Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:
On Tuesday, November 18, I had the distinct pleasure to travel with 118 students to VMI to partake in the AMC8 Math Contest. Our students represented us well! They were so polite, well behaved, and all of our students worked diligently on the twenty-five problems that they had to complete in 40 minutes. All math questions were word problems, and students were assessed on geometry, probability, and logic. Thank you to our parent chaperones for accompanying us and to our teachers for assisting us in this exciting trip!
I hope that you will join us tonight for the LCMS Band and Guitar Concert in the Forum at 7:00 p.m.
As always, please feel free to contact me at chenlc@lcps.k12.va.us if you have questions, concerns, or any feedback that you would like to share.
The following are some important updates and announcements.
Announcements
Thanks to Morning Announcers – Lily Jackson and Tyler Layne
Thank you to Lily Jackson and Tyler Layne for their announcements with Dr. Chen each morning. On December 1, we will have new announcers, Trinity MacDonald and Josh Main. My staff, students, and I certainly appreciate the information that we receive each morning!
Grade 8 Field Trip – Tuesday, November 25
An enrichment field trip has been planned for Grade 8 students on Tuesday, November 25. Students will travel by school bus to the Altria Theater in Richmond to see The Encore! presentation of the five 19th century short stories that Grade 8 students are learning in English. Students will leave LCMS at 8:30 a.m. and return back to school at 12:30 p.m. to eat lunch. Thank you to Katherine Duke for organizing this trip and to the Grade 8 teachers for chaperoning.
Olweus Anti-Bullying
Students are receiving the anti-bullying curriculum, which is Olweus, in their health classes. Today, students learned how to work more cooperatively with one another.
Mix and Match Up Days at Lunch
The Safe and Caring Correlate is providing students with additional opportunities to make new friends at lunch. Each lunch table is labeled with a different month of the year. Students sat at tables with other students who shared the same birthday month. A list of questions were prepared for students so that students could begin conversations, especially with new classmates they may not know. Questions included: What is your favorite story? What is your favorite color? What is your favorite time of day? Teachers commented that it was great seeing students who normally do not sit together meet other students!
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) – Thursday, November 20
Tomorrow, the following students will be inducted into NJHS at 6:30 p.m. in the LCMS Forum: Alyana Campbell, Olivia Grubbs, Nicole Harlow, Ginny Helmandollar, Amber Hopkins, Kiara Johnson, Sadie Jordan, Alexis Lagon, Sydney Madison, Gabby Matthews, Mitchell McCotter, Victoria Moore, Moriah Moss, Schuyler Pugh, and Ryan Wheeler. Student selection was based on a rigorous process of scholarship, community service, leadership, citizenship, and character. We are extremely proud of our new members for their hard work and effort!
Student Schedule for Monday, November 24 to Friday, December 5
On Monday, November 24 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 (This is a “B” day for electives. Students go to Period 1, Period 2, Period 3, Period 4, Period 5, and then for the last period of the day, students return back to their Period 4 class.)
On November 24: (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On November 25: (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On November 26: No School. Thanksgiving Break.
On November 27: No School. Thanksgiving Break.
On November 28: No School. Thanksgiving Break.
On December 1: (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 2: (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 3: (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 4: (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 5: (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
Updates
Building Leaders for Advocating Science and Technology (BLAST) Program
The BLAST program will offer a session at Virginia Tech and two sessions at the University of Virginia. Sessions are free for current Grade 8 and Grade 9 students. Students will have an opportunity to explore the fun and excitement of science, technology, engineering, and math while residing on a university campus. The BLAST program is designed to attract students who are motivated to learn, but have not yet shown interest in STEM coursework or those who not yet discovered the excitement of STEM. Students will have an opportunity to choose a session at Virginia Tech, July 12-15, or one of two sessions at the University of Virginia, July 26-29, and August 2-5. The BLAST program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), Virginia Teach, the University of Virginia, and the Commonwealth Virginia. If your child is interested, please ask him or her to apply at blast.spacegrant.org The deadline for students to apply is February 2. I hope your child will take advantage of this great opportunity!
Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.
Wednesday, November 19: LCMS Band and Guitar Concert at LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 20: National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Induction Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in LCMS Forum
Tuesday, November 25: Grade 8 students attend The Encore! Presentation @ Altria Theater, Richmond at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, November 25: Middle School Football Banquet @ LCMS Cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 3: Grade 6 students take English benchmark tests.
Thursday, December 4: Grade 6 students take Math benchmark tests.
Friday, December 5: Grade 7 students take English benchmark tests.
Friday, December 5; Saturday, December 6; and Sunday, December 7: LCHS’s Mainstage presents Pride and Prejudice at LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m. on December 5 and December 6, and 3:00 p.m. on December 7.
Monday, December 8: Grade 7 students take Math benchmark tests.
Tuesday, December 9: Grade 8 students take English benchmark tests.
Wednesday, December 10: Grade 8 students take Math benchmark tests.
Thursday, December 11: All grades take Science benchmark tests.
Friday, December 12: All grades take Social Studies benchmark tests.
Tuesday, December 16: LCMS Parent Advisory Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the LCMS Main Office Conference Room with Dr. Chen
Tuesday, December 16: PTA meeting at 7:00 p.m. in LCMS Main Office Conference Room
Friday, December 19: End of Marking Period 2
Monday, December 22 – Monday, January 5: Winter Break for students
Tuesday, January 6: Classes resume for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, January 13: Report cards for Marking Period 2 are sent home with students.
Tuesday, January 13: LCMS Parent Advisory Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the LCMS Main Office Conference Room with Dr. Chen
Tuesday, January 13: PTA meeting at 7:00 p.m. in LCMS Main Office Conference Room
Friday, January 16: LCMS Dance 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Monday, January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day No School for students and staff
Tuesday, January 20: Classes resume for students LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Monday, February 9: Interim reports for Marking Period 3 are sent home with students.
Monday, February 16: Staff Development Day No school for students
Tuesday, February 17: School resumes for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Wednesday, February 11: LCMS Science Fair Awards @ LCMS Forum at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 21: Battle of the Books Competition for LCMS Students @ Cedar Lee Middle School
Tuesday, February 24: Grade 8 students take the English reading benchmark tests.
Wednesday, February 25: Picture Day for students
Thursday, February 26: Grade 8 students take the English writing benchmark tests.
Saturday, April 25: Battle of the Books Competition for LCMS Students @ Culpeper Middle School
Tuesday, May 19 – All A Banquet at LCMS Cafeteria at 6:00 p.m.
Thank you for taking the time to read these updates. As I will say to my students each day, “This is important. You belong here. Effort makes a difference.”
With warm regards,
Lisa C. Chen
