The Leopard Letter
August 17-21, 2026
Lake Forest Families,
What a wonderful first week of school! It has been such a joy to have our hallways and classrooms filled again with the smiles, laughter, and energy of our Leopards. Thank you for trusting us with your children each day. We know there is no greater responsibility, and we are grateful for the opportunity to love, teach, encourage, and support them.
At Lake Forest, our “why” goes far beyond academics. We want every child who walks through our doors to feel safe, connected, valued, and loved. We believe those connections create the foundation children need to learn, grow, lead, and succeed.
This is at the heart of our schoolwide commitment to Conscious Discipline. You will see our staff intentionally building relationships, teaching students how to regulate their emotions, helping them solve problems, and creating classroom communities where mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Rather than simply asking, “How do we stop a behavior?” we work to understand what a child needs and teach the skills that will help them be successful.
Our goal is to help children develop skills they will carry far beyond elementary school—self-regulation, empathy, responsibility, resilience, and connection with others.
We are excited about the year ahead and incredibly thankful to have you as our partners. Together, we are creating a school where our Leopards know they belong, know they are loved, and know they are capable of great things.
Thank you for a GREAT first week and for trusting us with your most precious gifts! 💙💛
Wishing you well,
Julie Cooke
Principal
Lake Forest Elementary School
Check out this Month's Newsletter from the school counseling team!
Take a moment to explore our School Counseling Newsletter for updates on upcoming events and to learn how we’re supporting students and families throughout the year.
The safety of our students and staff is always a top priority at Lake Forest. Throughout the school year, we practice a variety of safety drills so our students and staff know what to do in the event of an emergency.
🔥 Fire Drill
We conducted our first fire drill of the school year on Friday, and our students did a wonderful job! They followed directions, exited the building safely and quietly, and demonstrated the behaviors we expect during an emergency drill. We are very proud of our Leopards!
🔒 Lockdown Drill – Thursday, August 20, around 8:50 a.m.
We will conduct our first lockdown drill of the school year on Thursday morning. We typically do not announce lockdown drills in advance; however, we provide advance notice for our first drill of the year so teachers have an opportunity to review procedures with students, answer questions, and reinforce expected behaviors before practicing. Teachers will prepare students in an age-appropriate manner, emphasizing the importance of remaining calm, quiet, and following adult directions. Our goal is for students to understand that practicing these procedures helps us know what to do to keep everyone safe.
🏃 Elopement Drill – Friday, August 21, around 10:00 a.m.
On Friday, we will conduct our first elopement drill of the school year. An elopement drill allows our staff to practice procedures that would be used if a student were attempting to run from supervising adults and potentially leave the school building or another designated safe area.
During the drill, staff members practice their specific roles and responsibilities while teachers ensure that other students remain safely supervised and learning continues with as little disruption as possible. Teachers will review appropriate expectations with students prior to the drill.
We appreciate your partnership as we practice these important procedures and work together to keep all of our Leopards safe. 💙💛
As we launch into a new school year, we ask for your support by waiting until after Labor Day to join your child for lunch.
The first few weeks of school are an important time for teachers to establish classroom expectations, build routines, and help students develop independence and friendships. Giving our students this time to settle into their new environment sets them up for a successful year.
We know you're excited to spend time with your Leopard, and we look forward to welcoming lunch visitors beginning after Labor Day, September 7!
Birthday Treats/Classroom Treats: ALL treats sent in for a class to eat must be commercially bought. Homemade treats will not be passed out to students. Individual packaging is preferred.
Thank you for partnering with us as we help every student learn, grow, lead, and succeed. 💙💛🐆
We're inviting everyone to join the Lake Forest Elementary PTA for just $6!
Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, family friends, students...and yes, if your dog or cat could sign up, we'd welcome them too! 🐶🐱😊
Our PTA does an incredible job supporting our students, teachers, and school community all year long by funding programs, providing resources, hosting family events, and celebrating our amazing staff. Your membership helps make all of that possible.
Our goal is simple: one PTA member for every Lake Forest student. Every membership counts and helps support child advocacy, scholarships, educational resources, and so much more. Joining takes just a few minutes! Simply create an account through MemberHub and pay the $6 membership fee.
Join HERE today and help us make this our best year yet!
Join us on the Remind App:
- Download Remind app or go to remind.com
- Our class name is Lake Forest Elementary PTA
- Our class code is @8bb434
Join Our Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/583337569143345
Follow us on Instagram: @LFEPTA
Vision
The vision of Lake Forest Elementary School is to empower students to learn, grow, lead, and succeed.
Mission
The mission of Lake Forest Elementary School is to provide a nurturing, student-centered learning environment where students are empowered to learn about the world, persevere through challenges, and develop positive character traits.
2026-2027 School Priorities
- Providing strong tier 1 instruction
- Strengthening our PLCs
- Collective Ownership of ALL students
- Enhancing our understanding and application of Conscious Discipline
Lake Forest Elementary School
Email: jcooke@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: https://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/lforest/
Location: 16 Berkshire Avenue, Greenville, SC, USA
Phone: (864) 355-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeForestES
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakeforestelemsc