The Mule Messenger

Our mission is to empower all students to be responsible, future-ready citizens.

August 12th- PTA Back-to-School Bash from 4 pm - 7pm

• Enjoy games and activities inside the elementary building
• Support local food trucks with dinner, dessert, and coffee for purchase
• Enter to win raffle prizes like gift cards, lunch boxes, and more!
• Connect with local vendors and community partners helping make the event special

August 19th - Meet the Teacher & Supply Drop Off.

• From 5 pm - 7 pm, you are welcome to come in and meet your child's teacher.
• Bringing school supplies in a bag with the child's name on it would be most helpful.
• The supply list can be found on our Lone Jack Elementary Website.

August 21st - First Day for Students

• Doors open at 7:45
• School begins at 7:55 a.m.
• Dismissal at 3:20 p.m.

**Kindergarten and new parents, if you want to walk your child to class, you may for the first three days of school. Please drop them off between 7:45 and 7:55.

Dear Lone Jack Elementary Families,

I hope you had a wonderful summer filled with family, friends, and a chance to slow down and make special memories. My family and I enjoyed our time together, and now I’m energized and ready to begin another amazing year at Lone Jack Elementary.

This year marks my 4th year as principal at LJE, and I feel truly grateful to serve such a caring and supportive community. Over the past three years, I’ve seen our students grow not just academically, but in character, kindness, and resilience. I’ve watched our staff work hard to create a safe, welcoming, and challenging learning environment. And I’ve seen firsthand how our families step in to encourage and partner with us every step of the way. Together, we’ve built a school where every child can learn, thrive, and achieve, and I’m excited to see how we continue that journey this year.

In just a couple of weeks, our hallways will be alive again with laughter, learning, and the energy that comes with the first days of school.

Inside this newsletter, you’ll find important information to help you and your child(ren) feel ready for the first day on Thursday, August 21st. Please take time to read through it carefully and use the hyperlinks for additional details. If any questions come up, don’t hesitate to reach out, my door is always open.

We can't wait to see you and your children at Back-to-School Bash & Meet the Teacher!

Take care.

-Mr. Berry

Mr. Andrew Berry

Lone Jack Elementary Principal

816-697-3539 ext. 125

Aberry@lonejackc6.net

At LJE, pride connects us all, students, staff, and parents alike. Together, we celebrate our strengths and support each other to create a community where everyone thrives. This year, let’s show our LJE Pride and make it a great one!

Here's the updated breakdown of our grade level teachers for the 2025-2026 School Year. I'm excited to announce that Mrs. Jaymie is our new Elementary Secretary. If you have front office questions, please email Jfender@lonejackc6.net.

Preschool - Mrs. Fenton

Pre-Kindergarten - Mrs. Gross

Kindergarten - Mrs. Garcia, Mrs. Hook

First Grade - Mrs. Wenger, Ms. Sundin

Second Grade - Mrs. Gray, Ms. Martino, Mrs. Walton

Third Grade - Mrs. Carpenter (ELA, SS), Mrs. Delbridge (Math, Science)

Fourth Grade - Mrs. Lewis (ELA), Mrs. Spencer (Math), Ms. Steinbach (Science/SS)

Fifth Grade- Mrs. Bajkowski (Math), Mrs. Defenbaugh (ELA), Mrs. Tribble (Science/ SS)

Specialty, Special Education, & Support Staff

Secretary- Mrs. Jaymie (Elementary) & Mrs. Jess (Early Learning)

Library/Media and Gifted- Mrs. McManus

P.E.- Mrs. Kindall

Art- Mr. Ripley

Music- Ms. Herz

Reading Specialist- Mrs. Reid

Counselor- Mrs. Weber

SLP- Mrs. Clemons

Special Education- Ms. Balandron

Focus Facilitator- Mrs. Rice

Custodian- Ms. Blaylock, Mr. Dustin

Kitchen Staff- Mrs. Reynolds

Nurse- Mrs. Gilkey

PAT- Mrs. Burasco

As we work together to create the best possible learning environment for our students, I want to remind you that my door is always open for any questions, concerns, or feedback you may have. I value your input and believe that open communication is key to supporting your child's success.

