TJs Tidbits



Greetings LMS Families, 


Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and was able to spend quality time with loved ones. There is nothing like being able to relax and have fun with family and friends. My entire family was together this year, which was wonderful. 

Everyone, including myself, should be rejuvenated and ready to get back in gear. We are hitting the home stretch and heading into the new year. These last few weeks will be busy and eventful with daily learning and school business, concerts and performances, and field trips. Please encourage students to come back energized and focused. Around this time of year, they tend to get ancy looking forward to Winter Break. We still need them engaged and eager to learn. The time will go quickly. Before we blink it will be December 20th.

Last Tuesday was a great day of fun, fitness, and service. LMS joined forces as a community to give to others by collecting 18,898 cans for Gateway 180. This was a collective effort from everyone: students, parents, our staff, and the LMSPA. Everyone did their part to ensure that our Canned Food Drive was successful!

Despite the light rain, the Turkey Trot was AWESOME. Each grade level had a great turnout of participants. Whether running or walking, most of our students joined the race. We also had several parents come and run with their kiddos, which was a nice surprise. A few staff members trotted as well (some three times in a row).

I've mentioned before that this is one of my favorite events because it is community and service oriented and one of the few times that we get to come together as an entire school. So often we are separated by team and grade. Moments when we can come together as one are super special.

Thank you so much to Hugh McMonigle (Canned Food Drive) and Matt Strayhorn (Turkey Trot). These gentlemen have been leading both events for MANY years with the same level of energy and passion as when they first began.

I shared several pics and videos from the race, assembly, and "pie in the face" fun in the Parent Link email. Initially, I thought that I was missed by the student who tossed the pie in my face, but after watching the replay, she definitely got me. Actually, the staff didn't fair so well this year. The students came with a vengeance and pretty much pied us all. Better luck next year. 

Please come out on 12/11 and 12/12 at 7:00 p.m. to support our student performance of Hairspray. We are planning a show during the school day as well.  Ms. Alrutz has been busy preparing the kiddos and they are very eager to show off their acting and singing skills. If you have not attended a middle school musical you are in for a real treat if you can make it this year.  

Have a great week (:

NEW INFORMATION


INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK:  December 2-6, 2019

Since its inception in 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has celebrated the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who are marginalized due to ability, gender identity, socioeconomic status, culture, heritage, religion, language preference and other factors. 
At LMS we’ll celebrate the week with activities that are fun (Flash Mobs), informative (morning announcements done by students), and meaningful (pledge to include others). Our theme is, "We’re All in This Together"-yes, the song from High School Musical.
It is important to us at LMS that ALL students and families feel a sense of belonging to our school community. Please talk with your student at home about what he/she can personally do to make LMS a more inclusive environment, and feel free to share your thoughts with us as well.

LMS MUSICAL (HAIRSPRAY)-REPOST 
The LMS Musical Theatre company will be putting on Hairspray on Dec. 11th and 12th at 7:00 PM in the LMS Gym.  Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.00. Don't miss the opportunity to come see our 65 student cast and crew put on an incredible evening of singing, dancing, and magic. Thanks in advance for your support!

FEARLESS FOCUS-REPOST 
The Ladue Schools Diversity Committee is hosting an evening of learning and sharing as part of the district’s Fearless Focus series, which provides opportunities for our community to explore issues of race, gender, poverty and other topics relating to diversity. In this session, we will view selected scenes from America to Me and discuss their applicability and implications for our community. The event will be held on Tuesday, 12/3 from 7-9:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the High School. Childcare services are provided. Additional information can also be obtained by clicking on this link: Fearless Focus

CURE COMMITTEE MEETING-REPOST  
NOTE: NEW START TIME AND MEETING LOCATION-The next CURE (Community Understanding Respect Education) meeting will be held on December 5. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the HS Library. CURE is a committee of parents/guardians of African-American students that meet four times a year with Superintendent, Dr. Wipke. This is an opportunity to join invaluable conversation on topics related to diversity and inclusion, student achievement, parent networking, and district programming. Questions?? Please contact, Ms. Cassie Johnston at (314) 983-5302 or click on the Revised CURE Flyer

EIGHTH GRADE BASKETBALL-REPOST 
Sign ups for the 8th grade boys and girls basketball teams will be this week at lunch. This is the school sponsored program, which is free, no-cut and all-play. Practices begin December 12, and occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school (3:20-4:20). The teams play other area middle schools after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays through February. There will be a team meeting next week with the coaches to review the eligibility requirements for playing on the team. These are also outlined in the sports forms, which must be reviewed and signed, along with a physical from the last two years, in order to play. Forms are available in the Welcome Center or PE coach offices. If you have questions, please contact Coach Theodosiou at jtheodosiou@ladueschools.net

