Principal's Update for May 18-22, 2015

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

Thank you for all that you do, and I appreciate all of your input and feedback throughout this year. As we still have some fun learning activities left before the school year ends,  please continue to encourage your child to continue to eat good meals, drink lots of water, exercise, and to get a good night sleep.

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
Thank you to Morning Announcers – Alyssa Smith, Taylor Weeks, and Benjerman Winslett
Thank you to Alyssa Smith, Taylor Weeks, and Benjerman Winslett for their contributions to morning announcements. You provided us with important upcoming news with clear voices and pleasant tones! We look forward to their announcements the following week.

Cafeteria Charges
Please be sure to pay all charges owed to the LCMS Cafeteria as soon as possible. If you are unsure if your child has a negative balance, please contact your cafeteria manager, Ms. Linda Dymetrician, at (540) 894- 5457 and she will be more than happy to assist you. All negative balances must be paid before Thursday, May 28. As shared with you on Friday, May 1, all charging will not be allowed after Monday, May 4, 2015. Please make sure that your child has funds with him or her or on account if he or she will be eating school lunch. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your school cafeteria manager.

LCMS Textbooks
Please remind your child to bring in any textbooks by Thursday, May 21.

Summer Stem Academy
For information on the Summer Stem Academy, please see "Application STEM May 5." We hope as many of our present Grade 5, 6, and 7 students apply for this new, exciting learning opportunity over the summer! 

Grade 8 Closing Ceremony – Thursday, May 28
The faculty and staff of Louisa County Middle School proudly welcomes you to attend the 2015 Grade 8 Closing Ceremony for your grade eighth grade student upon the completion of middle school and entrance to the high school. This is a significant achievement and a proud moment in the life of your child and your family. We invite you to join us in celebrating this accomplishment at a ceremony to be held in the Louisa County Middle School Gymnasium on Thursday, May 28 at 8:30 a.m. 

Each eighth grade student will be issued two tickets at graduation practice on Wednesday, May 27. Admittance to and seating in the gym will only be granted to those who have a ticket. However, there will also be a limited number of seats available in the Forum, where you can view graduation via a live video feed if you do not have a ticket. We encourage our students to dress up for this momentous event although your child does not to buy new clothes.

Parking for the event will be available in the lots to the side of the cafeteria as well as in the front bus loop. Please do not plan on arriving before 7:45 a.m. If you need handicapped parking or have special requirements for seating, please call Mrs. Jennifer Purcell (Grade 8 Guidance Counselor) at (540) 894-5457 in advance so that we can accommodate you. 

Light refreshments will be served immediately following the ceremony in the cafeteria, and all festivities will conclude by 10:30 a.m. Should you choose to take your child with you after the closing ceremony, you will need to sign him or her out with the proper identification. 

Again, we hope that you will join us as we honor our students for their accomplishments at Louisa County Middle School. We offer our best wishes for their continued success in education! 

Criteria for Summer School or Being Retained
Below is an explanation of the criteria for a student to attend summer school or to be retained. Students who were either recommended and asked to attend summer school received a form by the assistant principal. For students who did not turn in their forms, a phone call was made to the parent or guardian, and the application was mailed home. Please make sure that the forms have been turned in if summer school applies to your child. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or grade level assistant principal at (540) 894-5457.  

Criteria for a student to attend Summer School:
-  If a student fails Math or English

Criteria for a student to be Retained:
-  If a student fails Math and English
-  If a student fails Math or English and Science and Social Studies
-  If a student fails Math, English, Science, and Social Studies

Student Schedule for Tuesday, May 26 to Wednesday, May 27
From Tuesday, May 26 to Wednesday, May 27, we are on a 1, 2, 4, 3, 5 schedule. On Thursday, May 28, school ends at 11:00 a.m.

Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.
Thursday, May 21 – LCMS Drama performance @ LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. No school.
Tuesday, May 26: School resumes for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Tuesday, May 26: Washington DC Trip for All Grade 8 students
Wednesday, May 27: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Wednesday, May 27: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony Practice at LCMS Gymnasium in the morning and Grade 8 Field Day @ LCMS Tennis Courts and Practice Fields in the afternoon
Wednesday, May 27: Patrick Scharf's Award Ceremony for Science Students @ LCMS Forum at 12:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 28: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 28: Grade 6 Field Day and Grade 7 Field Day
Thursday, May 28: Last Day of school for students. Students exit the building at 11:00 a.m. No lunch is served.
First week of June: Reports cards and SOL student reports are mailed home to students. Parents/Guardians should receive this mailing by the second week in June. 

 
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

Lisa C. Chen, Ph.D.
Principal

LCMS Principal's Update for May 11-15, 2015

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

It is hard to believe that we only have two more weeks of school left. I have really enjoyed our time together: They are great! Thank you for your continual partnership with us.

As I shared with you in my last Principal's Update, students are presently in the midst of SOL testing, completing final projects, and partaking in field trips. SOL testing and make-ups will occur up until the last week of school. As referenced in Dr. Unruh's letter on Monday, April 13, if your child qualifies for an expedited retake, then a member of the administrative or guidance team will contact you to see whether or not you would like for your child to participate in the expedited retakes. Participation in the expedited retake is completely voluntary. If you opt for your child to take this test, your child will be remediated by teachers before taking the expedited retake. Please note that information from the SOL tests is helpful regarding future student placement and is good practice for passing the SOL tests at the high school level. Further, as referenced in my Principal Updates, your child may not need to attend summer school if she or he successfully passes the expedited retake. Because students are still in the midst of taking their SOL tests, all final SOL scores and student report cards will be mailed home to parents or guardians at the end of the school year.

We want all of our students to continue to participate in as many events as possible. Please encourage your child to continue to eat good meals, drink lots of water, exercise, and to get a good night sleep.

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

Thank you to Morning Announcers – Malachi Poindexter, Tatianna Smith, and Samya Wood
Thank you to Malachi Poindexter, Tatianna Smith, and Samya Wood for their contributions to morning announcements. You provided us with important upcoming news with clear voices and pleasant tones! From Monday, May 18 to Thursday, May 28, we will have new three guest speakers, Alyssa Smith, Taylor Weeks, and Benjerman Winslett. We look forward to their announcements!

Congratulations to Technology Student Association (TSA) Members
Congratulations to our TSA students for their hard work and efforts at the Technosphere TSA state competition.  The Technology Bowl team of Jacob Burch, Zachary Heidel, and Ian Murphy placed 9^th.  Zachery Heidel placed Top Ten in the Technology Bowl Written. The VEX Robotics team of Kylee Cormier, Keveanu Duncan, Denise Gray, and Abigale Hart placed 6^th.  Kenneth Allison, Kylee Cormier, Keveanu Duncan, Denise Gray, and Abigale Hart placed 6^th in the Community Service Video. The Systems Control team of Jacob Burch, Zachary Heidel, and Cameron Knight placed 9^th. Jacob Burch, Zachary Heidel, Cameron Knight, Ian Murphy, and Liam Ratcliff placed 6^th in Inventions and Innovations. These students spent three days in Hampton at the 44^th Annual State Leadership Conference. The students brought home a total of 21 Top Ten finalist pins. TSA Advisors Mr. Dye and Mr. Harper were very proud of the students' hard work and excellent behaviors at the event. Congratulations to our students!

Auditions for Chorus 7/8 – Tuesday, May 19
Auditions for the Chorus 7/8 class will be Tuesday, May 19 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Students may stay to ride the activity buses if needed. Students who have difficulty with rides should see Sharon Wills individually to work out an audition time during her planning period. Students will sing a solo - any one of the songs that they have sung during the year in class. Students will also sight-sing an 8 measure exercise similar to district assessments. This is a new course for students in 2015-2016, and its purpose is to address the needs of students who have developed more advanced skills over time in Chorus. We wish our students the best of luck!

Summer Stem Academy
For information on the Summer Stem Academy, please see "Application STEM May 5." We hope as many of our present Grade 5, 6, and 7 students apply for this new, exciting learning opportunity over the summer!

Grade 8 Field Day Permission Form
Please see  "Grade 8 Field Day Permission Form 2015," for information about Grade 8 Field Day on Wednesday, May 27. Should it be hot on this day, we recommend that students dress appropriately for the weather and continue to drink water. Students are allowed to wear hats outside. Students (if they need) should wear sunscreen. Students can bring in sunscreen to apply on themselves outside.

Grade 8 Closing Ceremony – Thursday, May 28
The faculty and staff of Louisa County Middle School proudly welcome you to attend the 2015 Grade 8 Closing Ceremony for your grade eighth grade student upon the completion of middle school and entrance to the high school. This is a significant achievement and a proud moment in the life of your child and your family. We invite you to join us in celebrating this accomplishment at a ceremony to be held in the Louisa County Middle School Gymnasium on Thursday, May 28 at 8:30 a.m.

Each eighth grade student will be issued two tickets at graduation practice on Wednesday, May 27. Admittance to and seating in the gym will only be granted to those who have a ticket. However, there will also be a limited number of seats available in the Forum, where you can view graduation via a live video feed if you do not have a ticket. We encourage our students to dress up for this momentous event although you do not need to buy new clothes for this event.

Parking for the event will be available in the lots to the side of the cafeteria as well as in the front bus loop. Please do not plan on arriving before 7:45 a.m. If you need handicapped parking or have special requirements for seating, please call Mrs. Jennifer Purcell (Grade 8 Guidance Counselor) at (540) 894-5457 in advance so that we can accommodate you.

Light refreshments will be served immediately following the ceremony in the cafeteria, and all festivities will conclude by 10:30 a.m. Should you choose to take your child with you after the closing ceremony, you will need to sign him or her out with the proper identification.

Again, we hope that you will join us as we honor our students for their accomplishments at Louisa County Middle School. We offer our best wishes for their continued success in education!

Criteria for Summer School or Being Retained
Below is an explanation of the criteria for a student to attend summer school or to be retained. Students who were either recommended and asked to attend summer school received a form. For students who did not turn in their forms, both a phone call and the application were mailed home to the parents or guardians again. Please make sure that the forms have been turned in if summer school applies to your child. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or grade level assistant principal at (540) 894-5457. 

Criteria for a student to attend Summer School:
-  If a student fails Math or English

Criteria for a student to be Retained:
-  If a student fails Math and English
-  If a student fails Math or English and Science and Social Studies
-  If a student fails Math, English, Science, and Social Studies

Student Schedule for Monday, May 11 to Wednesday, May 27
From Monday, May 11 to Wednesday, May 27, we are on a 1, 2, 4, 3, 5 schedule. On Thursday, May 28, school ends at 11:00 a.m.

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

Thursday, May 14: Math 7 SOL tests
Saturday, May 16 - Grade 8 Formal @ LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Monday, May 18: Algebra I Prognosis Test for Grade 7 students who are not presently enrolled in Algebra I
Monday, May 18: Science 8 SOL tests
Tuesday, May 19: All A Banquet at LCMS Cafeteria at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 – LCMS Drama performance @ LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. No school.
Tuesday, May 26: School resumes for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Tuesday, May 26: Washington DC Trip for All Grade 8 students
Wednesday, May 27: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Wednesday, May 27: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony Practice at LCMS Gymnasium in the morning and Grade 8 Field Day @ LCMS Tennis Courts and Practice Fields in the afternoon
Wednesday, May 27: Patrick Scharf's Award Ceremony for Science Students @ LCMS Forum at 1:15 p.m.
Thursday, May 28: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 28: Grade 6 Field Day and Grade 7 Field Day
Thursday, May 28: Last Day of school for students. Students exit the building at 11:00 a.m. No lunch is served.

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

Lisa C. Chen, Ph.D.
Principal
Louisa County Middle School

LCMS Summer Stem Academy

Dear Students and Parents or Guardians of Grades 5, 6, and 7:

I am excited to announce an exciting new learning opportunity for our students at LCMS. A big thanks to Louisa Education Foundation and to the LCPS School Board for their support in this initiative.

If your child is presently in Grades 5, 6, and 7 and is interested in applying for a two week Summer STEM Academy, please fill out the application that is attached. The Academy will run from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. from Monday, June 15 to Thursday, June 18 for the first week, and then from Monday, June 22 to Thursday, June 25 for the second week. Thirty students in Grades 5, 6, and 7 this school year will be selected to attend this free program over the summer. Transportation will be free as students will ride on the summer school bus. If selected to participate in this program, there will be a $5.00 processing fee. All funds collected for the processing fee will be used for students.

The Academy will be instructed by a science teacher and a technology education teacher from Louisa County Middle School (LCMS). Activities will include: robot programing, rocket construction, solar car racing, solar hotdog cooking, and a field trip to North Anna Power Plant. Please turn in the application no later than Friday, May 22 to the Main Office in LCMS. Click here for the application. We will notify you on Friday, May 29 if you are nominated to attend this Summer Stem Academy.

Thank you, and we hope that as many students will take the opportunity to apply for this new and exciting summer program.

