LION ISSUE #4

Page 1

Bell schedule updated Proposal closer to finalization, staff discusses future by Ceili Doyle @ca_doyle18

“We take a pro-active approach when it comes to identifying and preventing violence,” LaGrange Police Chief Renee Strasser said. “Community member vigilance, pro-active policing methods and technological advancements have all played an important role in keeping our community safe.” Student Assistant Program Coordinator Jeanne Widing works with students and the school to prevent, intervene and provide support to those involved in threatening situations. If a student is involved with violence, a team of counselors, assistant principals and social workers are arranged to consult and work with the student on a regular basis to determine what violations took place, she said. “I think that LT has been successful at making sure the student has the appropriate support they need,” Widing said. Each situation that involves a LT student is taken on by the school and police department as a case-by-case occurrence. Many of the altercations are handled based on the severity and are kept confidential.

The upcoming 2015-2016 school year is already proving to be another year of change for the LT community. The newly established potential bell schedule has morphed from the previously reported frontrunner. The change includes switching from a schedule with a start time of 7:40 a.m. and a dismissal time of 3:02 p.m. to a schedule with a 7:45 a.m. start time and a 3:05 p.m. dismissal, while still keeping the addition of a 25-minute study hall in the middle of the day, either followed by or preceding a 25-minute lunch. This reallocation of minutes is due to concerns raised by teachers, students and administration alike about previously allowing only three minute passing periods in between the 25-minute study hall and coinciding lunch. “Most the research currently suggests that schools should be starting later if anything because of sleep patterns,” Principal Dr. Brian Waterman said. “It was pretty obvious, when reviewing the earlier proposed schedule, that a three minute passing period during the lunch/study would not work. If we are giving students and staff three minutes to be in a study period by a certain time, then we are essentially cutting into their lunch.” Student response to the newly proposed schedule, specifically in regards to a later dismissal, is positive thus far. “I think that since we get out at 3:04 p.m. on late start days already, it’s not a new concept and as long the start time stays the same, I’ll be happy,” Andrea Branz ‘16 said. While the Board of Education has reviewed the new proposal for next school year’s bell schedule, nothing is finalized yet. “Although the board does not officially approve bell schedules, they are pleased with the proposed schedule,” Waterman said. “Currently there are committees looking at the proposed schedule, as well as the intervention piece and at what the roles of the teachers will be in this process. In addition, any propsed schedule will need to be discussed and negotiated as part of the collective bargaining process that the [Lyons Township Education Association] and District #204 Board of Education will undergo this spring.” Amy Johnson, LT Teacher’s Association’s Chief Negotiator and English teacher, alongside her negotiating team has compiled a list of very definite questions the administration needs to address in the coming weeks. “We need answers to some very specific questions that we have provided to Director of Curriculum Scott Eggerding and to

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This is a photo illustration and a staged altercation. No students were harmed in any way (LION/Riley Carroll).

Recent gun violence in LT area LaGrange Police, LT work together to prevent violence in and out of school by Gaby Sabatino @gabysab8

Late Nov. 21, the LaGrange Police Department reported a shooting that involved a 16-year-old LT student. According to the Suburban Life, the student was shot once in the leg following a verbal argument between two groups of people. Even though the investigation is still ongoing, there is no evidence that this altercation was a result of gang violence. “I can neither confirm nor deny that it was gang related violence,” LT’s Police Liaison, Officer David Rohlicek said. “We do not have enough facts to support that claim.” In light of recent occurrences, including the Jan. 26 drive-by shooting of a 22-year-old male in LaGrange on the 50 block of Washington Ave., these altercations present the possibility of increased violence in the LT community. Police have yet to confirm whether both shootings were gang related. The LaGrange Police Department and LT have been working closely to identify the violence that takes place.

Uncertainty surrounding test tentatively resolved

State decision allows formation of tentative schedule for testing freshman, no longer juniors by Joe Okkema @joe_okkema

After months of uncertainty about the implementation of the state’s newest standardized test, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment, a tentative schedule has been outlined for LT’s administration of the test. Due in large part to a lack of communication from the state, administrators were unable to accurately plan the testing until early December, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Scott Eggerding said. “The information has been extremely late in coming,” Assessment and Research Coordinator Katherine Smith said. “This has caused a huge burden in terms of communication within the school district, to parents, to students. Unfortunately information we communicated is now entirely incorrect due to the state’s changes, so that has been incredibly frustrating.” As the schedule currently stands, testing will occur on portions of five days in March and April and will test all students in English I and Algebra I. While the majority of students in these classes are freshmen, some students repeating these courses may also be affected. “This format is only for this year, and maybe only for this month,” Eggerding said. “We’re hoping that it will at least hold until after the test is administered.” After the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced that schools could test freshmen rather than juniors, schools were given only a week to plan out how they would administer the assessment. For this reason, while three quarters of Chicago area high schools are testing freshmen, others will test juniors, Eggerding said. “I think the major reason we did not want juniors to be tested is all the testing that is already happening with the ACT and AP tests,” Eggerding said. While the test is intended to be electronic in order to offer a more interactive approach for

Student Musicians Check out some of LT’s most prominent and up-and-coming musicians and bands as they search for success.

North Campus

NEWS, 5

Senate Bill 16

2015 PARCC Testing Calendar Curious as to what LT’s PARCC schedule will look like? Testing will take portions of five days in March and April occupying sections of first and second as well as ninth and tenth periods. Testing in March will consist of performance based assesments in Algebra I and Language Arts, while April will see the administration of four end-of-the-year assesments. Both sets of assesments are mandated by state legislation to occur during these specific time periods of the school year.

March Monday, March 16, 2015 Tuesday, March 17, 2015 Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Language Arts PBA 7:45-9:15 (Periods 1-2) Algebra I PBA 1:11-2:59 (Periods 9-10)

April Monday, April 27, 2015 Algebra I EOY 7:45-9:20 (Periods 1-2) Language Arts EOY 1:11-2:30 (Periods 9-10)

Language Arts PBA 7:45-9:30 Language Arts PBA 7:45-9:00 (Periods 1-2) (Periods 1-2) Algebra I PBA 1:11-2:45 (Periods 9-10)

Tuesday, April, 28, 2015 Algebra I EOY 7:45-9:15 (Periods 1-2) Language Arts EOY 1:11-2:30 (Periods 9-10)

PBA-Performance Based Assessment EOY-End of Year Assessment

Source: Scott Eggerding Director of Curriculum and Instruction Compiled by Joe Okkema

students, administrators have received state approval to administer a paper version. Though this will cost the school more money, as testing centers will need to be set up in the SC Corral and possibly several gyms, issuing a paper test will significantly lessen the amount of instructional time students miss, Eggerding said. “From an assessment perspective, I wonder how you are going to compare the scores of

OPINIONS, 8

Turn to page 8 to learn about the future of LT’s state funding and hear both sides of the argument with our Point/ Counterpoint.

100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525 South Campus

Continued on page 3 LT Weirdos Meet the men behind the state’s rowdiest student section. Explore what it is to get weird with our feature on the LT Weirdos. 

SPORTS, 10

Blackout Looking forward to the blackout game? Check out a preview and history of one of LT’s most popular sporting events.

PULSE, 18

4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558


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