Lansing Intermediate Roar

While it might be hard to believe because we've had such pleasant weather, the second quarter is wrapping up and Christmas is just around the corner. We wrapped up winter academic screeners last week and this week is about doing some fun activities and dressing festive.

Please take time over the next two weeks to spend time with family, unplug from technology, and be active outside in unseasonably warm weather. While I would prefer a white Christmas, I'm not complaining about temperatures in the 50s.

Lastly, I am so thankful to be able to serve the Lansing community. We have a great staff who go out of their way to serve kids and students who want to be successful at school. We will continue to focus on our three main goals: safety, fun, and learning. Thank you to parents who have given their personal time and efforts to make LIS a grrrr-eat place to be! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is upon us and winter break is just a few days away. As we wrap up the first half of the school year, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the continued support of our amazing families and friends. Our staff and students have worked hard all semester to meet academic goals, and we look forward to sharing the results of that hard work with you upon completion of our winter Fastbridge screening assessments.

Amidst all the hard work, students and staff have also been able to embrace the fun and festivities of the holidays together this past month with such activities as a Turkey on the Loose game, a door decoration contest, an Open House celebration, a chili cook-off competition, and lots fun and interesting classroom activities. We are always looking for meaningful ways to incorporate fun in school because it is an essential way for us to develop connectedness and a joyful, exciting, more engaging learning experience for kids. As we break for the holidays, we encourage everyone to take this time to refresh and enjoy quality time with friends and loved ones, and we look forward to seeing everyone when we return for the new year!

12/19 - Last Day of 2nd Quarter

12/20 - 1/5 - No School - Christmas Break

1/6 - First Day of 3rd Quarter

1/7 - 1/31 - 5th Grade Starbase Field Trips

1/20 - No School - MLK Day

1/30 - PRIDE Assemblies - Integrity

Lansing School District is excited to announce the launch of the Teammates Mentoring Program, a valuable initiative aimed at building meaningful relationships and supporting student growth. This nationally recognized program will initially be available at Lansing Intermediate School, providing an opportunity for our community to make a direct and positive impact on the lives of students.

The Teammates Mentoring Program matches students with caring adult mentors who commit to meeting with them regularly, providing guidance, encouragement, and a listening ear. Research has shown that mentoring relationships contribute to improved academic performance, better attendance, and higher levels of self-confidence in students. By becoming a mentor, you can help shape the future of our youth and contribute to a stronger community.

We Need You!

Lansing School District is seeking dedicated volunteers to serve as mentors. If you have a passion for supporting young learners and are willing to commit to regular mentorship sessions, we encourage you to apply. The application process ensures a safe and effective program, including background checks and training for all volunteers.

Get Involved Today

Visit the Teammates Mentoring Program website to learn more about the program’s mission, success stories, and the steps to become a mentor. To apply, complete the online application form provided on the website. Once your application is reviewed, our team will reach out with the next steps, including mentor training and match assignments.

Sharon Burns

Director of Communications and Marketing

Lansing USD 469

Any absence that is not related to illness and will last more than 3 days will need to be approved by the school principal. Parents/Guardians will need to contact the school at least one week prior to the absence. Please reach out to Mr. Altieri at martin.altieri@usd469.net if you know of an upcoming absence for your child. Not getting approval may result in your child's absences being unexcused.

Fees: Please check your Skyward account and pay fees that are due. If you feel you may qualify for free/reduced and have not already applied, please do that. You can find the application on our website:

https://usd469.socs.net/vnews/display.v/SEC/FAMILY%20%26%20STUDENTS%7CNutrition%20Services%3E%3EFree%20%26%20Reduced%20Lunch%20Application

You can also come into our office and fill one out in person. If you have any questions please contact Jennifer Grant, bookkeeper at 913-297-0990, option 3.

We are in need of a sponsor for Junior Guard. The Junior Guard program is run by JROTC students and a sponsor is necessary for adult supervision. You will need to attend practices on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. beginning September 12, 2024. Please reach out to Mr. Altieri if you are interested. martin.altieri@usd469.net or 913-297-0990

Wishing everyone a healthy & wonderful winter break! Have fun, enjoy all the holiday treats and WALK!

