LCS Supt's Corner

The success of Linden Community Schools is in part due to our amazing leadership team. Thank you for making every student a priority!

Linden (along with Fenton, Lake Fenton, and Holly) is partnering with TC Times to showcase the awesome educators we have in the TC Times viewing area. We want to showcase the positive impact Linden educators are having on the lives of our students.

Every Wednesday, TC Times will spotlight a selected individual in their "Everyday Educator" Column. Meet the Everyday Educators from LCS.

Dawn Skinner- August 6, 2024

Sandy Harwood- September 4, 2024

Elizabeth Molnar- October 1, 2024

• Linden Middle Schools (6th, 7th, and 8th) 2024 Spring M-STEP Math scores ranked #1 in Genesee County.
• Linden's 5th grade students ranked #1 in Genesee County on the 2024 Spring M-STEP ELA.
• Linden's 5th grade students ranked #2 in Genesee County on the 2024 Spring M-STEP Math.
• 11th grade students at Linden High School ranked #2 in Genesee County on the 2024 SAT Evidence Based Reading/Writing.

According to the Spring 2024 Strategic Plan Survey:

• 85.48% of those who participated Agreed or Strongly Agreed that LCS promotes a positive learning environment.
• 85.06% of those who participated Agreed or Strongly Agreed that LCS students are offered many learning opportunities.
• 78.43% Agreed or Strongly Agreed that LCS challenges students with high academic standards.
  
• 81.17% Agree or Strongly Agree that LCS supports the student’s well-being.
• 83.52% of those who participated Agree or Strongly Agree that all members of the school community feel safe in school.
• 76.07% Agreed or Strongly Agreed that LCS values the need for education that helps all students grow academically, socially, emotionally and physically.
  
• 81.56% of those who participated Agree or Strongly Agree that they are aware of the safety and security procedures that are in place in their student’s building.

Linden Community Schools follows "Child Find" requirements of Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE). As a parent, if you suspect your child (birth through 25 years of age) may have delays in physical, social, emotional, communication, and/or cognitive development which interferes with learning, please contact your child's teacher, building principal or special education office to discuss the need for pre-referral strategies, a potential parent-teacher meeting, and/or information on the testing process.

As part of our ongoing commitment to school safety, our district requires volunteers who work with or have access to our students to undergo a criminal history background check.

These background checks are conducted through the Michigan State Police iChat system and are designed to screen for any past behavior or criminal history that may pose a risk to children. The checks include the Sex Offenders Registry (SOR) list, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) criminal history records check, and the Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS). This process is conducted with complete confidentiality. The information obtained is used solely to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. While we encourage all parents and guardians to actively engage with our school community and volunteer their time to support school activities, it’s imperative that we not jeopardize the safety of our students.

Background checks MUST take place when volunteers work with or have access to students. You will not be able to volunteer if an approved background check is not completed and on file.

Examples would be:

• Volunteering in classroom/school building

• Supervising and participating in classroom parties

• Chaperoning field trips

• Volunteer coaching and mentoring

Situations where a background check is NOT necessary include:

• Attending after-school events

• Awards ceremonies where you are a visitor are seated away from students

• Large school events where you are a visitor and are not in direct contact or have direct access to students (ie. concerts, art shows, etc.)

Please follow the process outlined below to ensure that the volunteer background check process can be completed properly,

• The volunteer screening form is available here and also on the district website (click link to access)

• All volunteers must complete their volunteer application at least five (5) school days prior to the activity occurring. You will be required to check in on the day of the activity.

• Since the iChat system does not notify us if there has been a change to an individual’s criminal history, iChat results, for volunteers, will be good until the end of the first semester. If a parent/guardian wishes to volunteer during the second semester an iChat background check will need to be conducted.

• iChat results will be good for all buildings within the district.

• Volunteer coaches must complete the form before each season they are involved in.

Thank you for your willingness to volunteer and support our schools. While we know this can create a minor inconvenience, ensuring the safety of our students remains our top priority.

It has come to our attention that an increasing number of vehicles are parking on the side of the Linden Middle School drive, near the softball field and practice field. Parking in this area poses several safety risks for our students, parents, visitors on the LAFF Pathway, and is creating unnecessary congestion on the LMS drive. Parking in this area has ruined the grass next to the shoulder of the LMS drive which has resulted in soil erosion and damage to the drive itself.

To help mitigate these issues and ensure the safety of our students, staff, and parents, we kindly ask that you adhere to the following guidelines.

1. Use the LMS parking lot when dropping off your student, waiting for your student to finish their activity, and/or picking up your student after their activity. Our LMS parking lot has ample space and a crosswalk to ensure a safe and orderly environment. LCS has multiple parking lots around their campuses.

2. Do not park on the roadside. Parking on the side of the road obstructs the line of sight for drivers, creates hazardous conditions for our students and spectators, and creates congestion for those attempting to use the driveway for its intended purpose.

   
   

We are asking our coaches to continue to remind parents and visitors to use the appropriate parking lots. We appreciated your help in creating a safer environment for everyone in our school community.

We are winding down Phase II of the LCS Bond Program. Completion of the Linden High School updates is right around the corner, and the construction of our new Early Childhood Center (at Hyatt Elementary) is underway. Updates are available on our LCS Bond Program webpage (click link).

Thank you for your continued support of Linden Community Schools!