Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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LIIS Is IHANGES As some 169-1 fashionably togged and attractively tanned LHS-ers walked through the doors on the opening day of school, little did they know that things had changed, most changes resulting from a toughening of state standards. At issue, in particular, were more stringent disciplinary measures and t ighter restrictions on the amount of time students must be in school. At individual class meetings, held Aug. 30, Principal I ee Barr set the tone for tighter restrictions. Stressing school spirit, Mr. Barr emphasized the role of discipline in helping to effect what he termed furious” spirit. “Furious and frustrated, but ultimately resigned, is what most “If this is excellence in education, Fm glad Fm graduating! Joe Reynolds students were. Brad Sidwell termed the school, “like a prison,” while Joe Reynolds, who dropped out of the race for Senior Class President last year, choked back an “1 told you so” to say, “If this is excellence in education, I’m glad I’m graduating.” Feeling most affected were seniors whose two-week early release and early graduation date were eliminated, ending a long-time senior tradition. Equally put out, however, were those students accustomed to 9th period release from study hall — also a casualty of tightened state standards. Other students lamented the addition of a regular homeroom period as well as the addition of five minutes to the school day. Besides time, even grading standards were toughened, raising the A standard to 93-100% and a B to 83-92%.. Gone were the days of the curve! Hinted at during the first week of school and later ratified by the Board of Education was the concept of Saturday School, a strong disciplinary measure implemented to reduce the number of out-of-school suspensions conventionally given. Though students like Brett Blake might have insisted that “It’s unfair,” the ultimate scapegoat is the State of Ohio whose Congressmen are simply responding to a resurgent interest in better education and who, in the words of one teacher, are equating quantity with quality.” Top: Senior Jeff Devereaux discovers passes are necessary in order to roam the halls. Below: Dirk Hines finds homeroom a soporific experience. Like many, he feels 7:45 is too early to be out of bed. 20 LHS Is Changes

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Left: A senior's life is not all fun and games — Steve Powhida begins the serious college search at the LHS College Night.” Below: Erin Hill and Molly Haynes enjoy their first day of Seniority on the roof of Lisa Carr’s Mustang. Many other seniors also celebrated in the parking lot on the first day. LHS Is eturning Starters! Not all the students seemed to have their shoes on the wrong feet the first day — the Class of “85” took it all in stride. After all, they were the seniors, possessing confidence in all the knowledge of matters both academic and social at LHS. With graduation and the “real world” seemingly the least of their cares, they shed underclassman apprehensions and adopted a more casual senior style. Senior court, parties, the “Gentleman’s ‘C ” and “selling the sophomores elevator passes” took keynote places in the mind. There are other advantages to being a senior, as they found out. A surprising amount of respect was now allotted them. “All the extra perks “I enjoy people parting when I go down the hall,” as Kathy Morris put it. Classes seemed a little less difficult, and perhaps Civics-Economics wouldn’t be the trial they’ve heard about. And instead of looking up at the seniors; they were hit with the fact that they are supposed to set the standards. Even without all the extra perks, just suddenly being a senior could be a pleasure — “it makes me feel good just to have made it through 12 years of school.” J LHS Is Returning Starters 19

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Left: Sophomores listen intently to Mr. Barr’s speech about discipline at their first Sophomore Class meeting. Left: Andrew Stevenson dabbles in crime — Saturday school may be in the picture! At any rate, he will have 180 days to think it over. Above: A new grading scale often brings despair. Joe Reynolds discusses a close call with Mr. Lukasko. LHS Is Changes 21