant decrease in substitute teacher costs (40 percent, which would mean approximately $400,000 to MSDLT if we realized the same 40 percent savings),” assistant superintendent Jan Combs said. Many neighboring districts are considering a change in calendar. Indianapolis Pu-Please see Calendar on page 6
Mendel district’s only National Merit semifinalist MeredithVarie
meredithvariecub@gmail.com
Senior Calvin Mendel is a semifinalist in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Of approximately 1.5 million participants, Mendel is one of only 16,000 to qualify as a semifinalist and is the only semifinalist in Lawrence Township this year. “It’s a really good scholarship for prestige,” Mendel said. The annual competition begins with taking the PSAT junior year and continues by awarding 15,000 students with a finalist standing, determined by the students’ “abilities, skills and accomplishments.” Semifinalists make up fewer than 1 percent of high school seniors in the country and are identified by their high PSAT scores. Mendel began working for
academic success by challenging himself through elementary school by skipping grades one and four at Brooke Park Elementary School. He will still be 16 when he graduates in May. “I figured the easiest way to get less homework was to skip two years of it,” Mendel said. His success comes from hard work and studying, often for four hours a night during the week. “I try to front-load my learning so I don’t have to cram,” he said. Mendel plans to study chemistry after high school and hopes to attend a university in California, specifically either University of California at Berkeley or Stanford University. “They’re great schools and they’re in an environment I really enjoy being in,” Mendel said.
Photojournalism finalist Senior Samantha Mueller is a photography finalist in the National Scholastic Press Association’s “Best Picture of the Year” contest. Her photo is a contender in the contest’s “environmental portrait” category. The photo of then-freshman Kenny Thomas was published in the Nov. 12, 2010, edition of the Cub Reporter with an article that showcased Thomas’ capture of a National Silver Gloves boxing title. Mueller’s final contest placement will be announced at the NSPA convention in Minneapolis Nov. 19.