THE COUNTY LINE
NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS
MARCH 2022: NEWS FROM THE 3RD NINE WEEKS
ABOUT US
The mission of the Lee County School System is to challenge every student to pursue dreams, succeed with integrity, and contribute meaningfully to a diverse society.
LEE COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN
Vision Statement
We envision a school system that promotes a passion for student learning, supports teachers, parents, and the community, and produces engaged and lifelong learners.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Lee County School System is to challenge every student to pursue dreams, succeed with integrity, and contribute meaningfully to a diverse society.
https://sites.google.com/lee.k12.al.us/lcsstrategicplan/home?scrlybrkr=f91a8f17
Website: https://www.lee.k12.al.us/
Location: 2410 Society Hill Road, Opelika, AL 36804, USA
Phone: (334) 705-6000
Twitter: @LeeCoSchools
NEWS FROM LEE COUNTY
Lee County will be hosting summer recovery and enrichment programs for K-12 students during the month of June. Refer to the flow chart listed below for more information regarding promotion requirements for 3rd graders. Please work with your child's school to see if summer recovery and/or enrichment will be of benefit to your child's success.
The Alabama Literacy Law is in effect. Students who are identified as at risk in grades K-3 will be offered support during summer reading recovery programs during the month of June. Please contact your child's teacher if you have questions.
Smiths Station High School is recognized as having two Alabama State Champions in its wrestling division.
South Smiths Station Elementary proudly received seven awards as students participated in the state Beta Club Convention.
Wacoochee Elementary had students who qualified to participate in a regional science competition at Auburn University.
Beauregard Elementary is recognized as a high performing school in Alabama.
Smiths Station High School teachers Jacob Horton and Elizabeth Horton are certified educators with the James Stanfield Transition Curriculum. These teachers are going above and beyond in supporting special education students. Congratulations on their success!
Olympic Gold Medalist Ruthie Bolton proudly celebrated Black History Month with students at Beulah Elementary School. She taught them the value of believing in yourself and setting goals.
NEWS FROM BEAUREGARD
BEAUREGARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Beauregard Elementary School has been named as a Best Elementary School by the U.S. News and World Report. U.S. News and Report analyzed 102,610 Pre-k, elementary, middle and high schools. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school. Visit to learn more: https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/alabama/beauregard-elementary-school-226234
Beauregard Elementary School was recognized by the Alabama Education Lab, Powered by AL.com, as “An Alabama High Flyer School” 1 of 43 elementary schools that have proven to be academically successful despite the odds. “All children can learn, even children facing big challenges, and teachers can make a big difference in children’s lives.” Learn more here: https://www.al.com/news/2021/12/yes-there-are-high-poverty-public-schools-that-operate-at-a-high-level-in-alabama-heres-how-high-flyers-succeed.html
We became 100 days smarter at BGES on Monday, January 24th, 2022. Our school principal, Dr. Lisa Harris, rewarded the faculty and staff with “Fab Fridays in February” to share her appreciation for their hard work, dedication and love for student learning!
The week of February 7th was National School Counseling Week. Faculty, staff and students took the time to recognize all the ways that Mrs. Kirby makes everything, “Better Together.”
We recognized all 12 of the Lee County Sheriff Department’s SRO’s on Tuesday, February 8th - National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. We are grateful for their dedication to our school and all the schools in Lee County.
Mrs. Crance, our librarian, held another amazing book fair, proving once again that “Books Make Us SMARTIE.” We held a Family Night after school on Tuesday, February 15th. Not only could parents and students shop, but they were encouraged to participate in a Make and Take bookmark station and enjoy some sweet treats.
We celebrated Read Across America Week at BGES. This motivational and awareness week calls all children and youth in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. We will highlight the following book characters in creative and inspiring ways.
On April 4th each year, National School Librarian Day recognizes the professionals like BGES’s own, Mrs. Crance, who keeps the school library in working order. School librarians spend long hours keeping the library organized and are dedicated to helping our children find the resources they need to keep learning. Their work is an impressive accomplishment.
