From the head of school

Students Excel On MAP Tests

Dear families,

I am pleased to tell you that our students continue to excel academically as measured by the statewide MAP tests. As you can see in the charts below, not only do our students surpass all high performing Kansas City charter schools but they surpass all high performing suburban school districts as well in Math and English Language Arts. 

Our students exceeded Missouri averages in English Language Arts by more than 20 points, in Math by 26 points, and in Science by 12 points. Although much of the credit goes to our teachers and students, we cannot overlook your role as well. Parents are the ones who make sure their children arrive at school on testing days rested and ready. We cannot do it without you! Click here to access the detailed graphs. 

Charter School Comparisons

School District Comparisons

Thank you!

Elimane Mbengue

Head of School

Principal News

Proud Of Our School & Community

Dear families,

We recently had University of Central Missouri come to make a video and take pictures at AL. They are creating a charter school video for their website. As I walked the photographers around to classrooms, it was a pleasure to see how impressed they were with our students and teachers, especially seeing the level of French in our youngest classrooms. I was proud to point out teachers who've been here since the year we opened, teachers who  worked here as interns while in college, and staff members who are former AL students. They also liked seeing art in the hallways and classrooms, like the ones pictured, painted by parents and grandparents. It reinforced to me the investment that so many staff and families have made for years in our school and the importance of community. 

Thank you!

Mme Royce,

Cherry Principal

In This Edition:

Click on the topic to go directly to that article! 

calendar

Upcoming Events

Info Sharing

Picture Day Coming Soon

All students will be photographed on Picture Day for the yearbook.  Students should wear casual clothes. You can order online at MyLifeTouch.com. Please use the Picture Day ID located on the flyers that will be sent home in backpacks soon. 

For Cherry students:

Picture Day:  Tuesday, October 18

Retake Day:  Tuesday, November 29

For Oak students:

Picture Day:  Monday, October 24

Retake Day:  Friday, December 2

Info Sharing

Desperately Seeking Volunteers

For this party to be fun for everyone, we need lots of volunteers manning all the activities!  Contact  Leslie Kohlmeyer at  816-606-1646  or  ezl101@hotmail.com  if you are interested in volunteering your time and talents to this event or have other questions.   We need help with decorations, trunk or treat, and crafts.  

 

In particular, we are asking every Cherry class to volunteer for 2 slots on the Sign-Up Genius.  

 

What you should know:

• Most of the slots are just an hour. You will still have the rest of the time to run around the midway with your kids!
• Most of the Carnival Midway booths will have 2 people per hour, so if you want to volunteer with someone (your spouse, another parent from your class), please note it on the Sign-Up Genius.

 Questions about the carnival booths? Contact Katie Kendle,  katiekendle@gmail.com

fundraising

Raffle News: MS Prize and Deadline

Congratulations to Ian Todt, 8th grade, and Stella Squires, 6th grade, winners of the $200 Middle School Prize. These prizes go toward fees for the 6th and 8th grade trips. 

The final deadline for prizes is Monday Oct. 17 at 5 pm. All raffle ticket stubs and money must be turned in by Monday at 5 pm to qualify the student for prizes. Want to win a $100 grade level prize? Here are the numbers to beat: 

Kindergarten: 125 tickets  First Grade: 95 tickets  Second Grade: 65 tickets  Third Grade: 240 tickets  Fourth Grade: 155 tickets

Fifth Grade: 65 tickets Sixth Grade: 140 tickets Seventh Grade: 45 tickets Eighth Grade: 365 tickets

Which campus will win? Cherry students have sold 50 more tickets than Oak students. You can help your campus by signing up to sell at Brookside stores or urging friends and family to buy tickets online! Thank you for selling raffle tickets!

Info Sharing

AL High School Fair Information

All 7th and 8th grade families are invited to the AL High School Fair,  November 3rd,   6-8 pm  in the Oak Gym. Representatives from area high schools will be there to tell you about their schools. So far we have 12 schools who have committed. Most of them will bring AL graduates to answer questions about the schools from a student's perspective. We will also have some information on how to make the next four years of your life stand out on your college applications. We hope you will join us! Please mark your calendars and look for more information coming home with your children. 

Info Sharing

Volunteer Wanted: Cherry Chess Club

Looking for a parent volunteer to run a chess club at Cherry. This will be every Wednesday after school from 4:00 to 5:00 except on Early Release day. The volunteer(s) will have to organize it and coordinate the club from A to Z.

Interested? Contact Mr. Diatta, jdiatta@academielafayette.org

Info Sharing

Oak Auditorium Information

The Oak Auditorium will be closed for renovations from October 18th to November 1st. Middle school students that arrive at school earlier than 8:05 will no longer report to the auditorium during those two weeks. Instead, students will be sent to classrooms where they can wait (and eat their breakfast if needed) under teacher supervision. 

