VIPS – Very Involved Parents of Shorians
(586) 285-8900 or e-mail at vip@lsps.org

The first VIPS meeting for the 2008-09 school year is September 16 at 7 p.m. All meetings are held in the Lake Shore High School Media Center. Most meetings begin at 7 p.m.

Below is a listing of this year's meeting dates:

• Tuesday, September 16, 2008
• Wednesday, October 15, 2008
• Thursday, November 13, 2008
• Thursday, January 15, 2009
• Wednesday, February 18, 2009
• Wednesday, March 18, 2009
• Tuesday, April 21, 2009
• Wednesday, May 20, 2009

2008-09 Officers:
Robin Gill, Chairperson/Secretary
Darcia Bingle, Treasurer

All-Night Party Thanks
The generous support we received from parents, Lake Shore staff and our community businesses helped make the 2007-08 Senior All-Night Party a huge success. We would like to thank everyone for their contribution. We truly appreciate all that you do for our Lake Shore students. Please click here for a complete sponsor list.

HELP CARRY ON THE TRADITION
We need your help to carry on a long-standing Lake Shore tradition sponsored by the VIPS. The Senior All-Night Party is an annual event that gives our seniors one last time to celebrate with their classmates and assures parents that the students will have a safe and fun graduation night. The evening includes music, food, inflatable activities, magic, sports, hypnotists, prizes and much more.

An event of this type does not happen overnight. The success of this party rests with committed volunteers who care enough about our Lake Shore students to donate their time to planning, organizing and chaperoning the party. Even though this is a senior event, adult volunteers from ALL grade levels are necessary. If only parents of seniors are involved, there is a constant changeover from year to year, making it more difficult to get things done. Your son/daughter’s graduation may be four years away, but the time goes by very quickly. They will be seniors before you know it and you’ll be expecting a great party for them, so why not start helping now?

The core group of parents who have been responsible for the party the last seven years is getting smaller, and those few remaining will soon be leaving as well. Wouldn’t it be a shame if this year’s upcoming party had to be scaled back, or if this long-standing tradition were to end because no one has taken the time to “learn the ropes”?

Now is the time to make the commitment to our students and get involved. Rest assured that you will not be thrown into a job blindly. We have guidelines in place and people willing to provide instructions and give helpful hints to make each task easier. Join us at our next VIP meeting or contact us at vip@lsps.org.

Background:
Our monthly meetings provide parents the opportunity to see special presentations on a variety of topics, plus a regular session to “ Chat with Mr. Bowers.” Previous topics have included “Distance Learning Lab,” “MEAP testing,” “LifeSkills,” “college prep/testing” and “next year’s curriculum.” This is also a forum for the administration to solicit input on parents’ ideas and opinions. Our major activity is the Senior All-Night Party, ensuring graduates have a supervised, safe, memorable graduation night packed with food, fun and entertainment. Two keys to success for this event are:

• Parent volunteers to plan, prepare, and conduct the party (parents of non-seniors are especially welcome to give the senior parents a break)
• Donations of money, services, merchandise or gift certificates by the community and local businesses

Whether you are a parent, business owner, or a community member, contact us!

You can make a difference; together we can make a bigger difference!

Join our e-mail list by contacting us at vip@lsps.org