Lutherville Lab Report

What's gone down & what's coming up at the leopards' lair.

August 16, 2024

Lutherville Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year!!

We have been in overdrive this week getting prepared for teachers to return next week and then students on Monday, August 26th! Excitement is building, supplies are getting packed, rooms are clean, floors are waxed, and teachers are on their way!

If you have not already, please complete the Transportation Survey. Your child's safety is our top priority, a few moments to communicate how they will get home day one and beyond helps us ensure they go home safely and smoothly. We have about one-third of our students accounted for to this point.

All families should have received a welcome letter earlier this month through paper mail. If you did not, it is attached for your review (and give us a call to double check your address!). Included in the mailing was a form for the nurse to be able to distribute Discretionary Medication. If you need a second or third for siblings, we will have some additional on hand at Sneak-a-Peek, or you can print from the link above.

Bus Information will come next week through the primary parent email for the student. We expect to have the information we need and be able to turn it around to families by Wednesday of next week.

Please scroll through the whole newsletter, as there are many events coming up!

In partnership,

-Mr. McComb

Calendar Reminders:

8/20 - Popsicles @ the Playground for Kindergarten Families

8/20 - Student Supply Packing & Deliver 5:00 - 6:30 in Cafeteria

8/22 - Sneak a Peek at Your Seat from 4:30 - 6:00 at LL

8/26 - First Day of School!

Supply Packing was Packed!

School Supplies Progress Monitoring

Background

If you are new to Lutherville or missed the information this spring and summer, we are approaching school supplies differently than any other school I know of in Baltimore County -- as a collective community. Through partnership with the PTA we are collecting funds from those able to give $35 per student, and those able to generously give beyond, and the school is using our corporate accounts and bulk purchasing power to get high quality supplies for every student. This also permits families in need to forego the uncomfortable need to ask for help. We've got each other. We are also deeply grateful for some community partners: St. Vincent Villa, Grace Church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, who have generously stepped in to support!

Progress

We started packing supplies on Tuesday and make great headway! Grades K-2 are finished and 3rd is partially complete. This coming Tuesday we'll make a final push to wrap up grades 3-5 and deliver the student packs and additional supplies teachers will store until needed.

We are still collecting funds! It is not too late to give. The school fronted the funding from our budget (which we will need for copy paper, replacement furniture, and other instructional materials!) and is getting reimbursed through family donations. Families can pay online (small service fee), or bring cash or check (made out to the PTA) to the school.

Optional Items

Families may still contribute some optional items to their child's classroom that teachers have traditionally requested like boxes of tissues, gallon or quart size zip loc bags, paper towels, and baby wipes. These are the little things that go a long way. They've always been optional on supply lists but are highly appreciated.

What Should My Child Bring Day One?

They just need a backpack (we can help if needed) and reusable water bottle if you'd like (we have cups if no water bottle).

Sadie McComb contributed some Well Wishes for LL students to have a great year!

Re-Introducing Our New Teachers

We could not be more excited to introduce our community to the wonderful teachers below. They each bring classroom experience and special skills and talents that will help Lutherville Lab continue in our journey of becoming the best school we can possibly be, for children and for each other.

Phylicia Conley joins us from Pine Crest Elementary School in Montgomery County. Phylicia’s interest in becoming a teacher was first formed right here at Lutherville Lab, where she attended elementary school and was inspired to become a teacher. Being taught by teachers who encouraged her imagination and fostered her confidence has had a lasting impact on her life. She fondly remembers having Mrs. Myers, Mrs. Tunison, Ms. Welton and Mrs. Nicholson during her journey. Phylicia graduated from Towson University in 2018 and brings 6 years of teaching experience to Lutherville. Phylicia resides in the Lutherville community and brings experience in 3-5th grades and experience with Restorative Justice coaching back to Lutherville Lab.

Kelsey Hernandez joins us from Middlesex Elementary School. Kelsey brings experience teaching in both the SEL classroom setting and 3rd grade general education setting to Lutherville. Kelsey, a 2018 Towson University graduate, also supported Middlesex through their Climate Committee and Environmental Club. Kelsey prides herself on building the rapport with and nurturing environment for students that allows them to thrive academically. Outside of school, Kelsey enjoys reading, sporting events with family and friends, staying active through volleyball or workout classes and her fur baby Bash.

Lindsay Lugli joins us from Johnnycake Elementary School. Lindsay brings thirteen years of teaching experience to Lutherville, mostly in grades 2 and 4. Lindsay is a student-centered, data-driven educator who has also produced student musicals and a student acapella group, and takes pride in contributing to positive school climate and community. Lindsay is a 2010 Goucher graduate and continued her education to earn at Masters in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and Leadership from Towson in 2015. Lindsay, her wife Katie, also an educator, and their son and daughter live nearby in the Hampton community and love all things Disney!