While social media can be a helpful tool for connecting with one another, sometimes it can lead to misunderstandings or incomplete information. If there's something on your mind, whether it's a concern, a question, or an idea, I encourage you to reach out to me directly. We can connect via email, phone, or an in-person meeting. I'm here to listen and to work together in the best interest of our students and school community.

Thank you for your continued support and for being a vital part of our school family.

Mr. Berry

Aberry@lonejackc6.net

• Enter through the baseball parking lot.

• Go two cars at a time when you are in the parking lot.

• When leaving the baseball parking lot and entering the half-circle drive, please go one car at a time.

• When you reach the half-circle drive, please pull forward until you see Mrs. Kindall. She will be standing near the second set of doors.

• We will dismiss five cars at a time.

• We must get your child out of the car quickly and safely. We don’t want Bynum to get backed up with our vehicles.

• Students will enter the door that they are closest to.

• After you drop your child(ren) off, please continue through the half-circle drive, exiting back onto Bynum.

• Buses will be dismissed at 3:15.
• Car riders will be dismissed at 3:20.
• Please enter through the baseball parking lot one car at a time.
• When you get to the half circle, please stop at the cones by the AM/PM doors.
• A staff member will be standing by the cones.
• When all 6 buses have arrived, the cones will be moved and you can pull forward.
• The line can then go from one car to two cars per lane.

Please join us on Tuesday, August 19th from 5:00-7:00 to meet your child's teacher. During meet the teacher, your child will see their new classroom, meet their teacher, and drop off school supplies.

Every Monday, we encourage each student to wear Lone Jack colors (blue, white, grey) or gear to show school pride. LJE staff are also participating in this. We would love for students to start the week feeling proud to be a mule!

Lone Jack Elementary will follow the BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) philosophy. BIST's mission is to help teachers, administrators, parents, and students learn techniques to effect positive change and create a healthy learning environment for all. We accomplish this through grace and accountability.

AT LONE JACK ELEMENTARY IT IS:

• Never okay to be disruptive
• Never okay to be hurtful: Physically, emotionally, or with property

HERE ARE SOME TERMS THAT YOU MAY SEE OR HEAR:

• Safe Seat - a place in the classroom where students can remain for instruction while restricting their environment so that the inappropriate behavior will stop.
• Buddy Room - If a safe seat is unsuccessful, a student may be sent to a different classroom Safe Seat.
• Think Sheet - Allows students the opportunity to examine their behavior and to develop a plan on how to replace the negative behavior with a more positive behavior.
• Processing - The time an adult spends with a child discussing the disruptive or harmful actions.

WHAT DOES BIST LOOK LIKE?

When students are having a problem with their behavior, they may hear some of the following questions and statements from their teachers.

• Are you okay?
• Can you do this even though you don't want to?
• What was the problem?
• Who did it hurt?
• What can you do to take care of yourself and not be in trouble?
• What can you do next time this happens?
• Can you be OK even when others are not?

We’re excited to kick off another great year with our Lone Jack Elementary PTA! Becoming a member helps support school events, classroom needs, and activities that make LJE such a special place for our students.

We have two membership options:

• Individual/Family Membership – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScT47COPrcXk76eQZrWXbv97aLKDjch4RBznFw7oPzYCKgVYA/viewform

• Business Membership – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedId18y7C20de123MnSAHTExIwyLW9hdzdu7n-OnrGwIPUFQ/viewform

We’re using Zeffy to collect online payments. When checking out, you can set the donation amount to “0” so you only pay the membership dues.

If you have any questions about joining (or anything PTA-related), please reach out to ljc6pta@gmail.com.

Email: Aberry@lonejackc6.net
Website: https://lonejackc6.net/elementary/
Location: 600 North Bynum Road, Lone Jack, MO, USA
Phone: 816-679-2811
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoneJackElementary/
Twitter: @LoneJackElem