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

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Principal's Update for February 10, 2016

Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:

A reminder that we will have school on Monday, February 15 to make up for the snow days. February 15 will be a “B” day. To even the number of A and B days in January and February, Tuesday, February 16 will also be another “B” day.

This Friday, February 12, all LCHS and LCMS students are invited to attend the Valentine’s Day Movie Night,Grease, in the LCHS Cafeteria. Admission is free, and concessions will be available for purchase. The movie will play from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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 – Travis Waddy and Caitlynn Wallace
Travis Waddy and Caitlynn Wallace were our morning announcers. Without their help, Morning Announcements would not be as enjoyable or informative. From Monday, February 15 to Friday, February 19, we will have two new guest speakers to assist us with the announcements: Alyia Watson and Brooke White.

Grade-level Spelling Bee FinalistsCongratulations to the LCMS grade-level spelling bee winners! The 1st and 2nd place winners of each grade-level will represent LCMS at the Louisa County Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 23. The 3rd place winner of each grade-level will serve as alternates.

8th grade
1st place - Jacob Robey
2nd place - Troy Knighton
3rd place - Ginny Helmandollar

7th grade
1st place - Emily Eppard
2nd place - Joshua Main
3rd place - Aleigha Chandler

6th grade
1st place - Teena Siribandu
2nd place - Grace Hannah Buck
3rd place - Caiden Davenport

Science Fair Finalists – Wednesday, February 10
Congratulations to the following who are the winners of the Science Fair! The first place winner received a prize of $50.00. The second place winner received a prize of $35.00, and the third place winner received a prize of $25.00. All students who placed and are honorable mentions will move onward to the Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair.

1st Place: Emily Eppard- Sound Proofing - 7thgrade
2nd Place: Connor Schweikart- Effects of Fertilizer on Runoff - 7th grade
3rd Place: Shayla Carter - Reading Rainbow – 8th grade

Honorable Mentions:
Elizabeth Bradford, Alayna Campbell, Emily Hall, Ginny Helmandollar, Trinity Gillison, Olivia Grubbs, Logan Jenkins, Nick Liles, Moriah Moss, McKenzie Profitt, Jillian Smith, Kyler Soriano, and Ryan Wheeler

Hoops for Heart – Week of February 15Information about Hoops for Heart will be sent home from your child’s Health and Physical Education teachers during the week of February 15. The money collected will be due by Friday, March 11. Your student will become a Heart Hero when he takes care of his or her own heart, spreads the message of the American Heart Association, and helps to raise funds for life-saving research. Have your student jump online at www.heart.org/hoops Any student who goes online and helps to get donations for the American Heart Association will be recognized and receive a super pup and ninja star. For questions, please ask your child’s physical education teacher or contact Nick Schreck (Physical Education and Health teacher) at schrecna@lcps.k12.va.us Thank you for supporting the American Heart Association!
Assistant Principals Tom Connolly, Robbie Garnes, and Joel Rupert – Conversations with Students
During the month of February, Assistant Principals, Tom Connolly, Robbie Garnes, and Joel Rupert, will be meeting with students on a one-to-one basis who have received a “F” during Semester I and a “D” or below for this interim to see what they can do to assist our students in bringing up their grades. We want all of our students to reach their academic potentials while at LCMS and to be prepared for the high school and beyond. We will have discussions with students about what they believe the issues are. From there, we will see how we can assist them in making more effective academic progress and what that will entail. Please also speak to your child if he or she is not making the academic progress that he or she is capable of. We also recommend reaching out to the individual teacher(s). Thank you for your support in this important endeavor!

C.R.A.V.E. C. R. A. V. E. (Creating Responsibility And Valuing Education) is scheduled for Friday, March 18 to Saturday, March 19.  Students will be dropped off at LCMS at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, March 18 and will be picked up by a parent or guardian at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 19. This overnight, lock-in event is to honor students who have not had any failing grades and who have not received any out-of-school suspensions this year. Events will include games, an improv hour, movies, time to play various sports, and breakfast on Saturday morning. In order to be eligible for this event, students should complete an essay assignment. Forms can be found in the Main Office. Student responses are due back to the Main Office by Friday, February 26. We hope to see many of our students for this fun-filled night of events, movies, games, and food! Please see the attachment, “CRAVE Essay March 18,” for more information.

Barter Theater Group – Friday, February 26
Students in Talented and Gifted Program and some English classes will have the opportunity to see the Barter Theater Group perform A Wrinkle in Time on Friday, February 26 at the Alan Jackson Theater in LCHS. After the performance, a question and answer session will be held by the actors of this company. This is a great treat for our students! Thank you to Assistant Superintendent, LuAnne Unruh, and Public Information Specialist, Greg Dorazio, for providing our students with this opportunity!

Middle Years – February 2016
In this month’s excerpt, parents can receive tips on how best to motivate their child. Please see the attachment, “February Middle Years 2016,” for more information.

