LCDS Lingo

Like every school, LCDS has its own unique terminology of commonly-used phrases or acronyms that would seem like a foreign language to those new to the community. If you want to be an "insider", use this list of LCDS Lingo for reference in finding out about our school and in finding your way in conversation.

ACE - Acronym for "Awesome Cougar Envelope." This envelope is sent home every Thursday in each LS student's backpack and contains important information and/or forms for parents.

Administrative Offices - Located at left behind receptionist when entering LCDS at the main lobby. Includes Head of School, Dir. of Alumni/Alumnae Relations, Special Events Coordinator, Dir. of Annual Giving, Business Manager, Accountant, Controller and Business Office Associate. The Volunteer/Administrative Conference Room is also located here.

Admission Office - Located at right when entering LCDS at the main lobby. In the reception area is the Admission Assistant and offices for the Dir. of Admission and Assistant Director of Admission. Offices for the Dir. of Communications and Communications Assistant are also located in this hall. A room used primarily for student testing is also part of this wing.

Alert Now - This system of emergency communication can reach all members of the school community, virtually instantaneously. Typically, an Alert Now message is sent by the Head of School to communicate a weather-related school closing. The Alert Now system would also provide initial notification and instructions in the event of a school emergency or to convey an urgent message to everyone in the LCDS community. Parents should be sure that their choice of Alert New notification on file with LCDS (cell phone, work phone, email, etc.) is up-to-date.

Alumni/Alumnae Office - LCDS has more than 1600 alumni living across the country and around the globe. Through birthday cards, reunion invitations, college care packages, baby gifts, handwritten notes and Twitter updates, the alumni office works to stay in touch with everyone who has attended The Shippen School or LCDS. The alumni office also houses the school archives and is charged with celebrating the storied history of the school.

Art Classrooms - In the center of the east wall of the Cook Dining Commons is a door signed "175 BACKSTAGE." Through this door and up the stairs are the "hidden" MS and US LCDS Art classrooms, which are located on the second floor but can't be accessed from the Upper School hallway.

ASP - Acronym for "After School Program." As a service to working parents, these teacher-supervised programs are available for preschool through fifth grade students, usually 3:00-5:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri.

Athletic Schedule - A full athletic schedule can be found on our website under Athletics on the burgundy navigation bar.

Balloon Day - AKA Valentine's Day. At LCDS, it means that for one day each year, hallways are chock full of red, purple and pink balloons sold (with/without candy attached) by US students as a fund-raiser for the prom. The middle school hallway, especially, is transformed by the balloon colors, back-lighted, bubbling, bumping and floating above students' lockers.

Book Sale - See Turn the Page.

Bridging - See Fifth Grade Bridging.

Brown Envelope - This envelope is sent home once a month with each MS student and contains important information and/or forms for parents. Return of the envelope is required in order to participate in Dress Down Day!

Canstruction - Not a misspelling! Canstruction is an annual activity in which US and MS students build a sculpture of canned foods on the theme of fighting hunger. A practice build of the sculpture is displayed at LCDS, then it is disassembled and reassembled for Canstruction competition with other themed sculptures in the central PA region. The canned goods are donated to food banks in the region.

Children's Challenge - An special auction-style fund raiser held each year during FundFest. The funds raised by the Children's Challenge are used to finance a special project or capital improvement. See also FundFest.

Color Wars - Annually, during the week before Homecoming, the US students choose a color to represent their class and compete in fun ways to raise funds for club activities. See also Spirit Week.

Connections - The LCDS school magazine, published twice per year. The latest issue can be found on our website under "LCDS AT A GLANCE"

Cook Dining Commons - If it's lunch time, the Cook Dining Commons will be buzzing with students and food! Centrally located on the first floor.

The Cougar - The fuzzy, cheerful larger-than-life LCDS athletic mascot.

Cougar Bowl - Annual touch football game, faculty vs. students. Traditionally takes place on Friday evening before Homecoming. A contest of age and experience over youth and enthusiasm. Faculty have yet to win...ever.

Cougar News - The latest news articles about LCDS, published on our website and available under "MYLCDS."

Cougars/Lady Cougars - Names of LCDS sports teams.

Dining Commons - See Cook Dining Commons.

Dress Down Day - One day per month, LS and MS students are allowed to skip their uniforms and wear what they like, assuming they meet division requirements.

Ducklings -One of our most charming LCDS traditions is our version of "make way for ducklings." Our students assist Mrs. Mallard (aka Stacy, named by the kids) who flies in every year to lay her eggs in the enclosed center garden courtyard. Soon after they hatch, she must get the baby ducklings to a stream so they can eat and learn to swim. We all line up to create a pathway and show her the way out, and she quacks her way through our school lobby to the front entrance. Outside, we keep going around the corner of our building until she reaches a stream near the LS entrance.

Early Childhood Program - At LCDS, we offer preschool (for 3 yr.-olds) and junior kindergarten (for 4 yr. olds) classes to provide a safe, stimulating environment where each child can explore, discover, and learn at his/her own pace.

Empty Bowls - Every other year, LCDS ceramics students teach all interested students to make pinch pot bowls which are then glazed and fired in preparation for a soup dinner that raises funds for local causes to end hunger. Soups are donated by area restaurants and the school community; guests at the dinner get to keep the bowl they select as a hunger awareness reminder.

Excellence Fund - This is our annual, essential annual giving program at LCDS. Since tuition does not cover the full cost of education, our annual fund is essential and provides the funds that keep tuition in check and enable the school to meet its expenses without compromising faculty salaries or the programs that define our commitment to educational excellence.

Faculty Frolic - A fun faculty/staff event--a white elephant and bake sale, held annually, usually in early May. Funds raised benefit the faculty/staff scholarship fund.

Faculty Room - Located on the first floor, across from the school store. Coffee, refrigerator, lunch table, telephone closet and departmental mail bins are located here as well as a copier and fax machine.

Fifth Grade Bridging - At LCDS we celebrate our fifth graders' transition from LS to MS with a "bridging" and awards ceremony each spring.

The Fourth Estate - The name of the LCDS student newspaper, published monthly by the US journalism class

FundFest - Every year in April, our annual fund-raising event offers an evening of food, fun and frivolity with a different theme. Auctioned to the highest bidder are items ranging from a spa experience to an opportunity for a child to be Head of School for a day. The important part is that the money raised at FundFest makes possible our students' full education experience and pays expenses that tuition doesn't cover.

Grandparents Day - So that grandparents/friends can share classroom experiences with the younger generation, each year we set aside one special day for LS and MS students to invite "grands" to come to school with them.

Head of School - In days gone by at LCDS, this person would have been designated "Headmaster" or "Headmistress." Times and titles may change, but the person "at the top" in a school always carries many responsibilities, similar to the role of a superintendent.

Impressions - The LCDS student literary/art magazine,

International Flags - In 1974 Beta Sigma, the LCDS service organization, purchased international flags intended to symbolize the school's diversity and to reflect the fact that many students, faculty, and staff had been born or had lived abroad. The initial display contained five flags; now there are 41 on display in our dining commons. New flags are added every year to recognize our exchange students' home countries.

Labyrinth - Yes, we have our very own brick labyrinth! It was designed by John Jarvis, our Headmaster Emeritus, who was inspired by British and French labyrinth designs. He constructed the LCDS labyrinth in 1989 with help from students and friends as his retirement gift to the school.

Lower School (LS) - At LCDS, this division includes preschool through fifth grade. The Head of Lower School has a role similar to an elementary principal. See Early Childhood Program.

Lower School Blogs - Our lower school teachers keep parents informed through password-protected online journals. These can be found on the website under MYLCDS.

Lunch Menus - Our current lunch menus are available on our website under MYLCDS.

Middle School (MS) - At LCDS, this division includes grades 6-8. The Head of Middle School has a role similar to a principal.

Moodle - This area of our website provides online access to classes for 5th through 12th grade. Teachers may post homework assignments, study guides, quizzes, and other information pertinent for their students. Student or parent password required.

Motto - In Latin, "Fax mentis et cordis incendium gloriae" is the school motto. In English we translate and use this as, "The spark that kindles the mind and heart illuminates a lifetime." Our archives indicate that the four-word motto "Fax mentis incendium gloriae" ("The spark that kindles the mind illuminates a lifetime") was first used in 1945 when Caroll Bagger Skinner '45 designed the original school seal. The reference to "heart" was added to the motto in 2004. In its Latin form, the motto is incorporated into the LCDS school seal and logo.  

MUN - Shortened acronym for "The Hague International Model United Nations." LCDS is one of six schools in the U.S. that sends a delegation of students to this prestigious five-day simulation of the U.N. They are part of 4,500 international secondary student-delegates who assemble in The Hague, The Netherlands to discuss, negotiate and debate world issues. See also www.thimun.org

My Backpack - This area of the website provides family access to grades, schedules, and lunch money accounts. Student or parent password required.

myLCDS - An area of our website where the LCDS family (students/parents/faculty/staff) can access information.

Neighbor Update - Bi-monthly newsletter sent by LCDS to those who live nearby, primarily to invite/notify neighbors of school activities that take place outside of the typical school day schedule, such as evening events or athletic competitions that may involve street parking.

PAN (Parents Association Network) - These parents choose to become especially active in the admission process, working as volunteers with the Admission Director to share their parent/student experiences with prospective families and to host occasional social events.

Parents Association - Our enthusiastic parents association is a very active service organization whose purpose is to enhance the quality of life and educational opportunities of the students and faculty. All parents and guardians of students who attend LCDS are considered members of the Parents Association. Bi-monthly meeting dates are included on the all-school calendar. Meeting minutes, reports, officers, etc. are posted on the LCDS website.

Picture Day - It's that special day when we use lights and camera to document our students' smiles by taking their annual school yearbook pictures!

Preschool - See Early Childhood Program.

Professional Day - For students, it's a "no school" day. For our faculty, it's a day of learning, the equivalent of an "in-service" day for public school teachers.

Red & Black Day - Even though LCDS school colors are burgundy and grey, somehow red and black day got started a long time ago. Each year, the faculty wears R&B for one fun day, and then we all go back to our usual wardrobe choices!

School Store - The LCDS school store is located on the first floor across from the faculty room. Also available online via the LCDS website; selected items are also featured in Connections.

Senior Room - Seniors at LCDS have the privilege of a room of their own, for study, socializing, decorating. It's "their" room, officially ceded (with ceremony) to members of the junior class at the end of the year.

Shippen Day - It's not yet a national holiday, but each year we pause to recognize September 17 as our founding moment. On that date in 1908 the first classes began in Lancaster at The Shippen School.

Spirit Week - During the week preceding Homecoming, many fun events and activities take place as part of "Spirit Week," all of which raise student enthusiasm for LCDS, create class camaraderie and build team unity. See also Color Wars.

Stacy - See ducklings.

Steinman Theatre - Our theatre, which seats 330 persons, is the site for student assemblies, performances, concerts, recitals and speakers.

Student Ambassadors - Prospective parents and students who visit LCDS will meet and tour our school with an US student who has chosen to be part of this group. Student ambassadors willingly answer questions and offer candid perspectives about their LCDS experience.

Summer Camp Fair - Annually, in February, our school hosts this event so that representatives of summer camps, all in one place, can talk to parents and children about options for summer activities. The Fair is open to anyone in the area.

Turn the Page - Annual, multi-day book sale, usually held in March. Families, staff and faculty bring their personal books (not textbooks), CDs, DVDs, etc. which are sold at bargain prices. Funds raised benefit LCDS libraries.

Upper School (US) - At LCDS, this division includes grades 9-12. The Head of Upper School has a role similar to a high school principal.

Visitor Sign-In - As an important part of our security system, we ask all visitors, including parents, to sign in at the receptionist window and wear a visitor badge while in the LCDS building.