Friday morning started with a wonderful Senior Breakfast arranged for them by the Senior Parents and donated by THE SHACK!  It was a time of thoughtful contemplation as they signed yearbooks and enjoyed a delicious meal together just before graduation practice.  After they all received their caps and gowns the left only to return a few hours later to line up in the commons prior to marching out onto the field. It was a perfect evening filled with lots of excitement.

On Thursday, State Representative, Devin Carney stopped by LOLHS to present Agatha Hunt, Valedictorian,  and Ella Curtiss-Reardon, Salutatorian,  with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly. 

At Wednesday's BOE meeting, the academic and athletic teams were recognized for their state victories.  Congratulations were given to the Mock Trial team making it to Nationals;  the Boys and Girls Crew teams winning States; the Girls Track team winning States along with the Girls Tennis team.

After the academic and athletic recognitions, LOLPS retirees  were recognized and thanked for their years of service to our schools. For LOLHS, we are are bidding farewell to three beloved wildcats: Glynis Houde, Leslie O'Connor and Billy Rayder. 

​We have only had the privilege to work alongside Leslie O’Connor for the past 25 years, but next week will mark the end of her 42 years in education.  Leslie has been a pillar of dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to her students. As a special education teacher, she has championed the rights and opportunities of every child who walked through her classroom door, ensuring they received the rich, high-quality experience they deserved.
Her passion for creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment has transformed countless lives. Her tireless efforts and legendary patience have broken down barriers, opened doors, and created opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach for her students.
Coupled with her extensive knowledge of special education is Leslie’s genuine caring demeanor that instills a true feeling of trust and confidence with her students and their parents.
Well before Green-Teams and environmental clubs, Leslie O’Connor has been a strong advocate in our school for the health of our environment.  With her at the lead our staff has truly changed its habits to be less of a burden on our planet.  It is because of Leslie that I do not run the water while brushing my teeth.  
She has inspired all of us with her dedication to her craft and has left an indelible mark on our school community.
Thank you for your service, your passion, and your unwavering belief in the potential of every student.
Enjoy the next leg of your journey

​Writing these words may be the most difficult assignment in my career.  How do I do justice to 49 years in just a few paragraphs?  In addition to serving as the anchor of our Physical Education department, Billy has coached numerous sports and taught just about every citizen in our town to drive a car.  But it’s not about his resume.
For nearly five decades, Billy has been an irreplaceable part of our school community. The motto of our P.E. department is "Go Big, because going home is not an option," and I have never witnessed a day that Billy did not embody this spirit. He brings high energy and enthusiasm to every student, every day.
Whether coaching on the field, leading a class, or cheering from the sidelines, Billy’s presence has always been a source of motivation and encouragement.
His impact goes beyond the physical. Billy has been a mentor, a role model, and a friend. His positive attitude, infectious enthusiasm, and genuine care for each student has created an environment where everyone feels valued and inspired to do their best. 
I truly believe that one of the factors that have contributed to the friendly and supportive community in which we all live or work is the lasting impact that Billy’s life and work has had on generations of our citizens.
Billy, your legacy of going big, every single day, will continue to encourage us all.
Congratulations on your extraordinary career and your well-deserved retirement!

Marine Transportation students were asked to calculate the location of the waterline on two canoes they built during the class.  After calculating the volume of the boats, and finding the weight of both the boat and passengers, students tested their answers by launching the canoes in the  Beaver pond.
 
Introduction to Engineering Students used web-based trebuchet software to experiment with variables before testing real models. Theoretical launch distances were confirmed by launching projectiles from the trebuchets in the auditorium. Slow motion video allowed students to witness their trebuchet’s sling release angle, showing the exact point at which the projectile leaves the trebuchet.

On one of the last days of classes, Mr. Derry's Intro to Engineering students tested their ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicle). These ROVs were submerged in water where students had to navigate the vehicle to grab a ring from one side and bring to the other.  Images below show students testing out their ROV before the real competition!

