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LCHS gets good marks from
North Central Association

[DEC. 16, 2002]  Lincoln Community High School got a good report that included a couple of gold stars from the North Central Association accreditation committee last week.

"Lincoln High School showed incredible growth during the five years they were involved in the North Central Outcomes accreditation," Colleen Legge, chair of the North Central committee, told teachers and administrators at an in-service meeting Dec. 10.

"I have rarely seen the continual commitment to school improvement that LCHS has shown," she said. "I have been duly impressed with the organization, planning, soul-searching and drive for excellence that has been exemplified by all constituents of the faculty and administration."

She said the LCHS faculty and staff have been able to recognize when they needed to make changes to get the results they wanted and have been successful in making them.

She also said all members of the five-person team that evaluated the school were impressed with the commitment to students they found at LCHS.

The changes that Principal Joyce Hubbard regards as the school's "gold stars" are the dramatic increases in reading and writing skills shown on the Prairie State Achievement Exam this year, especially the big jump in writing skills for male students, who tend to lag behind females in this category.

[Photos by Joan Crabb]
[Colleen Legge, chair of the five-person North Central Accreditation Committee that just finished evaluating Lincoln Community High School, spoke to teachers at a recent in-service meeting.]

Legge credited the school's collaborative writing plan, which emphasizes writing in all classes, not just English, and its regular independent reading time for the improvements.

"Writing was the first area we started to do across the curriculum," Hubbard said. "We do more writing in classes, more essay tests, and we require complete sentences for answers."

To improve reading, students regularly have independent reading time in every class, not just in English.

Teachers all across the curriculum -- even band teachers -- have been involved in helping to raise reading and writing standards, Hubbard said.

"If kids can't read or write, it takes everybody pulling together to help them learn."

The 2002 PSAE test, which is taken by all juniors and which includes the ACT, shows significant improvement in both reading and writing for LCHS students. In 2001, only 59 percent of LCHS students met or exceeded state writing standards on the PSAE, exactly the same as the state average. However, in 2002, 69 percent of LCHS students -- 10 percent more -- met or exceeded standards, while the state average remained 59 percent.

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Although females jumped six points, with 72 percent meeting or exceeding state standards in 2001 and 78 percent in 2002, male students made a dramatic 16-point improvement, jumping from 46 percent in 2001 to 62 percent in 2002.

Also, the number of students in the academic warning category, the lowest ranking, dropped from 10 percent in 2001 to 6 percent in 2002, with no female students on the warning list. The number of students performing below expectations also dropped from 35 percent in 2001 to 27 percent in 2002.

In reading, LCHS had only 56 percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards in 2001, but this jumped to 65 percent in 2002. By contrast, the state average dropped from 58 percent in 2001 to 56 percent the next year.

[At a recent in-service meeting, LCHS Principal Joyce Hubbard spoke to teachers about the results of the recent North Central Association accreditation.]

Female students' scores increased most, from 63 percent meeting and exceeding the state average in 2001 to 74 percent in 2001, but males made a 10-point jump as well, from 47 percent in 2001 to 57 percent the following year.

Although 6 percent of the students fell into the academic warning category both years, the number performing below expectations dropped from 39 percent in 2001 to 30 percent in 2002.

The overall score for all subjects tested, which includes reading, writing, mathematics, science and social science, was almost five points higher in 2002, with 60.3 percent meeting or exceeding expectations compared with 55.9 in 2001. State averages were 55.8 in 2001 and 56.1 in 2002.

LCHS completed the current North Central accreditation on Nov. 1 of this year. Its goals included improving group communication, critical thinking and problem solving, reading comprehension, and written expression.

Legge, who is principal of Eisenhower High School in Decatur, was chair of the five-member committee that has been evaluating the school for the past five years. Others on the committee were Mary McLaughlin, Lincoln College instructor; Ed Wainscott, Jacksonville High School principal; Mary Muller, gifted and school improvement coordinator in Champaign; and Diane Bicknell-Albertin, teacher at New Holland/Middletown.

