October 14, 2016
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Happy Friday afternoon.
CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU’s
Thank you for your part in making Quarter 1 go so well. It seems like only a short while ago that we were in midst of beginning of school activities.
CALENDAR ITEMS
10/20/16
School Picture Retake Day (periods 1 - 4)
10/21/16
Wear Pink Day - Breast Cancer Awareness
10/24/16
Red Ribbon Week (through 10/27)
Scholastic Book Fair (through 10/27); LMS Library
10/25/16
6th Grade Party; 3:15 to 4:15
10/26/16
Parent Conferences
10/27/16
Early Release Day; 12:40 pm
Parent Conferences
10/28/16
No School
11/2/16
Fire Drill; beginning of period 6
11/3/16, 11/4/16
7th Grade Memphis trip
NEW ITEMS
Quarter 1 Report Cards and Parent Conferences
Quarter 1 Report Cards will be mailed to homes within the next few days. Please be aware that parents should bring these to LMS for scheduled parent conferences on October 26 and 27. We will not be printing extra copies for all 1000 students.
Master Schedule for 2017-18 Update
Over the past three years, a LMS building initiative has been for us to review and consider revisions to our master schedule with the goal of increasing instructional time in the core subject areas. This effort has involved our administration, our faculty, and parents.
After examining multiple schedule models, I feel we have identified one that achieves our goal, while also maintaining as much student choice as possible in our non-core/elective programs. I will be presenting a synopsis of our work, as well as the recommended schedule, to our faculty next Monday afternoon, and will follow with a presentation to the district Board of Education on Monday, October 24.
Once I have had an opportunity to review our work with both the LMS faculty and the Board of Education, I will be providing detailed information regarding the schedule for the coming school year through this weekly Parent Update and blog. Information will also be provided during scheduled evening parent meetings in November, when we will also have an opportunity to get feedback and answer questions.
I wanted you to be aware this process was occurring and assure you that our primary goal is for continuous improvement of the educational opportunities we provide our students at LMS. Please take the opportunity to learn about the recommended changes through the information I will provide before forming an opinion based on partial information or rumor. A great deal of collaboration has occurred through this process and I believe we have arrived at a solution that will be a great benefit to our students’ success.
Team LADUE takes on the Harlem Wizards on Sunday, November 6; 2 pm; at the LHWHS Main Gym
Come out and see your favorite Ladue School District teachers and staff take on the Harlem Wizards for a fun afternoon of interactive sports entertainment with the Harlem Wizards basketball team. Tickets are on sale at http://www.harlemwizards.com/schedule-tickets
General Admission is $15 per ticket, $20 for Reserved Seating tickets, and $30 for Courtside Plus tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door, as available. Don't miss this first-ever event of its kind, hosted by the Ladue Education Foundation (LEF) and the Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Boys’ Basketball Program.
Ladue Parent Advisory Council
Please join us as we revitalize the Ladue Parent Advisory Council (LPAC). The goal of LPAC is to effectively collaborate in order to improve educational, self-efficacy, and social outcomes of students with special education needs. We plan to meet monthly for social gatherings, panel discussions, and workshops. There will be an opportunity for networking, learning about educational resources, and time to simply ask questions. The first LPAC meeting is Tuesday October 18, 2016 at Ladue Middle School's Library from 7:00-8:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there.
Anne Denman (anneadenman@gmail.com) & Kisha Lee (kisha.lee@att.net), Co-Chairs
UPDATED/CORRECTED ITEMS
Staff and students at the Fifth Grade Center will once again create t-shirts to increase awareness of Breast Cancer. A limited number of shirts will be available for purchase by LMS students, during lunches, on October 17. All proceeds will go to support research efforts at Siteman Cancer Center. Shirts will be sold for $10 on a first come, first served basis. Checks should be made payable to Ladue School District.
REPEATED ITEMS
NJHS Fundraiser
The National Junior Honor Society at LMS has organized a school supply drive to benefit Patrick Henry Elementary, a public school in St. Louis City. The students at Patrick Henry Elementary have been affected by lead-contaminated drinking fountains and almost 100% of the students qualify for free lunch. The principal of the school says the school is most in need of reams of paper and pencils, but monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase other supplies. Donations will be accepted at LMS before school in the lobby and in the cafeteria during lunch from October 17 through 25, as well as at parent teacher conferences. There will also be a hat day on Friday, October 21 where students can pay a dollar to wear a hat, with all proceeds going to the school supply drive. We appreciate any support you can give us!
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.
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:
You may also access the website by going to our school's web page using the following link:
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.
Girls In The Know
Girls In The Know is a four-week speaker series for pre-teen girls and their mothers/caregivers. The group will address the following topics: Empowering Pre-Teen Girls, Promoting a Healthy Body Image, All About Safety, and The Birds & The Bees: What Pre-Teen Girls Should Know. Meeting dates, locations and times are as follows:
- November 14 - LMS Cafeteria; 6:30 - 7:30 pm
- November 21 - LMS Library; 6:30 - 7:30 pm
- November 28 - LMS Library; 6:30 - 7:30 pm
- December 5 - LMS Cafeteria; 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Registration is $125 per pair, at www.girlsintheknow.org
Scholarships are available to all, regardless of financial status. To apply, contact info@girlsintheknow.org
For questions, contact Lora Robinson at lorarobinsonrealty@gmail.com
NURSE DANI NOTES
HEALTHY THOUGHTS
How Exercise Helps the Brain
- It improves concentration and attention. When you're fit, you have faster reaction times and can better focus on relevant information.
- It promotes neurogenesis. Although it hasn't been proven in humans, animals that are given the opportunity to run on exercise wheels have shown increases in the creation and survival of new brain cells in the hippocampus.
- It may improve memory. In animals, running also increases the strength of synaptic connections, thereby improving long-term memory.
- It reduces gray-matter loss. Fit people show less of a decrease in gray matter than is normally seen with aging.
- It changes gene patterns. Exercise changes the expression patterns of a wide array of genes, with some becoming more active and some showing less activity. Many of the genes that become more active are known to play roles in the structure and adaptability of synapses, suggesting a direct role for exercise in synapse density.
- It enhances blood flow. Exercise also increases the density and size of brain capillaries, which increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain. This may in turn help support the survival of new neurons and help your neurons fire more quickly.
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
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend for you and your families.
Greg
Gregory Baber B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Ed.S.
Principal, Ladue Middle School
