Mrs. Ann Haberberger’s kindergarten class (above), along with the rest of Crestwood Elementary School, celebrated the 100th day of school on Friday, Jan. 28. Each grade level had a different theme to mark the day, including special posters, hats and shirts. Mrs. Haberberger's class decorated their T-shirts and modeled them for this photo, along with Principal Scott Taylor, who wore 100 ties for the 100th day.
Students at Lindbergh Early Childhood Education have found gingerbread can take your imagination many places! After reading “The Gingerbread Man,” in recent weeks, classes participated in searches for gingerbread men, baking and building, all using gingerbread or materials that look like gingerbread.
Corey Boemer (left) and Kyle Portell sign letters of intent Wednesday to play football for
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and Southeast Missouri State University, respectively.
Congratulations to Lindbergh High School Seniors Kyle Portell and Corey Boemer, who signed letters of intent to play football with Southeast Missouri State University and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, respectively, on Feb. 3.
The Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation will offer free vision screenings for ECE students from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Feb. 23-25 at Lindbergh Early Childhood Education, 10305 Concord School Road.
Students and their siblings, ages 6 months-6 years, may be screened through the foundation’s Amblyopia Prevention Program, which communicates vision abnormalities to parents when children are too young to do so themselves.
Project Graduation is hosting a spaghetti dinner in the Lindbergh High School Cafeteria on Friday, Feb. 19, from 4:30-7 p.m. Cost is $5 per person and includes spaghetti, with or without meat, salad, rolls and a drink. Dessert can be purchased for $1. This is all-district night, so please come and eat a good dinner before watching the basketball games!
Congratulations to Aurelia Hartenberger and Dan Boeddeker, both of whom were honored Jan. 28 at the Missouri Music Educators Association annual conference. In addition, the Lindbergh High School Symphony Orchestra was honored to have been invited to perform at the state conference.
Dan Boeddeker, teacher of vocal music at Sappington Elementary School, was one of 27 music educators to receive a “25+ Service Award” for his 30 years of teaching music in Missouri.
Aurelia Hartenberger, music coordinator for Lindbergh Schools, was inducted into the MMEA “Hall of Fame” for her many years of service to music education. Hartenberger is also an adjunct professor of music at University of Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville University.
Boy Scout Troop 25 is holding its spring Blood Drive at the Truman Elementary School cafeteria, 12225 Eddie and Park Road, to help fill the need for blood in the St. Louis area. The blood drive will be 4:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24. For an appointment, please contact Suzanne Amann at s.amann@att.net or 314-560-2245. Walk-ins are also welcome!
More than 250 students from 57 schools gathered at Lindbergh High School on Saturday, Jan. 30, as LHS played host to the Gateway Chess League Team Tournament.
Twenty-five Lindbergh players participated in the tournament, with many bringing home medals (Boards 1-5 refer to skill levels):
Sperreng Middle School won:
First place team overall
First place 8th and under team
Samuel Stephens - 1st place, 8th and Under, Board 1
Joshua Wiedner - 1st place, 8th and Under, Board 3
Samuel Wait - 2nd place, 8th and Under, Board 5
Lindbergh High School won:
First place 9th and under team
Vidhan Srivastava, 1st place, 9th and Under, Board 1
For three days in November, 27 Sperreng eighth-graders got a first-hand look at legislative responsibilities at the Missouri State Capital in Jefferson City, as part of the YMCA’s Youth in Government Program. Students experienced writing, debating, and voting on bills that they created along with the 80 students participating in the program. Students were allowed to debate in one of the committee rooms at the Missouri State Capital.
At the conclusion of the program, students Marie Condellire, Ryan Firth, Ian Marino and Abbey Witt were chosen as “Outstanding Statesmen” and Abbey was elected “Speaker of the House” by her peers.
Sperreng students also experienced what it was like to prepare opening and closing arguments for a court case and make those statements in front of a panel of judges. Ellen Fields and Linsey Klein were chosen as “Outstanding Defense Attorneys,” and Marie Condellire, Anne Massey, Maddison Russell, and Chelsea Spence were awarded “Outstanding Prosecutors.”
“The students had a great time learning about our state government,” said Gretchen Moser, social studies teacher. “We look to see future representatives, senators, judges, and maybe even a governor in the future from this outstanding group of students.”
