June 1, 2007
		Mrs. Diffenbacher with Cari and Anya The last day of school for Lower School is Thursday, June 7. The last day of school for Upper School is Friday, June 8. Summer School programs begin Monday, June 18. Final Exams for High School students  take place next week. An exam schedule has been sent home. Please note that students are not permitted to leave after exams. They should remain in classrooms to work on projects, review, or finish incomplete assignments. For questions, please contact Mr. David Harris at x2114. Friday, June 8 is Community Service Day for Upper School students. Students are asked to bring $5 for pizza, drink and dessert. Students may leave after lunch or participate in afternoon activities. All students should be picked up by 3 pm. Lower School students presented a check for $715 to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Students raised $315 to help the zoo, which was closed due to hurricane damage. Whitetails Unlimited donated an additional $300 in matching funds. There is no after-school softball club for Lower School next week. Please be sure to make transportation arrangements for regular dismissal time. On May 12, some Lower School teachers participated in or donated to Run Wild for a Cure (1 mile walk/5k race) at the Cleveland Zoo.  The proceeds benefit the United Mitochondrial Foundation. Mrs. Lyle, Mrs. Kerber, Mr. Sepsi, and Miss Turner attended in honor of student Javier C.'s  two year old sister Vanessa.  The family appreciates these wonderful teachers for helping this cause! Market Day sales will be held in June and July.  Pickup is at the Lower School at 12 noon on 6/21 and 7/12.  Orders are due one week before pickup.		Thank you, dedicated staff! Dress Code Update Please note that a new Lands' End School Uniform catalogue will be mailed home soon. You can also access the dress code items online at www.landsend.com/school. Please note that some new items have been added while others have been omitted. When shopping for the 2007/08 school year, please keep in mind that students must wear Lands End School Uniform items (no look-alike items). Please note that several items are available for viewing online that are not available through the printed catalogue. For the most complete listing of items, please visit the online store. For questions, please contact Tracy Pedaline at the Upper School (x2124) or Pat Feith at the Lower School (x1124). Thank you! Send a Year-End Tribute It's the end of the school year! Are you looking for a way to thank teachers and staff, or reward a student for a job well done? Consider sending a Lawrence School Tribute. For a minimum $10 donation, we will send your honoree a personalized letter, certificate and pin. In addition, your name and the name of your honoree will appear in the Lawrence LINE and on the website. For forms, contact Sue Synek at x3108 or ssynek@lawrence.pvt.k12.oh.us. Lawrence VIP Website Parents are reminded to visit the VIP (Very Involved Parent) website over the summer to make carpool arrangements for the next school year. There is also a Uniform Exchange link where gently worn school uniform items can be purchased and sold. The website address is www.lawrencevip.org. Sixth Grade Graduation On Thursday, June 7, sixth grade students and their parents/guardians are invited to a continental breakfast at 8:30 am followed by an Awards & Graduation Ceremony at 9:15 am. Students will be dismissed immediately following the ceremony. Lower School Awards Ceremony Parents/guardians of students in grades 1-5: Please join us on Thursday, June 7 at 12 noon as we recognize students for their achievements throughout the school year. Students will be dismissed for summer break immediately following the ceremony. Upper School Convocation Upper School Convocation is on Thursday, June 7 at 6:30 pm in the gym. Family members, please plan to attend as all students will be recognized. Class of 2007 Commencement Commencement for the Class of 2007 is on Saturday, June 9, at 2 pm in the Upper School gym. The keynote speaker is Karen Vadino.  Each student received 15 tickets; for additional tickets, contact Mr. Culp at x2115. All seniors are required to attend a rehearsal on Friday, June 8 at 10 am at the Upper School gym. Please be sure to put it on your calendar! Head Notes As the school year winds down, I want to take a moment to focus on the incredible contributions our staff has made to assuring a great year for us all. This year, the challenge of meeting our students’ needs and providing them with a challenging learning environment, a safe and nurturing social environment, and a place where each member of the community is treated with unconditional respect and caring was even greater than usual. In addition to seeing to the needs of our students, and trying to exceed expectations in every area, the staff was working to plan for and create a transition from our crowded single campus to our new, dual-campus status. This was no small feat! I don’t imagine that parents and friends who are reading this realize what an amazing stretch it took to make all this happen. You don’t realize it because our staff, with its usual grace and positive approach, just took the added burden onto their shoulders and made it look easy. For staff who stayed at Wallings Road, moving and reorganizing took a great deal of work, as did establishing new routines in the larger space they had to occupy during the second semester.  All the changes were welcome, but had to be accomplished without missing a beat in the classroom or on the playground. And while staff at the Upper School got to move into wonderful new surroundings, they had to pack, move, unpack, get established and work through the settling-in process.  Many lost out on much or all of their holiday break in order to assure that the move would seem ‘seamless’ to our students.  This staff has performed with such distinction this year – in all the expected and so many unexpected ways, and I am so proud of them!  I knew they would rise to the occasion because there’s not a staff member among them who is willing to let a student down, but I am humbled, as always, by this incredible team.  This summer will provide deserved rest and an opportunity for our dedicated, but frankly, tired staff to recharge.  Kudos to each of you – you are what makes Lawrence great! - Mimi Mayer Head of School