from the head of school

A Simple Life, One Step At A Time

Dear AL families,

While reading I ran across these 10 tips for simple living from simplelivingchallenge.com. This time of year, after the holidays when it is generally cold and not much is going on outside for you and your kids, is a great time to re-evaluate some simple things that could have a large impact. I looked at the list and thought I could (and should) do most of these. These are also great ideas to share with your kids and find out what they think and can do. I challenge you to try to do at least five of these. If you see me in the hallways, in the parking lot or around town, please let me know how you are doing on the list.

1. Work with what you have
2. Start a gratitude journal
3. Contribute to an emergency fund
4. Use a budget and track spending
5. Get rid of one commitment
6. Make your bed (my mother would be happy!)
7. Start a "donate box"
8. Give someone a compliment
9. Do a social media detox
10. Determine if something you want is a must-have or nice-to-have

Have a great weekend,

Leslie Houfaidi

Oak Principal

In This Edition: 

• Strategic planning meeting agenda
• Free homework help
• Yearbook orders
• Buzzbook
• REbeL visits Cherry
• Trivia night and 50/50 raffle
• All about breakfast and lunch
• Oak campus chess club opportunities
• 2018 France trip meeting
• Father-daughter dance
• Tax letters
• Scouting for the basics
• Winter spirit wear sale
• PTSO funding requests
• 17-18 Kindergarten siblings
• Sports:
• Middle school girls soccer team openings
• Middle school girls basketball KC Metro Champions
• AL in the community
• Wooly creatures
• Pages & Chapters

calendar

Upcoming Events

INFO SHARING

Strategic Planning Meeting Agenda

The Académie Lafayette Board of Directors will meet this Saturday, January 28th from 8:30 to 1 pm at Rockhurst University in Massman 250 to discuss Strategic Planning. Click here to read the agenda. 

INFO SHARING

Free Homework Help

The Waldo library ( 201 East 75th Street) is offering free homework help on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30. 

 

For more information, call Katie Taylor at 816-701-3707 or email katietaylor@kclibrary.org.

INFO SHARING

Need A Yearbook? 

We are still taking orders for the 2016-2017 yearbook! You can order yours online today here. Our Yearbook ID code is 5828317. If you do not want to order online, please stop by the front desk at either campus and ask for a yearbook order form. 

The deadline for ordering yearbooks is March 3rd, 2017. 

INFO SHARING

Buzzbook Is Out

If you did not receive an email from MySchoolAnywhere, our  Buzzbook provider, earlier today, please check your email spam folder first, then contact Mr. Addoh,  eaddoh@academielafayette.org. 

Click here for instructions on how to install the directory from your phone. 

Questions? Email Mr. Addoh,  eaddoh@academielafayette.org. 

from the classroom

REbeL Club Visits Cherry

Last week, some of our 7th and 8th grade students prepared a lesson about self-esteem and diversity for students in Mme. Abgrall's class. The Oak students, members of the REbeL club which focuses on learning about positive self esteem and body image, spoke to the first-grade class about what makes them special and unique. Together we all learned that even though we are all different, we are all connected and have many similarities. We celebrate diversity and being unique at Académie Lafayette! 

Info Sharing

Trivia Night And 50/50 Raffle Tomorrow

As of the writing of this newsletter, only a few seats remain! Contact Sara Harms at saraharms974@gmail.com to snag one or two before it's too late!

If you can't join us for Trivia Night, we hope you will participate by taking place in the 50/50 cash prize raffle! You don't need to be present to win and tickets can be purchased online at www.altrivianight.com . Who knows, $5 might just pay off big and help with a trip to France or NOLA!

INFO SHARING

All About Breakfast & Lunch

Thank you to those of you that have paid your student's lunch bill after our all-call! As of Monday, Académie Lafayette had recouped $11,985.10 in unpaid meal bills. In light of the recent budget cuts from the state, that helps us a lot! Please note there is still $56,132.48 in unpaid balances. 

