Week of December 18

It's the last week of the year! (2023 that is). We are excited for a fun filled week at LMS. Our schedule this week is All, Odd, Even, Early Release, No School. Students will be dismissed at 11:23 on Thursday. There is Scout Learning Lab and a late bus on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but there is no Scout Learning Lab, late bus, or after school activities on Thursday. Winter break begins on Friday and classes resume on Monday, January 8th. Our school and offices will be closed during winter break.

We are having a Spirit Week to celebrate the end of the calendar year. We encourage everyone to show their Scout pride by participating.

Reminder, the first semester ends on Friday, January 19th.  Students must have all of their work completed by 11:30 on Thursday, January 18th if it’s going to be included in their first semester grade.  Getting caught up after the break is extremely difficult. We want all students to be caught up before winter break. Extra help is available for students who need it. Please encourage your student to take advantage of Scout Learning Lab this week if necessary.

Everyone is excited for the holiday season and time with family and friends.  We realize that travel plans can change and the Wyoming weather is unpredictable.  We ask that you have your student in school every day ready to learn through the 21st.  Let's make the days count instead of counting the days.

Upcoming Events

• December 18 Choir concert at LHS

• December 21           Early release for students

• December 22           Winter break begins

• January 8                 Classes resume

• January 19 End of the first semester

Week of December 11

The week is off to an amazing start.  Our girls basketball teams wrapped up their seasons last Saturday by competing in their conference tournaments. All of our teams performed well and grew this season.  A special highlight is the 7th grade A and B teams who both went undefeated earning a combined record of 26-0 and winning their conference titles.  Since nature hates an empty gym, boys basketball began on Monday.  This week 7th grade practices after school and 8th grade practices from 5:00-7:00.  Students must have a current physical and signed code of conduct on file in order to participate.  

Don’t wait to reserve your copy of the award winning LMS yearbook as it sells out every year. Pre-orders are open at yearbookforever.com.  Don’t miss out on your chance to own a piece of history.  Remember the yearbook is forever.

The first semester ends on Friday, January 19th.  Students must have all of their work completed by 11:30 on Thursday, January 18th if it’s going to be included in their first semester grade.  Getting caught up after the break is extremely difficult from a psychological and mathematical perspective. We want all students to be caught up before winter break. Extra help is available for students who need it.  Scout Learning Lab is held Monday-Thursday from 3:05 - 4:00 and a late bus is available.  We also have Saturday Scout Learning Lab this Saturday from 8:00-11:00.  Please contact your student’s teachers to take advantage of this opportunity.  

We are all looking forward to the holiday season and time with family and friends.  We realize that travel plans can change and the Wyoming weather is unpredictable.  We ask that you have your student in school every day ready to learn through the 21st.  Students will be dismissed at 11:23 on the 21st and classes will resume on Monday, January 8th.  Let's make the days count instead of counting the day.

Upcoming Events

• December 18           National Bake Cookies Day

• December 21           Early release for students

• December 22           Winter break begins

• January 8                 Classes resume

Week of December 4

This week is packed with great activities as we cruise into the Holiday Season.  We are hosting the 7th grade A conference girls basketball tournament on Saturday.  The Scouts are looking to finish out the season on a high note.  We also have the Holiday Dance on Thursday after school from 3:00-5:00.  All middle school students in good standing (not serving ISS or OSS) are encouraged to attend.  Admission is $5.00 and concessions will be available.   All students attending the dance need to be picked up by 5:15.  There is not a late bus for dance attendees. 

It’s never too early to reserve your copy of the award winning LMS yearbook.  Pre-orders are open at yearbookforever.com.  Don’t miss out on your chance to own a piece of history.  Remember the yearbook is forever.

This focus word for December is responsibility.  We’re challenging your students to reflect on their experiences and take responsibility for how they choose to learn and grow from these experiences. We are partnering with you to grow and develop your child’s sense of responsibility.  As you reflect as a family, celebrate your accomplishments, identify areas you may want to improve, and consider new ways to serve others in the days ahead. One way to spread joy is a Neighborhood Sunshine Walk. As a family, write a few notes of encouragement to uplift or affirm those in your community. Take a walk in your neighborhood or apartment building and leave these notes of encouragement on windshields, doors, or mailboxes to spread a little sunshine. Read about this and more in the December Capturing Kids’ Hearts newsletter. 

