LEMS Principal’s Weblog

On the night of May 8th, the LEMS Science Department held a Night of Inquiry for our students and their parents.  This event was an opportunity for our students and parents to  participate in science games and activities based on  the South Carolina Science Standards.  There was an excellent turnout, about 150 people.  I appreciate the efforts of our science staff: Mrs. Paula Costello, Mrs. Pollet Hampton, Mrs. Pam Humphries, Mrs. Brittain Melton, Mrs. Kim Setzer, Mrs. Tracy Elmore, and Ms. Sandy Hall. There is a no finer group of science educators anywhere.  They instill in their students a love for science and constantly go beyond the call of duty. They look for inventive ways to get the information to the students and still hold them accountable for mastering the standards.  This was the third in our series of Core Subject Programs. Earlier this year, we held Family Reading Night, followed by Math Game Night,  and a Night of Inquiry.  On the May 22nd, we will have Social Studies Game Night  which will feature student produced games.  I hope you’ll be able to join us.

Monday May 5th was the Annual Teacher of the Year banquet of Kershaw County Schools. As always, it was sponsored by the Teacher Forum and the district. It was a really well done program and the quality of the teachers and their work is extraordinary. That brings me to my main topic today which is our teacher of the year, Mrs. Anne Lemieux. As many of you know, Mrs. Lemieux is our media specialist. the simple fact that you are reading this is a testament to her on-line acumen. As the webmaster and technology contact for our school. Mrs. Lemieux is directly responsible for our website. She has promoted our blogging, podcasts, voice-threads, and WIKIS. She is constantly doing staff development with our students and staff about technology issues. Yet for all of her prowess with the computer, she embodies the love of reading for all. Mrs. Lemieux has supported our Leopard Readers Reward Program, started a Breakfast Club for our students, and countless other tasks. I was very proud that our school was represented by our Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Anne Lemieux. She is a great teacher and we are fortunate to have her as part of the Mighty Leopard Family!

Today, LEMS was proud to  host a team from SCETV. This crew came to visit our school as part of the TV show In Our Schools. We were chosen to be part of this due to our outstanding test scores and the three consecutive Silver Awards. It is quite an honor to be chosen for this program. Several classes, several students, and programs were highlighted. We are always proud to brag a little about our school. Wefeel that we have a lot to brag about. Before they left, the video crew was very complimentary about our students, parents, programs, and staff. They commented to me that they could see why our students love our school .

Speaking of bragging, this past Friday, we found out that LEMS was named  a U-ACT School of Excellence by the Red Robin Corporation for our efforts in Character Education. A special thanks to Ms. Bonita Hunter and Ms. Sylvia Blackwell (our two outstanding Guidance Counselors) for heading that application up. The award includes a banner, a spirit night at our local Red Robin restaurant in Sandhills, and a check for $10,000. Wow!!! That really rocks. I’m proud of our staff and students.

I would like to talk about the Mighty Leopard Spirit that exists in our school. We always hear that charity begins at home. The students and staff at LEMS are beyond generous when it comes to the charitable spirit. During the past school year, LEMS students and staff raised $5300 for Pennies for Patients, a childhood cancer charity, over $3000 for families at Christmas, over $1300 for the Chris Mitchell Fund for a student with a heart transplant, and over $7000 for Relay for Life . That is over $16000 in charitable contributions back to our community. That is a personal demonstration of our school motto: ” Understanding Hearts and Positive Attitudes make a Great School.” A big thank you to all of our staff who head up these efforts (Beverly Anderson, Debbie Buffington, Tracy Elmore, the Sixth Grade Teams, Lynn Weeks, and everyone I have forgotten). That is giving back!

Today, we were happy to host visitors from Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle School in Aiken County. Principal Russell Gunter brought 5 of his staff members to discuss middle school strategies, techniques, and visit some of our classes. LEMS is always glad to host visitors from others schools. Besides getting to showoff what we believe is the finest middle school in the state, it encourages the sharing of ideas between schools. Often we find ourselves picking up ideas from them as well. We don’t have the corner of the market on great ideas. We are always looking for ways to improve, to tweak our system, to get better. The fact that LBC Middle  chose to visit us is another testament to our teachers, staff, and students.

On another topic, for the past two days our 6th grade science classes have been involved in an “in-school” field trip. It involved our students building motorized cars from legos and racing them.  I would like to include this quote from Tracy Elmore, 6th grade science teacher.

