Dr. Lisa Chen, Principal, Louisa County Middle School, Mineral, VA

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Principal's Update for December 1-5, 2014

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

My staff and I hope that you and your families had a restful Thanksgiving Holiday Break. It is hard to believe that in about two more weeks, we will be on Winter Break.

Much will be occurring in the next couple of weeks as we wrap up the teaching and learning for the 2014 year.

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 – Trinity MacDonald and Josh Main
Thank you to Trinity MacDonald and Josh Main for their assistance with morning announcements. You helped to deliver important information to all students and staff! On December 8, we will have two new announcers, Tyler McCoin and Brenna McHugh. We look forward to our new guest speakers.
Waters of Lake Anna
On behalf of the Waters of Lake Anna, thank you for contributing a large number of tissue boxes for our students!

Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance Program
Thank you to Exxon Mobil for your $500.00 grant to our students and teachers for our math and science programs. We greatly appreciate your thinking of us!

Benchmark Testing
This week and the following, students will be involved with benchmark testing. Teachers have been reviewing important concepts with students that they have studied for the entire semester. This is one data point to help us measure student achievement and growth. Data from these benchmarks will be used to help our teachers analyze what students have learned and what students will need to know moving forward. I certainly appreciate the hard work of our teachers and our students reviewing these important concepts. For example, students in Grade 7 English are reviewing vocabulary words and poetry terms. Students in Grade 7 are reviewing percentage problems, order of operations, and various math properties. Math problems involve solving for a variable with fractions and decimals. Students in Grade 7 Science are exploring evolution and adaptation. Students in Grade 7 Social Studies are learning about Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal.
Math and English Review
My administrative team and I are in the midst of working with our staff to put together a review program starting in January on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students who need additional assistance on reading comprehension and math skills. This is to help support the work that is occurring in class and during ACE Block. These sessions will be free for students, and students can either be picked up at 5:45 p.m. from their parents or ride the activity bus. More information will be forthcoming in January 2015.
Grade 7 Poetry Cocoa House – Wednesday, December 17
Students in Grade 7 English have been working on creating an original poetic composition that they will read in front of the LCMS English team at the 10th Annual Poetry Cocoa House. Presentations will take about an hour and will be followed by refreshments. We hope that you will be able to join your Grade 7 child at the Forum on this very special day!

A Place for Respect – Middle Years December 2014
In this Middle Year’s addition, information is provided on how to speak to your child about respect and the importance of doing their work carefully. For more information, please click here, “Middle Years December 2014.”

Student Schedule for Monday, December 8 to Friday, December 19
On Monday, December 8 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 (This is a “A” 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 1 class.)

On December 8:          (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1
On December 9:          (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2
On December 10:        (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3
On December 11:        (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 12:        (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5
On December 15:        (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1
On December 16:        (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2
On December 17:        (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3
On December 18:        (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On December 19:        (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5

Updates

Important Upcoming Dates  Added information and dates are marked in purple.

Wednesday, December 3: Grade 6 students take English benchmark tests.
Thursday, December 4: Grade 6 students take Math benchmark tests.
Thursday, December 4: Middle School football season banquet at LCMS Cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.

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