A Diverse Community

Limo and lunch with the superintendent – that’s the latest little prize we’ve been offering to the schools for students who have been doing well.

With the generous donation of a limo driven by Danny Aguilar of Racing Limos of Dover, each school this year was given the opportunity to identify nine students and one teacher to go to lunch with the superintendent. It’s been a real treat for me, I assure you, and the kids seem to enjoy it, too.

Recently it was the high school’s turn. Karen Williams, Lake Forest Teacher of the Year joined us. The students were randomly selected from hundreds who had earned various recognitions throughout the year. There were only eight - someone was absent. They were quiet when I first met them in the lobby. Since they were randomly chosen, they weren’t all friends.

But, during the ride to Frederica Pizza, with a little help from Mrs. Williams, we were able to get them talking. Some just about talked my head off.

To me, the most interesting part of the day, was the diversity of the group. From those eight randomly selected students there were at least 4 languages spoken at home. Three of the students were not born in the U.S.

I think many people see Lake Forest as a mostly white community, made up of students with family roots in agriculture. We are 25% African American. But, the growth of the last few years has brought a greater variety of folks from around the country and around the world.

There was Teresa, born in Italy of African parents. She recently won an award for her writing and she organized the talent show held this week at Lake Forest High School.

There was Melvin, son of a minister, who moved here two years ago from Guatemala with little or no English. Now he helps teachers translate for our newest Spanish-speaking students.

There was Ashwini, born in India, who educated me on Indian culture and the variety of languages spoken there. This girl can talk!

The others were Earl, Antwone, Nate, Amanda and Kristina. Each of them special in his or her own way. Each named student of the month or otherwise recognized for his or her good works at school. Each, like most every other high school kid, simultaneously sure of what he wants to do in the short term and equally unsure of what she wants to do in the long term.

This community is changing. We celebrate the diverse community that is Lake Forest. It is what makes us special.

Music in our Schools

In high school and college I sang in the choir. It was one of my favorite extra-curricular activities. As I told my football playing buddies, “There are no girls at football practice.”

That’s why I was really disappointed to learn, when I came to Lake Forest in 2003, that after 6th grade our children had no opportunity to sing. Band was the only musical offering through middle and high school. Singing in the choir brings in a whole bunch more kids with music in their heart, without the expense of the instrument. I can confirm that most singers continue to enjoy singing long into adulthood.

We’ve only had one faculty music position at LFHS and that person has always been expected to be a band person. Only in recent years have we pushed for the band teacher to also teach choir. The music program at the high school level has struggled to maintain good numbers, perhaps because we’ve been through 4 band teachers in the last seven years. We’ve had some great students and active band boosters who have hung in there and done their best because of their love of music, but I know the frequent changes have sometimes left them frustrated.

So, it’s time for some changes. Here’s the plan for next school year. We’ll have two part-time music people at LFHS. One will teach chorus the other will teach band. The good thing about it is, the teachers will be well known to the students and parents.

The chorus teacher will be Mark Teesdale, former Delaware Teacher of the Year, who has been teaching choir to students at Central Elementary for years. He’ll start each day with a couple of periods at LFHS. Then he’ll go across the street to finish his day at Central.

The band teacher will be Joe Baione, who has been teaching beginning band for many years at Central. He will continue to teach the beginners at Central and two periods a day will teach jazz band and concert band at LFHS. Note I say concert band, not marching band.

Marching band will be offered as an after school extra-curricular activity and it will be taught by someone other than Mr. Baione. This will be a little controversial I know. Some students who play sports will not be able to be in the marching band. Then again, there may be students who don’t want to take the class who will love band as an after school activity.