I just wanted to tell you all about the LEGO on-site Field trip. It was absolutely fantastic! The students loved it and had fun while they learned. It covered several of our standards: technological design and energy with motion and forces as well as energy transformations! Anyway, at the end of the day when I was helping the visitors clean up they were talking to me about the student behavior on Monday and Tuesday. They said our students were the best behaved group of students that they worked with. The students worked well in their groups and they really put some thought into their design of their LEGO car. Mr. and Mrs. Powell talked about how they could tell that the students respected the adults in the school and towards visitors in the school. They could tell that LEMS had structure and it was a safe learning environment. They even commented on the 7^th and 8^th grade student’s behavior and how they could walk down the hallway. They added that if their kids were little they would have no problem sending their kids to this school. I think that sends a great message to us that even though we do get frustrated sometimes and think maybe what we are doing isn’t working but in all actuality it really is working. We do have good students and they can perform, maybe we need to take a step back at times and notice the good. I am very guilty of complaining first and getting very frustrated but yesterday really made me take a step back and realize that we do have it good here! J Thank you all for all the hard work and for teaching our students.

Wow, That tells a great deal about the fine job our teachers do everyday!!!

The combined bands of Lugoff-Elgin Middle School performed last night at the LEHS Auditorium. The 6th, 7th, 8th, and Honor Bands all gave outstanding efforts. Our band director, Jessica Carter, does an amazing job instilling in our students a genuine love of music while providing a superior instrumental education. I was very proud of the job of our students did. Not only did each band perform, but at the end of the program all of the bands performed as one unit for a patriotic salute. It was well done. I would like to thank the high school, Mr. Glenn Price, Mr. Craig Corey, Ms. Carter, the LEMS Bands for a great evening.

On Tuesday April 8th, the 8th grade Science teachers, Mrs. Pollet Hampton and Mrs. Pam Humphries, with the help of Mrs. Paula Costello coordinated our annual 8th grade Science Fair. The fair consisted of projects in 10 categories ranging from physics to botany. The projects were completed by our 8th grade students. The judges had a very difficult task judging over 100 projects. I really appreciate the efforts of our volunteer judges. I would also like to thank our ladies for the outstanding job they did with the fair. Mostly,  I want to applaud the efforts of our students. There projects were exceptional. They showed a clear understanding of the scientific process. The projects were detailed and showed great creativity. I would also like to thank the great parent support. I have said it before, students whose parents take an active interest in their child’s education do better in school. Thanks to all and a job well done.

Last night, Mrs. Jacob and Mrs. Costello presented our school renewal plan to our School Improvement Council. This is part of the Kershaw County School District’s 5 year accreditation report. This was formerly known as a SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) report. The SACS is now known as AdvancEd. This organization maintains the accreditation for all schools in our area. In the past, each school had to undergo this process individually. Now, the whole school district participates in this process at the same time. It involves an extensive review process at the district level and the development of renewal plans at the school level. During the fall of 2008, the district will host a visiting review team. This team will analyze the district’s document as well as the individual renewal plans.While the team is here, they will visit many, if not all, of the schools in Kershaw County to meet with teachers, parents, and students. As that time grows near, more details will be forthcoming. Our school renewal plan will be available for review in the front office.  

As you probably know now, although Lugoff-Elgin Middle School was a finalist for the Carolina First’s Palmetto’s Finest competition, we were not chosen as the winner. While understandably disappointed, I have had an opportunity over the evening to reflect on the process. This morning a young lady asked me if we had won. When I told her no, she responded, “at least we tried. You never win if you don’t try.” What a great comment to start my day! As I told our students this morning, whether or not we win the award, our school is the same today as it was yesterday. The same commitment to our students. The same commitment from our faculty. The same commitment to our faculty to use innovative, creative instructional strategies. The same commitment to make personal connections. Lugoff-Elgin Middle School is the Home of the Mighty Leopards.

This past weekend, several staff members at LEMS presented informational sessions at the SCMSA conference in Myrtle Beach. Additionally, our school was recognized as a finalist for the Palmetto’s Finest Award which will be given out tonight. Our staff does a great job of spreading the word about the great educational strategies being used at our school. It is important as professionals that we share what we are doing well, and listen to what others are doing well so we can improve. We haven’t cornered the market on great ideas. That ’s the whole reason for sending staff to conferences such as these. Our staff is always looking for an edge to help our students do better. There is much to be proud of at LEMS.