Got your walking shoes???

What: RELAY FOR LIFE

When: Friday, May 14th 7pm-10pm (A parent may stay longer with his/her child, but Langston’s responsibility for the event will end at 10pm)

Where: JL Mann High School Track

Why: To raise money for the American Cancer Association

Community Service Hours:

• Students

1.  Stars- 1 hour for every 3 stars you make and turn in to your leadership teacher by Friday, May 14th.

Stars need to be made out of posterboard (any color), at least 6 ‘’ in size,

Decorate the star in memory of, or, in honor of, someone you know that has had or has cancer

OR a slogan that promotes curing cancer, supporting cancer research…

Decorate with colored markers, glitter, stickers, use your imagination

We need LOTS of stars to decorate our tent!

2. 1 Hour of community service for each hour you stay at Relay for Life

3. 1 Hour for donating a snack or 6 pack of water

Last names beginning with:

A- M- bring a snack to share

N- Z- bring a 6 pack of water to share

• Parents

1. 1 Hour per 2 cans of colored hair spray paint donated for the assemble Friday afternoon, May 14^th

2. 1 Hour of community service for each hour you stay and chaperone at Relay for Life

Relay for Life Assembly: Friday, May 14^th, 12:30-1:30

• Boys-Shave your head and raise $100.00, Mrs. Lisa Stevens will match your $100 donation. Money must be turned in by Monday, May 10^th
• Girls- Donate your hair to Locks of Love and raise $100.00, Mrs. Lisa Stevens will match your $100 donation. Money must be turned in by Monday, May 10^th
• Spray Paint your hair- permission slip and $5.00 must be turned in by Thursday, May 13^th to your leadership teacher

Sign Up Sheet to Walk:

• Leadership teachers will have a sign-up sheet with times
• Sign up under the times you want to walk the track at Relay for Life
• Our team needs to have someone walking the entire time we are there
• We will bring the sign-up sheets with us the night of the event

Clean Up Day at the Dicey Langston Cemetery is Saturday, May 8 at 8am. We will blow leaves, clean up the area, and plant flowers. The address is 213 Bridwell Way, Travelers Rest, SC. Please contact Johnnie H. Beasley Jr. “JB,”  5^th great grandson of Dicey Langston, if you have any questions. goodoljb74@aol.com (864) 271-9253

Bring your gardening tools: gloves, wheel barrow, shovels, rakes, leaf blower.

Directions:

Take US 25 North, past Furman,  1 mile past fork of US 25 and Main Street, to TR.  Stay right on US 25, turn right at Spinx Station (Tigerville Road).  Go about one mile,  turn right on Enoree Road, go about 3/10 mile and take the first right (Bridwell Way) There will be a  horse farm on right and the cemetery is located in the back

Information is POWER!

Meet the Candidates for US Congress on Monday night, May 3 at LCMS… The 1 democrat and 5 republican candidates are now ALL CONFIRMED!  This is a rare opportunity to compare each candidate side by side.  Doors open at 6:30pm and the program begins at 7:00pm.  Following the speeches, you can meet each candidate and personally ask each your questions. Langston students have been working hard to make this an informative and family friendly event.  Plus, it’s FREE!  Students who attend with an adult will earn community service. Let’s show our next congressman why Langston students won OUTSTANDING DELEGATION at Youth in Government!   Bring your camera and get your picture with the next US Congressman.

Progress Reports: Progress reports were sent home with your student today.

Calendar: Please see the attached calendar.  We do have school on May 28^th; it is a make-up day.  Our half days are June 1, 2 and 3.  We will dismiss at 12:00 noon.  Lunch will be at 11:30 and there will not be any take-out lunches served.

Meet the Candidates Night: On Monday, May 3^rd several Republican and one Democratic primary candidate will be at Langston.  Each candidate will be introduced by a Langston student and given 8 minutes to make a “Stump” speech telling you a little bit about him/her.  One of the candidates will be representing us in Washington next year!  This is your chance to hear them and meet them personally.  The doors will open at 6:30, and the program will begin at 7:00.

Field Day: The cost is $10.00 (cash only) and must be paid by May 14th.  Field Day will be on Wednesday, June 2.

8^th Grade Party: The party is on May 21, from 6:00 until 9:00 at LivN Nsidout.  The $10.00 (cash only) admission fee must be paid by May 14^th.

8^th Grade Class Picture: May 7^th is the last day to order the class picture is May 8^th.  The cost of the picture is $10.00

Running Club…The last Running Club meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, May 11^th.  Please bring snacks and a drink to share.