The Student Leadership Team will be leading from the middle at the Parade of Lights on Friday night.  We hope you’ll come out and support the Scouts and all of the other organizations.  There are so many great events in our community at this time of the year.  Thank you for celebrating the joy of the season and for your continued support and feedback. 

Upcoming Events

• December 7             Winter dance 

• December 8             Parade of lights

• December 18           National Bake Cookies Day

• December 21           Early release for students

• December 22           Winter break begins

• January 8                 Classes resume

Week of November 30

It’s Thanksgiving week and we have so much to be thankful for and to celebrate.  Our fall food drive wrapped up last Friday and it was awesome.  We collected 1083 items at LMS and our Student Leadership Team collected 907 items trick or treating for cans on Halloween for a grand total of 1990 items.  Everything we collected will be donated to Laramie Interfaith to help those in need in our community.  Thank you for supporting our fall food drive.

Our wrestling team wrapped up their season on Saturday at the conference meet in Cheyenne.  The Scouts saved their best wrestling for the end of the season and they are conference champions for the second year in a row!  We had 7 conference champions and many other place winners.  It’s great that the conference championship plaque will be staying in Laramie where it belongs.  Congratulations Scouts!

Fun Family Fitness Night is coming up on November 30th from 6:00-7:30 in the LMS gym and cafeteria.  There will be training on hands only CPR, fun activities, healthy food, and various community groups in attendance.  We hope all LMS students and their families will join us for an evening of fun activities and fellowship.  You can learn more about Fun Family Fitness Night by clicking this link. 

The lost and found has once again reached capacity.  We will be clearing all items out on Monday, November 27th and donating or disposing of them.  Please encourage your student to keep track of their belongings and to check the lost and found for anything they may be missing.  

During this season of gratitude, we can’t express how thankful we are that you have chosen to share your student with us. We appreciate your support and feedback and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your friends and family.  We are looking forward to seeing all of our students again on the 27th. 

Upcoming Events

• November 30           Family Night 

• December 7             Winter dance 

• December 8             Parade of lights

• December 21           Early release for students

• December 22           Winter break begins

• January 8                 Classes resume

Week of November 13

 

Our Student Leadership Team is hosting a food drive.  They are collecting nonperishable items to be donated to the Laramie Interfaith Food Pantry. The grade that donates the most items will earn a pizza party at lunch. Each student who contributes an item will be entered into a drawing for various prizes.  Please support our efforts to help those in need and to shatter last year's record.

Thursday marks the 12 week point in the first semester.  Students who are earning a D or an F on Thursday will receive grade reports in the mail.  Grades can also be viewed on PowerSchool.  Please check your student's grades with them and make a plan for improvement if necessary.  Students can receive extra support during Scout Learning Lab on Monday-Thursday and we will be having Saturday Scout Learning Lab on 11/18, 12/2, and 12/16.  Let's work together to help all student be current on their learning before winter break. 

We celebrate American Education Week this week.  American Education Week is a week to celebrate public schools and is sponsored by the US Department of Education, the National Education Association, the American Legion, as well as most professional education organizations. American Education Week is the perfect time to celebrate the extraordinary collaboration of so many different groups of people in our District contributing to our students' education. Thank you to our teachers, specialists, paraeducators, administrative assistance, bus drivers, and custodians.  You're the best! 

It's going to be another fun-filled and exciting week at Laramie Middle School.  We are having a lot of fun and our students are working very hard.  We appreciate your continued support and feedback.  Make it a great week. 

Upcoming Events   

• November 13 Kindness Day

• November 13-17 American Education Week

• November 16 Hathaway Day

• November 17 Food drive ends

• November 22-24 No School

• November 30 Family Night

Week of October 30

It has been a fantastic first quarter at LMS.  Our theme for the year is “Some people want it to happen, Some people wish it would happen, Scouts make it happen” and the Scouts are making it happen. We have many things to celebrate in the classroom, in athletics, and from all areas of our school community.