[Joan Crabb]

New directory lists online sources
for corporate grants

[DEC. 11, 2002]  MIAMI, Fla. -- For educational and nonprofit organizations seeking program funding, private companies can be a major source of philanthropy -- even in tough economic times. To help grant seekers identify and locate opportunities for corporate grants and giving, Miami-based Resource Media Group, Inc., has published the fall 2002 issue of its serial directory, "Corporate Grants and Giving on the Internet: A Directory of Web Pages."

Directory listings include individual Internet addresses for the actual grants-and-giving website pages of over 600 major national and regional corporations which, together, have branches or do business in virtually every local community. Each listing also provides a headquarters location, an industry description and a summary of the corporation's charitable areas of interest -- from education and community programs to the arts, the environment, health and human services, medical research, technology, and youth development. Internet addresses for the companies' home pages are included to facilitate research on products and services, branch and plant locations, financial results, and contacts.

"Online research is becoming ever more fruitful for grant seekers," says William Scheer, CEO of Resource Media Group, publisher and distributor of titles on grants and funding. "Companies have placed a great deal of information on their websites." And with the value of private-sector largesse estimated to reach $9 billion to $10 billion per year, corporate gifts are well worth pursuing.

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"Even in recession, big companies continue to make cash grants," says Scheer, "as philanthropy is a key part of public relations. And non-cash gifts, such as employee volunteering and product donations, are also a priority, as they further enhance a corporation's standing as a good citizen."

Updated quarterly to accommodate new listings and frequent address changes of Web pages, "Corporate Grants & Giving on the Internet: A Directory of Web Pages" is offered at $16.95 for a single issue or $57 for an annual subscription of four issues.

For more information, call (305) 858-7595, visit www.ResourceMediaGroup.com or write Resource Media Group, Inc., PO Box 450297, Miami, FL 33245-0297.

[News release]

IMSA launches Internet skills program for Illinois schools

[DEC. 6, 2002]  AURORA -- The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy launched the 21st Century Information Fluency Program for schools throughout Illinois. The program builds the capacity of middle and high school librarians, teachers and students to locate, evaluate and use Internet information resources productively.

School librarians participate in an online course and use a rich array of Web-based learning materials and software tools. Librarians then recruit teachers from their schools to develop lesson plans that integrate Internet resources into learning experiences. Participating librarians and teachers become members of an online network that connects them to Illinois colleagues dedicated to online learning and to timely information about online resources.

The 21st Century Information Fluency program is made possible through a $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education that covers 89 percent of costs. The balance of funding is provided by IMSA.

Congressman and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert secured the grant dollars for IMSA, calling the program "a potential national model."

"Once again IMSA has stepped forward to meet an important state and national need," Hastert said. "This program will ensure that more teachers and students have the knowledge, skills and dispositions to use the Internet to improve learning. This is especially critical in urban, rural and small towns where the digital divide is most pronounced."

The program is led by Dr. David Barr, director of online learning at IMSA. He states, "To continue to serve teachers and students in the 21st century, schools need to support the development of libraries without walls, providing access to digital multimedia information."

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Program partners include the Illinois School Library Media Association, the Illinois Virtual High School, the Illinois Digital Academic Library and the Illinois Century Network.

The program involves partnerships with 100 Illinois middle and high schools during the 2002-2003 academic year. Applications for the spring semester will be accepted beginning in December 2002. Participants pay no fees unless university credit is desired. Interested applicants can learn more about the program by visiting http://wizard.imsa.edu/learn.

Located in Aurora, IMSA is an internationally recognized pioneering educational institution created by the state to develop talent and stimulate excellence in teaching and learning in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. More than 14,000 teachers and 20,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and enrichment programs. IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy leadership and action research.

[IMSA news release]

Area students named admissions
ambassadors at Lincoln College

[NOV. 25, 2002]  Amy Humbert and Kelly Dowling, both of Lincoln, have been selected to serve as admissions ambassadors for the admissions office at Lincoln College.

Admissions ambassadors play a vital role in helping visitors and new students get acquainted with the campus. The select group is active with facilitating campus tours, attending college nights and visiting area high schools, and assisting with on-campus recruitment during scheduled open house events.

Amy Humbert, a sophomore, is a graduate of Lincoln Community High School and is active with the Lincoln College musical groups Sophistikatz, Harmony and Choir. She is studying music business courses and plans to attend a four-year university next year. Amy is the daughter of Gary and Elaine Humbert of Lincoln.

Kelly Dowling, a freshman, is also a graduate of Lincoln Community High School and is a member of both the Express and Choir groups, as well as participating in theater at Lincoln College. She is studying music and theater and plans to attend Western Illinois University to study music therapy. Kelly is the daughter of Ed and Marcia Dowling of Lincoln.

[Lincoln College news release]

[NOV. 15, 2002]  The two fifth-graders who left Washington-Monroe School at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with Police Chief Rich Montcalm hadn't been doing anything they shouldn't.

It was just the opposite. They'd been doing exactly what they should — showing leadership and taking responsibility — and their reward was to take part in a new program, "Lunch with the Chief."

Jeff Owen, in Kate Ewing's class, and Chris Bernhardt, in Martha Holland's room, left school with the chief of police to have lunch at Bonanza.   Chief Montcalm also gave the two boys black T-shirts that said “Lunch with the Chief” on the front and had a picture of a Lincoln police car on the back. He told them they were the only people in town with those shirts.

Jeff and Chris were the first two fifth-graders to be part of the new program initiated by the Lincoln Police Department, and Washington-Monroe School is the first area school to have its students recognized.

[Photo by Gina Sennett]
[(From left) Police Chief Rich Montcalm, Chris Bernhardt, Jeff Owen and Principal Rebecca Cecil.]

The police department is rewarding fifth-grade students who have shown leadership or great improvement in the classroom, said Principal Rebecca Cecil.

"Both boys have been very responsible in completing homework and assignments. They are maintaining high grades, A's and B's, and serving as models for other students."

She said fifth-graders are excited about the program, and parents are very supportive. Chris and Jeff's parents were honored that the boys were chosen.

"We like involving the police in a positive way instead of as people who arrest other people. We like the proactive collaboration police have with us, and we really appreciate their support," she said.

The new program fits right in with the Washington-Monroe emphasis on values, too.

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Cecil and her teachers work hard to promote two academic values, reading and studying, and two character values, respect and responsibility. That includes respect for all other classmates and for teachers. The school also promotes a lot of parental involvement.

Classrooms compete to win the flag and trophy for the highest percent of homework completed each week, Cecil said. Winning classes in two categories, primary and intermediate, get to fly the flag outside their classroom.

"Students are very proud to get the trophy and fly the flag," she said.

Students also compete individually to be included in the "Party with the Principal," held every nine weeks. Winners, those who have completed all their work, get to play games, watch videos, and have treats and snacks. Cecil usually has about 100 students who qualify for the party every nine-week session.

The school has worked out a program for students in grades 3-6 to help them keep up with their schoolwork. For the past four years, these students have been keeping planners, writing down assignments each day and having parents sign their planners each night when they have finished their work.

"Parents like the program," Cecil said. "That way they know what the homework is."

Washington-Monroe also welcomes volunteers who can help students in the school setting. This year, AmeriCorps volunteers and National Honor Society members at Lincoln Community High School are coming in and working with students as mentors and tutors.

Even though more than half its students come from low-income families, Washington-Monroe has a record of academic achievement. Last year 75 percent of its students met or exceeded state standards in reading and mathematics, and the school won a Golden Spike award for showing that students from low-income families can close the "achievement gap." It was one of only 59 out of 920 low-income schools in Illinois to get the award.

[Joan Crabb]

[NOV. 14, 2002]  NAPERVILLE — Parents and staff members from Washington-Monroe Elementary School were among teams from 15 schools from across the state chosen to present their effective school improvement strategies at the statewide "School-Family Partnerships Make a Difference" conference on Oct. 25 in Naperville.

The Washington-Monroe team included Principal Rebecca Cecil, teachers Leslie Singleton and Debbie Turner, and parents Crystal Alley, Dawn Frye and Candy Boulb.

The Washington-Monroe team jointly presented a workshop entitled "Focus on Literacy — Engaging all Family Members in Learning" with the Creal Springs Elementary School from Marion. The two schools discussed ways that families can foster their children's reading at home to reap benefits in school. The presenters showed their workshop participants how to organize Family Reading Nights, Family Resource Libraries and out-of-school opportunities for families to complement school instruction. Both schools have successfully implemented the Solid Foundation parent engagement program for their kindergarten through fifth-grade families.

Washington-Monroe is also the winner of the Golden Spike Award for raising test scores three years in a row.

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The "School-Family Partnerships Make a Difference" conference was sponsored by the Academic Development Institute, the Illinois Family Partnership Network, and the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The one-day symposium was designed to allow school and parent leaders to learn from other Illinois schools that have successfully integrated school-family partnerships and social and emotional learning to enhance the school and life success of their students.

[News release]

[Photo provided by Marty Ahrends]
[Left to right: parents Crystal Alley, Dawn Frye and Candy Boulb, Principal Rebecca Cecil, and Washington-Monroe teachers Leslie Singleton and Debbie Turner at the opening session of the Family School Partnerships Conference]

[NOV. 8, 2002]  Two minutes after Dr. Stephen R. Sroka began speaking, Cindy Crawford could have walked across the stage and the students wouldn't have noticed. OK, maybe they would have noticed. In fact, they did, as a stunning picture of Crawford in a sleek dress and Sroka with his arm around her waist illuminated the picture screen.

This guy really knows how to grab attention and how long he can hold it for, especially amongst young people. They hung on his every word, as unbeknownst to them, the high-energy guest speaker swept their thoughts and cleaned their thinking.

Sroka led the 900-plus LCHS voices chanting Thursday's message:

I am the power of one

He craftily picked them up using tried-and-true Madison Avenue strategies and pop culture messages and then deftly led them through the true realities using facts, examples and statistics on sex, drugs, alcohol and violence. Using an overhead projector and transparencies, he rapidly fired visual images, slowing down to gather the students' thoughts and then speeding up as appropriate to lead them through less-than-pleasant real-life issues, ultimately leading them to healthier thinking.

[Photos by Jan Youngquist]

With the grace of a master, he grasps their minds and enters their hearts by telling stories and using humor. Recalling the story of a haughty young man wearing expensive, name-brand tennis shoes, he points out that "the power of you" is not the [brand] name on your butt or chest. Buy some reasonably priced shoes and put the price difference in a college fund where it will make a difference in who you are and will become. "Learn something, be something," he says.

Using the lyrics of sexually charged popular songs, he starts the lines, and in unison students finish them. In the last song he says, "It's getting hot in here." "So take off all your clothes?" they respond.

Now they're in the moment, and he runs sexually transmitted disease facts past them. It isn't pretty. Eighty percent of the population has herpes. One-fifth of all teens are stuck with the lifelong disease. Forty-six percent of the girls get genital warts. He gives statistics that are teen-specific, not general population.

There's no dodging truth about sex and its consequences. He makes it clear that oral sex is definitely sex and it carries all the disease dangers of intercourse. In fact there is no safe sex. A condom will not protect your real sex organ, the one between your ears: the brain. It won't protect your reputation, and most importantly it won't protect your heart.

The effects of drugs, alcohol, violence, sex and addictions are addressed, supported with facts and illustrated with familiar examples. He polls the students, and with not the slightest hesitation, they raise their hands high. Yes, many have seen the family member that used to be funny after a couple beers and a few years later has become belligerent after a couple. He asks, "Who knows someone in this room that has had sex?" The auditorium is instantly filled with raised arms.

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He interweaves stories and pictures of people, some first-time users of any substance — inhalants, ecstasy, meth, crank, heroine, steroids and over-the-counter stimulants. As we all know now, some can't take them. They can cause heart attacks.

Early alcohol use leads to alcoholism, potential rape and violence within relationships.

Last year 1,800 youth committed suicide. One in 10 teens made suicide plans last year. The acronym "SUICIDE" acts as a guideline for friends to be aware of when someone may be in trouble.

