Lexington County School District 3 -

Due to the forecasted heavy rain this Wednesday, March 6th the B-L Primary School Book Parade is being moved back to the school (it was originally scheduled to be held at the B-L High School track). The parade will begin at 8:45 am. Parents may view the parade in the BLPS cafeteria. We appreciate your support and patience as we try to accommodate all of our Panther families!

Today, the cafeteria of B-L Elementary School was buzzing with excitement as Gifted and Talented students hosted their very own wax museum! From the moment you stepped into the cafeteria, you'd swear you were in the presence of the most elite historical figures. From Anne Frank and Abraham Lincoln to Albert Einstein and Taylor Swift, our students took on the roles of these iconic personalities with such enthusiasm. Our GT students are truly so talented! (Pun intended.) Way to go!

Students at B-L Middle School hosted the school's annual African American History Month program this morning for the student body. African American History Month runs from February 1st through March 1st. Students did a phenomenal job planning and putting on this event!

Lexington County School District Three is excited to show off its personalized learning programs today and tomorrow to a group from the Kalispell Public School District in Montana! The group is visiting B-L Primary School today and will be at B-L High School tomorrow. We are giving them the royal Panther treatment as we host them in our schools! Join us in welcoming them!

Come be a PANTHER with us! Our district was represented well in Charleston today at the College of Charleston's Teacher Employment Expo! If you'd like to learn more about our great district and see the opportunities we currently have available, then visit the following link: https://www.lex3.org/page/all-about-us.

District administrators, school principals, students, our Teachers of the Year, members of our Board of Trustees, local pastors, the Mayor of Batesburg-Leesville, the President of the Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce, and business owners, just to name a few of the participants, recently convened at the Lexington Three District Office over the course of several evenings to work on the district's required five-year strategic plan. We are so grateful to everyone for being so generous of their time (and brainpower) to help us through this process! Batesburg-Leesville is truly the best community and we are overwhelmed by the continuous support we receive.

Lex 3 has been awarded a $1,000 grant from The Dairy Alliance to purchase a milk cooler for B-L Primary School! How exciting!

Congratulations to B-L High School senior Tucker Bolen who signed on Wednesday, February 7th (which was National Signing Day) to play football at Presbyterian College! Way to go! #lexington3istheplacetobe #beapanther #pantherstrong 🏈

Lexington Three's Office of Child Nutrition hosted another "Farm to Families" event for select Panther families on Saturday, February 10th at B-L Primary School. Participants received vouchers that they could spend on items such as rice, pecans, peas, sweet potatoes, sausage patties, milk, grits, cabbage, chicken and more! A special thanks to all of our students and staff members who volunteered their time and efforts to make the event such a success!

Members of the Lexington Three District Office wore red on Friday, February 2nd to help bring greater attention to heart disease in the US! #lexington3istheplacetobe #beapanther #pantherstrong

On January 31st, Buddy Ridgell and his wife, Daphyne, made a $2,000 presentation to the B-L High School Archery Team and the B-L High School JROTC Marksmanship Program on behalf of the SC Arms Collectors Association. Thank you for your support of our students and schools! #lexington3istheplacetobe #beapanther #pantherstrong

✨School Board Appreciation Month Board Member Highlight✨ January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Dr. Gariane Gunter! Dr. Gariane Phillips Gunter, MD, has been dedicated to serving the Lexington Three community for over a decade as a member of the Board of Trustees. Elected in 2010, Dr. Gunter's commitment to education stems from her personal connection as an alumnus of Lex 3, an engaged community member, and a devoted mother. A proud graduate of B-L High School, the University of South Carolina, and the USC School of Medicine, Dr. Gunter values the transformative power of education. She believes that "Education = Opportunity," emphasizing that all children deserve a quality education and the chance to pursue their dreams. Dr. Gunter and her husband, Tracy, have been married for almost 20 years. They are the proud parents of Isabella, a senior at B-L High School, and Capers, a fourth-grader at B-L Elementary School. The Gunter family is completed by four fur babies: Buster, Reylo, Hans, and Ephie. Professionally, Dr. Gunter is a Child/Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist employed by Lexington County Community Mental Health, working in the B-L Mental Health Office. Outside of work, she enjoys a variety of hobbies including shark tooth hunting, gardening, exploring abandoned places with her son Capers, attending Broadway shows with her daughter Isabella, and traveling with her husband Tracy. Beyond her service on the Board, Dr. Gunter is an active member of Steadman Baptist Church where she serves as the Youth Director. What makes Dr. Gunter most proud of Lexington Three is the tradition of excellence instilled in the community. Growing up in B-L, she learned the value of community and caring for others, a tradition she sees continuing in the success of Lexington Three's students both academically and personally. Thank you, Dr. Gunter, for your commitment to the Panther Nation!

🎉 We are celebrating 100 days of school in Lexington County School District Three! 🎈📚 Many of our students rocked the ageless look today transforming into adorable 100-year-olds and delving into a world of fun activities! From themed projects to laughter-filled games, the joy of learning shone bright today. Here's to the first 100 days and the countless adventures still to come this school year! 🍎🎉 Check out more pics on our Facebook page!

✨School Board Appreciation Month Board Member Highlight✨January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Mrs. Stacey Derrick! In 2012, Mrs. Derrick made the decision to contribute to the Batesburg-Leesville community in a fresh capacity—by taking on a role as a member of the Lexington County School District Three Board of Trustees. Her election to the Board that same year marked the beginning of her commitment to ensuring that every child receives a high-quality education, a dedication that remains the guiding principle behind all of her actions and decisions. Mrs. Derrick and her husband, Scott, have been married for 25 years. They have two sons–Reid (22 years old) and Brett (18 years old). Reid is a graduate of The Citadel and is employed by Newberry Electric Cooperative. Brett is currently attending The Citadel and is an active member of the US Army Reserve. Mrs. Derrick works as the Special Projects Coordinator for CarolinaConnect and is a Community Board Member for the American Heart Association. When she’s not contributing to the well-being of our community, Mrs. Derrick enjoys spending quality time with her family. Mrs. Derrick’s greatest joy as a Board member lies in witnessing students thrive, not only during their time in school but also in the years that follow graduation. She asserts that Lexington Three exemplifies the idea that larger doesn't always equate to better. Across all aspects, she says leaders at the school and district level consistently seek ways to enhance the educational experience, provide essential tools for success, ensure safety, and secure funding for these initiatives. Ultimately, their efforts aim to establish Lexington Three as "the best place to be." Thank you Mrs. Derrick for your continued support! 🎊🎉

Our 100th day of school in Lexington County School District Three is TOMORROW! What a great year we have had in the Panther Nation! #lexington3istheplacetobe #beapanther #pantherstrong

✨School Board Appreciation Month Board Member Highlight✨ January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Mr. Craig Caughman! For more than 15 years, Mr. Caughman has been an active member of the Lexington County School District Three Board of Trustees, committed to elevating the district to its highest standards. Initially elected in 2008, he says he is proud to give back to the district that has given so much to his family. In fact, aside from being an alumni of Batesburg-Leesville High School himself, Mr. Caughman’s parents and children also graduated from the school. Mr. Caughman is employed with Savannah River Mission Completion as a Project Engineering Manager. He and his wife, Tracey, who works as the Director of Social Work and Mental Health in Saluda School District, have been married for 30 years. They have two children–Alexander and Lauren. Alexander also works with Savannah River Mission Completion as an engineering designer. His wife, Adrian, is a nurse practitioner and will be working with Lexington Family Practice-Lake Murray. Mr. Caughman’s daughter, Lauren, is currently pursuing a Physical Education degree at Lander University. The Caughman family has two furry members–a miniature labradoodle named Barkley and a cat named Sammy. Mr. Caughman is a lifelong member of Cedar Grove Lutheran Church where he serves on the Cemetery Committee. When he’s not working or serving his community, he enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family on Lake Murray. According to Mr. Caughman, the distinctive charm of Lexington School District Three lies in its close-knit community atmosphere. He expresses his admiration for the unique aspect where a child's teacher often doubles as their neighbor, Sunday School teacher, little league baseball/softball coach, and friend. Thank you, Mr. Caughman, for your service to our great district! 🎊🎉

✨School Board Appreciation Month Board Member Highlight✨ January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Mrs. Sonya Cary! For 41 years, Mrs. Sonya Cary devoted her days to educating and caring for students across the state. Her work led her to school districts in Georgetown County, Saluda County, and Lexington County, with 29 years having been spent in Lexington County School District Three in various roles at all of the district’s schools. In 2018, she decided to use her experiences as a lifetime educator to help guide and support Lexington Three in a different way as a Board of Trustees member. She believes it’s an honor to be able to serve the students, staff and Batesburg-Leesville community in this new way. Mrs. Cary and her husband, Ross, have been married for 46 years and have two children–Amber and Will. Amber, who works as a family law attorney in Lexington at Jewitte Dooley Law Firm, is married to Austin Fulmer, and they have two little girls–Evie (age 4) and Holly (17 months). Mrs. Cary’s son, Will, is a captain and an emergency medicine physician at Ft. Eisenhower in the Eisenhower Medical Center. Will, who is married to Tanya, also teaches classes to the residents at Augusta University Hospital and works extra shifts there in the emergency room as needed. The Cary family has five pets. Their three dogs are Benelli, Happy and Boscoe, and their cats are named GW and Angel. When Mrs. Cary is not being a Yaya to her two grandchildren, she enjoys sitting by her pool, going to the beach, camping, walking and doing yard work. She is also an active member of Wittenburg Lutheran Church in Leesville. Mrs. Cary says her favorite thing about Lexington Three is the small-town feel and the more personal approach that our district’s size allows for when it comes to education. She also loves the comradery, care and concern that staff and students alike show for one another. Thank you, Mrs. Cary, for your dedication to the Panther Nation!