Académie Lafayette provides both breakfast and lunch at both campuses every day. Full-priced breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $3.10. Both meals are catered by the Guadalupe Center and served on campus. Students who qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program can receive meals either free or at a reduced price. If you are interested in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, or need to make payment arrangements, please contact Peggy Arians at parians@academielafayette.org or at the Oak campus, 816-361-7735. 

To pay your lunch balance, or add money to your child's account, please click here. Remember, you can log on to eSchoolCore at any time to check their child's balance yourself! 

Info Sharing

Oak Campus Chess Club 

Because many parents from the Oak campus were interested in the Cherry Chess club, Leslie Kohlmeyer made some calls and was able to get a chess club started at Oak. 

• When? After school on Thursdays from 3:50 to 4:50 and it will begin on Feb 2nd. 

• How much? The cost is $60 per student for a total of 20 students maximum. The cost is the total for classes running through the end of the school year. The club will be run by KC Chess Club and Coach Ken Fee. You will make checks payable to KC Chess Club and payment will be due on the first day of class. 

• Where? Kids will go directly from their classrooms to the room the club will be held in, room tba. They will need to be picked up from the club no later than 5 pm. If they have permission to walk they may sign themselves out, however all students must leave the building by 5 pm. 

Email  lkohlmeyer@academielafayette.org to secure a spot in the club. Spots are available on a first come first serve basis. The club will fill up fast. If problems arise we will no longer allow students to remain in the club and no refunds will be given. 

Info Sharing

2018 France Trip Meeting

Our first meeting for next year's France trip will take place on Thursday , March 2, 2017 from 6 to 7 pm in the Oak Auditorium. This meeting will include trip information, early bird registration info, and time to ask questions. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Best Wishes,

Robin Vaughn France Trip Coordinator rvaughn@academielafayette.org

Valerie Smith Assistant France Trip Coordinator vsmith@academielafayette.org

Info Sharing

Father-Daughter Dance

Fathers, uncles, granddads & friends, bring your favorite Académie Lafayette girl(s) for a night of music, snacks and FUN! 

Join us  February 10th  from 7 to 10 pm at the Cherry campus as we bring out all the brightness and fun of our girls - kindergarten through middle school. Wear all your glow in the dark necklaces, bracelets or buy them at the dance. There will be a unicorn piñata raffle, picture walls, sing-offs and more! Look for an info sheet coming home soon. Ticket purchases and sign-ups will start next week! The tickets will be $25 per couple with an additional charge of $5 for each extra girl.

As always, we are looking for volunteers galore. Email Kelly Garr at  bk_garr@yahoo.com if you can help.  See you there!

fundraising

Tax Letters: Did You Get Yours?

You should have received your tax statements of your gifts to Académie Lafayette this week. If you did not, please give it a few more days, then contact Sarah Guthrie, sguthrie@academielafayette.org.

Info Sharing

Scouting For The Basics

Please consider a personal care product donation to this wonderful agency, Giving the Basics! We are gathering personal care products for donation, which are not covered by government assistance programs. Products donated will immediately impact  low income  families with small children, students, battered women, veterans, former prisoners, and the mentally ill. More information about this fantastic organization may be found here:   http://www.givingthebasics.org/. 

Collection barrels are located at both Oak and Cherry campuses.  

Thanks very much, 

Girl Scout Troop 1519

Info Sharing

Spirit Wear Winter Inventory Sale!

Go to ALSPIRIT.COM to take advantage of free shipping to school if you order by January 31st.  

• New clearance prices on items being discontinued as we prepare to bring in new items for the next school year.  

• Clearance priced items are out-when-out, they will not be reordered.  

• All in stock items ordered by January 31st will be delivered to classrooms on Friday February 3rd with no shipping charges. 

• PLEASE, PLEASE include students last name, homeroom teacher and Cherry or Oak campus in the special instructions box during check out.  

