Cougar Courier

The District welcomed back teachers and office staff on January 13th after Christmas Break was extended an extra week due to the winter storms. We hosted the RPDC to work with our Math teachers and also spent time learning about I-Ready and I-Station, two assessment programs the district is investigating. On Mondays teachers also spent time collaborating during department meetings. The next day we were excited to see our students and welcome them back from Christmas Break.

We look forward to starting our second semester and finishing the year strong.

Our annual Trash Bag Fundraiser will be from January 17-February 4. Trash Bags will be delivered and ready for pick up on Friday, February 14, 2025.

Orders can be placed online:

https:\\buybags.trashbagfundraiser.com.

Group ID: EASTLY

Your student's name should also be entered when checking out.

Be on the look out for more information!

Join us for our first Annual Family Dance. Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy a F U N evening! This event is open to all K-5 students and their families. Fill out this form and reach out to let us know you plan to be there!

The Calendar Fundraiser helped us raise $2,466 and we had a donation sent in for an additional $3,000 from The Dave G Ruff Jr. Family Foundation. We are so grateful for your fundraising efforts and this generous donation. This will definitely help us begin the process of starting our PROJECT PLAYGROUND AGENDA. The Project Playground Committee plans to go ahead and purchase the GaGa Ball Pit (placed at 1 on the map and pictured below) and the Volleyball Net (2 on the map) and have funds left to start the reconfiguring portion. The reconfiguration will include removing some older pieces, rearrange present pieces and then make room for two new larger pieces. The two pieces (pictured below) are the large slide and the monkey bar piece.

We are very excited to continue working on the upgrades on our playground. Thank you so very much for the part you have played in making this a reality.

The 5th Grade Inventors' Fair is an exciting highlight of our STEAM class, giving students the chance to turn creative ideas into real-world solutions. Each student invented a product to solve a problem, building prototypes from recycled materials and creating AI-generated images of their inventions. This project aligned perfectly with Mrs. Brauer's science unit on inventions and our previous study of the Engineering Design Process.

Students created presentation boards showcasing their inventions, including reasons to buy their product, the target audience, and key features. They then pitched their ideas to a panel of judges in a 'Shark Tank'-style presentation, gaining valuable experience in public speaking and persuasive communication. The judges selected their top three inventions based on creativity and feasibility.

Next, students presented their projects at a school-wide Inventors' Fair in the gym, where other grades voted on their favorites. Nine students advanced to present to our superintendent, Mrs. Vaughn, who selected the top three to present to the school board, a proud moment for our young

inventors.

Thank you to K-5 STEAM teacher, Mrs. Kate Schroeder, who presented to the board about the K-5 STEAM program and our goals as we continue to build on what we are able to offer through our STEAM classes.

Our middle schoolers were able to participate in our second Life 101 sessions

Topics covered:

1. Button sewing

2. Cake decorating

3. Setting a table & table etiquette

4. Communication

5. Yoga

6. Plumbing basics

7. First Aid and Basic CPR

8. Nutrition

9. Canva basics

10. Budgeting and Saving money

11. Skeletal Health and Wellness

Thank you to our presenters: Cass Career Center PN Program Schroeder Chiropractic Mills Plumbing & Contracting LLC Get fit with Jenn & our very own: Mrs Katie Johnson, Mrs Donna Wilson, Mrs Katie Schork, & Mrs. Kate Schroeder!

It was a great morning full of practical life learning!

The 2025-2026 Calendar will be mailed out to families next week. It was approved by our school board in the December meeting. There are some slight changes to the calendar and our arrival and dismissal times.

1. The first two weeks of school will be five day weeks

2. The arrival time is being changed to 8:00 AM.

3. The dismissal time is being changed to 4:00 PM

The changed arrival and dismissal times will help alleviate some transportation issues that occur with the times of our high school route. A copy of the calendar will be sent next week.

Jan 14 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 15 Cougar Cheer Club

Jan 15 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 16 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 17 Feb 4 Annual Trash Bag Fundraiser

Jan 21 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 22 1st-4th Art Club

Jan 22 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 23 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 28 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 29 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 29 Cougar Cheer Club

Jan 29 Center Stage Drama Practice

Jan 29 STUCO Meeting

Jan 30 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 3 Marvelous Make Up Monday (snow make up day 1/9/25)

Feb 4 Trash Bag Sales END

Feb 4 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 5 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 5 Parent Booster Meeting

Feb 6 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 10 Marvelous Make Up Monday (snow make up day 1/10/25)

Feb 11 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 12 Cougar Cheer Club

Feb 12 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 13 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 18 Outdoor Kids Club

Feb 18 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 19 1st-4th Art Club

Feb 19 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 20 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 25 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 26 Cougar Cheer Club

Feb 26 Center Stage Drama Practice

Feb 26 STUCO Meeting

Feb 27 Center Stage Drama Practice

March 2 Center Stage Drama Production

March 3 Drama Cast Party

March 3 -7 SCHOLASTIC Book Fair

March 4 Outdoor Kids Club

March 5 Cougar Cheer Club

March 5 Parent Booster Meeting

March 6 Music Concert Grades 5-8 Band & 4-8 Choirs

March 7 Grandparents Day

March 7 QUARTER ENDS

March 10 14 SPRING BREAK

March 18 Outdoor Kids Club

March 19 1st-4th Art Club

March 24 Texas Roadhouse Dine to Donate Fundraiser

Great night to NOT have to cook! Our school will earn 15% for the total of all diners that mention/ show our flier that they are there to support ELS.

March 25 VIP Donut Breakfast

March 26 Cougar Cheer Club

March 26 STUCO Meeting

March 27 4th & 5th Grade Field Trip Blue Springs School of Economics

March 28 Spring Picture Day

April 1 Outdoor Kids Club

April 2 Cougar Cheer Clinic

April 2 Parent Booster Meeting

April 5 Easter Egg Hunt/PTO Pancake Breakfast Cheer Performance & Touch A Truck

April 15 Outdoor Kids Club

April 16 1st-4th Art Club

April 23 STUCO Meeting

April 25 6th Grade Dance Carnival

April 29 Outdoor Kids Club

April 30 Cougar Cheer Club

May 5 -8 Educator Appreciation Week

May 7 Parent Booster Meeting

May 8 Music Concerts (Grade 4th Recorders, Grade 5-8 Band, Grade 4-8 Choirs)

May 9 7th & 8th Grade Formal Dance

May 13 Outdoor Kids Club

May 14 1st-4th Tie Dye Party

May 15 2nd/3rd Field Trip to Oak Woods Nature Center

May 16 ECC Graduation

May 20 Kindergarten Graduation

May 20 8th grade Graduation

May 21 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL