Week of September 2

Another great week is underway at LMS and we are off to a roaring start.  Cross country, football, and volleyball all have their first competition this week.  The students and coaches have been working hard and we are looking forward to seeing them in action.  Please remember that academic eligibility is checked weekly for students in activities.  We will check grades this Friday and students who are earning failing grades will not be able to compete until all of their grades are above passing.

The deadline for vaccinations is quickly approaching.  Wyoming statute requires all students to be current on their vaccinations to attend school.  The vaccination deadline is 30 calendar days after the start of school which is Friday, September 20th.  For more information regarding vaccination requirements, including information on vaccination waivers, please visit the Wyoming Department of Health.  Students who are not current on their vaccinations may be excluded from school after the 20th.

The first dance of the school year is this Friday, September 6th from 3:00-5:00.  Admission is $4 and concessions will be available.  All middle school students who are in good standing are encouraged to attend.  In order to be in good standing, a student cannot be suspended on Friday.  We are always looking for chaperones.  If you would like to chaperone, please email me or call the school at 721-4430.  If your student attends the dance, please pick them up, or make other arrangements, so they can leave the school promptly at 5:00.

All students had their pictures taken last Tuesday.  If you would still like to order pictures, you can do so by visiting mylifetouch.com and using our picture day code. (CG219392Y0)  Retakes are on  Tuesday, October 1st for those students who missed picture day or would like to get an even better picture.

Upcoming Events

• 9/6:     First dance
• 9/9:     September PTO meeting 
• 9/20:   Vaccination deadline
• 9/23:   No school-professional development
• 10/1:   Picture retakes 
• 10/23: Fall conferences 

Week of August 26

We would like to cordially invite all families to back to school night from 5:30-7:15 pm on Tuesday, August 27th. Families will follow their student's schedule and attend each class for approximately 7 minutes starting with Scouts for Scouts (S4S) and going through all 8 periods.  This will provide you with the opportunity to meet your student's teachers and discover what they will be learning. Due to space considerations, we ask that you attend without your student(s).  Your student can help you fill out this form so you know which classes to attend.  Maps will be available.

Tuesday is also picture day.  All students will have their pictures taken and receive a new student ID.  You can order your student's pictures by going to mylifetouch.com.  Our picture day ID is CG219392Y0.  Students can also get a picture packet during lunch on Monday. 

Thursday, August 29th is the last day for schedule changes.  Students can request a schedule change by filling out the form available in the main office and returning it there for administrative approval.  Schedule change requests can be made for the following reasons:

• A student does not have the prerequisites for the class (ex. in Spanish 2, hasn't taken Spanish 1)
• There is an obvious error
• You are misplaced in a class (ex. 7th grader in 8th grade science) 
• The schedule is unbalanced (ex. 2 PE classes in one semester)
• A student wants to change their choice of elective class 

It has been a great start to the year.  Thank you for sharing your student with us.  We hope to see you all at back to school night on Tuesday!

Upcoming Events

• 8/27: 1st block day
• 8/27: Picture day
• 8/27: Back to school night
• 9/2:   No school-Labor Day
• 9/6:   First dance
• 9/9:   September PTO meeting 
• 9/23: No school-professional development

Week of August 19

We couldn't be more ready for our students to return on Wednesday, August 21st!  Our theme for 2019-20 is “Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits.”   Middle school is a time of learning, exploration, growth, and development.  All of us will face challenges this year as we learn new skills, try new classes or activities, and work to become better people.  Challenge is an opportunity for growth.  We are not going to shrink from challenges, but instead embrace them, learn from them, and overcome them.

The first day of school is a half day.  Students should report to their S4S teacher at 8:00.  Students will be with their S4S teachers all day. LMS students will be dismissed at 11:23 on Wednesday and the buses will run normally.  Please have plans for your student to ride the bus home, get picked up, or walk so they are off campus promptly after school. We have a full afternoon of staff development, so there will not be anyone available to supervise students after school.  Breakfast will be served on Wednesday, but lunch will not.

The beginning of the year is a good time to review our attendance procedures.  Please have your student in school, on time, every day.  Our attendance goal for the year is 95%.  To earn 95% attendance, students need to miss 9 days or less.  This does not include absences for school activities. Anytime a student arrives after 8:05 am, they must check in at the attendance office.  If students arrive after 8:10, they will be considered absent for 1st period. If your student is gone, please call the 24-hour attendance line (721-4553) to report their absence. If you know in advance that your student will be absent, please obtain a pre-arranged form from the attendance office and provide a note.  This should be done two or more days in advance.   A pre-arranged form is only necessary if your student is going to be gone for more than one day.  If your students needs to check out, please call in advance so we can locate your student and have them ready to go.  You will need to sign your student out in the attendance office by completely filling out the check out book.  When picking up your student, please allow enough time for them to retrieve their belongings and for you to sign them out.

It's going to be a great year at LMS.  We appreciate your continued support and input.  We recognize the tremendous trust you have extended by sharing your student with us and we do not take that responsibility lightly.  It is our goal to make this the best year yet for all of our students and we are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

 Upcoming Events

• 8/21: First day of classes
• 8/27: Picture day
• 8/27: Back to school night
• 9/6: First dance

Week of May 20

It's the last Monday of the year at Laramie Middle School.  It's been an exciting roller coaster ride and we are planning to finish strong.  Thank you for your support and dedication throughout the year, it is appreciated.  Unfortunately, if you were hoping to purchase an award-winning LMS yearbook to commemorate the school year, they are sold out. 

A huge congratulation to Mrs. Simmons in the PE department.  Mrs. Simmons was the lead on a successful grant application for the Specialized Riding for Focus grant from the @thespecializedfoundation. We could not be more excited about this opportunity to get more kids on bikes and bring a cycling program to our physical education classes. LMS will be receiving 26 mountain bikes and helmets as a result of Mrs. Simmons' efforts that will be put to use beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

The last dance of the school year is this Wednesday, May 22nd from 3-5 in the LMS gym.  Please note the time change.  This dance was originally scheduled for 6-8 but was moved by student request.  All LMS students in good standing (not suspended) are welcome to attend.  Admission is $4.  Please email me if you are interested in chaperoning. 

The LMS PTO is sponsoring the 8th grade ice cream social on Wednesday, May 29th at 2:00 pm.  All 8th grade students will be treated to a delicious bowl of ice cream with all of the toppings.  Please visit the LMS PTO Facebook page for more information or if you can help out.

The 8th grade class will be going to LHS on the afternoon of the 30th for transition activities.  Students will be boarding buses at approximately 12:30 to head to the high school.  They will eat lunch there and the LHS staff will lead students through a variety of transition programming.  Students will return to LMS prior to dismissal.  If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Kern at the high school.

Upcoming Events:

• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of May 6

The Hapi-ness 5K is this Saturday!  If you pre-registered great.  If not, there is still time to register.  You can do so in the main office or on the morning of the race.  Registration opens at 8 am and the race starts at 9.  Please join us for a fun run that supports a great cause. 

LARAMIE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOKS ARE IN!!! Anyone who pre-ordered a yearbook has received their copies, and at this time we still have 150 left to sell. Those will go quick, so make sure to grab one before they are gone. Books will be available for purchase during lunch. They are still only $40, and we can accept cash or check.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Nate Reitzel on being selected as the 2019 LMS Teacher of the Year.  Mr. Reitzel is an art teacher at LMS.  He teachers graphic design, pub photo (yearbook), and other art classes.  Under Mr. Reitzel's direction, the LMS Scout has been recognized as an award winning yearbook for the last four years.  Mr. Reitzel also proctors the Scout Studio after school providing students with another opportunity to create art.  Mr. Reitzel is a positive, student-centered teacher who loves working with middle level students.  Congratulations Mr. Reitzel on being named the LMS Teacher of the Year.

There will be no Scout Learning Lab or late bus after school on Thursday, May 9th due to professional development.  All students should go directly home after school. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 9                         No SLL or late bus
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of April 29

It looks like winter is coming back for an encore this week.  Please keep an eye on the weather and send your student dressed appropriately.  Wacky weather is just part of what makes living in Wyoming great. In addition to being winter 2.0, this week is the last week of WYTOPP testing for LMS students.  We will follow our normal schedule as it relates to block days (M,Th,F-All; T-Odd, W-Even).  We appreciate how hard students have been working.  Results will be available before the end of the school year. 

Many of our students like to order food to be delivered during lunch.  There is nothing wrong with that as long as the logistics work out.  Students will not be dismissed from class to pay for a delivery and lunch periods will not be extended for students whose deliveries are late.  It is highly recommended that all food deliveries are paid for ahead of time and made it a timely manner so students are able to eat their food during their assigned lunch period. If this is not possible, we request that students enjoy one of our delicious entrees or bring lunch from home. 

Students in Mrs. Heggie's 8th grade cooking class recently completed the annual cake contest.  All of the students did a great job.  Our winners were:

• 1st Place Carl the Hedgehog by Irys Linsdey, Hannah Dorminy, Michael Pikal, and Aver Hilton
• 2nd Place: Cabin Getaway by Emmitt Gray, Anthony Noecker, and Damien Casillias
• 3rd Place: Roger the Shark's Day at the Beach by Jeremy Rucinski, Baily Isaak, and Ava McCarthy

Order your award winning LMS yearbook soon from yearbookforever.com.  Don't miss out on your chance to own a piece of history! Pre-orders must be completed by May 9th.

Eighth grade students interested in participating in the color guard should attend the clinics May 6-8 from 6-7 pm in the Laramie High School cafeteria.  Official tryouts are on May 14th from 6-8 pm in the LHS band room.

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of April 22

This week is the second week of WYTOPP testing.  To accommodate testing, we will have four block days this week.  Tuesday and Thursday are 'odd' days while Wednesday and Friday are 'even' days.  There is S4S on all block days.  Instruction occurs normally in classes that are not testing and our schedule is not disrupted.  Thank you for sending your student to school ready to learn and rested everyday, especially during testing.  

Throughout the year we've examined the age old question, "why do I have to learn this?" Through the So What? series.  This month we are looking at social studies.  The information below outlines how what students are learning in social studies connects to their lives outside of school and helps them prepare to become productive citizens.  Information is also displayed in the bulletin board outside of the main office. 

Sixth grade social studies focus on the transmission of culture and development of civilizations.  One such example is students researching their cultural heritage and doing a report to show how the United States truly is a melting pot of various ethnicities and values.  Another way we make history relevant is by examining ancient civilizations, specifically their government, economy, beliefs, traditions, social hierarchy, and other various aspects that make up human culture.  We draw parallels to modern day cultures and societies during each unit so that at the end of the year when they do their final project, create a civilization, they are able to decide for themselves what elements would make the best society.  Knowing how cultures developed and spread across the world helps students understand the complex geopolitical landscape we live in.  

In 7th grade, students research elements of Roman cities and how the Romans built their cities. Based on their research, students create a Roman City map. Then students compare their maps to a map of Laramie and other modern maps. Having done that, students evaluate and explain the tremendous influence the ancient Romans have had on the way we build our cities as many of the elements are very similar, including the two main streets concept, grid plan, and the inclusion of public works. Some related job fields to this research include engineering, city planning, construction, architecture, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and public works related jobs.

Eighth grade students student American History which is not just learning about dead people and past events. History is how we interpret the actions of these people and events to make informed decisions for the present and the future. This will help you understand the perspectives of other people, which is crucial for being a good citizen.

In 8th Grade American History, students learn about the story of the United States, which begins even before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Students go back all the way to the early cultures of North America and end the class with the Civil War and Reconstruction. In addition, they dive in to primary and secondary historical sources and learn how to analyze them.  Using both types of sources give students a more complete view of historical events. It also teaches students to make informed decisions and cite evidence which are applicable skills in all professions.

American History addresses a broad period of time beginning with a comparison of the First American group and the ways different groups interacted with each other. The course of study moves through European exploration and colonization leading to the formation of the original 13 English Colonies. Next is the American Revolution followed by the formation of our modern nation.  Students identify their rights as American citizens in the unit which looks at the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Following, eight grade students examine the expansion of the United States, compare the economic systems of the North and South, study the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the rebuilding the United States. Knowing where we've been as a country helps students lead us into the future.  Students also need to know their rights so they can be active participants in our democracy. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school