Dear Panther families,

Our school garden is getting ready for another growing season!  Students are putting in the work to prepare all 18 raised beds for hands-on learning, planting, and plenty of agricultural exploration!

Thank you LCMS PTSA for the PTSA Mini-grant that funded the Mesopotamian House projects in 6th grade World History. Students in Mrs. Capp's, Mrs. Foskey's and Mr. Stone's classes enjoyed this hands-on project!

On Monday, our teachers participated in teacher-led professional learning on discussion strategies and station rotations. We are thankful to have these teacher leaders on campus to help their colleagues explore new ways to elevate Panther voices in the classroom.

Tuesday, Coach Braun and Coach Bond were recognized at the Orlando Magic game for the JV Girls and Varsity Boys & Girls Basketball Championships last spring! Coach Thompson and Coach Stone were also part of the championship teams but were unable to attend. Thank you to the Orlando Magic for supporting Seminole County Public Schools! 

Congratulations to our Golden Panthers for the month of September - Ms. Pratt and Mr. Shaq! Thank you Café Panuzzo's and Woodhouse Spa for sponsoring our Teacher and Employee of the Month program.

Sunshine Club September & October: Honoring Xander's Life & Prepping Bags for Pediatric Cancer Patient families at Advent Health.

Wednesday, Superintendent Beamon, Assistant Superintendent Faison, and School Board Chair Dr. Dehlinger visited LCMS to hand out the Superintendent Spark Award to individuals who make a positive impact on their school community.

Our Spark Award winners are:

While they were here, they also visited Mrs. Maiden's AgriScience class and got a preview of next week's concert in Mrs. Kuperman's Beginning Band class.

Afterwards, they held a Student Forum with a select group of students to hear about life at LCMS.

Thank you for visiting!

Congratulations to all 4 Volleyball teams who won their games against South Seminole Academy last night in only two sets! A special congratulations to Boys JV and Varsity teams who have won all their games in two sets this year!

Our Girls Varsity team and both boys teams will be moving on to play in the Seminole County Volleyball Tournament on Saturday. Good luck, Panthers!

Every quarter 7th grade students in Ms. Brady's and Ms. McConnell's classes are responsible for reading AT LEAST one book and producing a creative outcome which demonstrates their understanding of the author’s purpose for writing. They may choose a book from any genre as long as their teacher and parents approve of the book, but they may not repeat a genre over the course of the year, and they must also complete a plot diagram. The creative projects are designed to show a connection with the story. For example, if the story is set off by a note being passed around school, recreating that note is a great project. If they read a book of poetry, they can write their own poem. The book project culminates with informal book project presentations to the class with the hope that students will discover new books they want to read.

Pictures from this week are HERE. 

Enjoy this week's Paws52 Broadcast HERE. 

Have a great week!

Dr. Laudani

Picture Retakes will be during 1st - 3rd periods on Tuesday, October 20. Students will be called to the Black Box by grade level.

If your child did not take a picture on picture day, please tell them to take one this day as this is also the picture for the yearbook, Skyward, and next year's ID card. Packages can also be purchased - see the information below. 

If you purchased your child's pictures in September and you do not like them, send the package in with your child on this date so that they can take a new picture.

Order HERE

Earlier this week, members of the administration team visited all 1st period classes to remind students of the PAWS Expectations as we enter the 2nd quarter. The script we read is below. Please review this with your child. We appreciate your support!

Good morning, Panthers!

We are officially beginning Quarter 2, and we are now two months into the school year. At this point, we have had plenty of time to learn, practice, and understand the expectations at LCMS. Now it is time to make sure we are following them every day, in every area of our school.

Our expectations are simple: Practice Safety, Act Responsibly, Work Hard, and Show Respect.

Practicing safety means walking while on campus and keeping your hands, feet, and belongings to yourself. Horseplay, pushing, running, and putting your hands on others are not safe behaviors.

Acting responsibly means getting to class on time, bringing what you need, and being ready to learn when class begins. It also means having your student ID with you every day. Student IDs are required at school. It is your responsibility to make sure you have your ID each morning and throughout the school day. Just like getting to class on time and coming prepared, having your ID is part of being ready for school.

Working hard means completing your assignments and turning in your own work. Your work should represent your effort and your learning. Turning in work that is not your own is an Honor Code violation and will be handled accordingly.

Showing respect means treating your classmates, teachers, staff members, and our school appropriately. That includes your words, your actions, and the way you respond when an adult gives you a direction.

As we begin these next nine weeks, remember that your choices matter. Following classroom and school-wide expectations will help you successfully reach the end of Semester 1 knowing that you gave your best.

Show up. Have your ID. Be ready. Make good choices. Be a positive part of your school.

We want every Panther to be successful, but success requires effort from you. You know the expectations. Now we need you to meet them.

If you have any questions about what was shared this morning or need clarification about an expectation, please see an administrator during lunch.

Have a wonderful next nine weeks, Panthers. Let’s make Quarter 2 a great one!

There's still time to purchase Boograms! 

For just $10, send a LCMS Boo-Gram to your favorite Panther! Each Boo-Gram comes packed with Halloween fun:

 Orders open September 28–October 9

 Boo-Grams will be delivered during 1st Period on Friday, October 30!

 IMPORTANT: Make sure you enter the student’s first & last name + 1st Period teacher so your Boo-Gram doesn’t get lost in the haunted halls! 

Order yours here:

The SCPS Student Support Services Annual Transition Fair is a free event for families of all students with disabilities that have an IEP, 504 Plan, or other support needs, who want information on a path to support their child as they transition through school and beyond. The resources provided by community agencies at the fair help families and students plan their future as they transition to adult life, educational, and/or work environments.

Grab Your Passport and Explore What’s Next! We’re officially ONE MONTH AWAY from the 2026 SCPS Transition Fair!

📅 Saturday, November 14th, 2026

⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

📍 Lake Brantley High School: 991 Sand Lake Rd, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

Join us as local agencies and community partners help students and families navigate the road to independence, post-secondary opportunities, employment resources, and adult services.

The journey to life after high school starts here!

Ready to explore? Register today!

SCPS Annual Transition Fair Registration link: ➡️🔗 https://bit.ly/2026-SCPS-TRANSITION-FAIR

It's time to start planning for Red Ribbon Week! This year, RRW is Monday, October 26-October 30.

October is a great time for spooky fun, but missing school is one thing that should never become a scary habit!

A few missed days can seem harmless, but when absences start adding up, they can lead to:

Sometimes, the hardest part becomes coming back after you've been gone.

As we approach the upcoming 3-day weekend with schools closed on Monday, October 12, we encourage families to make attendance a priority before and after the break. Every school day provides valuable opportunities for learning, growth, and connection.

The good news? You don't have to face attendance challenges alone.

If attendance is becoming a concern, reach out before it becomes a bigger issue. Your school's support team is here to help and problem-solve with you, not judge.

Contact your school's assigned School Social Worker or School Counselor for assistance and resources. Together, we can help identify barriers, create solutions, and ensure your student stays connected to learning.

Every Day Counts. Every Student Matters. 

Beta Club is sponsoring a food drive for the LCMS Food Pantry next week. Items should be placed in the labeled boxes in the Growl Grill, the Lorenzo Library, or the Main Office. Thank you for your support!

Plan your fastest costume—or just your favorite past Rising running gear—and return for the 2026 5k/10k on Halloween morning.

Visit LCMS PTSA website to join today!

Several of our clubs are up and running. Check out the flyers below.

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!

To contact PTSA, visit: About Us

For more information about LCMS PTSA, visit: 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

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