By Dr. Patrick O’Neill,
Principal, Lewiston High School
As the 2002-2003 school year winds down, it is an ideal time to reflect on the incredible year that Lewiston High School has enjoyed. Our students have achieved much success in their academic pursuits as well as extracurricular activities. We recognize their hard work and congratulate them on their many accomplishments.
The band and chorus were invited to participate in concerts at Lincoln Center in New York City and at the University of Virginia. They traveled with band director Brad Hagen and chorus director Darren Avery in early April and were able to do some sightseeing along the way.
The Center Stage Ensemble presented The Miracle Worker and The Wizard of Oz. See separate article on page 8.
In early February, 40 educators from Beijing, China, visited LHS and LRTC. These visitors were impressed with our students and the courtesy they were shown during their visit. Some of our students have become informal ambassadors, staying in touch with these educators through email.
Robert Laverdiere, a senior at the high school and a member of Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Culinary Arts Program, earned the Lewiston Principal’s Student Leadership Award. He was awarded a $1,000 check and a plaque at a recognition ceremony in Bangor with 300 other deserving seniors from across the state. Laverdiere will be attending the University of Maine at Orono starting next fall.
Our swimming, basketball, and hockey teams deserve many kudos for their achievements during the winter sports season. Girls’ basketball had an impressive season and a run at the crown, losing in the semifinals to McCauley in Portland. Simultaneously, the hockey team went to the finals against rival Edward Little in a well played game in which the Blue Devils came up short by one goal. Both teams had a spectacular fan turnout for their games. Thanks for the support!
The Speech Team did a tremendous job this year, with several students qualifying for national competition. See LHS Speech Team Is All Talk on page 12 to learn more about the team’s most winning year ever.
The Civil Rights Team attended the annual conference held in Augusta in April. Topics addressed at the conference included racism, creating a truly safe and inclusive learning environment, and creating a gay-straight alliance.
The school has done a tremendous job in understanding and dealing with issues related to diversity. We were very fortunate to partner with Portland High School and the University of Southern Maine and to receive training from Stephen L. Wessler, the director of the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Hate and Violence Prevention. This year, approximately 200 students will have gone through this training. We have funded this work through private donations and grants, including a $2,500 pledge from the greater Lewiston/Auburn Chamber of Commerce. This commitment speaks highly of those involved, and it has helped us transition through some challenging times as a school and a community.
Lewiston High School continues to undergo a period of adjustment and change as we implement new school policies and adapt to meet new educational mandates from the state and federal levels. As we finish the last quarter, we will be instituting the School Committee’s new dress code policy. A copy of the policy will be mailed home and added to the school’s handbook. The new policy clears up generalities and spells out expectations. Please review it with your student(s) and assist us in ensuring we abide by it.
Starting in 2003, there are new graduation requirements under the new working laws known as Chapters 125 and 127. These acts can be viewed by going to the Maine Department of Education’s web site. Parents will also receive a mailing this summer detailing expectations for the 2003-04 school year.
The federal No Child Left Behind Act has impacted the way we do business at the secondary level. This bipartisan bill, which is not funded, has mandated some aggressive timelines for change in America’s schools. As a system, we are developing strategies to make our schools more capable of dealing with a future that will include great competition, ever-changing technology, and continuously changing training and learning needs for both students and faculty.
Lewiston High School is seeking grants that will give us the financial resources we need to pursue a restructuring process that works for our students and our faculty. One grant we are seeking is the Mitchell-Gates Grant. If we are selected as one of the 12 schools statewide to participate, we will receive funds over a five-year period for the training we need to go through the change process. Another grant we are seeking is a federal one that helps larger high schools restructure into smaller learning communities, thus presenting more options for students and faculty in pursuit of educational excellence.
Finally, as this year comes to a close, I would like to thank parents who have been involved with their children’s education. It is important that we take interest in students’ learning; they need their parents more than ever these days. Lewiston High School is willing to help in any supporting role we can. Your support of the school’s efforts is greatly appreciated, and we wish your student(s) much success as they finish their school year.
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