Application for Enrollment

Friday, November 16, 2012: Application for Enrollment Due

Application for enrollment in Lincoln Magnet School for the 2013-2014 school year will open in October, 2012. Applications are due by 3:30 p.m. on November 16, 2012. The application will be mailed to current District 186 fifth graders and may also be obtained at the Informational Open House. Siblings of current 6th and 7th grade LMS students will get in automatically, if an application is sent in by the November 16th deadline. If we have more applications than available seats, we hold a student selection lottery. We have had to hold a lottery each of our ten years as a magnet school.

* Applications to LMS for students entering the lottery after the deadline in grades 6, 7 and 8 will be accepted. However, those students will be placed at the end of the wait list.

Our Online Application is a PDF File (posted October, 2012). You may print out and complete the form. Return the completed form to Lincoln Magnet School by November 16, 2012.

What selection process is used to determine who will attend Lincoln Magnet School?
Students will fill out an application which is available through a mailing sent to all district fifth graders or on the Lincoln Magnet School web site. If there are more applicants than spaces available in sixth grade, we will hold a lottery to determine which students will attend Lincoln.

Lottery Procedures

• Seats are given first to siblings of current 6th and 7th grade LMS students if an application was turned in by the deadline.

• All applications received by the deadline are entered into the lottery.

• The number of seats in each lottery (majority and minority) is determined based on district numbers.

• All applications are drawn and the order in which they are drawn makes up the lottery. All applications are kept in a binder in a secure location.

• The lottery drawing is videotaped. If a parent requests to view the lottery, LMS will let them view the tape with no sound in order to maintain confidentiality of all students. The volume can be turned on when their child’s application is pulled.

• Notification letters are sent with an acceptance form that must be returned by a specified date.

• Wait list notification letters are also sent to families.

• If a parent does not accept, families on the waiting list are contacted in order. This process continues until all seats are filled.

• Families are not provided with exactly where they are on the waiting list. However, if they contact the Principal, they are told if they are in the next ten.

* Applications to LMS for students entering the lottery after the deadline in grades 6, 7 and 8 will be accepted. However, those students will be placed at the end of the wait list.

Are siblings accepted if one sibling is already attending Lincoln Magnet School?
Priority will be given to in-coming sixth graders if a sibling is already attending Lincoln Magnet School as a sixth or seventh grader. Siblings of current sixth and seventh graders MUST turn in an application to reserve their seat at LMS. Siblings of eighth grade students will be in the lottery process.

Will students have to re-apply to be admitted to Lincoln every year?
Once a student is admitted to Lincoln, he/she does not have to re-apply each year. If a student is not admitted through the lottery process that student's name will be added to a waiting list and will be admitted if there are vacancies on a "first come first serve" basis.

Dates to Remember

Thursday, November 8, 2012- 6:00 p.m.
Informational Open House for 2013-2014 School Year

Friday, November 16, 2012, 3:30 p.m.
Deadline for Applications for 2013-2014 School Year

Lottery Drawing for 2013-2014 School Year
(notification by mail the week of November 26th)

Curriculum

How does Lincoln Magnet School address the needs of their gifted students?
Lincoln Magnet School has a strong commitment to the education of our gifted and talented students. Over the years, our School Improvement Plan has addressed the unique educational needs of these students. Our Professional Development Grant activities are targeted to address the needs of all learners. Thematic units of instruction are planned by teams of teachers and specifically address modifications for gifted students. Instructional strategies including clustering, compacting, high-level questions, flexible skills grouping, tiered assignments, interest projects, and contracting are utilized.

Lincoln Magnet School views technology as a source of empowerment, especially for gifted students. Research and presentation opportunities and in-depth, challenging content are made more readily available through technology. Students are stimulated by worthy assignments which engage them mentally and emotionally. Enthusiasm for learning is fostered by tasks involving analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, and then presenting information. Lincoln Magnet School incorporates these elements in all classes.

What types of services are offered to students who have I.E.P.s?
Students with an I.E.P. receive services from a Special Education teacher who is in the core classes providing accommodations necessary for them to be successful. Students remain in regular classes for instruction, unless accomodations require small group support.

Does Lincoln offer advanced Math?
Lincoln Magnet School offers an advanced math option to those students with higher level abilities. In addition, we offer an algebra strand in Math throughout sixth, seventh and eighth grade.

What is meant by "Real-World Applications?"
Through integrated thematic units, students are able to apply what they are learning in each curricular area to real-world problem solving situations. Real-world applications allow students to gain a more in-depth understanding of the curriculum, while demonstrating the relevance of subject matter to everyday life, again preparing students for their futures.

