Cougar Connection

Each month the LKMS staff identifies two students at each grade level as the "Students of the Month." These students consistently display the LKMS virtues of being kind, responsible and safe. In addition, these students are leaders and role models amongst their peers. A huge congratulations to each of our September students. We are so proud of each of you!

Our conferences scheduled for Thursday, February 20 will now be rescheduled for the afternoon/evening of Thursday, February 27. If you have a zoom conference scheduled for tomorrow afternoon from 3:15-5:15 PM with any teacher, that conference will automatically be rescheduled for the same time on Thursday, 2/27. You will use the same link to access the meeting on 2/27 (links will be resent next week). If you are unable to attend your new conference date and time as previously planned, please reach out directly to the teacher to cancel or reschedule.

We will be holding walk-in conferences from 6:00-8:30 PM on Thursday 2/27. Walk-in conferences will be held in the LKMS gym.

Blue Valley has many exciting opportunities of study that await your student during their time in high school in Blue Valley.

Blue Valley has developed a partnership with Johnson County Community College (JCCC) to offer options for career ready certifications in a variety of fields. The Career Ready Programs currently available for students on the campus of JCCC are:

• Automation Engineer

• Automotive Technology

• Culinary and Hospitality

• Cybersecurity

• Electrical Technology

• Electronics Technology

• Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning

• Plumbing Technology

• Welding and Metal Fabrication

Additionally, students who want to get a jumpstart on their college education can also choose to earn their associate’s degree, along with their high school diploma, as full-time JCCC students during their junior and senior years in high school- at little to no cost to them or their families.

Blue Valley also offers a Fire Science program in collaboration with the Overland Park Fire Department. to offer a pathway for students to earn certifications toward being a firefighter/paramedic.

While these opportunities are a few years away for your student, we know that it is never too early to start planning for your child’s future.

Career Ready Programs will be offering opportunities for students to visit the OPFD Fire Training Center and JCCC to see the programs in action, speak with faculty and students and learn even more about these exciting opportunities!

OPFD trip: April 1st (12:30-2:00 @ OPFD FTC)

JCCC trip: April 2nd (12:30-2:00 @ JCCC)

• NOTE: students will select from two different tours at JCCC.

• Tour 1: CRP Tour (auto, welding, HVAC, culinary, etc.): students will tour the CTEC building on the campus of JCCC

• Tour 2: Dual Degree Tour: students will go on a general campus tour (academic buildings, student center, library, etc)

To sign your student up for either/both trips, please complete this FORM by 8:00 am on Monday, March 3rd. Transportation will be provided.

To learn more about these opportunities, please email Adam Wessel, Director of Career Ready Programs, at ajwessel@bluevalleyk12.org and/or Sarah Beren, Career Ready Programs Liaison to JCCC, at sberen@bluevalleyk12.org.

Do you know a Blue Valley educator who goes above and beyond to cultivate a learning environment where relationships are the cornerstone, where kindness and compassion are guiding principles, and making a profound difference in the lives of young people is not just a goal but a lived reality? Help the Blue Valley Educational Foundation (BVEF) recognize their extraordinary impact by nominating them today for the BVEF annual Champion for Students Award! This $2,500 BVEF award recognizes three exemplary teachers (one elementary, one middle, and one high) whose impact extends far beyond the learning environment, shaping the trajectory of their students’ journeys and leaving an enduring legacy of excellence.

Any member of the Blue Valley Schools’ Community (e.g., school administrator, student, family member, staff, etc.) is welcome to submit one nomination on behalf of an educator (any staff member in Blue Valley Schools - teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, kitchen manager, etc.). The application window will open on February 10th and close on March 7th.

To nominate an educator, complete the 2025 BVEF Champion for Students Award form by Friday, March 7th.

If you are MOVING or MAY NOT BE RETURNING to Lakewood Middle, please let our registrar know NOW at mprelogar@bluevalleyk12.org. Your student should still complete the enrollment form they are given, but we need to know your plans/potential plans- will the student attend a public or private school in Kansas or out of state? This specific information is crucial for us to release records. If you have any questions, please contact Madeline Prelogar, Registrar, at the email listed above.

Have you ever wondered how to monitor your child’s usage on their Blue Valley device? We have parent tools that allow you to receive notifications to ensure your child is using their device safely. School staff members monitor these devices during the school day and intervene, when necessary. However, parents can receive alerts if concerns arise when students use devices after school hours–including weekends and school breaks. Check out the Securly Home Parent Portal App here.

Blue Valley Schools is committed to promoting and fostering a safe environment in and around all of our schools. Through the convergence of physical and intellectual security measures, we are continuously working to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from a wide range of emergencies. Please check out available ways to report safety concerns.

This is a reminder that all student Chromebooks should be charged before returning to school. It is very important that students come prepared to school each day, including with their fully-charged Chromebook. We do not have loaner Chromebooks for students who leave theirs at home or come without a charged computer. Each student is responsible for taking good care of their Chromebooks. Loss of a Chromebook or intentional damage to a Chromebook can result in a $100 charge. If a student is having an issue with their Chromebook, they can always come to the library for help.