LMS GLOW DANCE- REPOST 
Parents and Students, are you ready for the 1st annual Glow Dance at LMS? Technology Student Association and VEX Robotics Club are hosting the 1st annual Glow in the Snow Dance! The dance is on Friday, December 6 from 6-8 p.m. The gym will be turned into a glow in the dark paradise, with wall to wall black lights and other lighting effects. There will be music in the gym, glow sticks for every student who buys a ticket, glow face painting, a concession stand, a photo booth, and other fun activities to do in the cafe. Tickets will cost $5.00 dollars and each student who purchases a ticket will receive a glow stick when they get to the dance. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, December 2 and be limited to 125 tickets per grade level. 

LEF GIVING TUESDAY- (DISTRICT FAMILY ASSISTANCE FUND)-REPOST
Mark your calendars for Dec. 3 as the day to support families in our community! Giving Tuesday will be a little different this year because the LEF is directing all donations to the Ladue School District's Family Assistance Fund.

And. . . we have a matching gift! Nicky and Scott Stern ('86) will match all gifts up to $5,000. Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the fund.

The Family Assistance Fund helps families experiencing short-term and/or unexpected financial issues that impact the ability of their students to be successful in school. These funds are managed by the district and used discreetly at times when school counselors, psychologists or administrators identify a family in need. Donations are routed through the Ladue Education Foundation, making them tax deductible for those who generously choose to contribute.

In addition to funding grants that expand opportunities for student success, the LEF is committed to supporting the work of teachers and staff, as well as to strengthening our community. We are honored to help ensure the success of the Family Assistance Fund. Click here for more info. Thank you in advance for your support!

LMSPA NEWSLETTERPlease click here for the most recent LMSPA Newsletter

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 Guidebook, which was sent home with all students and posted on our school website. I STRONGLY 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. 

BEFORE SCHOOL LOCATIONS 
When students enter the building at 7:30 a.m., they will be directed to the cafeteria until sent to their grade level areas. 6th grade will be in the multipurpose room, 7th will be on the boys side of the gym, and 8th will be on the girls side of the gym. This will be the expectation for the remainder of the school year. 

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). Breakfast is not considered “social time.” Students participating in the breakfast program are expected to eat as quickly as possible and head to class. Students not meeting breakfast expectations may lose breakfast privileges.     

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 in our Student Handbook, which will be sent home with each student in the near future.

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 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 (3:10/3:20), 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 3:20-4:20.  Students who stay after for activities should be picked up at 4:20, 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.

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 2019-2020 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 3:10, 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.

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. 

BUS INFO
To find out more information about your bus route, you may access the Ladue School District website. Once you're on the home page, go to “for Parents > Bus Information” in the navigation at the top of the page. You will find links to the routes for all schools in the right column, as well as contact information should you have any questions or concerns.

LMSPA INFO 
LMSPA MEETINGS 
The Ladue Middle School Parent Association 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): 
Wed. 12/11, 6:30-8 pm (LMS Library)
Thurs. 1/9, 9-10:30am
Wed. 2/5, 6:30-8 pm (LMS Library)
Tues. 3/10, 9-10:30am 
Wed. 4/1, 6:30-8 pm (LMS Library)
Thurs. 5/14 (closed meeting for Exec Board only) 9-11am            
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 
and on Twitter @mylmspa 

LMSPA SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE 
If you are doing any additional shopping for school supplies, please consider purchasing an extra binder or combination lock to donate when we return back to school. These items are always in demand and will be distributed to students who need them via the LMS counselors, Aundrea Johnson (6), Amy Balsavias (7) and Yvette Sykes (8).
CALENDAR DATES (new additions in red) 
12/4 MS Band Concert (LMS Gym)
12/5 Class Mtg
12/5 6th Grade Demonstration Band Concert
12/6 TSA Glow in the Snow Dance
12/9 Japan Trip Parent Mtg
12/10 Field Trip: Spanish Club
12/11-12/12 Hair Spray the Musical
12/16 Field Trip: 8th Grade Patriots to Arch
12/17 M&M Club
12/20 Early Release Records Day
12/20 End of 2nd Quarter

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

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



STUDENT RECOGNITION

We are super proud of 8th grader, Hope Zeldin for entering the St. Louis Writer's Guild Contest and winning third place for her entry. Many thanks  to ELA Teacher, Ms. Rachel Huelsing as well for encouraging Hope to participate.

LMS CHARACTER COUNCIL
Congratulations to the following students who applied and were selected to serve on the Ladue Middle School Character Council for the 2019-2020 school year. 

