January 17, 2014
Happy Friday to you all.
As previously communicated,
I realize Early Release days can cause difficulties for some of you in terms of
work schedules and child supervision in the afternoon. Please be aware that we would not structure
days such as these if they weren’t important.
Our faculty is currently engaged in one of two activities this
afternoon: 1) Department groups are meeting to
further the studies on implementing the Missouri Learning Standards into their
respective curricular pieces, or 2) Completing a 2-hour technology course on
how to use iBook software to create lessons, units, and test items similar to
the new state test.
CALENDAR ITEMS
Monday, January
20
Dr. King Holiday,
no school
Thursday,
January 23
7th
Grade Parents to Lunch and meeting; 11:15 am
Friday, January
24
6th
Grade Parents to Lunch and meeting; 10:30 am
Hidden Valley Ski
Trip; 3:00 – 9:30 pm
Tuesday, January 28
LHWHS registration forms for
current 8th graders due in Welcome Center Office
Thursday, January 30
Club and organization group
pictures (for yearbook)
Friday, January 31
Hidden Valley Ski Trip; 3:00
– 9:30 pm
Monday, February 3
Discovery Education testing
(through Thursday, February 6)
Friday, February 7
Science Olympiad to Illinois
Invitational
Hidden Valley Ski Trip; 3:00
– 9:30 pm
Friday, February 14
No School; Professional
Development for Staff
Monday, February 17
No School; Presidents’ Day
Tuesday, February 18
Patriot Team field trip to
Springfield, IL
Thursday, February 20
Trailblazer Team field trip
to Springfield, IL
Friday, February 21
Hidden Valley Ski Trip; 3:00
– 9:30 pm
Thursday, February 27
Pioneer Team field trip to
Springfield, IL
Friday, February 28
Hidden Valley Ski Trip; 3:00
– 9:30 pm (make up day)
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations
to Justin Wayne, Spartan team, who was named the LMS Spelling Bee winner on
January 14. Congratulations as well to runner up Zach Wild, Titan team.
Congratulations
to Joel Hsieh, Patriot team, who was named the LMS Geography Bee winner on
January 16. Congratulations as well to
runner up Noah Goldman, Patriot team.
CORRECTION(S)
NEW ITEMS
Informational Meeting
The Ladue
School District/Special School District Partnership will hold an information
meeting for current 8th grade students who receive SSD services and
plan on transitioning to the 9th grade at LHWHS next year. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January
21 at the LHWHS Library, beginning at 7:00 pm.
Information will be presented by Special School District Area
Coordinators Lori Rehme and Melisa Bohannan, along with LHWHS Special School
District Teacher Julie Stephenson.
8th Graders/Scheduling for High School
next year
LHWHS registration forms for
current 8th graders will be due in the LMS Welcome Center Office on
Tuesday, January 28.
LHWHS Excel Team teachers
will meet with interested students on Thursday, January 23 between 1:00 and
2:30 at LMS.
6th and 7th Graders/Scheduling
Counselors are in the
process of meeting with current 6th and 7th grade
students this week and next to discuss scheduling for next year. During these meetings, students have received
(or will receive) curriculum handbooks and registration forms to bring
home. Registration forms will be due in
the LMS Welcome Center Office by February 7.
Discovery Education (DE) Testing
Round three of
our yearly benchmark DE testing will occur February 3 through February 6. In order to allow for sufficient time for
testing, we will follow a Block Day schedule that is listed below:
February 4 – EVEN/Blue day (Math
testing)
February 5 – ODD/White day
(Communication Arts testing)
February 6 – EVEN/White day
(Communication Arts testing)
(Note: ODD
and EVEN days refer to the class periods that meet on those days. BLUE and WHITE days impact 6th
Grade students only and refer to classes that meet on alternating days. The kids have it figured out at this point.)
Basketball Games/Student Supervision
Several home
basketball games for 8th grade boys and girls teams are coming up soon. Games start at either 3:45 or 4:00 pm. We have experienced two challenges regarding
supervision of students who wish to attend these games as spectators that we
would like to avoid this year.
1) If games are
scheduled on a Tuesday or a Thursday, students remaining after school must be
in a supervised activity (and sign up in advance) from dismissal until 4:10
pm. By requiring this, we know who is
here and where they are. Another option
is for students to go home, then return to watch the game with a parent.
