TJs Tidbits
Greetings LMS Families,
This was one busy weekend! LMS students participated in several competitions and as expected, our students handled business representing our school very well. Thank you to all of the staff who planned and organized the events or chaperoned and supported students in some way and congratulations to the students on their accomplishments!
My son competed in Junior Olympics in Detroit. The competition was tougher this year and he had a minor injury before going, but he made us proud and medaled in multiple events.
If you've had your television on or own a cell phone, I am sure you've seen the recent news about the Coronavirus. Please make sure you read the communication from Dr. Wipke that was sent Sunday evening. I will keep you updated whenever I hear something new.
REMINDERS:
Thursday, 3/12 is “I am LMS” Day. We encourage students and staff to dress in ways that represent who you are as individuals. Wear clothing that symbolizes your culture, religion, ethnicity, talent, interests, etc. Please remember all clothing has to be school appropriate and in alignment with our dress code. It will be a very exciting day!
We are finishing up the quarter and heading into Spring Break. Conferences are this week. Just a reminder to bring your student with you. Every year, we have a couple of families forget to stop by the house to pick up their kiddos (smile). Portfolio Conferences are my favorite because it’s an opportunity for students to take the lead in facilitating dialogue about school performance. They get to showcase their strengths and discuss growth areas with their families. I am always amazed by the level of maturity that the students demonstrate when reviewing their work. They are quite reflective and proud of what they have accomplished. Spring conferences are definitely more relaxed and not “speed dating” like in the fall. We hope to see you soon!
Although it’s the week before break, school is still in session and expectations are very much in place. Please remind your student how important it is that he/she comes to school ready to engage in learning and displaying safe behavior.
I hope everyone enjoys this much needed week off from school. Be sure to relax and have lots of fun. I certainly plan to do the same.
Have a good one!
STUDENT RECOGNITION
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
We hosted S.O. Regionals at LMS on Saturday. Our teams demolished the competition. We are super proud of them. Thank you to all of the coaches and to Martin L. for organizing this day. Everything went really well.
MATH CLUB
We are super proud of our Math Team students (Aditya Jain, Kevin Tang, Anthony Zhao, Alex Wang, and Aaron Lin) and their team sponsor Hannah S-M for their first place victory at the State MATHCOUNTS competition. Two students also qualified for Nationals: Aaron Lin (1st) and Kevin Tang (4th). Aaron and Kevin also scored in the top 2.5% nationally on the recent American Math Competition Grade 10 and Under Test. They will be competing in the next round (the AIME - American Invitational Mathematics Examination) on 3/11.
VEX ROBOTICS
Last Saturday, the team of System Overload (Rex Zhu, Aaron Lin, Ben Reiser, and Alex Wang), traveled to Linn, Missouri to participate in the Missouri State VEX Championship.
After 6 qualification matches, they were selected to be on the 9th alliance for the playoffs. The first playoff match was a huge upset in which their alliance was successful in winning at the last second 11-10 against a higher ranked opponent. The second match was against the 1st place ranked team, and after much planning and plotting with their teammates they devised a solid game plan to deploy during the match. Their team was literally a piece of papers width (.0045 inches) away from winning the autonomous period of the match. But during the driver controlled period, their robot became wedged between a game element on the floor and the wall, essentially rendering their robot out of commission for the rest of the match. The match ended with their team losing to what would become the state champions. The team finished in 8th place at the state level.
It was a very successful fist season for our Roborams teams. There are 55 middle school teams in Missouri, and only the top 24 are invited to participate in the state championship. To have a team finish in the top ten in our first year of doing VEX robotics is a huge achievement for the kids.
Next year's competition will come out in late April, and we will begin instantly building our robots for next year's challenge at that time.
MISS AMAZING PAGEANT
Congratulations to Sahana Arun for representing LMS in the Miss Amazing Pageant that was held at Lindbergh High School on Saturday. She did a fantastic job in her events. A pic was shared in the Parent Link email.
