The Mule Messenger

Connecting our Families and School - September 2024

Lone Jack Elementary Mission Statement

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

Important Dates to Remember:

September 2nd - No School(Labor Day)

September 25th - Major Saver Collection Begins

September 25th - Fall Pictures

October 3rd- Intruder Drill (More information to come next week)

October 7th- Grandparents Day

Principal's Message

We're excited to share some important updates and upcoming events. This month, I am inviting you to join our Parent Advisory Committee, which is a great opportunity for you to get involved and help shape our school community. Be sure to mark your calendars for Picture Day and Grandparents Day—we can't wait to see the memories that are created between students and their special person. As always, thank you for your continued support.

Let's make this a fantastic month!

Parent Advisory Committee

Parental input on initiatives/services at school is key. This year, we will continue with our Parent Advisory Committee (PAC). If you are new or a returning member and would like to join, please complete the form. The school advisory committee's role is to provide advice and assistance to me, Mr. Berry, and educators at LJE relating to academics, programs, activities, resources, and services in order to help the school attain its goal of providing each child with the best education possible. Committee may:

Assist by providing input on the educational priorities of the school based on achievement data.
Offer advice on a variety of school issues (School climate, social-emotional learning, Title 1, Special Education, attendance, etc.)
Promote and encourage parent and community participation here at LJE.
Provide a communication link between the school and the community
Help identify the concerns of students, parents, and community members and assist in developing solutions.
Parents or guardians whose children attend the school are eligible to serve as members of the advisory committee.

LJE's PAC will meet once a quarter. We will select days and times when all of the members have signed up. If you can't make meetings, no worries. If you sign up, an email will go out with meeting notes and opportunities for you to share your thoughts.

Please complete the following form HERE by Friday, September 20th , if you are interested. Dates and times of meetings will be based on the google form results.

Lone Jack Elementary Family Calendar

Please use this link to connect with field trips, special events, and important dates. (Change to "month" view)

LJE Picture Day

Picture day will be Wednesday, September 25th. Our make-up/retake day will be November 14th. Please mark this day on your calendar!

Major Saver

We will start our Major Saver drive on Wednesday, September 25th. Major Saver is a community-oriented corporation that provides a premier fundraising program that benefits schools, students, restaurants, and the community. LJE gets a portion of the sales to go towards our students! This year, we used these funds to purchase our "We Are Family" shirts! More information will go home closer to the 25th.

Grandparents Day

We are excited to announce that Grandparents Day will be held on October 7th this year. This is a special time for our students to celebrate and share their school experience with their grandparents or another person they love. We’re also thrilled to host our annual Book Fair during this time, so it’s a perfect opportunity for everyone to explore and enjoy together. More details will be shared in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

3rd-5th Honors Choir

From Ms. Cunningham:

I am so excited to be leading the Honors Choir this year! Honors Choir is a great place to learn more about music, be a part of a community, discover your voice, and perform in different programs throughout the year. Any 3-5th grade student is welcome to join the Honors Choir, no audition is required! To sign your student up for Honors Choir please fill out the following form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJwgSbI0EmyWrT2naMe-Lv6kfbmBsKOCM8zlMKYOwm8nnl0w/viewform?usp=sf_link

From Ms. Cunningham

Get ready for a musical journey filled with fun, learning, and unforgettable experiences for all our students! Here's what's happening in music class across all grades:

Kindergarten and 1st Graders: Oktoberfest Fun!

Our youngest learners are diving into the festive spirit with an exploration of Oktoberfest! This annual German festival, celebrated in Munich over two weeks, dates back to October 12, 1810, when it first took place to mark the royal wedding of the Bavarian Crown Prince (later King Louis I) to Princess Therese. Through songs, stories, and hands-on activities, our Kindergarten and 1st-grade students will learn all about German culture, music, and traditions. It’s going to be a fun-filled cultural adventure!

2nd and 3rd Graders: Veterans Day Concert Preparations!

Our 2nd and 3rd graders have already begun their preparations for a heartfelt Veterans Day Concert! Mark your calendars for November 11th at 6 pm, when our talented students will perform songs that honor the brave men and women who have served our country. It’s sure to be a moving and memorable evening, so we hope to see you all there, showing your support!

