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REPORTERREPORTER
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Lake Forest Students Take New State Test - DCAS
Looking at the Science chart you see that we were close to the target. The
test and our curriculum need to be aligned so we make sure that we are
teaching the standards which are tested.
This past year the State of Delaware used a new accountability test in
place of DSTP. This test was administered on the computer. Students did a
really nice job taking the test. Targets for each year were set for each year
up to 2013-14. The targets for 2010-11 were: Reading – 50%, Math –
49%. Schools are expected to be 100% proficient by the 2013-2014 school
year.
The chart at the left shows that our studentgrades 3-10 met the target of
50% proficient. A closer look shows that most students should meet this
year’s target of 66%.
The Social Studies chart showed the district meeting the target. Social
Studies is a reading test which requires students to recall and apply facts
learned in previous lessons.
This first year of testing provided us with a base line of data. Our target of
100% by 2013-14 will be a challenge, but the staff and students in Lake
Forest will meet the new targets.
As you review the Math chart, you see a higher set of scores. Mathematics
showed Lake Forest out-scoring the state across the board. Students were
asked to apply their knowledge to problems in several subject areas. Stu-
dents needed to know the computation and the reason for the correct answer
they chose.
Presorted Standard
Dover, DE 19901
Permit No. 168
Page 2 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
School Choice As you can see, over the last four
years, more families are choosing to
send their children to the Lake Forest
School District. As our choice num-
bers increase, the funding we receive
versus the funding we send out is
greater. (See graphs above & below)
Lake Forest FundingThe district’s state funding sources have continued to decrease each year since
2008. Although federal spending increased in 2009 and 2010, much of this funding
was one time ARRA (American Reinvestment Recovery Act) funding to plug some
of the holes created by the decrease in state funds. As you can see, in FY 2011 both
state and federal funds continue to decrease and the district must rely more heavily
on local funds to ensure we continue our programs to fulfill student needs. In FY
2012, the state funds continued to decrease and we are utilizing the last of the ARRA
Jobs funding to ensure no jobs are lost. We cannot continue to take cuts in our state
funding without impacting staffing. (See pie charts above & below)
NOTE: This funding excludes Child Nutrition Services funds.
Kent County Property Tax RatesA property tax is charged to all owners of property within Lake Forest School
District. This tax is based upon the assessed value of the property and is expressed
in dollars and cents per $100 of assessed value. The total property tax rate is cur-
rently $1.1097 / $100 of assessed value in fiscal year 2012.
Over the last four years, the Lake Forest School District Board of Education has
worked very hard to decrease the tax rate for our community members. Lake Forest
has had the lowest tax rate in Kent County for two years. (See graph above)
The Lake Forest Board of Education generally meets
twice each month at the Lake Forest Central Business
Office and occasionally in the schools.
The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on our web
site and the meeting dates and times can be found on the
district calendar. www.lf.k12.de.us or at 284-3020.
John A. Schulties, President
Christopher W. Baker, Vice President
Danny R, Aquilar, Member
Bethel B. Crockett, Member
Ronda A. Swenson, Member
October 2011 Lake Forest Reporter Page 3
Lake Forest Welcome
New Staff MembersThe Lake Forest School District building administrators and the
Human Resources Office have been busy this summer. Doing what?
Posting jobs, screening applicants, interviewing, checking references,
processing paperwork, and recommending candidates to the Board of
Education for hire. The result is thirty-three new Lake Forest staff
members including teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and custo-
dians. The majority of the district’s job openings are the result of re-
tirements or resignations, with additional openings coming from the
district’s Race To The Top grant and staff allocations from Delaware’s
new Needs Based Funding formula. It takes a team of people perform-
ing a variety of jobs for the district to meet the needs of our students. Each new staff member will play an important role in providing a safe and nurturing learning
environment for our students. Everyone must perform their jobs at the highest quality in order to assure student success. The district is confident that its new staff
members will rise to the occasion, and will join us in saying, “Isn’t It Great to be a Spartan!”
New staff members are:
Corey Dennis North Grade 2
Kristyn Tribbett North Grade 1
Donnell Briddell North Custodian
Duane Davis North Custodian
Sarah Ferguson North Library Para
Michael Vansant East Grade 2
Rebecca Vansant East Grade K
Amy Slonacher East Grade 1
Tyla Moffett East Compputer Lab
Jessica Fazzini Central Grade 5
Ashley Shaw Central Special Education
David Evans Central Special Education
David Tintle Central Music
Michelle Christman Central Cafeteria Monitor
Janel Sanders WTC ILC Special Education
Kendall Gilliam WTC Special Education
Grace Walton WTC Special Education
Katherine Ream WTC Math
Carole Baker WTC Special Ed Para
Paul Chevalier WTC Cafeteria Monitor
James Smith LFHS English
Emily Reid LFHS English
Stephen Johnson LFHS Math
Luke Pierson LFHS Math
Korey Castronouvo LFHS Math
Allison Scott LFHS Agriculture Science
Jill Badell LFHS Family and Consumer
Science
Siddeeqah Adams LFHS Family and Consumer
Science
Kristine Stith LFHS Special Education
Mike Roscoe LFHS School Manager
Ron McKee LFHS Custodian
anice Parsons CBO Sp Ed CIA Specialist
Leslie Lesko CBO School Psychologist
Katherine Ream and Korey Castronouvo
study the new teacher evaluation process.Grace Walton and Siddeeqah Adams pay close
attention to instructor Dr. Carolyn Lazar.
Strategies That Most Impact Achievementby J. Glenn Davidson, Administrative Assistant-Curriculum, jg-
davidson@lf.k12.de.us • 302-284-3020 ext. 107
Extensive educational research, according to Learning Focused
Strategies, or LFS, has ranked five top instructional strategies that in-
fluence student learning and achievement. These strategies are:
1.Extending Thinking – This 21st Century skill emphasizes higher
order thinking skills, such as abstracting, comparing/contrasting,
classifying, categorizing, constructing support, error analysis, ana-
lyzing perspectives, and inductive/deductive reasoning.
2.Summarizing – This strategy is completed by students and not the
teacher. Summarizing occurs throughout the lesson, and not just at
the end.
3.Vocabulary in Content – Vocabulary is standards based and re-
lates to the content of the lesson.
4.Advance Organizers – This strategy represents a guide as to what
is going to be learned. One may call this previewing or pre-teach-
ing prior to an actual lesson delivery.
5.Non-verbal representations – This strategy primarily relates to
students using graphic organizers to organize their thoughts and
key vocabulary. Using graphic organizers really helps students
structure their thoughts prior to writing.
LFS has brought those five instructional strategies into the lime-
light within LFSD. Teachers are planning and implementing those five
instructional strategies with a high degree of frequency. We are confi-
dent that implementing effective research based instructional strategies
will lead to increased student achievement.
LFS in LFSDby J. Glenn Davidson, Administrative Assistant-Curriculum
jgdavidson@lf.k12.de.us • 302-284-3020 ext. 107
All of us know that LFSD represents the Lake Forest School District,
Your Best Choice! Did you also know that LFS stands for Learning Focused
Strategies? Learning Focused Strategies, along with the Lake Forest School
District, have developed a lasting educational partnership. The Learning Fo-
cused Strategies Model, founded by Dr. Max Thompson, from Greensboro,
NC, is a framework for planning and delivering instruction using exemplary
practices with a focus on learning.
Lake Forest is now beginning its third year as a school district that has
adapted, not adopted, Learning Focused Strategies. We have made tremen-
dous progress with exemplary professional development, monitoring of in-
struction, unit development, implementing effective instructional practices,
and policy revisions.
According to Max Thompson, continuous connections of exemplary prac-
tices provide schools with a framework that focuses on learning at all levels.
In Lake Forest, we are striving to develop a culture of connecting exemplary
practices instead of focusing on programs and packaged curricula. The cycle
of addressing planning, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and organizing,
has research supported evidence that schools are able to obtain higher levels
of achievement, just as Lake Forest demonstrated on its first years of DCAS
testing.
So often in education, progress and initiatives seem to come and go.
LFSD is in its third year of LFS. It is safe to say that this research based pro-
gram will be a part of LFSD for many years to come.
Page 4 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
S.T.E.A.M. — Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. Mathematics
The STEAM initiative at Lake Forest High School is a way to incorporate multiple content areas in an
effort to give students a common platform to explore the natural and man-made world using science, tech-
nology, engineering, arts and mathematics. English language art, as well as visual art, is also essential in
the communication of ideas and innovation. We began building our ideas last
year through discussions and professional development. Our goal this year is to
help students understand how these disciplines are interrelated.
It has been estimated, by the National Science Foundation, that 80% of the
jobs created in the next decade will require math and science skills. We want
students to gain the ability to think critically, brainstorm, problem-solve, collab-
orate, contribute and communicate new ideas to prepare for this market. We
have begun with standardizing concepts, notebooks, language, and teaching
methods. For example, when a student learns about unit conversion in science,
that same method will be used in math, engineering, and technology education
courses to allow students the opportunity to see the same concepts more than
once to maximize learning. We are currently in the process of starting a STEAM
club, where the students will work on a grant funded project through Texas In-
struments using Vernier probes to analyze water runoff samples from various lo-
cations, take field trips to STEAM events, and meet with scientists. The
STEAM club will provide a great opportunity to get some real world experience.
We are looking forward to a challenging and fun year!
To kick off the beginning of the year the Lake Forest STEAM committee de-
cided to complete a hands-on project that would demonstrate the main concepts that best represent our
goals. We selected a scaled model of a geodesic sphere, which would measure 8ft in diameter. The project
started as a newspaper structure and morphed into a full blown wooden structure that took a mass produc-
tion style assembly process to complete. The geodesic sphere as a student learning experience includes
many content areas within Lake Forest High School; Science, Technology Education, Engineering, Arts,
and Mathematics. To start, the Sciences can include many topics from the likeness of the sphere to a chem-
ical compound, showing elements which are represented as hubs and bonds which are represented as struts.
Technology education is represented by the impacts on society by using building techniques which reduce
the impact on the environment due to the minimal materials required to build the structure. The engineer-
ing facet shows students, by the use of physics, how load and force transfer making a geodesic sphere a
strong and efficient structure. The arts can show us through graphic communication, as well as through
written communication the process of planning, preparing, and the utilization of the geodesic sphere by
using scientific/engineering notebooks. Lastly, Mathematics is the keystone to the entire system; geometry,
calculus, and algebra are all incorporated in every other component of the STEAM project. Using a for-
mula, one can calculate structural integrity by verifying that the structure is complete and stable. Through
the work of teachers, the STEAM committee, and administrators at Lake Forest, we have been able to de-
sign and build a geodesic structure that will allow students a visual reference to show the collaboration of
teachers and disciplines. This project not only shows that teachers can work together for a common goal,
but it also gives students the opportunity to see how to apply concepts (learned in the classroom) to real
world problems to final solotions
LAKE FOREST HIGH SCHOOLThe Lake Forest School District has one focus, student success. At the High School, we have a focus statement that
guides all that we do. It states:
Lake Forest High School will implement a strategic school-wide effort to use Learning-Focused Strategies to improve
instruction in the critical thinking skills of reasoning, interpreting, making connections, and extending meaning. Our pur-
pose is to show measurable individual growth as indicated by improved scores on national, state, and local curriculum-based
assessments and indicators.
The symbol at the right is a graphic representation of this statement, and is seen on all our paperwork and throughout the
school. It acts as a constant reminder to teachers and students as to the critical thinking skills we want to remain at the forefront of our
minds as we go about the daily work.
The library has been fully
renovated with a new floor
plan and furniture.
LIBRARY
MEDIA CENTERStarting at the beginning of the
2011-2012 school year, Lake Forest
High School’s Library Media Cen-
ter will be open for extended hours
after school. This time is designed
to be used by students who need to
utilize computers for school assign-
ments and for parents and guardians
who would like to use the comput-
ers to access the internet with the
purpose of checking their students’
grades through Home Access Cen-
ter, email teachers, and monitor the
progress of their students’ Student
Success Plans (SSPs).
These extended hours are de-
signed not only to encourage our
students to work to their fullest po-
tential, but also to provide an oppor-
tunity for parents and guardians to
stay connected to their students’
school progress.
Extended Hours will be
Monday through Thursday,
2:30 through 4:15.
The sphere is hang-
ing in the Atrium.
The view of the
STEAM sphere from
the bottom..
October 2011 Lake Forest Reporter Page 5
W.T. Chipman Middle SchoolW.T. Chipman Middle School is focused on improving students’ ability to apply and transfer knowledge in all subject
areas through the implementation of Learning Focused Strategies. Student growth will be measured by common depart-
mental assessments and individual DCAS data.
Rachel’s Challenge Anti-bullying Campaign – let’s be
Kind, Compassionate and Tolerant Chipman has joined the thousands of other
schools around the country in the Rachel’s
Pledge to be an Anti-Bullying School!
Rachel Scott was the first person killed at
Columbine High School on April 20,
1999. Her acts of kindness and compas-
sion, coupled with the content of her six
diairies have become the foundation for
one of the most life-changing school pro-
grams in America.*
* from www.rachelschallenge.org
Our Fitness Matters!
Be a Healthy SpartanStudents at Chipman get to partake in PE
and in our Fitness Center as a class. We have
cardio and weight training to offer our students
Chipman Gives Back!All three grade levels each year take on the
task of creating a community service project.
Be on the lookout for our kids in the commu-
nity giving back!
Chipman teams up with numerous com-
munity organizations: Harrington Police Dept.,
Delaware State Fair, McDonald’s, JD Signs,
Food Lion, Senior Center, and the Food Bank.
We are always looking for community mem-
bers to come join us!
Drive 2 End Hunger
Campaign - National with AARPOur Rachel’s Challenge Organization has
teamed with AARP in the fight against hunger
for our Senior Citizens.
We have raised over 5 truckloads of non-
perishable food to donate to the local food
banks so far.Staff & Students dance together at
Chipman’s Annual Back to School
Block Party Dance
Staff Softball
Game:
Blue v. WhiteEach year our staff comes together in the
fall to play in the Battle of the Halls
Softball game for school bragging.
Stop by & visit us!
TEAM CHIPMAN
Mr. Richard Ford, Fitness Instruc-
tor, demostrating proper form to
his students.
Welcome to Chipman!
The Friends of Rachel Organization
raised over 50,000 canned goods for
AARP's Drive to End Hunger.
Steps to Success - Learn It,Know It, Use It
Chipman To Meet Jeff GordonOn Friday, September 30, ten W.T. Chip-
man students and Friends of Rachel staff
members will get to meet Nascar superstar
Jeff Gordon as they present the school’s
final donation in the Drive to End Hunger.
Select students and contest winners will join
Gordon in a question and answer session
with local media.
All Chipman students, staff members
and their families are invited to attend the
presentation ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in front
of J.C. Penney in the Dover Mall.
Page 6 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
Lake Forest Central Elementary SchoolCentral Elementary is the first central stop for all Lake Forest School District Spartans. Students arrive
from the district’s three feeder schools; North, South and East Elementary Schools. Central houses grades
four and five and the staff specializes in meeting the unique needs of this age group.
There are over 660 students enrolled in
Central Elementary. The fourth grade cohort is
slated to graduate in the year 2020! Central’s
students are provided solid instruction in all
core subjects from a highly qualified staff of
teachers and paraprofessionals. Additionally,
the students at Central attend weekly classes in
computer science, music, physical education,
library and art. The staff at Central works in
concert to provide a first class education where
the students will be prepared with skills to be
productive, happy and successful members of
the 21st Century.
At Central, one of our goals is to train
young people for leadership. We currently
have the “Fighting for Animals Club,” a stu-
dent created and managed group whose mis-
sion is to raise awareness and money for our
furry friends.
“Spiffy Spartan Day.”One Wednesday per month the students
and the faculty dress up in clothing appropriate
for meetings or church or another important
occasion. On these days the Spartans are
dressed to impress. This year each class and every student will
make SMARTe goals to foster student achieve-
ment. Our mascot is SMARTe Sparty. Alana
Corrigan submitted the inquisitive mascot and
won our school wide contest.
SMART-e
Sparty reminds us
that our educat-
educational goals
should be Smart,
Measurable, Attain-
able, Realistic,
Timely and meet the
needs of Everyone.
The Spartans at
Central Elementary
take pride in saying the Spartan Battle Cry.
“Who are we? Spartans! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”
We welcome you to visit us and become an ac-
tive member of the Central Elementary Spartan
community. Parents and visitors are always
welcomed to visit us at our beautiful school.
Come join us and be Central part of our stu-
dents’ success.
FFAC’s charity car wash event.
LF Central’s “Fighting for Animals” Club raises
awareness about and money for furry friends.
Mrs. Tucker and her students are looking Spiffy!
The Central Chorus led by Mr. Teesdale performs
for the students
Mr. Martin and a few Spiffy Spartans.
We encourage students to dream of ideas
and we help them to bring them to life. That,
we feel, is an essential component of educa-
tion; to cultivate innovation. We also believe
that a successful Spartan knows when and how
to dress appropriately. Central’s Parent Resource Center
October 2011 Lake Forest Reporter Page 7
Lake Forest East Elementary SchoolLake Forest East has certainly been the recipient of community support for our school and our students. Parents, local busi-
nesses, the Air Force Base, and community volunteers have all helped with our Positive Behavior Support activities, our home-
coming float, and our Multi-cultural Day. The students have learned about the history of Frederica through walking tours of the
town and through oral history from school visitors.
Last year, our third grade reached out to the Senior Center and performed a play at their facility. Our third grade was inspired to do
even more in the community following their work with older Fredericans and decided to reach out to our
younger citizens as well. With the third grade teachers’ help, students began a book collection campaign
to help build home libraries for all children in the Lake Forest East area.
Students came up with the name “Books for Tots - Children Helping
Children” and another East altruistic project was born. Students have
collected over 1,000 books to place in homes of our school community to
help improve literacy, develop a stronger sense of community, and hope-
fully impact overall student achievement. Additional support for this ini-
tiative from our community, either in collecting or finding homes for the
donated books, is always appreciated.
To find out more information on Lake Forest East Elementary events and initiatives, visit our website
at www.lf.k12.de.us/east
Lake Forest East Elementary is happy to announce
the addition of a four year old program housed in our
building for the 2011-2012
school year. The Early Child-
hood Assistance Program or
ECAP is a State Department of
Education funded pre-kinder-
garten program which follows
the Delaware Preschool Early
Learning Foundation standards
to provide a comprehensive
early childhood program to
prepare children for school
success. The Frederica area
has not previously had a State
funded four year old program
so the community is happy to
have eighteen “soon-to-be
East” students starting out right on the East campus.
The ECAP curriculum focuses on social-emotional
development, literacy and language development, physi-
cal and mental health and development. Families are
actively involved in ECAP classrooms and in program
governance through a policy council.
All together ECAP serves 234 children in thirteen
classrooms who will attend kindergarten in five school
districts-Capital, Lake Forest, Woodbridge, Seaford and
Cape Henlopen.
Curtis Harris, III gives a thumbs
up on his first day in Frederica's
new four year old program.
Ms. Oevita Fulman
welcomes ECAP stu-
dents with a story on
their first day.New ECAP students peruse books in
their new classroom
Third grade teacher Andrea Hamilton and
her students sort through donations for
Books for Tots.
CCOOMMMMUUNNIITTYY
HHEELLPPEERRSS
AATT EEAASSTT
East Welcomes
Four Year Olds
Safety First at Lake Forest East ElementaryEast teachers Ian Kircher and John Conn will be sporting new safety attire this year as they
work the street in front of the school during bus arrivals and dismissals. These gentlemen assist
with stopping traffic for buses and children who walk to school. Their bright presence helps to
create awareness on Route 12 that school is in session and drivers need to be aware of their
speed and watch for children.
East teachers Ian Kircher and John
Conn model the new safety attire they
will be wearing during bus arrival and
departure times this year.
Page 8 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
Lake Forest North ElementaryLake Forest North Elementary School in Felton, Delaware, is proud to service the students in the Felton and
Viola areas. Students from pre-kindergarten through third grade attend. The student population is just over 500
students. Lake Forest North’s
number one focus is student suc-
cess. Our parents are faithful sup-
porters of our activities and programs. We are also grateful for our
community leaders and business partners who support our endeavors.
Our Felton Town Hall provides us with a summer library. Over
one hundred students participate in this summer program.
Our mentoring program has proved to be beneficial to our students
academically and socially. The mentoring program would not be suc-
cessful without the help of our Felton Police Department, the Town
Hall staff and the Dover Air Force Base Personnel.
Doing What WorksLake Forest North Elementary was selected
to be featured on the “Doing What Works”
(DWW) website. This website provides re-
searched based reading strategies for schools
that need ideas and support concerning student
achievement. DWW assists teachers with
planning and implementing these practices by
showcasing schools that are successful.