Info Sharing

Looking For Grandparents

On Generations Day -- November 22 -- we celebrate the Grandmas, Grandpas, Nanas, Papas, Noonies, Poppies, Aunties, Uncles and Special Friends that love our students! Please share the contact information of your grandparent -- or special friends --  so that we can mail them an invitation. Invitations go out next week so please click here and let us know where to mail it!

Info Sharing

Ramp Up Your AL Spirit This Holiday

Two ways to celebrate AL and the holidays: 

1. This year we'll have 3 new items just for the holidays: nice big fleece blankets and fleece lined pom beanies to keep you toasty on the outside, as well as big 18oz ceramic mugs to keep you toasty on the inside. These are one-time order items that are perfect gifts for kiddos, teachers & staff. Click here to download the form, or go to the PTSO website to order. 
    
2. $2 off sale on all non-clearance items on our Spiritwear webstore, ALSPIRIT.com.  This includes hoodies, sweatshirts, sweatpants, uniform shirts and more.

YOU MUST ORDER BY NOVEMBER 1st . Share this info with friends and family attending Generations Day on Nov. 22nd. ALL Orders will be available for pick up at Generations Day (Nov 22) or in classrooms Nov. 28.

Info Sharing

PTSO Events

Look for your copy of the PTSO Newsletter in your email from this week. Email  meghkflavin@gmail.com if you did not receive a copy and would like to.

Upcoming Events:

• Boo Bayou: Saturday, October 22nd

Grades K-5 will have a carnival-style event from 4-6pm, while the 6-8th grades will have a Costume Ball. Both events at the Cherry campus. The 6th graders will provide a Haunted Hallway. Families for the elementary grades (K-5) are welcome from 4-6. Voting for the new  Parent Elect  Board member will take place during this event and the following Monday at both campuses. Volunteers needed - short shifts, great family fun! Sign up now!

•  Allez 5k: Saturday, October 29th at 10 am at Arrowhead Stadium

We have some awesome sponsors this year! The prizes are awesome, so come to WIN! Food will be provided - bagels & cream cheese, as well as hot dogs and bottled water. DJ Spencer, an AL grad will be there to entertain us. Flyers have gone home in  back packs . Please return them to the school by this Friday OR complete the online registration form by Friday to assure your receipt of the awesome custom race day long sleeve shirt! 

 

Don't want to run or walk, but want the long sleeve T-shirt? We will be selling them at packet pickup and through our website for $15. 

 

Packet pick up & Late Registration will be Thursday, October 27th from 4-7 pm at Bier Station. John has been kind enough to offer all AL adults happy hour pricing  through our  time there. Thanks! We will also have packet pick up/late registration from 4-5 pm on Friday, October 28th at Oak or Saturday morning at Arrowhead from 8:30-9 am.                

 

Register online!

We would like to know how you would prefer to receive PTSO updates. Please take this one-question survey to let us know. 

Info Sharing

PTSO Funding Requests

Historically, the PTSO has considered funding requests once a year, for inclusion in the following year's budget. At our September PTSO meeting, parents and the PTSO Board recognized that this process doesn't allow for dynamic classroom experiences, last minute field trips and flexible enrichment of the curriculum. To help with this, the PTSO voted and approved $7,650 of our budget be allocated to support these mid-year ideas and opportunities. The application process is similar to before, with two mid-year application dates: October 31and January 31. The application form is available on the PTSO website under Documents. Click here to access that section. Please, let us hear about your great ideas which need a bit of financial support!

Info Sharing

Launching AL Choir & Band

Mr. Combreas, our new Music Teacher at Oak, is looking forward to launching the AL Choir.  Choir meetings will take place on Wednesdays, from  3:45 pm to 4:45 pm. Mr. Combreas would like to see at least 20 students join in this creative operation. Arrangements will depend upon the number of students participating. So, if you are interested in participating in this years Choir adventures, please fill out the registration form distributed in the classroom and ask your child to return it to the homeroom teacher. 

 

Mr. Combreas also noticed that several students are interested in learning to play together as a band. He is willing to meet these students on Mondays, from  3:45 pm to 4:45 pm. This club is not aimed at learning how to play an instrument; the focus will be to practice playing together as a band. Again, arrangements will depend upon the number of students wanting to participate. Please fill out the registration form distributed in the classroom and ask your child to return it to the homeroom teacher.

  

For both activities parents must be able to pick up their child at  4:45 pm.

