Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:
Thank you for spending time with my staff and me at Parent Teacher Conferences on Thursday, January 14. We hope that this opportunity to speak with your child’s teachers were helpful!
Furthermore, we are extremely excited to host Dr. Ken Fan from Cambridge, MA. I would personally like to thank Principal Lee Downey for letting us use the Alan Jackson Auditorium and to Greg Dorazio for helping to set up the technology for these math talks. As a reminder, because students will be walking to the high school with their teachers to listen to these lectures, please remind your child to bring a jacket and/or to wear appropriate clothing to walk over to the high school.
As always, please feel free to contact me at chenlc@lcps.k12.va.us if you have questions, concerns, or anything that you would like to share.
The following are some important updates and announcements.
Announcements
Morning Announcers – Erika Seaberry
Erika Seaberry did an outstanding job with morning announcements! She was clear in her delivery of messages and enunciated each word with great accuracy. Without her help, Morning Announcements would not be as fun, enjoyable, or even as informative. From Tuesday, January 19 to Friday, January 22, we will have two new guest speakers to assist us with the announcements: Robert Sheedy and KeiAhja Shelton.
Battle of the BooksThe Battle of the Book competition was hosted today by Warrenton Middle School. Over forty teams participated in this event. LCMS had two teams in the competition. The Grimm Readers came in 2nd place, and The Pretty Little Readers came in 6th place. Both teams did an outstanding job! Congratulations to Trinity MacDonald, Morgan McKnight, and Amber Thompson of the Grimm Readers as well as to Abbie Alpern, Anne Cahill, Alexis Lagon, Victoria Moore, and Danielle Perry of The Pretty Little Readers. Thank you to Greta Cameron (English 8 teacher), Jennifer Filer (Librarian staff), Conner Waldron (Grade 6 Social Studies teacher), and Laura Watkins (Grade 7 English teacher) for volunteering on Saturday, January 9. A big shout out to Rebecca Baughman (Librarian staff) for your leadership in this club!
LCHS Wrestling On Friday, January 8 and Saturday, January 9, Louisa's County High School wrestling team placed 3rd in their 15-team David Wells Memorial wrestling tournament. In 1976, David Wells was a State Champion for Andrew Lewis High School in Salem, VA, which is now a middle school. In 1993, he started the Louisa Youth Wrestling Club. Louisa’s top 4 leaders in career victories all received their start in this club. In addition to youth wrestling, David Wells was the pack leader for Cub Scout Pack #183 and a coach for Louisa Youth Soccer. In 2003, he became Commissioner of the Charlottesville Wresting Referees Association. David Wells passed away in 2007 at the age of 50. His influence is still felt today in the youth program that he started as well as with the wrestlers and coaches whom he mentored. The Louisa Wrestling Program would not be what it is today without the work and dedication of David Wells. This tournament has been held every year at LCHS but was placed on hold after the earthquake. This was the first year that this tournament was brought back to Louisa. There were teams who competed from all over Virginia. The Louisa Wrestling Program looks forward to hosting many more tournaments in memory of David Wells. A great big thanks to wrestling coaches: Trevor Gallo, Dan Bono, Ty Boyer, and Dan Leale for their vision and dedication to wrestling and to our students!
Congratulations LCMS Team Players – Second Nine WeeksThese 12 students were voted on and chosen by faculty members for their display of fairness, trustworthiness, compassion, and kindness. We are so proud of you! You are leaders in our school! In Grade 6, the team players are: Kourtney Dalton, Troy Fischer, Owen Greslick, and Madison Middlesworth. In Grade 7, the students chosen were: Olivia Chenault, Nate Dwyer, Kenneth Michael Spencer, and Desaray Winston. In Grade 8, the students selected were: Mark Allen Evans, Noah Klotz, Sabrina Lawhorne, and Neisha Ragland.
Grade 7 Students in Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program to The Little Lion – Wednesday, February 3Grade 7 students in the TAG Program will take a field trip to Swift Creek Mill Theatre to see the play, The Little Lion, on Wednesday, February 3. Students will be called out of Period 1 immediately when the bell rings at 7:55 a.m. and will return to school around 2:30 p.m. Set in the Kovno Ghetto in Lithuania during World War II, this powerful story chronicles the struggle of a Jewish family’s survival of the Holocaust and the heroism of Laibale Gillman, a teenaged boy, known as the little lion, who never stopped fighting for freedom. Thank you to Hope Hamblin (Grade 7 Social Studies teacher) for taking our students to such an event!
Information about LCMS Sports and Tryouts On Friday, January 15, there will be a middle school baseball interest meeting for students in Grades 7 and 8, which will take place during the last ten minutes of each lunch shift. Tuesday, February 16 will be the tryout date for Grade 8 students. Wednesday, February 17 will be the tryout dates for Grade 7 students. Thursday, February 18 will be call backs for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students.
