Principal's Message - April 26, 2024

Hello ThunderHawk Familes,

The final full week of April has passed, and even for those of us who love school, the countdown to summer break has likely begun! This week has been a very exciting week as we inducted new members into the National Honor Society, honored our seniors at Senior Awards night and the Top 25 Ceremony, recognized our students who will serve our great nation in the military, watched our teams earn some huge victories over our biggest rivals, invited friends and families to join our athletes at our Spring Signing Ceremony, and celebrated with our Boys Volleyball team as they captured the 2024 GMC Championship and climbed into the state’s Top 10 rankings. The next couple of weeks will be filled with more Senior Nights, concerts, and other recognitions, and we know we are into the final stretch when our weeks are filled with ceremonies and celebrations! After a couple of pieces of information, we will let the pictures tell the story!

PROM Parking and General Update

Prom is next Saturday night, May 4th, from 8-11 PM at the Sharonville Convention Center. Next week’s T-Hawk News will provide information about parking.

This is THE most important piece of information regarding Prom: Ticket Sales close at 3 PM next Thursday!!! This includes the acceptance of guest forms and distribution of codes to purchase guest tickets.

We are often asked why we cut off sales at certain times and/or do not sell tickets at the door. There are a few reasons. For starters, these are big events which take lots of planning and manpower, and from a student standpoint, these are not casual events but are events which should include some level of planning to attend. Second, because we provide drinks, snacks, etc. at these events, we need some type of cut-off time so that we have a chance to plan appropriately as well as enough time to make sure we have enough staff and chaperones to cover. Finally, because of the magnitude of these events and the planning of things that often surround them, there is a time in which our focus must turn to the management of the event instead of managing sales. We do not want anyone to miss out, so please plan accordingly.

 

Final Exams for Underclassmen

Final exams will begin for sophomores and juniors on Tuesday, May 21. The schedule is included in a link below. One reminder regarding exams - students are not permitted to take exams early without documentation of a medical situation that would not permit a student to attend school during exam days. For students with an excused absence from school during exams, these arrangements will need to be made through the administration office, and unless it is a medical situation, students will have to come into school within the first two weeks of summer break in order to make up an exam. 

2023-24 Second Semester Main Campus Exam Schedule

 

Brain Health Survey Information

This is a repeated item from last week’s newsletter:

Within the next month, we will be conducting a survey of Lakota High Schools students to determine levels of stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in order to get a picture of overall student mental health and well-being. The results of this survey will be used to help inform efforts at (high school name) High School to enhance student mental health.  The survey is also part of a research project titled “High School Student Mental Health and Stressors” with Stuart Slavin, MD serving as principal investigator, working in collaboration with 1N5, MindPeace and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.  Dr. Slavin is a pediatrician and currently serves as Senior Scholar for Well-Being at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Findings from this study may appear in journals, books, or professional meetings.

Students will take the survey (approximately 15 minutes) later this month.  The survey is completely anonymous; responses cannot be tracked back to individual students. The only risk to students is the possibility that some questions may make them somewhat uncomfortable.  The surveys will be completed in class and the school’s counseling services will be available to answer any student questions or concerns that may arise.  Students will have the right to not answer any question.  Their participation is completely voluntary and they can withdraw from participation at any time. 

Please view the survey here:

If you are not willing to allow your student to take this survey, you may opt your student out by filling out this form linked here.   If you are willing to have your student participate in this anonymous survey, you do not need to take any action. We ask that you opt out by May 3rd, as the survey will be given the week of May 6th.  If you have any questions or concerns about the survey or the study, you may contact Megan Cameron, Student Wellness Coordinator, at megan.cameron@lakotaonline.com, Stuart Slavin, MD at sjslavin1@gmail.com and/or Pearl IRB as listed below.

Pearl IRB
Monday through Friday 9-5 EST/EDT
29 East McCarty Street  Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46225
support@pearlirb.com
317-899-9341 (main) 317-602-6554 (fax)
https://www.pearlirb.com/

Have a great weekend,

Rob Burnside
Lakota East High School Principal