Congratulations to our Future Chef!

Congratulations to Lyra Byrd, a 4th grader in Mrs. Toda's class, for being chosen as a finalist in our 4th Annual Future Chefs Culinary Competition.  She will be judged at the district competition held at Pontiac Elementary on March 4th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.  The grand prize winner's recipe will be entered into a national competition.  Way to go, Lyra!

Congratulations to Tawana Chigoba

Congratulations to Tawana Chigoba, a second grader in Mrs. Branham's class at Lake Carolina, for being one of the top readers in the state in the Read with the Gamecocks-
Part 3 Reading Program. Tawana was recognized at half-time at the Gamecock Women's basketball game against Florida on February 23.

School Improvement Council Elections for 2014-15

Nominations are now open for those who wish to serve on the SIC for Lake Carolina during the 2014-2015 school year. Next year, we plan to have two School Improvement Councils: one for the Upper campus and one for the Lower campus.  The SIC serves as a liaison between the school and community by collecting and disseminating information regarding school improvement.  If you are interested in serving on either of our LCE SIC's next year, please see the following link with important upcoming dates to keep in mind.

SIC Due Dates & Specifics for 2014-15

LCE Talent Show

You are invited to our 11th Annual LCE Talent Show on Monday, March 3rd (Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades) and Tuesday, March 4th (4th and 5th grades).  Both shows begin at 6:30 pm in the Multi-Purpose Room.  Participants report to room 219 at 6:00 pm.  Cost is $1 per person for everyone 5 yrs. and older (including participants).  All proceeds go to our Music and Art Departments.

Sandhills Classic Soccer Tournament

Blythewood HS and Ridge View HS Boys' Soccer teams are co-hosting the Sandhills Classic Soccer Tournament this weekend, Feb 28-March 2.  Coach Wittig would love to see some little gators at the games!  Admission free for children 5 and under.  The cost is $1 for ages 6-18 and $5 for ages 19 + per game.

Blythewood's 1st round schedule @ BHS:

Friday Feb 28 @ 4:30 vs. Richland Northeast HS

Saturday Mar 1 @ 10:45 vs. Ashley Ridge HS

Saturday Mar 1 @ 4:45 vs. South Aiken HS                                        

                                                                                                                  

Ridge View's 1st round schedule @ RVHS:

Friday Feb 28 @ 4:30 vs. Dreher HS

Saturday Mar 1 @ 10:45 vs. Stratford Academy

Saturday Mar 1 @ 4:45 vs. Fort Mill

To see the complete game schedule, go to the following link and click on Boys Soccer:

http://blythewoodathletics.org/

Mandatory Talent Show Dress Rehearsal March 2nd

Attention all Talent Show Participants:  There is a Mandatory Dress Rehearsal this Sunday in our Multi-purpose room.  Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades will rehearse from 2:00 until 3:30 pm.  4th and 5th grades will rehearse from 3:30 until 5:00 pm.

All are invited to attend the LCE Talent Shows
on March 3rd (K-3rd) and March 4th (4th-5th).

Non-Uniform Dress Day

Reminder that this Friday, February 28th, is a Non-Uniform Dress Day for students.

Donuts for Dads!

Dads, you are invited to join your student(s) for Donuts for Dads in our cafeteria from 7:30 to 8:15 am this Thursday, Feb. 27th (for CD-2nd grades) or on Friday, Feb. 28th (for 3rd-5th grades).  If you have students in both categories, you may choose to attend on the day that is most convenient for you.  Look forward to seeing you soon!  

2nd Quarter Honor Roll in The State

The State newspaper has published the 2nd quarter honor roll listing of Richland Two students. Schools are listed in alphabetical order. See Online Listing

Book Fair Next Week!

Our Book Fair begins tonight (4-6:00 pm), and it will continue all next week.  Book Fair hours next week are 7:30 am until 4:00 pm.  See you there!

USC Engineering Open House

The USC College of Engineering and Computing is having an Open House geared toward kindergarten through 12^th grade students on Saturday, February 22nd from 10 am to 1:00 pm at the Swearingen Engineering Center at 315 Main Street on the USC campus. The free event will feature dozens of interactive exhibits that highlight programs and research including:

• A helicopter landing
• Fuel cell demonstrations   
• Electric and hybrid vehicles
                            
• A concrete canoe
• A cornstarch pool
• Robots
• Computer Games
• Segway Rides
• Lab tours
• Visit from Cocky

For a full list of activities, visit www.cec.sc.edu/eweek 

Date Night Fundraising Opportunity

In an effort to earn money for special class projects, Mr. Thompson's 4th grade class is hosting a great opportunity for Lake Carolina Elementary students and their families. On Friday, February 28th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, his class is offering "Date Night" at Lake Carolina.  This means you can drop off any K-5 student who is currently enrolled at Lake Carolina and they will take care of them so parents can have an evening on their own.  They have many exciting activities planned and will also provide a pizza dinner for an extra $5 fee per child.  The cost of this evening is $10 per child with a max of $20 per family.  If you are interested, please email Mr. Thompson at tathompson@richland2.org. He will send you all the information you will need to guarantee a spot for your child. 

