Principal News

Learning For Teachers And Students

Dear families,

One of the joys I have as a principal is to walk around the building and see what goes on in the classrooms. It is obvious the time the teachers put in to make the classroom a special place of learning. The activities they create are innovative and I see the enthusiasm the students have when learning new skills.

The students are not the only ones with learning goals. This year, each classroom has a SmartBoard (Oak) or TeamBoard (Cherry) thanks to grants and the Fund-a-Need auction at An Evening in Paris. Together the faculty is learning how to create interactive lessons. Using our new technology is one of our learning goals this year particularly at Oak since Cherry has had their TeamBoards for a couple of years.

Parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner for both campuses:

• October 5th from 11 am to 7 pm
• October 6th from 8 am to 4 pm

Finally, I want to remind you to keep an eye out for the mail at the end of next week, as you will be receiving your child's individual MAP test results. I think you will be pleased; I know I am.

 

Have a great weekend.

Mme Houfaidi, 

Oak Principal

calendar

Upcoming Events

Info Sharing

Calling 6th Graders & Parent Volunteers

The Haunted Hallway planning will start next week since Boo Bayou is only 5 weeks away! We need help designing, constructing, donating supplies, and/or participating! 

The Haunted Hallway will run from 5:30 to 7:30 pm so that kids from both events can enjoy! 

Questions? Interested? Contact Lisa Lif, llif@kc.rr.com

Info Sharing

Middle School Conferences

Dear Parents, bonjour,

As you know, our Middle School "Student/Parent - Teacher" conferences will take place on Wednesday 10-05 and Thursday 10-06. Your student's participation in these meetings is bound to increase the productivity of these sessions. Thank you for planning to come together.

The schedules for both days will be shared in the next newsletter. We are looking forward to these two days to meet with you and your child.

Cordialement,

Eric Roskam
Oak Vice-Principal

Info Sharing

Red Cross Blood Drive At Cherry

The Red Cross is hosting a Blood Drive at the Cherry Campus during Parent-Teacher conferences on October 5. They will be set up from noon to 5 pm. Click here to go to their website. Click on the red circle with the arrow in it to make an appointment.  

Info Sharing

PTSO Updates

Check out our NEW website: www.ALPTSO.com

Like us on Facebook  to stay up to date.

 

Trash Bag Sales were amazing this year! Thank you all who sold, purchased and will help with pick up! And a HUGE thank you to Amy Lee North and her crew for putting this together! If our math works out our revenue for this project will be $9,000+. The best result to date!  Pick up is Saturday, September 24th from 8 am to noon in the Oak Campus parking lot. Amy needs lots of help to make this go smoothly, so please let her know if you have a little time ( amyleenorth@gmail.com). Also, if you have high school kids, they can receive service hours for their time so drop them off at 8 am!

The first annual Big/Little Kickball Tournament is this Sunday, September 25th from 10 am to 3 pm. It may or may not last that long depending on the number of teams, but we will have hot dogs, chips, snacks and water for all who sign up. We are hoping that the games will be played in 3 divisions (K-2, 3-5, and 6-8). It is $25 per combo and $5 for additional kids.

Flyers have gone home in backpacks, turn in paper forms by Friday, September 23rd. You can also sign up online through Saturday evening. We are still looking for a few volunteers to help out the day of the event. Check out SignUpGenius for more.

The Fall Progressive Dinner has been POSTPONED. Tiffany Meeks will be organizing this amazing event in the Spring, so if you have interest in attending or hosting please feel free to reach out to her. Stay tuned for information about the new date!

The Allez5k is coming up, Saturday, October 29th @ 10 am. We will be back out at Arrowhead Stadium. We have an AL Alum DJing the event, as well as some great sponsors. Our T-shirt has been unveiled and will be a long-sleeved navy shirt with white print. Registration is open for both the timed 5k and the family fun 1-mile run/walk. Paper forms are available to download through the website and turn into the PTSO box at either campus. You can also sign up online via the Allez5k website. Take a moment to look at pictures from last year as well!

  

Our first Restaurant Night Give Back of the year is on Wednesday, September 28th from 4 - 8 pm at Zoe's Kitchen on the Plaza. The restaurant will be giving back 15% of proceeds from the evening. Flyers will come home next week. They will also have a lovely art exhibit thanks to 25 Oak campus student volunteers! These canvas paintings will be displayed in the restaurant and available to for purchase for $20, with all proceeds coming back to the school. To see the canvases check out our Facebook page. Like us and follow all of the updates and events. 

Info Sharing

At Cherry, We ALL Work Together

Irene Dye (2nd grader) and her family work together to collect tabs for Académie Lafayette's community service project. Irene donated a HUGE bag of tabs to help our local Ronald McDonald House. (NOTE: You can also put pop tabs in the bucket in the main hall at Oak.)

Ryder Clay (4th grader) also works hard for the community: on Red Friday, he was selling merchandise to benefit the local Ronald McDonald house. Click here to view the YouTube video.