On Wednesday, June 5, two amazing writers from LOLHS were honored at the 42nd Shoreline Heads of English Teachers Awards Ceremony! 
​
Senior Stella Geronimo earned first place for her personal narrative, "The Place(s) I Call Home." Junior Ella Kiem earned second place for her poem, "Old Bookmarks." After the ceremony, they chatted and posed for pictures with teachers, Ms. Baklik and Mrs. Duhamel. The poetry judge, and guest speaker, Dr. Mark Fabrizi, a published author and professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, joined the celebration after the ceremony to chat with award recipients. It was a wonderful evening! 

This year, AP Statistics students completed a real-life statistical project of their choice. Many students used the population of LOLHS students to collect data from. There were a variety of topics explored, from flavors of Froyo at lunch, to 5k running times at the Shoreline Cross Country Championship, to the safety of pitbulls in households with children. I would like to thank the teachers and students for their participation in the data collection process! Here are some stellar examples of the AP Statistics Final Projects.

June 02, 2024 3:44 pm • Last Updated: June 02, 2024 5:33 pm
By Mike DiMauro
Day Assistant Sports Editor
[email protected]

​Old Lyme — Nobody else is doing this. Nobody else is close. Not even the Gold Coasters, the Dariens, the New Canaans, whose high school athletic programs seemingly win everything, every year, every time.
No, the most successful spring athletic program of 2024 in Connecticut belongs to little ol’ Old Lyme, where the concept of Girl Power sustains the words of Helen Reddy: They are women, hear them roar; in forces too big to ignore.
The spring of their content in the 06371 has already produced three state champions in the girls’ sports of rowing, tennis and track. There are two more opportunities this week with lacrosse and softball in the state semifinals.
This comes on the heels of cross country’s Chase Gilbert, the two-time defending Class S champion; wrestler Hoshena Gemme, the Girls’ State Open 132-pound champion; the boys’ basketball team’s first state championship in March and the overall historical excellence of the school’s girls’ soccer and basketball programs.
“We’re having a good time, that’s for sure,” Hildie Heck was saying over the weekend.
Heck, the young, smart and tolerate-no-fools athletic director, was quick to deflect any praise coming her way for these championships, championships everywhere. Just make no mistake: This athletic program is an H.H.P. (Hildie Heck Production).
“Well,” she said, “we have amazing coaches. Start there. I was driving (Saturday) morning thinking about how fortunate we are to have such great people here. It gets me emotional.”
Warning to Heck: What follows could make you emotional.
You want great people? Try this: The boys’ soccer coach is a woman, Ally Gleason, the former girls’ assistant to her dad, Paul, who won multiple state titles and is the single greatest quote in the history of The Day sports section. The former girls’ soccer coach, Don Desautels (perhaps the second greatest quote), who also won a title, still hasn’t left school, a frequent scoreboard operator/ticket taker/public address announcer, illustrating the byproduct of all positive environments: when leaving is harder than losing.
The girls’ tennis team has won four straight Class S titles, a tribute to coach Lauren Rahr, who successfully navigated the unthinkable this season. Her team actually lost a match, after winning 78 straight.
The two men who have won girls’ basketball state titles, Tim Gavin and Don Bugbee, are still coaching, except it’s another sport: softball. The Wildcats play Coventry in the state semifinals this week. Rowing? Check out the walls of Old Lyme’s gym, where the national championship banners exist and there’s the former Olympian, Austin Hack.
Speaking of Olympians, there’s another on property. The woman who led the girls’ track team to the Class S title is Jan Merrill-Morin, a former Olympic finalist in the 1,500 meters at the 1976 Games in Montreal. Then there’s lacrosse and Emily Macione — her team is in the semis as well this week — who was rather entertaining last week narrating her way through the quarterfinals. Why? It means that much.
Brady Sheffield, the boys’ basketball coach, recently authored the first state championship in program history. Brady Sheffield: 21 years old. Imagine his surprise that after the thrill of history, his phone rang a few days later. On the other end: Jim Calhoun – yes, THAT Jim Calhoun – offering his congratulations. Calhoun’s first coaching job in his Hall of Fame career was in Old Lyme in the early 70s.
And to think this is happening in a school with 370 students. Consider there is another high school in Connecticut nearly 10 times the size: Danbury with 3,590 kids.
“Great people,” Heck kept saying.
Right. And not to belabor the obvious, but this is what happens when you hire them. Makes you wonder all these years later now how many women have been denied opportunities to coach and administrate. Old Lyme got it right with Hildie Heck, who has gotten it right with so many of her hires, too.
“When I got the job, I thought girls’ sports here needed to be promoted a little more,” Heck said. “And as a woman, why wouldn’t I? Girls’ sports, relatively speaking, haven’t really been around that long. So every time a female accomplishes something, she’s making history. I don’t think the kids always realize that.”
Just as boards of education don’t always realize that the right hire can be a woman just as often as it can be a man.
“As a female AD, there are challenges,” Heck said. “There just aren’t that many of us in Connecticut and across the nation.”
Heck originally wowed yours truly by showing up to a frigid state tournament girls’ soccer game a few years back with a battery powered, heated vest. Who knew? The only piece of clothing she’s ever seen, she said, that can “keep you warm and charge your phone at the same time.”
All this and a sense of humor, too.
So as the school year of 2023-24 ends, raise a glass to this remarkable band of coaches, kids and administrators in this town generally known for the arts. They’ve turned sports into an art as well.
This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro
​