All are welcome to attend an open house for the first annual Sappington Elementary School student art exhibition, 5-7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Hangar Art Gallery in Crestwood Court. Please join the Sappington community, students, and staff for an evening of art viewing and conversation, showcasing the work of Sappington aspiring artists.
Sappington art will be on display during the month of February at the Hangar, which is open 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Friday, and 1-6 p.m. Saturday.
The G.E.M.S. (Girls of Extraordinary Mind Strength) team won Champion’s Award runner-up
in the FIRST LEGO League Championship “Smart Move” challenge Jan. 9. The team
includes Sperreng seventh-grader Kelly Roth and Kennerly third-grader Jenna Roth.
Congratulations to Lindbergh students Kelly and Jenna Roth, who are part of the G.E.M.S. (Girls of Extraordinary Mind Strength) team, which won Champion’s Award runner-up in the FIRST® LEGO® League Championship “Smart Move” challenge at St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley on Jan. 9.
Champion’s Award is the most prestigious award a team can win. To be considered for the Champion’s Award, teams must perform well in Project, Teamwork, Robot Design and Robot Performance categories, which are equally weighted. The G.E.M.S. won the right to compete at the state level by winning Best Programming Award at a qualifier at Webster University in November. Fifty teams attended qualifiers and thirty teams advanced to the championship.
Jenna, a third-grader at Kennerly Elementary School, and Kelly, a seventh-grader at Sperreng Middle School, are on the five-member team, which is coached by Laura Roth.
The G.E.M.S. research focused on Deer-Vehicle Accidents in West St. Louis County and the City of Wildwood. They met with experts and wrote a letter requesting an addition to the Missouri Driver’s Guide to cover sharing the road with wildlife. They also requested that St. Louis County Police create a safety brochure about avoiding animal collisions. Finally, the team created a proposal for Wildwood that had recommendations on ways to decrease deer vehicle accidents. Recommendations included using technology (Facebook, Twitter, e-newsletters) to create awareness of increased deer activity, seasonal signage, and trial of a deer-activated wireless system along identified stretches of road. The G.E.M.S. will present their proposal to the Wildwood Public Safety Board meeting on Feb. 4.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League competitions have a new challenge every year. “Smart Move” is a two-part Challenge where teams identify a problem with the way people, animals, information, or things travel in their community, create an innovative solution, and share it outside the team.
Lindbergh High School senior Audrey Dang has been selected as a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, which recognizes and honors some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.
Each year, up to 141 students nationwide are named Presidential Scholars for demonstrating exceptional talent in visual, creative and performing arts, in addition to scoring well on the SAT or ACT. Application for the program is by invitation only.
Lindbergh High School senior Peter G. Linck has been selected from more than 1,600 students nationwide as a finalist for the National Achievement Scholarships offered to outstanding Black American students in 2010.
This moves Peter one step closer to becoming one of 800 Achievement Scholarship winners from the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Those results will be announced in late February.
We will be sending a letter home with students today regarding two incidents that have occurred at bus stops in the last 24 hours. While police have determined that the students involved were not in any immediate danger, we would like to use this opportunity to remind parents and guardians to talk to their children about safety, especially when walking to and from school or the bus stop. The link below provides some helpful talking points for such a discussion:
Below is a copy of the letter your child will bring home today:
Dear Lindbergh Parents/Guardians,
In the last 24 hours, two unconnected bus stop incidents were reported to Crestwood Police. Police have investigated both incidents, interviewed the gentlemen involved, and concluded that the students were not in any danger in either situation. A summary of each incident is below.
Kindergarten registration for the 2010-2011 school year will be Feb. 1-5. Parents whose last names begin with A-C should register on Feb. 1; D-G on Feb. 2; H-L on Feb. 3; M-R on Feb. 4; and S-Z on Feb. 5. Registration hours are 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.
Parents who cannot register on their scheduled day should call the school as soon as possible to arrange an alternative time. Please make every effort to register on the day scheduled.
Full-day kindergarten tuition for the 2010-2011 school year is $3,500 annually ($389 per month).
Truman Elementary School third-graders point to the hidden moon on a page in former
kindergarten teacher Mary Jane Schnitker’s book, “I Love You to the Moon and Back.”
