Shorian Nation eNews
August 31st, 2025
Nearly $28,000 Raised for the 2026 Kids Heart Challenge
❤️ With more than 460 students inside Violet Elementary, our All-Stars raised an incredible $27,891.95 for the 2026 Kids Heart Challenge!
Violet ranked 2nd in the state of Michigan in 2025—and we’re waiting to see if a gold medal is headed our way from the American Heart Association! 🥇
During the celebration assembly, students wowed the crowd with their jump rope skills, shared heartfelt stories and dedications, and proudly received the newest banner and medals. A huge thank you to Mrs. Pecoraro, who organizes this meaningful fundraiser alongside Senior Youth Marketing Director Cheryl Muscott.
For the second year in a row, Preston Javenkoski led the way—raising $2,412.77 in 2025 and topping it again in 2026 with $2,525.68! 💪❤️ Preston’s mom, Stacy, shared:
“As we come to the end of our final Kids Heart Challenge at Violet, we are filled with overwhelming gratitude. From the very beginning, Violet and Lake Shore Public Schools wrapped our family in compassion, understanding, and unwavering support during some of our hardest moments. Through every challenge, they made our heart heroes feel seen, celebrated, and truly valued. Shorian Nation is more than a school community—it is a family, and being part of it has meant more to us than words can ever express.”
Cheryl Muscott added, “I’m so proud of Lake Shore for their hard work. Year after year, Violet has surpassed the average Macomb County donation total of $3,200 and has been one of the top fundraisers in the state for years.”
Violet has proudly participated in the Kids Heart Challenge for 28 years, raising an astonishing $600,000 during Mrs. Pecoraro’s leadership. This marked her final Kids Heart Challenge before retirement—a true legacy of heart. 💕 A special thank you to all who attended her final assembly, including Papa Tony, Grandma Jan, her husband Steve, daughter Kimmy, friends Kim, Carol, and Joan, and family members Mereesa, Bella, and Gigi.
Congratulations to our top fundraisers:
🥈 Noel Brocker – $1,100.84
🥉 Jonah Fish – $700.00
4️⃣ Emin Crnkic – $656.83
5️⃣ Olivia Lehman – $649.68
6️⃣ Emersyn Golze – $565.38
Six students raised over $600 individually—wow!
Our elementary students continue jumping toward healthier hearts in honor of others. 💓 Small steps to reduce stress, move more, and eat healthy today lead to stronger hearts tomorrow.
Eligibility Benefits Form
Each year, we ask families to complete the Eligibility Benefits Form for free or reduced lunch. While this form helps ensure students have access to meals, it also plays a huge role in securing critical funding that supports our schools beyond food services.
Completing the form helps fund things like:
- School & instructional programs
- Technology resources
- SAT fee discounts & college application fee waivers
- Athletics & extracurriculars
- Grants and student support services
New this year: Due to an update to the State School Aid Act (Section 164k), 100% of families are now required to complete this form—yes, every family, regardless of income. If forms aren’t submitted, our district could lose valuable funding that directly benefits students.
Our Food Service team is reaching out to families who haven’t completed the form yet, but if you’re unsure or haven’t done it, please take a moment to click the link. It only takes 1–2 minutes and makes a big difference for our students.
Thank you for helping support our schools and students!
Egg My Yard & Easter Egg Dive Events
“Egg My Yard” is back for Season 6!
The Easter Bunny’s helpers from the Lake Shore Foundation for Educational Excellence will be out Saturday, April 4 hiding eggs in your yard for your little ones to discover!
- Sign up: http://tinyurl.com/eggyard2026
Egg packages:
12 eggs — $15
25 eggs — $25
50 eggs — $40
100 eggs — $65
Add-ons:
Photo of the Easter Bunny hiding eggs — $15 (sent via text)
Special dog treat egg — $5
Easter Egg Dive — Round 3!
Join us Thursday, March 26 | 6–8 PM at the Lake Shore High School Pool, where the water will be filled with colorful eggs to collect. Open swim follows the hunt!
