TJs Tidbits


Greetings LMS Families,
Last week was a tough one. From the school shooting in Florida to the unexpected evacuation that
we had on Friday, I truly needed the four day weekend to recuperate. I sat down this evening and typed
up a long message that included my feelings about everything, but have since changed my mind and
want to share only this: As principal of LMS, I've understood what my job entails and have welcomed
the challenge. Last week really made me reflect on how critical my role is. It starts with ensuring every
student feels so valued and connected to the school that he/she would not feel such despair to want
to harm anyone in the school community and ends with assuring the safety and well being of students
and staff while in attendance each day. Both are absolutely essential for learning to take place.
What HUGE responsibilities! Please know that I will work tirelessly to live up to these expectations
and take them very seriously. For me, it's more than a challenge, it is an obligation.
Have a great week!   

NEW INFORMATION

EVACUATION/CRISIS TEAM UPDATE-(From Dr. Cochran)
All schools in the Ladue School District, including LMS conduct drills (fire, tornado, earthquake, intruder,
and bus) throughout the school year.  Drills are unannounced to the students, and they help us practice
in the event of a real situation.  After each drill, we gather feedback from the faculty and staff and make
any necessary adjustments and communication as needed to be better moving forward.  Our LMS Crisis
Team consists of administration, teachers, and LMS staff, overseen by Mr. Jason Buckner in the
Administration Center.
This past Friday, our fire alarms started to go off in part of our building.  We knew immediately this was
not a drill, and made the announcement to evacuate the building, as the alarms did not sound
everywhere.  

Students and staff were evacuated out of the building to their assigned locations, with the crisis
team conducting safety sweeps to be sure everyone had left the building.  
The Fire Department arrived quickly to assess the situation.
Our District School Resource Officer, Officer Ramirez, and Student Services Director,
Dr. Wallace, were in the building that day meeting with administration, so they were also able
to help and observe our response.  
Once we received an all clear from the Fire Department, students and staff were allowed back
into the building.

The fire alarms sounded as a result of a water leak in a custodial closet on the second floor into the
          electrical closet below. This also accounted for the alarm not sounding throughout the building, as it
          damaged wiring and panels in the closet. A crew was on site immediately to fix the water leak and repair
          the panel.  

          Our Admin Team has been gathering feedback and will be meeting with our Safety Consultant,
          Officer Rich Wooten, Tuesday to debrief.  The Crisis Team will also meet this week to debrief/reassess
          and will follow up with faculty and students.
          We would like families to know that student safety is a priority on a daily basis. It is important to us
          that students feel safe at LMS. If at anytime your student reports any issues with students or a situation
          at school, please contact administration immediately. In many instances, we may already be aware of
          the issue and can provide assurance to families and the student and will follow up on concerns that
          are shared with us.  
          You can also help by having conversations with your student about emergency drills/responses. We ask
          students to do the following in any event:
          1. Remain calm and walk with their teacher to their assigned location.
          2. Stay with their class.
          3. Keep conversations/voice levels to minimum to be able to hear directions about what to do next.
          4. Take the drill/event seriously and meet all expectations.
          5. Return to the building when given an all clear in a safe and orderly fashion.
          In the event that we have a real situation, students will have practiced enough that they know their part
          and can get to/from their locations quickly and safely.  
          Due to recent events, the timing of the incident on Friday may have caused heightened sensitivity. One
          of the things we immediately did with students was assure them that they were safe and to let them
          know what happened to cause the evacuation. We also followed up with families.  
          As noted above, we will be touching base as a staff to process the evacuation that occurred on Friday
          and will note any improvements that need to occur. Please feel free to provide any feedback you may
          have to Dr. Vanessa Cochran at vcochran@ladueschools.net and we will continue to keep you updated
          on our work moving forward.  Thank you!

          CURE COMMITTEE MEETING
          The next CURE (Community Understanding Respect Education) meeting will be held on Thursday, February 22. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room at the Administrative Center. CURE is a committee of parents/guardians of African-American students that meets four times a year with Superintendent, Dr. Donna Jahnke on Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to join in invaluable conversations on topics related to diversity and inclusion, student achievement, parent networking, and district programming. Questions?? Please contact, Ms. Beth Hufford at (314) 994-7080.