LCMS Uniform Sale… The used uniform sale will be on Wednesday, June 2^nd from 12:00noon till 2:00pm in the auditorium.  Details on the sale will be sent in the next few weeks.  If you have a clothing rack that we can borrow, please contact Holly Ludke at hollyludke@yahoo.com or 967-2788.

Pelham Road Spring Fling…Pelham Road Elementary’s Spring Fling is on May 7 from 4:30 until 8:00.  If you would like to volunteer to help, please contact Regenea Voorhees at voorhees4@bellsouth.net

Thank you…Thank you to Mrs. Stuff, Mrs. Hepola and Mrs. Dobson for bringing food for the teachers to enjoy during the faculty meeting today.

Information is POWER!

Meet the Candidates for US Congress on Monday night, May 3 at LCMS.

The 1 democrat and 5 republican candidates are now ALL CONFIRMED!  This is a rare opportunity to compare each candidate side by side.

Doors open at 6:30pm and the program begins at 7:00pm.  Following the speeches you can meet each candidate and personally ask them your questions.

Langston students have been working hard to make this an informative and family friendly event.  Plus, its FREE!

Students who attend with an adult will earn community service.

Let’s show our next congressman why Langston students won OUTSTANDING DELEGATION at Youth in Government!

Bring your camera and get your picture with the next US Congressman.

You are Cordially Invited to

Meet the Candidates for the 4^th Congressional District Race

Monday, May 3

Doors open at 6:30 PM, program begins at 7:00 PM

Langston Charter Middle School  Auditorium

Free and Open to Charter School Parents and Students.

This is a family friendly event and we are promoting a return to civility in politics.

One of the 8 announced candidates will be representing us in Washington next year!  This is your chance to hear and meet them personally.

Each candidate will be introduced by a Langston student and then allowed 8 minutes to make a “Stump Speech” telling you about themselves, their stand on the issues and why they feel they are the best qualified to represent our district in Washington.  In an effort to keep this a family friendly event we will not entertain questions from the floor, but you will have the opportunity to meet each candidate and ask them any questions personally after the speeches.

Please make every effort to attend.  This event is as much for you to meet the candidates as it is for the next Congressman to learn about Langston and charter schools.    All LCMS alumni and families from the other Greenville charter schools have been invited, so come early to get a good seat.

Students who attend with a parent or adult will earn

Community Service hours

And because I know you are going to ask……………………

• The 4^th Congressional District is made up of all of Greenville, Spartanburg and Union counties and a very small portion of Laurens County.   Bob Inglis is the current congressman.

• All announced candidates, from all parties, have been invited.

Confirmed to attend are Republican candidates  Bob Inglis, Trey Gowdy, Jim Lee,  David Thomas, Christina Jeffrey, and Democrat candidate Paul Corden.

The Libertarian candidate, Rick Mahler, declined.

• The primary is June 8 and if a run-off is necessary, it will be June 22.

• The general election is November 2.

• The last day for new voters to register is May 8 to be eligible to vote in the June 8 primary.  If you need to register to vote, please visit:

http://www.greenvillecounty.org/Voter_Registration/How_to_Register.asp

• If you will not be able to go to your polling place to vote in person you may vote by absentee ballot.  For more information on absentee voting, please visit: http://www.greenvillecounty.org/Voter_Registration/Absentee_Voting.asp

As you consider who to for vote for in any election, ask how they stand on charter schools.  We need elected officials who are firm in their understanding and support of charter schools.

This event is being hosted by the “Uncle Sam’s Club”, a Langston student club for those interested in learning more about politics and how to get involved.

Any questions please contact club sponsor, Lisa Stevens, Board Legislative Liaison, lhstevens@charter.net or 350-6666

Several things were sent home with students today; a school report card, MAP testing results, and course recommendations for next year’s 7^th and 8^th graders.

7^th Grade Car Wash…Unless it is raining hard at 9:00 tomorrow morning, the car wash is still on at the Chick-fil-A on Woodruff Road.  If you did not sign up and want to help, please be there at 9:00am.  All proceeds benefit Relay for Life.

Summer Camps…We still have openings in most of the summer camps.  Call the office if you have any questions.

Thank you…Thanks to Mrs. Beverly for helping with the food for the faculty meeting last week.  Thank you to Mrs. Dobson, Mrs. Hiller, and Mrs. Woodson for bringing in food for today’s meeting.

Community Service Opportunities: Contact Mr. Ham at ericham@vzw.blackberry.net to see how you can help with Meals on Wheels Annual Cycling Event.  It is on April 23 and 24 and they need as many as 40 to 50 student volunteers and some parents.  The Mud Run (benefits Goodwill and Toys for Tots) needs students to help stuff goody bags on April 29^th.  Contact Kelly Weekes at kweekes@langstoncharter.org if you can help.

