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By Laura Eggers, LIIS/LIMS SIC Chair

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As this school year is drawing to an end many parents are faced with the decision as to where their child can obtain the best education during the upcoming school year.  It is a tough decision and one that every parent faces each new school year.<!--more-->

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Under no circumstances would I attempt to tell any parent which school is best for their child.  However, I would like to share some thoughts as to why my child is attending Lady’s Island Middle School this year and will continue there next school year. First a bit about myself, I am a parent of a thirteen year old child, a business owner, a proud resident of Lady's Island, and currently the Chair of the School Improvement Council for the Lady's Island Middle and Intermediate Schools.  As anyone who has been responsible for raising a middle school child knows, these can be trying times.  There are so many changes that these kids are going through and they're trapped in the middle, no longer young children but also not yet young adults.  Because of all of this, as a parent, it can be a very difficult to decide the "right" education for your child.  My personal choice is to proceed with a public education in the zone where we live.

Like all parents, I am concerned with my child's education; is it challenging, is it competitive, is it safe?  What about peer pressure and extracurricular activities?  I am very happy with Lady's Island Middle/Intermediate Schools because my child is challenged every day.  The school focuses heavily on the student's MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) scores and works with each child to see these scores improve throughout the year.  The school is implementing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program that should be fully integrated into all four grade levels in the 2012-2013 school year.  My child is very happy at LIMS, has never felt unsafe, has great friends and is involved in one of the many extracurricular options available for the 7th and 8th grade students.  Whether it is athletics or one of the performing arts options such as Dance, Band, Strings and Chorus, there is an option for every child.

As a parent and as the Chair of the School Improvement Council I am convinced that parental involvement in the school your child attends is paramount to that school’s success. But parental involvement is not enough, local involvement from all citizens, businesses and community action groups is necessary to make any educational system better.  The success or failure of our local schools impacts our property values, the safety of our environment and the services we receive in our local shops and businesses.  As a business owner in the community, the quality of young adults entering the work force is very important to me.  Every child, given the proper environment is capable of learning and becoming successful...but sometimes, it really does "take a village".

Community and Collaborations is a theme that Principal Martin Wright has been talking about and working on during his first year at our school.  He has a vision of the community and the local schools working together to build a better environment for us all.  I support his vision and, through continued involvement will work to help move this closer to reality through various committees that work with both the school and community.  If you're a parent, a retiree, a local business owner, a concerned/caring adult and want to get involved in our school and the many good things happening there, I strongly encourage it!  We need you!  Contact the school and speak with the Volunteer Coordinator.

I cannot speak for every parent as to what is best for their child, but I can tell you this:

<strong>GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT LADY’S ISLAND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL AND LADY’S ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.</strong> My child is flourishing educationally and emotionally while making friends and forming bonds with children from different walks of life and diverse backgrounds.  I believe diversity and an understanding of different values and beliefs is an important part of education and a necessary life skill.

If, as a parent, you are struggling to make a decision as to whether Lady’s Island Intermediate or Lady’s Island Middle School is right for your child next year and I can be of assistance in any way please feel free to contact me at <a href="mailto:eggers06@comcast.net">eggers06@comcast.net</a>.

<strong>Editor’s Note.</strong> The above article was as a result of an invitation by LIBPA for Ms. Eggers to share her thoughts as a parent of a child attending Lady’s Island Intermediate/Middle School and also as Chair of the School Improvement Council. <strong> </strong>

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