The Lincoln Lowdown- 5/20/2024

Lincoln Staff,

I want to take a moment to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. This is an important time for us to focus on the well-being of our entire Lincoln community, including our students, staff, and families.

Mental health is a critical component of our overall well-being, and it is essential that we continue to foster a supportive and understanding environment here at Lincoln Middle School. Your dedication to creating a safe and nurturing space for our students is deeply appreciated, and I encourage all of us to extend that same care and compassion to ourselves and each other.

Throughout this month, our counselors will be sharing resources and organizing activities aimed at promoting mental wellness.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the mental and emotional well-being of our school community. Together, we can create a culture of understanding, support, and resilience.

This Week's Events

5/20 - 7th Grade Reproductive Health Unit begins

5/21 - 7th Grade History DBQ Norming/Scoring (Howard, Hartson)

5/22 - 6th Grade Ghetty Villa Field Trip, Group 3, 9am - 12:15pm (DeBeech)

5/22 - (check) 7th Grade History DBQ Norming/Scoring (Greenfield, Oseguera, Kornell)

5/22 - School Site Council Meeting @ 3:20 pm, Library Classroom

5/22 - POPS Concert Rehearsals, 3:00-4:30 pm, Auditorium

5/22-5/24 - Final CAASPP Make-Up Testing

5/23 - POPS Spring Concert 7PM, Auditorium

5/24 - Late Start Friday PD: Department

5/24 - EL Reclassification Celebration with ELAC

5/24 - Mental Health Awareness Fair, on the Quad, during both lunches

Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio

Years at Lincoln: 1 Week

I am delighted to introduce Luke Davis Jr. as our new Campus Security Officer! Luke brings with him a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our school community.

As our Campus Security Officer, Luke will play a vital role in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for our students, staff, and visitors. His presence on campus will provide reassurance and support to all members of our school community, and I am confident that he will make a positive impact in his role.

Please join me in welcoming Luke to the Lincoln Middle School family. We are thrilled to have him on board, and I know that he will be an invaluable asset to our school community.

I'm excited to announce that we will be expanding on our partnership with Facing History for next school year! This partnership includes a personalized PD with our staff and summer workshops. All for FREE! These workshops are online and expand beyond ELA/Social Studies. I urge all of you to PLEASE take advantage of these opportunities. In the link below, are all the sessions that our school is able to access over the summer.

For more information, please contact Sara, Jody, Beth, or me. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity!

I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the outstanding choir performance we enjoyed this past Thursday, led by Mrs. Counte. The dedication, talent, and hard work of our students under Mrs. Counte's direction were truly remarkable, and it was a joy to witness their musical prowess on display.

I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to Mrs. Counte and our talented choir members for their exceptional performance. Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and I am proud to have such talented individuals representing Lincoln Middle School.

Thank you to everyone who attended Thursday's performance and showed their support for our choir program. Your presence and applause mean the world to our students and staff alike.

I am thrilled to announce and congratulate the winners of our Sustainability Poster Contest! The creativity, passion, and dedication demonstrated by our students in creating these posters are truly commendable, and I am proud to see their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Each poster beautifully captured the importance of sustainability and conveyed powerful messages about protecting our planet for future generations. I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to our talented winners for their outstanding contributions to raising awareness about environmental issues.

Special shoutout to Ms. Quals for coordinating this!

Grand Prize- Addison Hartsell

2nd Place- Chloe Scolfield

3rd Place- Leonardo Ledezma

Honorable Mention- Alicja Morawiec, Bryce McArn, and Esther O'Neill

You are invited to our upcoming Pops Concert! Join us for an enchanting evening filled with wonderful music performed by our talented students.

Our students have been working hard to prepare an exciting repertoire of music that is sure to delight audiences of all ages. From popular hits to timeless classics, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Don't miss this opportunity to support our amazing musicians and experience the magic of music together as a community. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our girls 7/8 team defeated Ocean Middle School Charter in the first round of the playoffs this past week, advancing to the semi finals to play Visitation MS on Monday, 5/20 at 5pm. Game will be played at Culver City HS.

Our 6th grade boys and girls defeated our crosstown rivals, JAMS this past Friday with impressing victories. GREAT JOB!

Our 7/8 volleyball team defeated Larchmont MS and our 6th grade volleyball team remains UNDEFEATED!

Track season ended last week and our school placed 6th overall out of 44 schools overall in last week's meet. We're so proud of our track team!

Students will continue taking the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress). We're almost done!

Lincoln’s CAASPP testing schedule is as follows:

• California Science Test Segments 4-6 (8th grade), 5/20 or 5/21, during Science class

*Make-up testing will be available Friday late start mornings, 8-9:30AM, in Room 104, and/or through pull-out during the school day, 5/15-5/24, as needed.

As we continue with testing. here are some tips to help support your students:

1. Encourage a good night's sleep: Ensure your child gets plenty of rest leading up to each test day to help them feel refreshed and focused.

2. Provide a healthy breakfast: Start the day off right with a nutritious breakfast to fuel your child's brain for optimal performance.

3. Practice relaxation techniques: Teach your child relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or visualization to help reduce test anxiety.

4. Emphasize the importance of breaks: Encourage your child to take short breaks during study sessions to rest and recharge.

5. Offer words of encouragement: Provide words of encouragement and remind your child that you are proud of their hard work and effort, regardless of the outcome.

Together, we can help our students approach testing week with confidence and success.

We're excited to announce our upcoming Mental Health Awareness Fair! This event is dedicated to promoting mental wellness and providing valuable resources and support to our school community.

The Mental Health Awareness Fair will feature:

• Information booths from local mental health organizations
• Interactive workshops and presentations
• Resources for students, families, and staff
• Activities promoting self-care and stress relief

We invite you to join us for this important event as we come together to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support mental wellness in our school community.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and families.

The Santa Monica High School Athletic Department and the Viking Football Team are inviting 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to participate in the 2nd Annual Middle School Football Classic.

The SAMO High Viking Football team will be hosting a Flag Football classic on Monday May 20th from 4:30-6:30 PM.

Please see the flyer posted around campus for more details and use the QR Code to sign up to participate.

See Ms. Preuss if you have any questions.

Certificated Staff,

This is a reminder that the voting period for the bell schedule will open on May 22nd and will close on May 29th. Your participation is important, so please make sure to cast your vote within this timeframe.

Thank you for your involvement in this important decision.

Happy AANHPI month!

Lincoln will celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander heritage month

on Thursday, May 23rd, with origami and Boba snacks, organized by AAPI Alliance and the Lincoln PTSA.

Come to the library classroom at lunch to learn the art of origami, then try a bit of boba.

Directions for origami folding will be available for students.

Examples of different animals and shapes, and even real life uses for origami will be displayed!

This past week, our 7th grade students attended the Regeneron ISEF 2024, the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition. Our students had an opportunity to explore the wonderful world of STEM and engage in many different activities. Our very own Rose Moe was presenting at this event!