Principal's Weekly Update for August 3, 2025

Principal's Weekly Update for August 3, 2025
Posted on 08/03/2025
Principal's Weekly Update
LCMS Bobcat Families,

We are excited to welcome our Bobcats back to school on Tuesday, August 12th! While preparing for the first day of school is such an exciting time, it can also be a time when students experience nervousness. Please be assured that we are here to help ease the transition back to school and to a new grade level. For our new sixth grade Bobcats, be assured that all sixth graders are new to the building! Be patient with yourself in finding your way around. Teachers and staff are here to help! You are going to love it at LCMS!

Open House
We are excited to partner with you in the pursuit of excellence in your child’s education!
We look forward to welcoming Bobcats at Open House on Thursday, August 7th from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Parking will be available in the bus lot and the main LCMS parking lot.

Equipment insurance is available for Chromebooks for $20, which can be paid online in the returning student registration or with cash or check in the gym during Open House. We encourage you to purchase equipment insurance, which covers accidental damage at no cost for the first incident and at 50% of the repair cost or replacement, whichever is less, for the second incident of accidental damage. Please note that lost chargers are not covered by the equipment insurance, nor is intentional damage.

It is helpful for students to bring the printed schedule to Open House and to school for the first week or two while they are finding their classrooms. Encourage your child that, of course, if they need help, they just need to ask the nearest adult! We are here to help ensure every student has a positive start to the school year!

Back to School “Paperwork”
The beginning of the year “paperwork” needs to be completed online for all students. Please follow the instructions in the email from PowerSchool Registration to complete the documents before Open House. If you have questions or need assistance, you may call the help desk at 540-894-4373 or email [email protected].

Regular School Hours
We ask for families’ support in helping students meet the basic expectations of being at school and arriving on time every day. Regular school attendance supports a positive school experience!

7:40 - School doors open. Grab-n-go kiosks will be located on each grade level wing for breakfast distribution. Breakfast is available to all students, to be eaten upon arrival in the first period classroom!

(Remember that based on funding provided by the USDA, all LCPS students are eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at school at no charge for each school day of the 2025-2026 school year! No application is needed, and no further action is required. You may put money on your child’s lunch account to purchase items a la carte.)

7:50 - Warning bell
7:55 - Tardy bell, 1st period begins (all students need to be in class, ready to learn!)
3:09 - Dismissal for all students who are not staying for approved after-school activities
5:45 - Activity bus departs (available Monday - Thursday at designated stops for those students who stay for a school-sponsored activity; door-to-door bus stops cannot be accommodated)

To ensure student safety and building security, students may stay after school only if they have prior written permission from parents/guardians and school personnel and only if they are being supervised by school personnel. Students are not permitted to stay after for evening activities, including sporting events, without adult supervision and written parent permission. Students may go to the public library after school with prior written permission from parents/guardians and school personnel. Students who go to the public library may not ride the activity bus.

Change of Address
If your address has changed, please contact the main office to inquire about the “LCPS Change of Address Form” and “LCPS Transportation Registration Form.” You are required to provide proof of residence and a utility bill with your new address. For more information, please call Mrs. Banning at (540) 894-5457, extension 2023.

LCPS Transportation Registration Form
If your address has not changed, but instead, your child’s pick-up/drop-off location for transportation has changed, you will need to contact the main office to inquire about the “LCPS Transportation Registration Form.”  You do not need to come into the main office to fill out this form. This form can be faxed/scanned/emailed to you and then faxed/scanned/emailed back to the school. For more information, please call Mrs. Banning at (540) 894-5457, extension 2023.

School Supplies
Per the standard yearly process at Louisa County Middle School, teachers will provide students with a list of recommended school supplies during Open House and the first week of school. For the start of the school year, students are asked to bring basic school supplies with them, such as loose-leaf paper (college-ruled), spiral notebooks, pencils, and a water bottle.

Additionally, with the use of weapons detectors at our school, we also would like to provide you with a few guidelines that will help guide you as you make purchases in the near future:

- All three-ring binders should be 1.5 inches or less.
- Use plastic water bottles when possible. If you do purchase metal water bottles, please opt for small/medium-sized bottles.
- Avoid purchasing wheeled, rolling backpacks if possible.
- Do not purchase adult-sized scissors. Instead, opt for blunt, small/medium-sized scissors.

It is recommended that students purchase a combination lock to secure their belongings in their physical education locker. Students will be offered a hallway locker with a built-in combination lock during the first full week of school.

Parking
Upon arrival at school, all car riders should be dropped off in the inner circle at the front of LCMS. It is important that parents/guardians pull forward to the inner circle and drop off their children in a timely manner to prevent any traffic congestion in the mornings.
Between the hours of 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm, no vehicles are permitted to park in the main entrance loop. All parents/guardians picking up their children at LCMS during this time period should use the parking spaces in the parking lot adjacent to the bus lot.

Agendas
Students will receive an agenda in their fourth period class on the first day of school. If a student loses their agenda, the replacement cost is $6.00. 

LCMS Athletics/Physical Forms/VHSL Guidelines
The LCMS Athletic Department offers students a variety of sports opportunities. The department has partnered with FinalForms for the 2025-2026 season, which will streamline the athletic forms process and ensure that our student-athletes are eligible and in adherence with the Virginia High School League guidelines. FinalForms allows you to easily complete and sign athletic participation forms for your student(s), submit physicals, receive communication from coaches, be alerted of physical expiration dates, and review your data to verify that it is current and accurate.

All families and students planning to participate in athletics for the upcoming school year must register through the FinalForms platform. Parents/guardians, to begin your registration, proceed to: https://louisacounty-va.finalforms.com/ and follow the prompts to create your account. Once your account is created, you will then be able to create an account for your student and sign your forms.

For more information concerning LCMS Athletics, please access the athletics website under the activities tab of the LCMS website: http://lcms.lcps.k12.va.us.

LCMS PTA
We encourage you to join the LCMS PTA as a supporting member ($10). By paying dues, you are not committing to attending meetings or participating in any way that does not interest you; you are simply showing your support for the work the PTA does at our school! Any adult individual can join the LCMS PTA...mothers, fathers, grandparents and extended family, teachers, school staff, community members, and business leaders! Sign up at https://lcmspta.givebacks.com.

LCMS Parent Advisory Council
The LCMS Parent Advisory Council is an important component of our success, where school-related concerns are communicated to the principal. We work together to define and examine relevant issues within the school environment. The first meeting will occur on September 24th from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the LCMS conference room. Follow-up meetings are scheduled for November 12th, January 21st, and March 4th. If you are interested in serving on the LCMS Parent Advisory Council, please contact Dr. Harper.


Please review our LCMS Back to School Letter that was mailed with schedules for more information for the beginning of the school year.

If you have any questions, or if we can help in any way, please call our office at (540) 894-5457. We are excited to kick off a great school year!

Amanda Harper, Ed.D.
Principal
Louisa County Middle School
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