This past week, thanks to our Student Leaders and their officers, LOLHS experienced our first socially distanced spirit week. With their extra planning, we had an extended homeroom each day in order to provide opportunities for students to not only participate in the daily events, but also to view the events via the live stream, thanks to the support of WLYM advisors and students. Monday's event was the Limbo, Tuesday -Giant Jenga , Thursday - Ping Pong, and Friday - the Obstacle Course. Two representatives from each class came down to the Commons to participate. Although it was not our traditional pep rally, it was certainly a great way to get our spirit going!

Data from the FCD Student Attitudes and Behavior Survey shows that students who talk about substances with the adults in their lives are less likely to drink alcohol than students who don't have such conversations. Initiating prevention conversations is one of the most effective ways a trusted adult can promote health in a student's life.
 
Getting these conversations started can be daunting. Join us for these upcoming webinars to learn how to begin prevention discussions with children and adolescents.
 
Webinar 1: For Faculty and Other School Staff
 
Elementary students may come to school already filled with early messages about alcohol and other drugs. Middle and high students are looking to adults to help them build an understanding of how substances can impact their growing bodies, and to help them navigate the pressures of development as they make the health-based choice to use or not use. Knowing how to address these topics and start prevention conversations with students is essential, during all ages and stages of development.
 
In this webinar, join two experienced FCD Prevention Specialists as we explore:

• How students at every age tend to think about health, staying healthy, and alcohol and other drugs
• Key substance misuse prevention and health promotion topics ready for school discussions with your students
• Age-appropriate ways to engage students in health-based conversations just for them
• How to build teachable moments and turn conversations into learning opportunities
• Ways to encourage healthy habits in your students as a follow up to any "drug talk"
• Approaches adults can use within prevention conversations to help you hear and be heard by your students.

Participants in this webinar will learn what they can do to engage in useful conversations with their students to help build a climate of prevention in their school communities.  
 
 Webinar 2: For Parents and Other Family Members
We all want to keep healthy kids healthy! To do so, parents, caretakers, and other family members can all play a role when it comes to the prevention of teen alcohol and other drug misuse. From an early age and onward, health promotion at home requires that parents and caretakers be informed and ready to be active in everyday prevention opportunities in the family. Knowing how to start the prevention conversation with your children at all ages is important.

In this webinar, join two experienced FCD Prevention Specialists as we explore:

• How kids tend to think about health, staying healthy, and alcohol and other drugs as they grow
• Key alcohol and other drug use prevention topics ready for discussion with your kids at home
• Age-appropriate ways to engage kids in health-based conversations just for them
• How to build teachable moments and turn conversations into learning opportunities
• Ways to encourage healthy lifestyle habits in your kids to reinforce the prevention conversations you have as a family
• Approaches parents can use in prevention conversations to hear and be heard by your kids.

During this webinar, parents and families will learn what they can do to engage in useful prevention conversations with their children in ways that research shows really make a difference.  

A Message from Mrs. Glorioso & Dr. Dushin:
I know things have been crazy this year so THANK YOU for your patience and flexibility.  As you may recall, the state director, Brendan Herlihy has stepped down and the Board of Directors (which includes Dr. Dushin and me) are scrambling to try and plan the competition.  The many changes that we will see this year have contributed to a delay in announcing the State Tournament schedule.  This schedule must be worked out first then we can plan what events you go in from there so we don't have overlaps.  
We are days away from that announcement as the board looks into facilities and supports.  
 
In the meantime, there is much for you to do including the following:

1. Optional: October 27 at 5:00pm we will have an Informational Science Olympia Zoom meeting with updates and Questions/answers opportunity.
2. IMPORTANT: This is the link for all current/future updates.  Open it, READ THROUGH IT, and save it to your Favorites bar.  There are many links in the presentation including a survey on what events you are interested in as well as a bunch of other resources. 🙂
3. Olympians, join Science Olympiad Google Classroom
4. Our practices will officially begin on November 2nd.  See the calendar in the link above to sign up for events and see the schedule.
5. Team Captains: we will be selecting Team captains for the B and C division teams.  This is a one-year position that may get extended.  If you are interested in taking on a leadership role for your team, email a 1 paragraph statement as to why you are the "perfect candidate to lead the Science Olympiad team".  Send your email to both Dr. Dushin and me no later than October 31st so we can choose captains and make an announcement for our new season.  🙂

