BRYANTBLACK, HEADOFSCHOOL BRYANTBLACK

Greetings to the LCS Community,

It has been quite a summer. Ashley and I ventured to Chattanooga for our son Michael’s wedding and subsequently to Brevard, North Carolina, for a little R & R in June. Unusually cool weather for June had temperatures dip as low as 58 with daytime highs in the 70s. It was a welcome reprieve from “Florida Hot,” but I was excited to return to Lakeland and LCS with the following clearly in the headlights: 1) the grand opening of the new HS building, 2) Upper and Lower School program initiatives, and 3) the impending August return of faculty, staff, and students Is it possible that August has already arrived?

After 25 years, I still develop that sense of anticipation and excitement about seeing our kids on the first day of school. It's the same one I experienced on my first day as a teacher in 1995. I always made Day One a priority in my classroom. We only have one first impression! Does that first impression cultivate a sense of mission, of interest and expectation, of safe relationships and community? Schools, in many ways, are larger expressions of classrooms

With “first impressions” in mind, our new leadership team spent several days in June preparing for 2023-2024. The overarching theme of our sessions was activating our Mission Statement and Core Values. Simply, how do we intentionally foster a life of learning, leadership, service and worship that produces wisdom, in the context of Christ-centeredcommunity and in the light of God’s Word?

A particular target this year will be to establish patterns in our school culture what the church often refers to as liturgies that reflect the coming Kingdom of God, i e , a praying community that models grace, confession, forgiveness and repentance, praise and worship, care, courage and strength, and love for one another. This is a community that places others ahead of ourselves. This is a community that communicates with clarity and compassion in the spirit of Ephesians 4:25-32 and Matthew 18. This is the hope of our salvation. These community traits are increasingly countercultural because they are Kingdom-minded, yet they embody the “Good Life” that is a life in Christ and not of this world.

The intent of the three-part series we launched in May was to provide this type of clarity in the midst of leadership transition by focusing on the following questions: 1) Who is running the ship? 2) Where is the ship going? 3) What are the ship procedures and protocols, the SOPs if you will? Part II specifically targets building-level leadership and program. If my child is a 7th grader, or a rising senior, or a new 3rd grader, what may I anticipate? If I have a question, who might I contact?

Instead of sending separate letters of introduction from each school and program lead, we have combined these letters to create Part II in our series We hope what follows in this communication is both clarifying and encouraging Please feel free to send questions to my administrative assistant, Amy Bradley, at abradley@lcsonline.org. Part III will include an FAQ in addition to addressing procedures and protocols and should be in your inbox by August 5.

Bryant Black Head of School

Dear Parents of Lower School (K4-5th grade) Students,

The Lord has brought an amazing team to our campus to educate students in the light of God’s Word. One of my favorite times of the year is to hear children entering campus for the first time and to see them light up when they see a familiar face which is often followed by a hug.

I will greatly miss Heather Rhoden and am thankful for her 10 years of service in Elementary; I know she will impact lives in amazing ways in the Upper School The Lord has provided an incredible Elementary Office team to assist families: Marsha Hannum and Lauren Nall are returning. Mrs. Kathy Mudger and Mrs. Trudi Sligh will join the Lower School Team as Assistant Principals. Trudi Sligh will continue to teach 2nd grade and serve as AP. I am thankful for the gifts the Lord has given them to teach, lead, and mentor children, colleagues, and families through a biblical worldview.

Lakeland Christian School is continuously striving to enhance our programs and curriculum to meet the evolving needs of our students and to fulfill our mission of providing a Christ-centered education This year, we are excited to introduce some new initiatives and educational offerings that will foster spiritual growth and academic excellence We have adopted a new Bible and math curriculum. You will learn more about these at orientation. We are in the process of creating new spaces for K4-5th grade art, music, and library. These remodeled areas will be phased in during this school year. We are expanding K4-5th grade robotics through STREAM Labs: Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Art, and Math. We are also placing more emphasis on social studies in K4-5th grade.

We are excited to introduce new Lower School (K4-5th) faculty and staff members who love the Lord and have a passion for teaching children biblically. Melissa Falter will be our new 5th grade math teacher. Jill Fox will join our kindergarten team. Kayla Wilson will be teaching K4-3rd grade art while Riley Burr will teach 4th-12th grade art classes. Lisa Harrell is joining the 3rd grade team to assist in the extension of lessons in the upcoming STREAM Lab. Keri Bauer will serve in the 4th and 5th grade STREAM Labs.

As we move forward in this journey of faith and learning, we believe that God's plans for Lakeland Christian School are greater than anything we could envision We trust in His guidance and wisdom to lead us, and we are confident that together, as a united school community, we will create a nurturing and transformative environment for our students to flourish.

Your continued support and involvement are vital to the success of our school. We encourage you to actively participate in school events, volunteer opportunities, and faith-based activities as we strive to build a strong partnership between home, school, and church

In closing, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for entrusting us with the education and spiritual development of your children. We are looking forward to seeing you on August 7 for Parent Orientation, August 8 for Meet the Teacher and kicking off the new school year on August 9.

S i Hi Luci O’Byrne Elementary Principal