$10 per child | Pre-registration required
- Register: http://tinyurl.com/eggdive2026
Questions? Contact the Foundation at lsfee@lsps.org.
Since 1986, the Foundation has supported students across Lake Shore Public Schools by funding educational opportunities that help every learner reach their goals of excellence.
Care Solace
Youth mental health is a topic of utmost importance, and we believe that by working together, we can create a supportive environment where our children can thrive.
As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of the invaluable resources available to our community.
In addition, Care Solace offers mental health care coordination services and can help connect you and your child with appropriate community-based providers. Whether it's counseling, therapy, or other mental health services, Care Solace can assist you in finding the support your family may need.
To access Care Solace's coordination services, simply reach out using the following options:
Call 888-515-0595: Their multilingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365.
Visit www.caresolace.com/lsps: On their website, you can explore mental health providers independently or click "Book Appointment" for personalized assistance through video chat, email, or phone.
By joining hands and working together as a community, we can provide a nurturing and inclusive environment that supports the mental health and well-being of our youth. Let's continue to prioritize their emotional growth, and together, we can create a brighter future for our children.
Thank you for being caring and involved parents and guardians in the Lake Shore Public Schools. Your dedication to supporting our youth is truly commendable.
P2 Calendar
Under the guiding principles of our districtwide initiative, the Positivity Project, the #PositivityInAction mindset is our top priority. Because of our goal to inspire students to build positive relationships and become their best selves, we invite you to follow this Positivity Project Calendar.
This calendar outlines all 24 character strengths, 1 highlighted per week. Our teachers create engaging and impactful lessons — differentiated by grade-level — and share through presentations, student recognitions, classroom discussions, and building-specific displays.
People with the character strength of perspective appreciate that people see things in different ways. They have the ability to understand view. And our view tends to focus on all things positive.
Compassion. Care. Community. We call it Lake Shore.
It looks like Media Technician Ms. Brosnan is lending a hand with a Chromebook and Speech-Language Pathologist Mrs. Atkins is engaging a student in a game designed to boost his learning at Rodgers Elementary.
Tully, Lake Shore High School’s resident therapy-dog-in-training, spreads daily licks and love to our students. Follow her adventures on Instagram: @therapydogtully
Over at our Lake Shore Early Childhood Center, staff are spreading cheer by passing around a treat-filled mug to lift each other’s spirits. Students assist their teachers with carrying materials from classroom to gym spaces. How sweet!
Thank you to 5th graders Mason Kurdi, Luke Klein, Lucas Ferrazza, Connor James, and Chris Preizter for helping with chair cleanup after the Spelling Bee and supporting our custodians at Masonic Heights Elementary; Our Maintenance and Operations team stepped up to unload multiple pallets of supplies in preparation for an upcoming district event.
Grateful for our bus drivers who keep our kids safe every day, snow or shine: https://x.com/myLSPS/status/2014018729869201493
Kennedy Middle School Band students participated in the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association District XVI Solo & Ensemble Festival at Rochester High School. Students performed solos, duets, trios, and more, and were adjudicated by professional musicians and music educators.
We are proud to share that KMS had one of the highest levels of participation and ratings in the district! Every KMS band student who participated earned Superior (1st Division) or Excellent (2nd Division) ratings—most receiving Superior honors. Congratulations to our incredible musicians! 🎶 Mr. Malabed and Mr. Alter are extremely proud of you all.
Giving back never tasted so sweet!
National Honor Society students at Lake Shore High School hosted a bake sale to raise money for the Macomb Humane Society, supporting animals in need right here in our community.
We are thrilled to reveal the winners of this year’s Yearbook Cover Contest at Masonic Heights! The creativity and talent on display were absolutely incredible—choosing just two designs was no easy task. Our students truly made this a celebration of imagination and artistic flair.
👏 Let’s give a huge round of applause to our talented artists:
- Front Cover: Evelyn Bills, 2nd Grade
- Back Cover: Amelia Watkis, 4th Grade
Looking forward, we are excited to celebrate LOVE and LOVE OF LEARNING which will take place during the weeks of February 23-27 and March 2-6.
Happy National School Counseling Week!
It’s National School Counseling Week! We’re celebrating the counselors who help students succeed in school, plan for their futures, and offer steady guidance along the way—especially when mistakes turn into learning moments.
School counselors are actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today’s world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students’ academic, career and social/emotional development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. School counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master’s degree in school counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.
“I’ve learned how to calm myself at my desk when I feel stressed. I take deep breaths and nobody even knows I’m doing it,” one tenth grader said. Mindful moments have become commonplace for Lake Shore students who have learned how to incorporate positive personal strategies into their daily experiences.
At Lake Shore High School, our counseling team uses Xello to help students document their journey as they build self-knowledge, explore post-secondary options, create plans, and continually reassess as they take in new knowledge, skills, and experiences. In fact, 20% of student logins happen outside of school hours where students take assessments to help them better understand their interests and build portfolios that showcases their skills and abilities.
“School counselors work with all students to remove barriers to learning by addressing students’ academic concerns, career options and social/emotional skills,” said Jill Cook, American School Counselor Association executive director. “School counseling programs help to increase student achievement and provide a much-needed resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators. School counselors are integral to student success.”
As part of its celebration for National School Counseling Week, Lake Shore Public Schools is proud to recognize Lake Shore High School Counselors Robert Asaro, Amanda Nabors, and Anne Rancilio, North Lake High School Counselor Robyn White, and Kennedy Middle School Counselors Bob Plotkowski and Colleen Stafford/Melissa Oliver. College Adviser Shannon Gillis is also an important part of the team.
Bonus: We also appreciate Julie Knight and Carla Cavazos, Department Secretary/Records Clerk, for their care and concern for the entire student body.
Every Day Is a Learning Day at Lake Shore
At Lake Shore, learning doesn’t stop, yesterday, today, or ever! While 2/17 was a District Professional Development Day, the growth of our staff continues every single day. This month, our Early Literacy Coach, Mrs. Ottinger, brought that commitment to life by facilitating Learning Labs at Rodgers Elementary.
Learning Labs are a powerful opportunity for educators to come together, learn from one another, and deepen a shared understanding of high-quality literacy instruction. Throughout the Learning Labs, staff engaged in collaborative learning grounded in the Science of Reading and Michigan’s Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy. Educators then stepped into classrooms to see literacy instruction in action, bringing theory to life through real student learning experiences.
After the classroom visits, teams reconvened to reflect, share observations, connect what they saw to the Essential Instructional Practices, and plan intentional next steps to strengthen instruction and support student success.
Early Literacy Coach Mrs. Ottinger has been leading focused training to strengthen literacy instruction across our schools. Literacy Learning Labs officially kicked off in February 2025, expanding into the upper elementary grades and emphasizing essential instructional practices in early literacy—the kind that should be happening in every classroom, every day.
Ottinger explained, "Teachers are exploring scaffolding strategies, intentional teacher moves, and practical tools to better support students as they engage in more challenging texts. From partner reading and choral reading to purposeful speaking and listening, the goal is clear: growing confident, fluent readers."
The excitement is contagious—teachers are energized, and students are engaged and motivated.
Teacher reflections:
Ms. O’Shee: Helping students understand the purpose behind what they’re learning.
Ms. Wojcik: Building confidence in reading through strong teacher support and opportunities to speak and listen.
Mrs. Schleich: Using small-group instruction so both high- and developing readers are heard.
We are grateful for the collaboration, curiosity, and dedication of our educators—and we’re excited to keep the learning going! Mrs. Ottinger will continue her Learning Lab visits in March at Masonic Heights and Violet Elementary. The momentum is strong, and the impact on student learning is even stronger!
Career and Technical Education Month: Preparing Students for College, Careers, and Beyond
Lake Shore encourages students to explore educational and career opportunities during Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month and throughout the year. Our programs have gained recognition for providing students with valuable hands-on experiences that prepare them for real-world careers, even earning accolades at both the state and national levels. Today we're spotlighting 3 of our very best CTE programs at Lake Shore High School.
In Building Renovation classes, students continue to learn construction trades through authentic work. From eco-friendly and trendy to labor-intensive and dirty, students are learning home improvement trades in class that will save them both time and money in the future.
For 12 years, students in the Building Renovations program at Lake Shore High School were giving a drastic makeover to a 1,400-square-foot house on Parkway Street in St. Clair Shores. The home needed a lot of work, which was a bonus for the district because it provided plenty of real-life learning experiences. The fixer-upper was a foreclosed, plighted home that the district was committed to improving, while improving our community. And they did just that!
Our Video Productions class at Lake Shore High School creates live announcements, known as the Shorian Report.
Mrs. Blaszkowski, Media Productions teacher, supports her students while managing district video projects. Because of her breadth of knowledge and field experience, she is called upon to lead her advanced students in community work like district advertisements, clips for events and presentations, and interviews. She creates and develops multimedia content, often with short notice and tight deadlines, to enhance overall messaging and output.
These students learn how to direct, shoot, and edit with real industry level cameras and software, mastering the skills needed to launch a film career. They have the opportunity to train in all areas of the field so the fear of presenting or hesitation with technical post production won’t shy them away from the opportunity to communicate ongoing events with our entire student body.
Special Shoutouts:
Thank you Lukas Storbeck for working to create a new hype video that captures a small fraction of joy at our Lake Shore Early Childhood Center. It will be released soon!
Thank you Michael Keenan for producing our biweekly Cup of Joe message.
Fun Fact: Our Video Productions class continues to invite powerful experts into the classroom and recently it was alumna Alexis Stacy who shared her video knowledge.
Located inside our brand-new-ish Hub at Lake Shore High School, the Shorian Shop is stocked with spirit wear, tasty treats, and Shorian Nation trinkets. But behind the counter, our student team is learning skills that will last a lifetime—marketing, sales, customer service, accounting, teamwork, and responsibility.
Anthony Venturini recently donated Battle Juice — a healthy, low-sugar hydration drink with electrolytes — for a few classes around the district to try. His parents, John and Peggy, are true Lake Shore natives — high school sweethearts from the early ’80s who grew up right here in the Shores.
The Marketing & Sales class at Lake Shore High School taste-tested every flavor—and the results were unanimous! Blue Rush and Cherry came out on top, earning the best reactions with their classic, Icee-style vibes.
From showing up on time, to managing the cash register accurately, to taking ownership of their role, these students are practicing the very skills they’ll need in college, careers, and beyond. 💡✨
Bonus: LSHS Counselors and 22 students took a field trip to the Frederick V. Pankow Center to tour Career and Technical Education programs that are designed to foster pathways into potential career choices.
There Is No Limit to the Goodness We Can Put Into the World
Ms. Domagalski’s students recently visited American House for a meaningful intergenerational experience centered on “100s Day” activities and kindness in action. Dressed in 1920s attire, Rockets from Rodgers Elementary were paired with senior residents for a collaborative game of Bingo—supporting one another, sharing laughs, and making memories along the way.
Ms. Domagalski helped plan the event and enjoyed seeing it come to life. She shared, “Every day is a chance to show kindness, and you can do this at any age. I love giving my students opportunities to put our Positivity Project character traits into action. We talked about how we demonstrated Love and Other People Matter—by taking time to play a game, give a valentine, and bring smiles to others. The students loved connecting with their new ‘buddies’ and felt so proud knowing they brought them joy. While academics are a top priority, my greatest calling as a teacher is helping raise kind, wonderful little humans.”
In addition to Bingo, students and residents created necklaces using 100 fruit loops, shared Valentine’s cards, and enjoyed the simple joy of spending time together. Resident Joe especially enjoyed the partnerships. After winning Bingo and earning a 50-cent prize—Joe passed along his quarters to 1st grader Max. He commented, "I knew it would make him happy."
This experience provided students with opportunities to build relationships, increase mental flexibility, and improve cardiac health through laughter—all while working toward a common goal and celebrating community.
Thank you to Rachel Smith, Life Enrichment Director at American House, for coordinating this wonderful experience and providing juice and muffins for our students. We also appreciate Mrs. Larke and Mrs. Thomas and the Masonic Heights Elementary Student Council, Mrs. Stuckey, Mrs. Wu, and Mrs. Lesniak-Adams's ELA9 students from Lake Shore High School, and several classes from the Lake Shore Early Childhood Center for creating Valentine’s Day cards to share with residents! High school students even included powerful allusion, vivid imagery, and meaningful figurative language!
Bonus: Our 5th graders at Violet Elementary recently took part in a meaningful volunteer movement called The Cupid Project, an initiative that invites participants to create Valentine’s Day cards and gifts for nursing home residents. They partnered with the activity coordinator of the memory care unit at American House Lakeshore on Jefferson, who was thrilled to collaborate with our 5th grade team.
Students thoughtfully created Valentine’s Day gift bags for the residents, with each classroom contributing a special artistic touch:
🎨 Mrs. Fowler’s class designed acrylic dot heart paintings on canvas.
🎨 Mrs. Husek’s class created beautiful watercolor heart paintings.
🌸 Mrs. Westrick’s class crafted lovely handmade paper flowers.
It was truly a joyful and uplifting experience for everyone involved. Our 5th graders embraced this act of service with kindness and creativity, making their teachers incredibly proud. They look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership in the future! 💕
Lake Shore High School CTE Students and Partners Honored with Prestigious MCTEAA Awards
Students and faculty at Lake Shore High School joined others across the nation during the month of February to celebrate national Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month.
The 36th annual Michigan Career and Technical Education Administrators Association (MCTEAA) Awards were announced today and 42 of Macomb County's 22,003 CTE students were recognized; An impressive 44% of all CTE enrollments are in the Southeast Region of Michigan. Thank you CTE Department for your excellent choices amongst your pool of talent:
Outstanding CTE Senior: Keennan O’Neal
During his time in the Building Trades program, Keennan demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency by contributing to the construction of two full-scale homes. Beyond his craftsmanship, he has served as a vital mentor and role model, consistently sharing his expertise with peers and maintaining a tireless, positive work ethic.
Following graduation, Keennan plans to enter the professional trades to become an electrician or a carpenter.
Outstanding CTE Senior: Abigale Smith
Abigale is the SkillsUSA Michigan Vice President on the State Executive Council and a two-time State Champion in Video Production, competing nationally in Atlanta twice. A role model beyond compare, she also serves as section leader for the color guard and has earned top honors from DAFT, MIPA, and Courageous Persuaders.
Abigale plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall to major in Digital Storytelling and Documentary Filmmaking.
Business Partner: Closing Shift Studios
A 2019 alum, Alexis has mentored students on video editing for three years. Since co-founding Closing Shift Studios, she expanded this partnership to include co-owner Jack Horrigan, who now leads workshops on lighting and camera techniques. Together, they provide hands-on critiques to prepare students for competition.
They exemplify business leadership by serving on the advisory board and are currently developing future internship opportunities for the district.
“The activities planned in CTE classes illustrate the rigor and relevance CTE courses offer our students,” said MCTEAA member Todd Stevens, CTE representative of Lake Shore High School. “By partnering with the business community, CTE programs are investing in students and providing them with the latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become successful employees and future leaders.”
CTE is a major part of the solution to myriad national economic and workforce problems, such as high school dropout rates, a weakened economy, global competitiveness and massive layoffs. At a time when opportunity for employment is so critical, CTE programs in every community are ensuring students are equipped with the skills to successfully enter the workforce.
Bonus: Dr. Bob Livernois, former Warren Consolidated Superintendent, hosts a weekly podcast on WJR focused on education topics. On January 29, he visited Lake Shore alongside several students from across Macomb County who were recognized as CTE Students of the Year by the Macomb Career Technical Education Administrators Association. Each student had the opportunity to highlight their school’s CTE program — including Lake Shore’s own Abigale Smith.
Abigale once again represented Lake Shore with excellence. Dr. Bob praised her as an outstanding speaker who clearly has a passion for Media Productions.
- Abigale is the final student interviewed at the 30:15 mark: https://www.wjr.com/school-talks/
February P2 Recognitions
Congratulations to our February Positivity Project Honorees:
Lake Shore Early Childhood Center
Enzo LaRocca - Love of Learning
Masonic Heights Elementary
Mrs. Hubbard - Kindness
Max Buchholz - Kindness
Brandon Lempke - Purpose
Rodgers Elementary
Gavin Walton - Kindness
Mason Cartwright - Love of Learning
JoMarie Ventimeglia - Perseverance
Violet Elementary
Luna Norman - Love
Madilynn Deriemacker - Love
Jonathan Jimenez - Love
Kennedy Middle School
Sarah Miller - Kindness
Evi Crimmins - Kindness
Elyse McAlister - Kindness
Nhziah Scott - Kindness
Lake Shore High School
Bridget SanAgustin - Kindness
Jacob Fox - Respectful
Grace Garrison- Kindness
Camryn Vinson - Love
Aja Thompson - Kindness
Jennifer Villasurda - Kindness
North Lake High School
Gavin Ramsey - Perseverance
A huge thank you to our community sponsors:
- Virgil Johnson, 7-Eleven Store Owner
- Tony Zarife, EOS Cafe & Coffee House
- Ashleigh Larimer, North Shores Nutrition
- Amber Carlson, Chick-fil-A Roseville
- Vernon Mathews, Jet's Pizza General Manager
- Jessica Fortuna, J & W Ice Cream and Grill
Building Champions in the Classroom and on the Field — Discover Shorian Sports!
We have built an online home for our athletic department. Our goal is to bring our athletic programs to life by sharing schedules, scores, and social media while ensuring our athletes get the promotion they deserve. Visit the Shorian Sports website for 24/7/365 access to the information you have always wanted and follow along with our sports action.
We have partnered with Kroger to help fund our athletics. Please read this letter from our Athletic Coordinator Rich Bowers.
We believe a balance of academics and athletics creates a well-rounded student. Students who participate in sports not only gain the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, they also learn lessons about sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, cooperation, respect, and knowing how to win and lose.
Our boys and girls bowling teams rolled their way to a Regional Championship victory! With this win, both teams have officially qualified for the State Finals, which begin next week in Waterford!
Congratulations to Sara Augustitus and Ethan Edwards on capturing their regional singles championships!
The team also had an outstanding showing, with five bowlers finishing in the top seven to qualify for states next weekend:
🥇 Ethan Edwards – 1286
🥇 Devin Patrick – 1286
⭐ Gregg Winters – 1206
⭐ Ricky Pomaville – 1197 (6th place)
⭐ Maura Turpin (7th place)
Super Bowl Sunday Meets a New Era at Lake Shore
With the first overall draft pick, LSPS proudly welcomes Tony Savage as the new Head Football Coach at Lake Shore High School.
Coach Savage was drawn to Lake Shore’s strong sense of pride, deep football tradition, and unmatched community support. From packed neighborhoods on game nights to alumni representing the “LS” across the state, he sees Lake Shore as a true football town—and one he’s ready to lead with passion and purpose. His vision: a program the city can be proud of and players who graduate carrying that pride with them for life.
Connect With Shorian Nation
Email: social@lsps.org
Website: http://lakeshoreschools.org
Location: 28850 Harper Avenue, St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
Phone: (586) 285-8481
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myLSPS/
X: https://x.com/myLSPS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mylsps/