As an addition to our arts program, Jessica Powell will be joining Lutherville Lab as a primary grade art teacher. She lives in Phoenix, MD with her husband Nathan, and their two children, Maddie and Jacob. Jessica graduated from Towson University in 2007 with a master’s in art education. She has been teaching with BCPS for the past 17 years working as the Magnet drawing and painting teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts for the past 11 years. As a landscape painter and narrative figure artist, Jessica has a true passion for making art. In the classroom, she works closely with students to help them foster the same enthusiasm she has for art making.

Over the years, she has worked closely with Juniors and Seniors to complete advanced placement art portfolios and college portfolio requirements. She has had the opportunity to see students thrive in the arts after graduating. She is now excited for a new chapter at Lutherville Lab teaching young artists as they begin their journey.

Welcome back and welcome aboard from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA)!

We are looking forward to connecting with you through the various ways listed below. More info and a calendar is to come soon. In the meantime, you can reach us anytime at luthervillelabpta@gmail.com

SEE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA

If you're on Facebook, please "like" our page - Lutherville Lab PTA. On Instagram? Our account is @pta_lutherville_lab.

DON'T FORGET THE TEACHERS! HELP US WITH OUR "STOCK THE LOUNGE" DRIVE & ITEMS FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS

Now that we've mostly prepared for the students' arrival and return, can you help us with a few items for teachers & staff?

Option A: Please use this SignUp Genius link to provide funding via Venmo or sign up for specific supplies (KCups, creamers, chocolate, soap, disinfecting wipes).

Option B: If you'd like to support your child's classroom directly, you are welcome to bring any of the following to Sneak-a-Peek and give to your child's teacher or send in anytime throughout the school year: boxes of tissues, paper towels, gallon or quart zip-top baggies, sanitizing wipes.

PURCHASE YOUR 24-24 PTA MEMBERSHIP

Ready to purchase your $15 PTA membership, good for this school year? Great! For now, you have two options:

1) our online platform, Givebacks or

2) completing and mailing/sending in this paper form with check or cash.

COMING SOON: Venmo as a payment option! Stay tuned.

POP IN FOR ONE OF OUR EVENTS

Sun Aug 18th*

4:00-6:00 pm

Chalk the Walk, Open to All Families

Please help us decorate the sidewalks to enthusiastically welcome staff and teachers back for the school year! This is a drop in event at the FRONT of the school. Bring your chalk and family to write encouraging messages and draw pictures for our staff to see as they enter the building the next day. We will have some extra chalk, but if you have some of your own, please bring it.

*This will be held weather permitting; plans will be announced on social media and you are welcome to email luthervillelabpta@gmail to check on status.

Tues Aug 20th

4:00-6:00 pm

Popsicles at the Playground, Families of Kindergarteners and Students New to Lutherville Lab This Year

Playgrounds Behind the School

Calling all families of incoming kindergarteners and students new to Lutherville Lab! We invite you to come with your child(ren) and meet other families as well as have another chance to see staff members including our Kindergarten teachers. The PTA will be supplying popsicles for all kids (and adults!) ). Hope to see you there!

Tues Aug 27th

12:00 pm

PTA Kindergarten Welcome & Info Session, Families of Kindergarteners

Rec Room (where Kindergarten Roundup was held, front left side of the building, look for balloons)

Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 12:45 pm so come get parking early, ask any questions to help you with your transition and learn more about the PTA. You might be wondering how this 30 min info session will be different from all the other welcome events happening!

1) For starters, it's a chance to take advantage of parking which will be limited with school in session. Plan for extra time by looking first in the school lot and then head to either the Best Buy lot or street parking on Division Ave or spaces along the fence on Franke Avenue (behind the school, make sure to watch for no parking signs on Middle Ave and lastly, please be mindful not to block neighbors' driveways).

2) This will be your chance to ask questions that have come up that perhaps you didn't know you had or didn't have a chance to previously. Parents of older students will be there to share tips they learned along the way including how to work through big emotions (both the kids' and yours!), help with bus and other BCPS apps and how to best communicate with the teachers.

3) Lastly, we are excited for you to learn more about Lutherville Lab (LL) traditions and ways big and small that you can join our community. Our goal this year is to meet everyone where you're at so whether it's attending playground meetups where you live, contributing resources financially or through a business connection or sharing a talent you already possess, we will assure you that PTA membership is for everyone.