Southfield-Lathrup High School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Southfeld-Lathrup High School
native_name = "Home of the Chargers"
city = Southfield
established = 1968
state = Michigan
country = United States
type = Public school
principal = Joseph Spryszak
students = 1603
grades = 9-12
address = 19301 West Twelve Mile Road
district = Southfield Public Schools
mascot = The Chargers
colors = Red and White
newspaper = "The Charger Chonicle"
yearbook = "The Synthesis"
website = [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/components/calendar/calendar.php?sectionid=38 Southfield-Lathrup High School website]
picture =

Southfield-Lathrup High School is a senior high school located in Southfield, Michigan. It is the second oldest of three high schools in the Southfield Public Schools district, the oldest being Southfield High School, and the youngest being University High School Academy [ [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=27 University High School Academy - The U: Home of the Soaring Eagles! ] ] .

Southfield-Lathrup High School is well known for its extensive and well-supported music program [ [http://www.slmusicboosters.com/ Southfield Lathrup Music Boosters ] ] . It is also known locally for its girls basketball team State Title in 2005 [ [http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/CFP08/807200427/1057/SPORTS09 Hoops competition gets Southfield-Lathrup girls season-ready | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press ] ] .

History, milestones, and awards

Built in 1968, the school was intended to accommodate the growing Southfield and Lathrup Villiage populations. Though part of the Southfield Public School District, the high school resides in the city of Lathrup Village. The school graduated its first class in 1970.

Demographics

Southfield-Lathrup is considered one of the most diverse high schools in the state of Michigan. In the 1970s and 1980s, Southfield-Lathrup High School was a predominately Jewish high school. In the early-to-late 1990's, more middle-class African-Americans attended Southfield-Lathrup, and it eventually became a predominately African-American High School [ [http://www.muninetguide.com/schools/MI/Lathrup-Village/Southfield----Lathrup-High-School/ Southfield - Lathrup High School (Lathrup Village, MI) - contact info, student demographics, map, class sizes ] ] . Starting in the 2002-2003 school year, the Southfield Public Schools District stopped observing major Jewish holidays because of a marked decrease in Jewish students and faculty. Jewish students and faculty, however, were given excused absences during major holidays.

Dress Code

Beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, a dress code was instituted at the high school level, finalizing the process of bringing all of the Southfield Public Schools district under a dress code policy. All members of the board supported the measure and voted aye, except for Trustee Karen Miller. Ms. Miller voted no because she didn't feel that there was enough input from students in the development of the dress code. For the 2006-2007 school year, the dress code was tightened further so that it required all students to tuck in their shirts.

Campus

The campus consists of the main building, a soccer field, a football field, and various parking lots. Students park in the west parking lot. The building is divided into several distinct zones called "houses."

A, B, C, and D House

Four two-story wings contain most of the school's class rooms. Oddly, the second floors of these wings are not attached to each other. A and B house are located toward the front of the school, facing Twelve Mile Road. C and D house are located toward the rear of the building.

A House contains the Charger Cafe, which sells food items and Southfield-Lathrup-related memorabilia.

B House contains most of the science labs and the Medical and Natural Sciences Academy.

C House contains the Career Center and the majority of the math department.

D House contains the counseling office and the weight training rooms.

G House

G House contains the Arts and Communications Academy, Band Room, Art Studios, Dance Studios, and the auditorium. Southfield-Lathrup's auditorium is equipped with a full sized stage, dressing room, costume room, lighting, and sound equipment. Every year, Lathrup's drama department produces a fall play and a spring musical. The spring musical typically includes Lathrup's dance and music departments. Mrs. Amy Gibson, French teacher, also uses the auditorium to debut her production of French children's plays, including Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White, and the upcoming Aladdin.

Extracurricular Activities

*Newspaper - "The Charger Chronicle"
*Yearbook - "The Synthesis"
*Literary Magazine
*Business Professionals of America
*A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen [ [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/components/contact/default.php?sectiondetailid=21913&sc_id=1169650123 ANDRE CHARLEY - Lathrup's Male Mentoring Program ] ]
*Lathrup's Lovely Ladies [ [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/club/club.php?sectionid=2494 Lathrup's Lovely Ladies - Lathrup's Lovely Ladies Welcome You! ] ]
*Southfield-Lathrup High School Marching Band [ [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/club/club.php?sectionid=1535 Band - Marching Chargers ] ] "Marching Chargers"
*Chess Club
*SLHS Debate
*Fashion Club
*Student Congress
*National Honor Society, http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/club/club.php?sectionid=1511
*Habitat for Humanity
* [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/club/club.php?sectionid=2981| Scholars Plus] :Graduates "Distinguished Scholars" from the Southfield Public School System
*Spanish Club
*French Club
* [http://chargerpride.olinesports.com/ Intermural Sports Program]

Curriculum

Academy Learning

Southfield-Lathrup Senior High School is home to two of four Academies serving the Southfield Public Schools district, specifically the Medical and Natural Sciences Academy and the Arts and Communications Academy. Both academies have separate entry requirements from the mainstream curriculum. Most students apply at the end of their tenth grade year and take classes in their eleventh and twelfth grade years. The other two academies are the Engineering & Manufacturing Sciences Academy and the Global Business & Information Technology Academy, are located at Southfield High School

Medical and Natural Sciences Academy

Courses offered:
*Advanced Placement Biology
*Advanced Placement Chemistry
*Health Careers & Health Skills Training
*Anatomy and Physiology
*Advanced Placement Environmental Science

Arts and Communications Academy

Courses offered:
*Creative Writing
*Dance Technique/Dance Company
*Play Production
*Visual Animation Lab
*Acting
*TV Production
*Yearbook
*School Newspaper
*Orchestra

The Louise Ward Memorial Scholarship was established in 2001 for Southfield-Lathrup Students for continued studies in vocal music. The Fund was initiated by alumni of the Southfield Lathrup High School Madrigal Singers in grateful memory of Louise Ward who was, at once, their teacher, mentor, role model, and friend [ [http://www.scfmi.org/scholarships.html Southfield Community Foundation ] ] .

The Academy also won the 2000 GRAMMY signature award [ [http://www.cityofsouthfield.com/Residents/Education/PublicSchools/Statistics/tabid/607/Default.aspx City of Southfield - Statistics ] ] .

Advanced Placement Options

Southfield-Lathrup High also offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in several different subjects including:

* United States History
* United States Government & Politics
* Biology
* Calculus
* Environmental Science
* Chemistry
* Spanish Language
* English Language and Composition
* English Literature and Composition

In recent years, Southfield-Lathrup High School also offered Advanced Placement Physics, Statistics, European History, Spanish, and French. Though these courses aren't offered, students are encouraged to independently study the subject material and take the test.

ummer Reading Program

All Southfield-Lathrup High students are required to read books from a preselected list over the summer. Honors and AP English students receive more books to read than other students. AP United States History Students are also given summer reading.

Beginning the summer of 2006, all summer reading work was required to be submitted through mydropbox.com, an online plagiarism screening service.

Notable Teachers

* Thomas Sleete, History and Social Studies: grader for United States History Advanced Placement exams: The Gilder Lehrman Institute History Teacher of the Year Award [ [http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/student8b.html The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Student Prizes and Awards ] ] .: consultant to the College Board for AP US History
* Mignon Hayes, English: grader for English Literature and Composition Advanced Placement exams [ [http://www2.oakland.edu/cas/api_faculty.cfm College of Arts and Sciences - Continuing Education - Advanced Placement Institute - Faculty ] ]
* Edna Vasquez, Math: grader for Calculus Advanced Placement exams
* Richard Dunaj-Ring, Biology: grader for Biology Advanced Placement exams

Alumni

In 2002, Kim Watt from the first graduating class of 1970 created a networking site titled Southfield-Lathrup Senior High School Alumni. Currently, 7,933 alumni have created profiles on that website.

Notable alumni

* Michael Stone, Retired Safety, for both The New England Patriots [ [http://www.patriots.com/alumni/index.cfm?ac=alumnibiosdetail&bio=31441 Michael Stone - Official New England Patriots Biography ] ] , and more recently The New York Giants.
* Daniel Gilbert, founder of Quicken Loans [ [http://www.realcavsfans.com/archive/index.php?t-9169.html Ira Newble = Good Guy [Archive - RealCavsFans ] ]
* Billy Whitehouse, c/o 1988, actor [http://www.billywhitehouse.com/] .
* Mike Chappell, c/o 1996, international professional basketball player.

References

External links

* [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=38 Southfield-Lathrup High School Official Website]
* [http://www.southfield.k12.mi.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=11612&sc_id=1127416123 Student Dress Code]
* [http://www.detnews.com/2005/schools/0507/10/B04-240729.htm Dress code extended to Southfield high schools.] Detroit News (July 8, 2005)
* [http://www.slshs.net/ Southfield Lathrup Senior High School Alumni]