We have successfully implemented ‘Away for the Day’ where all students are required to put their cell phones and other personal devices in their lockers and not access them during the school day.  Our students have done an amazing job of adjusting to this. Thank you for your support.  We’ve seen an increase in on task behavior, a decrease in student conflict, a decrease in classroom disruptions, and our office referrals for technology violations have decreased by over 50% from last year. 

Football, volleyball, and cross country have successfully completed their seasons. Over a third of our students participated in a fall activity.  Football and volleyball competed well during the conference season earning many wins. Cross country continued to dominate, remaining undefeated in the state of Wyoming for the last four years and winning all four conference championships!  Girls basketball and wrestling are underway and approximately 25% of our students are participating in those activities.  Wrestling is looking to defend their conference championship from last year and basketball is looking salty on the hardwood. 

Our Scouts are taking care of business in the classroom.  We check students’ grades each week and the number of students earning a failing grade is down 14% from last year.  Our attendance has also improved 2% compared to the first quarter of last year.  That may not sound like a lot, but that means that collectively students have been in school over 700 more days this quarter.  That’s huge!  Thank you for helping your student get to school on time and ready to learn every day. We are also very proud of our WYTOPP scores from last year.  We are 10% over the state average in all tested areas. 

While we are happy with our achievements, we are always looking to improve.  To that end, we have two school improvement goals we are focusing on this year.  Our school improvement goals are to provide systematic intervention and extension (I/E) for all students in all classes and to to improve our students’ perception of school. These are our areas of focus because providing I/E ensures that all students master essential topics and are challenged and students who feel welcomed, included, and supported at school perform better and feel better. You can read more about our goals and our plans to reach them in the LMS School Improvement plan. 

Tomorrow is Halloween and we are excited to celebrate and costumes are permitted. Students need to dress in a way that permits them to actively participate in learning and doesn't distract from the learning of others. Please watch the video below for more information:

Thank you so much for sharing your student with us.  We are honored to have them in our building and to partner with you in their education.  We’re looking forward to the rest of this school year and continuing to make it happen. 

Upcoming Events   

• November 6        No school-offices closed

• November 7        No school- professional development

• November 13 Kindness Day

• November 22-24 No School

Week of October 23

Fall conferences are on Wednesday and Thursday.  At LMS conferences are either by appointment or we have some time blocked out where families can drop in and talk to teachers who are available. On Wednesday, students will be dismissed at 11:23 and teachers will be preparing for conferences to begin at 3:30.  Teachers will be available for appointments from 3:30-7:00 and for drop-ins from 7:00-7:30.  On Thursday, teachers will be available for appointments from 8:00-10:00 and 11:00-6:00 Teachers will be available for drop-ins from 10:00-11:00 and 6:00-7:00 on Thursday.  There is no school on Friday for students or staff. All appointments are made through PTCFast. Please use this link to sign up for conferences. PTCFast will close at noon on Wednesday.  If you need to make an appointment after noon on Wednesday, please contact your student’s teachers directly or stop by during the drop in times.  Drop-ins are on a first come, first served basis. 

Our Mental Health Team will be available in the library during conferences. They will have information on different topics that may be helpful for you or your student such as social media, anxiety, communicating with your child, substance use, sleep, and middle school life. They can also point you in the right direction for additional community supports. There will also be coats available so you can be ready for the cold weather. We hope everyone will come by to talk with them, ask questions, or obtain information on additional resources during conferences.

We are doing a good job as a school this year as it relates to attendance. Thank you! I know with a short week it can be tempting to miss a day or two to extend a break.  While there are times that absences can’t be avoided, please continue to do your best to have your student in school every day ready to learn.  Each day really counts. 

Our friends at Laramie Interfaith are providing Thanksgiving meals to families in need again this year.  If you would like to sign up for a meal, please use this link.  If you’d like to learn more about Laramie Interfaith, or to find out how you can support them, please visit their website: https://www.laramieinterfaith.org/ 

Upcoming Events   

• October 25-26     Fall conferences

• October 27          No school

• November 6        No school

• November 7        No school- professional development

Week of October 16

Fall conferences are coming up on October 25th and 26th.  At LMS conferences are either by appointment or we have some time blocked out where families can drop in and talk to teachers who are available. On Wednesday the 25th, students will be dismissed at 11:23 and teachers will be preparing for conferences to begin at 3:30.  Teachers will be available for appointments from 3:30-7:00 and for drop-ins from 7:00-7:30.  On Thursday, the 26th, teachers will be available for appointments from 8:00-10:00 and 11:00-6:00 Teachers will be available for drop-ins from 10:00-11:00 and 6:00-7:00 on the 26th.  There is no school on Friday, the 27th. All appointments will be made through PTCFast which will open on Monday, the 16th. Please use this link to sign up for conferences. Drop-ins are on a first come, first served basis. We hope to see everyone at conferences. 

