November 22, 2013

11/22/13

Good afternoon.  I hope you’ve had a good week. 

CALENDAR ITEMS

Tuesday, November 26

LMS Turkey Trot

All School Celebration Assembly

Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29

No School

Monday, December 2 through Thursday, December 5

Discovery Education testing – Block Day schedules (Odd, Even, Odd, Even).

Monday, December 9 through Thursday, December 12

SRI (Reading) testing for students below grade level – Regular schedules.

Wednesday, December 11

LMS Orchestra Concert, LHWHS Auditorium – 7:00 pm

Thursday, December 12

LMS Band Concert, LMS – 7:00 pm

Friday, December 13

Early Release Day (Professional Development)

I AM LMS Day Activities

Tuesday, December 17

Spring Musical Auditions; 3:10 – 5 pm (see below)

Friday, December 20

End of Quarter 2

Monday, December 23 through Friday, January 3

Winter Break for Students

Monday, January 6

School Resumes

CORRECTION

LMS Band Concert

The LMS Band Concert scheduled for December 12 will occur at LMS, rather than LHWHS as previously communicated.

NEW ITEMS

Eagle Scout Project

One of our 8^th graders, Harrison Wright, is organizing a donation drive for gently used clothing, books and toys as his Eagle Scout Project.  This drive will benefit the St. Louis Crisis Nursery, which is committed to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and provides emergency intervention, respite care and support to families in crisis.  The drive is scheduled to take place on the LMS parking lot on January 12, from noon to 4 pm.  For more information, please contact Harrison at:

harrisonwright22@gmail.com

or visit

http://www.crisisnurserykids.org/index.htm

Lunch/Outside

For the majority of the year, we like to give the kids the option of going out on the back lot to burn off some steam during the last ten minutes or so of each lunch shift.  This also allows more room for those who clean the Cafeteria for the next lunch shift.  As you might imagine, letting middle schoolers burn off steam is always a good thing before they return to their class schedule.

When temperatures get cold, as they were today, we first look at the wind chill in order to make a decision.  The normal cutoff is anything below a “feels like” of 40 degrees.  On cloudy, wet/misty days like today, we normally keep them inside.  On sunny days, we give them the option if they are wearing something like fleeces, sweatshirts or hoodies.  On those days when students are given the choice, we always allow them to return to the Cafeteria if they wish until the end of the lunch shift.  Just wanted you to be aware.

Spring Musical Auditions

Auditions for the Spring Musical, Wanda's World, will be held after school on Tuesday, December 17th from 3:10 to 5 pm.  Packets with all audition materials can be picked up from Ms. Gastman or Mrs. Scheidt starting Monday, November 25. Other resource materials will be available on their websites. 

Students who need to ride the late bus will need to audition before 4:10; other students will need to plan for a ride.

If students cannot make the audition date, they will need to set up a different audition time before December 17th, as no late auditions will be held. 

For more information, call or email Mrs. Scheidt (ext. 5935).

St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra

LMS students who are members of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra have been working to prepare for the first concert of the 44^th season.  This concert, which will celebrate Benjamin Britten’s 100^th birthday, will occur at Powel Hall on Sunday, November 24, beginning at 3 pm.  Ticket are free (with a $1 per ticket service fee).  To reserve your tickets, you can call the Box Office at 314-534-1700 or go to www.stlsymphony.org .

UPDATED ITEMS

Late Start/Snow Days

The FINAL Winter Weather Information Flyer was sent out to all parents Thursday afternoon with a letter from Dr. Jahnke.  As you will see, it now contains information about all day closings, late starts, as well as early dismissals.  I have attached the flyer on today's Blackboard Connect email.   

Canned Food Drive

The last day for canned food donations will be Monday morning, November 25.  I have been told that total food/cash donations are running behind totals from previous years.  As of 11:21 am this morning, the class competitions were:

1^st  -  8^th grade;

2^nd - 7^th grade; and

3^rd - 6^th grade.

REPEAT ITEMS

Mothers’ Coffee

Are you an LMS mother interested in exploring other cultures?  Would you be interested in sharing your culture, your experiences with other mothers?  LMS and the ESL Department is planning a “Mother’s Coffee”.  The “coffee” will be a chance for LMS mothers from various cultures to informally meet and share their differences and commonalities.  The tentative date for the actual coffee is Monday, December 2.  A planning meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 11 at 10:00 am at the Middle School.  If you are interested in attending either the planning meeting or the actual “coffee”, or have questions, please contact Lou Galloway-Zapiain  lgallowayz@ladueschools.net , Marie Keath Mkeath@ladueschools.net , or Dr. Taylor-Johnson ttaylor@ladueschools.net

Board Briefs

Board Briefs from the Ladue Schools Board of Education can be accessed through the Board Briefs Blogspot and can be found through the link below.  Please also note...  On the Board Briefs Blogspot you can sign up to get email alerts when a new blog has been posted to this site.

Please feel free to share this link and information with interested family, friends and community members.

http://boardbriefs.blogspot.com/

As always:

I hope you have a great weekend.

If I have made a mistake, or omitted anything, I will send out a follow up.

Take care,

Greg