SOCIAL COMMUNITY

APRIL 2020

SOCIAL COMMUNITY AT LAUREL SPRINGS SCHOOL

Welcome to our vibrant social community at Laurel Springs! This resource is everything you need to know about getting involved, meeting your Laurel Springs peers, and forming lasting relationships with other Laurel Springs students.

We reserve our clubs for full-time students. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate requests to make exceptions for part-time students or age level requirements.

CLUBS

Laurel Springs has been offering clubs to students for over ten years. We started with eight clubs, and seven of those original clubs still exist today! Currently, we run more than 30 clubs that provide an opportunity for individual, academic, college and career paths, as well as the arts, athletics, social equity, and fun. They are all student-led virtual meetings that meet once a month. A teacher or counselor who shares the students’ passion serves as the club adviser and is always present for guidance. Clubs for grades 7-12 also connect between meetings on LSS Connect. Individual club info sheets can be found via clubs at a glance here. How do new clubs form? At Laurel Springs, if the club topic is school appropriate, aligns with school policy, and has a viable number of potential members, we will find the resources for any proposed club. If any student wants to start a new club, they should send an email to Laurel Springs’ Student Engagement Manager. Students are led through the process of initiating a new club with thoughtful support and guidance, based on their individual needs.

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VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS (VFT)

Virtual field trips are opportunities for students to experience places around the world they might not otherwise have been able to visit. We have been in the depths of Rising Star Caves in South Africa, on the edge of a volcano in Guatemala, and even two miles underground in Snolab in Canada, where dark matter is “mined.”

Virtual Field Trips for grades K-8 are offered monthly between September and May. These events are purposefully interactive and developmentally appropriate for grades K-8, using the Kahoot app for interactive questions.

Monthly field trips for grades K-12 are a collaboration between service providers and classrooms in the US and Canada. Time is spent with researchers, NatGeo scientists, professional explorers, and the like.

LSS CONNECT

LSS Connect is a premier, private social network available to Laurel Springs students in grades 7-12, who are also 13 years of age and older. Our network is a wonderful friendship-forming avenue. Students share their hobbies and interests and communicate their thoughts and creativity through status updates and blog posts. They can also message their friends, participate in live chats, and join groups. Grade 7-12 clubs also meet on LSS Connect between meetings. Students can access LSS Connect from their computers or an app on their phones or tablets.

ANNUAL VIRTUAL EVENTS

Annual events give students the opportunity to share and expand upon their passions, strengths, talents, interests, and unique genius. Events include coding, environmentalism, poetry contests, film festivals, Maker Faires, student performances, and more. We strive to add additional events and opportunities each year.

ALL CLUB MEET AND GREETS

We hold four All Club Meet and Greets each year to ensure all students are introduced to our social opportunities. The club advisers introduce their clubs in August. Student Ambassadors then reintroduce clubs in September and October, and during a second semester event that celebrates the students’ love of clubs around Valentine’s Day.

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YEARBOOK

The Laurel Springs Yearbook is published and shipped in the summer each year, since we include photos from our June Year-End Celebrations. Members of the Laurel Springs Yearbook Club design pages that include senior and grade-level pages, clubs, student hobbies, volunteering, sports, pets, awards, and more. Students can upload one photo for each section of the book and can also customize up to four pages.

STAY FIT

The Laurel Springs U-Fit Club is hosted by a PE teacher who can guide and motivate students through fitness goals and challenges. The club meets at the beginning of the month to help students set goals and engage in challenges with their Laurel Springs peers. It also meets later in the month to follow up, support, and celebrate individual collective successes.

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OTHER CLUB INFORMATION

TIMING OF SOCIAL EVENTS

At this time, we host virtual club meetings, field trips, and annual events between the hours of 10 am ET (7 am PT) and 7 pm ET (4 pm PT). We have found this time window is most conducive for students to engage and interact with one another. All club meetings, virtual field trips, and annual events are recorded, allowing international students or students who have activities during the day to have an opportunity to enjoy the events on their own time.

IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES

Students have the opportunity to meet each other face-to-face at least one time per year at Year-End Celebrations. We also host regional field trips held throughout the school year, as well as international travel opportunities. In addition, Model United Nations Club members meet for a conference in New York City each May.

Students and parents can also utilize our Facebook Regional Groups. These groups provide the opportunity to connect with other Laurel Springs families in their area, and they are a great resource to set up meet-and-greets with families with shared interests.

MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN AND WOMEN

Full-time students in grades 6-12 have the opportunity to attend our symposia, Meetings with Remarkable Men and Women. These exclusive, live events are held throughout the school year and feature inspiring stories from celebrated leaders in their fields. Past symposia guests have included an astronaut, an award-winning documentary film director, a South Pole explorer, and an environmental activist. During the symposia, students can ask questions, offer comments, and engage in discussions with peers and experts.

Thank you again for your interest in the Laurel Springs social community!

We strive to offer collaborative opportunities to prepare students for college, career, and life.

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PHONE

800-377-5890

EMAIL

INFO@LAURELSPRINGS.COM

WEBSITE

LAURELSPRINGS.COM

1615 WEST CHESTER PIKE, WEST CHESTER, PA 19382