DWW selected six schools, in the nation,
to model best practices. The schools are show-
cased on the website for a full school year.
North will be showcased from August 2011
until August 2012 for the effective use of com-
prehension strategies, using data to drive in-
struction and team collaboration to plan
effective lessons.
One of our third grade teachers, Mrs. Erin
Dotson, was featured teaching a non-fiction
read aloud. Another third grade teacher, Mrs.
Nakia McNair, was highlighted using a graphic
organizer to teach text features with a non-fic-
tion book. Mrs. Cindy Burke, our kindergarten
teacher, was featured teaching her students
character and setting. Mrs. Anita Hart, our Lit-
eracy Coach, was highlighted conducting a
third grade team meeting involving student
data and providing researched based strategies
to improve the data. Also, relevant strategies
were presented on how to improve reading
benchmark scores. Members of the third grade
team included in this segment were Mrs. Erin
Dotson, Mrs. Nakia McNair, Ms. Jennifer
Maczynski and Mrs. Sara Bushey. Mrs. Wyn-
der, the principal, was featured discussing
leadership practices that foster high student
achievement. She also discussed teacher ac-
countability to use data to drive instruction.
Mr. Ed Cutler, from the district office, dis-
cussed the
changes that
have oc-
curred at
North due to
team collab-
oration, ef-
fective
leadership
and the use of
researched
based prac-
tices in the
classroom.
North’s
showcase
can be found at http://dww.ed.gov.
Lake Forest North: National Title I Distinguished SchoolOn February 17, 2011, Governor Jack Markell attended a celebration at Lake Forest
North Elementary School. He was proud to present North with the National Title I Dis-
tinguished School (NTDS) award. In order to receive this award, Title I schools must
have a poverty rate of at least 35 percent and must have met or exceeded state standards
on the statewide testing. NTDS is an annual recognition for Title I schools showing re-
markable improvement and innovation.
North’s poverty rate is over 50 percent and more than 90 percent of our students met
or exceeded the standard on the state assessment in reading and math. Lake Forest North
was one of two schools to be selected from 200 schools statewide for the award. North
was presented with a banner, a certificate and a check for $10, 000 for its outstanding
performance in closing the achievement gap between student groups. The staff and the
students were elated to be recognized for their dedication to student success.
LF North staff members featured
on the DWW website were (back
row, from left) Cindy Burke, Nakia
McNair, Sara Bushey, Anita Hart;
(front row from left) Jennifer
Maczynski, Nakia McNair and
Principal Brenda Wynder.
Students in the mentoring program are shown
with Master Sergeant Chris Guild, Sarah Fer-
guson, Chief Levi Brown, Rebecca Greene and
Corporal Philip Thomas.
Felton Town Hall Summer Library
Assembly — This summer reading
program serves over 100 North
students.
Early this year, Lake Forest North Elementary was recognized as a National Title I Distinguished School. Delaware Governor Jack Markell was on hand to make
the presentation and join in the celebration. In the picture are (back row from left) Principal Brenda Wynder, Governor Markell, Assistant Principal Laura Lands
and Literacy Coach Anita Hart; (front row from left) students Gannon Thompson, Taj McNair, Destiny Butler and Brianna Maull.
October 2011 Lake Forest Reporter Page 9
Welcome to Lake Forest South Elementary
School where we believe all who work, play,
and grow with us are on track for success! It is
our mission that our Lake Forest South family
will meet the essential needs of all learners by
working together as a respectful community.
We work to support our students both inside
and outside the school. We have worked to es-
tablish a variety of community partnerships to
help us achieve
our mission and
vision. We
know that sup-
porting children
as learners and
citizens of the
world requires a
variety of learn-
ing experiences
across multiple
settings.
At Lake Forest South Elementary School
we take educating the whole child seriously.
While we do value the importance of learning
to read and write, we also value the impor-
tance of establishing healthy habits that will
last a lifetime. Whether it is a field trip to our
local skating rink or adding movement into
our classrooms, we work to incorporate the
arts, music, and physical activity into our
everyday learning activities. A partnership
with the Nemours Foundation has provided
us with support. Additionally, a grant through
the United States Department of Agriculture
allows our students and staff to sample fresh
fruits and vegetables throughout the school
year. We work to purchase these items
through our local farms and farmers as often
as possible.
