TJs Tidbits
Greetings LMS Families,
I hope everyone is healthy, safe and was able to enjoy each other while on Spring Break despite everything that is going on in the world. I am still pretty much in disbelief about all that has happened over the course of one week. It feels like a movie. I am staying very hopeful that we will get back to normal every day living soon as I miss the kiddos and our staff. Don't get me wrong. I've truly enjoyed spending time away from school with family and definitely needed the break, but I am starting to miss seeing my Ladue family as well.
Our staff has been busy preparing for next week and taking necessary steps to make certain that we are ready to go. As you've read in the letters and communications that have been sent, we have a plan and are so fortunate to have the resources to execute that plan. I have definitely stopped to count my blessings on multiple occasions.
As we embark on this distance learning journey for however long it is, be assured that you can count on us. Please also know that we will be relying on families to provide support at home (as best that you can) and work in partnership with us. If ever there's a need for that home/school partnership, now is the time. We are all in this together. There may be a few bumps along the way, but we will get through this. Let's be patient, understanding, and flexible with each other.
In closing, I want to thank the many families that have offered supports to those in our community who need them. The generosity and outpouring of love shown make me so proud to be a ram! #LadueStrong
Take care of yourselves. Stay healthy and happy!
Dr. T-J
PS- Given that we've had so many communications related to COVID-19 and have had to extend our time away from school, I am only sharing student recognitions this week. Let's take some time to focus on the accomplishments of our kiddos. Enjoy!
STUDENT RECOGNITION
MUSIC HONORS
Congratulations to Yueheng Wang (7th Grade) and Ovya Diwakaran (8th Grade) for placing 1st and 2nd place respectively in the Middle School Fine Arts division of Mizzou New Music Initiative’s 15th annual Creating Original Music Project (COMP). COMP was founded in 2005 to encourage K-12 students in Missouri to write original music and to provide performance opportunities for those works. It is a joint venture of the University of Missouri’s Mizzou New Music Initiative and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, which provides an annual gift of $40,000 to sponsor the competition.
Every year, in addition to having their music performed at the COMP Festival, the winning composers in each age group and category and their schools receive cash prizes. All winners will perform their original pieces at Mizzou at the end of April.
CSPAN STUDENTCAM COMPETITION
Akhil Nadithe (7th) is one of five honorable mention winners in the CSPAN StudentCam Behind the Scenes Photo Competition. As a winner of this competition, he will be awarded a $100 cash prize. The "Behind the Scenes" Photo Competition was between middle and high school students (a total of 5,400 participants) in the country. Below is a link which shows the winners list and the photo which was chosen.
PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARD
I am pleased to announce several LMS students who are being awarded with the Presidential Service Award for community service through the National Charity League (NCL). The St. Louis Chapter provides volunteer services to 25 charities in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. The Presidential Service award recognizes the contributions of volunteers nationwide who are answering the President’s call to serve.
Presidential Gold Award Recipients (100+ service hours during the 2019-20 school year): Alexandria Cox Class of 2024, Ava Grigaitis Class of 2024, Gia Grillo Class of 2025
Presidential Silver Award Recipients (74-99 service hours during the 2019-20 school year): Katherine Goodman Class of 2024, Emma Lackey Class of 2025
Presidential Bronze Award Recipients (50-74 service hours during the 2019-2020 school year): Norah Bullock Class of 2025, Claire Malone Class of 2024, Emma Margraf Class of 2024
Thank you to each student who is SEEING, SERVING, and CONNECTING!
Greetings LMS Families,
Our staff has been busy preparing for next week and taking necessary steps to make certain that we are ready to go. As you've read in the letters and communications that have been sent, we have a plan and are so fortunate to have the resources to execute that plan. I have definitely stopped to count my blessings on multiple occasions.
As we embark on this distance learning journey for however long it is, be assured that you can count on us. Please also know that we will be relying on families to provide support at home (as best that you can) and work in partnership with us. If ever there's a need for that home/school partnership, now is the time. We are all in this together. There may be a few bumps along the way, but we will get through this. Let's be patient, understanding, and flexible with each other.
In closing, I want to thank the many families that have offered supports to those in our community who need them. The generosity and outpouring of love shown make me so proud to be a ram! #LadueStrong
Take care of yourselves. Stay healthy and happy!
Dr. T-J
PS- Given that we've had so many communications related to COVID-19 and have had to extend our time away from school, I am only sharing student recognitions this week. Let's take some time to focus on the accomplishments of our kiddos. Enjoy!
STUDENT RECOGNITION
Congratulations to Yueheng Wang (7th Grade) and Ovya Diwakaran (8th Grade) for placing 1st and 2nd place respectively in the Middle School Fine Arts division of Mizzou New Music Initiative’s 15th annual Creating Original Music Project (COMP). COMP was founded in 2005 to encourage K-12 students in Missouri to write original music and to provide performance opportunities for those works. It is a joint venture of the University of Missouri’s Mizzou New Music Initiative and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, which provides an annual gift of $40,000 to sponsor the competition.