This Friday, October 20th, is an early release day for the elementary schools in our district.  It is a regular day at LMS and LHS. Students will be dismissed at our normal time of 3:05 on Friday.  We are looking forward to a productive and engaging week at LMS. 

Picture retakes are on Tuesday.  If students were absent and did not get their picture taken, they will have their picture taken on Tuesday.  If your student is not satisfied with their first picture, then they can have it retaken on Tuesday.  Please have them bring their original pictures with them if they are having a retake done.  Pictures can be ordered online by visiting mylifetouch.com.  Our picture day ID is EVT448FW8.

Our friends at Laramie Interfaith are providing Thanksgiving meals to families in need again this year.  If you would like to sign up for a meal, please use this link.  If you’d like to learn more about Laramie Interfaith, or to find out how you can support them, please visit their website: https://www.laramieinterfaith.org/ 

Upcoming Events   

• October 16-20     National School Bus Safety Week 

• October 17          Picture retakes

• October 18          National Cupcake Day

• October 25-26     Fall conferences

• October 27          No school

Week of October 9

We have passed the 6 week mark of the first semester.  We sent out 6 week reports to all families along with last year's WYTOPP reports on Tuesday.  We are very proud of our WYTOPP results from last year.  We are 11% higher than the state average in ELA and 14% higher than the state average in math.  We appreciate all of the hard work our students, teachers, and families put in last year and we’re looking forward to doing even better this year. 

When you receive your student's progress report and WYTOPP results, please review them together, celebrate, and identify any areas for improvement.  Teachers and staff are available to assist students after school in Scout Learning Lab Monday-Thursday and a late bus is available on those days.  We are all here to help your student be successful. 

Fall conferences are coming up on October 25th and 26th.  At LMS conferences are either by appointment or we do have some times blocked out where families can drop in and talk to teachers who are available. On Wednesday the 25th, students will be dismissed at 11:23 and teachers will be preparing for conferences to begin at 3:30.  Teachers will be available for appointments from 3:30-7:00 and for drop-ins from 7:00-7:30.  On Thursday, the 26th, teachers will be available for appointments from 8:00-10:00 and 11:00-6:00 Teachers will be available for drop-ins from 10:00-11:00 and 6:00-7:00 on the 26th.  There is no school on Friday, the 27th. All appointments will be made through PTCFast which will open on Monday, the 16th.  Drop-ins are on a first come, first served basis. We hope to see everyone at conferences. 

Mr. Jared Krysl, 8th grade science teacher, was honored as the ACSD1 District Teacher of the Year on Monday night at a banquet hosted by the Wyoming Department of Education in Casper.  Mr. Krysl is pictured below with Senator Barrasso and State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder.  Way to lead from the middle Mr. Krysl!

We are partnering with the University of Wyoming to study the benefits of physical exercise on academic performance and mood among middle and high school students with and without ADHD. Students’ participation in this study will help researchers understand the effects of exercise on cognitive functioning. If you and your student decide to participate, your student will be asked to attend three in-person sessions before school where they will exercise on a stationary bike. Then, students will complete some verbal and computer tasks. You will be asked to complete a short online survey at three time points during the study.  We invite you and your student to participate. Please contact the study director, Meisa Khaireddin, under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia Hartung at uwyoall@gmail.com or call 307-316-4783 if you are interested.  You can learn more about this study here. 