You can help out too: just bring in your tabs or old keys and drop them in the bucket outside of Mme Beth's office.  Last year we collected 6 buckets - help us reach our goal of 6 or more this year! To find out more, go to www.rmhckc.org. 

Info Sharing

From The Nurses

Dear parents,

There have been a small number of cases of Hand Foot and Mouth reported at both campuses recently. This is a highly contagious illness that typically affects younger children, but we have seen this in our older students recently. Because of the highly contagious nature of this illness, we want to take this opportunity to remind our community what symptoms to be on the lookout for.  

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection that causes blister-like rash. The symptoms are a runny nose, low-grade fever, and sometimes sore throat. A blister like rash occurs in the mouth. It may also be on sides of tongue, inside cheeks and on the gums. These sores last 7 to 10 days. The rash may occur on the bottom of the feet. If your child was exposed it may take 3 to 6 days for symptoms to start.

It is spread by coughing, sneezing, or by touching contaminated hands, surfaces and objects.

It is contagious during the first week of illness but may be in the feces for several weeks.

How to prevent? 

• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. Use a tissue or your sleeve. Dispose of used tissues.
• Wash hands after touching anything that could be contaminated with feces or secretions from the nose or mouth and before preparing food or eating. Your child may need help with handwashing effectively.
• Clean and disinfect any objects that in contact with feces or secretions from the nose and mouth. Use a product that kills viruses.

Call your healthcare provider if anyone in your home has symptoms and

notify either Alyvia Elliott at Cherry (816-888-7463) or Alexis Cook at Oak (816-888-8934).

Your child will need to stay home until the fever is gone and your child is healthy enough for routine activities. Sores or a rash may still be present.

**Information above was obtained by the Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention

Info Sharing

Department Of Education Meeting Notice

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will  host regional meetings  during September and October to receive feedback from stakeholders, particularly parents, on what Missourians believe matters most in public education. Administrators, principals, teachers, parents, students, and community members are encouraged to attend and participate.

Click here to see the list of 2016 Regional Meetings. 

Info Sharing

Parent-Elected Member of the Board

Each year parents have the opportunity to elect a parent to the Board of Directors for a two-year term. This  position has the same role and responsibilities of appointed board members.  

If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please write a short letter telling us why you want to serve and tell us about your background. Provide this information to Carlos McClain via email at cmcclain@academielafayette.org   by close of business (5 pm) on September 27th. These letters will be sent to all families via e-mail on September 29th. Voting will then commence during Boo Bayou on October 22nd, and continue on Monday, October 24th, from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm at the front offices at both the Oak and Cherry campuses.

For more information about the process, please click here.  For a description of the Board of Directors position please click here. 

Info Sharing

Boo Bayou Is Back!

Boo Bayou is Back, but at the Cherry Campus this year: 

• 4 - 6 pm for K-5 kids and families
• 7 - 9 pm for Middle School kids

On October 22nd, we will be hosting once again one of Académie Lafayette's most fun family events. This year, the fun will be slightly different.  From 4 - 6 pm, we will hold a family friendly carnival event on the playground for the kids grades K through 5 and their families. This event will include crafts, bounce houses, a carnival midway, and trunk or treating along with a live band of AL alumni. 

 

Then from 7 - 9 pm we will be hosting a "Costume Ball" for the kids in Middle School. This will include a photo area and DJ Spencer Hardwick who is an AL alumni!

 

We will also have the Haunted Hallway available to kids of all ages. Voting for parent elect positions will be open, and the live announcement of the raffle winner will also occur. 

I am excited for the new venue and the new changes. I hope that you will support us in making this year one of the best yet. I still need help in the following areas:

• Decorations (1person)

• Trunk or Treat organizer (1 person)

• Craft Area Coordinator (1 person)

These positions will not take up too much time and we should have lots of fun in the planning stages. Please consider helping make this event a success! 

Contact Leslie Kohlmeyer at 816-606-1646 and please stay tuned for a signup genius coming out next week.

Info Sharing

Bigger Sizes Needed At Oak

The Oak Campus' uniform closet is in need of shirts and pants sizes Large, Extra-Large and 14-16. 

If you have clothing you would like to donate please bring it to the front office at Oak.

Thank you! 

Info Sharing

$10-4-10 Raffle Prize Deadline is Sept. 26

Sell a total of 30 raffle tickets -- just 10 more than the Early Bird level -- and you will win a $10.00 gift card to either Baskin Robbins, Topsy's or Brookside Party warehouse.  Sign-up to sell  your tickets at area businesses by clicking here.  There are lots of open spots available.

 

Additional raffle tickets are available at the front desk of each campus.

Info Sharing

How's My Kid's Class Doing?

The classes at both Cherry and Oak that sell the most raffle tickets will win a pizza party for the rest of the school year.  Here are the top class rankings:

Oak	Cherry
Grade Teacher Tickets  sold 4 Ghisalberti 319 6 Sammou 289 4 Sifadjam 278	Grade Teacher Tickets  sold K Retnani 265 3 Clarist 264 3 Lyons 260

 

Additional raffle tickets are available at the front desk of each campus.

info sharing

Painless Fundraising 

Info Sharing

Wanted: Holiday Art Market Vendors

We are now accepting applications for the 5th annual Holiday Art Market. Early bird deadline is  October 16th , but spots are already filling up so don't delay! Click here to access the application. Follow us on Facebook: look for Académie Lafayette Holiday Art Market, or click on the image below! 

SPORTS

AL Boys Soccer

You are invited to a friendly game coming up on Tuesday, September 20 at 4:30 pm at  Pembroke Hill School  (5121 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO) at the Kroh campus on the west side of State Line Rd.

SPORTS

Repeat Success For AL Cross Country

Both the Boys' and Girls' Cross Country teams again captured team and individual first place finishes at the Les Fields Invitational on September 12. 

 

The Boys' Team took 5 out of the top 10 spots, scoring 17 points. Ilyes Ait Abdelkader set a new course (1.25 miles) record for middle school (7:11). Eli MeHaffey was runner-up; Zac Story 6th and newcomer Will Wooden rounded out the scoring in 8th. Also medaling were Ross Bunch, Aiden Sullivan, Tristan Bird and Keegan Riffle.

 

Eli MeHaffey charges to early lead

The Girls' Team also scored 5 in the top 10 getting a big, first-time win from Barbara deZutter who also set a new course record (8:30), newcomer Katie Riffle 2nd, Molly Hendrickson 3rd, India Williams 5th and Bea Curry 9th. Ana Davis, Sophie Bond, Evelyn Parker, Summer Squires, Zoe Hoss and Libby Lueck all medaled!

 

Barbara DeZutter breaks course record!

Both teams faced extreme heat, larger fields and much tougher competition at the Swope Park Stampede on September 19. The Girls again won handily placing 5 in the top 10.  Barbara deZutter broke her own record (8:16), Katie Riffle 2nd, India Williams 5th, Bea Curry 9th and newcomer Ana Davis 10th. Also medaling: Sophie Bond, Evelyn Parker, Mara Kugler and Summer Squires.

 

AL Boys' Team were Runners-Up with Ilyes Ait Abdelkader taking 2nd, Eli MeHaffey 3rd, Zac Story 6th and Ross Bunch in 16th. Will Wooden, Keegan Riffle and Aiden Sullivan all medaled.

 

Click here for full meet results.

 

For more information about running programs at AL, contact Brenda Kumm, brendakumm@gmail.com. 

SPORTS

AL Volleyball

AL Girls Volleyball faced Lincoln in their first game of the season on Tuesday September 20, 2016. The team's first game was a true nail biter. Our girls played tough and despite losing the first game rallied to dominate the second. Serving stars of the game: Sera Von Rautenfeld led the team in most points earned while serving, followed by Gabrielle Mussulman-Watson, and new to the squad Bishop Hankel, who made the starting lineup, also had some impressive serves. Haley Langle came in off the bench and scored the final point to claim victory for the team in the second game. Unfortunately the girls suffered a close loss as time ran out in the third game but the team showed true AL spirit giving their best right up until the final buzzer. The team will suit up and face Frontier on  9/22/16 . 

Please come cheer on our middle school volleyball team during the season play. Games are held mostly at The Kauffman School (Paseo near 63rd) with two games at Lee Tolbert Academy.   

 

Below is the game schedule. There will be a $2.00 fee for each spectator for regular season play.  

Date	Time	Home Team	Away Team	Location
Tues 9/27/2016	6:00 pm	AL	Alta Vista	Kauffman 1
Thu 9/29/2016	5:00 pm	AL	Central	Tolbert
Tues 10/4/2016	5:00 pm	Kipp	AL	Kauffman 2
Thurs 10/6/16	No Game
Tues 10/11/2016	5:00 pm	FLA	AL	Kauffman 1
Thu 10/13/2016	6:00 pm	AL	Tolbert	Tolbert

 

The championship tournament will be played on Saturday, October 22, 2016. 

AL IN THE COMMUNITY

Fox 4 Features AL Student

Isabella with Phil Witt from Fox4kc and her award.

Channel 4 TV aired a feature story about Isabella Dougherty, an AL 8th grader who was named the Reaching 4 Excellence Young Achiever of the week. She was chosen because of her consistent excellence in selling Raffle tickets to support our school. Isabella has raised almost $14,000 in raffle ticket sales since she has been at AL. Click here to see the story. 

Special thanks to Jessica McDowell, Patrick Sprehe's English Class, Amelia Kalahurka, and Jaida Carter who helped with this news story.

Report your sightings of Académie Lafayette parents, staff, or students accomplishments to communication@academielafayette.org.  

From the classroom

Science Class Experiments

8th graders learning about watershed, rivers and meanders:

From the classroom

Sweet Harvest

Mme Werner's 5th grade students harvested sweet potatoes from the school garden this month.

Advertising

 

Research Medical Center, Brookside Campus, is a proud sponsor of academie lafayette