Let’s Rock the ACAP! Standardized student testing will be scheduled from April 4th - 22nd.
Paraprofessional Appreciation Day is on Wednesday, April 6th and BGES has some of the best. Paraprofessionals perform a variety of teacher-related jobs and often assist teachers in classrooms. They may work with students on supplemental enrichment activities, either in small groups or one-on-one. They may also help students complete assignments or practice reading. Paraprofessionals often work with students with special education needs and a variety of disabilities.
Each month, teachers are asked to nominate a colleague that demonstrates excellence in going above and beyond for our school. Here are our BGES Teachers and Support Staff of the Month to date.
January: Mrs. Becky Funderburk, 3rd Grade Teacher Tabitha McLaney
BEAUREGARD HIGH SCHOOL
We wish to congratulate Mrs. Whitney Dyess for being selected the 2021- 2022 Beauregard High School Teacher of the Year. In addition to be the school’s TOTY, Mrs. Dyess was selected to as the Lee County Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Dyess is the agriscience teacher and Future Farmers of America (FFA) sponsor at Beauregard High School. This is Mrs. Dyess’ second year as a member of the faculty at BgHS. During her short tenure, Mrs. Dyess’ agriculture program as well as the Future Farmers of America has flourished at local, state, and national levels gaining much deserved recognition and success. Again, congratulations to Mrs. Dyess for receiving this most deserved honor and distinction. She will now compete for the Alabama State Teacher of the Year honor. We wish Mrs. Dyess the best in this endeavor.
Buzz is the word at Beauregard High School for the 2021-2022 school year. We are abuzz with movement because from our perspective movement is the key to improvement. In our quest of meeting our goal of becoming one of the top high schools in the system, county, and state, an ACT prep program for all juniors was implemented during the first semester of this school year. The focus of the program is to foster success and continually build upon it. The ACT Preparatory Program is but one measure we have implemented during this school year in an attempt to bolster student success.
Our ACT prep program was designed to further expound upon the subjects of English, mathematics, reading, and science. A team of dedicated teachers was assigned to the program. During the course of study, students received instruction in each subject area assessed on the ACT. As well, students were afforded numerous opportunities to complete practice tests and exercises designed to specifically prepare them for taking the exam.
When students obtain a score of 18 in English, a score of 22 in both mathematics and reading, and/or a score of 23 in science, they credential in those subjects. Credentialing is an important benchmark for students. An important component of our program was to bring solid ACT preparation to our students during the school day at no cost to them. We feel we succeeded.
It is Springtime at Beauregard High School! As we transition from winter to spring, our spring sports programs and other spring activities are in full swing. Our baseball, softball, soccer, golf, and track programs are all off to successful starts. We will later host our fine arts spring activities and concerts. Many of our activities and events are posted regularly on our website and other social media platforms. We invite you to join us for a game, meet, concert, etc. Go Hornets and make everyday an “A Plus” day!!!
SANFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Congratulations Baku Squad!
SMS Robotics team 10226A came in at 8th place in the State Championship on Saturday, Feb. 19th in Auburn. They competed against 44 other teams. They will compete in the VEX IQ Middle School World Championship May 8-10 in Dallas, Texas. Team members are Maddie P., Kira S. and Weston M.
https://www.roboticseducation.org/vex-robotics-world-championship/
NEWS FROM BEULAH
BEULAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
THE FIRST BES READ-A-THON WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. We appreciate the support of our families.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT FUNDRAISER WILL BE 03/27-04/08
ACAP TESTING APRIL 4-12 FOR GRADES 2-6
BEULAH HIGH SCHOOL
HOSA Competition - Beulah HOSA members attended the HOSA State Leadership Conference February 24-25. Senior Liberty S., Junior Cadence N., and Freshman Taylor M. and Clara B. competed in the Forensic Science teamwork event. Seniors Kailey R., Katie M., and Alyssa D. competed in the banner parade. Lataevia W. placed in the top 6 in the Physical Therapy event.
Dr. Suess's Birthday - Students from Mrs. Harrell's advanced education classes walked across to Beulah Elementary to celebrate Dr. Seuss's Birthday on March 2. Readers and students had a great time!