Lake Forest South is a CHARACTER
COUNTS! school. We teach our children that char-
acter is what you do even when no one is looking.
CHARACTER COUNTS! is based on six ethical
values, or pillars. Throughout the school year our children and families learn about a new pillar each
month. For example, during the month of September, we highlight the pillar of responsibility. We teach
and model the following ways that people of character behave responsibly:
• Responsible people do their part.
• Responsible people don’t take credit for other people’s work, and they admit their own mistakes.
• Responsible people show self-control by choosing words or actions carefully. That means they think
carefully before they say or do anything. • Responsible people work hard and do their best.
Lake Forest South Elementary
A South student gets a
hug from the Lake Forest
Spartan.
Activity for Healthy Spartans at
The Centre Ice Rink
We love having surprise vis-
itors at South!
Stop by and visit us!We are always looking for community members to come join
us!You can count on receiving a warm welcome, experiencing ac-
tive children and families, having access to great resources in our
Family Resource Library, free Friday night movies, great learning
opportunities, and more. Come join us and you, too, will be certain
to be on track for success!
Clowning around with
South!
Learning about and
practicing healthy
habits at the Centre
Ice Rink
Dinner with the Lake
Forest Spartan at our
Harrington McDonald’s.
Lake Forest Staff work
along with our partners
to ensure our school com-
munity is on track for
success!
If you are an alumni of Lake Forest South Elementary School, a family
member of a current student or are a local business interested in contributing
to the creation of our outdoor classroom, please consider purchasing a brick.
We will begin construction of Lake Forest
South’s first outdoor classroom space at the start of the 2011-2012 school year.
The outdoor classroom will be located behind our library caboose, between the
wings of our building. The foundation of the outdoor classroom space will be
made from 4” x 8” paver bricks engraved with a message of your choice. Each
brick will hold three lines of text, up to 13 characters per line including spaces.
Our goal is to have three to four 20’x20’ outdoor classroom spaces. The price of each brick is $50.00
which includes the cost of the brick, shipping, and engraving. Please become a part of this exciting project
and make a lasting contribution to Lake Forest South Elementary.
You can purchase a brick by visiting our website at: http://www.lf.k12.de.us/south/ or phoning the
school at 398-8011 Thank you for your consideration!
On track for success . . .
On track for community partnerships . . .
On track for
success . . .
On track for Healthy Spartans . . .
LF South PTAG
On track for an
outdoor classroom . . .
On track with Character Counts . . .
Page 10 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
Delaware Early Childhood Center Serves
Young Children and their Families in Lake ForestThe Delaware Early Childhood Center (DECC), a division of the Lake Forest School
District, provides a number of services for young children, ages birth to kindergarten, and
their families in Kent and Sussex Counties. The program began in 1979 with a focus on
services to young children with disabilities. These services became known as Early
CHOICES, one of DECC’s central programs. Early CHOICES has provided special edu-
cation and related services for three and four year old children with disabilities and their
families in Lake Forest for more than 20 years. Early CHOICES expects to serve approxi-
mately 40 Lake Forest children in the upcoming 2012 school year.
The Delaware Early Childhood Center provides preschool services for four year olds
to prepare them for kindergarten through its largest program, the Early Childhood Assis-
tance Program (ECAP). DECC’s ECAP is serving 18 Lake Forest four year olds in a new
classroom at Lake Forest East Elementary School. Children are served at East in a morn-
ing class, operating from 8:20 am to 12:20 pm. Classes will be held for 160 days follow-
ing Lake Forest’s calendar, starting on September 6. ECAP serves children whose families
meet the income requirements as well as children who have identified disabilities.
The Delaware Early Childhood Center’s Parents As Teachers (PAT) program provides
parent education and family support services for families of children birth to five with a
primary focus on high risk families of infants and toddlers. Twenty-five Lake Forest fami-
lies are currently enrolled in the program. Families served by Parents As Teachers receive
monthly home visits as a major component of the program. Certified Parent Educators
visit families to share support and information about their child’s development and other
concerns the family may be facing.
DECC partners with the University of Delaware to provide home-based services for
Kent County families of children ages birth to three through New Directions Early Head
Start-Kent County. Sixty families are engaged in this service, with approximately 20 of
them being Lake Forest families. Early Head Start follows the Parents As Teachers cur-
riculum offering families weekly home visits of 90 minutes a week.
