LMS e-blast
23 September 2021
PTO News
Please join our upcoming PTO meeting, which will be held VIRTUALLY, tonight, Thursday, September 23 at 6 pm via Google Meet. Many updates for the fall will be shared and we hope you can join us. All are welcome!
Google Meet video call link: https://meet.google.com/ncp-mzor-zyk
Important Messages from LMS Administration
Should you need to speak with an administrator, please call Linkhorne Middle School (515-5330) and schedule an appointment. The administrative team is continually committed to being on campus and in classrooms each and every day. Because of this, parents will need to schedule a time so that we can be committed to your visit. Dr. Brian Keesee is the 6th-grade Assistant Principal, Mr. Mike Thompson is the 7th-grade Assistant Principal, and Dr. Kathy Dills is the 8th-grade Principal. Thank you so much for your commitment to Linkhorne Middle School!
LUNCH DELIVERIES
The main office is the hub of our school and is a very busy location. To help limit traffic and minimize distractions in that location we remind you that we will not accept lunch deliveries from outside sources, this includes families dropping off lunches from outside sources. If your child forgets their lunch please remember that this year there is NO cost to students for breakfast OR lunch.
At no time should a student place orders through outside sources (GrubHub, UberEats, etc.) expecting a delivery. This is a safety concern and will be addressed through our discipline matrix.
CAR RIDER INFORMATION
Morning Drop Off
● Families may drop their students at LMS beginning at 7:35 am. Students arriving
after 8:10 am will be counted tardy to their homeroom class. Students must leave
their vehicles with a mask on. Staff will have a mask should the student forget
one.
● Families will need to use the first-row car line only to drop off their students. Do
not drop students off in the second row because students are walking through
parked cars and into traffic without school personnel supervision.
● Students must walk to the sidewalk using the crosswalk nearest the gym where
an adult is supervising. The adult will signal to each car indicating that the
student should exit the car. In an organized manner, the staff member will signal
multiple cars at a time for their students to exit.
● Please have your student and their materials ready to exit the car when the adult
supervisor signals your student to come out of the car. This will assist with
moving the traffic more rapidly.
● Please do not pass other cars in the car line because students are moving in this
area. School personnel will direct cars to exit the parking area.
Afternoon Pick Up
● Bus riders will be released first. Cars will be directed by school personnel where
to line up.
● Please do not check your student out of school early as a way to avoid the car
line. This will impact the academic performance of your student as all teachers
are instructing students up until the time of release. If the student leaves early
this will be counted as unexcused, the student is responsible for any work that
they are missing at the time of release.
● Please do not exit your car and walk to the sidewalk to pick up your student.
Please remain in your car in the car rider lane.
● Please use the first two rows to pick up your student. Do not use the third lane.
This causes difficulty in traffic flow patterns.
● Students will be released from their classes and directed by staff to walk within
the designated crosswalk. Staff will assist students in getting to their cars.
● Please do not pass other cars in the car line because students are moving in this
area. School personnel will direct cars to exit the parking area.
● Staff will direct traffic to ensure that all buses and cars safely exit the parking lot.
Linkhorne Middle School wants our Jaguar Family to know that our top priority is safety.
Although drop-off lines may be long and you may have a wait, please know that this is
to ensure that students are coming to school and leaving under supervision and safety
protocols. We appreciate your cooperation and are excited about this school year!
September is Suicide Awareness Month.
As a result of the pandemic, many of us have been more isolated and without predictable routines and tasks to manage. We are seeing many who are struggling to find their way back to the “way things were”. This can produce a variety of feelings and talking about these things is the first step to making needed adjustments. As you navigate life with your adolescent, keep an eye out for some of these warning signs and be ready to learn more by asking open-ended, non-judgmental questions that let your child know you are there for them and genuinely want to help.
Signs your child may be depressed:
Have they been sad or irritable most of the day, most days in a week for at least two weeks?
Have they lost interest in things that they used to really enjoy?
Have their eating or sleeping habits changed?
Do they have very little energy, very little motivation to do much of anything?
Are they feeling worthless, hopeless about their future, or guilty about things that aren’t their fault?
Have their grades dropped, or are they finding it difficult to concentrate?
Have they had thoughts of suicide? If so it’s crucial you have them evaluated by a mental health professional immediately. If the thoughts are really serious and there is an imminent threat, you will need to take them to an ER.
If you have concerns about your child, you can make an appointment for them to see a therapist/mental health counselor. If your concerns are very serious, you can take your student to the walk-in part of Horizon Behavioral Health (the back/lowest level of their building on Langhorne Road) during business hours for an assessment or evaluation, or use the Centra Lynchburg General Hospital Emergency Department. Monitor your own moods and emotions as well and follow these same procedures if you need help for yourself as well.
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is (800) 273-8255
Lynchburg ED’s number is (434) 200-7387
Horizon Behavioral Health (434) 455-5000
Text START to 741-741
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7
The SPOT Store is Open!
At LMS, we are working hard to punctuate and celebrate positive behaviors using our PBIS Rewards program. Students who are demonstrating the EXPECTED BEHAVIORS from our "How to Spot a Jaguar" Matrix may receive points from staff members. Students began making purchases this week. *Correction to the purchase delivery timeline: Anything ordered by the end of a given day will be delivered to the students through homeroom two days later. (Ex. if an order is placed on Monday, the student will receive the order during homeroom on Wednesday). Take a look at our Matrix below and help your student review these expectations. More information to come.
Interim report cards were sent home last week. If you have questions about your child’s grades or classes, please reach out to the classroom teacher.
First Quarter ends October 7th and Report Cards
will go home on October 15, 2021.
Mrs. Rene James
Counselor for A - J
Mr. MJ Carr
Counselor for K - Z
LMS Athletics
Football will play at Dunbar tonight (9/23) at 5:30. Please park behind the school. There is a parking lot if you're facing the school on the right below the teacher parking lot which is reserved for the volleyball game. You can also park on the street that leads down to the football field.
Football will then play Appomattox next Wednesday 9/29 at 5:30 at Linkhorne.
Volleyball will play Dunbar tonight, Thursday 9/23 at 5:30. For the Dunbar game please park only in the two parking lots up top on the right side and left side of the school.
Volleyball next week on Monday will play LCA at Home at 5:00 PM and then play Appomattox on Tuesday also at 5:00 PM.
Cross Country will travel to Rustburg on Tuesday 9/28 and then the following Tuesday they will travel to Brookville; both meets start at 5:30.
Girls Tennis will play at Dunbar on Monday 9/27 at 5:00 PM.
Kicks for Sticks
Any UnitedHealthcare Community Plan member between the ages 5-18 that receive any of the following vaccinations are eligible for a $50 gift card to Footlocker. The member’s guardian will simply need to call UnitedHealthcare Community Plan member services (the number is on their membership card) once the vaccination is complete. The member will need to show proof in the form of the vaccination card.
DTaP
Tdap
IPV (polio)
HPV
Influenza
Meningococcal
MMR
COVID-19
Varicella
Attendance
Greetings from the attendance office!
My name is Debbie Riley and I’m the attendance coordinator here at LMS.
ARE YOU A SUPER HERO?
H ere
E veryday
R eady to learn &
O n time
Regular school attendance is necessary for success in school. Students are expected to be in school on time unless they are ill or have a family emergency. Missing the bus is not an excuse for absence.
A written note must be sent in within 48 hours of his/her return to school stating the reason and the dates of the absence.
You may use the following email addresses, LMSattendance@lcsedu.net and rileydl@lcsedu.net to leave any messages regarding your child’s absences or you may call Mrs. Riley at 434-515-5330, ext. 32013.
Let’s go Jaguars!!!
My School Bucks for Chromebook Insurance
Insurance is not required but highly recommended. Only $20 vs. the nearly $400 to replace a lost or damaged item.
You will need your student's # to purchase and you will need to pick LMS as the school.
Chromebook Insurance Information
ADP - Additional Damage Protection (Chromebook Insurance)
Families are responsible for the cost of repairs or replacing the device. Families can purchase device insurance to help reduce these potential costs for $20. Insurance may be purchased through MySchoolBucks on the school website or by dropping off a check to the school bookkeeper.
If you choose to purchase the ADP coverage for the Chromebook for $20 a year. This coverage is as follows:
1st incident of accidental damage or loss of Chromebook: No cost. However, if the equipment is lost or stolen, the student and/or parent/guardian must file a police report with the School Resource Officer within 48 hours. The student and/or parent/guardian must immediately report to school personnel any damage to or the loss or malfunctioning of the equipment.
2nd incident of accidental damage or loss of Chromebook: Repair cost or 50% of the replacement, whichever is less
3rd and subsequent incident of accidental damage or loss: 100% of repair or replacement, whichever is less
NOTE: The charger and bag are not covered by the ADP.
The optional insurance will be available beginning August 23 via My School Bucks or direct payment through the school Bookkeeper. Students will have until 5pm, Friday, September 17th to purchase insurance.
Students who purchased insurance on their currently-issued device from last year, are still covered until 5pm, Tuesday August 31st or until they receive a new device, whichever comes first.
Linkhorne Middle School
Website: http://www.lcsedu.net/schools/lms/
Location: 2525 Linkhorne Drive, Lynchburg, VA, USA
Phone: 434-515-5330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LMSJaguars/