          PARENT ENGAGEMENT MEETING 2/28
          Please join us at 6:00 p.m. in the LMS Library on February 28 for our second Parent Engagement Meeting. The topic will be "Supporting LMS Building Initiatives." At the meeting, we will be discussing our Character Ed, OLWEUS, Restorative Practices, and Diversity initiatives. A great deal goes into each of these programs. Support from families outside of school is critical to successful implementation. We hope you can join us! The meetings are intentionally designed for parents to receive information from the school, but more importantly talk to each other. We hope you can attend. Please RSVP with Steve Graef at sgraef@ladueschools.net or by calling 
          314-983-5502 so that we can plan accordingly. 

          DIVERSITY CADRE PRESENTS: GIRL RISING
          On Tuesday, March 6, LMS diversity cadre will be screening the film Girl Rising from 2:30-4:30 in the cafeteria.  This documentary tells the stories of girls from different parts of the world facing obstacles to getting an education.  Their stories offer hope and inspiration. By getting an education, they're able to break barriers and create change.  Permission slips will be available from your child's social studies teachers, and attendance is limited to the first 20 students from each grade who sign up.  The screening will be followed by a discussion in small groups, and parents are welcome to attend. Here's a closer look at the film:
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdMNwhnAOrk

          LADUETTE DANCE TEAM INFORMATIONAL MEETING
          The Laduette Dance Team will be holding an informational tryout meeting this Wednesday, February
          21st during 8th grade lunch in room 135.  Any 8th graders who are interested in trying out should attend
          this meeting.  If students are unable attend, they can pick up a packet from the Welcome Center.

          STUDENT RECOGNITION 

          On Saturday, Feb 17, at the Chapter (Regional) Round of the 2018 MathCounts competition, our LMS Team did a fantastic job representing our school. Below are the results:

          Written Competition-1st Anthony Wang, 2nd William Bender, 4th Samuel Chen, 12th Aditya Kondepudi, 13th Iris Zhou  (Top scoring female)

          Also competing:  Richie Jiang, Nicole Li, Daniel Xu, Yuvan Chali, Olivia Hu
          Countdown Round- 2nd William Bender, 3rd Samuel Chen
          Also competing:  Aditya Kondepudi, Iris Zhou, Anthony Wang
          Team Round-1st Ladue (William Bender, Samuel Chen, Richie Jiang, Nicole Li)

          Next up, State Competition on March 3.
          AUCTION FOR INCOMING 9TH GRADERS
          High School Auction for incoming freshman parents: The Ladue High School Parents Association is currently holding an auction as a fundraiser that covers scholarships and other activities for high school students. 8th grade parents who are interested in looking at and bidding on items can visit www.32auctions.com/parentsforscholars. The auction is underway and runs until Saturday, February 24 at 6pm.

          LEF UPDATES
          INNOVATION CELEBRATION
          Support STEM and other great initiatives for our schools! Did you know the LEF provides grants that benefit our school, as well as all the other schools in the district? For example, the STEM Activities Lending Library was made possible by the Ladue Education Foundation & Alumni Association’s Innovation Celebration, the spring fundraiser held at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in April 2017. The library allows teachers to augment their classroom teaching with activities, learning opportunities, and specialized equipment. The scalable activities support learning for students at every grade level, without the need for expensive building-specific equipment or extensive planning by teachers. You can support more great initiatives at INNOVATION CELEBRATION 2018!

          The Ladue Education Foundation & Alumni Association (LEF) invites alumni, parents and the community to celebrate and support innovation in Ladue Schools at our annual spring gala, "Innovation Celebration" on Friday, April 13, 2018 from 6:30-11 p.m. at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center at 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132

          FEATURING:

                        • Innovation Corridor, Highlighting Student Innovation
                        • Entertainment by Los Hacienda Boys
                        • Cocktails and Dinner by Butler's Pantry
                        • Live Auction and Raffle
          EMCEE: Jasmine Huda, Ladue School District alumna and KTVI anchor and reporter
          KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jonathan Losos, Ladue School District alumnus, Washington University biologist, author and leader of the new Living Earth Collaborative in St. Louis
          TICKETS available at www.laduefoundation.org
          SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES available by contacting lef@ladueschools.net
          IMPORTANT REMINDERS
          LMS VARIETY SHOW

          The LMS Variety Show will be held on March 2nd during "I Am LMS" Day.  There will be three performance at 8:15, 9:15, and 11:15.  We are looking forward to seeing the amazing talent of students who participate!



