Louisa County Middle School

Home of the Bobcats

Monday, February 9th will be an A day. We will wear red to kick off the American Heart Challenge, and Black History Month Spirit Week begins as well! The Bobcats Spreading Kindness Club will be selling accessories to go along with the spirit days on Monday and Tuesday mornings! Students can go to the forum when they arrive to snag some great swag -- items will be $1 or $2.

Monday: Marvel/DC Monday
Wear your favorite Marvel/DC character attire in honor of past and present characters (such as Chad Boseman from Black Panther).

Tuesday: Sports Icons Day
Dress as your favorite black athlete, or athlete of your choice, or wear a jersey from a historically significant team.
*Students may purchase a wristband for $1 in the forum upon arrival to wear a hat for the day!

Wednesday: Unity Day
Wear green and gold to show your Bobcat Pride!

Thursday: Throwback Thursday
Take a trip through history by dressing in styles from different eras in Black history, from the Harlem Renaissance to the 1970s, 80s, or 90s Hip Hop fashion!

Friday: Dress for Success/College Day
Dress up in attire related to future career goals, inspired by successful Black professionals in various fields, or wear apparel from your favorite HBCU or other college/university.

LCMS Spreading Kindness Event on Wednesday, February 11th
On Wednesday, February 11th, we are excited to welcome guest speakers, and we will have a Spreading Kindness TEAM TIME event with each grade level. Kindness is the foundation of our positive learning environment at LCMS, and we are looking forward to a special day with our Bobcats!

*We will have an alternate bell schedule on February 11th, which will slightly impact lunch shift times.

Simulated Integrated Reading Writing Assessment for 8th Grade Students
The Standards of Learning (SOL) Reading assessment includes an Integrated Reading Writing (IRW)  test item. Our 8th grade students will be taking a school-based simulated version of the test on Wednesday, February 11th prior to hearing from our guest speakers and enjoying the TEAM TIME event.

Eighth grade students will read a nonfiction passage online that may be about a history or science topic and then answer four to six questions about what they have read. One question is a writing prompt, or a question that asks students to write about what they have read. Students will complete this online in one session.

Looking ahead, 8th grade students will take the IRW SOL test on Wednesday, March 25th.

Family Life Education Letters
Family Life Education letters will be given to students in Health/PE classes this week. The forms should be returned to Health/PE teachers. Family Life lessons will begin the week of March 17th. If you have any questions, please contact your child's Health/PE teacher.

Interim Reports on Friday, February 13th
Interim Reports will come home with students on Friday, February 13th.

The National Civics Bee®: Deadline Extended
Due to the widespread impact of the winter storms, including school closures, postal service delays, and power and internet outages, The National Civics Bee® has implemented a one-time, nationwide extension of the 2026 essay submission deadline! The new deadline is Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Of the responses submitted, 20 students will be selected for the next step of the competition, which will be a live quiz event on April 16th in the Alan Jackson Theatre at Louisa County High School. The top three finalists at the local competition will advance to the state competition, which will be held sometime between May and August 2026. From there, the winner will advance to the National competition in Washington, D.C. This is so exciting!

All LCMS students in grades 6, 7, and 8 who submit an essay will be invited to a pizza party during WIN Block later this month to celebrate the accomplishment of civic engagement!

For more information, students can ask their social studies teacher or visit https://www.louisachamber.org/nationalcivicsbee/ and www.nationalcivicsbee.org.

We encourage all families to support their children in this enriching opportunity. Let's inspire civic participation and pride in our school community!

American Heart Challenge
The LCMS Health/PE Department is kicking off our American Heart Challenge tomorrow! Join now to earn your colorful wristband – Complete Finn’s Mission to learn how to help save a life and earn 8 service hours from the American Heart Association!

Complete the steps to Finn’s Mission and earn your Heart-Hero Socks, and you’ll also be entered for a chance to win 2 Super Bowl tickets to the 2027 Super Bowl!
Check to see if your employer has a matching gift program—it could double your donation! Follow the steps and forward the confirmation to [email protected].

Steps to “Heart Hero” Success!
1. Join our team and download the free AHA Schools app. Students who join the team will immediately earn their first “Thank You” gift, a colorful wristband!

2. Personalize your student’s page – You can upload a photo and add a message about why they are supporting the mission of the American Heart Association.

3. You can make an impact by making a personal donation to kick off your student’s fundraising efforts, and to help them complete the steps to Finn’s Mission to earn their Super Heart Hero SOCKS, and 8 Service Hours from AHA!

4. Ask family and friends to support your efforts – Send emails/texts from the AHA Schools app and copy and paste your fundraising link into social media. Messages are already written for you in the AHA Schools app and in your online American Heart Challenge headquarters.

Through Finn’s Mission, you’ll learn the dangers of smoking/vaping, the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR, and the warning signs of a stroke! After you watch these videos, please use the tools provided to share them with loved ones to help teach them, as well!

American Heart Challenge Introduction
How to Join Our School Team Using the App

Thank you for supporting our team, our school, our community, and children like Finn, here in Virginia! Register Today!


Looking Ahead
Monday, February 16th will be a regular school day. As we practice our emergency procedures throughout the school year, we will have a Lockdown Drill the week of February 16th.

Parent-Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, February 18th
Parent-teacher conferences will take place on Wednesday, February 18th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to stay connected with your child’s teachers about your child’s academic progress. Interim reports will come home with students on Friday, February 13th, and will serve as a good discussion point. Conferences play an important role in fostering collaboration, understanding, and support in your child's educational journey. We are eager to connect with you as we partner to provide the best possible middle school experience!

Random Acts of Kindness Day on Tuesday, February 17th
Tuesday, February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day. We will have Bobcat Pride Time with an Olweus/kindness lesson during WIN Block, and students should wear this year’s LCPS Kindness shirt! We encourage you to discuss with your child how they can engage in random acts of kindness.

English Benchmark Test on Wednesday, February 18th
Bobcats in grades 6, 7, and 8 will take the English benchmark test on Wednesday, February 18th. We will have an alternate bell schedule, which will slightly impact lunch shift times. It is always important for students to bring their fully charged Chromebooks to school, and it will be especially important for the English benchmark test.

PTA Movie Night on Friday, February 20th
The PTA presents Movie Night on Friday, February 20th! They are showing Cool Runnings in honor of the Winter Olympics! Admission is FREE.

Bring the family, pillows, and blankets to watch in the LCMS forum. There will be concessions, including Domino's pizza (by the slice or whole), popcorn, candy, chips, soda, and water. A&K's Sips and Bites LLC will also be selling delicious lemonade! All funds from concessions and a portion of A&K's Sips and Bites will go directly to the PTA.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and there will be a short General PTA meeting at 6:00 p.m. All are welcome; no membership required. The movie kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and concessions will be available until sold out or until 8:00 p.m. (cash or card accepted).

Huge thanks to Air Nerds Cooling and Heating for sponsoring the movie!

Students MUST come with an adult. The PTA is excited to host this awesome event and hopes to see you there!

Future Dances
We will have a “Pot of Gold” dance on Friday, March 6th after school until 5:30 p.m. On Friday, March 27th, we will have a dance from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students as a way of welcoming our future Bobcats!

The 8th Grade Formal will take place for 8th grade Bobcats on Saturday, May 2nd from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. The theme (selected by votes from 8th grade students) is “Neon Glow!”

These are all great opportunities for middle school memories to be made!

We have a great week ahead at LCMS! If you have any questions, or if we can help in any way, please call our office at (540) 894-5457.

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