6th Grade- Chan, Kayla, Chengavala, Sree Hari “Adithya,”Holman, Zalika, Kaye, Charlotte, Meyers, Lila, Reynolds, Carter, Rosen, Emily

7th Grade- Ackerman, Erika, Armbruster, Amanda, Ashok, Ritwik, Brooks, Fearless, Clay, Lauren, Garrett, Katelyn, Goldman, Audrey, Goli, Anjana, Hanes, Sylvia, Khan, Mahdey, O’Shaughnessy, Peyton, Nara, Nitya, Randall, Charles, Singh, Sarena, Stern, Oliver, Wallace, Kayla, Welsh, Charley, Ye, Adam

8th Grade- Bochicchio, Francesca, Chervonyak, Oleana, Copeland, Jimena, Genti, Tanvi, Khan, Zahra, LaBonte, Graham, Long, Anna, Marks, Ella, Mobley, Oriana, Warenberg, Lily, Welch, Mara

GRADE LEVEL HAPPENINGS-Please click below for recent grade level events:

LMSPA INFO
Please click here for the most recent LMSPA Newsletter. 

NURSE NEWS (From Nurse Williams)
The opportunity to update the Student Health Assessment online for school year 2019-2020 has ended. This form gives Nurse Williams consent to administer first aid to your child in the school clinic or to seek medical treatment in the event of an emergency and provides information on how to reach your child’s physician should the need arise. Call Nurse Williams at 314-983-5530 or email her at nwilliams@ladueschools.net for a paper copy. The document is under the Parents link on the LMS website.

SAFE STOP
We are excited to announce the launching of SafeStop! Now you can track the progress of your child’s bus by GPS, and you get to decide how and when you are notified of its location. This product was piloted by a group of parents last year with great success and is now available to all Ladue Schools parents. Simply follow the directions on the SafeStop flyer which is also posted to the district’s website and will come to you via Peachjar, as well. To get set up, you only need your child(ren)’s student ID. (You can find student IDs on Infinite Campus or by calling your child’s school’s office.) If you have questions, please contact our transportation department at businfo@ladueschools.net or 314-983-5396. We hope you find this product to add a little extra convenience to your morning and afternoon routines.
STUDENT PICK UP 
This is a reminder to parents/guardians who are picking up students from school events/activities. Please make every effort to arrive on time to get your students.  We are starting to experience students waiting on rides well after dismissal, sometimes up to an hour. This request is made not only for safety reasons, but to also ensure our staff can get home to their families. We greatly appreciate your assistance with this matter. 

BUS PASS INFO
This Bus Pass form is required at those times when your child must ride a bus not covering his/her usual route. In order for your request to be considered, the bus pass form must be completed and returned to Danna Anderson 24 hours prior to the requested change. Please note that bus passes may not be available on all routes if there is concern about having available space.
  • Bus passes will no longer be accepted on the following buses due to capacity concerns: L1, L2, L3, L5, L9, and L10, L12, and L19
EARLY DISMISSALS
Please try to always call ahead to Danna Anderson 983-5513 or email at danderson@ladueschools.net for early dismissals. We will deliver a note to your child to ensure he/she is down in the office and ready to go when you arrive. This process allows the student to leave the classroom without the disruption of a phone call into the classroom.  We get very busy at the end of the day in the front office so it is extremely important that parents call ahead for late afternoon dismissals and try to limit them as much as possible. 

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.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES- Our After School Activities Roster is now posted on the LMS website.  Click on the: After School Activities 2019-2020 link to see what's offered. The list is also posted on the bulletin board in our main lobby. Activities run from 3:20-4:20 p.m. Students participating in after school activities should not leave at the 3:10 bell, but should instead wait to be dismissed at 3:20 with carpool. Transportation for after school activities scheduled from 3:20-4:20, is provided for district residents via late bus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A list that tells students which bus they ride is posted in the lobby. Two after school supervisors will also be available to provide bus numbers in case students forget. PLEASE NOTE: Late bus numbers (1 WEST, 2 WEST, 1 EAST, 2 EAST, and 3 EASTare different from regular after school bus numbers. Please notify your student. Should your student elect to participate, please review the following information below.

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
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 if 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. 

LMS STUDENT GUIDEBOOK
I am sharing a link to our 2019-2020 LMS Student Guidebook, which contains a wealth of information about our school program and expectations. Please take some time to review this information at home as a family to ensure both you and your student are familiar with its contents. Hard copies were sent home at the start of the school year. 

That's all for now!

Dr. T-J 
Principal, Ladue Middle School

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