          WELCOME DISTRICT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER RAMIREZ
          We are pleased to announce that our district SRO, Officer Ramirez is at LMS on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:50-1:30. Our purpose in having him at LMS is to build relationships and rapport with our students and be a consistent presence in our building. He may be a familiar face to many students and families since he regularly visits other schools in the district.

          Here is a little personal information about Officer Ramirez to help you get to know him better:

          He graduated from LHWHS in 1990.
          From 1993-1997 he was a Security Police in the United States Air Force.
          In 1998 he started his career with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and had various jobs. He left the City Police department in November 2006 to join the Ladue Police Department.  
          Before becoming our District SRO, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau.

          His son Noah also attended LMS and graduated from the LHWHS in 2014.

          SPRING PORTFOLIO CONFERENCES
          Spring Portfolio Conferences are Wednesday, March 14 from 4-8pm and Thursday, March 15 from 1-7pm. Sign ups opened on Monday, January 29 at 10am. For more information about conferences and for directions on how to sign up, please go here: https://www.myconferencetime.com/laduems

          NJHS
          Applications for the LMS chapter of the National Junior Honor Society were mailed to qualifying
          seventh and eighth graders last week. The application are due by Friday, February 23rd.  
          If you have any questions regarding qualifications, please refer to our NJHS
          website: https://lms.ladueschools.net/activities/national-junior-honor-society/.


          NURSE NOTES
          Attention 7th grade parents. Immunization notifications will be mailed on January 23, 2018 to all students who still need the Meningitis and/or Tdap vaccine. All students entering the 8th grade are required to have a Meningitis and Tdap on file prior to the start of the school year.

          Many students received these vaccines during their 6th grade year. Majority of the time parents get this notification simply because we don't have record of these shots on file. Please check with your physician to see if your student has had these immunizations. If so, simply have the office fax me a copy to (314)-983-5965. If your child still needs to have these vaccines, now is great time to get an appointment!

          If you do not receive a notification letter, your child is up to date and good to go for 8th grade. Please don't hesitate to call/email me with any questions or concerns! Contact info is below:


          Dani Bernholt RN, BSN

          Ladue Middle School Nurse

          Email: dbernholt@ladueschools.net

          Nurse's Office: (314)-983-5965
          Clinic Fax: (314)-983-5965

          EIGHTH GRADE SLIDE SHOW PHOTOS (FROM LMSPA)
          We would like to ask for your help in contributing photos for the slideshow that will be shown
          at the party and the farewell. We’re looking for good-quality photos (preferably taken with a
          digital camera instead of a cellphone) of school-related activities…sports events, field trips,
          musical performances, classroom experiments, etc. Our goal is for every LMS eighth grader
          to be included in the slide show! Photos from elementary school are welcome, as are current
          photos!  Please email photos CLEARLY marked with student name to: LMS8party@gmail.com  
          If you have any questions, please contact Audra Harrold.

          AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY CARPOOL
          PLEASE NOTE: We are asking parents who pick up students from after school activities to please pull into a parking spot or pull over to the outer curb until your student comes outside at dismissal. This allows the curb nearest the school to remain open for bus arrival. We have to get five (5) late buses into our parking lot and parked. Buses are currently unable to pull into the circle drive to park because cars are stopped in the middle of the lot or parked right in front of the school. We thank you in advance for your assistance.

          AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES NEW QUARTER 3 ADDITIONS  
          Academic Support For ELA will be offered on Thursdays now in addition to Tuesdays.
          Description: Students will receive help with reading and writing homework and classwork. Interested students should sign up or get signed up by a teacher in the Assistant Principals' office by 1 p.m. on the day of activities.

          Assessment Make-Up For All Subjects will be offered on Thursdays.
          Description: Students will be able to make up missed assessments in a quiet environment. Interested students should sign up or get signed up by a teacher by 1 PM in the Assistant Principals' office on the day of activities.

          Board Games Club is back for the 3rd and 4th quarters on Thursdays.
          Description: Come play board games! Play Ms. Mercury's games or bring your own! Students must sign up in advance at room 131. Spaces are limited.

          Ping Pong (Table Tennis) will meet on Thursdays.

          Description: Students will have the opportunity to play ping pong (table tennis) with their peers. Any skill level is invited to attend. Equipment is provided.

          Zumba is offered now on Thursdays.
          Description: Zumba is a mix of Latin music rhythms. Come to this club and enjoy listening and dancing to the Zumba music. You don't have to be an expert to come and enjoy this experience.
          Calligraphy & Hand Lettering Club for 7th & 8th Grade Only will meet on Tuesdays starting January 23rd.
          Description: Come learn lettering basics, skills and drills to improve your handwriting! We will work with a variety of pens and markers as well as lettering styles.
          MATH ACCELERATION
          A small number of LMS students may be developmentally prepared to accelerate through a grade level math course. Math acceleration is defined as being enrolled in a course that is one or more grade level above. Math 6 Extension and Math 7 Extension are not accelerated courses and require no special testing. Students who want to enroll in math courses on the accelerated pathway must meet specific criteria in order to qualify, such as showing mastery of skills on a skills inventory and standardized testing scores. The courses that students may attempt to test out of in order to accelerate are Math 6 Extension, Math 7 Extension, and Advanced Algebra. No acceleration testing is available for Advanced Geometry or any other high school course. Acceleration testing dates for Summer 2018 are June 5 and July 31. No other dates are available for testing so please plan accordingly.  The process for signing up for acceleration testing will be communicated at a later date. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Sarah Schwartz, Assistant Principal and liaison to the math department, at saschwartz@ladueschools.net

          SNOW DAY INFO
          Wondering what to do on a snow or late start day? Click here: SNOW DAY FLYER

          VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK AND BACKGROUND CHECK
          Effective January 1, all volunteers will be required to complete full background checks including child abuse/neglect, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and FBI screenings. For more specifics and information about the process, please see the Human Resources page on our district website or click on this link: Volunteer Information. Any questions may be directed to Sarah Doggendorf, Human Resources Manager, at sdoggendorf@ladueschools.net. Phone: 314-983-531.  For further details, please reference the full 2017-18 Volunteer Handbook.

          DISTRICT APPROVED SNACK LIST
          Below is a link to the Board approved Healthy Snack Guidelines and Snack List for the 2017-18 school year.  It is also posted on the district's website. All things that are served to students during the school day prior to 4:30 p.m. must follow these guidelines effective immediately. This includes parties/social events and recognition ceremonies. Link: Healthy Snack Guidelines and Snacks List

          INFINITE CAMPUS MOBILE APP
          We are excited about how the mobile app puts the power of Infinite Campus into the palm of your hands! Many things that you need as a partner with us in your student's education are available there (grades, missing assignments, etc.). Please use the mobile app to keep tabs on your student throughout the year. To assure the mobile app is fast and responsive, not all data from the portal is pushed to your phone. Some items can only be seen through the full parent portal on a Web browser. An example is a comment a teacher may make on a score your student receives. These comments must be viewed through the Web browser portal and are not visible in the mobile app.

          EARLY PICK UPS
          We are having an inordinate amount of early pick ups during the last period of the day, particularly the last 10 minutes of school. If at all possible, we ask families to allow students to finish out the school day in class. If a student has an appointment that is unavoidable, please make every effort to email or call the front office (Danna Anderson-983-5513 or danderson@ladueschools.net) ahead of time. Calling into our classrooms, multiple times a day, especially in the afternoon interrupts instructional time. If you call ahead, the front office will get a slip to your student to leave class and head to the Welcome Center at the specified time.  We realize that emergencies do arise, however if you know ahead of time that you need to pick up your child, this small request makes a huge difference for the teachers and students that are in class. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding that our uninterrupted learning time is very valuable.

          AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY PICK UP
          For safety reasons, if picking up your student from an after school activity prior to the 4:15 bell, please stop by the Welcome Center so that he/she can be checked out of the building. Once you notify the office that you are here to pick up your student, the Activity Coordinator will have the student sent down ASAP. We appreciate your assistance with this as it helps us tremendously with attendance monitoring and reporting.

          SEVENTH GRADE MEMPHIS TRIP
          The dates for the Memphis trip are March 8-9 and the cost per family is $210.00. More information will be shared later. If you are interested in serving as a chaperone, please contact Mr. Brian Beracha at bberacha@ladueschools.net. PLEASE NOTE: Parents will have to get a background check per district guidelines and pay the fees to attend the trip. Financial assistance can only be allocated for students attending. We are unable to fill parent requests for scholarships if a student has requested financial assistance. Thanks for your understanding as this ensures that any student needing assistance is able to attend.

          BOARD BRIEFS  

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

          BUILDING EXPECTATIONS REMINDERS
          Please take a minute to review the building expectations and procedures that are listed below. It is my hope that by periodically sharing a few expectations in my Family Update, families will become aware and can work in partnership with us to establish an optimal learning environment and ensure the safety and well being of students while at school.

          BEFORE SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS
          For safety reasons, when students arrive to school at 7:30 in the morning, we ask that they enter the building at 7:30 and remain in the lobby until dismissed to their grade level assigned area at 7:50 (Cafe-6th, Boys' side of the gym-7th, girls' side of the gym-8th). Students should NOT go to their lockers or other areas of the building unless prearranged with a staff member. While in their assigned grade level area, students should sit and remain seated until the supervisor dismisses them to class.  

          AFTERNOON DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
          Did you know that there is a method to the madness for how we dismiss students at the end of the day? Please take a minute to review the Afternoon Dismissal Procedures that we will be sharing with students. It is extremely important that all students follow these procedures. Doing so allows us to get everyone (bus riders, carpool, and walkers) home safely and in a timely manner.

          BREAKFAST PROCEDURES
          We are fortunate to serve breakfast in the mornings for LMS students. Students wanting to purchase breakfast should report to the cafeteria immediately upon arrival to school (do not go to lockers or class first). If arriving before 8:02, regular breakfast will be provided. Students arriving after 8:02, will be served “grab and go” items. Breakfast is not considered “social time.” Students participating in the breakfast program are expected to eat as quickly as possible and head to class.    

          ELECTRONICS AT SCHOOL
          Please remind your student that electronics, including cell phones, headphones/earbuds, speakers, etc. should remain out of sight for the duration of the school day from 8:10-3:10. This includes lunch. If these items are seen, they will be confiscated as noted in our LMS Student Handbook. We strongly encourage families not to send personal technology devices to school unless requested by the classroom teacher for educational purposes. Note: If there is an urgent message that your child needs to have, please contact the office and we will get the message delivered as soon as possible.  Thank you for your help with this matter.

          FRONT CIRCLE PARKING AND CROSSWALK
          Over the summer, we made some changes to our front circle.  The changes were made to provide better access to our building for individuals with disabilities and to help alleviate the congestion in the morning especially on Conway Road. This will only work if families park and walk in.  For the safety of our students and families, we ask that families no longer pull over to let students out of the car in the morning or afternoon or pull into a parking spot to let them out. The only time the crosswalk should be used in the morning is if a parent needs to come into the building with their student(s). Thank you for helping keep our community safe.

          USE OF HIGH DOWNS LANE AND THE BANK PARKING LOT
          We have been asked to remind families not to drive around the Admin Center and go in or out of High Downs Lane (the lane on the east side of the MS) during morning drop off or afternoon pick up. This is very dangerous and can lead to accidents and collisions with residents and employees who work at the Admin Center. We also have students walkers and athletes utilizing that area. Along the same lines, please do not park at the bank and let your student out on Conway Road. We understand the challenges that come as a result of the morning and afternoon rush. Again, your student’s safety, along with the other 1000 students in attendance, is our number-one priority. We appreciate your assistance in reinforcing this critical message.

