It’s hard to believe that we are now in the last nine weeks of the school year. We recently

received some exciting news at Lugoff-Elgin Middle School. LEMS was one of four

Kershaw County Schools to receive a Palmetto Gold Award for overall performance on

PASS scores. This is the second consecutive year we have received this honor. I appreci-

ate the daily dedication of teachers who work tirelessly to ensure that state standards are taught during

instruction. More importantly, I am thankful for their concern for the children they teach and their dedi-

cation to helping them become successful.

PASS testing started last week as 8th graders took the PASS writing test. Teachers are in the process of

analyzing MAP results to develop instructional plans designed to strengthen student weaknesses in

preparation for PASS testing in May. The remaining PASS tests will be administered according to the

schedule below. Please mark these dates on your calendar and make every effort to have your child in

school.

Tuesday, May 8 – English/Language Arts (Reading and Research)

All students in every grade take this test.

Wednesday, May 9 – Math

All students in every grade take this test.

Thursday, May 10 – Science or Social Studies

All students in grade 7 will take the science test. Students in grades 6 and 8 will take either the

science or social studies test.

Friday, May 11 – Social Studies

All students in grade 7 will take the social studies test

Also, students enrolled in English 1 and Algebra 1 will take the End-of-Course Tests in May. These

exams count 20 percent of the students’ final grade. The EOC for English 1 will be May 21st and the

EOC for Algebra 1 will be May 22nd.

Would you like to be a voice for parents and community members at LEMS? If so, the School Improve-

ment Council (SIC) is for you. The purpose of the SIC is "To facilitate meaningful parent and commu-

nity involvement in our state’s public schools by providing resources, tools and strategies to local

School Improvement Councils and other stakeholder groups." Visit the SIC website at http://sic.sc.gov/

Pages/default.aspx for more information. The SIC plays a vital role in the success of LEMS and its suc-

cesses depends on a strong voice for parents, community members, and stakeholders. If you are inter-

ested in serving on the SIC, please contact me by April 13th at karen.bullard@kcsdschools.net so that

your name can be added to the ballot for consideration. All parents will vote on new members for SIC

in May.

With Leopard Pride

Karen Bullard

M A R C H 2 8 T H , 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E I I I I S S U E V I I A W A R D S

Schools to Watch

2006-2007

Palmetto’s Finest

2008-2009

Redesignated

Schools to Watch

2009-2010

Middle Matters

Up Coming Events

March 30—Awards Day

7th —8:00 am

8th—9:00am

6th —10:00am

April 2-6– Spring Break

April 9th– Weather make

up day, if not needed , NO

SCHOOL for students and

staff

April 17– Spring Pictures

April 26– Art Gallery

May 8-16 PASS Testing

P A G E 2

8th Grade Science Fair Results

Behavioral & Social Sciences

1st Place- Mikayla Drost

2nd Place- Elizabeth Carpenter

3rd Place- Blair Cearley

Botany

1st Place- Chloe Morrison

2nd Place- Meagan Huntley

3rd Place- Kinsey Winders

Chemistry

1st Place- McCall Sheorn

2nd Place- Hunter Brown

3rd Place- Katie Watkins

Environmental Sciences

1st Place- Becca Hough

2nd Place- Chase Miller

3rd Place- Tyler Harhart

Medicine & Health

1st Place- MacKenzie Wiseman

2nd Place- Kimberly Rozier

3rd Place- Evan McDonald

Physics

1st Place- Tory Branham

2nd Place- Gunnar Catoe

3rd Place- Christina Arnold

Zoology

1st Place- Sophie Greenwood

2nd Place- Victoria Miles

3rd Place- Minneka Green

Overall Winners

1st Place- MacKenzie Wiseman

2nd Place- McCall Sheorn

3rd Place- Tory Branham

This has been a great year for the LEMS PTO. Our successful fundraisers have

given back nearly $10,000 to LEMS classrooms in supplies, equipment and pro-

grams this school year. In addition, two exciting programs funded by PTO will

―kick off‖ next school year with Rachel’s Challenge (a program that reinforces the

importance of students making good decisions) and a visit from award-winning au-

thor Gordon Korman. It is truly exciting to be an active part of making all this pos-

sible.

Now is the time to think about PTO officers for the 2012-13 school year to keep this

success going. Are you interested in serving as president, vice president, treasurer

or secretary? If so, please let me or LEMS Principal Karen Bullard know by Friday,

April 20. Ballots will be prepared to go home in the May 1 Middle Matters newslet-

ter. If you have questions about the duties for any job, feel free to talk with the cur-

rent officers (President Mary Anne Byrd, Vice President Deana Kelly, Treasurer

Frank Rowell and Secretary Amy Hopper.)

Also, the PTO and SIC will meet jointly on Tuesday, April 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the

Academic Planning Team room. Everyone is invited.

Thanks for your continuing support of the LEMS PTO.

Mary Anne Byrd, maryanne.byrd@kcsdschools.net

LEMS PTO President

PTO

Update

Thanks to the PTO

for sponsoring Mr.

Korman, author of

more than 60 books.

Coming

Oct. 5th, 2012

P A G E 3

From the

Nurse’s

Desk

Know your

Concussion

Facts!

Do you

have any

changes or

updates?

From the Registrar Parents and Legal Guardians it is

extremely important for you to no-

tify the school if you have any

changes or updates to your students’

information. We must be able to

contact you regarding your student.