Every year, in addition to having their music performed at the COMP Festival, the winning composers in each age group and category and their schools receive cash prizes. All winners will perform their original pieces at Mizzou at the end of April.
CSPAN STUDENTCAM COMPETITION
Akhil Nadithe (7th) is one of five honorable mention winners in the CSPAN StudentCam Behind the Scenes Photo Competition. As a winner of this competition, he will be awarded a $100 cash prize. The "Behind the Scenes" Photo Competition was between middle and high school students (a total of 5,400 participants) in the country. Below is a link which shows the winners list and the photo which was chosen.
PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARD
I am pleased to announce several LMS students who are being awarded with the Presidential Service Award for community service through the National Charity League (NCL). The St. Louis Chapter provides volunteer services to 25 charities in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. The Presidential Service award recognizes the contributions of volunteers nationwide who are answering the President’s call to serve.
Presidential Gold Award Recipients (100+ service hours during the 2019-20 school year): Alexandria Cox Class of 2024, Ava Grigaitis Class of 2024, Gia Grillo Class of 2025
Presidential Silver Award Recipients (74-99 service hours during the 2019-20 school year): Katherine Goodman Class of 2024, Emma Lackey Class of 2025
Presidential Bronze Award Recipients (50-74 service hours during the 2019-2020 school year): Norah Bullock Class of 2025, Claire Malone Class of 2024, Emma Margraf Class of 2024
Thank you to each student who is SEEING, SERVING, and CONNECTING!
NEW INFORMATION
NEW INFORMATION
None at this time.
INFORMATION BELOW THIS LINE IS ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO COVID-19
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CALENDAR DATES (new additions in red)-
3/23 School Resumes
3/24 M&M Club
3/24 M&M Club
3/26 Field Trip: 7th Grade Service Day
4/1 LMSPA Mtg (6:30 p.m.)
4/1 Field Trip 1619 Project (7th and 8th)
4/2 Class Meeting
4/3 Dance-a-Thon Assembly
4/3 Field Trip: Model UN
4/6 National Assistant Principals Week
4/7 Professional Development Day-No School
4/9 7th Grade Field Trip
4/18 ESOL Picnic (11:00-1:00 p.m.) Spoede
LMSPA INFO
DANCE-A-THON
The LMSPA is sponsoring a Dance-A-Thon. Please see the information below that explains the logistics in detail:
Who?
All Ladue Middle School students!
What is it?
Dance-a-Thon is a NEW fundraiser at LMS! Structured similarly to Jump Rope for Heart, Dance-a-Thon is a fun, active way for students to come together as a group to raise money that will all go directly to LMS. LMS Teams from each grade (i.e., Orion, Olympian, Pioneer, etc) will compete to raise the most funds. The winning team will have a catered lunch from Chick-fil-A!
Where?
Anywhere students want! A group of Ladue High School students is going to give LMS a “dance challenge” with a short video that will be sent out over spring break. Students can practice wherever they want!
When?
On March 23rd, forms will go home with students with instructions on collecting donations, which can be made and tracked online. Starting in mid-March, students will have two weeks to collect donations while working on the dance. On Friday April 3, students will gather for a “dance party” assembly and can perform the dance they have learned. We will announce the team winners and total amount that LMS raised. Parents are welcome to attend, but it is not necessary.
Why?
Dancing is a great form of exercise and it’s fun! Dance-a-Thon is an opportunity for students to connect and compete as a team and support our school. Money raised will go toward annual field trips, grade-level grants, teacher appreciation, student clubs, compassion fund and other services funded by LMSPA. Other schools in the area, including in the Ladue School District, have been VERY successful with this type of fundraiser. The response from students is amazing.
How Can I Help?
We will be tracking funds raised by each team as part of an all school competition. There are other prizes and incentives involved when teams reach a fundraising goal. We are looking for two parent volunteers from each grade to help track (all is kept digitally) and communicate teams progress over the two-week period. Please email either co-chair for more information:
Tracy Kolker and Desta Gingrich
Dance-a-Thon Co-Chairs
*LMSPA is excited to streamline the donation and donor outreach process for our fundraiser by using the online service 99Pledges. You and your participant will be able to reach out to friends and family electronically by email, Facebook, and Twitter, instead of going door-to-door, tracking commitments, and handling checks. Additionally, donors can make a contribution to support your participant with a simple and secure online transaction. PLEASE NOTE: No individual student information will be displayed on the website, only the total raised by each LMS Team. If you do not want to participate in this service, please email Desta Gingrich by March 9.