Middle school softball dates for tryouts will be from Tuesday, February 16 to Thursday, February 18. Cuts will be made on Friday, February 19. Middle school will have conditioning every Wednesday and Thursday starting on Wednesday, January 20. Wednesday conditioning will be held with Coach Alex Waleski at the middle school field. Thursday conditioning will be held at the high school field as a combination day for both middle school and high school students.
Informational meetings for outdoor track will be held on Thursday, January 21 during the last ten minutes of each lunch shift. Girls will meet in the Forum, while boys will convene in the gym.
For more information about LCMS Sports and Tryouts, please see https://sites.google.com/a/lcps.k12.va.us/lcms-athletics/
Student Attendance and Student Tardies
Beginning in January 2016, LCMS will be sending home letters to those students who have unverified absences of 5, 10 and 15 more days. The purpose of sending home such letters is to bring awareness of the number of missed days that a student may have and the importance of being in school and in class consistently in order to receive vital information and instruction. Within the month of December, LCMS had an average of 40 students coming to school late each morning. When students arrive to school late on a regular basis and/or miss classes on a regular basis, they are missing important information. Thus, as a goal for LCMS, we want all of our students to be present, and participating in the fun and learning at school. My staff and I appreciate your help and support in advance!
After School Help – Tuesday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 20
Student Schedule for Tuesday, January 19 to Friday, January 29Tuesday, January 19 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 (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 4 class.)
On Monday, January 18: Division Holiday. No school for staff and students. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On Tuesday, January 19 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 Dr. Ken Fan visits LCMS. ACE Math begins.
On Wednesday, January 20 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Thursday, January 21 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Friday, January 22 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 Club B or Reading
On Monday, January 25 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Tuesday, January 26 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Wednesday, January 27 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Thursday, January 28 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Friday, January 29 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 Club A or Reading
Updates
Grade 7 Students to Richmond Holocaust Museum – Tuesday, March 8 through Friday, March 11Grade 7 Social Studies teachers will be taking their classes on a field trip to the Richmond Holocaust Museum from Tuesday, March 8 to Friday, March 11. The Social Studies Department will also be running a penny drive in an effort to help the museum collect 6 million pennies - one penny for each Jewish life lost during the Holocaust. Due to the size of the museum, each Social Studies teacher will be taking his or her classes on the following days:
Hope Hamblin will take her classes on Tuesday, March 8.
Beth Brown will take her classes on Wednesday, March 9.
Nell Stover will take her classes on Thursday, March 10.
Ty Boyer and Ed Heisig will take their classes on Friday, March 11.
Beth Brown will take her classes on Wednesday, March 9.
Nell Stover will take her classes on Thursday, March 10.
Ty Boyer and Ed Heisig will take their classes on Friday, March 11.
We look forward to the learning that our students will acquire on this trip! Thank you to the Grade 7 Social Studies Department for taking our students on this field trip!
Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.
Tuesday, January 19: Classes resume for students. School doors open at 7:40 a.m. Dr. Ken Fan visits LCMS. Please remind your child to wear a jacket and/or appropriate clothing as we will be walking to the high school auditorium to listen to Dr. Ken Fan’s math lectures.
Friday, January 22: Club B or reading.
Friday, January 22: LCMS Dance from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the LCMS Cafeteria.
Friday, January 29: Club A or reading.
Friday, February 5: Club B or reading.
Monday, February 8: Interim reports go home with students.
Tuesday, February 9: Grade-Level Spelling Bee @ LCMS Forum
Wednesday, February 10: Science Fair Awards at 6:00 p.m. @ LCMS Forum.
Friday, February 12: Club A or reading.
Friday, February 12 – Saturday, February 13: All District Chorus at Culpeper Middle School
Monday, February 15: Staff Development Day. No school for students.
Tuesday, February 16: Classes resume for students. School door opens at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, February 16: 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.
Wednesday, February 17: English 8 Benchmark (Multiple choice/writing simulation).
Friday, February 19: English 8 Benchmark (Writing prompt/essay simulation).
Friday, February 19: LCMS Dance from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the LCMS Cafeteria.
Monday, February 22: English 6 Benchmark.
Tuesday, February 23: English 7 Benchmark.
Tuesday, February 23: District-wide Spelling Bee.
Thursday, February 25: Social Studies Benchmark.
Friday, February 26: Drama Field Trip to Swift Creek Mill Theatre to see the play, “The Little Lion”
Monday, March 7 – Friday, March 11: LCMS Book Fair
Thursday, March 24: All County Music @ LCHS Auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.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.
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
Principal
Louisa County Middle School
