Want to know what's happening in our buildings? Read below to learn more about the activities and events taking place in our schools...
Licking Heights Central Intermediate and Middle schools each held a “Cultural Celebration Day” on May 20, 2022. Click on the news release to learn more:
Middle School
- Middle School to celebrate student-driven ‘Cultural Celebration Day’ May 20, 2022: Licking Heights Middle School students Deepshika Nepal and Dikshya Adhikari believe that every culture is important and deserves to be recognized and celebrated. Accordingly, they have been granted permission to make Friday, May 20 a “Cultural Celebration Day” at the middle school. Everyone is encouraged to wear traditional dress or something that represents their culture. As Nepal said, ‘We all have our own faith and views, and we need to learn to accept one another for who we are. As we celebrate this day, enjoy the diversity it brings with a smile, remember to be kind and open minded.” While celebrating their traditional heritage, participants are also reminded they must still adhere to the dress code. Click on the link for more: Middle School Cultural Celebration Day
North Elementary
- Partnering with ETSS (Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services) to provide after-school tutoring for ELL students (25 available spots) beginning on January 4, 2022.
- Welcome Mural to be created in the main hall/entrance, partnering with CRISS. Design, location & dimensions have been discussed.
- Art teacher Rachel Fout read the book, “It’s Okay to Be Different,” by author and illustrator Todd Park. In art class, students looked at themselves closely in drawing mirrors. In each class, students celebrated all the things that make each of us different. They created “Contour Line Self-Portraits” using pencil and black Sharpies. At the end of the lesson, students looked at all of the different drawings hanging in the hallway. The book ends, “It’s okay to be different. You are special and Important just because of who you are.”
- Students worked with Ms. Greene in SEL on the Sanford Harmony lesson, "Celebrate Diversity.''
- One of the kindergarten teams completed lessons, “Holidays Around the World,” with reading, writing and activities. They wrote about one of their family’s holiday traditions. Lessons included Las Posadas, Christmas in Germany, Christmas in Italy, Saint Lucia, and Christmas in Sweden, Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas in Australia, Kwanzaa, and Eid al-Fitr.
West Elementary
- Teachers are being helped with provision of resources to celebrate the different traditions students and their families participate in during the winter holiday season. Also, efforts are being made to encourage staff to ask students who celebrate Diwali or Eid to share/teach the class.
South Elementary
- The school is partnering with Neighborhood Bridges and the Weekly Backpack Program to help with economically disadvantaged students. South is also incorporating more diverse culture into art and music classes to expose students to different cultures within its community. Mrs. Acharya and Mrs. Bah are helping students feel connected to the school/classroom and helping connect with parents who may feel intimidated by language barriers
Central Intermediate
- The school is partnering with ETSS (Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services) to provide after-school tutoring for ELL students (25 available spots) beginning on January 4, 2022.
- Welcome Mural in the main hall/entrance, partnering with CRISS. Design, location and dimensions have been discussed and a design needs to be selected.
High School
- Student Council held a Winter Spirit Week this year with the goal of being more inclusive. On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, the HS had a Cultural Holiday Day. All Hornets at the high school were encouraged to wear clothing that represented themselves and their culture.
- Diversity Council members also want to assist the Cultural Identity Club in prompting Diaspora, so council members were thinking about decorating a portion of the school to represent some of the different cultures included in the performance.
- LHHS Student Council members also donated unwrapped Christmas gifts to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program to help low-income and disadvantaged families this holiday season.
- Social Studies Department (SSD): A teacher in the SSD is decorating a part of their hallway with different items from various cultures’ holidays. These items include a brief description to help educate students about other cultures that may be new or different from their own.
- The Cultural Identity Club is planning the Diaspora Celebration that is supposed to take place in February 2022. Student representatives within the club are planning a Cultural Spirit Week to get people excited about the event. The club is also hoping to have a school-wide assembly showcasing some of their performers & their performances (this event has not been approved yet).
- The Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) meets monthly. The group is currently compiling a list of concerns and challenges facing LBGTQIA+ community members at the high school level. Alicia Orr plans to attend the next meeting to hear some of the concerns from students in the club.
- Superintendent Student Advisory Meeting are monthly meetings with high school students led by Dr. Wagner and Mr. Stroud are held to address concerns and to answer student questions.
- Family inclusivity: A discussion has taken place about the possible renaming of “Parent-Teacher Conferences” to “Family-Teacher Conferences,” since it is not always parents participating in the discussions.