May 28, 2021

Dear LNC Family,  As we close out this unique school year and look forward to positive and familiar beginnings in August, I'd like to highlight achievements from the year and share some important information for 2021-2022.

Looking back at 2020-2021

Although the year challenged us in previously unimaginable ways, still… Our parents met the challenge head on, juggling parent responsibilities, work duties and other family and professional obligations while supporting their students during at-home learning Our students truly learned the meaning of adaptability as they pivoted between instructional environments while learning important life skills like personal responsibility, time management and self-initiation Our teachers adjusted instructional plans to address the individual needs of students in the new remote learning environment, learned a new toolset and employed technology to engage students from a distance Our coaches and extracurricular program directors stepped up for their students and athletes, providing critical connections and outlets to support their mental health and wellbeing in a very stressful and isolating time

Our families partnered with us to make significant capital improvements and upgrades at our main campus to increase safety and improve students’ recreational and athletic experiences

MS office reconfigured for improved student safety and increased classroom space

Newly turfed Knights Field and rubber track

Our women’s soccer and men’s golf teams earned state championships and we celebrated an unprecedented number of senior student-athletes who will continue to compete next year at the next level Several of our LNC Mathletes won gold medals at the National MathCON finals competition where the best of the best mathematical minds from 49 states came together virtually to compete

Our band program was able to present their traditional Concert on the Green on the new Knights Field under a gorgeous spring evening sky

For the 5th consecutive year, US News and World Report ranks LNC High School among their best; placing us the top high school in Mecklenburg County and the 11th best in the state for 2021 While all of our teachers deserve the honor of Teacher of the Year, for 2020-2021, we congratulate Ms. Jamie Lord, Ms. De Thomas and Ms. Jordan Walker as LNC’s Teachers of the Year

Looking ahead to 2021-2022

Our school community looks forward to next Tuesday, June 1 when we celebrate our Class of 2021 at their graduation; we are so grateful that, in addition to this important event, these students were able to experience their senior prom. Also on June 1, we invite anyone 12+ (LNC affiliated or not) who is not already fully vaccinated to our vaccination clinic at LNC’s middle school gym where registered pharmacists and licensed immunizers will be administering the Pfizer vaccine. We encourage our stakeholders to be vaccinated so we can all enjoy a traditional school year with in-person learning and all of the typical activities, extracurricular opportunities and normal traditions for our students. We are optimistic about the continually improving health metrics and we anticipate normal school operations in August, including five full days of school, normal operating hours and no distance learning option. Additionally, we will once again offer Knights Kids, our afterschool program for our elementary students, once school begins in August.

We are excited to resume our Serve 10 program for parents and our commitment to service for our HS students. We have immediate opportunities to volunteer. Sign up HERE to be a Buddy Family for a new MS family or HERE to be a Buddy Family for a new ES family. Parents and HS students can sign up HERE to help Clear the Classrooms on June 1.  School report cards will be mailed to the student's address we have on file on Friday, June 11. If test results are available at the time report cards are mailed, they will be included. If you wish to update your mailing address or any other contact information, please use this form. Our three school offices will be open this summer Monday through Wednesday from 9:00am to 1:00pm if parents need to pick up items or drop off paperwork. We are finalizing important back to school dates and will notify our families once those have been added to the calendar. We plan to ease our 5th and 9th graders into their new school on August 11 (the day before the “first day of school”) so they can get the attention they deserve and feel comfortable in their new school home. We will share more details next month, but if your student is a rising 5th or 9th grader, plan on spending part of August 11 with us. Our elementary school students will “meet their teacher” on that day and we will communicate the timing later this summer. Additionally, we encourage all of our rising 9th grade students to sign up for Freshman Kick-off on July 26, 27, 28, or 29. Next month we will send a Sign Up Genius for that. Freshman Kick-off is an annual tradition at LNC where our rising HS students receive their technology and learn important information to help them succeed during their four years at LNC HS!

LNC Serves October 22, 2021 (photo from first Day of Service, October 26, 2018)

Looking beyond August, please mark your calendars for our second "LNC Serves" day, a community event on Friday, October 22, our annual golf tournament on Sunday, November 7 and our biannual social event, Boots Bulls and BBQ on Saturday, April 2. This year has challenged our sense of school community and we are committed to restoring relationships and unity in 2021-2022 so please plan to participate!

Boots, Bulls & BBQ April 2, 2022

We are LNC and TOGETHER, we Learn, Lead and Serve. Please have a safe and happy summer. Go Knights! Sincerely,

Shannon Stein Superintendent