Tuesday was a busy day at LOLHS. In the morning, we welcomed the incoming 9th grade class - the class of 2028. The students joined me in the auditorium where they received their schedule and met their HS buddy. Students attended classes and went on a tour of the building with their buddy. The  met various teachers and staff, participated in an activity fair as well as an athletic panel and student teacher panel. After lunch, the class of 2028 adjourned to the auditorium to listen to the speeches of the candidates wanted to serve as next year's class officers. The students then returned to the middle school to vote for their slate of officers. That afternoon, the underclasses each met in different parts of the school. The officers addressed the classes to share the state of affairs then spent the rest of the time bonding with their class doing various activities.

Noah Sanford constructed a Spinosaurus aegyptiacus for his Senior Project. He combined his fascination of dinosaurs with his love of woodworking to create his own Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Noah told is classmates that he wanted his Senior Project to be fun, large-scale, and challenging.  As you can see from Noah's finished product, he succeeded! 

Underclass Final Exams Reminders:

• Students are not required to be in school if they do not have an exam
• 15 Minute Rule:  Students can enter the exam room up to 15 minutes after the exam begins.  16 minutes plus must have administrative permission. If a student is tardy, no additional time will be provided for completion of the exam.
• Students must remain in the exam rooms for the full exam period.  Bathroom breaks are at the teacher’s discretion.
  • If permitted to leave, only one student may leave the room at a time
  • Student must have room pass when exiting the room
  • For exam security, all phones must remain in the room if they exit
• Students' cell phones must be turned off, in their bags/backpacks or placed in a common location designated by the teacher.
• Students should remove Apple Watches and secure it in their backpack/ purse.
• Students are to adhere to the exam schedule if a student is unable to attend an exam due to extenuating circumstances, a parent must communicate and request permission from the administration ([email protected] / 860-434-1651 x.1002)
• If a student will be absent due to illness,
  • A parent must call the main office (860-434-1651) or email to report absence
  • The student must communicate with teacher to arrange make-up exam

Make-Up Exams June 12 is Make-up Day. If a student has been given approval by Administration to schedule an alternate date, the teacher and students must make arrangements that is appropriate for both schedules. The exam make-up must be scheduled during the exam days including June 12