Ms. Jessica Geyer, business teacher, has taken on the role of our Community Outreach Coordinator for Lakeland Regional High School and seeks to engage our school community by highlighting the extraordinary events, projects, and opportunities that take place within LRHS’ walls. 

The Outreach Program’s running goal is to ensure Lakeland Regional High School is viewed with a positive image within our high school and town-wide communities. Those outside of the LRHS community will see what the school does within to help students and staff all around. This includes running the school’s Live Feed, social media, and website, as well as rejuvenating the PTO. 

In filling this part of the job, which she will do in conjunction to teaching, Ms. Geyer says, “I wanted to be part of a bigger piece of our school, and so much of that stems from increasing our social presence in an attempt to ‘rewrite our story’ for the community. I hope that we can display some of the incredible work that is being done in our classrooms and on our fields.” 

The role of Outreach Coordinate also includes student outreach.  Ms. Geyer will work on helping create a community that promotes student attendance and retention within LRHS.

In response to how she will meet this goal, Ms. Geyer explained to the Lancer Ledger that she has a two-year plan that not only includes working with staff and her three senior interns to create a welcoming environment for all LRHS students and parents, but to also work with the administration to update the attendance policy. She stated that this is a team effort, which includes input and feedback from staff, students, and community members. 

Ms. Geyer shared that the need to address student absenteeism stems from the pandemic. “One of the biggest challenges we must face is the ability to restore academic engagement for students… Many of our staff and students faced personal challenges throughout the pandemic including online classes, quarantine periods, illness, and adjustments to new and ever changing schedules. It wasn’t easy!” 

She continued, expressing great pride and enthusiasm for taking on the role, “My role as our Community Outreach Coordinator is a work of heart, as I have lived in our communities my entire life. Growing up in Ringwood and Haskell, and being a Lancer myself – I really do love this school and believe in the education we are providing our students.”

There is no doubt Ms. Geyer will go above and beyond in her methods of aiding students, fulfilling her dream of becoming an even bigger part of the Lakeland community.