2) Students have
made the decision to leave campus and walk to one of the local businesses
before returning to campus for the game.
This causes us all concern, since we cannot verify their status (should
a parent come looking for them) and since we feel a level of responsibility for
them until they make it home safely.
I greatly
appreciate your cooperation regarding this.
Yearbook Order information
Yearbooks
will be on sale until February 14, 2014. After that date, pre-orders will no longer be
available. Orders can be placed by going
to www.yearbookordercenter.com
and entering #8647 to order (or there is a link under the Activities tab on the
LMS webpage). You can also order by phone
at 1-866-287-3096.
Program to support Cardinal Glennon
Please
support two of our own, Jessie and Sara Eastlund and their dance company
for the 4th Annual Pazazz Gala to be held Saturday, February 8th at 7:00 pm at
the Touhill Theater. Fifty-percent of the proceeds from the Gala will be
donated to Drea's Dream Dance Therapy Program at Cardinal Glennon Children's
Hospital. It will be a great night of dance for a phenomenal
cause.
MAP Testing
Please note
that MAP testing will be held on Monday, April 7 through Thursday, April
10. If possible, please try to avoid
scheduling doctor appointments or other time away from school during this
period for your children. We would
appreciate it very much.
UPDATED ITEMS
REPEAT ITEMS
LMS Lunchtime Parent Lecture Series
The following
lectures are sponsored by the LMSPA.
It’s information that will make you a better parent! Bring a bag lunch, or just bring yourself,
your curiosity, and your desire to learn from the best and the brightest. Note: All of our speakers will begin promptly
at noon and end promptly at 1 pm to respect the time of our busy parents.
Communication
Without Conflict – How to Get More than Grunts, Groans and Eye Rolls
Wednesday, February 5; 12-1 pm; LMS
Library
Join Debbie
Granick for an engaging, humorous, and solution-packed lunch hour that will
give you new tools and tricks for enhancing communication with your tweens and
teen.
You will:
·
Learn
causes of communication breakdown.
·
Reduce
friction in common “high conflict” situations.
·
Discuss
tips for talking about sensitive issues like drinking, peer relationships,
sexual situations and more.
·
Get
proven strategies for engaging your child in conversation and enhancing your
relationship.
Debbie Granick is a Licensed Clinical
Social Worker and RN. She has worked
previously at MoBap and as a Counselor at MICDS. She helps teems, adults, and families to
create positive change. She is currently
in private practice in Clayton.
Advocating
For Your Child – Why, When, and How
Wednesday,
February 12; 12-1 pm; LMS Library
As parents it
is natural for us to help and support our children, yet we may be denying them
the ability to advocate for themselves.
Why is that we advocate for our children? When should we take the lead in the
advocating process and when should we follow?
How can we help and support our children without being too
emotional? Learning how to step in and
out and really listen to our children can help both parents and their children
navigate the world.
Peggy Fiala, M. Ed., LPC is in private
practice. She focuses on adolescent
counseling specifically around school issues (academic, social, and emotional
transition and adjustment). She also is
a Parent Coach and educational consultant.
Before going into private practice, she worked for 32 years at John Burroughs
School as a teacher, middle school principal and counselor.
Parenting,
how it changes as they grow!
Wednesday,
February 19; 12-1 pm; LMS Library
Come hear
national speaker MJ Corcoran introduce the three main parenting stages, along
with tips on how to get the most out of your relationship with your teen. If you are sick of reminding, coaxing or
simply being responsible for your teen’s life, join MJ in a lively discussion
on how to be more coach-like for a winning relationship with your teen.
MJ Corcoran is a National Speaker,
Certified Parenting Coach and M. Ed. strategist.
Stepping Off the Hamster
Wheel – Tools for Frenzied Families
Wednesday, February 26;
12-1; LMS Library
Feel like there’s never
enough time to do it all? Jill Farmer
will give you tools for unraveling the business in your lives. Learn how to replace the craziness in your
house with some calm. Tips for
overscheduled parents and middle schoolers.
Jill Farmer is the Author of “There’s Not Enough Time
. . . and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves” and is a Master Certified Life Coach
and speaker.
Winter Weather information
The link to
Winter Weather information on the LMS website can be found at http://www.ladue.k12.mo.us/lms/pdfs/2013WinterWeatherFlyer.pdf
I hope you and your families
have a great weekend.
Greg