If you have a change of address at

anytime during the school year, you

MUST let the school know. If the

address we have in our computers

does NOT match the address you

are currently living at, you will be

required to provide 5 proofs of resi-

dency for your new address before

your student will be allowed to reg-

ister for school next year.

Per Kershaw County School

District Policy when you

have a change of address,

you must provide the school

with 5 proofs of residency

for your new address.

Some of these items could

be a valid SC photo id, a

recent tax document, finan-

cial source document, mort-

gage, real estate purchase

contract, rental/lease agree-

ment, recent mail addressed

to the parent/legal guardian

such as current utility bill.

All proofs of residency

must have the parent/legal

guardians name and current

address listed. Please con-

tact our Registrar, Lisa Mat-

thews at 438-3591 ext. 6054

or

melisa.matthews@kcsdscho

ols.net if you have any

questions or need to change

or update your students’

information.

Concussions can have

a more serious effect

on a young, developing

brain and need to be

addressed correctly.

Signs Observed By

Parents:

Student appears dazed

or stunned, is confused

about events, answers

questions slowly, re-

peats questions, can’t

recall events prior to or

after hit, bump, or fall.

Student may have loss

of consciousness (even

briefly), show behavior

or personality changes,

and forget class sched-

ule or assignments. If

one or more symptoms

are present, seek medi-

cal attention right

away!

The Facts: *All con-

cussions are serious.*

Most concussions oc-

cur without loss of

consciousness. * Rec-

ognition and proper

response to concus-

sions when they first

occur can help aid re-

covery and prevent fur-

ther injury, even death.

To learn more impor-

tant follow up informa-

tion on concussion

management, visit:

www.cdc.gov/

Concussion

Annah J. Deal, RN,

BSN, LEM/LES

School Nurse-Please

contact me if you have

questions or concerns

regarding concussions.

Most people associate

the majority of concus-

sions with football,

however students and

parents involved in

contact spring sports

such as soccer, softball,

and baseball need to be

aware of the signs of

concussions as well.

What is a concussion? A concussion is a type

of brain injury that

changes the way the

brain normally works.

A concussion is caused

by a bump, blow, or

jolt to the head. Con-

cussions can also occur

from a blow to the

body that causes the

head and brain to move

rapidly back and forth.

Even what seems to be

a mild bump to the

head can be serious.

M I D D L E M A T T E R S

P A G E 4

Relay for Life News

Clinic Classic Challenge By Gayle Todd

The Clinic Classic Chal-

lenge, a 5K walk/run,

will be held on Saturday,

April 21, 2012 and will

benefit the Community

Medical Clinic of Ker-

shaw County. The

school with the most par-

ticipants will be awarded

$500 thanks to the spon-

sor, McDonald’s.

Students can see Mrs.

Barr or Mrs. Todd for a

form. The cost is $15 per

runner/walker which in-

cludes a free t-shirt. If

we get a team of 6 or

more, the rate is $12.

Mrs. Todd and Mrs. Deal

will walk in the race!

Parents must be present

at the race for students to

participate.

The walk starts at the

Community Medical

Clinic of Kershaw

County at 110-C East

DeKalb Street in Cam-

den, SC (located behind

the United Way Building.

Registration deadline for

team participants is Fri-

day, April 13. We look

forward to walking/

running with you! Stay

healthy!

By Gayle Todd

Club Cure has been busy raising money for Relay For Life. Pennies for a

Cure raised over $1200! Club Cure also sold pizza and drinks at the science

fair to help raise money.

Upcoming Events:

Friday, March 23 – Flip-Flop Day! ($2). We will also have flip-flop

days April 13 and 27.

Month of April – Luminaries will be sold for $10 in memory or in honor

of someone battling cancer. The homeroom that sells the most lumi-

naries will get an ice cream party. Luminary order forms will be sent

home with report cards, or you can print one from the school web-

site.

Friday, April 20 – Hat Day! ($1)

Relay For Life spring t-shirts are on sale now, we will send

order forms home with report cards, or you can print one from

the school website. They are $15, and are cash only please.

Relay For Life will be held at Lugoff-Elgin High School on

May 11th. Please plan to help Club Cure represent LEMS!

M I D D L E M A T T E R S

Media Center Happenings Literacy Qyotes::

Reading Rocks Lounge is open to

all students with no overdue books

or fines. The RRL has a reading

area, XBox Kinnect and board

games.

We are participating in Boxtops

for education and Tyson A+ pro-

grams The homeroom with the

largest average of boxtops/ Tyson

A + labels per student will win a

pizza party or movie party

(teacher’s choice). Competition

runs from January 17th until April

15th.

We just purchased about 85 new

books for the media center with

our last check from Boxtops for

Education.

Thank you for your support!

The single most

important factor

in reading skill is

INDEPENDENT

READING.

— Stephen Krashen

Reading Promo

The Columbia Blowfish

Baseball Club is offering

the opportunity to earn free

tickets to the Blowfish

game on May 31st. During

the month of April students

will be given a log to track

their reading.

1st base (one book read)

2 tickets

2nd base (two books read)

4 tickets

3rd base (three books read)

pregame program

participation.

Homerun (four books)

free hotdog and a Pepsi at

the game.

Attached you will find

your bookmark log. Keep

the log and turn it in at the

ball field on May 31st for

your tickets/prizes. Bring it

to the media center to log

how many books you read.

The mission of

Lugoff-Elgin

Library Media

Center is to as-

sist members of

the learning

community in

becoming effec-

tive users of in-

formation and

to foster the

love of reading.