Info Sharing

PTSO Funding Requests

Last October, the PTSO received two mid-year funding requests. Both involved supporting our students with special-needs. The PTSO approved both requests and have heard some very positive feedback from the Special Education team!

The PTSO is once again accepting applications from parents, teachers, administration and students for mid-year funding requests now through February 15, 2017. This will be our final opportunity this year to support your ideas for enriching our student and teacher experiences. Have an idea for an after-school club or sport? Has a great field trip opportunity come to your attention? Would your idea improve our teacher's work environment? Let us hear about your great idea!  The application is available on the PTSO website under Calendar/Documents. (Disregard the January 31, 2017 deadline on the document - it's February 15th!) 

Thanks, 

Your PTSO

Info Sharing

Calling All 2017-18 K Siblings!

The open application period has begun and will continue through Friday, February 24, 2017 at 4:00 pm.  Click here for the online application .

If you have a sibling of a current (or graduate) AL student, you must complete the online application to reserve your child's space in Kindergarten.  To be eligible for the 2017-18 school year, applicants MUST  be 5 before September 1, 2017.

ALL SIBLINGS MUST COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION BEFORE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 AT 4 PM. IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR SPACE FOR KINDERGARTEN.

Questions? Contact Diane Balagna, Cherry Campus Office Manager, at 816-888-7400 or email dbalagna@academielafayette.org.

Sports

MS Girls Soccer

The Académie Lafayette Athletic Department is excited to announce that our middle school girls soccer team is recruiting players for this spring season.  The team will compete in the Kansas City Metro Conference League, which we won last year.

 

Important information:

1. This is a competitive team and will be ruled by AL regulations and MSHSAA regulations. If we have more than 21 players registered, coaches and the athletic director will decide whether to hold tryouts or not.
2. Practices are mandatory. MSHSAA requires 14 practices on 14 separate days before a student is eligible to play. Players need to be at practice on time and ready to go.
3. All players must have their sports physical form completed and turned in prior to competition. 

Interested? Contact Mr Djiba: edjiba@academielafayette.org

Sports

MS Girls Basketball Win Title

The MS girls basketball team is doing a significant performance in the KC Metro Conference League. For the first time in AL basketball history, they won the first place of the championship with 7 wins and only 1 loss. Congratulations AL! 

Yesterday, they defeated Hogan Prep 34 to 18 for their first game of the end-of-season tournament. They will play the semi-final  this Saturday at  9:00 am at the Kauffman School,  6401 Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131. If they win, they will play the final at 2:00 pm.

Our valuable players are Aniyah Edwin, Awa-Bousso Gueye, Caroline Hinkebein, Emma Rivera, Evelyn Parker (injured), Hayley Langle, Jasia Nicholson, Lottie Eldridge, Lydie Djiba, Molly Hendrickson, Rayna Bowman and Tatiana Rizzo.

Please encourage them and if your schedule allows it come support them Saturday! 

AL in the community

5th Grade Entrepreneur

Harriet Tronnes, 5th grade student at Académie Lafayette, was spotted talking about her business in the Kansas City Star this weekend. Tronnes makes and sells creatures out of felt.  Click here  to read the article. You can also visit the Woll-Kreaturen page on Facebook. 

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

AL in the community

Smile: You're On The Jumbotron!

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships invited Pages & Chapters, a family literacy non-profit, to participate in the #GetUpKC campaign! One of our AL families, the Royals, were featured from AL Open Books literacy workshops hosted by Mme Smith and the Title I team. Mayor Sly James gave Pages & Chapters a certificate on behalf of #GetUpKC to recognize the organization as a change-maker. 

Go literacy!

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

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

 

Our sponsor, the ER of Brookside at 6601 Rockhill Road, is undergoing a renovation and expansion from 11 rooms to 20 rooms. The renovation includes innovative technology in every room to further expedite the already really fast service. Also, congratulations on receiving patient satisfaction scores in the top 15% of all emergency rooms nationally!

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