January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members here on social media (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Mrs. Cheryl Burgess! For the past 22 years, Mrs. Cheryl Burgess has been devoted to the educational system in Lexington County School District Three. First elected to the Board of Trustees in 2002, she originally felt led to run for office because she wanted to see vocational opportunities expanded for students at B-L High School. More than two decades later, she says she enjoys being able to continue being part of the success and growth of the district. Mrs. Burgess and her husband, John, are both graduates of B-L High School and have been married for 45 years. They have two children–Julie and Jeff. Julie, who serves as the Media Specialist at B-L Elementary School, is married to Ben Ruff and has three children who all attend Batesburg-Leesville schools–Hollis (12th grade), Addy (10th grade) and James (7th grade). Jeff is employed with New Life Turf in Norway, SC. The Burgess family has three pets including Max, a 7-year-old German Shepherd, and cats Dollie and Lucky. A retired optician, Mrs. Burgess currently works part time at Columbia Eye Clinic and Shealy Realty. She is a member of Faith Lutheran Church and serves on the Board of Advisors for Midlands Technical College’s Leesville campus. She is also currently the Chair of the Board of Directors for the SC School Boards Trust and is a Past President of the SC School Boards Association. Mrs. Burgess says she enjoys sharing in all of the successes of our students and staff and loves telling others that Lexington Three is the “hidden gem” of Lexington County. She is also deeply appreciative of the unmatched caring nature of Lexington Three’s faculty, staff and administration. Thank you, Mrs. Burgess, for your service!

January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members here on social media (in alphabetical order). Today we recognize Mr. Ty Bouknight! Mr. Bouknight is the newest member of the Lexington County School District Three Board of Trustees, having been elected in 2021. He says he ran for a seat on the Board in order to be an advocate for the students in the Panther Nation and to help provide them with the best opportunities for success–not just during their time here, but following graduation as well. Mr. Bouknight, who is a Batesburg-Leesville High School alumni himself, is married to Ashley R. Bouknight. Ashley serves as the Lead Interventionist at Batesburg-Leesville Elementary School. Together they have four children–Cade (age 18), Riley (age 16), Chandler (age 14) and Knox (age 12). Cade is a freshman at the University of South Carolina Aiken and Riley, Chandler and Knox are all students in Batesburg-Leesville schools. The Bouknight family has one pet, a Boykin Spaniel named Drake. Mr. Bouknight works as an insurance agent at Batesburg Insurance Agency and is an active member of Leesville United Methodist Church. He is also part of the local F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith) chapter, a member of Ponderosa Golf Course, and serves as a baseball coach for B-L Youth Sports. In his spare time, he enjoys attending his children’s many sporting events, spending time with his family, playing golf, hunting and fishing. Celebrating our great school district and the many wonderful things that happen here on a daily basis is among the things that Mr. Bouknight enjoys most as a school board member. However, he also loves the caring, dedicated nature of the faculty, staff, and administration as well as the “hometown feel” that Lexington Three has always exuded. Thank you for your service to the Panther Nation, Mr. Bouknight! We salute you!

January marks School Board Appreciation Month in South Carolina and Lexington Three is joining school districts across the state in celebrating its valued Board of Trustees members. Throughout the month of January, we will be highlighting each of our seven Board members here on social media (in alphabetical order). First up is Mrs. Frances Bouknight. Mrs. Bouknight has served on the Lexington Three Board of Trustees since 2018, but her work in the Panther Nation began long before that. In fact, she retired from Lexington Three after working for 42 years in a variety of roles including serving as a math teacher, District Basic Skills coordinator, Director of Instruction, Director of Accountability and Assessments, adult education teacher and Director of Adult Ed. Currently, she works part-time at Carolinian Consultancy and Gifts Unique. She also does the accounting and bookkeeping for Bouknight Pumps. Mrs. Bouknight is married to David W. Bouknight, Jr. The couple has been married for 49 years and together they have three children–David W. Bouknight III (Dave), Pamela Bouknight Lowrance and the late Walter E. Bouknight. Currently, Dave is the Major/Assistant Chief of Police in Batesburg-Leesville. His wife, Lisa, teaches in neighboring Ridge-Spring Monetta. The couple has two sons–Willard (age 19) and Carter (age 16). Pam is a travel nurse who is currently employed in New Jersey. She has two children–Morgan (age 19) and Charles (age 16). Of course, we can’t leave out Mrs. Bouknight’s furry canine family members including Bella who is an Eskimo Spitz, Hazel who is a mixed breed and Dakota who is a yellow lab. In her spare time, Mrs. Bouknight enjoys cooking, sewing, walking and being an active member of Faith Lutheran Church where she serves in several church leadership roles including Congregation Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Team. She is also a member of the Information Committee of the SC Poultry Festival. When it comes to her favorite thing about Lexington Three, Mrs. Bouknight says numerous things come to mind but the unwavering commitment to Panther students by teachers, staff, businesses and the community as a whole stands out the most. Thank you, Mrs. Bouknight, for your service to Lexington Three! 🎉🎉🎊🎊