All Ladue Middle School students!
What is it?
Dance-a-Thon is a NEW fundraiser at LMS! Structured similarly to Jump Rope for Heart, Dance-a-Thon is a fun, active way for students to come together as a group to raise money that will all go directly to LMS. LMS Teams from each grade (i.e., Orion, Olympian, Pioneer, etc) will compete to raise the most funds. The winning team will have a catered lunch from Chick-fil-A!
Where?
Anywhere students want! A group of Ladue High School students is going to give LMS a “dance challenge” with a short video that will be sent out over spring break. Students can practice wherever they want!
When?
On March 23rd, forms will go home with students with instructions on collecting donations, which can be made and tracked online. Starting in mid-March, students will have two weeks to collect donations while working on the dance. On Friday April 3, students will gather for a “dance party” assembly and can perform the dance they have learned. We will announce the team winners and total amount that LMS raised. Parents are welcome to attend, but it is not necessary.
Why?
Dancing is a great form of exercise and it’s fun! Dance-a-Thon is an opportunity for students to connect and compete as a team and support our school. Money raised will go toward annual field trips, grade-level grants, teacher appreciation, student clubs, compassion fund and other services funded by LMSPA. Other schools in the area, including in the Ladue School District, have been VERY successful with this type of fundraiser. The response from students is amazing.
How Can I Help?
We will be tracking funds raised by each team as part of an all school competition. There are other prizes and incentives involved when teams reach a fundraising goal. We are looking for two parent volunteers from each grade to help track (all is kept digitally) and communicate teams progress over the two-week period. Please email either co-chair for more information:
Tracy Kolker and Desta Gingrich
Dance-a-Thon Co-Chairs
*LMSPA is excited to streamline the donation and donor outreach process for our fundraiser by using the online service 99Pledges. You and your participant will be able to reach out to friends and family electronically by email, Facebook, and Twitter, instead of going door-to-door, tracking commitments, and handling checks. Additionally, donors can make a contribution to support your participant with a simple and secure online transaction. PLEASE NOTE: No individual student information will be displayed on the website, only the total raised by each LMS Team. If you do not want to participate in this service, please email Desta Gingrich by March 9.
Thank you!
LMSPA PASSPORT NIGHT- The LMSPA is hosting a Passport Night at LMS on April 17 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. In addition to sharing information about other countries and providing food samples from these countries, a variety of student performances/demonstrations and a fashion show are scheduled throughout the evening.
Families interested in signing up to host a table and/or students wanting to audition for a performance/demonstration spot, should check out the flyer that was sent home with students on Friday of last week.
We are really excited about this upcoming event as it's an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate the unique differences that we each bring and what makes LMS so special!
LMSPA MEETINGS
The Ladue Middle School Parent Ass
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/
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).
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).
BOARD BRIEFS
Information regarding Ladue Board of Education meetings and work sessions can be found at http://boardbriefs.
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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)
INTERNATIONAL WEEK
LMS Diversity Leaders are planning our first ever “International Week” at LMS from 4/13-4/17. We are excited to celebrate all continents and cultures throughout the week.
Monday April 13-Antarctica and Australia
Tuesday April 14-Asia
Wednesday April 15-Africa
Thursday April 16-Europe
Friday April 17-North and South America
Our International Week will culminate with World Nations Night (Passport Night), which is sponsored by the LMSPA from 5:30-7:30 on the evening of Friday April 17. If you would like to host a table at this event, please reach out to Amy Balsavias at abalsavias@ladueschools.net.
ESOL PICNIC
The Ladue School District ESOL Spring Picnic is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM at Spoede Elementary. This annual event offers a great opportunity to connect with families from all of our district schools. A flyer was attached to the Parent Link email.
4th QUARTER AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES- Please check out our After School Activities 4th Quarter List.
2021-2022 SKI CLUB DATES
We had an amazing ski season this year! This is the first time in the past 23 years (since we started our ski club) that we have not had a single broken bone on any of our five ski dates. That is astonishing when you consider that we had 483 students who were a part of our club! Thanks so much for the 40+ staff members and nearly 50 parents who chaperoned one or more of our trips. Without the help of so many staff members and parents, we could not provide this opportunity for our kids. For those of you who like to plan way in advance, below are our tentative ski dates for next year:
Confirmed LMS Ski Club dates 2021
Jan 8
Jan 22
Feb 5
Feb 19
Feb 26
March 5 - make up day (not an ER Day)
Lori Zucker, founder of Spread Ari’s Light and Ari’s mom recalls Ari needing blood products over 200 times. The blood gave her the gift of time. Time to undergo cancer treatment, time to learn how to dance and go to school and camp, and time to be a kid. When you donate blood, you give precious time to cancer patients.
