Week of August 17th, 2025

Lake Lure Classical Academy Welcomes Students for 16th Year,

Launches New Growth and Outdoor Education Initiatives

LAKE LURE, NC – Lake Lure Classical Academy (LLCA) welcomed students back to campus this week, marking the start of its 16th year of providing a high-quality classical education to families in Lake Lure and the surrounding region.

Dedicated to the principles of classical learning, LLCA engages students at every stage of the Trivium – the grammar stage, the logic stage, and the rhetoric stage. In the grammar stage (grades K-8), students gain a broad foundational knowledge through the Core Knowledge curriculum. As they progress into the logic and rhetoric stages, they study Aristotelian logic, participate in debates and Socratic seminars, and experience expeditionary and problem-based learning that challenges them to think critically and communicate effectively.

This commitment to academic excellence is matched by a deep focus on character formation. As part of its mission, LLCA emphasizes instilling virtue, cultivating citizenship, and incorporating outdoor education into all aspects of learning.

Coming off a challenging year marked by the impact of Hurricane Helene, LLCA is entering the 2025–2026 academic year with two major initiatives:

1. Fostering Growth Mindsets – Building on the school’s exceptional academic growth during the 2023–2024 school year, when LLCA achieved one of the highest growth rates in western North Carolina and the second highest score in Rutherford County, the school will continue to focus on developing a growth mindset in every student.
2. Expanding Outdoor Education – In partnership with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, LLCA is enhancing its outdoor education program to be one of the most comprehensive in the state. Supported by the Stronger Connections grant, the school will integrate outdoor learning into daily lessons, extracurricular programs, and field trips, giving students hands-on experiences that connect them with the natural world.

“Our school community has faced challenges, but our commitment to our students has never wavered,” said Barbara Cohen, School Director of LLCA. “This year, we are not just rebuilding—we are growing stronger, deepening our classical approach, and creating even more opportunities for our students to learn both in the classroom and outdoors.”

Lake Lure Classical Academy looks forward to a year of academic rigor, character development, and outdoor exploration, continuing its mission to prepare students for lives of knowledge, virtue, and engaged citizenship.

Welcome, Corporal Smith!

Lake Lure Classical Academy Welcomes Corporal Jeff Smith as New School Resource Officer

Lake Lure Classical Academy is proud to welcome Corporal Jeff Smith as our new School Resource Officer. With 24 years of dedicated service in law enforcement and entering his eighth year as an SRO, Corporal Smith brings a wealth of experience, professionalism, and care to our school community.

Known for his friendly demeanor and ever-present smile, Corporal Smith is committed to building positive relationships with our students and fostering a safe, welcoming environment on campus. His approachable nature makes him a valuable resource for students, staff, and families alike.

We are thrilled to have him join the LLCA family and look forward to the positive impact he will have this school year. If you have any concerns or matters you’d like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Corporal Smith—he’s here to listen, help, and ensure our school remains a safe place for learning and growth.

Open House Information

If you weren’t able to join us for our Open House information session, we’ve got you covered! Click the link below to view the slideshow and catch up on all the details that will help make the start of the year smooth and successful. 

LLCA Parent & Student Handbook 2025-2026

The link below will take you to the LLCA Parent & Student Handbook 2025-2026

Please read this document and review with your student.

Required Student Registration

If you have not already done so, please complete this current student registration for this coming year. We need this completed as soon as possible to ensure that we have the correct information in Infinite Campus.



Bus Transportation & Cell Phone Policy

Greetings Raptor Families,

I hope your students have enjoyed a wonderful first week of school and are settling into a successful routine.

I’d like to share an important update for families who utilize our transportation system. This year, our bus drivers have been asked to more strictly enforce the policy prohibiting the use of cell phones while riding the bus. This measure is in place to prevent inappropriate use of devices, which has been a leading cause of behavioral concerns during transportation.

Our goal is to ensure that students are not exposed to harmful or distracting content and that the ride to and from school remains safe, respectful, and focused on positive interactions.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting this policy as we work to provide a safe environment both on our buses and on campus.