          MORNING DROP OFF/AFTERNOON PICK UP
          For safety reasons, students should not be dropped off prior to 7:30 a.m. We do not have any adult supervision prior to 7:30 and our building is locked. Students who arrive prior to this time will have to remain outside. Parents/guardians of students consistently on campus in the mornings without supervision will be contacted by administration.

          At the end of the school day (3:10), students should either ride the bus home, walk, get picked up, or participate in the TAS (Teens After School) Program. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, after school supervision is unavailable after 3:30 unless special arrangements have been made with a staff member to supervise in their classroom. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, after school activities are provided from 3:10-4:10.  Students who stay after for activities should be picked up at 4:10, no later than 4:30. As in the morning, parents/guardians of students consistently on campus in the afternoons without supervision will be contacted by administration and may also be taken to TAS and charged a fee.

          In previous years, we have been able to be a little more flexible with this. Unfortunately, we are unable to do so this year due to staffing. PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THIS CHANGE as we would want to avoid having students sitting outside in extreme hot and cold weather conditions.

          TRAFFIC REMINDERS
          The following is a reminder to some, and new information for others, regarding our morning and afternoon traffic patterns and drop off/pick up procedures.

          Our school day for 2017-2018 will be 8:10 am to 3:10 pm.  
          If you plan to transport your child to school by car in the morning:
          • Please be aware that students cannot enter our building until 7:30 am when someone on duty to monitor the front doors and lobby.
          • Students may be dropped off at the front of the building prior to bus arrival (they typically begin appearing around 7:45 am).  Please follow the designated traffic flow arrows as you enter our campus from either Conway or Clayton roads.  
          • There will be staff members at locations 1, 2 and 3 to help with traffic flow and supervision.  Please follow their directions.  
          • After buses begin arriving, car traffic will be routed to the rear of the building.  The person at location 2 will notify drivers.
          • Please proceed down the right-hand drive all the way to the Maintenance Building (end of fencing), then circle back to the rear of the building through the parking lot, staying to the right.  Students will be dropped off at the designed area (ONLY along the sidewalk) and enter the building through the east back door to the Gym.
          • Cars will then exit the campus using the lower drive (two-way traffic) onto Clayton Road.  Please, please, (and please) turn right onto Clayton Road.  A left-hand turn onto Clayton, at this time of morning, is potentially dangerous and causes a backup for cars attempting to exit our campus.  


          If you plan to pick up your child from school by car in the afternoon:
          • Please be aware that buses begin lining up in our front Circle Drive around 2:45 pm.  Cars parked in the Circle Drive have the very good chance of getting blocked in as more buses arrive.  If you have the need to pick up your child before dismissal, I would highly suggest parking in one of the marked parking spaces in the lower drive.
          • Cars will be directed to the back of our building to form a “carpool line” as indicated in the second photo.  NOTICE: This year the carpool line will begin lining up backwards to previous years.  Please drive all the way down the right drive to the Maintenance Building.  If there are students on the parking lot (fenced in area), please wait at the gated entrance until students leave.  Then, pull into the lot on the LEFT side and begin a line at the recycling bins (along the fence INSIDE the parking lot).  When the line reaches the gate at the back, begin a new line just to the right of the existing line.  This should keep the lower drive from backing up and blocking cars wanting to leave. A staff person will be located at area A to assist with this.
          • At dismissal, students who rides buses will be dismissed first, while students who are picked up by car and those that walk will be held in the lobby (until about 3:20 pm).
          • Please do not instruct your child to leave the lobby with bus riders and walk through our lots to meet you at your car.  This is potentially dangerous as students do not always watch for traffic. It also puts the child in an awkward position as he/she is not following school rules and can be assigned a consequence for not doing so.  If you need to pick your child up before buses leave, please notify your student’s grade level administrator and meet your child at the front of the building so that he/she is accompanied while walking through our parking lot.  Students are NOT to exit through the doors near the Gym or in the 6th and 8th grade halls.
          • Buses are typically loaded within 10 minutes of the 3:10 pm dismissal.  Once buses are released, then the staff member at location A will signal cars to approach the front of the building.  Students waiting in the lobby will then be released to be picked up by car.  Most students are gone by 3:30 pm.


