Prom venue remains undecided by Lea Voytovich @leaaa_21
Junior Class Board President Abby Vulich ‘17 entered the Field Museum in downtown Chicago, but she wasn’t there to see the exhibits. Looking around the main hall, she imagined what it would be like to hold senior prom there. “My favorite venue was the Field Museum,” Vulich said. “I really liked the classy look and thought it would be perfect for a sophisticated prom.” For the class of 2017, the location for prom is not yet confirmed. Although the traditional Navy Pier venue is back in the running, Class Board visited the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry on Oct. 27 to see what they have to offer. For the past 11 years, LT’s senior prom has been held at Navy Pier. But last
spring, Navy Pier contacted LT to let them know that LT did not have a secured date for prom in 2016 because a trade show was scheduled to be hosted the same day that LT planned to have prom. After negotiations with Navy Pier, LT was able to keep prom at Navy Pier for the class of 2016 by rescheduling to Friday, May 27 rather than Thursday, May 26. In response to this prom debacle, Class Board brainstormed alternative locations for LT’s future prom venues. Students had specific criteria for the venues such as: being located downtown Chicago, having a scenic view and being a memorable, iconic location. “Something that’s very unique to our students at LT is that they are very adaptable and are able to adjust as necessary,” Director of Student Activities Peter Geddeis said. Due to LT’s large class size, it is l i m ited to
spaces that could hold over 1,000 people—Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry both fit that requirement. Shortly after that decision, Navy Pier advised LT that they would still be able to host LT’s prom for the class of 2017. “All three venues have great qualities,” Prom Sponsor Mary Gresge said. “Navy Pier is special because we are one of the only schools that holds prom in the Grand Ballroom, the Field Museum is a very classy historic building, and the Science and Industry Museum’s main atrium offers a natural dance floor.” Class Board will be setting up a website with information and a survey that students can complete to vote for the venue of their choice. Class Board wants to make the decision process as democratic as possible, Geddeis said. Each venue had advantages and drawbacks that were taken into consideration. “Navy Pier is familiar and the tradition,” Geddeis
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All members of the Class of 2017 can vote for the 2017 prom venue online at www.lths.net/newprom this December.
Survey enacts change at LT BOE Student, staff climate survey alerts school of insistent problems, causes future adjustments at LT by Céilí Doyle @cadoyle_18
LT sent a mass e-mail to students and staff on Oct. 15 asking them to respond to the 2015-2016 climate survey conducted by the independent firm, School Perceptions LLC. The climate survey has served as a barometer for LT administrators to measure the levels of stress faced by students and staff in years past. This year’s results aren’t expected to be released for the next few months; however, the information they provide is vital in continuing to move LT in a positive direction. “The reason we conduct the survey is to collect feedback,” Principal Dr. Brian Waterman said. “Based on what the survey gathers, we want to know what programs and services we can provide going forward that will help assist or respond.” The climate survey has prompted LT to make several changes to the curriculum, school day schedule and student resources in past years. “We noticed a consistent theme that students and parents were requesting that we examine our practice of ranking students,” Superintendent Dr. Tim Kilrea said. “We contacted multiple high school districts in our area who eliminated the practice, as well as a selected group of colleges/ universities where many of our graduates attend. After compiling the information, and careful consideration, we opted to phase out the practice of ranking students.” The list of improvements LT has made ranges from class rank to moving final exams before winter break, as well as the implementation of a
Continued on page 3 Pray for Paris
OPINIONS, 9
What is the correct response to the Paris terrorist attacks? Check out page 9 for more details. North Campus
approves 2016-17 calendar
Leap year causes shift for the 2016-17 school calendar by MelRose Buckler @amrbucks608
Friday Dec. 18
When LT’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Scott Eggerding, begins the process of making the next year’s calendar, he looks at calendars from years past as a guide. He considers how to balance the number of days in each semester. He also takes note of when holidays fall and keeps in mind the mandatory number of days students and teachers must be in school. “My job is to offer a big picture to the Board of Education [BOE], so that we can make a good decision about the calendar,” Eggerding said. Students are required by the state to be in school 176 days per year, and the teachers have a contract dictating a maximum of 183 workdays. Eggerding must consider these requirements and ensure that each semester has a close-to-equal number of days in the calendar, he said. “Overall we try to be sensitive when selecting start and end dates for the school year,” Superintendent Dr. Tim Kilrea said. The 2016-17 calendar appears messy due to the BOE’s focus on balancing between the fall and spring semesters and 2016’s a leap year. Even though there is a near two-week imbalance between the number of days in each semester next year, second semester will have more interruptions, such as testing and the All-School Assembly. Despite its incongruities, the 2016-2017 calendar will be an improvement from the
Boys basketball
Final exam schedule
This year, first semester finals will be held Friday through Tuesday due to the new lunch period schedule and the requirement for finals to fall before winter break.
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Period 2: 7:45 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. Period 3: 9:35 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Period 4: 11:25 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.
Monday Dec. 21 Period 6: 7:45 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. Period 7: 9:35 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Period 5: 11:25 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday Dec. 22 Period 1: 7:45 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. Period 8: 9:45 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. Make-up: 11:35 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. 2015-2016 calendar, Eggerding said. “This year is really just the messed up calendar,” he said. “Maybe we could have jumped [this year’s] calendar by starting a week later, but then it would have thrown off the balance between the semesters. This year will be the worst, and then [the calendar] will cycle through again.” In order to receive feedback from members of the community, LT shares the proposed calendar with surrounding schools and posts it on the LT website. In 2010, the BOE made a 10-year prediction for future calendars. They agreed not to start any earlier than Aug. 17. However, with 2016 being a leap year, LT
Star Wars
would have to start Aug.15 if they were to start the same week for the 2016-17 school year as they did for this year. Next year finals have a more conventional layout, spanning from Tuesday, Dec. 20 to Thursday, Dec. 22. This year, finals are Friday, Dec. 18, Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22. Originally the BOE had finals going until Dec. 23 this year, but that didn’t allow much flexibility for people to travel for the holidays, Kilrea said. “We thought that [ending on] Dec. 22 would [allow for] enough time for instructional time in first semester, as well as flexibility,” Kilrea said. In recent years, Eggerding has scheduled two student non-attendance days that are placeholders in case school is closed due to events such as inclement weather or power outages. If there are cancelled school days, these scheduled non-attendance days will become attendance days to avoid students from attending more school days in June. “We’ve had [weather make-up days] scheduled in the past, but those have not been specified on the calendar,” Kilrea said. “We are now identifying [these days] in advance so students and parents are aware.” This coming spring, graduation is on Sunday, May 29. It is the first time that LT will hold graduation over Memorial Day weekend. Spring 2017’s graduation will be on Sunday, June 4. Student Council vice president Haley Gorman ‘17 appreciates the concurrency of the calender. “I think the calendar looks great,” Gorman said. “The [BOE] has done a great job of spacing the amount of days off.”
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Is basketball your Are you excited for the isit us online at favorite sport? Go to new Star Wars movie? lionnewspaper.com page 12 to learn about Learn all about the or scan the QR code: the details on the groundbreaking prebasketball season. miere on pages 16-17. 100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525 South Campus 4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558