Former Truman Elementary kindergarten teacher Mary Jane Schnitker visited with students at her former school Jan. 25 for a special story time, sharing a book she co-authored with her daughter, titled “I Love You to the Moon and Back.”
“This was my life’s dream to become a children’s author, and I’ve done it!” Schnitker told a third-grade class Monday morning. “So I want you to know that you can accomplish your hopes and dreams too.”
“I Love You to the Moon and Back” is written and published by Schnitker and her daughter, Julie Gallagher, who teaches kindergarten in Florida. The story follows a boy named Sam and his dog, Spencer, through their adventures in outer space.
Each page contains a hidden moon in the watercolor illustrations, which were drawn by Sallie Kratz. The book is the first in a series of “I Love You” stories featuring Sam and Spencer that the mother-daughter pair plan to publish.
“I Love You to the Moon and Back” is $12 ($14.95 with shipping). To order, please call Mary Jane Schnitker at 314-304-3354. The book is also for sale at Moonbeams in Kirkwood.
Join Boy Scout Troop 580 at Long Elementary School, 9021 Sappington Road, for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast! Admission of $6 buys all-you-can-eat pancakes, plus eggs, two sausage, coffee and orange juice. A family of four can eat for $20 (plus $2 each additional family member).
Parents, mark your calendars and bring your children! The third annual Lindbergh Summer Opportunities Fair will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 5:30-8 p.m. in the Lindbergh High School cafeteria and commons.
Representatives from summer camps and enrichment programs from the St. Louis area and Missouri will be available at this free event to acquaint you with their summer offerings. There is something for every grade and interest! Challenger Learning Center, Gifted Resource Council, Abra-Kid-Abra Magic Camps, The Humane Society of Missouri, and Missouri University of Science and Technology will be in attendance, to name a few.
Congratulations to the 2010 Spirit of Lindbergh Teacher Grant Winners, who were greeted with balloons, cheers, and a check for $500 as their classrooms received surprise visits last week from the Lindbergh Prize Parade.
The Spirit of Lindbergh Teacher Grants is an annual program to reward and encourage creative learning projects in Lindbergh classrooms. Former Lindbergh Teachers of the Year designed and evaluated the entire grant process.
The first winner, Deborah Nelson-Linck, sets up an annual hands-on Black History Museum at Truman Elementary School. Students visit the museum for an interactive learning experience, including computer slide shows, music stations, projects and guest speakers. This year’s speaker is one of the original Tuskeegee Airmen from World War II.
Lindbergh High School Alumni Association’s sixth-annual "Trivia Night for Scholarships" will be Saturday, Feb. 20, at Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with trivia starting at 7. Tickets are $15 per person in advance or $18 at the door, space permitting (maximum 10 per table). Soda, water and snacks are included, and guests may bring their own food and beverages as well. Join us for a fun evening with cash prizes, attendance prizes, 50/50, Heads & Tails, and a silent. For tickets, contact Vicky O'Neill at 314-843-7744 or pvo65@sbcglobal.net.
This April, Lindbergh parent Kara Horton Gotsch and current board member Vic Lenz will fill the two open seats on the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education. Please click on the links below to learn more about these two members-elect:
On a gray and gloomy Wednesday morning, Sappington Elementary students padded into class in their PJs. They didn’t feel like staying in bed; they were actually raising $1,078 for the American Red Cross relief efforts – one of many efforts at Lindbergh to donate close to $6,000 collectively for earthquake-stricken Haiti.
“We talked in class about ideas to help, and the kids wanted to send over boats with blankets and water,” said third-grade teacher Casey Robert. “But when we started to talk about things we could do to help, they came up with the idea of paying 50 cents to wear pajamas to school. Most kids asked if they could bring in their whole piggy bank.”
Congratulations to Sperreng sixth-graders Manny DeLeGarreta, Mary Riley and Joel Borcherding, who were selected to perform in the sixth grade All-Suburban Honor Orchestra. The honor orchestra performed Jan. 9 at Rockwood Summit High School.
Congratulations to the following Lindbergh High School senior football players, who have been named to the Missouri Football Coaches Association Academic All-State Team for 2009: Offensive Tackle Mike Glover, Linebacker Austin Good, Offensive Guard Alex Heese and Tight End Alex Schwent.