          If your student will ride a bus to and from school:
          • Please make sure your student knows his/her assigned bus number.
          • Bus riders will have a maximum of 10 minutes after the 3:10 pm dismissal to gather their belongings and exit the front of the building.
          • Students must check the “bus board” located near the Circle Drive at the end of the sidewalk leading from the Main Lobby doors to determine the location of their assigned bus.
          • Students should board the bus quickly, rather than loiter in the front of the building.

          Bus passes:
          A temporary bus pass may be used for a student to ride home on a different bus.  Passes are available on the district website and the Welcome Center and must be completed and approved BEFORE the date of use.  Drivers should be given a copy of the completed and approved bus pass as the student boards the bus.

          Thanks for your patience with all of this.  It is much easier to verbalize than to communicate in writing.  Everyone typically gets the hang of this within the first fews days of school.  Our goal is to get students delivered and picked up safely, while also trying to keep traffic flow moving.

          STUDENTS/PARENTS CUTTING THROUGH PICARDY LANE
          When school is in session a number of cars have been cutting through Picardy Lane (northeast corner of Conway/Warson) causing traffic to back up at this intersection. We are asking families for assistance as a courtesy to the residents in this neighborhood. Please do not use Picardy Lane as a cut through to get to the school in the mornings. We have been advised that there will be police presence in that neighborhood to deter those who use it as a means of avoiding the intersection at Warson and Conway Roads.  

          SPECIAL TREATS FROM CHARTWELLS
          Our building policy does not allow consumption of food by others for safety reasons and to promote healthy living. Chartwells Food Service is offering treats for purchase to families that want to do something special for a birthday or other milestone.  We appreciate Chartwells for providing alternative options to families that want to have celebrations at school during lunch shifts. Check out the flyer that is attached to this update.

          LMSPA INFO (FROM THE LMSPA NEWSLETTER
          LMSPA DUES
          The LMSPA relies on your support to fund teacher grants, field trips, student parties, equipment and supplies, and much more! If you haven't paid your dues yet, you can drop off a check in the front office or pay online. Just click the link below and select LMSPA from the pull-down menu.
          It's super easy... click here!

          LMSPA MEETINGS
          The LMSPA will have both day and evening meetings to accommodate varying schedules -- all are encouraged to attend! Meetings will be held on the following dates at LMS (room TBD):
          Tues. March 13, 2018 from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
          Wed. April 11, 2018 from 7-8 p.m.
          Tues. May 8, 2018 from 12-2 p.m.

          You can subscribe to email blasts from the Ladue Middle School Parent Association at http://www.mylmspa.com/eblast-newsletter/  
          The LMSPA can also be followed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LadueMiddleSchoolParentAssociation/ and on Twitter @mylmspa
          CALENDAR ITEMS- (New Events in Red)

          2/21            Class Meetings

          2/22            M&M Club

          2/22            NAEP Testing for Select Group of Students

          2/22            CURE Meeting (Admin Center)
          2/23            Ski Club Trip #5
          2/27            7th Grade Memphis Trip Chaperone Mtg. (6:00 p.m.)/General Parent Meeting (6:30)
          2/28            Parent Engagement Meeting (6:00 p.m.)  LMS Library
          3/2              Grades 7-12 Jazz Band Concert  (7:00 p.m.) LPAC
          3/2              End of Qtr. 3
          3/2              "I am LMS" Day
          3/2              Early Release Day (12:40 p.m. dismissal)
          3/6              Diversity Cadre- Girl Rising Screening  (2:00-4:30 p.m.)
          3/8-3/9        7th Grade Memphis Trip
          4/4              Fearless Focus Event 6-8p.m. For Ahkeem Screening
          4/13            LEF Innovation Celebration - Danforth Plant Center
          4/18            Choir Concert 7:00 p.m. LPAC

          That’s all for now. Take Care!

          Dr. T-J
          Principal, Ladue Middle School

          Popular posts from this blog

          April 29, 2016

          Friday Ski Club Sign Up