What’s Happened
LPHS Art teacher Mrs. Lebo and art students have been working hard to finish up a mural that is hoping to impact people in many ways. They have been painting positive messages on the walls of the Adult Probation Department.
The idea came about from a community member, Steve Eryick, who reached out to Lebo with the idea of painting a mural that could potentially raise spirits of inmates. It is not easy living daily without much color on the walls, so the finished inspirational messages and paintings will add some color to the people’s lives.
Lebo and artists began working during the summer of 2019. Students Madison Coats, Myrriam Dhoore, Ella Dubbs, Zoey Loucks, and Joselyn Boyd all volunteered their time for the project.
They put the final touches on it on March 14. Lebo is feeling gratitude in her heart and is hopeful that she was able to brighten the days of those in difficult situations.
What’s Coming Up
LPHS will offer the first Advanced Placement Spanish class for the 2020-2021 school year. This class is not only the first AP Spanish course, but it is the first AP class in the foreign language department.
For this to happen, a teacher had to be trained in all of the material and expectations set before the spring AP exam. Señora Krause took on the role, and she is excited to begin teaching the course.
“This class will help bring some of the students’ strengths to light. Before this class, the students and I were only able to see their overall growth by what class they tested into at the college level,” Krause said.
The class is open to anyone who has passed three levels of Spanish and is willing to put in the extra work demanded by AP courses. In taking a foreign language class, students become more exposed to different cultures, foods, grammar, and vocabulary.
Krause teaches every second from the beginning of the class bell to the end of the class bell. Students ask questions in Spanish, make statements, and give answers all for participation points. The main area of class time will switch into the requirements for the AP exam.
The unfamiliar part for current LPHS Spanish students is the speaking portion of the class. Now, they primarily are challenged to know the grammar and vocab better. With the new class, students will be tested on their speaking abilities.
They will be expected to write and converse fluently in complete sentences that include transition words and complete thoughts that lead to other complete thoughts. This is extremely different from the usual one-sentence activities in Spanish. The material will extend far beyond the knowledge learned in the non-AP Spanish courses.
In addition to completing the speaking and written portion of the exam, the AP students will be expected to show their knowledge of Spanish grammar, vocabulary, and culture on a fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, and true or false portion.
“While I am very excited to see how students score on the test, I am more excited to be able to measure and provide visible growth to the students,” Krause said. “
Student Spotlight
Despite the current world crisis happening all around, a bright light at LPHS is pushing through the difficulties and working endlessly to ensure her hard work and determination is the leading force. LPHS junior Rebecca Marxman is nearly finishing her high school chapter, and she is doing it with such grace and leadership.
Marxman is the editor of the yearbook, and she is often found around the school gathering photos and ideas, and cheering people up with her gentle sense of humor and desire to make the yearbook the best it can be.
She pushes herself in school and at home.
“The joy I see on their faces when their page is finally complete makes all the long hours I spend at home editing their pages worth it,” Marxman said. “It takes a lot of dedication and hard work in order to stay on top of everything that goes into creating a great book.”
With school being out for a month due to the craziness in our world around us, Marxman is actively searching for ways to complete many pages in the yearbook, even if school is not in session.
“We have talked about doing different spreads where we have students send in pictures from home and really document what is going on in our world right now since this definitely won’t be something we forget. We plan to continue working on the pages that we can and edit the pages that are done,” Marxman said. “We are just trying to do as much work as we can, so that when we return to school, we won’t have as much to catch up on.”
While being a genuine leader in the classroom, Marxman has been maintaining a 4.0. grade point average. She is involved in several advanced placement classes, and she is especially proud to be on the LPHS Varsity Softball team.
The challenge of balancing her life occurs heavily in the fall. She plays softball on a travel time, which consists of many practices and tournaments. Marxman has learned how to manage her time wisely, using every free minute to complete homework.
She is thankful for playing softball for many reasons. The friends she has made and the endless memories and love for the sport are just a couple, but she believes that being involved in a sport and being academically challenged has prepared her for college.
Marxman is planning to major in Accounting and possibly having Finance or Spanish as a minor. To help get closer to a career goal, she is going to be working as a bank intern at LPHS her senior year. She plans to work hard but she is going to make sure her senior year is productive and enjoyable.
LPHS is proud to have such a dedicated and driven student like Marxman. The staff and students at La Porte are going to support her every step of the way.
Staff Spotlight
After 44 years of being a key member of the LaPorte Community School Corporation, Mr. Steve Manering is wrapping up his long teaching career as assistant superintendent of elementary education.
Manering started his eventful career as a Crichfield Elementary School teacher. He taught there for 11 years before heading to Boston Middle School to become an assistant principal. He was an assistant principal for four years, and then he landed his longest teaching job at Riley Elementary School. Manering taught there for 23 years. His final transition to assistant superintendent, which he has held for the last six years.
Manering believed that he was ready for the challenging role of assistant superintendent when he took it.
“After 23 years at Riley, I thought that I had a good knowledge base and a great deal of experience that could help all elementary buildings in the corporation,” Manering said.
It was a massive change. At Riley he only worried about his own school, but he had to focus on eight schools as the assistant superintendent. He believes that all schools are equally as important.
“You have to think globally. One building is no longer your focus,” Manering said.
It has always given Manering the strongest sense of pride watching students grow and mature throughout their years. He even has watched Slicers receive their diploma for five years in a row.
“I have attended 5 (6 including the 2020 Commencement) La Porte High School Commencement ceremonies since I have been Assistant Superintendent,” Manering said. “It was gratifying to see the former Riley students accept their high school diplomas.”
As an assistant superintendent, he makes several visits to elementary schools to observe how principals interact with staff and students.
Manering has watched the corporation change in many ways, and he is most proud to see the three buildings that have been up and running the past few years. He made it a goal of his to watch the third one thrive before ending his chapter as the assistant superintendent.
With time, someone will take over the assistant superintendent role, but Manering has set a high standard.
“The person who replaces me needs to be able to deal with eight different elementary buildings. Each building has its own personality,” Manering said. “It is a key element to have these buildings have a guaranteed curriculum to give students similar experiences.”
Manering will miss his students and coworkers but he is more than ready to continue the next chapter of his life knowing all of the positive influence he has had on the community for years.
He is going to continue announcing for the WCOE broadcast team for the Slicer football, baseball, and basketball teams. LPCSC is thankful for the unforgettable leader that Manering has been to the corporation for the last 44 years.