Dear LPS families,

Tonight is our Info Night for Leelanau Investing for Teens (LIFT). Middle school families and 5th grade families, join us from 6-7 pm in the PAC!

This week, we welcomed Theresa (Tree) Beeckman to our school for some students assemblies and teacher workshops. Tree’s engaging, connecting presentations to students challenge all of us to better connect with each other and show curious empathy. Thanks for joining us, Tree! Check out the photos below from our Middle School and High School assemblies with Tree.

It was so lovely to see the sun this week on our playground and on the ski trail. Elementary families, next week looks to be very cold, so make sure that your kiddos are prepared with all of the snow gear they may need at recess! We only stay inside if the windchill is below 0.

This week we welcome a new column to our newsletter, Guest Columnist of the Week. We are excited that some of our high school students, writing under the pseudonym “Lucy Henry,” have organized some submissions to our community newsletter. We look forward to sharing more snippets of school life with you!

As usual, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions: sfehrenbach@lelandschool.com or (231) 256-3802. 

Shelagh Fehrenbach, K-12 Principal

sfehrenbach@lelandschool.com

This photo is, in fact, not of titration.

Titration Triumph!

by Lucy Henry on January 15, 2025

This week, Mr. Kiessel shared with me how proud he was of his Honors Chemistry class acing their Titration labs! With his well-known humor, hands-on approach, and phenomenal music taste, I had no problem believing it! “Students mastered the delicate art of balancing acids and bases”, Kiessel said. The lab consisted of multiple runs, requiring consistency and accuracy. “They’re good listeners. That’s what it takes”. Well, I say maybe a little science magic too—thanks to their hard work. Way to go, LPS scientists!

This was the Leland Gliders second week skiing at 45 North!

Sasha and Sienna Kelenske are making the most of the Leland Glider ski program by using the equipment outside of regular glider time—right in their own backyard! Way to go, Kelenske girls!

Engineering in action! 🛠️ Students have designed wind-powered vehicles to explore the principles of aerodynamics, and tomorrow, it's race day! 🏁

Mrs. Neilly will be hosting a bracket-style competition (think March Madness) to see whose design takes the gold.

4th graders enjoyed a field trip at Crystal Nordic Center this week!

"This was the first of four sessions teaching Leland fourth graders to cross country ski on the trails at Crystal Mountain." - Mrs. Kirt

Moira loves math! To be fair... Mr. Fedderman's MS math classes are a favorite time of day for everyone.

Crystal Mountain After School Wednesdays continue to be a blast! Students start with a short lesson by a Crystal instructor before having free time to roam the mountain with friends old and new from other schools!

"LPS students Jack and James Brugeman earned podium finishes in their Crystal Community Ski Club Nordic race last Saturday! James received second place, and Jack took third in the Raptor Rush cross-country ski race at Hickory Hills. Both competed in a 2.5 km freestyle event. Congratulations!" – Coach Kirt

"Ellie & Dillon having “snow” much fun at recess!" - Mrs. Stephenson

Important Dates

Monday January 20th - NO SCHOOL, MLK Day

Tuesday, January 28th - Auditions for Oliver 3rd - 5th grade 3:30 - 5:30pm

Wednesday, January 29th - Auditions for Oliver 6th - 12th grade 3:30 - 5:30pm

Thursday, January 30th - Callbacks forOliver 3:30 - 5:30pm

Monday, February 3rd- Monthly PTO Meeting 6pm, and The Anxious Generation Book

Club at 7pm

Wednesday, February 12th - Half Day, Parent Teacher Conferences, Winter Count Day

Thursday, February 13th - Half Day, Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday, February 14th - Half Day

Monday, February 17th - No School, Mid-Winter Break

Wednesday, February 26th - Half Day for Students/ Teacher PD

Monday, March 24th - Friday March 28th - No School, Spring Break

Wednesday, April 16th - No School, Teacher PD

Wednesday, May 7th - Half Day for Students/Teacher PD

Monday, May 26th - No School, Memorial Day

Wednesday, June 11th - Approximate Last Day of School

- From the LPS Counseling Team -

Thursday, January 16th

Varsity / JV Girls Basketball @ Glen Lake - 5:30pm / 7:00pm

Friday, January 17th

MS Girls Basketball @ Grand Traverse Academy - 4:00pm

Varsity / JV Boys Basketball vs Frankfort - 5:30pm / 7:00pm

Student Scholarships

Cherryland offers three $4,000 ($1,000 for 4 years) college scholarships to high school seniors each year. Selection for the scholarship is based on academics, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant’s parents or legal guardians must be a Cherryland Electric Cooperative member whose primary residence is in Cherryland’s service territory.

• Applicant must be a high school senior with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.

• To continue to receive the scholarship, the student must maintain a minimum college course load of 12 credits per term and receive a 2.5 grade point average.

Middle School Art Lab at the OAB

Each month of this five-month course comprises two (2) 2.5-hour sessions -- one on Friday after school and the other on Sunday morning. Throughout the semester, students will study a diverse roster of artists who work in a variety of genres including textile, painting, installation, sculpture, and art as activism.

Friday sessions will introduce a genre of art and artists who are experts in that area, with discussion and a journal/sketchbook activity. Sunday sessions will be focused on a related in-depth art project.

Students will have access to a wide variety of art materials, images, videos, and books and will be encouraged to experiment. Discussions will encompass Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a curriculum that helps foster critical thinking, deep and diverse perspectives and conversations, and aims to engage all voices. Art making will be play-based, student-led, materials-based, and open-ended.

This class is intended for students in sixth through eighth grades, with an emphasis on exposure to artists and art history, reflection and group collaboration.

Students will be asked to bring: a photo waiver, water bottle, snack, a blank journal, occasional found materials, and a sense of adventure! If you need assistance with these materials, please let us know.

Scholarships are available. Please email info@oldartbuilding.com with your request.

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WHEN

FRIDAYS - 4 to 6:30 PM - Jan 24, Feb 21, Mar 14, Apr 25, May 16
SUNDAYS - 10 AM to 12:30 PM - Jan 26, Feb 23, Mar 16, Apr 27, May 18

WHERE

Old Art Building

TEACHERS

Tracy Smedes-Hepler, Lindsay Gardner

COST

OAB Members: $290, Non-Members: $320

Please fill out the registration form at the time of payment. You will have several ways to pay.

REGISTER