Lancaster High School 2020-2021 Tiger Tales

Lancaster High School2020-2021 Tiger TalesChanges at the Top ofLancaster ISDOn November ninth, the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees voted tovoluntarily separate from Superintendent of Schools Doctor Elijah Granger.As soon as she was named Acting Superintendent of Schools for LancasterISD, Shameka Milliner Williams sought to calm nerves and build trust in avideo statement released by the district.“I’m know many are feeling concerned about the recent changes,” MillinerWilliams said in the video released by the district.Ms. Eleanor WebbPrincipalLancaster High School“However, the Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees, district leaders, campusprincipals, assistant principals, teachers and staff will continue to worktirelessly to make this unprecedented school year safe, meaningful andsuccessful for our students.”Hello Parents,She then outlined the district’s continued priorities to the students andstakeholders in the community.Happy Holidays, I hope you had awonderful Thanksgiving.“Lancaster ISD’s immediate priorities are:We are all looking forward to theChristmas break, a time to reflecton the true meaning of Christmasand family.We have a lot to pack into the nexttwo weeks before we can beginour celebrations!EOC testing begins Tuesday,December 8, 2020 through Friday,December 11, 2020:(Continued on next page) Ensuring student and staff safety by mitigating the spread of COVID-19.Providing outstanding teaching and learning to increase studentperformance and academic achievement.Delivering quality instruction for both virtual and face-to-face learners.Maintaining fiscal responsibility and financial stability.Supporting the social and emotional needs of our students.Collaborating and maintaining transparency with all stakeholders.”Ms. Milliner Williams then closed the video statement by remindingeveryone that teamwork - especially in education - is vital.Virtual or Face-to-Face Learning Preference Surveyhttps://bit.ly/2ndsemestersurvey

English 1 EOC – December 8thAlgebra 1 EOC, Biology EOC, USHistory EOC – December 9thEnglish II EOC – December 10thMake up EOC testing for all approvedabsences – December 11thThe fourth six weeks (Dec. 14th – Jan.29th) survey is now open and willremain open until December 4, 2020.As you know, the survey iscommunication to the school/district,your preference of face-to-face or virtuallearning for your child.Please use the link below to accessthe survey or you may go to www.lancasterisd.org and access the surveyon the district’s e/form/SV 3h2fRRDGBuz85LfThank you parents for your support thisyear as we work through the challengesof this Pandemic.Maya Angelou said, Life is not measuredby the number of breaths we take, but bythe moments that take our breath away.I believe there are brighter days ahead!From My Heart!Around(continued from page 1)CampusThursday, December 03Friday, December 04Tuesday, December 8Wednesday, December 9Thursday, December 10Friday, December 11Saturday, December 12Friday, December 18Monday, December 21Monday, December 28Tuesday, December 29Saturday, January 02Monday, January 04Tuesday, January 05Monday, January 18Football vs. Dallas WT WhiteWomen’s Basketball vs. SeagovilleEOC Make-up Exam (English 1)Men’s Basketball vs. Dallas AdamsonWomen’s Basketball at Dallas AdamsonEOC Exam (Biology, Social Studies, Algebra)EOC Exam (English 2)EOC Exam (Make-up Date)End of 2nd 6 weeksBeginning of UIL Football playoff tournamentMen’s Basketball at Dallas SpruceWomen’s Basketball vs. Dallas SpruceMen’s Basketball vs. SA WagnerMen’s Basketball vs. Dallas SOCWomen’s Basketball at Dallas SOCBeginning of winter breakMen’s Basketball at Dallas MolinaWomen’s Basketball vs. Dallas MolinaMen’s Basketball at Mesquite HornMen’s Basketball vs. AmarilloMen’s Basketball vs. Dallas SamuellWomen’s Basketball at Dallas SamuellStaff DevelopmentStudents return from winter breakMLK Holiday (No School)LHS SCHOLARSHIP QR CODECounselor’s CornerEleanor WebbProud PrincipalLancaster High School Tiger Tales isa publication of the LHS JournalismDepartment,writtenandpreparedsolely by the Journalism, AdvancedJournalismandPhotojournalismstudents of Lancaster High School.@TigerSdntMedia