WINTER WALKS

Winter Walks are all about embracing the beautiful winter landscapes and enjoying the benefits of staying active through outdoor activity.

• Plan a Winter Hike: Choose a nearby nature trail, park, or woodland area and plan a winter hike with friends or family.
• Explore Local Scenery: Take the time to explore the beauty of your local surroundings.
• Stay Warm: Bundle up in warm clothing, wear comfortable boots, and bring along hot beverages or snacks to enjoy during your walk.
• Birdwatching: Winter is a great time for birdwatching, as many species of birds can be spotted more easily without the foliage of spring and summer.
• Photography: Capture the stunning winter landscapes with your camera and share your photos with friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

Nurse Chris

Dear LIS Families,

As we start off our winter break, we want to share an article about how to decrease holiday stress. Even on a break and away from school, the world can bring challenges we are not expecting. For some, this may look like the cat climbing the tree. Others, not having a similar nightly routine as we do during the school day, as well as many more. No matter what, we know that our students as well as our families all deserve time off to rest and recharge.

Stress Tips

We look forward to seeing you all back January 6th!

Mrs. Farrar and Ms. Keith

Cold is in the air!! Time to bundle up!

This quarter fourth graders learned about authors and illustrators. We watched a video on why authors write and what the difference is between illustrations and photos. They also wrote stories using prompts. Students chose a turkey that had a person or thing on it as their main character and the feathers had the setting for their story. They did well and wrote interesting stories. We will continue to learn more about library skills and write stories next semester.

Fifth graders worked on facts and opinions and wrote a “Pyramid Story”. They used only words to describe a noun and tell a story. Each line had only words. They were interesting and made students think. Fifth graders, also, did animal research using an ipad and if needed, using an encyclopedia. The students did very well researching about the animal they chose. They also wrote stories using a chosen character and a chosen setting. We will continue learning library skills and other activities next semester.

Our reading chain is growing and that is wonderful to see. At this time we have 500 links on our chain. Way to go!!

Encouraging students to step outside their box and read something they have not tried before has been interesting. Some have enjoyed the new idea and some seem to like what they read. As long as students are reading and enjoying the book, is all that matters.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful and safe Holiday Break.

Keep reading!!

Math - We will finish our semester learning long division and are right on target to complete all the standards we have on our GVC to cover for the first semester. We rely heavily on spiral review in math to keep all skills fresh and provide extra practice.

ELA:

Writing - We completed our poetry unit and the students wrote many different types of poems and will have some out for parents to see at our upcoming Open House. Our next major writing project is a personal narrative where they take a small moment and write about it in great detail.

Reading - Unit 3 which centers our learning of specific skills around how one person can make a difference in our communities. Point of View and perspective of the are the text structure that we are focusing on.

Social Studies - We have started our economic unit and are excited to have our first ever Market Day for all of the 4th grade entrepreneurs to sell their products on Wednesday, December 18th from 2-3.

Science - We are studying the human body, animals, and plants until winter break.

SEL - We are teaching lessons from Unit 2 which center around managing emotions.

Time has flown and we can’t believe it is already December. November was filled with many projects and activities for our 5th graders.

In Math we began working on Volume – Chapter 11. The students each chose an animal to create out of boxes and have been working very hard to create our Volume Zoo. Students must create and measure their animals.

Along with Volume Zoo, students have been writing expository text about their animals. The students completed research in the library and in the classroom to discover information about their animal. Mrs. Martin’s class is creating a booklet filled with information, facts, and pictures.

All of the projects can be seen at the Lansing Intermediate School Open House from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. There will also be many displays and activities for the families.

Mrs. Dill and Mrs. Rothmeyer’s class made bread before Thanksgiving. The students took home their bread to bake.

The fifth-grade music program was also in the month of November. The students performed Rock and Roll Forever. Both groups were very excited about the program and did a great job.

In Social Studies, students have been learning about Explorers. They have read about the explorers, researched, and completed activities.

We have been talking about main idea and details in Reading and will be moving on the author’s point of view. After we finish chapter 11 over volume, students will be moving on to Chapter 5 – dividing decimals. We also complete spiral reviews that help prepare students for upcoming skills as well as reviewing skills we have already completed.

Thank you for all your support throughout the first semester of 5th grade. It has been wonderful getting to know your students.

Mrs. James serves Lansing Intermediate as our social-behavioral skills teacher. This is her eighth year in the district. Mrs. James supports students managing their behaviors by giving them strategies and techniques that allow them to be more successful at school, create better and lasting friendships, and succeed academically in the classroom. When she's not at school, Mrs. James enjoys spending time with family and friends - whether it's hiking at Weston Bend State Park or relaxing at a backyard BBQ. We are so thankful Mrs. James is part of our LIS team!

Zoe won the Little Lion Drawing Contest and her image will be used on a future t-shirt designs! Awesome job on some impressive artistry!

LIS has implemented many new procedures allowing students to participate in the upkeep of their school and provide incentives for students to do well in and out of the classroom. Teachers nominate students in their classrooms who demonstrate responsibility for our weekly pickup patrol. These students, along with Mr. Altieri and Mrs. Settles, walk the school grounds and help pick up trash. It is a great way to keep our school clean, enjoy a sunny day with friends, and have a role in maintaining our school. In addition, students receive a prize and the opportunity to hold Mufasa, our school mascot. Here are some pictures from our first one of the year!

We have received questions about the standards-based grading system we adopted this year. While you can find lots of information on the grading system through this article, we included a graphic below to help focus on the main ideas. In the past, the overall grade has been an aggregate of assessed skills in classrooms. Our new system merely breaks it down so parents can see how well their child is performing in those specific skills.

LIS Parents,

We want to ensure our students arrive at school safely. Please help us by reviewing our car drop off procedures.

1. Do not back up traffic by turning left from Ida. Cars have been swerving around backed up traffic and it is dangerous for everyone involved.

2. If you plan to sit in the car with your child, and not immediately drop off, pull forward to the end of the cones to prevent traffic backing up to Ida.

3. Circle around the parking lot after dropping off and make a right turn on to Ida.

4. Be patient. Saving thirty seconds of time is not worth endangering our students.

5. Reach out to school staff if there are issues you see that need to be addressed. We are always looking to make drop off more efficient and streamlined.

Cell phone use is not allowed at LIS during school hours. Research shows schools that allow cell phone usage during school have higher rates of disciplinary action, bullying (especially cyberbullying), and violations of privacy. In addition, use of personal electronics correlates to lower student academic achievement. We want to give our students the best environment to succeed as learners and grow as future citizens.

If you need to get a message to your child, please contact the office and we can make sure your message is passed along to them. Students caught using their phone will receive a warning the first time. Future violations may result in a discipline referral for inappropriate use of technology.

Thank you for doing your part to help foster a strong learning environment at LIS!

We're excited for the community to come out and support our band, cheerleaders, and teams on game nights. We have a few reminders for home games:

• All elementary and middle school students enter the game with an adult and sit with that adult throughout the game. Please do not drop your child off at a district event without supervision as they will not be allowed to enter.
• Student performances are the focus of the event. No one should be on the practice football field, soccer fields, or other areas away from the stadium.
• Please do not bring balls, frisbees, or other items to the game.
• Students cannot enter the stadium from the tailgate area.
• Spectators who are disruptive will be asked to leave

Thank you

Alan Penrose

Principal, LHS

December-January Events/Reminders for PTA

Our next meeting is January 16th in the Elementary Library - Doors open at 6:00pm with meeting to follow at 6:30.

We will be having our Winter Event January 25th from 3:00-5:00pm - Pajama Book Bingo - a flyer will be sent out soon!

Find us on Facebook: @lansing469pta

View our webpage: https://lansingpta.blogspot.com/

Website: https://www.usd469.net/o/usis
Location: 509 Ida Street, Lansing, KS, USA
Phone: (913) 297-0990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisusd469