iPorter Newsletter March 2014

MARCH 2014

iPORTER NEWSLETTER NEWS FROM LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL

Going Bald for a Good Cause Story on page 13

UPCOMING EVENTS March 3 No School

March 13 St. Baldrick’s 6 pm

March 20 Prom Extravaganza 5:30 pm

March 7 Band Jazz Showcase 7 pm

March 17 School Board Meeting 7 pm

March 24-28 Spring Break

March 11 Spring Concert 7 pm

March 19 Athletic Awards 7 pm

March 31 Classes Resume

STARKEY NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT LTHS Dan Starkey was named head football coach at Lockport Township High School District 205 at its Feb. 24 Board of Education meeting.

Starkey, who lives in Lockport, has

23 years of experience coaching high school athletics, most recently as head football coach of New Trier Township High School since 2011. Prior, he also served as head football coach at Glenbard South High School.

“Dan Starkey is a great addition to our LTHS athletic family,” said LTHS Athletic Director Brian Goff. “Dan has the experience, the professionalism, and the knowledge to move our football program forward. He knows what it takes to coach a successful program and get a team ready for state championship contention.”

In his four seasons at New Trier, the team was annual playoff qualifiers for the Illinois Class 8A play-offs. The team finished second in the Central Suburban League South Division in 2012 and 2013. At Glenbard South, his tenure as head football coach was highlighted by two quarterfinal

play-off appearances in 2008 and 2009, along with the school’s first conference championship in 32 years.

From 1991 to 2003, Starkey served as assistant football coach at Glenbard South, Wheaton Warrenville South and Westmont high schools.

Starkey received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Illinois State University in 1990 and his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Aurora University in 2001.

He was a Kinetic Wellness teacher at New Trier since 2010 and a physical education and driver education teacher at Glenbard South from 2001 to 2010.

“Dan Starkey is a great addition to our LTHS athletic family” LTHS Athletic Director Brian Goff

SOPHOMORE CHROMEBOOK PILOT PARENT ADVISORY GROUP LTHS is hosting a parent advisory group for sophomore parents interested in discussing Chromebooks and their use in school. Please click www.lths.org/Page/968 to read the minutes from the advisory group’s first meeting. If you are interested in joining, please email kbrehm@lths.org

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iPORTER NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2014

Twirp Dance 2014

More than 2,000 LTHS students and their dates attended the annual TWIRP Dance on Feb. 15. TWIRP, which stands for The Woman Is Required To Pay, is a less formal dance in which female students invites male students to attend.

ORCHESIS DANCEWORKS 2014 Member of the LTHS dance club performed original dances in a variety of styles during the annual Orchesis Danceworks show on Feb. 27 and 28 in the East Campus auditorium.

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New business director named at LTHS Stefanie Croix has been named the next Director of Business Services at Lockport Township High School District 205. She begins her new duties on July 1.

Croix currently serves LTHS as the assistant business manager. Since 2006, she has worked under the current business director, Richard Lesniak, who is retiring on June 30.

Prior to coming to LTHS, Croix served as an accounting manager at Matteson Elementary School District 162 from 2005 to 2006 and an administrative assistant for business services at Consolidated High School District 230 from 2003 to 2005.

Croix earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Illinois

State University in 1996 and a Master of Science degree in Education from Northern Illinois University in 2004.

She is a Certified Public Accountant and received an Illinois Professional Educator License with Chief School Business Official endorsement.

She also is a member of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials and the Legal Issues Professional Development Committee.

Croix lives in Mokena with her husband and their two children, Brian and Brooke.

LTHS students named

All-State Musicians Several students from the Lockport Township High School District 205 Performing Arts Department have been chosen to receive All-State Musicians award from the Illinois Music Educators Association.

The recipients include All-State Band: Maddi Kopija; All-State Honors Orchestra: Gabriella Gervasio, Jessie Uhrenbacher, Nick Spontak, Matthew 4

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Pilot and Mallory Murphy; All-State Orchestra: Emma Mueller; All-State Choir: Aaron Benda; All-State Honors Choir: Alaina Frederick and Mary Grace Horne.

The students were guided by teachers Chad Goetz, Kristen Donnelly, Andrew Beckwith and Brian Covey

Woodworth named “YES I CAN” Award Winner Tyler Woodworth, a senior at Lockport Township High School, recently was named a “Yes I Can” Award recipient for self-advocacy by the Council for Exceptional Children.

Woodworth earned the honor after being successful in getting a new law signed in Illinois that will help public school student-athletes with disabilities.

Woodworth prompted legislation that helps students participating in organized adaptive athletic programs by allowing school districts to excuse these students from their required physical education classes. State law already allowed the exemption for students without disabilities who qualify.

“This bill closed the loophole excluding students with disabilities from waiving PE. The state law allowed for exemptions of able-bodied student athletes, but there was no equivalent for student-athletes with disabilities,” said Dr. Angela Huntington, director of special education at LTHS. “This new law allows students to take additional academic classes as their able-bodied student-athlete peers.”

The new law, which was effective immediately, was signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn in July.

Tyler is a member of the Chicago Hornets youth sled hockey team.

“Tyler is an outstanding young man who has risen above his peers to find time performing countless acts of kindness towards others and giving back to the community,” said James Smith, head coach of the Hornets.

“Tyler has portrayed the unique ability

to positively influence others within his peer group on the need to be a good student, good athlete, and good citizen. He is a young man who is a true professional.”

As a “Yes I Can” award recipient, Tyler and his family have been invited to attend a special awards ceremony hosted by the Council for Exceptional Children, which will be held in April in Philadelphia.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/ or gifts and talents. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice

TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Please click HERE to learn more about how to nominate a teacher for the annual Teacher of the Award at Lockport Township High School.

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