July 14 Paw Prints Newsletter - Welcome to Lawton Chiles MS!

Welcome Panthers!

If you are receiving this email, your child is enrolled in Lawton Chiles MS for the 2026-2027 school year. If your child will not be attending LCMS, please notify us ASAP.

We have several important upcoming dates listed above. Please be sure to put these on your calendar. More info will be coming soon so stay tuned!

I will reach back out closer to the end of the month with more specific information regarding schedules and the first week of school.

There is a lot of information shared in the newsletter below. Please be sure to read all the way to the bottom. The very end includes links for: submitting absence notes, Paws52 (our student run news show), Panther Press (our student run newspaper), conference request link, The Grill Menu, how to request a replacement ID, the club listing. Those links are permanent and are your go-to when you need these throughout the school year. During the year, this newsletter is shared every Friday and is your go-to for everything LCMS.

You can also find us on social media for updates:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChilesMiddle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChilesMiddle

Lots of fun things have been happening throughout the summer, and we have some new staff members to introduce. Pictures of all of these events and our new staff members can be found HERE.

The School Supply List can be found under Important Links below. However, you may want to wait until you see your child's schedule on July 31 before you purchase everything, so you can know for sure what classes your child will be attending.

We are so excited to welcome our new and returning Panthers to campus.

Have a great rest of your summer!

Dr. Laudani

Please follow these links to important documents for a successful school year:

Once again, LCMS is an A school and the #1 middle school in SCPS, scoring in the top 3 in all areas assessed. These scores are a testament to the hard work put in by students, teachers, staff members, parents and our Panther community! Go Panthers! #TeamChiles

PTSA has several events already scheduled for the beginning of the school year.

7/27 - 9-10:30 am - They will be at the Panther Preview

8/6 - 4-6 pm - They will be at Meet the Teacher

8/18 - 10:30 am - PTSA General Meeting

8/19 - MegaBlast Kickoff

The MegaBlast is our big whole school fundraiser. It starts with a grade level assembly on 8/19. We must have a signed permission slip for every student. Please complete yours here:

The first PTSA student event is the Back to School Social held after dismissal on 8/19 from 3:10-4:30 pm. Students must sign up to attend. Register here: Back to School Social Registration/Permission Slip

Chaperones will be needed - don't forget to register to be a Dividend so you can help - see below!

president@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Yadi Soto

vicepresident@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Jami Ginn⁩

treasurer@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Maura Ward⁩

secretary@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Lisa Bartek

membership@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Sarah T⁩apia

grants@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Leslie Bosley

hospitality@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Courtney Redfield⁩

8thgrade@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Kourtney Greenstein

reflections@lcmsptsa.com @Monica Hagan

SACRep@lcmsptsa.com @⁨James Ginn

socialmedia@lcmsptsa.com @Eva Martis-Cohen

studentperks@lcmsptsa.com @⁨Erin Clary

spiritnights@lcmsptsa.com @⁨January Sambell⁩

For more information about LCMS PTSA, visit: https://www.lcmsptsa.com/

To sign up for LCMS PTSA, visit: https://lcmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop?category=17470

To register to be a Dividend, visit: https://dvd.scps.k12.fl.us/

PTSA Facebook: LCMS PTSA

PTSA Facebook Group: Lawton Chiles Middle School Families Oviedo, FL

PTSA Instagram: chilesptsa

Our Panther families did a great job maintaining student attendance last year. Keep up the good work!

Please keep this information in mind when scheduling vacations, appointments, etc. Please see information below for the process to request an excused absence.

We still have approximately 45 students who have not yet updated their shot records to show the required Tdap booster. We must have the updated records (680 form) before they can start school. Affected families have already been notified. Please be sure to get that taken care of ASAP.

This is an exciting year for our 8th grade Panthers filled with lots of special activities. Please be sure to visit the LCMS website calendar as some of our May activities have already been scheduled.

The first opportunity available for you to register is the Pigeon Key field trip:

We are excited to offer the 8th grade students the opportunity to go to Pigeon Key, which is located on a remote island in the Florida Keys.

You will get the chance to explore various marine habitats, feed sharks, ride on a 35' catamaran, and snorkel a coral reef. Below is information regarding cost. It includes transportation, lodging with meals, snorkel gear, T-shirt, and educational materials / supplies. Please see the flyer below and scan the QR Code or click here for more information: https://docs.google.com/.../1xGvOIwXk8zRwE.../edit...

Dates: Thursday thru Saturday, April 8 - 10, 2027

Location: 1090 Overseas Highway, Marathon FL 33050

Price: $900.00, which can be paid in installments using My School Bucks

1st Payment: $300.00 (NON-REFUNDABLE unless the trip is canceled by the school)

Due: September 25, 2026

https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd...

2nd Payment: $300.00

Due: December 18, 2026

Final Payment: $300.00

Due: January 29, 2027

Please scan the QR code on the flyer below or click here for more information:

Save the dates! Required permission slips will be sent out closer to the beginning of the school year.

The program follows a simple, effective process to ensure your child gets the help they need:

On-Ramp is an ideal tool for independent learning because it is accessible from anywhere. It uses interactive tools to build a strong foundation, ensuring your child is ready for the upcoming school year.

To support your child's math journey over the break, please refer to the attached Teacher Flyer, Parent Flyer, and Parent User Guide. These resources will help you navigate the platform and encourage your child to stay on track for math success.

On-Ramp Family quick start guide - LINK

On-Ramp Flyer for Parents - LINK

On-Ramp Flyer for Teachers - LINK

Several of our clubs are up and running.

Parents MUST sign a Google permission slip for each club their child plans to attend.

Visit the Students page of the LCMS website for a list of clubs & their Google permission forms:

Visit the list to see all the new clubs!

Have an issue? Don't know who to contact? Follow this flowchart.

All staff emails can be found on the Staff page of the LCMS Website: https://www.lcms.scps.k12.fl.us/staff

Administrator content areas can be found on the Our School page of the LCMS Website: https://www.lcms.scps.k12.fl.us/187285_2

The Conference Request Form can be found on the Parents page of the LCMS Website and at the bottom of this newsletter:

We do not accept any food deliveries (Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc.) for students.

We do not accept any drop offs of any kind - PE Uniforms, lunch, homework, instrument, etc. If a student forgot their lunch, they will still be fed by Red Apple Dining.

We do not allow students to bring and share cupcakes or other treats. Please save the birthday celebrations for after school.

Support our sponsors!

These banners are hung on the PE field fence in the car line as well as on 419.

If you would like to become a sponsor, please contact: https://share.hsforms.com/1JG4T_qJIQq2TMHgRyay3dQ4amsl