Info Sharing

Looking For Literacy Mentors

Dear AL parents,  

Do you love to read? The Title I team is looking for parent volunteers to help mentor Title I student participants and their families at the Open Books* workshop. Commit to being a literacy mentor just one evening a month October through March, and make a BIG difference in our AL community! 

If you are interested in being a literacy mentor, please contact Valerie Smith for more information at vsmith@academielafayette.org.

*Open Books is only offered to Title I qualified students

Info Sharing

$100 Prize For Trunk-or-Treat Cars

We are looking for 12 cars willing to decorate trunks and pass out candy for Boo Bayou Trunk or Treat from 4 to 5 pm on October 22nd. There will be a $100 cash prize for the most spooky cool trunk! Please email Leslie Kohlmeyer at ezl101@hotmail.com or fill out the Signup Genius if you'd like to enter.  

Info Sharing

Holiday Market Vendors Wanted

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

Middle School Boys & Girls Basketball

Registration for middle school boys and girls basketball is open. If your child is interested in playing, please contact coach Djiba. Both girls team and boys team will compete in the Kansas City Metro League. Girls will start practice on Monday, October 24th in the Oak Campus gym right after school.

Contact: Coach Djiba,  edjiba@academielafayette.org

sports

Back-to-Back Wins and PR Shattered

Both the Boys' and Girls' Cross Country teams again captured team and individual first place finishes at the Central Invitational on 10/03 (1.25 mile) and the Southwest Invitational on 10/10 (1.70 mile).    

Pre-Race Tradition	Rainbow over both Races

Central Invitational: The Girls' Team remained undefeated scoring 15 (perfect in CC) finishing 1-2-3-4-5. Barbara deZutter nabbed her 3rd victory followed by Katie Riffle, Molly Hendrickson, Haley Langle and India Williams. Beatrice Curry and Ana Davis rounding out the top 10 in 7th and 9th. Evelyn Parker, Sophie Bond, Summer Squires, Ava Kugler, Zoe Hoss, Mara Kugler, Libby Lueck and Lorraine Frueh all medaled!

 

The Boys' took the top 3 spots with Eli MeHaffey getting a well-deserved win, chased by Gabe Smith and Zachary Story.  Ross Bunch (8th) and Will Wooden (10th) made top 10. Aiden Sullivan and Keegan Riffle also captured medals. 23 kids smashed their personal best mile splits and 22 ran their best times overall.

 

Southwest Invitational: With a rainbow in the sky above, Katie Riffle raced to her first victory and Ilyes Ait Abdelkader took first lowering his previous course record! The Girls again won handily placing 7 in the top 10.  Barbara deZutter 2nd, Haley Langle 3rd, India Williams 4th, Beatrice Curry 8th, newcomer Evelyn Parker 9th, Molly Henrickson 10th, Ana Davis 11th. Also medaling: Ava Kugler, Sophie Bond and Summer Squires.

 

Solidifying the Boys' win were Zachary Story 2nd and Gabe Smith 4th. Eli MeHaffey 5th, Ross Bunch 7th and Will Wooden 9th were all in the top 10. Aiden Sullivan, Keegan Riffle and Peyton Ott all medaled. 

 

Click here for full meet results or click on the name of the invitational above. 

Boys set to go!	Girls Pack Top 5

sports

Girls' Volleyball: A Win And A Loss

The girls were back in action against Central September 29th and once again the team's service power dominated their opponent. Bishop Hankel settled into a rhythm behind the line in the first and third games and set a new season record securing 20 points for the team when she stepped up to serve. Katie Riffle rounded out the game with not only exceptional serves (7 points) but also managed to set to her teammates 6 times throughout the course of the game. The team handily won 3 games, 25-11, 25-16, 15-1. 

 

Tuesday October 6th the girls faced arch rival Kipp in a what proved to be a difficult loss for our team losing all 3 games: 17-25, 19-25, 9-15. Kipp seemed to dominate the service game while our AL girls struggled in unusual fashion at the line. The girls hope to use this loss to fuel them in the final week of regular season play. Kipp wasn't unbeatable and the team vows to prove themselves when and if they face Kipp later this season or in the tournament. 

AL in the community

French Across The USA

A few months back, a boy in Charlotte, North Carolina was mauled by a dog on his way to school. He happens to attend a French Immersion school called Waddell Language School in Charlotte. A few parents heard the story and forwarded the information to Leslie Kohlmeyer, AL Outreach Coordinator. She put together a care package with the help of our entire 2nd grade team. Students made "Get Well" cards for Noah in French. Now the school in North Carolina wants to start a pen pal relationship with our 2nd graders. Noah is doing much better and he and his family send thanks as well. We are excited for our 2nd graders to get the chance to exercise some of their language skills in such a way! 

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

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