Sincerely,

Mr. Fair

Use of Funds Survey Title I 

2025-2026

For the 2025-2026 school year, the school should receive approximately $100,000.00. As part of our annual review of the use of federal funds to support student learning, we are asking parents for their input into how the school will use these funds during the 2025-2026 school. Use the link below to answer questions that will help inform the school in making decisions about the best way to use these funds to impact student learning and achievement.

Athletic Updates from Coach Ozzie

The volleyball team and the boys soccer team will play their first home games on Friday, August 22nd. Both games start at 4:00.

2025 LLCA Boys Soccer Schedule

2025 LLCA Volleyball Schedule

💙 BLUE OUT DAY 💙

Friday, August 22nd



📍 Home Games – LLCA Raptors 🆚 Haywood

Get ready to pack the stands in BLUE and show your Raptor pride!

Wear your brightest LLCA blue to school and to the games to cheer on our teams.

Game Day Details:

⚽ Soccer: LLCA vs. Haywood

🏐 Volleyball: LLCA vs. Haywood

📅 Date: Friday, August 22nd

🏟 Location: LLCA Home Courts & Field

🎉 Theme: BLUE OUT – Let’s make the crowd a sea of blue!

Let’s fill the stands and support our Raptors!

Go Raptors! 🦅💙

Technology Information

2025-2026 School Year

Please Read Carefully

Cellphone Ban

Statewide cellphone ban passed into law on July 1st

New LLCA cellphone ban - “No cell, bell to bell”

New social media training requirements as part of the new cellphone ban law

Chromebook Changes for 2025-2026

Device access, whether Chromebook or BYOD, will not be granted until all paperwork is completed and reviewed. Please allow at least one week for processing.

Required forms from all students (1) Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) (2) Consent for Digital Technology and Resource Use (due to changes in Google policies)

All Middle students and those High School students using LLCA-owned Chromebooks will be required to purchase a Securranty Chromebook insurance policy

K - 8 Chromebooks assigned to carts (Not allowed to go home)

High School students only

Two technology device options

LLCA-owned Chromebook assignment (Non-BYOD option), or

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) option

Must complete the High School Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Technology Form listing the make, model and MAC address of the device requesting access - No cellphones.

All of the documents mentioned above can be found and completed via the links on the appropriate form for the grade and situation. I encourage everyone to please begin filling in these forms now - this will avoid delays in making the technology available to all students.

• Elementary School Technology Forms
• Middle School Technology Forms
• High School (Non-BYOD) Technology Forms
• High School Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Technology Form 

From Nurse Redmon

We have had a safe and healthy first week of school! Please know that most spread of germs begin within the first 7-10 days after the start of school. Continue to be vigilant in encouraging your students to wash/sanitize their hands frequently during the day, “going into class and on the way out of class!” We will begin hand washing classes for the elementary classes in the coming weeks.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction require all immunization records to be up-to-date within 30 days of the first day of school. Please be certain that your students vaccination record is updated and on file.

Parent & Community Advisory Committee



Mission: Identifying and removing barriers that prevent students from maximizing their natural talents by creating lasting opportunities to pursue their lifelong passions.

Vision: To ensure the success of all students through enhancing parent and community involvement by continually addressing challenges facing students, staff, and parents while fostering an environment built on open communication.

Meetings will be held the Third Tuesday of each month (except January).

Please plan to join our first meeting on August 19, 2025 at 8:15 in Room A-19. 

Parent/ Community Chair: Jasmine Hanline Staff Liaison: Kristin Collette

Elementary Clothes Closet

Elementary Clothes Closet is accessible each week on Fridays from 8:00-9:00am in Mrs. Kristin’s Room. Donations are accepted at any time and can be dropped off at the front office or sent with  your student.

Our Middle School RAD Raptors of the Week

Responsible - Altruistic - Dedicated

Lake Lure Classical Academy’s

mission is to offer 

a classical, knowledge-based education 

that fosters critical thinking, civic responsibilities, and virtue for all.