General School Operation:

How are students transported to Lincoln Magnet School?
Springfield School District will provide bus transportation to Lincoln Magnet School for students living more than 1.5 miles from school.

Do students have lockers at Lincoln?
Yes, students have lockers at Lincoln Magnet School.

Who are Lincoln's business partners?

Selection Process:

What selection process is used to determine who will attend Lincoln Magnet School?
Students will fill out an application which is available through a mailing sent to all district fifth graders or on the Lincoln Magnet School web site. If there are more applicants than spaces available in sixth grade, we will hold a lottery to determine which students will attend Lincoln.

Are siblings accepted if one sibling is already attending Lincoln Magnet School?
Priority will be given to in-coming sixth graders if a sibling is already attending Lincoln Magnet School as a sixth or seventh grader. Siblings of current sixth and seventh graders MUST turn in an application to reserve their seat at LMS. Siblings of eighth grade students will be in the lottery process.

Will students have to re-apply to be admitted to Lincoln every year?
Once a student is admitted to Lincoln, he/she does not have to re-apply each year. If a student is not admitted through the lottery process that student's name will be added to a waiting list and will be admitted if there are vacancies on a "first come first serve" basis.

Sports/School Activities:

Are athletics offered at Lincoln Magnet School?
Yes, Lincoln Magnet School offers the same athletic opportunities as all other middle schools in the district. These sports include cross country, track, girls/boys basketball and girls volleyball. We are fortunate to have softball and baseball teams because of parents and volunteers. LMS has the only baseball team at a city middle school this fall, thanks to our parents. Our girls softball team is playing their 7th season this year. We are excited to be able to offer these options to our students!

What types of activities are offered to encourage student involvement? Are these activities held after school or during the school day?
Students at Lincoln Magnet School are offered a wide variety of after-school activities. These activities include: various sports intramurals, instructional assistance, chess club, art club, BETA, Yearbook, and Mathletes to name a few.

The Learning Climate:

How does the staff at Lincoln insure students' safety?
The staff at Lincoln Magnet School provide an atmosphere of caring and trust which translates into greater student safety. We have an approved emergency plan in place and because we have a smaller student enrollment, we are better able to supervise the activities of all students.

How is discipline at Lincoln handled?
Lincoln Magnet School follows the discipline guidelines outlined in the Springfield School District Student Handbook. In addition to these guidelines, we have a building-wide discipline management plan and a school-wide technology management plan which are given to parents and students at the beginning of each school year. Each teacher advises students of guidelines which are specific to their subject.

Is there a dress code at Lincoln?
The dress code at Lincoln Magnet School is the same as the one outlined in the Springfield School District Student Handbook.

Algebra Strands

Lincoln Magnet School offers an algebra strand in math throughout sixth, seventh and eighth grades. This algebra component begins with hands-on mathematical experiences in sixth grade and progresses to more abstract concepts in seventh and eighth grades. We also offer advanced math options to those students with higher level abilities.

Career Education

Parents, educators, and community members want to prepare our students to move on to higher levels of education and into satisfying careers. Lincoln Magnet School's program is designed to enhance students' preparation for their futures with those hopes and dreams in mind.

Course offerings feature a series of career- related activates including interest exploration, professional fact collection, and goal setting. Students gain rich knowledge which will prepare them to make wise choices in their futures as they learn through research, classroom speakers, guided interviews, job shadowing, mentorships, telementoring, and support for entrepreneurship opportunities.

What do you want to do when you grow up? Of course, you don't have to decide just yet. However, here at Lincoln Magnet School we provide many rich opportunities to gain knowledge and skills to further tomorrow's successes.

Quarterly Themes and Integration of Curriculum

The themes for each quarter provide the focus for learning within the quarter. There are four themes per year at each grade level. Academic work completed within a quarter is connected to the quarterly theme.
Integration of subjects:

One quarterly theme for sixth grade is "A Journey Across Time". During this quarter, students will study ancient civilizations. In social studies, the anchor subject for the quarter, they will study the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and the Roman civilizations. They will also learn about Egyptian and Roman numerals and geometry in math, explore the uses of levers and pulleys in science and read novels in language arts which are either set in this time period or incorporate information from this time period. In art class students make Greek vases and representations of sarcophaguses, in P.E. students will become proficient in events which were part of the first Olympic games and in music they will perform an operetta about a pharaoh. Students will also explore how the Greek and Latin languages influenced the development of English. Throughout the entire quarter students will be submerged in the study of ancient civilizations.
Technology is used throughout the quarter for research purposes and to produce multimedia presentations to demonstrate knowledge acquired throughout the quarter.

Using themes and integration of the curriculum, students can concentrate on one area of study and make connections throughout all subjects. The advantages of this model of instruction are that students achieve more in-depth learning, acquire a better understanding of information, and experience real world applications.

Strong academic curriculum

• Based on quarterly themes
  
• Alignment with District and State Priority Standards.
  
• Integration with study of science, math, social studies, language arts, fine arts and physical education
  
• Algebra strands in all grades
  
• Assessment based on established criteria
  
• Career exploration emphasizing technology
  
• Scores for Lincoln Magnet School on the School Technology and Readiness Chart (http://www.ceoforum.org/home.cfm)
  
• Focus on National Educational Technology Standards (grades 6-8 are addressed on pages 18-19)
  More information on these technology standards can be found online: http://cnets.iste.org/

Why a Magnet School?

We, at Lincoln Magnet School, elected to become a technology magnet school to offer the choice of an outstanding, inquiry-based academic program to all students in grades 6, 7, and 8 in the Springfield School District 186. This academic program is supported by technology. We view Lincoln Magnet School, the choice for the 21st Century, as a natural and logical extension of the nationally recognized program previously in place at Lincoln Fifth-Sixth Grade Center. We have spent many hours developing an educational climate which caters to the various learning styles of middle school students. We have created a close-knit community of learners in which each student has unique opportunities and experiences to best prepare for the 21st Century.

How does Lincoln Magnet School differ from other middle schools?

We have a smaller student population. Three hundred and thirty (330) students attend Lincoln Magnet School. Students are in grade-level teams. The smaller student population coupled with the grade-level teaming, provides a nurturing learning environment.
We offer a special focus on the use of technology. Students gain necessary skills by using technology in their classes on a daily basis. These skills are not taught in isolation, but are part of how students learn and work at Lincoln Magnet School. The skills students master are based on the ISTE National Education Technology Standards and are progressive throughout middle school.
Lincoln Magnet School offers a strong academic curriculum in which students are able to see connections among all subjects. We offer an algebra strand in grades 6, 7, and 8, a humanities block which weaves together language arts and social studies, and science with a strong emphasis on laboratory experiences.
Students are involved in a career component which begins as a career exploratory unit in grade 6 and evolves into job shadowing of various professionals in grades 7 and 8.
Students are able to select from a number of courses at Lincoln Magnet School including art, vocal music, and band.

Communication between parents and teachers

School website
Classroom websites
Family nights
Progress reports
Conferences
Newsletters

At Lincoln Magnet School, parent/teacher communication is vital to to a student's success.

Family nights provide a bird's eye view of his integrated studies. From computer slide shows and brochures, to singing and dancing, each student is motivated and proud of all their achievements.

Lincoln teachers provide progress reports to keep parents informed about all areas of their student's education. The progress reports ensure that they are notified about accomplishments and significant progress, as well as areas of concern. After reading the progress report, parents feel comfortable knowing that they can schedule a parent/teacher conference, if necessary. Parents can receive the training which allows them to access the online gradebook. They can see exactly how their student is doing is all of their classes. They can even see what assignments were turned in late!

The teachers at Lincoln care about the success of all students. The lines of communication are open and we have discussed ways to work together to best guide and motivate students to discover their strengths.

"Lincoln Magnet School . . . where parent/teacher communication provides one of the keys to a successful education."

Publications

• "Taking an Electronic Field Trip to Africa," NCREL's Learning Points, Winter 1999


• "Classroom-Based Assessment: A Look at Lincoln School," Teaching and Learning, ISBE, 1998


• "Exploring Africa," on Captured Wisdom CD-ROM Library, NCREL, 1997


• "How an Urban School Promotes Inclusion," Educational Leadership, Jan. 1995
  (reprinted in Computers in Education (7th ed.), Dushkin Publishing Group, 1996)

High Performing National Blue Ribbon School

Recognition and Awards

• 2011 HIgh Performing National Blue Ribbon School


• Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2011 Governor's Award


• Apple Distinguished School, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012


• TECH 2000/Illinois State Captiol, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011


• illinois State Board of Education Model School Technology Demonstration Site, since 1996


• National Association of School Board Fair of Excellence, 1997


• Illinois Student Technology Conference Presentations, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002


• Computerworld Honors Program, 2001

Building Technology Facilities: