Dear LCMS Bobcat Family and Friends:
Today is Digital Day, and I would like to thank LCMS Librarian, Rebecca Baughman, who helped to co-teach Meagan Hoy’s English 7 classes. Students reviewed the various types of writing, which included writing to inform, to persuade, and to advertise. Based on various passages, students had to identify what each passage represented and why. Ms. Baughman used the program, Kahoot, to keep track of how many students answered each question with accuracy. This tool has been helpful with providing teachers with immediate student feedback.
Due to the inclement weather and to ensure that interim reports provide you with the best snapshot of your child’s recent grades, interim reports will be issued to all students on Monday, February 22. For the most up-to-date information of your child’s progress, please look on PowerSchool. If you have questions about your child’s progress, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher directly.
If you have questions regarding PowerSchool, please contact Assistant Principal Grade 6, Tom Connolly, at connoltw@lcps.k12.va.us
There is a dance this Friday, February 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Please see the attachment, “Dance Permission Form Valentine 2016,” for more information.
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 – Alyia Watson and Brooke White
Alyia Watson and Brooke White are our morning announcers. Without their help, Morning Announcements would not be as enjoyable or informative. From Monday, February 22 to Friday, February 26, we will have two new guest speakers to assist us with the announcements: Dejhan Winn and Miranda Wood.
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. The District Spelling Bee has the top spellers, grades 3-8, from all of the elementary schools and LCMS. The winner of the bee will move to represent Louisa County in the Regional Spelling Bee in Richmond.
8th grade
1st place - Jacob Robey
2nd place - Troy Knighton
3rd place - Ginny Helmandollar
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
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
1st place - Teena Siribandu
2nd place - Grace Hannah Buck
3rd place - Caiden Davenport
LCMS Cheerleading Team Takes First Place – Saturday, February 13
On Saturday, February 13, the LCMS Cheerleading team took place in an All Star cheerleading competition in Richmond at the Richmond Convention Center. The team had an outstanding performance hitting all stunts, tumbling passes, and were full of energy and spirit throughout the entire routine. The LCMS cheerleading team scored at 79.65 out of a possible 85.00 points and were named the champions of the Jr. High Division. Next week, the LCMS Cheer team will be back in action to close out their season at Culpeper Middle School. This competition includes 5 area middle school teams. The competition is on Thursday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. The doors open for spectators at 6:20 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. Congratulations to Elizabeth Bradford, Mikayla Carpenter, Kamiera Ford, Chassy Groome, Abigail Grove, Abrielle Hall, Olivia Hurley, Ariana Jackson, Savannah Marcum, Kamryn Noel, Hope Powers, Neisha Ragland, Savanah Ray, Alexys Rowe, Riely Smith, Taylor Talley, Rebecca Jayde Tucker, and Harper Whitehead, as well as a big thanks to Coach Sarah Martin for her vision and leadership!
On Saturday, February 13, the LCMS Cheerleading team took place in an All Star cheerleading competition in Richmond at the Richmond Convention Center. The team had an outstanding performance hitting all stunts, tumbling passes, and were full of energy and spirit throughout the entire routine. The LCMS cheerleading team scored at 79.65 out of a possible 85.00 points and were named the champions of the Jr. High Division. Next week, the LCMS Cheer team will be back in action to close out their season at Culpeper Middle School. This competition includes 5 area middle school teams. The competition is on Thursday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. The doors open for spectators at 6:20 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. Congratulations to Elizabeth Bradford, Mikayla Carpenter, Kamiera Ford, Chassy Groome, Abigail Grove, Abrielle Hall, Olivia Hurley, Ariana Jackson, Savannah Marcum, Kamryn Noel, Hope Powers, Neisha Ragland, Savanah Ray, Alexys Rowe, Riely Smith, Taylor Talley, Rebecca Jayde Tucker, and Harper Whitehead, as well as a big thanks to Coach Sarah Martin for her vision and leadership!
Congratulations to LCMS FFA Horse Judging Team – Saturday, February 13On Saturday, February 13, the LCMS FFA Horse Judging Team competed in the Block and Bridle contest at Virginia Tech. Contestants had the opportunity to judge halter classes (horses with a handler) and performance classes (horse and rider) as well as to defend their placing as an oral presentation in the form of “Reasons.” Team A, Team B, and individual contestants placed in the following categories:
Team A - 1st Place Team Overall, 1st Place Team Performance Classes
Savannah Goodwin – 5th place overall and 1st place performance classes
Sophie Karney – 6th place overall and 2nd place performance classes
Taylor Moran
Courtney Toews
Team B
Kaleigh Henry – 8th place halter classes
Kourtney Dalton
Grace Hoosier
Congratulations to all of our students and to FFA Advisory and Agricultural Sciences Educator, Hannah Poole, for her leadership and direction!
Grade 7 Students and Penny Drive
Grade 7 students are currently participating in a penny drive. We will be donating again this year to the Virginia Holocaust Museum in an effort to help the museum raise 6 million pennies. In our second week of the penny drive, I am happy to announce that our students have donated over 43,000 pennies! We will be running the penny drive until Monday, March 7. A special shout out goes to the Grade 7 Social Studies Department for taking the time to count all of these pennies!
LCMS Sports UpdateToday, Wednesday, February 17 are Grade 7 middle school baseball tryouts, which will be held in the Metal Gym directly after school. Eighth-grade tryouts will be on Thursday, February 18. Call backs will be on Monday, February 22 directly after school.
Middle school softball tryouts for Grade 8 students are today, Wednesday, February 17, at the LCHS Annex Gym directly after school. Thursday, February 18 will be seventh grade softball tryouts at the LCHS Annex Gym directly after school. Monday, February 22 will be sixth grade tryouts directly after school. Call backs will be on Tuesday, February 23 directly after school.
For more information about sports, please see https://sites.google.com/a/lcps.k12.va.us/lcms-athletics/
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.
After School Help – Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24
Student Schedule for Monday, February 22 to Friday, March 4Monday, February 22 (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 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 Interim reports go home with students.
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
On Monday, February 29 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1
On Tuesday, March 1 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2
On Wednesday, March 2 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3
On Thursday, March 3 (B): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4
On Friday, March 4 (A): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5
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.
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. Interim reports go home with students.
Tuesday, February 23: English 6 Benchmark.
Tuesday, February 23: LCMS Parent Advisory meets with Dr. Chen at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Office Conference room. District Spelling Bee @ LCMS Forum at 6:30 p.m. LCMS Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24: Grade 8 Gifted and Talented Students to Edgar Allen Poe Museum.
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. Civics 8 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
Principal
Louisa County Middle School