Sincerely yours,

Lisa C. Chen

LCMS Principal Update for May 4-8, 2015

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

As I shared with you in my last Principal's Update, students are presently in the midst of SOL testing, completing final projects, and partaking in field trips. SOL testing and make-ups will occur up until the last week of school. As referenced in Dr. Unruh's letter on Monday, April 13, if your child qualifies for an expedited retake, then a member of the administrative or guidance team will contact you to see whether or not you would like for your child to participate in the expedited retakes. Participation in the expedited retake is completely voluntary.

If you opt for your child to take this test, your child will be remediated by teachers before taking the expedited retake. Please note that information from the SOL tests is helpful regarding future student placement. Further, as referenced in my Principal Updates, your child may not need to attend summer school if she or he successfully passes the expedited retake.

Because students are still in the midst of taking their SOL tests, all final SOL scores and student report cards will be mailed home to parents or guardians at the end of the school year.

Indeed, this is a very busy time of the school year. Because we want all of our students to continue to participate in as many events as possible, please encourage your child to continue to eat good meals, drink lots of water, exercise, and to get a good night sleep.

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

Thank you to Morning Announcers – Makayla Jasinski and Emily Phelps
Thank you to Makayla Jasinski and Emily Phelps for their contributions to morning announcements. You provided us with important upcoming news in a clear voice and pleasant tone! From Monday, May 11 to Friday, May 15, we will have three new guest speakers, Malachi Poindexter, Tatianna Smith, and Samya Wood. We look forward to their announcements!

All A Banquet – Congratulations to 57 Students
Congratulations to the 57 students who have earned All A's throughout the school year in all their classes. Invitations have been mailed home to invite these students and two family members to a dinner on Tuesday, May 19 at the LCMS Cafeteria to celebrate their academic accomplishments, hard work, and efforts!

8th Grade – All A's
Alexandra Campbell, Dequece Carter, Jayden Cawthorne, Garrett Corker, Henry Craig, Garrett Duerson, Diana Fomin, Robert Guinn, Megan Hall, Shannon Harper, Zachary Heidel, Lacy Hepler, Jessica Hopkins, Ethan Labelle, Tabitha Mulvaney, Julia O'Reilly, Alexandra Owen, Emily Phelps, Sarah Seay, Daysia Shelton, Talia Tanner, and Christopher Woods

7th Grade – All A's
Brandon Bickley, Alayna Campbell, Shayla Carter, Mariah Evans, Trinity Gillison, Olivia Grubbs, Ginny Helmandollar, Alexis Lagon, Chloe Locklear, Sydney Madison, Victoria Moore, Moriah Moss, Dylan Seay, Ethan Snyder, Kyler Soriano, and Bowen Varney

6th Grade – All A's
Abigail Alpern, Cassanra Benton, Alexis Chapman, Arielle Clark, Isabelle Dutton, Emily Eppard, Abigail Fish, Malya Garland, Emily Hall, Olivia Hurley, Logan Jenkins, Morgan McKnight, Ethan Nelson, Elizabeth Rosson, Katharine Sandlin, Carey Seay, Whitney Shiflett, Brooke Vincze, and Garrison Williams

Thank you to teachers Kristina Dragland and Laura Watkins for spearheading such an event!

Holocaust Museum and Pennies
Congratulations to our students who donated 53,200 pennies to the Holocaust Museum. This ranks as one of the top-10 all-time donations to this museum. Our students' efforts made a difference to the lives of others!

Chorus Competition
The LCMS Choirs performed extremely well on Friday, May 1 at Lafayette High School. Even though the weather was not great, our students had fun at Busch Gardens in the afternoon and were able to ride all of the rides without long waits! Friday's competition was the largest of the season: sixteen groups were present, and the judges for this event were college music professors. Grade 6 chorus received 4^th place with a score of superior, which is the highest ranking. Grade 7 chorus received 4^th place with a score of excellent and were only one point away for a ranking of superior. Grade 8 chorus received 1^st place with a ranking of excellent. Congratulations to our chorus students. A big thanks to our students, parents/guardians for their support, and to Sharon Wills (Chorus teacher) for her leadership and direction of this program!

LCMS Track Team
Congratulations to the boys track and field team who finished the season with an undefeated regular season of 7-0. Congratulations to the girls track and field team who finished the season with an undefeated regular season of 7-0. Also, congratulations to Dahja Price for breaking the school record in the 100 meter hurdles and also to Celia Agee for once again breaking the school record in the pole vault. Thank you to Beth Brown (Social Studies teacher) and Jerry Slaughter (Guidance Counselor) for their great coaching!