STATE GEOGRAPHY BEE
Congrats to 6th grader William Yin, winner of our school geography bee, who qualified to go to state which will be held on March 27th! He placed in the top 100 in the state to advance!
SPELLING BEE
Congratulations to Jack Saleeby on the good news that he will move onto the finals of the St Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee. He earned top scores on the written semi-finals last Saturday : https://nie.post-dispatch.com/bee
Greetings LMS Families,
This was one busy weekend! LMS students participated in several competitions and as expected, our students handled business representing our school very well. Thank you to all of the staff who planned and organized the events or chaperoned and supported students in some way and congratulations to the students on their accomplishments!
My son competed in Junior Olympics in Detroit. The competition was tougher this year and he had a minor injury before going, but he made us proud and medaled in multiple events.
If you've had your television on or own a cell phone, I am sure you've seen the recent news about the Coronavirus. Please make sure you read the communication from Dr. Wipke that was sent Sunday evening. I will keep you updated whenever I hear something new.
REMINDERS:
Thursday, 3/12 is “I am LMS” Day. We encourage students and staff to dress in ways that represent who you are as individuals. Wear clothing that symbolizes your culture, religion, ethnicity, talent, interests, etc. Please remember all clothing has to be school appropriate and in alignment with our dress code. It will be a very exciting day!
We are finishing up the quarter and heading into Spring Break. Conferences are this week. Just a reminder to bring your student with you. Every year, we have a couple of families forget to stop by the house to pick up their kiddos (smile). Portfolio Conferences are my favorite because it’s an opportunity for students to take the lead in facilitating dialogue about school performance. They get to showcase their strengths and discuss growth areas with their families. I am always amazed by the level of maturity that the students demonstrate when reviewing their work. They are quite reflective and proud of what they have accomplished. Spring conferences are definitely more relaxed and not “speed dating” like in the fall. We hope to see you soon!
Although it’s the week before break, school is still in session and expectations are very much in place. Please remind your student how important it is that he/she comes to school ready to engage in learning and displaying safe behavior.
I hope everyone enjoys this much needed week off from school. Be sure to relax and have lots of fun. I certainly plan to do the same.
Have a good one!
STUDENT RECOGNITION
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
We hosted S.O. Regionals at LMS on Saturday. Our teams demolished the competition. We are super proud of them. Thank you to all of the coaches and to Martin L. for organizing this day. Everything went really well.
MATH CLUB
We are super proud of our Math Team students (Aditya Jain, Kevin Tang, Anthony Zhao, Alex Wang, and Aaron Lin) and their team sponsor Hannah S-M for their first place victory at the State MATHCOUNTS competition. Two students also qualified for Nationals: Aaron Lin (1st) and Kevin Tang (4th). Aaron and Kevin also scored in the top 2.5% nationally on the recent American Math Competition Grade 10 and Under Test. They will be competing in the next round (the AIME - American Invitational Mathematics Examination) on 3/11.
VEX ROBOTICS
Last Saturday, the team of System Overload (Rex Zhu, Aaron Lin, Ben Reiser, and Alex Wang), traveled to Linn, Missouri to participate in the Missouri State VEX Championship.
After 6 qualification matches, they were selected to be on the 9th alliance for the playoffs. The first playoff match was a huge upset in which their alliance was successful in winning at the last second 11-10 against a higher ranked opponent. The second match was against the 1st place ranked team, and after much planning and plotting with their teammates they devised a solid game plan to deploy during the match. Their team was literally a piece of papers width (.0045 inches) away from winning the autonomous period of the match. But during the driver controlled period, their robot became wedged between a game element on the floor and the wall, essentially rendering their robot out of commission for the rest of the match. The match ended with their team losing to what would become the state champions. The team finished in 8th place at the state level.
It was a very successful fist season for our Roborams teams. There are 55 middle school teams in Missouri, and only the top 24 are invited to participate in the state championship. To have a team finish in the top ten in our first year of doing VEX robotics is a huge achievement for the kids.
Next year's competition will come out in late April, and we will begin instantly building our robots for next year's challenge at that time.
MISS AMAZING PAGEANT
Congratulations to Sahana Arun for representing LMS in the Miss Amazing Pageant that was held at Lindbergh High School on Saturday. She did a fantastic job in her events. A pic was shared in the Parent Link email.
STATE GEOGRAPHY BEE
Congrats to 6th grader William Yin, winner of our school geography bee, who qualified to go to state which will be held on March 27th! He placed in the top 100 in the state to advance!
SPELLING BEE
Congratulations to Jack Saleeby on the good news that he will move onto the finals of the St Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee. He earned top scores on the written semi-finals last Saturday : https://nie.post-dispatch.com/bee
NEW INFORMATION
NEW INFORMATION
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!
FILL THE BARREL 3/2-3/12
It is time for Ladue School District’s annual Fill the Barrel event. Each year, the entire district partners with Operation Food Search to help stock food and necessities going into the summer months (when there are less donations). Your family can help by donating non-perishable food items including canned goods, cereal, pancake mix, etc. Our district goal is to fill 70 large barrels of food. All items stay in the St. Louis area! Items can be dropped into a barrel between now and March 12.
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.
SKI CLUB
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)
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.
I AM LMS DAY- 3/12-REPOST
Our annual "I am LMS" Day will be held on Thursday, 3/12. This is a day devoted to celebrating the unique differences at LMS. "I am LMS" Day is a yearly event that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion and fosters a caring community at our school. The theme this year is "Being an Ally." Students will be in class meeting groups for the majority of the day and will be engaged in a range of activities: class meeting lesson, student/teacher led circles, art project, HS guest speakers, LMS Variety Show, etc. One other special aspect of the day is dressing in a way that best represents who we are as individuals. We encourage students and staff to participate by wearing clothing that symbolizes their culture, religion, ethnicity, talent and interests. Basically, come dressed in a way what celebrates the many great things about you. Please remember all clothing has to be school appropriate and align with our dress code. We are looking forward to learning and growing together in our understanding of how to support one another and serve as allies. It will be a very exciting day!
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.
2020 SPRING CONFERENCE SIGN UPS-REPOST
LMS will host student-led portfolio conferences on 3/11 (4:00-8:00 pm) and 3/12 (3:00-7:00 pm). The online sign up portal opened on 2/3 at 6:00 p.m. Be sure to log in at: http://www.myconferencetime.com/laduems and follow the instructions. Sign up ASAP as appointments fill up fast. Please be advised that the portal closes on 3/10 at noon.
EIGHTH GRADE IMMUNIZATIONS NEEDED
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
CALENDAR DATES (new additions in red)
3/8 LMSPA Mod Pizza Fundraiser (Click here for flyer)
3/11 Spring Portfolio PT Conferences (4:00-8:00 p.m.)
3/12 "I am LMS" Day/Class Meeting-Dress in a way that represents you best!
3/12- Variety Show
3/12- Variety Show
3/12 Early Release Day
3/12 Spring Portfolio PT Conferences (3:00-7:00 p.m.)
3/13 Conference Compensation Day (No School for kids or Staff)
3/15-3/21 Spring Break
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
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
Monday. 3/9, 9-10:30am (Date Change)
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.
==============================================================
REPEATED INFORMATION- (The information below is a review of information already communicated. No need to read if you read my last update)
SPREAD ARI'S LIGHT FOUNDATION BLOOD DRIVE-The Spread Ari’s Light foundation has an upcoming blood drive Sunday, 4/26 (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) at the Jewish Community Center in Chesterfield.This blood drive is dedicated in memory of Arianna Dougan, who would have been an 8th grade student this year at LMS. In 2009, she diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the age of three. She battled cancer for close to 9 years before losing her battle in 2017.
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.
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
