Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:
Through all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I wish you and your families well.
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 – Tyler McCoin and Brenna McHugh
Thank you to Tyler McCoin and Brenna McHugh for their assistance with morning announcements. You helped to deliver important information to all students and staff, especially during the week of benchmark testing! On December 15, we will have two new announcers, Danielle Perry and Kenya Sacra. We look forward to our new guest speakers.
Student Council Canned Food Drive
A big shout out to everyone who donated cans for the SCA Canned Food Drive. The SCA collected 1300 cans to support our local families. The students who brought in the most cans were Asia Curry in Grade 6 with 45 cans, Carmella Jackson in Grade 7 with 110 cans, and E-Mon Dabney in Grade 8 with 54 cans. The 4th period classes that brought in the most cans were Dan Leale’s class in Grade 6, Leslie Lipscomb’s class in Grade 7, and Sally Agee’s class in Grade 8. Individual winners have received gift cards, and the grade level who brought in the most cans will have the opportunity to prank either Mr. LeReche, Mr. Garnes, or Mr. Rupert. We look forward to seeing which grade level administrator will receive this prank!
FFCLA Sponsors Penny War Contest – Monday, December 8 to Thursday, December 11
FCCLA is sponsoring a school wide Penny War contest Monday, December 8 to Thursday, December 11 in an effort to raise at least $500.00 for Backpack Blessings. Students are asked to put pennies in their grade level jug in the cafeteria, but to place nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars in the other grade level jugs. Silver money and dollars cancel out pennies, and the competition to raise money is on! Please ask your son or daughter to bring your pennies, silver money, and dollars for the contest. All donations will be given to Backpack Blessings, a program which provides food for elementary and middle school families in need.
Olweus Overview for Grades 6, 7, and 8
Students in Grade 6, 7, and 8 have received Olweus training throughout the year, which is our anti-bullying curriculum in their health classes with Tom Black and Pam Fischer. Students learned that bullying occurs when one person or a group of people are intentionally being mean to someone. The bully continues to act mean to the person even though it hurts the person’s feelings. There is an imbalance of power, or the bully is stronger or more powerful than the person being bullied. Sometimes, it is a bigger person picking on a littler person, or it is a group of students picking on one person. There is a power imbalance, and it is difficult for the person being bullied to make them stop. Usually, bullying happens again and again.
Students learned what to do when faced in such a situation and how to prevent bullying from occurring. Students further learned about empathy and putting themselves in another person’s shoes, to understand what others are going through, and to respond thoughtfully. Students in Tom Black’s and Pam Fischer’s health classes learned more about the different types of peer pressure and how to respond when faced with negative pressures from others. Be sure to ask your child about the Olweus curriculum and vocabulary words, such as bullying, supporter, defender, empathy, put up, put downs, positive peer pressure, negative peer pressure, rejection, reasoning, and unspoken pressure. Thank you to Tom Black and Pam Fischer for these important conversations and teachings to our students!
LCMS Students Fundraise for Foodbank
Once again, this year the LCMS Art Department is selling ornaments during lunch shifts made by our students in art class. All proceeds will benefit the Louisa Food Bank. Students will be adding Christmas trees imprinted with handmade crocheted doilies to their repertoire and aged copper bells. We hope that you or your child will be interested in purchasing one of these ornaments for a great cause!
Celebrating Young Artists at Louisa Arts Center
The Louisa Arts Center is featuring "Celebrating Young Artists" in the Purcell Gallery from now until January 24, 2015. The opening was held on Friday, December 5 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The show includes art work from some of our middle school art students, high school, and elementary schools, as well as other schools in the region.
Students, Blakely Gramling and Alexandra Campbell, have their city silhouettes in watercolor. Talia Tanner, Fiona Dunn, and Faith Hopkins have made handmade accordion books. Marisa Lobins has her self-portrait. Kandace Kenealy has a watercolor Victorian house. Finally, Brenay Wendell has a mixed media winter scene on display. We hope you come out and support our young and talented artists! For more information, please go to http://louisaarts.org/ Thank you to Gail Carlin for your direction and support in the art program.
LCMS To Receive $1,000 Donation from Wells Fargo
On Thursday, December 11, LCMS will receive a $1,000.00 donation from the Wells Fargo Company for our work with students. Robbie Garnes, Grade 7 Assistant Principal, along with Jordan Goodwin, teacher at LCMS, and student representatives, Victoria Moore, Joseph Powell, and Yvalisse Rodriguez-Taylor, will travel to Madison, Virginia on December 11 to receive this donation on behalf of our school. Our representatives will further attend a Community Breakfast event honoring LCMS and other communities for their work. Thank you to Robbie Garnes for acquiring these additional funds for us!
PTA Lunch for Staff – Tuesday, December 16
The PTA will be serving lunch to the teachers on Tuesday, December 16. If you can donate a dessert, please contact Shanna Hart at rustyandshanna@gmail.com or Amy Froschauer at afroschauer@msn.com Thank you for all you do!
Student Schedule for Monday, December 15 to Friday, December 19
On Monday, December 15 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 (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 1 class.)
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
Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.
Thursday, December 11: All grades take Science benchmark tests.
Friday, December 12: All grades take Social Studies benchmark tests.
Monday, December 15: Grade 6 and Grade 7 TAG Students will go on a field trip to Chamber Theatre Group in Charlottesville. Students will leave around 8:30 a.m. and return around 2:00 p.m.
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
Thursday, December 18: LCMS Cross Country Banquet in LCHS Cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.
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