Grade 8 Forms – Closing Ceremony and Field Day
Please click here, "Grade 8 Forms 2015," for information about the Grade 8 Closing Ceremony and Grade 8 Field Day.

Middle Years May 2015
Please click here, "Middle Years May 2015," for tips on how to help your child have a fun, creative, and educational summer.

LCMS Health and PE Locker Clean Out – Monday, May 11 to Friday, May 22
The LCMS Health and PE will start cleaning out PE lockers Monday, May 11 to Friday, May 22. Students will not be required to dress out after Monday, May 11, but students will continue to have physical activity. Please encourage your child to wear comfortable and appropriate active wear. Please contact the LCMS Health and PE department if you have extenuating circumstances regarding your child's PE locker.

Criteria for Summer School or being Retained
Below is an explanation of the criteria for a student to attend summer school or to be retained. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or grade level assistant principal at (540) 894-5457. 

Criteria for a student to attend Summer School:
-  If a student fails Math or English

Criteria for a student to be Retained:
-  If a student fails Math and English
-  If a student fails Math or English and Science and Social Studies
-  If a student fails Math, English, Science, and Social Studies

If you feel that your child may need additional assistance, please have him or her stay after school for assistance.

Student Schedule for Monday, May 11 to Wednesday, May 27
From Monday, May 11 to Wednesday, May 27, we are on a 1, 2, 4, 3, 5 schedule. On Thursday, May 28, school ends at 11:00 a.m.

Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.
Friday, May 8: Grade 6 Advanced math students will take the Algebra I Prognosis test.
Friday, May 8: Pot of Gold Dance @ LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cost is $7.00.
Monday, May 11: Algebra I Prognosis Test for Grade 8 students who are not presently enrolled in Algebra I or Geometry

Tuesday, May 12: PTA Board meets in the LCMS Main Office Conference Room at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 13: Algebra I SOL tests
Thursday, May 14: Math 7 SOL tests
Saturday, May 16 - Grade 8 Formal @ LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Monday, May 18: Algebra I Prognosis Test for Grade 7 students who are not presently enrolled in Algebra I
Monday, May 18: Science 8 SOL tests
Tuesday, May 19: All A Banquet at LCMS Cafeteria at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 – LCMS Drama performance @ LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. No school.
Tuesday, May 26: School resumes for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Tuesday, May 26: Washington DC Trip for All Grade 8 students
Wednesday, May 27: Science 7 Field Trip for Grade 7 students
Wednesday, May 27: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony Practice at LCMS Gymnasium in the morning and Grade 8 Field Day @ LCMS Tennis Courts and Practice Fields in the afternoon

Thursday, May 28: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 28: Grade 6 Field Day and Grade 7 Field Day
Thursday, May 28: Last Day of school for students. Students exit the building at 11:00 a.m. No lunch is served.

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

Lisa C. Chen, Ph.D.
Principal

LCMS Principal's Update for April 27-May 1, 2015

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

Thank you for all that you do! As you know, this is a very busy time of the year for all of us, including our students and staff.

Students are presently in the midst of SOL testing, completing final projects, and partaking in field trips. As referenced in Dr. Unruh’s letter on Monday, April 13, if your child qualifies for an expedited retake, then a member of the administrative or guidance team will contact you to see whether or not you would like for your child to participate in the expedited retakes. Participation in the expedited retake is completely voluntary.

If you opt for your child to take this test, your child will be remediated by teachers before taking the expedited retake. Please note that information from the SOL tests is helpful regarding future student placement. Further, as referenced in my Principal Updates, your child may not need to attend summer school if she or he successfully passes the expedited retake.

As students are still in the midst of taking their SOL tests, all final SOL scores and student report cards will be mailed home to parents or guardians at the end of the school 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

Thank you to Morning Announcers – Brice Wilson 
Thank you to Brice Wilson for his contributions to morning announcements. You provided us with important upcoming news in a clear voice and pleasant tone! From Monday, May 4 to Friday, May 8, we will have two new guest speakers, Makayla Jasinski and Emily Phelps. We look forward to their announcements!

Congratulations to Grade 7 and Grade 8 Concert Band 
The LCMS Band and Guitar programs had a most joy-filled day in Williamsburg on Friday, April 24! The Guitar Ensemble received a superior rating and first place in their division. The 7^th/8^th Grade Concert Band received an excellent rating (a point-a-half away from a rating of superior) and second place in their division. The Beginning Band received an excellent rating and first place in their division. There was beautiful weather, fantastic behavior from our students, and all chaperones were fantastic! Thank you for all of your continual support in the Fine and Performing Arts Program at LCMS.

Louisa Education Foundation (LEF) Funds Summer Stem AcademyA big thanks to the Louisa Education Foundation for their support of $920.99 of a grant that was written by Richard Dye and Lisa Chen to support a Summer Stem Academy for students in Grades 6, 7, and 8. We are extremely grateful for the consideration of our grant by Ava Pippin (Director of LEF) and LEF. 

Applications for students who are interested in attending the Summer Stem Academy will be forthcoming. We are excited to have the opportunity for students during the summer to be involved in robot programming, rocket construction, solar car racing, solar hotdog cooking, and a field trip to North Anna Power Plant. Both Richard Dye (Technology instructor) and Sally Agee (Science Department Head) will be running this exciting program for our students. There is an application fee of $5.00. If your child is selected to attend this program, the program and transportation are free. We hope that your child will apply for this summer opportunity!

Technology Student Association (TSA) Students Attend State Conference – Friday, May 1Today, the following students (Kenneth Allison, Walker Bourne, Jacob Burch, Kylee Cormier, Keveanu Duncan,Denise Gray, Abigale Hart, Zachary Heidel, Cameron Knight, Ian Murphy, and Liam Ratcliff) are with Richard Dye at the State Conference. We wish them the best of luck, much learning, and fun!

Summer School Letters and Information about Grade 8 Closing Ceremony and Field Day – Monday, May 4Information about summer school as well as the Grade 8 Closing Ceremony and Grade 8 Field Day will be forthcoming during the week of May 4. Please be sure to ask your son or daughter for this important information. In a nut shell, the Grade 8 Closing Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. This year, 8^th Grade Field Day will be held on Wednesday, May 27 at the LCMS practice fields and tennis courts. Grade 8 students will eat 1^st lunch on this day. We are most grateful for our PTA for hosting this event and helping to sponsor the Grade 8 Closing Ceremony!

Criteria for Summer School or being Retained
Below is an explanation of the criteria for a student to attend summer school or to be retained. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or grade level assistant principal at (540) 894-5457. 

Criteria for a student to attend Summer School:
-  If a student fails Math or English

Criteria for a student to be Retained:
-  If a student fails Math and English
-  If a student fails Math or English and Science and Social Studies
-  If a student fails Math, English, Science, and Social Studies

If you feel that your child may need additional assistance, please have him or her stay after school for assistance.

Student Schedule for Monday, April 27 to Wednesday, May 27
From Monday, April 20 to Wednesday, May 27, we are on a 1, 2, 4, 3, 5 schedule. On Thursday, May 28, school ends at 11:00 a.m.

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

Friday, May 1 - Musical Busch Gardens Competition for LCMS Chorus Students
Tuesday, May 5: Grade 8 Reading SOL tests
Tuesday, May 5: LCMS Parent Advisory Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the LCMS Main Office Conference Room with Dr. Chen

Wednesday, May 6: Grade 6 Math SOL tests
Thursday, May 7: Grade 8 Math SOL tests
Friday, May 8: Grade 6 Advanced math students will take the Algebra I Prognosis test.
Friday, May 8: Pot of Gold Dance @ LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cost is $7.00.
Monday, May 11: Algebra I Prognosis Test for Grade 8 students who are not presently enrolled in Algebra I or Geometry

Tuesday, May 12: PTA Board meets in the LCMS Main Office Conference Room at 7:00 p.m. 
Wednesday, May 13: Algebra I SOL tests
Thursday, May 14: Math 7 SOL tests 
Saturday, May 16 - Grade 8 Formal @ LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Monday, May 18: Algebra I Prognosis Test for Grade 7 students who are not presently enrolled in Algebra I

Monday, May 18: Science 8 SOL tests
Tuesday, May 19: All A Banquet at LCMS Cafeteria at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 – LCMS Drama performance @ LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. No school. 
Tuesday, May 26: School resumes for students. LCMS doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Washington DC Trip for All Grade 8 Students
Wednesday, May 27: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony practice and Grade 8 Field Day @ LCMS Tennis Courts and Practice Fields 

Thursday, May 28: Grade 8 Closing Ceremony from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. , Grade 6 Field Day, and Grade 7 Field Day. Last Day of school for students. Students exit the building at 11:00 a.m. No lunch is served.

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

Lisa C. Chen, Ph.D.
Principal
Louisa County Middle School