Substance abuse

Undergoing a loss

Isolation

Change in behavior

Ideas of suicide: If someone says they feel suicidal, do not dismiss it. Get them to help immediately.

Depression: They are acting sad.

Education: Be aware of the signs.

The national suicide hot line is 1 (800) SUICIDE.

If you see someone doing drugs, alcohol or violence, recognize these are all cries for help.

Get involved

Whether it is in sports, clubs, hobbies, art or bands, do things.

Call on a higher power

As in "see you at the pole." Practice a faith.

Such as deep-breathing exercise with a steady pursed lip; release like you're blowing bubbles.

Lighten up

Have a little fun from time to time.

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" Sroka asks. And the kids all replied, "Sponge Bob Square Pants."

This is from a TV cartoon, for those of you who might be a little behind the times.

Think first

Practice conflict management.

Sroka says that if we're going to make it as a society, we're going to have to stop the hate.

Another chant breaks forth in cadence:

Sroka left the students with a final message to have awareness and sensitivity toward one another, especially when parting. You always want to be conscious of your words, as they could be the last that are spoken between you.

He showed them the strength that each and every one has to make healthy choices. Showed them that they hold the power to influence some one else. And drove home the message that you should always tell people you love them before parting.

Following his presentation students flocked around him to speak. They liked what he had to say. A group of boys all said, "Ya, I liked his presentation. He was good." They all thought they didn't really hear anything new, but a couple liked the new perspective he brought to some of the issues. Another said, "I liked the statistics, especially the percentages." They put new meaning on things for him.

[Jan Youngquist]

[NOV. 8, 2002]  Not your run-of-the-mill speaker, but the times call for not your run-of-the-mill actions. Shaken by the numbers of youth that have been involved in accidents and other destructive behaviors in the last year, our community leaders brought a nationally renown speaker and consultant, Dr. Stephen Sroka from Lakewood, Ohio, to town Thursday. Sroka spoke to students at Lincoln Community High School in the morning and at Lincoln Junior High in the afternoon. He took a couple of hours speaking with community leaders over the noon hour.

The father of three girls and a retired teacher from Cleveland Public Schools, Sroka has been a national and world leader in health education. As a visionary he has paved the way, writing about current health issues with today's youth, and has spoken all over the nation. He has been called to consult in communities as both a preventative measure and to those in the recovery process.

He was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 1996. He continues to teach at the School of Medicine, Center for Adolescent Health at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. He also serves as president of Health Education Consultants.

[Photo by Jan Youngquist]
[The Healthy Communities Partnership; Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Task Force; Lincoln Community High School; Lincoln Police Department; and Dick Logan worked together in bringing Sroka to town.]

At the noon-hour community gathering Sroka shared perceptions of the LCHS student body and the responses he got from students following his talk. He said, "You walk into LCHS, and you feel respect in the building. The kids are well-behaved, and the teachers have discipline." He liked how teachers sat with students in the auditorium.

He was mobbed by kids following his talk. They told him they liked what he had to say. Some had tears in their eyes. He handed out about 50 cards with his name and e-mail address on them and expects he will hear some serious messages from some of the students

LCHS vice principal Todd Poelker said students and teachers liked the presentation at the assembly. Students said they liked the facts they got in short amount of time and he was entertaining. The most common response was about facts and stats on sexually transmitted diseases. Some were shocked at what is out there. They said they didn't realize all of it.

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Sroka doesn't hold back, much, in his talks. What he does hold back is only because adults usually have concerns about it. The kids want more. He grabs their thoughts, using the newest teaching and learning technique, brain-based thinking. He meets them where they are and then gives them the facts. You have to reach their hearts and then show them they have choices, he says. Kids need options.

He recommends building up clubs. One-third of the kids are going to choose right. One-third will choose wrong. It is the other one-third that sit on the boundary that can be reached if you offer them something to do.

One thing he wants to emphasize it that it is not up to the law enforcement or the schools to handle youth issues by themselves. It takes "total community immersion," all community agencies and families, every one working together on all sides of our youth.