Pledge Forms…We are still accepting pledge forms.  Please turn one in if you have not yet done so.

Annual Board Meeting: Our annual board meeting will be April 22 at 7:00 pm.  See the bulletin board for additional information.

http://www.langstoncharter.org/bulletinboard/

Pledge Forms: If you haven’t already sent in your pledge form, please do so next week.  If you have already sent it in, thank you.  You may donate on line also…http://www.langstoncharter.org/support-a-donate/make-a-donation.html

These students won top awards at the Model UN conference:

Outstanding Native Attire – Greece / Claire Andrew, Becca Cockman, Kaitlyn Pyle

Outstanding Native Attire – Switzerland / Nicole Dieminger, Emily Schwalm

Outstanding Booth at Festival of Nations – Ireland / Eric Intile, Daniel Sheahan

Outstanding Booth at Festival of Nations – Namibia / Rachael Moore, Amanda Thomas, Morgan Walker

Outstanding Statesman Award – Becca Cockman

Community Service Opportunities: Contact Mr. Ham at ericham@vzw.blackberry.net to see how you can help with Meals on Wheels Annual Cycling Event.  It is on April 23 and 24 and they need as many as 40 to 50 student volunteers and some parents.  The Mud Run (benefits Goodwill and Toys for Tots) needs students to help stuff goody bags on April 29^th.  Contact Kelly Weekes at kweekes@langstoncharter.org if you can help.

Thank you: Thanks for all of the treats today for the faculty meeting.  I know I’m leaving someone out, but thanks to Mrs. Foley, Mrs. Bailey, and Mrs. Odom.  If you brought in the delicious dips, please call Mrs. Myers, we all want your recipes.

Summer Camps: There are several camps here at Langston over the summer.  If you are interested in signing up your student, send in your payment to secure their spot.  There is a onetime registration fee of $25.00 payable to Langston.  The check for the camp should be payable to the teacher running the camp.  Here’s the link to the information:

http://www.langstoncharter.org/about-langston/summer-camps.html

We Want YOU for L.E.A.P. this summer! Looking for adventure this summer?  It’s not too late to sign up for Langston Expeditions Adventure Program with Matt Griffin and Rob Venable!  Join us for mountain-based activities including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing/repelling, and whitewater rafting!  We’ve filled up our first week’s session but the following sessions are still open:

June 14-17          June 28- July 1      July 12-15

Go to www.langstoncharter.org and click on the “About Langston” tab.  You’ll see a link to “Summer Camps.”  Click on the link for “LEAP Information and Registration.”  Download and print the PDF file and return to Barbara Myers at the front desk along with payment for your session(s).   Contact Mr. Griffin at mgriffin@langstoncharter.org or Mr. Venable at rvenable@langstoncharter.org for more information.

April 16, 2010

Dear Langston Family:

PLEASE MARK THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2010 AT 7:00 ON YOUR CALENDARS!!

This will be our annual meeting of the School.  At the meeting a re-cap of the year will be presented.  The newly elected Board for the 2010-2011 school-year will be introduced.  Also an update on the potential new facility and the Foundation for the Future will be given.

This weekend we will conduct the annual LCMS Board of Directors elections.  Last year was our first year to vote electronically.  Participation in the elections was the highest ever recorded as eligible voters were able to vote on-line anytime convenient to them over a five day period of time.  This year we will use the same election process.  A separate email will be sent out to every voter with detailed instructions.

We strongly encourage your participation!  Voting, even though only one seat is contested, demonstrates the Langston Family’s support of the School and School Board.  This is a very important statistic for the continuation of our Charter with the School District and the State Department of Education.

As you are aware, at Langston each of the thirteen Board positions perform a specific professional role, which without their time and talent, the School would have to pay for these services.  Each Board position along with the person seeking the office is listed below.

Chairman:                                Brett Pyle

Vice-Chairman:                       Scott Zemitis

Secretary:                                Open

Treasurer:                                Melissa Hess

Academic Affairs:                  Elaine Wiegert

Alumni Affairs:                       Mary Ellen Miller

Community Service:               Tina Zwolinski

Facilities Management:           Sam Sims and Jay Hamilton

Governance:                            Tammy Hill-Ferrell

Human Resources:                  Beth Mixon

Leadership:                             Jim Schmitt

Public Relations:                     Karen Schulz

Registrar:                                 Lisa Stevens

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THE LANGSTON BOARD BY VOTING THIS WEEKEND!