Thank you!
Dr. Dushin and Mrs. Glorioso

The Chinese III class held a zoom meeting with some high school students and their teacher from Shanxi Experimental High School today. Students exchanged questions and answers in both Chinese and English and talked about some of their favorite sports, musicians, favorite academic courses. They have really enjoyed their experience and some wanted to meet with their new acquaintances again. The hope is for students to see language use in action and feel more motivated to learn the language, as well as about another culture. Both groups have been surprised that they know some musicians and songs from both cultures; sports personals too, of course. 

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School Environmental Club helped out with the removal of invasive species in the Lay-Allen Preserve part of the  Old Lyme Land Trust. They helped to remove invasive species such as Oriental bitter sweet, multiflora rose, burning bush, and  barberry. If you would like to join the Environmental Club contact Mrs. Fried or senior Connie Pan.
 

Student Leaders have worked hard in planning for a physically distanced spirit week this week. In lieu of a traditional pep rally on Friday, two representatives from each class will participate  in some fun competitions each day during homeroom which will be live streamed. Hope to see that Wildcat Pride and Spirit!

This year, our Veteran's day ceremonies are being altered significantly. In an effort to make everyone aware of all of the veterans, past and present, and honor them for their service, we are asking that you help us create our own Lyme-Old Lyme Wall of Honor. It is easy and completely digital! All you have to do is follow the instructions below. 

​The AP European History class chose a piece of Renaissance art to “recreate.”  Students researched the artwork for artist, title, medium, origination, current location, and noted the significance of the artwork.
The artwork was analyzed to explain how it reflects the new techniques of the Renaissance. 

Ms. Macione took some students to Clyde’s Cider Mill and Whittle’s Farm last week.  They were fortunate to have such a beautiful fall day!  In addition to the cider and donuts they enjoyed at Clyde’s, they also liked walking through the pumpkin patch and seeing the baby pigs at Whittle’s!  ... A perfect fall day!

As our first project of the year, Spanish Honor Society is trying to inform the community about Microaggressions.
By definition, a microaggression is “a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority”.

It is important that we educate ourselves about the use of these microaggressions, and work to rid them from our vocabulary.
Some examples include- 
• when a lesbian is told, "You don't look like you're gay!”
• when a black person is told, "You're so lucky to be black — so easy to get into college."
•when a woman is told “you’re smart for a woman.”
... and the list goes on.
To raise awareness, the Spanish Honor Society will be selling T-Shirts and stickers pertaining to microaggressions, and being part of the solution, not the problem. The money we raise will be donated to latino community organizations in need. 
 
We created a google form to keep track of T-Shirt and Sticker orders, so please fill it out if you are interested in buying either! 

​Community members are encouraged to attend the public forum on the proposed artificial playing surface on our main campus. The agenda includes a brief overview of the project, a presentation by the engineering and design firm working on the proposed project, followed by questions from attendees. This meeting is virtual with no in-person attendance

​LOLHS Unified Sports Team is selling baseball hats. They will arrive by the end of October and are $10! 
Proceeds from the hat sales will go directly to our program. These funds will allow us to continue participating in fun and unique events! Below I have attached an order form. If you would like to purchase a hat (or a few), please complete the form and send in payment (cash or check) to Ms. Corah. Checks can be made out to RSD18. For questions, please contact Ms. Corah at corahc@region18.org.

​Community members are encouraged to attend the public forum on the proposed artificial playing surface on our main campus. The agenda includes a brief overview of the project, a presentation by the engineering and design firm working on the proposed project, followed by questions from attendees. This meeting is virtual with no in-person attendance

Take a look as Mr. Fisler demonstrated Newton’s Law of Inertia. The basketball is moving horizontally before it is thrown upwards. Since there is not much air resistance, the ball will keep its speed horizontally and stay in line with the skater, unless the skater falls and breaks his hip!