The Student Spotlight segment of each Board meeting celebrates a student or a group of students who are living out the Portrait of an LPS Graduate, which highlights the life skills each LPS graduate should have. Tomorrow’s workers will succeed by constantly adapting to the changing world around them, and today’s students must begin by learning and developing life skills - where every student should be well-adjusted, thriving, and balanced.
Additionally, students will develop skills in:
Communication
Global and Cultural Awareness
Character and Critical Thinking
Problem Solving and Adaptability
Creativity and Risk Taking
Resiliency and Collaboration
Self Advocacy
All surrounding Rigorous and Relevant Academic Skills
In LPS, we strive to implement opportunities to grow these skills at every level of education, and we recognize students of all ages.
At the regularly scheduled meeting on December 4, 2025, the Board of Education recognized students from Lenski Elementary School and Nova Center.
Lenski Elementary School
Oliver Ryan visits Ms. Davies, Lenski’s Health Assistant, every day. Ms. Davies says that her interactions with Oliver are always pleasant. He is very polite, respectful, well-mannered, and personable. Oliver is a mature COMMUNICATOR and is an active listener. They often chat about baseball or his plans for the weekend. He shares his preference for the Yankees, as this is the name of the team he plays on in the summer. They both like the Rockies but struggle with their record. Oliver SELF-ADVOCATES and takes responsibility for his care, and overall he is extremely punctual when it is time for him to come to the Health Office. If asked to wait a minute or two upon arriving at the office, Oliver exhibits his ADAPTABILITY by being patient, respectful, and kind to those around him. These hallmark qualities exemplify what LPS desires of its graduates. They also reflect his upbringing, support and love at home. LPS and the world need more Olivers. He is a good human and he is growing into a fine young man!”
Maggie Alfano exemplifies the qualities of an LPS graduate. She consistently demonstrates SELF-ADVOCACY and strong CHARACTER, asking for help when needed, and encouraging her peers to do the same. This year, Maggie’s ADAPTABILITY and RESILIENCE have stood out as she supported younger students during challenging morning transitions—walking them to their classrooms and helping them feel more comfortable separating from their parents. Throughout her academic career, Maggie has worked hard and shown a strong sense of identity, making her a true role model within our school community. We are so fortunate to have Maggie in the Lenski community!
Blake Lopez exemplifies the LPS Portrait of a Graduate through her strong COLLABORATION and CRITICAL THINKING skills. During a recent science experiment, Blake worked closely with her partner to plan and build a model of a bridge. She listened carefully to her partner's ideas, asked thoughtful questions, and reflected on ways to improve the outcome of their project. Her ability to work well with others while thinking deeply about problems shows that she is not only a kind teammate, but also a thoughtful learner. Blake is an outstanding member of the Lenski community!
Lila Mooney is a model student! She uses a personal calendar to effectively plan and stay on top of her many academic responsibilities and activities outside of school. Not only does she excel in ACADEMICS, but she thoughtfully includes others during group work and recess, demonstrating excellent COLLABORATION skills. She has been praised in the gifted and talented program for her CRITICAL THINKING skills. Lila is a great role model for her peers, and we are lucky to have her at Lenski!
Nova Center
Jackson Parsons has developed his SELF-ADVOCACY and shown so much growth in this area. Jackson is also very kind. He cares about his classmates and wants everyone to be happy. He will go out of his way to help a peer in a kind and nurturing manner. He also will help adults with anything they need, and if you need any help with technology, Jackson is your person! He is a very good teacher and he loves to help staff and students alike learn something new. Jackson is the self-appointed chicken monitor. He checks on and reports on how each chicken in the coop is doing every day. He also keeps tabs on the building in general because he really takes pride in being a part of the Nova community. All of these attributes really speak to his CHARACTER. He has a sneaky sense of humor too, so be prepared for him to make you laugh when you least expect it. We are so lucky to have him at Nova!
Brie O’Hagan-Kennedy consistently strives to be her very best self, showing integrity, responsibility, and kindness in everything she does. She is a strong ADVOCATE—not only for her own needs, but also for her classmates and the school community, always speaking up with empathy and purpose. Her CHARACTER and caring nature shines through in big and small ways, whether she is looking after Nova’s chickens or helping a peer feel included. She brings humor, positivity, and a sense of fun into the learning environment, making every day brighter for those around her. Her voice, her heart, and her joyful spirit truly make her a standout student, and we are so glad she is at Nova.
Blake Fauth is an empathetic, intelligent, witty, and punctual student! He has grown substantially this year, and teachers continue seeing positive changes as he invests in himself. Blake often makes positive decisions about how his day is going to go and contemplates whether his decisions and the skills he has learned are best serving his outlook for the day. Blake thoughtfully takes things step by step, applies background knowledge to contextualize problems, and perseveres through more challenging coursework. Blake continues to use empathy, COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, and goal-setting. We eagerly await what comes next for Blake as he continues learning, growing, and challenging himself. Keep up the strong effort, Blake!