Thanks for your continued support,

Langston Charter School Board

“Budget, Facility & Fundraising – Action Required” – April 16, 2010

To:  All Langston Families, Teachers, Staff & Board Members

Here’s a quick update on the School Budget Situation and the New Facility Opportunity made possible by the Foundation For the Future Campaign.

School Budget Situation

The commitment by Langston Staff to extend their working day enables us to expand enrollment next year by 70 students without increasing our expenses.  This investment alone brings an additional $300,000 annually to the school and certainly mitigates the budget shortfall.  The situation is evolving as the State just announced the ‘discovery’ of a budget error that will result in $60 million of additional cuts this year.  The impact of this on Education remains to be seen, but it could be substantial.

New Facility Opportunity

An outstanding new facility opportunity presented itself and we have a short time in which to respond.  We are bound by a confidentiality agreement and cannot disclose the location of this facility but we can say:

• It’s a 1st class, almost-new facility that’s in turn-key, move-in condition
• It’s within 5 miles of our current facility and would be closer to home for most families
• We could & would plan to occupy it as early as this summer for the 2010-11 school year

“Foundation for the Future” Campaign

Whether or not we execute this particular deal, additional funding is essential for Langston to operate from a facility that outwardly communicates the level of Excellence we deliver academically.  Foundation for the Future is an opportunity for Langston Families to make voluntary, tax-deductible investments in their child’s education for the duration of the time their child attends Langston.  Here’s the current status of the campaign:

Members of the Board will be calling all families early next week to ensure that everyone is aware of this campaign.

Action Required by ALL

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PLEDGED, THANK YOU! Before April 30^th, please “Activate Your Pledge” at the new Langston Foundation web pages at this link:

http://www.langstoncharter.org/support-a-donate/make-a-donation.html

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET PLEDGED, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU! Lenders look closely at the level of participation when evaluating an organization’s credit worthiness.  Please, submit a pledge form even if you cannot give at the average giving level ($40 per family per month or $480/year) needed.

Two final requests:  1) Please consider asking if grandparents or others might also wish to invest in your child’s education.  2) Be sure to check if your corporation offers matching contributions to 501(c)3 organizations like The Langston Foundation.   Many have already done this and it makes a big difference!

Annual School Meeting – Thursday, April 22^nd, 7:00 PM

More details will be provided at the Annual School Meeting for Parents Next Week … See you then!

Brett Pyle – Board Chairman, Langston Charter Middle School

Parents of 8^th graders: a few reminders from guidance–Mrs. Wall asks that you email her with the school your rising 9^th grader will attend next year if you have not already done so.  Also, if your child will be attending a Greenville County high school and you have not contacted Mrs. Wall about course recommendations for next year, please email her at pwall@langstoncharter.org and she will help complete that process for your child

Summer Camps: There are several camps here at Langston over the summer.  If you are interested in signing up your student, send in your payment to secure their spot.  There is a onetime registration fee of $25.00 payable to Langston.  The check for the camp should be payable to the teacher running the camp.  Here’s the link to the information:

http://www.langstoncharter.org/about-langston/summer-camps.html

We Want YOU for L.E.A.P. this summer! Looking for adventure this summer?  It’s not too late to sign up for Langston Expeditions Adventure Program with Matt Griffin and Rob Venable!  Join us for mountain-based activities including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing/repelling, and whitewater rafting!  We’ve filled up our first week’s session but the following sessions are still open:

June 14-17          June 28- July 1      July 12-15

Go to www.langstoncharter.org and click on the “About Langston” tab.  You’ll see a link to “Summer Camps.”  Click on the link for “LEAP Information and Registration.”  Download and print the PDF file and return to Barbara Myers at the front desk along with payment for your session(s).   Contact Mr. Griffin at mgriffin@langstoncharter.org or Mr. Venable at rvenable@langstoncharter.org for more information.

Volunteer Opportunity: Bethel Elementary is looking for volunteers for the Bethel Bash on April 30th.  Volunteers would work the games at the carnival for a minimum 1 hour shift between 5:30pm and 8:30pm.  Parent volunteers are also needed to supervise that evening.  Contact Holly Ludke to sign up as soon as possible.  Phone: 967-2788/hollyludke@yahoo.com.

Chick-fil-A: Tuesday, April 13^th is Spirit Night at the Chick-fil-A store on Woodruff Road.

Thank you: Thank you to Mr. Zambelas, Mrs. Gabriel, Mrs. Abdeladl, and Mrs. Begley for providing the food for the faculty meeting.