He advises that when dealing with youth, "Treat them with the respect that you want to be treated with." And he encouraged, "Go out and do the best you can, every day you can." They will remember you all the rest of their lives if you make them feel special. "It's not what you tell someone, it's how you make them feel that does not change."

There were about 30 in attendance at the noon meeting, including Lincoln mayor Beth Davis, Logan County Board chairman Dick Logan, Lincoln DARE officer Tim Butterfield, LCHS and LJHS administrators, Lincoln Park District, Logan/Mason Mental Health Department, Logan County Health Department, Healthy Communities Partnership and others. The general consensus was that everyone would have liked more time to do more things with Sroka. Particularly having time for interaction and brainstorming. Kristi Lesson, prevention specialist at Logan-Mason Mental Health, said, "We hope to have him return for an open community forum." The public will be invited.

[Jan Youngquist]

Honors & Awards

[DEC. 17, 2002]  In tournaments on Saturday, Dec. 14, the Lincoln Community High School novice speech team placed second at Normal Community, and the varsity team placed 14th out of 40 schools competing in Naperville.

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Menus

(Milk served with all meals)

Monday, Jan. 6 -- Cereal, toast with jelly, juice

Tuesday, Jan. 7 -- Cheese toasty, fruit

Wednesday, Jan. 8 -- Cereal, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, juice

Thursday, Jan. 9 -- Trix yogurt, rice crispy treat, banana

Friday, Jan. 10 -- Cereal, pop tart, juice

(Milk served with all meals)

Monday, Jan. 6 -- Hamburger on bun with cheese, potato rounds, raisins, baked beans

Tuesday, Jan. 7 -- Chicken strips with sauce, mashed potatoes, bread and butter, peaches

Wednesday, Jan. 8 -- Tacos with lettuce and cheese, corn, tortilla chips with salsa, pears

Thursday, Jan. 9 -- Barbecued chicken sandwich, french fries, carrot sticks, applesauce

Friday, Jan. 10 -- Spaghetti with meat sauce, peas, garlic toast, strawberry shortcake

Announcements

Lincoln Junior Woman's Club scholarships

[DEC. 5, 2002]  The General Federation of Women's Clubs has announced a number of scholarships available for students planning to attend Illinois colleges or vocational schools during the 2003-2004 school year.

Included in the list are the Arthur Grant Smith Drama Scholarship, $300; the GFWC Illinois Centennial Library Science Scholarship, $300; the Hamilton Ridge Music Scholarship, $500; Illinois Cottage Park Ridge Vocational Scholarship for Girls, $500; the Lincoln Lodge Vocational Scholarship for Boys, $500; and the Lorado Taft Art Scholarship, $500.

The Vina A. Miller Memorial Scholarship, $500, is also being offered to students planning to make the field of public affairs their career. Vocations in the field of public affairs include the study of crime prevention, life safety, fire, police, historical preservation and veterans affairs.

A new scholarship being offered by the GFWC Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs for the coming year is the Illinois Cultural Exchange Student Scholarship for students planning to study abroad.

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Students for all of these scholarships must be Illinois residents attending an Illinois school.

Winners will notified by May 1, 2003, and scholarship funds will be disbursed to the college financial aid office after verification of student registration is received at the Illinois GFWC headquarters.

Applications for these scholarships are available from the guidance department at Lincoln Community High School or may be requested by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Lincoln Junior Woman's Club Scholarship Chairman Judy Rader at 132 11th St., Lincoln, IL 62656. Completed applications must be returned to Rader no later than Feb. 8, 2003.

[Judy Rader]

Epsilon Sigma Alpha scholarships available

[NOV. 26, 2002]  The ESA Foundation of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, a women's leadership organization, is announcing the availability of scholarships for college-bound high school seniors, college students, trade school-bound students, as well as nontraditional students.

Individuals may go to the ESA Foundation website, www.esaintl.org/esaf, to find out more about the ESA Foundation and download the current application. The deadline for receipt of applications is Feb. 1, 2003. (If you get only as far as the Epsilon Sigma Alpha website, click on "Foundation" located at the bottom of the left-hand pick list.)

To find out more about Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, visits the website: www.esaintl.org.

[News release]

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