LCSD Excellence September 2019 LCSD Excellence September 2019

LCSD Excellence! A Publication of Lauderdale County Schools Volume VII Issue II September 2019 LCSD Receives “B” Rating The Lauderdale County School District (LCSD) is continuing to chase excellence. Based on the Mississippi School Accountability model, we were named a “B” school district with considerable growth. This growth ensures the district is moving in the right direction! I would also like to express my gratitude to all who made LCSD Homecoming festivities so remarkable. The positivity, school pride, and teamwork surrounding the traditions of Homecoming nurture the type culture we want in our schools. There are fewer events that bring our communities together than the roar and pageantry of a Homecoming on Friday night. As mentioned in the past, the LCSD is committed to ensuring all students exit our district prepared for college and/or career. Thanks to an ongoing partnership with Meridian Community College, our students are aﬀorded the opportunity to take the ACT and WorkKeys with little to no cost to the student. On October 1st, approximately 597 LCSD students will take the ACT. On October 24th, freshmen will take the TruScore assessment, and sophomores will take the PreACT, each helping us prepare our students for the actual ACT taken in the future. In February, our seniors will take the WorkKeys assessment. Seniors who score Silver or above will earn the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate, a credential that verifies work ready Dr. John-Mark Cain, Superintendent skills acros s industries and occupations. Thus, providing economic value to our area. One of our top priorities is to operate safe and healthy schools. In conjunction with our building maintenance, we must provide awareness for issues that hinder learning. We are extremely excited our LCSD Board of Education has agreed to move forward with an energy eﬃciency and facility upgrade project. This project will positively impact each campus and create a safer and more eﬃcient learning environment. October is set aside to bring awareness to both Dyslexia and Bullying. Dyslexia is a neurological condition that has various impacts on a student’s ability to decode words, spell, read, and comprehend. Our Dyslexia therapists do a great job of supporting our students and our teachers. Furthermore, bullying comes in many forms, and we must make sure we are being proactive on our campuses. I encourage you to incorporate bullying awareness as part of your daily instructional practices and campus expectations. October is also the time to prepare for flu season. It is never too late to teach students about the importance of handwashing. Our maintenance department and custodians will be very proactive in trying to squelch the virus on our campuses. Start disinfecting routines now to ensure your children are healthy and present each day. Being present in October and November is extremely important as attendance plays a huge role in school funding, and we want to be sure we are eligible for every dollar our students deserve. Stay tuned for more information on #challenge39 from your schools! We have a lot of great things happening in our district, and I am honored to serve with you as we provide a quality education for each of our students. Remember, our kids deserve it! Respectfully, Dr. John-Mark Cain, Superintendent Lauderdale County School District If you are receiving this through Peachjar, please visit www.lauderdale.k12.ms.us to view the LCSD Excellence newsletter in its entirety.