November 13, 2020
The Pride Post
Campus News
Thank You, Veterans!
Veterans and active duty service members were recognized on campus this week, with their names and service details attached to flags. The flags were placed around the loop for students and families to see.
Mr. Bill Mezzano, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army Veteran
Long before Mr. Mezzano was teaching Math to Upper School students, he was serving his country via the U.S. Air Force in a wide variety of places. His 11 year career brought him to San Antonio, Texas; Brindisi, Italy; Misawa, Japan; San Angelo, Texas; and Syracuse, New York.

He also served with the Army National Guard for one year.

"I initially entered the military searching for direction in my life and it was the best decision I ever made. Living outside the country for eight consecutive years gave me an incredible perspective about the world while serving with the greatest friends I have ever had," he said.
Wendell Wilson, U.S. Army Veteran
Mr. Wilson joined the Upper School staff this year and teaches Psychology and AP Psychology.

He served in the U.S. Army for three years, and was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas, Fort Hunter Liggett, California; and in Korea.



Teresa Lewis, U.S. Army Veteran
Mrs. Lewis has taught at PLP since our doors opened, first at the Lower School, and currently as 6th Grade Math teacher.

She also served for 5 years in the U.S. Army.
Thanks for your service!
Giving Tuesday 2020
Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end of year giving. It is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. When making Giving Tuesday and end-of-year donations please consider Pine Lake. Your support will make a lasting impression on the lives of Pine Lake students. Donations can be made by visiting www2.mypaymentsplus.com. Click Fundraising. Click Lion’s Share. All Giving Tuesday and end-ofyear donations will go towards off setting the $600,000 funding gap Pine Lake is tasked with filling each year. Donations made between now and December 31st will be included in your 2020 tax donation letters that will be mailed in January. If you have questions please contact Anna.Drury@PineLakePrep.org. Thank you for your consideration and your support!
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Yearbook Photos
Blair Phillips Photography will be on campus for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8, the week of November 30-December 4. We will have more details soon on specific days by group and grade.

As noted in the Uniform policy, students should wear a navy polo or polo dress for the photo.
MacBook Care
Since we started this series two weeks ago, we have received 9 MacBooks with broken screens. Please speak with your students about MacBook care - especially being mindful of throwing their bag or backpack while the MacBook is inside.

We’re leaving you with general guidelines for a long-lasting MacBook:

Tips for Caring for Your MacBook:
  • Keep your case on your MacBook at all times.
  • Usernames or passwords are private, and should not be shared with anyone, except for parents/guardians.  Usernames and passwords should never be shared over email.
  • Remember to always bring your MacBook inside, and never leave it  unattended.
  • Your MacBook is yours alone.  Please refrain from sharing it with anyone.
  • If your MacBook has to remain in vehicle for a brief time (running to the store after school, etc) make sure it is out of sight.
  • Loss or theft of the device off campus shall require a police report.  If loss or theft occurs on campus, notify your teacher, principal, or other staff member immediately.


Thank you for taking care of the school's investment in educational technology!
Lower School News
KIDS, Share Your Thanksgiving Recipes!
Lower School students, what is your favorite dish served at your table for Thanksgiving? Draw a picture or send us a video explaining how to make your favorite dish. It can be traditional, or something special to your family. Send us at email at socialmedia@pinelakeprep.org. We will gather some of our favorite submissions and put together a dream menu to share with PLP on social media.
Book Fair is Here! (at a Computer Near You)
The Lower School Book Fair will be online this year, and books will be shipped directly to your home.

Order between November 13 and November 26. Books will arrive in time for holiday gift giving!

To browse books, see the PTO Book Fair page or click on the

Math Olympiad Adds Up Great Results
Last year, our fourth grade Math Olympiad Team competed monthly among nearly 160,000 students worldwide. They participated in weekly practice sessions under the coaching of Jennifer Clarke and Shelley Reisig, and competed in a series of five monthly contests of 5 problems from November - March. Team members solved unusual and difficult problems and learned to think creatively.

Our top scorer was Nolan Deardorff who finished in the Top 10% 

Other notable awards:
Max Petrosky Top 25%
Connor McCarthy Top 30%
Paul Mahoney Top 40%
Vidvat Gundluri Top 40%
James Johnson Top 40%
Ashrith Varthala Top 40%

Congratulations to all of these students.

Middle School News
Jr. Excel Club
Dear Pine Lake families, 

The Junior Excel Club would like to inform you about the many fun and also important events that the junior Excel are working on. First off, we are doing the Little Smiles toy drive, which delivers toys to sick children that are in the hospital. We would love it if you would drop off unwrapped gifts to a drop off box located in either the Fine Arts Building, Stem Building, or Middle School. The next activity we are participating in is making cards for veterans for Veterans day coming up to recognize and appreciate them! Last but not least.. the Gingerbread Cottage kits which proceeds will go to youth programs and you can purchase these until Sunday the 15th. They are $35 dollars each and the proceeds go to a great cause. Now we have covered all of the upcoming events, hopefully this information helps!