Traditional City Holiday EventsTransforming Because of COVID-19The city of Lancaster has a richtradition of holding Holiday paradesand community celebrations something which will not be ableto happen this year because ofCOVID-19.“But, this year, because we are notplanning on having a hug gatheringor those intricate details we typicallywould have, we have not yet founda way we can incorporate LancasterISD.”“Out of an abundance of caution, weare looking to do an alternative thatdoes not have a group of individualsgather, but still celebrates theholiday,” says Care Neal with theCity of Lancaster.“One of the biggest things I think thescavenger hunt will allow residentsto do is draw them to areas of thecity they might not have known,”says Neal.“We look forward every year toensuring we can do somethingwith Lancaster ISD, so that we cancontinue to facilitate that positiveand progressive relationship. As wework our way through COVID-19,I’m very interested in learning howBecause of the coronavirus Even though the virtual event is we (the city as well as the district)pandemic, there will be no holiday not a big get-together, it is meant can collaborate and continue howparadeorcommunity-wide to celebrate the entire city and all of we operate historically.”celebration in the City of Lancaster. the citizens within.“I think it’s strategic, in a way, that“The event we are just about finished historically the parade has alwaysimplementing is a scavenger hunt. brought community members toWe post it on-line and people are the historic town square but thisgoing about the city just looking year we’re going to be innovativefor clues to the hints we placed - and bring residents to other areas ofand they’re going to utilize social the city they might not have knownmedia to show us what they found. about.”Individuals who finish the scavengerhunt completely, at the end will While the Christmas parade isreceive some type of reward.”definitely not happening because ofCOVID, there are still plans for theIt’s traditional that Lancaster ISD annual Martin Luther King, Junior,students are a big part of the city’s holiday parade in January.celebrations. That also will nothappen this year.“However, as we get closer to Januaryand things get worse as they are“They are always a part of the projected to do, we will also thinkprocess - even down to when we of alternative ways to figure out howhave the dignitary reception the to celebrate the MLK holiday,” Nealculinary students are coming to adds.participate, the band students arecoming to participate, the media And - Neal says as soon as it is safe,students are coming to participate,” Lancaster ISD students will be backadds Neal.and involved in city events.

Despite Pandemic - College Still a FocusIsaiah Perry (12)requirements that the student the minds of the student. They willmust have to be able to be a part of have access to all of the in and outsThrough this winter and spring, Upward Bound.of the college process!SMU’s Upward Bound collegereadiness program is looking for “The student must be a first “They will have more knowledgedetermined and challenged ready generation college student or has to and experience for ACT and SATstudents to join their SMU family.be considered “low income” by the tests, create great habits of timedepartment of education. However, management and goal planning,“Upward Bound is a pre-collegiate if their GPA is below a 2.5, they can and will gain information from theprogram that helps students select also be accepted in the program. program that a student wouldn’tthe best fit college. So, we give them They also have to be a 9th through normally gain from highschool.a number of resources, tools and 12th grader who attends one of our Although Covid has temporarilyskills in order to assist them in being target schools. Which consist of halted us from taking tours, wesuccessful. We don't just cover the North Dallas, Skyline, Lancaster, normally take up to 3 or 4 collegecontent they will get when they're and Spruce,” says Walkertours of various universities perin school such as math, science,semester to give the students a feelenglish, history, ect. But we actually Once a student has those of the life that they will soon bego over the soft stuff that most requirements in set, there are entering,” Walker adds.students have troubles in while various ways to begin the applicationcovering most of those other college process.Just like that, a highschool studentskills that students can alreadyhas now been transformed to abe succeeded in when they go to “Students can actually go to the college student! Life will get a lotcollege,” says Associate Director of college center in the high school and less stressful for them when it comesUpward Bound’s Math and Scence ask for me or Miss White and can to the college process all because ofprogram at SMU, Jason Walker.request an application to join. In the SMU’s Upward Bound Math andmeantime, we are currently doing Science Program.They wish to assist high school everything online which meansstudents on their journey to college that students can actually finishwith little to none stressful mishaps their application online without anywhile also covering skills that they issues dealing with Covid. There aremight be lacking.also students in the program thatcould assist them throughout the“One of the biggest skills that colleges application process since they haveare saying that students are lacking already been through it before. Theare some of the communication students must email us the googleskills. Things such as emails, social doc entrance application and onceplatforms, or even introductions not we receive it, we will send thembeing clear enough are the things the other requirements and thingsthat the students are going to need like that which will also need to bein order to succeed at life. Those completed,” says Walkerare the types of things that we helpthem with,” adds Walker.When the application is sent andaccepted, the student will experienceIf students are interested, they can college life in many ways before theactually sign up for the program. actual time approaches. The life of aHowever,therearecertain college student will be ingrained in