Lindbergh High School Alumni Association’s sixth-annual "Trivia Night for Scholarships" will be Saturday, Feb. 20, at Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with trivia starting at 7. Tickets are $15 per person in advance or $18 at the door (space permitting). Maximum 10 per table. Soda, water and snacks are included, or you may bring your own food and beverages.
Join us for a fun evening with cash prizes for top teams, attendance prizes, 50/50 drawing, heads & tails, and Silent Auction. For tickets, contact Vicky O'Neill at 314-843-7744 or e-mail pvo65@sbcglobal.net.
Kennerly Elementary School fifth-grader Samantha Sample’s drawing was recently selected to be one of CHARACTERplus greeting cards. The theme of Samantha's artwork is "Kindness,” and are available for $10 at www.characterplus.org. Card proceeds benefit Friends of CHARACTERplus.
Superintendent Dr. Jim Simpson and the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education honored several Lindbergh Academic All-Stars during the second round of programs Jan. 4, 5, and 11. Students from Kennerly, Sappington and Truman elementary schools; and Sperreng Middle School received awards at the three ceremonies.
Lindbergh Academic All-Stars is a new district-wide program recognizing students in grades 4-8 who exhibit exceptional academic performance on 2008-2009 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests. To be named an Academic All-Star, students must score proficient or advanced on all of their qualifying MAP tests. In addition, Truman Elementary School was awarded a special trophy for the highest overall MAP scores in science.
Academic All-Stars is made possible by the generous support of many South County business sponsors, including Eagle Bank and St. Anthony's Medical Center. In addition to an Academic All-Stars T-shirt and car decal, each child receives a free meal from McDonald’s, free bowling at Crestwood Bowl, a free buffet meal at Incredible Pizza Co., and a free movie pass to Wehrenberg Theatres in Arnold.
Parents of college-bound seniors should plan to attend the LHS FAFSA Completion Workshop, which will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 4., in the LHS cafeteria. FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Parents should bring their 2009 tax information and non-taxed income records to the workshop. If you have questions, please contact the Counseling Department at (314) 729-2410.
A review of the Special School District, which is required under state legislation approved in 1996, is underway. Under Senate Bill 687, a Public Review Committee is appointed every four years to review the operations of the Special School District (SSD) and to make recommendations for improvement. Areas of review include SSD’s structure, governance, administration, financial management, delivery of services, and cooperation with partner school districts.
The committee plans to solicit information from the public and interested parties in a variety of ways, including at three public forums and at the beginning of each regularly scheduled meeting.
Q: What is the target number for budget reductions, and how was that number chosen?
A: The Board of Education’s goal is to reduce the 2010-2011 operating budget by $3.9 million. That total is the amount the district has projected that Lindbergh will be overspending next year after $3 million has been spent in the district reserves.
While the reductions that will be recommended by the eight subcommittees will not cause the district to break even, they will restore the board’s financial plan to spend $3 million-per-year of reserves.
Q: Is it true that most of the cuts will be teacher jobs?
A: No. The basic structure of the budget process is set up to protect student achievement. This does not mean that teaching positions will not be cut; but only three of the eight committees include classroom teacher salaries in their scope.
Lindbergh High School senior Audrey Dang has been selected as a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, which recognizes and honors some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.
Lindbergh High School senior Peter G. Linck has been selected from more than 1,600 students nationwide as a finalist for the National Achievement Scholarships offered to outstanding Black American students in 2010.
Former Truman Elementary kindergarten teacher Mary Jane Schnitker visited with students at her former school Jan. 25 for a special story time, sharing a book she co-authored with her daughter, titled “I Love You to the Moon and Back.”
Congratulations to the 2010 Spirit of Lindbergh Teacher Grant Winners, who were greeted with balloons, cheers, and a check for $500 as their classrooms received surprise visits last week from the Lindbergh Prize Parade.
Superintendent Dr. Jim Simpson and the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education honored several Lindbergh Academic All-Stars during the second round of programs Jan. 4, 5, and 11. Students from Kennerly, Sappington and Truman elementary schools; and Sperreng Middle School received awards at the three ceremonies.