                           Thank you,
                                     Junior Excel Club 

Contributed by 6th grade Jr. Excel club newspaper editors, Isabella B. and Emery J.
Upper School News
National Honor Society Inductions Held
Pine Lake Preparatory's chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 67 new members

To be eligible for induction, members must have a weighted GPA of 4.2 or higher, and uphold the Four Pillars of National Honor Society: Character, Service, Leadership, and Scholarship.

Congratulations to the following students:

Tanner Allison
Sruthi Anil
Ankita Balaji
Hailey Bonczek
Izybel Chappell
Kaitlyn Couch
McKenzie Cox
Campbell Cupples
Avijit Das
Emily Dotson
Declan Finnin
Amanda Foess
Savannah Foutch
Sutherland Fox Tran
Sara Glosson
Addison Graham
Cole Grosskopf
Melia Hamm
Lily Hastings
Katherine Hatcher
Isabella Hayes
Madison Hebert
Connor Hines
Hugh Hoffman
Ella Hughes
Paulina Hunt
Alexander James
Emily Killen
Calum Lashley
Joseph Lehec
Sophie Lenz
Sydney Loebach
Reagin Luby
Montgomery Maddox
Sriya Mannepalli
Abigail Merryman
Brendan Miller
Maggie Mizelle
Johnathon Morgan
Carly Myers
Britta Nelson
Griffin Nixdorf
Finnegan O'Leary
Samia Pegram
Gabriel Perri
Tyler Ramanata
Carl Rothrock
Katherine Ryan
Kelly Scholl
Anderson Schubert
Patrick Schwaba
Henry Shook
Neil Singh
Tieran Sullivan
John Sutek
Sarah Taboada
Sophia Taffet
Dante Tekampe
Antonella Tommasi
Lukas Valley
Sydney White
Kaleigh Wilhite
Abbie Woolley
Abby Workman
Suzanna Wright
Alexa Ziegler
Carleigh Zimmek
Photos: Emma Grimmius reads one of the tenets of the NHS. Seniors, Emily Dotson and Avijit Das get a congratulatory elbow bump from Ms. Reuter.
Milla's Retro Makeup
Mrs. Howard's Costume and Makeup Design class just finished a time period project. Many Broadway shows are set in the 1950's so this is a great time period to be skilled in creating hair and makeup looks for! Milla Lima, a PLP senior, really hit the mark with her "Headed to the Diner" look! 

-Contributed by Mrs. Susan Howard
PTO News to Use
Holiday Shopping with PTO
Holiday Gift Shopping with PTO: Return of the Gift Cards, and NEW this year: Dewey's Bakery
Gift cards make a GREAT GIFT for anyone on your shopping list! PTO is making it EASY FOR YOU to purchase gift cards for family, friends, teachers/ staff and more while earning money for our school. You pay the face value of the gift card and PLP will receive a % of the face value.  
We are Pine Lake Strong Because of...
The PTO is pleased to announce this week's recipients. Because of the huge volume of nominations for deserving staff, they will give two awards in the coming weeks.

The campaign recognizes the efforts of staff members who are going above and beyond this year. Each week the PTO chooses TWO teachers or staff members among those nominated, for a $50 gift card.

Do you have someone you would like to be recognized?
Hoodies and More for the Holidays
The PTO has re-opened their seasonal store! Place orders on the Pride Store page, before Sunday, November 15th. Orders will be distributed the week of December 7th.
Native American History Month
The Smithsonian invites the public to celebrate American Indian Heritage Month throughout November with a series of performances, lectures, exhibitions and family activities at various museums around the Smithsonian. All programs are free unless otherwise indicated. For a full calendar of events, visit https://www.si.edu/events/heritagemonth.
What We Are Learning: Lower School
In the 5th grade Social Studies Immersion class, we learnt about the Native Americans. The kids made an artifact that represented each of the regions of the USA. The pictures show a sample of all their work.
Middle School
Over the last month, the 7th grade has been learning about the Native American civilizations before Columbus discovered the New World for Europeans. The Native American civilizations were sometimes more advanced than the civilizations in Europe at the time. 90% of the existing populations of the Americas were wiped out by European disease. They had no immunity to fight the newly introduced diseases.  Native Americans were also an integral part of the Columbian Exchange. This changed all continents of the world by exchanging and moving crops, animals, diseases and insects.   

Contributed by Mr. Tom Lecher, 7th Grade Social Studies
Upper School
Students are researching Native Americans that have contributed to American History. They choose a person from a field that interests them (arts, politics, athletics, etc.), and then create a video presentation with the person's background and then explain the impact that person had on American culture/history. 

Students will respond to questions like: 
  • What role did the person play in her life (country, office, influence, ideas, etc.)?
  • How did the person change/impact history during his/her life?
  • What did others think of this person/how they reacted to this person during their life?
  • What was the person’s legacy—how is he/she remembered?
  • Why is the world a better place today because of his/her actions?

Contributed by Mr. Steve Ford, American History 2
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