Early intervention services are available to children ages birth to three and their fami-
lies in Lake Forest. Children qualify for Birth to Three Early Intervention Services
through an evaluation at Child Development Watch in Milford. An Individualized Family
Service Plan (IFSP) is developed outlining the services needed to help the children achieve
their developmental outcomes. DECC Child Development Specialists visit families in
their homes when they are referred families whose children need educational services.
The Lake Forest Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learner (ELL)
Program serves adults who are seeking to obtain their GEDs or to learn English as a sec-
ond language who live in Lake Forest and Milford School Districts. ABE/ELL classes are
offered at the Harrington office and at Grace United Methodist Church in Lincoln. The
program is funded to serve 100 adults during the course of the year. The Harrington site
offers classes during the day and in the evening.
DECC has expanded its preschool program in Lake Forest this year, the Little Spartans
Early Learning Center, to include two classrooms serving children ages two to five. Thirty
Lake Forest children are served in this program, which provides high quality, full day,
school year preschool services for families interested in this Harrington-based program.
Families support this program through their weekly payments, as well as through their on-
going involvement in all aspects of the center. Little Spartans is entering its fifth year in
providing preschool services for children and families in Lake Forest. This program has
successfully helped children transition successfully into kindergarten, enhancing the begin-
nings of children’s years of learning in school.
The Delaware Early Childhood Center has long been a member of the Lake Forest
community. Through its services, DECC provides a vital role in helping children enter
school well on their way to being eager, engaged, and acquisitive learners, with their fami-
lies skilled and experienced in working in partnership with the program. This year DECC
will serve approximately 150 Lake Forest children and families in its variety of programs.
WAYS TO HELP YOUR
SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILD
GET BACK IN A ROUTINE:
• Begin talking about school ahead of time, highlighting
the things that your child may be looking forward to
doing once back in school.
• Emphasize the positives of what your child is good at
and what motivates him to do his best.
• Make a list of school supplies with your child and take
her shopping to pick out that special notebook or set of
pencils.
• Arrange and confirm your child's transportation to
school ahead of time and talk with him about these
arrangements and what he can expect.
• Begin adding more structure back into your child's rou-
tine (i.e. earlier bed time) to help with easing back into
those first few weeks of school.
• Become familiar with what your child will be learning
for the current school year. You can find information
about grade level curriculum and standards at
www.doe.k12.de.us. If your child receives a modified
curriculum, make sure you understand the difference.
Not sure? Call the Special Education Coordinator at
your child's school.
• If you have an early annual IEP date, contact your
child's school to discuss any assessments that may need
to be completed prior to scheduling a meeting.
• Be familiar with your child's IEP and what accommo-
dations and modifications she should be getting in the
classroom as well as on the state test. If you're unsure,
call your child's school and ask to speak to the Special
Education Coordinator.
• Schedule a parent conference time to meet with your
child's teachers. Plan to share any special concerns or
considerations that you believe will impact his success
in the classroom.
• Begin early communication with your child's school
and maintain a regular contact with them regarding
your child's progress. Establish the mode of communi-
cation (phone, journal/agenda, e-mail) that will work
best for all.
• Lastly, and just as important ... Take time to celebrate
the small successes: getting up, eating breakfast, and
making it to the bus on time with minimal trouble is
something to shout about! Reinforce and praise the ef-
fort and behaviors you want to see.
October 2011 Lake Forest Reporter Page 11
New Look! New Styles!
Amazing Boots at Amazing Prices
for Ladies, Men & Kids!
Cowboy Cut,& Fashion JeansFor Guys & Gals
Name Brands You Know!
Visit us ator stop by the store across from the Fairgrounds in Harrington
Everything for Horse & Rider
We Proudly Support
Harrington Heritage Day
Sat., Oct. 22 • 9-3
Downtown HarringtonShop Tuesday thru Saturday 10 - 6 • Sunday 11-5
Page 12 Lake Forest Reporter October 2011
October 8, 2011
Lake Forest High School
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Come tour the newly remodeled
Lake Forest High School
and enjoy food, entertainment, exhibits
and activities for the whole family.
Celebrate what it means to be a Spartan!