November 20, 2015

Good afternoon.  I hope your week has gone well.

We typically do not offer After School Activities prior to a holiday, nor do we hold these the last week of the semester.  After checking with coaches and activity sponsors, there is a need to change this for this semester.  As a result, we WILL be offering coaches and sponsors the option of holding practices and activities on the following dates:

·      Tuesday, November 24

·      Tuesday, December 15

·      Thursday, December 17

Not all Activities will be held on these days.  I have asked sponsors to provide this information to our Office staff so that this information can be communicated to students through our school-wide announcements as these dates approach.

CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS

Thank you to our wonderful Cafeteria Staff:  Lisa Stedman, Kiara Stone, Robin Roper, Wilma Watkins, Raychelle Bradley, Sharon Bishop and Dre Hall.  We celebrated their contributions and efforts this past Wednesday morning.  I am including a picture to the Blackboard Connect update.

Thank you to our outstanding Parent Association.  Your unwavering support and generosity is greatly appreciated by everyone in our building.

Thank you to LMS teachers Matt Strayhorn and Hugh McMonigle for organizing our yearly Canned Food Drive to benefit Gateway 180.  An amazing number of food items appear each morning in our building.  Your generosity is truly appreciated.  For more information on Gateway 180 and how your contributions benefit those that they serve, please visit www.gateway180.org

CALENDAR ITEMS

Monday, 11/23

Fire Drill; Period 6 (approximately 12:55 pm, weather permitting)

Grades 7 and 8 Orchestra Concert; LHWHS Performing Arts Center; 7 pm (rescheduled from 11/11)

Tuesday, 11/24

LMS Turkey Trot

Wednesday, 11/25 through Friday, 11/27

Thanksgiving Break; No School

Monday, 11/30

Discovery Ed testing (through Thursday, 12/3).  See below.

Monday, 12/7

SRI (Reading) assessments for selected students (through Thursday, 12/10)

Tuesday, 12/8

LMSPA Board meeting; 1 pm

Wednesday, 12/9

Orchestra Concert; Grade 6; LHWHS Performing Arts Center; 7 pm

Thursday, 12/10

Band Concert; LMS; 7 pm

Friday, 12/11

Early Release Day; 12:40 pm

Friday, 12/18

Early Release Day; 12:40 pm

Last Day for Quarter 2/Semester 1

Monday, 12/21

Winter Break (through Monday, 1/4)

CORRECTIONS/ADDITION

Please note that the dates for the LMS Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving Break have been corrected above.

HEALTHY THOUGHTS (from Nurse Patrick and Coach Wojtow)

Eating a healthy breakfast is associated with improved cognitive function (especially memory), energy, reduced absenteeism, and improved mood.  Think quality of food, not quantity of food.  Adolescents should eat breakfast each day to maximize their potential.  Mornings can be rushed, so consider grab and go options to set students up for breakfast success.  Breakfast options are also available in the cafeteria prior to the school day.

NURSE NOTES

Medication (both prescription and over the counter) must be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent or other responsible adult. Per Ladue School District policy: medications may not be transported by a student and will not be released to a student.  Please refer to Ladue's medication policy for more information:

Ladue Medication Policy

NEW ITEMS

UPDATED ITEMS

REPEAT ITEMS

DE 2 Testing

We conduct what we call “benchmark testing” each year to track student growth.  This is through a program called Discovery Education (DE).  The initial testing occurred in early September.  Round 2 is scheduled for November 30 through December 3.  In order to get our testing completed during these four days, we run a Block Day schedule, holding four class periods each day instead of our normal eight. 

The schedule we will follow during this week will be:

Monday – Periods 1, 3, 5, 7 (Blue day for 6^th grade Electives/Explo)

Tuesday – Periods 2, 4, 6, 8 (Blue day for 6^th grade Electives/Explo)

Wednesday – Periods 1, 3, 5, 7 (White day for 6^th grade Electives/Explo)

Thursday – Periods 2, 4, 6, 8 (White day for 6^th grade Electives/Explo)

On Friday of that week, we will run a normal eight-period day.

Thanksgiving Fundraiser Activities

Here is a rundown of this year's events related to the penny wars, canned food drive and turkey trot.  

Penny Wars: November 9 through 12

Students will show that their grade level is the most caring and has the most spirit by donating to Free The Children.  Each grade level will have a jug placed in the lobby from November 9 through November 12 for donation collection.  All donations will go to Free The Children to help children and families in impoverished countries.  All pennies and checks (made out to Ladue Middle School) placed into a jug count as positive amounts.  All silver coins and paper money count as negative amounts equivalent to their denomination.  The grade level with the greatest positive (or least negative) amount after November 12 wins (Principal Note:  Although we all win by helping support this worthwhile cause).
Canned Food Drive:  November 16 through 23
LMS is collecting can and money donations for Gateway 180, an area shelter that distributes food and funds to many area homeless shelters.  Students will turn in donations before school in their morning grade level areas.  The class with the best overall per student donation average plus highest percentage of class participation will win a pizza party.  The class at each grade level with the highest per student average plus highest percentage of class participation will receive a soda and chip party.  Students may choose to bring in money instead of cans.  One canned food item equals $.50 (checks can be made out to Ladue Middle School).

100 Can Club:  All students bringing in 100 cans (equivalent to $50) will receive a 100 Can Club Certificate hung in the hall with their name on it and their name read on the afternoon announcements.  Members of the 100 Can Club will have their name placed into a drawing for the opportunity to throw a pie in one of their favorite faculty member’s face.  All staff members willing to donate their face to a whip cream pie will be asked to do so during the event described below.
Turkey Trot:  November 24

We invite all staff, administration and parents to join LMS in the running of this year’s 18th Annual Turkey Trot.  You can choose to run the 1-mile course or walk an alternate course.  There will be an alternate schedule this day to allow time for running the trot as well as a celebration at the end of the day.  All start times will be adhered to unless we need to change because of weather.
6th Grade Turkey Trot – 1:01 pm – 1:39 pm
7th Grade Turkey Trot – 11:07 am – 11:45 am
8th Grade Turkey Trot – 11:49 am – 12:27 pm
The top male and female finisher at each grade level as well as staff will receive a special trophy.  The top 10 male and top 10 female finishers at each grade level will receive a commemorative turkey trot t-shirt.
All-School Celebration Assembly:  Tuesday, November 24; 2:25 – 3:05
At the end of the school day on November 24 we will have an all-school assembly to recognize the winning grade level of the Penny War, the winning classes of Canned Food Drive, 100 can club members and Turkey Trot winners.  100 can club members will be selected at this time to throw a pie in the face of some of their favorite faculty members.

Field Trips and payment options

We are now providing a third payment option (if needed) for field trips.  This will be an online option through the MySchoolBucks program (currently being provided to make online payments to student lunch accounts) through a section designated School Store.  MySchoolBucks can be accessed through our district website, near the bottom of the page.

Our first two preferred forms of payment for future field trips will be either the online option noted above or by personal check.  Should either of these payment options not be possible, we will accept cash as a last resort.

If you prefer to take advantage of this online option, please look for the “Field Trip title” noted on the permission form sent home with your student, as well as the “Open date” and “Closing date” to submit payment.

Ski Trip Dates

The following are Ski Trip dates for 2016:

·      Jan 8

·      Jan 15

·      Jan 29

·      Feb 5

·      Feb 19
Feb 26 - Make up day if needed

LHWHS Renovation Initiative Information

For your information, the Ladue Schools Today - High School Renovation Initiative segment is now online. 

LMSPA eBlasts

     If you are not currently receiving LMSPA email news blasts but would like to, please click on the following link to subscribe:

http://mylmspa.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8186aab01aeae3b063b04d395&id=3b63071451

Board Briefs

     Information regarding Ladue Board of Education meetings and work sessions can be found on boardbriefs.blogspot.com

Have a great remainder to your Friday and weekend.

Greg