On Wednesday, November 13th, our schools came together to celebrate World Kindness Day with meaningful activities across each campus. At Batesburg-Leesville Primary School, students created a “kindness chain.” Each student wrote down an act of kindness—whether it was something they did, received, or imagined—on colorful paper links. These links were used to create class chains which were then joined together to form a vibrant, school-wide “kindness chain” that will be displayed proudly in the cafeteria. Batesburg-Leesville Elementary School celebrated with "sprinkles of kindness." Students wrote down their acts of kindness on paper “sprinkles,” which were then added to giant paper cupcakes displayed at the end of each grade level's hallway. At Batesburg-Leesville Middle School, students created a confetti wall by writing down kind acts or quotes on colorful “confetti” pieces, which were then displayed on a central bulletin board to inspire others. Finally, at Batesburg-Leesville High School, two students were chosen at random for being spotted doing acts of kindness, celebrating the power of kindness in action. A special thanks goes out to our counseling departments for heading up these efforts in Lexington Three! Remember to always be kind!
Board of Trustees member Ty Bouknight was honored for his years of service during the Board's monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 12th. Having chosen not to seek re-election this year, Mr. Bouknight will be succeeded by Mrs. Cynthia Etheredge, who will assume the role in December. Since his election to the Lexington County School District Three Board of Trustees in 2021, Mr. Bouknight has served with dedication and commitment. His unwavering focus on advancing education, supporting our schools, and advocating for our students and educators has made a lasting impact. We are most certainly grateful for his faithful service, leadership, and contributions to the growth and success of our district. Mr. Bouknight, pictured here with Superintendent Dr. Ashley Atkinson, was presented with a framed painting of Batesburg-Leesville, created by local artist Amanda Oswalt. We hope this piece will serve as a lasting reminder of his commitment to making the Batesburg-Leesville school district and community a better place for everyone.
This past Saturday, the B-L High School JROTC teamed up with VFW Post 6740 from Leesville to conduct a fundraiser for local veterans. JROTC members stood outside of local businesses including Wal-Mart, Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, Starbucks, Western Auto and Shealy's Barbeque collecting monetary donations from 9 am until 4 pm and were able to fundraise $6,450! Great job students!
The Batesburg-Leesville High School Varsity football team is undefeated this season and has claimed the title of REGION CHAMPS! This Friday, November 15th, marks the first round of playoffs for the Panthers who will face off against Columbia High School beginning at 7:30 pm in Panther Stadium. Please note that NO passes will be accepted for free admittance into the game except for SC High School League passes. This includes our Golden Panther passes and staff passes. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the gate using cash, credit or debit cards or can be purchased online by visiting the following link: https://fan.hudl.com/tickets/VGlja2V0ZWRFdmVudDY3MzI1ZWQzMGQ3N2RiMTNjZjNiNDUxNw==. Please note that we are also accepting donations on Friday evening for the non-profit organization Hope & Hugs Closet. Essential items such as toiletries, grab & go food items, and non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the front gate of the stadium. All items collected will go directly to Lexington Three students and their families who have needs. GO PANTHERS!!!
This Veterans Day, our schools in Lexington County School District Three have been honoring our nation's heroes with meaningful ceremonies and activities, bringing students together with local veterans to show our gratitude. Visit our Facebook page for all of the details!
Our Lexington County School District Three Teacher of the Year, Mr. Corey Bedenbaugh, is attending the SC Teacher Forum conference in Myrtle Beach this week. The annual conference is designed to recognize and honor South Carolina's District Teachers of the Year and provide them with professional development relative to teacher leadership. Thanks, Mr. Bedenbaugh, for representing Lexington Three so well!
Have you seen the new "Spirit Rock" at B-L Primary School?! The rock, which was salvaged from the BLPS property, was moved to its official location near the car rider drop-off loop this past weekend. The "Spirit Rock" is the newest fundraiser created by the BLPS PTO. For just $20, parents can rent the rock for special occasions and celebrations such as their child's birthday. For all of the details and to sign up to paint the rock, visit the following link: https://m.signupgenius.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2k3wJ2ZJhd4B5Vgm_omoSjXgutlnMOICnLsatUb3sY-1ELrDzwQ6ApVhs_aem_aewFLamAG-HXK__mG-tTZQ#!/showSignUp/10C0A49AAAD2BAAF8C61-52950389-blps.
31 HOSA students (HOSA stands for Health Occupations Students of America) from B-L High School attended the Fall HOSA Conference at Newberry College on October 10th. Students participated in team building activities, listened to different healthcare speakers and spent time in the new health science building doing hands-on activities.
Lexington Three students and staff will host three events to recognize local veterans this year as part of our Veterans Day festivities. Please see the attached graphics for more information.
Students in Mrs. Fabrizio's class at B-L Primary School had a fun time reading "How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?" as part of their spook-tacular lessons today. After the story, they each made predictions about the number of seeds inside of a large pumpkin that was in their classroom. Then, they scooped out the seeds and counted them in groups of ten to see whose guess was closest!
Students in Mrs. Palmer's class at B-L Middle School have hopped on the "dirty soda" train and are now selling the popular drinks to staff members as part of a new class project called Panther's Pop. Staff members can choose the drink they want from a special menu and students, with the assistance of their teachers, create the drinks and deliver them each week. A dirty soda is a drink made with soda, cream, and flavored syrups or fruit juices. Staff members can order one of the signature drinks or create their own. This project teaches students skills such as entrepreneurship, customer service, communication, math, creativity, project development, teamwork, collaboration and so MUCH MORE!
B-L Middle School Nurse Stacie Neeley developed a highly creative approach to educate students on the dangers of vaping. She designed an interactive game called "Vape Land," inspired by the popular board game "Candy Land," which students had the chance to experience today. Learning is FUN in Lexington Three!
Pajama Day (as part of Red Ribbon Week) AND a fall carnival! Life at B-L Primary School is full of nothing but treats, no tricks! What a great event today as we rewarded our students for their good behavior!
It's Red Ribbon Week in Lexington Three and our students and staff at B-L Primary and B-L Elementary Schools are having a blast with their themed dress-up days! Check out more pics on our social media pages!
Let's just say that our Panther Players outdid themselves this weekend with three amazing productions of "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Fine Arts Center. So many individuals poured themselves into this play including B-L High School staff members Ivy Munnerlyn, Cheryl Felder, Ben Feaster, and Joy Haggard...not to mention all of the cast, crew and musicians.
We are so lucky to have such a tremendous arts program in Lexington Three! Visit Facebook for more pics!
October is National Principals Month and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the incredible leaders we have here in Lex3! Our principals go above and beyond each day to create a warm, inspiring, and supportive environment where both students and staff can thrive. They lead with passion, vision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Please join us in honoring these exceptional individuals who make our schools so special:
🌟 Mary Anne Tillman – Principal of B-L Primary School
🌟 Matt Velasquez – Principal of B-L Elementary School
🌟 Sharah Clark – Principal of B-L Middle School
🌟 Will McGinty – Principal of B-L High School.
We are so grateful for their dedication to our Panther family! There truly isn’t a team anywhere that loves and uplifts their school communities quite like they do. Let’s give them the recognition they deserve this month!
A special thanks to Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative for honoring three of our staff members today at its Bright Ideas luncheon. Corey Bedenbaugh, Laura Bishop, and Ivey Zimmerman, all staff members at B-L Middle School, received grants this year through MCEC's Bright Ideas program. MCEC's Bright Ideas program is open to educators in kindergarten through 12th grades in Lexington County School Districts One, Two, Three and Five, and in the Saluda County School District. Each October, MCEC awards approximately $18,000 in grants to the winning teachers to help supplement resources for their creative classroom projects. We thank MCEC for its support!
As part of National School Bus Safety Week, students at B-L Middle School participated in a bus evacuation drill on Thursday. National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program that is held the third full week of October each year and addresses the importance of school bus safety.
Congratulations to these outstanding second-grade students at B-L Primary School for being chosen as Panther Ambassadors! This new program, which required students to apply, recognizes those who show exceptional leadership, kindness, and a commitment to helping others. As Panther Ambassadors, they will take on important roles around the school, including assisting with the newly-launched PAWS mail delivery system (Panthers Achieve Writing Success). They’ll also help lead school tours for guests and serve on the safety patrol, showcasing their pride and responsibility. We’re so proud of these young Panthers for this well-deserved honor!
33 student athletes from B-L Middle and B-L High Schools took part in our Heart of the Panther event this week. The Heart of the Panther program offers free cardiovascular screenings through MUSC to student athletes ages 14 and older who are in the 8th through 12th grades. Pictured are members of the MUSC School of Cardiovascular Technology who performed the screenings. We thank them for helping to keep our students healthy and safe!
