TJs Tidbits


Greetings LMS Families,


Thank you for coming to “Meet the Teacher Night” last week.The evening was quite successful and well attended. Thank you to Mr. Scott Lackey who organized the event and to the many students who volunteered their evening to help direct families. A couple of pics from the evening were shared through Parent Link. Enjoy!


NEW INFORMATION


CONGRATULATIONS KATHLEEN MERCURY
Congratulations to Ms. Kathleen Mercury who was chosen as our 2018-2019 LMS Excellence in Education awardee. Kathleen has worked in Ladue School District for over twelve years as a gifted teacher. Kathleen has made numerous contributions to our school and district. She has sponsored many clubs and extracurricular activities such as Science Olympiad and Game Club and has served as a Speech and Debate coach and judge at LHWHS. In addition, Kathleen has also made a name for herself in the game design community by speaking, publishing articles, and presenting at national conferences. We are so very fortunate to have her on staff. We celebrated Ms. Mercury last week with a cake and she was all smiles (see picture shared through Parent Link). She will be officially honored at the School Board Meeting on October 22. Job well done Kathleen!


KUDOS NANCY CHAMBERS


We are super proud of Ms. Nancy Chambers (7th Grade Math-Olympian Team) who recently won the Edyth May Sliffe award from the Mathematical Association of America for her work with LMS Math Competition Clubs. Nancy has dedicated countless hours preparing and coaching students for local and national math competitions. This award is rarely given at the Middle School Level. What an accomplishment!

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH: UPCOMING COMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES

Input from all stakeholders in the Ladue Schools community is vital to the process of selecting the district’s next superintendent. There are two ways members of our community can share their views about the qualities and characteristics that are most important to them.




Take an Online Survey- Now through Sept. 14, residents can click here to participate in a survey designed to identify our community’s views of what the most desired leadership qualities are for the district’s next superintendent. Responses will be completely anonymous and sent directly to MSBA.

Attend a Community Forum-Two evenings of roundtable discussions will be held and moderated by the Missouri School Boards' Association* (MSBA) in the Multipurpose Room of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (1201 S. Warson Road) on Thursday, Sept. 6 from  6:00-7:30 p.m. or Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
LMS provides a range of social and academic activities for students. Activities start Tuesday, September 3 and run from 3:20-4:20 p.m. Transportation is provided for district residents via late bus. Some of the benefits of after school activities/programs include:  

  • Low Student-to-Adult Ratio...students may get more personal attention such as tutoring/help with homework or an opportunity to get to know staff outside of class and build relationships around a common area of interest.
  • Reliability...parents can feel good knowing their student will be in a consistent setting under adult supervision for an extended period of time (most often between 1-4 quarters of school).
  • Transportation... activities most often start immediately at the end of the school day, thus eliminating the concern about getting the child to the program.
  • Cost...activities are provided at little to no cost, which allows students to experiment with a variety of options  
  • Social Interaction...students get to spend more time with friends and focus on non academic interactions at a time that is crucial to their developmental needs.
  • Physical Activity...students get to step away from technology and social media and engage in structured, physical activities like sports.

According to a news report published in 2014 by the U.S. Census Bureau, fifty-seven percent of children between 6 and 17 years old participate in at least one after-school extracurricular activity. Our goal at LMS is to beat the national average. We've always told students, if you can think it and can find a teacher to sponsor it, we will try to make it happen. Many activities have come from student ideas. We are very fortunate to have a variety of activities at LMS and staff committed to using this time to build relationships and enrich our students' school experience. Please consider having your student participate. Click on the 2018-2019 After School Activities Link  for more information. We strongly encourage families to sit down with your student to make selections in advance. In addition to the link on our school website, the list will be posted in the lobby.  

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY PICK UP
For safety reasons, if picking up your student from an after school activity prior to the 4:20 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.

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 will be 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.

EIGHTH GRADE SPORTS INFORMATION
8th grade sports (volleyball and cross country) begin tomorrow after school. Practices end at 4:20pm. Students must have their completed forms and physical on file in order to participate. Students who do not have these forms in by the end of the week will not be able to play due to the short season.

1:1 TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
This school year, we have assigned all students a laptop to use throughout the school day so they can have technology access any time a teacher needs it in core and elective classes. Prior to this year, teachers shared laptop carts and in many instances could not get technology when needed for instruction. Along with this, we will be teaching students about Digital Citizenship in class meetings throughout the year using curriculum from Common Sense Media. We will have discussions about appropriate online behavior and safety issues that students may face both in and out of school. Topics include: the place of digital media in our lives, identity theft and how can you protect yourself from it, and how to judge the intentions and impact of people's words and actions online. Be on the lookout for more information to come home soon.