NEWS FROM LOACHAPOKA
LOACHAPOKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
On February 17th we had the BEST time at our Literacy Night!
Here is a link to our school newsletter: https://www.smore.com/h674m. Here, you will find lots of valuable information about our school.
Our families and staff enjoyed Mathematics Night on March 17. A good meal and good times were had by all as students, parents, and teachers played games and learned math skills. Thank you to our math coaches for making it a wonderful evening.
LOACHAPOKA HIGH SCHOOL
LEAD Day at Auburn University will be held April 6.
May 24th: LHS Graduation @ 6pm
LHS has two students representing us in Birmingham as Bryant-Jordan winners: EJ Flournoy- Bryant Jordan Achievement winner and Kameron Willis- Bryant Jordan Scholar winner. The banquet is Monday, April 11th at the Sheraton Hotel, Downtown Birmingham.
Our tenth and eleventh graders participated in ACT Boot Camp on March 1, 2022. Core teachers and students were able to take a practice test and review the responses with an ACT specialist. This practice gave useful tips and reminders that will help us to improve our scores on the upcoming ACT.
We had four students sign football scholarships: Jermaine Darlington to Avila University, Ka'Leall Durham to McDougle Technical Institute, Nickalus Farrow to Bluefield University, Kameron Willis to Alabama State University.
Braylan Hughley also signed a Music scholarship to Huntingdon College.
LHS Boys and Girls Basketball teams represented us in true Poka fashion this season. Both were Area champions, the boys made it to the Elite 8, and the girls competed in the Final 4.
NEWS FROM SMITHS STATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
EAST SMITHS STATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
February was a month filled with learning and exploring new ideas. Students school wide shared their progress with parents during student led conferences.
Mrs. Jackson and Ms. Williams, in 2nd grade, held a living wax museum. Fifth grade students made biography art. Fourth grade students researched famous people and held a living museum.
SOUTH SMITHS STATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
South Smiths Station Elementary School BETA Club students recently competed at the BETA Convention in Birmingham and brought home 7 awards. We are so proud of our students. * 1st Place Social Studies - Ro'mel B.
* 2nd Place Creative Writing - Mikayla B.
* 3rd Place Language Arts - Mikayla B.
* 3rd Place Three Dimensional Design - Makenna S.
* 3rd Place Sculpture - Mina L.
* 5th Place Science - Hunter H.
* 5th Place Black & White Photography - Samantha C.
Our STEM students studied famous black inventors and engineers in the month of February. They also created Space Capsules and Rocket launchers. Students are learning to collaborate and problem solve as they work real life problems. Our student engagement in science is phenomenal. We are planning an end of the year showcase STEM event May10, 2022.
We celebrated Read Across America and had South Smiths Station High Schoolers come to our school to be guest readers. The students dressed up each day of the week and enjoyed time reading each day for enjoyment.
WACOOCHEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Wacoochee has had a busy 3rd 9 weeks! We had the Spelling Bee in January and Alley K. was our first place winner, Brayden M. placed 2nd and Emily S. got 3rd. All three students are 5th graders. Way to go!! Another January event that was held was our Science Fair. We had many good entries, but first place went to the duo of Katie M. and Carson N. with their project titled "Natural or UV" - They attended the district level competition at Auburn University on March 1.
The 100th day of school was celebrated on January 24th! Many students and teachers dressed up like they were 100 years old. In the library Mrs. Hicks hosted a lunch for all the students who had reached 100 or more AR points. We had eight students who were able to eat lunch in the library and watch a movie!
"Twosday", February 22, 2022 was also celebrated at Wacoochee. Dressing up as twins was fun, and the faculty and staff enjoyed a "taco Twosday" event!
WEST SMITHS STATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
February 4, all West Fourth-grade students held a Literacy Picket Parade. Students dressed as their favorite book characters, made figurative language posters that included the definition, an example, and a drawing of each type.