UPDATE: Reading with the Gamecocks

The game tickets for Reading with the Gamecocks will be this Sunday, February 23 at 1:00. Please note that this is a time change from the originally scheduled 3:00 tip off. 

Students and parents that are attending the game are encouraged to wear pink to support Coach Nikki McCray and the search for a cure for breast cancer or wear their Lake Carolina Reading Counts t-shirt.

Congratulations to Tawana Chigoba, a second grader in Mrs. Branham's class at Lake Carolina, for being one of the top readers in the state. He will be recognized at half-time.  Also, Mrs. Rodriguez's 5th graders were the class with the 2nd highest number of pages read in the state and Mrs. Branham's 2nd graders were 9th highest. Great job Gators!

Extended Due Date for Snowman Box Tops Sheets

We've had a great response to our snowball throwing Box Tops contest, and we want to continue the fun! With the snow days, we've gotten a little behind with getting the Box Tops Collection Sheets counted and snowballs posted, so we've decided to extend the contest through the end of February.

CLASS PARENTS: If you have collection sheets or loose Box Tops for your class, please submit those in the Box Tops mailbox in the school lobby. You can turn them in throughout the contest. There's no need to bundle them, as the collection sheets make counting easier.

PTO Board Applications Due MONDAY!

The PTO for LCE Lower and LCE Upper (one PTO for both campuses) is in need of many parent volunteers to serve on the 2014-2015 PTO Board. Because we are embarking on the new adventure of having 2 campuses, we are hoping to fill each position with multiple volunteers.

Contact: Susie Watts 
PTO President 
susieQwatts@gmail.com or 

803-767-2303

Applications are due February 24th to the Main Office.

Job descriptions of PTO Board      PTO Board application

3rd Quarter Interims

Interims for the 3rd Nine Week grading period will be sent home on Monday, February 24.

Bingo Night Forms and Chick-Fil-A Money Due Thursday

We are getting excited about our upcoming LCE Family Night this Friday, February 21st! This special night includes Bingo games, Scholastic Book Fair, and Chick Fil-A. Please see Dinner Order Form for all details. Due to the weather, we will accept order forms & money through Thursday, 2/20.  Please make checks out to LCE PTO. 

Sittercity for Military Families

The Sittercity Military Program is funded by the Department of Defense for Army, Marine, Navy, and Air Force families, including Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, and surviving spouses. To activate your fully paid membership, visit www.sittercity.com/DoD. Families can use their memberships to find local childcare, senior care, and special needs care providers. The membership also provides access to references and reviews and the ability to run unlimited background checks.

More Information

Class and Club Picture Day

Reminder that class and club pictures will be tomorrow, Thursday, February 20. 

Students in clubs with t-shirts should also bring the shirt to wear for pictures.

No School-Thursday, February 13

Due to icy conditions and with the safety of our students, parents and employees in mind, Richland School District Two schools and administrative operations will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 13, 2014. This cancelation includes any athletic and school or district-related meetings and activities.

District officials will continue to monitor weather conditions with the assistance of Richland County Emergency Preparedness. The district will keep parents, students and staff informed by using the district’s Blackboard Connect system to call with emergency and other messages.

Parents can also get information about school cancellations and delays by checking the Richland Two website at www.richland2.org, watching R2TV (the district's cable access channel on Time Warner) and staying tuned to local media reports for updates.

No School-Wednesday, February 12

Based on winter weather reports that are  snow and icy conditions and with the safety of our students, parents and employees in mind, Richland School District Two schools and administrative operations will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, 2014.

Please check the Richland Two web site for any updates and information. www.richland2.org

Parent to Parent Seminar for Military Families

See Event Flyer

This is a free community event for military families on Tuesday, March 25 from 6:30-8:00PM at Sandlapper Elementary.

For more information contact:

Dr. Keisha McCoy Wilson or Ms. Ann Gordon, Army School Liaison Officers at usarmy.jackson.imcom-fmwrc.mbx.schoolliaison@mail.mil or (803) 751-6150

Weather Updates - Early Dismissal at 12:10

Due to inclement weather, and with the safety of our students, parents and employees in mind, Richland Two schools will dismiss early today, February 11, 2014. All afterschool athletic, extracurricular and other activities and clubs are canceled. This includes afterschool child care programs and the Boys and Girls Club programs.

District officials will continue to monitor weather conditions with the assistance of Richland County Emergency Preparedness.

Middle schools will dismiss at 11:30 a.m. 

Elementary schools at 12:10 p.m. 

High schools at 12:50 p.m.

Please consult the district website at www.richland2.org for any additional updates.

Honor Roll-2nd Quarter

See Honor Roll listing for the 2nd quarter of 2013-14 school year.

Job Shadowing Day

Students from Richland 2 middle schools came to job shadow different staff members on Friday, February 7. 

Box Tops Due February 12th

Please turn in all snowman collection sheets to the Box Tops mailbox beside the Lake Carolina Kiosk or your child's teacher by Feb. 12th.  

Chick fil-A Teams Up with LCE

Chick-fil-A biscuits are available for purchase Monday mornings from 7:30 to 8:00 am in the car rider drop off lines on both the Lake Carolina and Kelly Mill sides.  

Biscuits cost $2.50 each.  Half of the proceeds go directly back to the school.  Thanks for your support!

Free Tax Assistance

The Benefits Bank of SC is an organization that helps families with health care, provides food assistance, aids Veterans, and more.  The Benefits Bank is now offering to help qualifying families file their taxes for FREE! If you are a single income family making less than $65,000 per year or a joint income family making less than $95,000 per year, you may qualify for FREE tax assistance.  

For more details, go to tbbsc.org or email school social worker, Becky Inman at binman@richland2.org or contact at Kelly Mill Middle School (691-7210  extension 3030). 

Friday, February 21: Family Bingo Night and Book Fair

• Book Fair 4:00-6:00 pm 
• Dinner 5:00-6:00 pm 
• Bingo 6:00-7:00 pm

Bingo Cards:

1 card for $3.00 or 2 cards for $ 5.00

Pay for Bingo Tickets at the Door

Pre-Order Dinner:

Provided by Chick Fil-A of Camden

**Dinner Order Forms & Money Due by Friday, 2/14.**

Wear Red Friday

Since we are celebrating heart healthy living in February, we are inviting students and staff to wear red to school this Friday, February 7th.  In addition, classes are discussing heart health and displaying tips in the health room to remind us all of the little things we can do each day that can make a big difference.  

Rescheduled Class and Club Picture Day

Class and Club Picture Day rescheduled for Thursday, February 20. 

Please return order forms with payment to your child's teacher.

The Real D.W. Visits LCE

More Pictures

Kim Brown, sister of Marc Brown, who writes the Arthur and D.W. books, came to Lake Carolina to share her experiences and expertise. Students also learned about Marc Brown's life,  his writing and illustration process, the D.W. character in his books, and how to draw Arthur. 

Young Artist Workshop at USC

The USC Art Department is pleased to announce another semester of the Young Artist's Workshop.

The following classes will be offered this semester:

Ages 6-7: Drawing, Painting & More

Ages 8-9: Drawing, Painting & More

Ages 10-12: Drawing, Painting & Printmaking

Ages 13-17: Drawing, Painting & Mixed Media

YAW Spring 2014 Flyer and Application

101st Day of School in 2nd Grade

Second grade celebrated the 101st day of school with 101 dalmatians on February 5. This special day was filled with classroom activities centered on one hundred and one. See pictures of this fun day of learning for students and teachers!

Tumbletree Day Camps Offered For School Holidays

If you are interested in day camps offered at The Factory on February 17th and 18th, please see details below:

Boys: Sports

Girls: Cheer/Dance/Tumble

Register online at www.thetumbletree.com 

·       $40 for one full day and $30 for the second day if you register before Feb. 10^th

·       $50 for one full day and $40 for the second day if you register after Feb. 10^th

·       $30 for one half day or $50 for two half days (7:30-12:30 or 12:30-5:30)

A cancellation fee will be charged if you cancel after February 14th.  

   

For any questions, please contact tumbletreebilling@gmail.com or 

(803) 394-0064.

PTO Board Applications for 2014-15 Due MONDAY

The PTO for LCE Lower and LCE Upper (one PTO for both campuses) is in need of many parent volunteers to serve on the 2014-2015 PTO Board. Because we are embarking on the new adventure of having 2 campuses, we are hoping to fill each position with multiple volunteers to better serve both campuses. Additionally, we would like to make some changes to our events and methods, so fresh ideas and perspectives are very welcomed.

Contact Susie Watts, LCE PTO President, with any questions at susieQwatts@gmail.com or 

803-767-2303.

Applications are due on Monday, February 24 to the Main Office.

Looking forward to serving with you in 2014-15!

Job descriptions of PTO Board

PTO Board application

100th Day of School

See more pictures

Engineering for Kids Classes

More information

New classes are beginning for Jr. Lego & Lego® Robotics Club in February. Students learn to design, program and control fully-functional robotic models. They use software to plan, test and modify sequences of instructions for a variety of life-like robotic behaviors.