Smooth start expected at Lovell schools

Smooth start expected at Lovell schoolsAfter construction delays caused the start of school to be postponed by nearly two weeks a year ago, it’s smooth sailing for Lovell schools this year as the 2015-16 school year gets under way.The first day of school for students in School District No. 2 will be next Wednesday, Aug. 26, and schools are gearing up with a number of meetings and events.Lovell ElementaryRegistration for Lovell Elementary School will be Monday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. Principal Deanna Martineau said students will be able to meet their teachers, bring school supplies, tour the school, buy lunch tickets and prepare for the new school year. All teachers will be present including music and P.E. teachers, the school nurse and Principal Martineau to answer any questions or hear any concerns students or parents might have.New students or incoming kindergarten students are asked to bring a certified copy of their birth certificate, immunization records and a social security card.Classes at Lovell Elementary run from 8:20 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Kindergarten students will have only a half day of school through Sept. 11, with classes dismissed at noonfollowing lunch and recess. Buses will run early for kindergarten students on those days.Full days will begin on Sept. 14.[caption id="attachment_10233" align="alignright" width="285"] LHS Stucco[/caption]Martineau said kindergarten parents are welcome to be on the playground for the first two days of school to drop off and pick up their kids.Two back-to-school nights are scheduled this year for parents so they can meet with teachers and learn teacher and school expectations for their student(s). The nights are Tuesday, Sept. 1, for kindergarten through second-grade parents and Thursday, Sept. 3, for grades three through five.The kindergarten session is from 5:30 to 6 p.m., first grade 6 to 6:30 and second grade 6:30 to 7. On Sept. 3, the third-grade session is 5:30 to 6:15, fourth grade 6:15 to 7 and fifth grade 7 to 7:45.Besides Principal Martineau, new staff members include special education teacher  Mariah Weber from Minnesota via Black Hills State University, art teacher Robin Hengensteg from Iowa and part-time literacy paraprofessionals Sarah Roper and Candida Jones.There were no major capital construction projects this summer beyond routine cleaning and maintenance, Martineau said. Supt. Rick Woodford said the district is still waiting to hear back from the State Facilities Dept. about plans to renovate portions of the elementary school.Lovell Middle SchoolLMS will have an orientation meeting for all students and parents on Monday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m. for new and sixth-grade students and 7 p.m. for seventh- and eighth-grade students. Principal Doug Hazen said students will be able to walk through the school, meet teachers, rent band instruments, pay school lunch accounts, check locker combinations and turn in forms for participation in athletics.A make-up session will be held Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 2 (sixth grade) and 3 p.m. (seventh and eighth grade).New middle school students may register on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. A birth certificate, immunization records and social security card are necessary for registration. Hazen said new students are encouraged to attend an orientation session, as well.School hours are 8 a.m. to 3:21 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1:18 p.m. on Friday.Parents and all sixth-grade and new students, as well as all high school students and their parents, are required to attend a meeting on the use of iPads Monday at 6 p.m. at the LMS Commons.Cross country practice began Monday, Aug. 17, and football and volleyball practice will begin Monday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m. There will be a football parents meeting Monday at 4 p.m. and a volleyball parents meeting Monday at 5.New staff members this year include special education teacher Ross Borden of Cody via MSU-Billings, art teacher Robin Hengensteg from Iowa, P.E. teacher Nick DeWitt, originally of Greybull and most recently of Northwest College, school nurse Kylie Thormahlen and school psychologist Brandon Weiss from Alaska.Lovell High SchoolLHS has scheduled a new student and freshman orientation Monday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at the school multi-purpose room. According to school secretary Suzie Winterholler, students will be able to meet teachers, learn about building procedures and tour facilities. Athletic Director Joe Koritnik will be on hand to talk about athletics, Principal Scott O’Tremba will talk about school policies and procedures and counselor Tawnya Teter will discuss academic counseling.An open house for parents is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and a mandatory meeting on the use of iPads for parents and students is Monday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m. at the LMS Commons. The iPAD meeting will be repeated before the Sept. 1 open house at the high school.The bell schedule is 8 a.m. to 3:24 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1:16 p.m. on Friday.New staff members at the high school include science teacher Josey Allen from Kemmerer, math teacher Jennifer Gardner from Powell, special education paraprofessional Catherine Leithead and lunchroom staff member Peggy Schurman.Capital construction was minor this summer compared to the major modernization and remodeling of recent years, but a project to stucco the front of the main high school building to match the tan color of the new multipurpose room is under way. Supt. Woodford said the stucco will wrap around the north side of the building to the corner at the administration wing.Also under construction is a new fence from the bus loop at Winterholler Gym west along the south side of the road next to the bleachers, past the high jump pits and other facilities, then south to the caboose. Woodford said the purpose of the fence is to separate traffic from events during a track meet.In the design phase currently is a new kiln and storage facility to be built just outside the art and science classrooms in the adjacent courtyard. The building will also create an outdoor learning environment using one wall of the building, Woodford said.Also in the works is a new security vestibule for the high school.By David Peck