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

Friday, October 23, 2015

Principal's Update for October 23, 2015

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

I hope to see many of you at the Homecoming Game tonight! Go Lions!

As I have shared with students this week on Morning Announcements, students are allowed to dress up for Halloween on Friday, October 30. However, all school rules apply regarding the dress code. 
Please see pages 7 and 8 in the LCMS Student Handbook. Students should not have face paint, masks, wigs, or hats. Staff members need to be able to recognize their students for safety reasons. If students wish to dress up as football players, then students can put on the black stickers under their eyes, but pads should not be worn with their customs. This is to ensure the safety of our students as many students climb up and down the stairs and travel in hallways together. Additionally, the food protocol still applies on this day, and students should NOT be passing out candy as some students are allergic to certain foods. Attached is also the “LCPS Health Pamphlet 2015,” for additional information about the district food protocol. Should students not abide by the dress code, students will be asked to change to more appropriate attire for school.

A reminder for those students who received membership to National Juniors Honors Society (NJHS), please do not forget to turn in your form to Mary Eden (English teacher) no later than Friday, October 30. If the form is not turned in by Friday, October 30, it will be assumed that the student who has received an invitation to join NJHS has wished to decline membership at this time.

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
Morning Announcers – Ali Downey and Makaila Dunivan
Ali Downey and Makaila Dunivan did an outstanding job with morning announcements. Both students were clear, enunciated each word with great accuracy, and had a nice and pleasant tone in delivering our important announcementsWithout their help, Morning Announcements would not be as fun, enjoyable, or even as informative! From Monday, October 26 to Friday, October 30, we will have two new guest speakers to assist us with the announcements: Rebecca Ferrante and Preston George.

Community Action Team (CAT) Beautifies LCMSOn Wednesday, October 14 after school, several members of the CATs club came together for a school beautification project. The students designed an arrangement of mums for the front garden established in memory of Charles Wilson, a former LCMS student. The CATs members donned their gloves and first weeded the garden, garden path, and areas surrounding the trees planted next to the garden. Then, using shovels and other gardening tools - for the first time for many of them - the CATs members dug holes and planted the mums. They then spread fresh mulch and watered the freshly planted mums. The garden is beautiful, and the CATs members did a wonderful job of working together to design and execute a lovely garden for all to enjoy! Participants included Christina Bellomy, Earica Benton, Grayson Choi, Caiden Davenport, Julianna Gutierrez, Kendall Hyer, Lily Jackson, Lamia Moore, and Ashley Shifflett. Your efforts make a difference!
From Wednesday, November 4 to Tuesday, November 24, the CATs club will be hosting a "Stuff the Turkey" project. We are asking all students and staff to bring in new socks to be donated to the Louisa Santa Council. There will be a "Turkey" in the library, and it is our goal to STUFF the Turkey with socks! All sizes and styles are welcome. Please help the LCMS CATs club Stuff the Turkey. Thank you to Katie Jones (Sp.Ed. teacher) for her direction and leadership in the CATs club!

Student Council Association (SCA) ResultsSeveral weeks ago, all Period 4 classes held classroom elections to select an SCA representative. From the elected pool of representatives, students from each grade level were encouraged to consider running for the offices of President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary. Each grade level has all four positions. For the students who decided to run for an office, the application process was rigorous! First, students completed an application, in which the candidate stated the position he or she was running for, clearly described his or her qualifications for the position, and included a teacher recommendation. Second, students running for office wrote a speech, which was videotaped and shared with the corresponding grade level. In sixth and seventh grades, students watched candidate speeches and voted for their candidates during their Period 4 classes.  

The eighth grade Civics curriculum has a unit on elections, and this SCA election provided an authentic election experience for these students. In eighth grade, students watched the SCA speeches during Civics and Economics classes and reflected on each speech by jotting down notes about the candidate. Grade 8 students voted for their SCA representatives in their Civics and Economics classes. Congratulations to all students who applied and ran, and congratulations to the following students:


6th Grade Officers
Secretary
Treasurer
Vice President
President

Lilliann Jordan
Gunnar Jamerson
Alexis Downey
Xhavier Scott

7th Grade Officers
Secretary
Treasurer
Vice President
President
Isabella Rocha
McKenzie Brooks
Savanah Ray
Earica Benton

8th Grade Officers
Secretary
Treasurer
Vice President
President
Jaelyn Harris
Robyn Leslie
Ethan Cooley
Ken Allison

I look forward to working with these student leaders!

After School Help – Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28

Student Schedule for Monday, October 26 – Friday, November 6Monday, October 26 (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 Monday, October 26 (B):                         1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 ACE Math
On Tuesday, October 27 (A):                         1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 ACE Math
On Wednesday, October 28 (B):                    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 ACE Math
On Thursday, October 29 (A):                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 ACE Math
On Friday, October 30 (B):                            1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 Club B or Reading

On Monday, November 2:                              Staff Development Day. No school for students.
On Tuesday, November 3:                              Election Day. Division Holiday. No school for students and staff.
On Wednesday, November 4 (A):                  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 ACE Math. School doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Thursday, November 5 (B):                            1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, ACE Math
Friday, November 6 (A):                                1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4  Club A or Reading.

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

Friday, October 23: Decision letters for NJHS mailed home to candidates. Club A or reading
Friday, October 23: LCMS Dance and Football Game @ LCMS Cafeteria from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Monday, October 26: ACE Math occurs from Monday, October 26 to Thursday, October 29 during the last period of the day.
Wednesday, October 28: Band and Guitar Trip
Thursday, October 29: Student picture day
Friday, October 30: Club B or reading
Monday, November 2: Staff Development Day. No students come to school. 
Tuesday, November 3: Division Holiday. No students and staff come to school.
Wednesday, November 4: School resumes for staff and students. School doors open at 7:40 a.m. ACE Reading/Writing begins for students on Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5 during Period 6.
Thursday, November 5: NJHS Induction Ceremony @ LCMS Forum at 7:00 p.m. 
Friday, November 6: Chorus and Drama Students Trip. Club A or reading
Monday, November 9: ACE Reading/Writing begins from Monday, November 9 to Thursday, November 12 during Period 6.

Thursday, November 12: Grade 7 and Grade 8 Band and Chorus Concert
Friday, November 13: Club B or reading
Monday, November 16: ACE Math begins from Monday, November 16 to Thursday, November 14 during Period 6. Picture make-up day

Tuesday, November 17: Interim reports go home with students. Dr. Chen meets with the LCMS Parent Advisory Council from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Main Office Conference Room. PTA Board meeting from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Main Office Conference Room.

Thursday, November 19: Picture Make-up day.
Friday, November 20: Club A or reading
Wednesday, November 25: No school for students and staff.
Thursday, November 26: Division Holiday. Happy Thanksgiving. No school for students and staff.
Friday, November 27: Division Holiday. No school for students and staff.
Monday, November 30: Classes resume. School door opens at 7:40 a.m.

Saturday, January 9: Battle of the Books Competition. Snow date is Saturday, January 23. This event will take place at Warrenton Middle School, 244 Waterloo Street, Warrenton, VA Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. The competition begins at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, April 16: Final Battle of the Books Competition will take place at Cedar Lee Middle School, 11138 Marsh Road, Bealeton, VA Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. The competition begins at 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, March 24: All County Music @ LCHS Auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 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
Lisa C. Chen, Ph.D.
Principal
Louisa County Middle School