On February 25, West inducted 42 students into the National Junior Beta Club. The Beta Club’s Mission is to promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. Achievement - recognizing and honoring high academic achievement. Character - preparing young people for life and empowering them to be successful. Leadership - developing the leaders of tomorrow. Service - demonstrating the motto: Let us lead by serving others. (retrieved from https://www.betaclub.org/about)
On March 1, West hosted its annual Night of the Well Rounded Child. Parents were invited to view their student’s Artome framed art and Art in the Dark projects. The Book Fair was open to browse and make purchases. The STEM classroom was available for parents to experience. As well as a Poetry Café, Tongue Twisters, and food trucks.
NEWS FROM SMITHS STATION SECONDARY SCHOOLS
SMITHS STATION JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
There have been several events here at Smiths Station Junior High School during the 3rd nine weeks.
Our Physical Education Department has sponsored several different events to include Heart Health Month in February. The teachers helped students be more aware of the importance of maintaining healthy habits for your heart health. The PE Department also celebrated Black History Month by highlighting Famous Black Female Athletes. Our students had the opportunity to research and learn about these important athletes and the impact they have had on sports in our country. They also celebrated Women's History Month by having our students submit a picture of a woman who has made a difference in their life. The students also wrote about "What Kind of History are You Making?"
We held our annual SSJH Talent Show in February. This event is hosted by our Student Council. We had several students audition and 10 acts were chosen to participate in the Talent Show for our student body. We had singers, drummers, Rubiks cube solvers, magicians, and so much more. We gave 3 top performance awards, but all the students who participated were "winners". Our Student Council hosted The Science Machine. This is a science based entertaining "magic show" that demonstrated to our students the importance of science in our daily lives. The presenter helped our students see that the outcomes of his "magic tricks" was actually science.
We held our Pantherette Dance Team tryouts for the 2022-2023 school year. We are very excited about our new members and wish them a great season next school year.
Our school hosted BETA Club Induction in March. This entire ceremony was student led and they did an excellent job. We inducted over 100 new members into the SSJH BETA Club. Congratulations to the new members.
SMITHS STATION FRESHMAN CENTER
SSFC students had the opportunity to participate in Mock Interview Day where they were able to practice and refine skills needed to one day secure jobs. Students did an awesome job in preparing for their future while working towards professional goals.
PTO hosted a Rising 10th Grade Parent Information Night on March 3rd. Administration from both SSFC and SSHS were present to answer questions. Students who were represented received a PTO Incentive Card!
Next Meeting is April 28th with the Annual Art Show.
Congratulations to our 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year: Mr. Carlos Baron. Mr. Baron teaches Biology.
Congratulations to our MCJROTC cadets on their recent promotions on March 15th.
PBIS issued Pops for Passers to every student who passed all 4 classes on the Quarter 3 Report Cards.
SMITHS STATION HIGH SCHOOL
SSHS Sophomore Vanisha Miles was a finalist for the Columbus Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year. She was one of only 4 finalists for this honor.
SSHS is hosting an ACT Blitz week for juniors the week of March 14th. All juniors will have an opportunity to participate in an all-day ACT prep program. The ACT will be given to all juniors and sophomores on March 29th.
The Panther Spirit Marching Band's Low Brass Ensemble had an outstanding performance at the 2022 Alabama Music Educators Association Conference! The ensemble was 1 of 12 groups from the state of Alabama selected for a lobby performance. Band students auditioned for District Honor Band and All-State Honor Band against other students in our district. In total, SSHS had 3 students who made All-State Honor Band, 4 students who were named All-State Honor Band Alternates, and 21 students who made the District Honor Band.
SSHS National Honor Society members participated in the City of Smiths Station's Annual MLK Clean Up Day. SSHS's JROTC rookie Air Rifle Team is competing in the Orion's National New Shooters Air Rifle League, and has brought home several victories since the start of the 2nd semester.
NEWS FROM LC2
Beth Parkman has visited our campus a few times to help us. The most recent visit was to lead a session on completing the FAFSA application.
The machining course is off to a great start! The students split their time between a classroom environment and using the machines. They have just completed all of the required safety trainings and are now able to begin using the machines.