September 18, 2016

Good afternoon.  I hope that your weekend has gone well.

Two quick reminders:

• As previously communicated, I do not have staff assigned to the Lobby (and stationed to let students into the building) until 7:15 am.  In my movements through the building each morning, I let students in if they are waiting outside the doors.  This cannot always happen, as I am often tied up in something else, in a morning meeting, or am sometime absent from school.  With warmer weather right now, this may not be an issue, but in January it can be.  Please time your arrivals to deliver students to school beginning no earlier than 7:15 am.
• Turning left out of our campus onto Clayton Road in the morning can be dangerous as traffic comes around a blind corner.  It also stops the line of traffic attempting to exit by making a much-appreciated right-hand turn.  Please turn right onto Clayton - thank you.  

CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU’s

Thank you to Mark Biernbaum (Industrial Technology and Camp Coordinator) and every staff member who supported this year’s 6th Grade Camp.

Thank you to Karl Kindt (Technology Coach) for all his work in getting DE testing completed.

Congratulations to Sharrie Cognac (Technology/Industrial Technology), who was recently interviewed for the blog Planet VectorWorks on how she uses the design program in her Architectural Design class.  

Congratulations to Janey Worthington (Counselor) and Sarah Schwartz (Assistant Principal), who have been invited to be presenters at the 16th Annual Blue Ribbon Schools’ of Excellence Conference later this fall.

CALENDAR ITEMS

9/22/16

Character Day

9/24/16

Car Wash fundraiser for 8th Grade Semi-Formal; LMS parking lot; 10 am - 3 pm

9/26/16

Last day for LMSPA Fundraiser

Jason Theodosiou will receive the LMS Excellence In Education award at the Board of Education meeting; 7 pm

9/30/16

Ladue Education Foundation breakfast; 7 am; Frontenac Hilton

10/3/16

Custodian Appreciation Day

10/6/16

Drama Production meeting (for technical, non-acting parts); 3:15 - 4:25 pm; Room 228

10/11/16

LMSPA Executive Board meeting; 1 pm

10/14/16

End of Quarter 1

Early Release Day; 12:40 pm

NEW ITEMS

Character Day

Thursday, September 22, has been designated as Character Day by Character.org (which recognized LMS as a National School of Character).  The LMS Character Education Committee has provided the following activities:

• First period teachers will show "The Science of Character" to students at the beginning of class.  After the video, students will be asked to think about ways they (or their peers) have demonstrated good character.  They will also be able to fill out a "character slip" at lunch to recognize (or be recognized) for positive behavior.
• During lunch that day, there will be tables where students may complete character slips about themselves or a peer.  These will be posted in the future for people to read.

Picture Retake Day

Picture retakes will be taken on October 20.  One photographer will be on the Gym stage, during periods 1 - 3 and the beginning of 4.  This opportunity will be for students/staff who were absent on September 6 to have their pictures taken, as well as for students whose pictures turned out badly.  Students wishing their pictures retaken must return the original picture packet to the photographer on that day.  Please keep in mind that we would like all students for the yearbook and database updates.

Seussical Kids

This year, LMS will present “Seussical Kids” as our drama production.  If your student is interested in doing costumes, set design, sound, hair, makeup or even directing, they should attend a Production Meeting (for technical, non-acting parts only) on October 6 in Room 228.  The meeting will last from 3:15 to 4:25 pm.

High School Parent Association Presentation

This presentation, entitled “Five Things Every Parent Needs to Know About Heroin and Drug Abuse” will be held on Thursday, October 13 at 7 pm in the LHWHS Cafeteria.  The panel will include a representative from the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, a LHWHS counselor, a pediatrician and a Ladue Schools parent who have lived through this experience with her child.  Please be aware that this is a parents only presentation.  An informational flier is attached to the Blackboard Connect parent update email.

UPDATED/CORRECTED ITEMS

Calendar Item

The March Early Release Day is March 3, not March 10 (that may have been shared on previous calendars).

REPEATED ITEMS

LMSPA Fundraiser

From the Parent Association:  The Fall LMS parent's association fundraisers started today September 9.  Your student should have two stapled items - Cookie Dough brochure and forms, and the Mixed Bags catalogs and ordering information.  The fundraiser continues until September 26.  Paper order from Mixed Bag orders and all Cookie Dough orders will be ready for pickup at parent conferences (October 26 & 27).  Mixed Bags online orders will be shipped directly to purchasers.  Please consider supporting LMSPA.  Questions: Elizabeth Cobin - Cobin@att.net

From the LMS Diversity Cadre

The LMS Diversity Cadre will host the first of the new quarterly Courageous Dialogues for parents on Thursday, September 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the LMS cafeteria. Please join us and members of the St. Louis Mother to Mother group as they discuss the reality of raising a Black son in America.  This adult only event is open to all.  We hope you join us!

If you plan to attend, please RSVP no later than September 19 by emailing Mary LoBosco at mlobosco@ladueschools.net or calling 314-983-5512.  Prior to attending, please read the attached article (Blackboard Connect parent update) as it will be used as a starting point for discussion.  

Questions: Contact Dr. Tiffany Taylor-Johnson or Ms. Beth Heuermann at 314-993-3900.  Light refreshments will be served.

Car Wash

The 8th grade parents organizing the end of year party are having a car wash fundraiser on September 24 from 10 - 3 at LMS.

LMS Ski Club dates

Friday, January 6

Friday, January 20

Friday, February 3

Friday, February 10

Friday, February 24

Friday, March 3 - Make up day if needed

Service Project

One of our LMS alumna is coordinating a Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action Project entitled “Kids Knitting It Forward.”  This project involves learning to knit and then knitting items like baby socks, hats, and scarves for local charities such as Newborns in Need of Eastern Missouri and HavenHouse St. Louis. Students 4th grade and older of any skill level are welcome. Time spent attending meetings and knitting items can be counted towards community service hours.  More information can be obtained by emailing kidsknittingitforward@gmail.com and meeting dates/times can be accessed at http://kidsknittingitforward.blogspot.com/

Early Dismissals

We understand that unanticipated events may result in your child being picked up from school prior to our 3:10 pm dismissal time.  For those planned instances, please call our main office at 993-3900 that morning, email Danna Anderson at danderson@ladueschools.net or send a note to school with your son or daughter.  Please also remember that if you park in our Circle Drive, buses begin arriving and parking there at about 2:45 pm.  We don’t want you to get blocked in.

Fall Parent Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences for semester 1 are Wednesday, October 26, 2016 (4:00 - 8:00 p.m.) and Thursday, October 27, 2016 (1:00 - 7:00 p.m.).  To sign up, please visit the following website:

https://www.myconferencetime.com/laduems/

You may also access the website by going to our school's web page using the following link:

http://www.ladue.k12.mo.us/lms/

Prior to signing up, please carefully review the instructions that are provided on the first page of the website.  The online scheduler went live at 4:00 pm on Friday, August 12.  Slots fill up very quickly, so please sign up ASAP.

NURSE DANI NOTES

HEALTHY THOUGHTS

Make It an Active Autumn

1. For every hour of sitting, do one minute of cardio.  This can be walking, running in place, jumping jacks or whatever gets your heart pumping.  (This should be in addition to your regular workouts.)
2. When you're watching TV, do stretches or exercises.  Netflix binging has never been so good for you.
3. Set three new SMART goals.  These kind of goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.  For instance, one might be to go to a fitness class twice a week, or to only eat takeout once a week.  Assess your progress each month.
4. Rake your own leaves.  Not only will you have a shipshape lawn and a feeling of accomplishment, a 150-pound person will burn more than 260 calories in one hour of raking.
5. Turn kids' practices into workouts.  Instead of sitting on the sidelines or in the car during soccer or baseball practices, use that time to walk, jog or stretch.
6. Go on a foliage walk.  Take a stroll through a park or around your neighborhood to soak in the resplendent fall colors while you can.

LMSPA

You can access the Ladue Middle School Parent Association website at http://mylmspa.com and subscribe to email blasts from the LMSPA at http://www.mylmspa.com/eblast-newsletter/

BOARD BRIEFS

Information regarding Ladue Board of Education meetings and work sessions can be found at http://boardbriefs.blogspot.com

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Greg

Gregory Baber  B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Ed.S.

Principal, Ladue Middle School