TECH TOTES
Please help us by reminding your student that the ONLY items that should be placed inside the Tech Totes are technology (Chromebooks) and technology accessories (earbuds). Students should not place any other items (books, writing utensils, clothing, food, etc) inside. Please also remind students that their tech totes should remain at school and should not be taken home. Thanks in advance for your assistance!

PLANNER AND TECH TOTE REPLACEMENTS
Planners- If students need a new planner (lost, damaged, etc.), they should see their school counselor in the Welcome Center  to get a new one. Tech Totes- If students need a new tech tote (lost, damaged, etc.), they may get a replacement from the AP office (see  Ms. LoBosco). Both items are $5 to replace.

LMS SCHOOL FUNDRAISER
The time has come for our annual Fall Fundraising at LMS. Funds raised are used for supporting various activities as well as funding projects at the school.  This year we're running two different programs to provide our families more choices. Students were given a Yankee Candles catalog and a Mixed Bag Designs catalog last week to take home. Fundraising runs for four weeks and the the last day for submitting orders is Friday September 28. Students will need to drop their order forms along with the check at the Welcome Center. Funds raised are used to enhance opportunities for our students and provide additional resources, from field trips to technology, teacher grants, family resources, community events, teacher and staff appreciation events and gifts, and facility improvements. Last year, your donations enabled the purchase of a new sound system for the gym, the completion of new library furniture sets,  a washer/dryer for the school, installation of a butterfly
garden and more! Should you have any questions, please contact Usha Kesavan at 314 915 3006 or usha.kesavan@gmail.com

SAUDI EDUCATOR IMMERSION PROGRAM
This year, we are excited to be participating in a program developed through a grant from Saint Louis University (SLU) to support talented educational leaders from Saudi Arabia. Through this program, selected Saudi professional educators spend one year “immersed” in school districts known for excellence and student performance. Belleville, Kirkwood, Mehlville, Pattonville, Ritenour, Webster Groves, Ladue, Clayton, Hazelwood, and Lindbergh are also participating.

The two primary components of the program are to introduce participants to local culture and to provide English language development within the constructs of education. To this end, two teachers from Saudi Arabia will be in our school 3.5 days each week between Sept. 4 and Oct. 4. Not only do we anticipate these participants will benefit greatly from their experience at Ladue Middle School, we are excited about the cultural and educational contributions they will make to our school!

Throughout the program, participants work closely with SLU education faculty as well as district leaders to study evidence-based, effective educational leadership practices. Based on their experiences, Saudi participants are then able to create leadership for change initiatives to use in their schools, districts, and country when they return home.

We look forward to welcoming these visitors to our Ladue Schools family!


LMSPA INFO 
ARE YOU GETTING OUR EMAIL BLASTS AND NEWSLETTERS?
If not, visit our website: www.mylmspa.com. Under COMMUNICATION you will find the Register for Eblast Newsletter tab. Enter your information in order to receive important information and timely reminders throughout the year. You don’t need to do this if you already receive eblasts.

ANY CHANGES TO YOUR CONTACT INFO?
Our Buzz Book (Ring-A-Ram) Directory will be printed for all our families to take home in September. If you have new contact information or want to ensure that a secondary household is listed, please email us at lmspa@gmail.com or ask for a form in the office.

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. 9/4, 12-1:30 pm
           Wed. 10/3, 6:30-8 pm
           Tues. 11/13, 12-1:30 pm
           Wed. 12/5, 6:30-8 pm
           Tues. 1/8, 12-1:30 pm
           Wed. 2/6, 6:30-8 pm
           Tues. 3/5, 12-1:30 pm
           Wed. 4/3, 6:30-8 pm
           Tues. 5/7 (closed meeting for Exec Board only) 12-2 pm

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

The LMSPA Executive Board:

Co-Presidents: Marissa Rosen, Jocelyn Fundoukos
Treasurers: Aletta Martin, Laura Whalen
Secretary: Reann Ratterman
PDC Reps: Jill Settler, Becky Marbarger
6th Grade VPs- Lorie Keller, Catherine Hamlin
7th Grade VPs- Becca Dauska,Melissa Garza
8th Grade VPs- Stephanie Walker, Trish Saleeby
Fundraising VP- Julie Stappenbeck, Co-chair Denise Christen
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion VP- Lolita Flinn
Electronic Communications-  Audra Harrold
Website Coordinator- Jodi Blucher, Co-chair Lisa Hirshberg 




CALENDAR (Items in red are new)


9/4 Start of After School Activities
9/4    Start of 8th Grade Sports Fall Season
9/4-9/7 NWEA Testing (Math)
9/5 Sixth Grade Camp Parent Meeting; 7:00 pm
9/6    LMS Fall Musical Auditions 3:15 p.m.
9/6    Science Olympiad Kick Off Mtg. 
9/6 Superintendent Search Community Sessions
9/10-9/14 NWEA Testing (Science)
9/12 Superintendent Search Community Sessions
9/14 Early Release; 12:40 Dismissal


9/24 9/26  6th Grade Camp #1

9/26 9/28 6th Grade Camp #2
9/29 LEF Breakfast LHWHS 9 - 11am
10/16 Picture Make Up Day


DISTRICT INFO  


BOARD BRIEFS


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



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REPEATED INFORMATION- (The information below is a review of information already communicated. No need to read if you read my last update)


DISTRICT ANNUAL UPDATE/ONLINE PORTAL SIGN UP

The beginning of every school year brings with it a great deal of information families need to make sure students get off to a great start.  Families should have received an email and phone message from the district that included instructions and deadlines for completing the mandatory online census (Annual Update) by the deadline, which is September 9. If you need assistance creating your Infinite Campus portal account, navigating the online process, or logging into your existing account, please email campus@ladueschools.net. If you do not have a parent portal account, simply fill out the Parent Portal Request form on the district website.

6TH GRADE CAMP MEETING
Please mark your calendars for September 5 for a parent meeting about Sixth Grade Camp at 7:00 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria.  Camp this year will be the week of September 24.  Students will either go to camp Monday – Wednesday of that week or Wednesday – Friday.  For more information about camp, please visit the camp website at: https://sites.google.com/a/ladueschools.net/biernbaum/6th-grade-camp

7TH GRADE MEMPHIS TRIP (October 18-19, 2018) Register today. No payment needed to register!
Who/Why: For the last two years we have taken a trip to Memphis, Tennessee because we believe that educational travel can enhance the effectiveness of our 7th Grade curriculum, and this fall we will continue this tradition. This trip is a crucial component of the school year, and we would like all students to attend.

What: While on this trip we will engage in a river walk (to discuss the importance of watersheds to our region’s geography), and visit historical museums and sites like the Civil Rights Museum and the Rock and Soul Museum.

When/Where: We will be going to Memphis, October 18th - 19th and the cost is $235 per student. This price includes accommodations, transportation, events and most meals on this trip.

How: We encourage you to register early at www.tinyurl.com/lmstrip. You do not have to pay when you complete your registration form. However, you can pay at that time if you prefer. The sooner you register, the better we can support any accommodations you need and make sure that your child is on the list.

Next steps: All attendees of the trip must be registered and paid in full by September 5th, 2018. For any questions or concerns, please contact Quentin Alimayu, the trip coordinator via email at qalimayu@ladueschools.net.

Chaperones are needed! Please review the chaperone information on the website and register. A flyer with more specific information is attached to the Parent Link email.



BUILDING EXPECTATIONS REMINDERS

Please take a minute to review the building expectations and procedures that are listed below. It is my hope that by sharing expectations in my 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. These expectations are also in our LMS Student Handbook, which will be sent home with ALL students the first week of school and is posted on our school website. ISTRONGLY encourage families to read the handbook. We will cover key items at school, but the follow up should occur at home. This way both students AND parents/guardians have a solid understanding. Here is a link: LMS Student Handbook 2018-2019




AFTERNOON DISMISSAL PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS

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 click here: Afternoon Dismissal Procedures and review what 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. Parents, please DO NOT circumvent these expectations. It creates major safety issues and puts students in a situation where they are not complying with school expectations. Should you have a special circumstance, please contact your child's grade level principal so an accommodation can be made. 


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. 

Technology devices are not allowed in restrooms or locker rooms. Students should not use the Internet or other digital communication devices to create disrespectful or harassing messages, take pictures or videos or make recordings of others without permission, or send or post materials that threaten or raise concerns about violence against others. All of these activities will be considered a violation of our school district's code of conduct which can be found on pages 30-33 of our Student Handbook, which will be sent home with each student the first week of school.

We strongly encourage families not to send personal technology devices to school unless requested by the classroom teacher for educational purposes. These requests will be minimal now that students have Chromebooks. It is our recommendation that technology devices technology devices brought to school are stored in a locked locker during school hours. 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.

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.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THIS as we want to avoid students having to sit outside in extreme hot and cold weather conditions. 

More specific information about traffic patterns for dropping off and picking up has been provided in earlier updates and below. Please take time to review these procedures as well, which are noted in the REPEATED INFORMATION section of this update, especially if you are dropping off on Monday. MAPS are also provided for those who need a visual. Parents, please DO NOT circumvent these expectations. It creates major safety issues and puts students in a situation where they are not complying with school expectations. Should you have a special circumstance, please contact your child's grade level principal so that an accommodation can be made.

TRAFFIC REMINDERS (Returning families: Please note afternoon dismissal change)
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 2018-2019 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.  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 at 3:20, while students who are picked up by car and those that walk will be held in the classroom (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 classroom 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 in 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 are tempted to cut 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. 


That’s all for now. Take Care! 
Dr. T-J
Principal, Ladue Middle School

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