To donate, make an appointment by calling 1-800-red-cross or 1-800-733-2767, by going online at redcrossblood.org or by downloading the free donor app. Remember we can’t save lives with you. Thank you for helping us Spread Ari’s Light. For more information about Ari, the Blood Drive or the foundation, visit www.spreadarislight.org.
WE GO GREEN: RECYCLED ART PROJECT
In April each of our Class Meeting Groups will be participating in a Recycled Art Project as part of our We Go Green Initiative. We are requesting any clean recyclable materials including cans/bottles/lids, cardboard, plastic, and fabric. If you would like to contribute, please send your items anytime before April 22. All items will be placed in bins outside of the Welcome Center. Thank you for your continued support. See the flyer below for more info.
1619 PROJECT EXCURSION
LMS has an exciting opportunity available to 7th and 8th grade students! On April 1, the Missouri History Museum is sponsoring an event with New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, the leader of the 1619 Project. The 1619 Project is an ongoing project developed by The New York Times Magazine in 2019 with the goal of re-examining the legacy of slavery in the United States and timed for the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia. The event on April 1 at the Missouri History Museum will include a presentation by Ms. Hannah-Jones, followed by a Q&A. All students who attend will receive a special edition of The 1619 Project. LMS has secured 20 spots for this event, and interested 7th and 8th graders are invited to apply using a Google form supplied by their social studies teachers. If chosen, students will attend the event on April 1 with LMS teacher Stephanie Teachout and Lisa Kovarik during the school day. Applications were made available to students through their social studies teachers
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 show mastery of skills taught in the course which they would like to skip. 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 students currently in Math 6E or Math 7E are May 6, 2020 at 3:30pm or August 11, 2020 at 9am at LMS. Students who are currently in 5th grade math at the FGC have other testing dates which have been communicated. No other dates are available for testing so please plan accordingly. More information, as well as directions on how to sign up, is available on the LMS website under the curriculum tab. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Sarah Schwartz, Assistant Principal and liaison to the math department, at saschwartz@ladueschools.net
NURSE INFO- If your child is in 7th grade and has received the Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines during a physical exam, please provide a copy of the dates of vaccine to Nurse Williams. Hand washing posters have been hung in every student restroom. Encourage your child(ren) to wash hands or use sanitizer more often. Announcements have occurred and will continue to be read weekly. Please read the Health Update email on the Coronavirus sent to all Ladue Schools families and staff via email by Ann Body, District Lead Nurse.
GRADE LEVEL HAPPENINGS- Please click below for the most recent grade level updates.
8th Grade
SCHOOL HOURS AND SUPERVISION-REPOST
We are reaching out to parents to help us address a safety concern. Our school day ends at 3:10. Students who are picked up or walking remain in the classroom until 3:20. At 3:20 carpool and walkers are dismissed and expected to leave campus or report to an after school activity on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We do not have supervision for students who are not in an activity or who are waiting to get picked up past 3:30. We are asking families to please arrive by 3:30 to pick up your student or encourage your student to report to an activity on the days that we offer them. Students who are seen on campus unsupervised after school hours will be asked to call a parent. If there is a need for supervision, please consider enrolling your student in our TAS (Teens After School) Program. Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.
EIGHTH GRADE IMMUNIZATIONS NEEDED-REPOST
Students who will be entering 8th grade are now required to have both Meningitis and Tdap immunizations to meet the requirement of the Missouri School Immunization Law, Health and Safety Title 19 CSR 20-28.010 for the 2020-2021 academic year. It is mandatory for your child to have proof of these vaccinations prior to the first day of school. Many students received these vaccines during 6th grade. 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 doctor's office fax a copy to Nurse Williams at (314)-997-8736. If your child still needs to have these vaccines, now is a great time to get an appointment!
LMS may withhold your student’s schedule and team assignment for the school year until proof of immunizations are presented to the School Nurse. When immunizations are given please have physician’s office print out a current immunization record and turn it into the nurses’ office. Should you have any questions, please contact Nancy Williams, LMS School Nurse at 314-983-5530 or email nwilliams@ladueschools.net
SCHOOL HOURS AND SUPERVISION-REPOST
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY CARPOOL-REPOST
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 are placing cones in the circle drive to assist with keeping this lane open. Please do not drive through the cones and park. We thank you in advance for your assistance.
REPLIES TO FAMILY UPDATES/SCHOOL REMINDERS
I have recently become aware that families may have been replying to my Family Updates/School Reminders with questions. Please NOTE: if you hit reply to emails that are generated through our BlackBoard Parent Link System, those emails do not come to me. The Parent Link system does not allow reply emails generated from my update. Families will need to email me separately at ttaylor@ladueschools.net. I apologize if you have emailed and have not received a response as this is the reason why. Hopefully, this will not be a problem moving forward.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 A
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 t
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