Upcoming Events

• October 9            Girls basketball begins 

• October 16-20     National School Bus Safety Week 

• October 17          Picture retakes

• October 18          National Cupcake Day

• October 25-26     Fall conferences

• October 27          No school

Week of October 2

It's homecoming week!  We are celebrating with dress up days, athletic events, and a special visit from the LHS band and spirit squad.  Our dress up days are: 

• Monday: Socks with Sandals
• Tuesday: Adam Sandler Day
• Wednesday: Hat Day ($1 donation required)
• Thursday: Barbie/Pink Day
• Friday: Sports Day

It's October and this month, we’re challenging students to envision future goals and take intentional steps toward who they want to be. We are partnering with families to grow and develop their student's ability to self-direct. We can model self-direction by celebrating the positive in each day, seeking the good in others, and emphasizing our responsibility to make positive choices. Self-direct your thoughts and share Good Things as a family each day. After school, around the dinner table, or before bed, ask each family member to share something good from the day. We often see what we seek. Let’s focus on finding the good. You can read more about this month's theme in the October CKH newsletter. 

Friday is the 6 week mark of the first semester.  We will be sending out 6 week reports to all families along with last year's WYTOPP reports.  Please review your student's progress with them, celebrate, and identify any areas for improvement.  Teachers and staff are available to assist students after school in Scout Learning Lab Monday-Thursday and a late bus is available on those days.  Fall conferences are coming up on October 25th and 26th as well. Please let us know how we can partner with you in support of your student.

Our last task this week is clearing out the lost and found.  We've set a record for how quickly it has filled up this year.  Please see the picture below so you know what I'm talking about.  At the end of the week, all items will be cleared out of the lost and found and donated or disposed of. Please encourage your student to look in the lost and found and claim any of their missing items.  Make it a great week!

Upcoming Events

• October 2            Wrestling begins

• October 2 National Custodian Appreciation Day

• October 6 6 week reports

• October 9            Girls basketball begins 

• October 17          Picture retakes

• October 25-26 Fall conferences

• October 27 No school

Week of September 25

 We are entering the 6th week of the semester already.  Students have multiple grades in each of their classes to help communicate their learning. If a student does not complete an assignment, a 0 is entered into PowerSchool which can drastically impact their grade.  Missing assignments need to be completed as soon as possible.  Assignments more than 3 weeks late are not accepted for credit. Students check their grades on Tuesdays in S4S.  Families can also monitor their student’s progress in PowerSchool.  Please do not rely on Canvas to monitor grades.  Not all assignments are entered into Canvas, but they are all entered in PowerSchool.  Teachers are available after school in Scout Learning Lab and a late bus is available for students who need it.  We’ll be sending out 6 week progress reports and WYTOPP scores from last year next week.  Please review your student’s progress and let us know how we can help any students who are struggling. 

Our cross country, volleyball, and football teams will be concluding their seasons over the next few weeks and our first winter season will be starting soon. Wrestling and girls basketball are up next.  There is a meeting for students participating in wrestling and their families on Tuesday at 6:00 pm in the LMS library.  The girls basketball meeting is on Wednesday at 5:30 in the LMS cafeteria.  All students planning to participate in these activities and their families should attend.  Wrestling practice begins on October 2nd and the first day of girls basketball practice is on October 9th.  Students must have a current physical and signed code of conduct on file to practice or compete.  

A student's mental health directly impacts their ability to learn and quality of life.  Nationally and locally, we’ve seen a rise in the number of students living with anxiety.  As a support for families, our district is hosting a webinar about Your Child’s Anxiety on September 26th at 6:00 PM. Does your child suffer from anxiety and you don’t know how to help them? Join us to learn strategies to help you respond to your child’s anxiety. When applied these skills will help the child and parent bond, allowing the child to identify and work through their anxiety more effectively.  You can register right up to the last minute, even if you can't attend the live event. By registering, you will be added to the follow-up email list and receive a recording of the session the following day.  Use this link to register: rmd.me/zZapcqffnnj

We are looking forward to everything that’s going on at school this week and to the UW homecoming festivities this weekend.  We have home volleyball, football, and cross country this week.  Our band will be playing in the parade on Saturday morning.  We are truly fortunate to live in Laramie with all it has to offer.  Thank you for sharing your student with us.  Make it a great week.

Upcoming Events

• September 26     Wrestling meeting

• September 27     Girls basketball meeting

• September 29     Professional development- no school for students 

• October 2            Wrestling begins

• October 9            Girls basketball begins 

• October 17          Picture retakes