Parent Resource Center Newsletter – February 2016
For more information about supports and resources available for families of children with disabilities, please see the attachment, “PRC – February 2016.

After School Help – Tuesday, February 16 and Wednesday, February 17

Student Schedule for Monday, February 15 to Friday, February 26Monday, February 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 Monday, February 15 (B):                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 Interims go out.
On Tuesday, February 16 (B):                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2
On Wednesday, February 17 (A):                  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3
On Thursday, February 18 (B):                      1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Friday, February 19 (A):                          1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5

On Monday, February 22 (B):                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1
On Tuesday, February 23 (A):                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2
On Wednesday, February 24 (B):                   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3
On Thursday, February 25 (A):                      1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Friday, February 26 (B):                           1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5

Updates

Captain Howard L. Baugh Visits LCMS – Tuesday, March 15
All students will have the opportunity to hear our guest speaker Captain Howard L. Baugh talk about his experiences in the Air Force and about his work as President of the Tuskegee Chapter in Petersburg, VA. Captain Baugh’s father was one of the original Tuskegee Airman. We are excited that our students will have the opportunity to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen and about his work as pilot. For more information about the Tuskegee Airmen, please see https://www.hbc-tai.org/

Students in Grades 6 and 7 will walk over with their teachers to the LCHS Auditorium to listen to our guest speaker from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Grade 8 students will walk over with their teachers to listen to our guest speaker from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students should wear appropriate clothing to walk over in case it may be cold or rainy on that day. I am so grateful for this opportunity for our students. Thank you to Assistant Superintendent, Doug Straley, for making this possible for us!

LCHS Counselors to LCMS – Week of April 11
On Monday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 12, LCHS counselors will visit the Grade 8 classrooms to provide our students with introductory classroom lessons on high school scheduling. The high school counselors will then return to LCMS to sit down with each Grade 8 students individually to schedule their courses for the upcoming school year. This will occur from Wednesday, April 13 to Friday, April 15. The transition night to LCHS, in which Grade 8 students are invited to LCHS with their parents for an information night, is Wednesday, April 13. For questions, please contact Sarah Porter (Guidance Counselor for Grade 8) at portersa@lcps.k12.va.us

Reality Store for Grade 8 Students – Friday, April 22
All Grade 8 students will be involved with budgeting lessons during the week of April 4 with the Virginia Credit Union. Students will then have the opportunity to participate in Reality Store on Friday, April 22. Students will learn how to plan financially beyond high school as they visit different booths that are set up in the gymnasium. Students will learn what it takes to financially support themselves based on their level of education, job choice, income, and other additional costs, such as housing, food, and other expenses. This is a wonderful simulation for students to experience as well as to learn what it means to become financially independent.

Important Upcoming Dates – Added information and dates are marked in purple.*Please note that the week students return to school, they will be taking benchmark tests.
Wednesday, February 10: Science Fair Awards at 6:00 p.m. @ LCMS Forum.
Friday, February 12: Club A or reading. Interim ends for 3MP.
Friday, February 12 – Saturday, February 13: All District Chorus at Culpepper Middle School
Monday, February 15: This is a B Day. There is school for students. Interim reports go home with students.

Tuesday, February 16: This is another B Day. 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 7 Benchmark.
Tuesday, February 23: District Spelling Bee @ LCMS Forum at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24: Grade 8 Gifted and Talented Students to Edgar Allen Poe Museum.

Tuesday, February 23: English 6 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”

Tuesday, March 1: Math 8 Benchmark.
Wednesday, March 2: Math 7 Benchmark.
Thursday, March 3: Math 6 Benchmark.
Monday, March 7: Science Benchmark.
Monday, March 7 – Friday, March 11: LCMS Book Fair
Friday, March 11:  End of 3rd Marking Period.
Friday, March 11: LCMS Pot of Gold Dance from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the LCMS Cafeteria.

Monday, March 14: Teacher Workday. Students are not in school.
Tuesday, March 15: Classes resume for students. School doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Tuesday, March 15: Captain Howard L. Baugh visits LCMS.

Tuesday, March 15: 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.

Friday, March 18: Report cards go home. Club B or reading.

Friday, March 18-Saturday, March 19: C.R.A.V.E. for students. Students are dropped off at LCMS on Friday, March 18 at 9:00 p.m. Parents pick up students on Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 19.

Monday, March 21: Grade 8 Standards of Learning Writing Test.
Wednesday, March 23: Grade 8 Standards of Learning Writing Test.
Thursday, March 24: All County Music @ LCHS Auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Monday, March 28-Friday, April 1: Spring Recess for students.

Monday, April 4: Classes resume for students. School doors open at 7:40 a.m.
Monday, April 11 – Friday, April 11: LCHS Counselors visit with Grade 8 students for high school scheduling.

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.

Friday, April 22: Reality Store for Grade 8 students.

Saturday, May 21: Grade 8 Formal at LCMS Cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 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