4th Graders: Preparing for the Recorders!

4th-grade students are in full swing, learning and reviewing note names and musical terms that will prepare them for an exciting new chapter: playing the recorder in October!

5th Graders: Learning Musical Form with Fun!

Our 5th graders are in for a treat as they dive deep into the world of musical form! Through engaging games, catchy songs, and various instruments, they’ll be exploring how music is structured and composed.

From Mr. Ripley

Mr. Ripley tries to hit the ground running in Art class. Students in all grades have already begun their first projects, and I hope your students are coming home with some creative ideas and new knowledge to share with you. Many students will be completing their annual "Art to Remember" projects very early in the school year, so I hope to have order forms for this annual keepsake opportunity sent home to you by this Fall.

From Mrs. White

Welcome to a new school year! In PE this September, our youngest students will be exploring the basics of throwing through fun and simple team games. We’ll be playing activities like Catch, Beanbag Toss, and Get Your Trash Off My Lawn, all designed to help develop their hand-eye coordination and throwing skills. In addition to building these skills, we’ll also focus on learning important PE routines. Students will practice listening to instructions, following directions, and working together as a team. It’s all about creating a positive and safe environment where everyone can enjoy being active. Our 3rd through 5th graders will focus on team sports that build more complex throwing skills and teamwork! Students will be practicing their accuracy and strength through games like Castle Ball and Sink the Ship. These activities not only enhance their throwing abilities but also emphasize communication, strategy, and sportsmanship. It's going to be an exciting month filled with skill-building and fun competition. Please make sure to wear comfy clothes and sneakers on PE day! I am so excited for a fun and energetic start to the year in PE!

Weber Time

As I embark on my 11th year at Lone Jack and my 24th year in education, I’m filled with excitement for the 2024-2025 school year! This September, we’re dedicating our time to building connections, understanding school rules, and exploring the important distinction between fairness and equity. I look forward to a fantastic year of growth and learning together! If you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact me!

Media with McManus

I am excited for a great year in the library this year. I have met with each class at least once. You can find updates here: Library Website. I am looking for parent volunteers to help shelve books in the library. I would like to find parent volunteers for each day of the week that could come weekly. The time could be morning or afternoon - 8:00 - 8:30 or 2:30 -3:00. If you would be interested, please email me at jmcmanus@lonejackc6.net. Thanks!

Work Out Wednesdays

We're continuing our "Work Out Wednesdays" this year! Students are encouraged to wear workout gear and join movement exercises and brain breaks throughout the day. This initiative promotes a healthy and active lifestyle, aiming to encourage physical activity, mental well-being, and focus.

Thank you for supporting a healthy and balanced environment!

FirstView Bus GPS Information

FirstView Parent Announcement

2024-2025

Parents of bus riders,

Along with First Student, LJC6 is relaunching the FirstView app. This app allows parents to watch the route of their student's bus to get real time pick up and drop off information.

Our district code is 4GUD

Please see attached information from our website on downloading the FirstView app on your android or Iphone.

Parent Information/GPS Flyer

https://5il.co/2v79k

Parent Registration Guide

https://5il.co/2v79n

Parent FAQ Document

https://5il.co/2v79m

Mule Mondays

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!

BIST at LJE

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?

Lone Jack Elementary PTA

LJE PTA wants you to join their team! Please join our LJE PTA Facebook page. Here is the LJE PTA website. You can also grab a membership form from Julie in the office. Please email ljc6pta@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thanks for your support!

Photo Opt-Out Form

If you DO NOT want your child's picture taken and posted on social media or our district website, please complete the following form again, only if you DO NOT want their picture taken and posted.

District Website

School Menu

Please find our school menu HERE.

Visitors & Volunteers

We welcome you to support Lone Jack Elementary as a volunteer/visitor. Here are the procedures for visiting classrooms:

Please schedule a time with your child's teacher.
Check-in at the front desk, and you will be issued a name badge.
For safety purposes, when you are done volunteering, please leave through the office and check out.

Please click HERE to review the volunteer handbook.