As the weather is getting colder, the car line is longer in the morning and the afternoon. We need your help to keep the car line moving efficiently and to keep everyone safe. Please remember that you need to pull all the way forward in the line before dropping off your student. If you are dropping a student off you can wait in the car line or park and have your student walk across the crosswalk. The outside lane should only be used to leave the parking lot or pull into the parking area. Please do not enter the drop off line from the outside lane. We appreciate your help in keeping our parking lot safe!

It is essential that students arrive on time to school so they can be present for all instruction. The following policy will be implemented for students who arrive tardy to 1st hour:

• Teachers begin their classes at 7:51 and every late arrival creates an interruption that takes away from the learning environment - and students often miss key instructional elements when they arrive late.
• We will closely track tardies. When a student reaches their 4th late arrival to school a notification email will be sent to parents. On the 5th late arrival (and subsequent late arrivals) the student will be assigned a morning or afternoon detention to be served within the same week.
• The tally for tardies will reset each quarter**** (new tardies will start being tracked for 3rd quarter on Monday, January 13)

Community Celebrations and Observances - to promote awareness and appreciation of our Blue Valley families.

Some March Celebrations & Observances:

• The Nineteen Day Fast - March 1-19 - a time of prayer, meditation, and fasting, some adult members of the Baháʼí faith refrain from food and water from sunrise to sunset each day. This practice might include prayers of spiritual preparation for the new year.

• Ramadan - evening of March 1-30 - the holy month of fasting for the Islamic faith. For some Muslim families, it is a time for introspection, communal prayer, reading the Qur’an, and fasting between sunrise and sunset.

• Ash Wednesday - March 5 - a Christian holiday signifying the first day of the Lenten season, the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading to Easter. Some families will attend religious services and receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead.

• Holi - March 14 - known as the Hindu festival of colors, Holi honors the triumph of good over evil and marks the beginning of Spring. Some families will light bonfires, throw colorful powder called gulal, eat sweets, and dance to traditional music.

• Eid al Fitr - March 31 - marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Some families will celebrate the “Festival of Breaking the Fast” by joining in communal prayer and meals, visiting family, gift-giving, and charity.

We know there may be times when unexpected circumstances present a hardship for families in our community. Blue Valley has resources within each school available to help students through challenging times, including counselors, social workers, school psychologists and building administrators.

• On the District website, the Student Well-Being page provides valuable information for families who may need support outside of what the school provides.

• We also want to make sure you are aware of a Family Support and Resources Request under the Families heading on our school website. The request link can also be found at the bottom of our homepage under the School Quick Links heading. Information submitted on this form related to a specific situation and family need will be reviewed by the building principals and the school social worker. While we cannot guarantee that we can provide the requested resources, we will do our best to identify and recommend available support.

Blue Valley Schools is committed to promoting and fostering a safe environment in and around all our schools. We are continuously working to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from a wide range of situations. Please check out available ways to report safety concerns.

Why are structured expectations important? As we reset for the start of another semester, it is important for students to have a few reminders about what is expected and why. Our LKMS structured expectations help us maintain a positive environment and ensure that students know what is expected of them, regardless of where they are in the building.

LKMS PTO is opening a spirit wear store! We are using a new company and there are many new fun designs for sale! The online store will be open for several weeks, but any order placed by Friday, Jan 17th will arrive to school by the first week of February. To order, visit Ruby Lane Designs LKMS.

Any questions can be directed to jennifercdavenport@gmail.com

The LKMS PTO is now on Facebook! Please follow us for PTO news and school information! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565738816285&scrlybrkr=96814e09

Monday, February 24

• Yearbook club in room 302 (7:30-7:45 AM)
• Diversity council in room 165 (3:00-3:30 PM)
• B1 basketball game away vs ABMS (4:25 PM)

Tuesday, February 25

• Cheer Practice 7:00-7:45 AM
• Jazz band @ 7:10 AM
• AI Club in room 161 (3:00-4:00 PM)
• Chess club in room 106 (3:00-4:00 PM)
• D&D club in the library - 6th grade (3:00-4:00 PM)
• 3D club in room 138 (3:00-4:00 PM)
• Newspaper club in room 107 (3:00-4:00 PM)
• Boys Basketball practice (3:00-4:45 PM)

Wednesday, February 26

• FCS in Room 208 (7:00a-7:45 AM)
• STUCO in room 203 (3:10-3:40 PM)
• D&D club in the library - 7th and 8th grade (3:00-4:00 PM)
• Video Game Club in Room 310 (3:10p-4:00p)
  
• Service club in room 303
• Bracelet Making Club in Room 301
• A2 boys basketball away vs. OMS (3:25 PM)
• A1 boys basketball away vs. OMS (4:25 PM)
• B-team boys basketball vs. OMS @ home (3:25 PM)

Thursday, February 27

• Walk-in conferences, 6:00-8:30 PM
• A2 boys basketball away vs. OMS (3:25 PM)
• A1 boys basketball away vs. OMS (4:25 PM)

Friday, February 21

• Math Counts (3:00-4:00 PM)

• Boys Basketball practice (3:00-4:45 PM)

These messages are sent from an unmonitored account. If you have specific questions, please email Lisa Stolper (lostolper@bluevalleyk12.org) or Dylan Owings (dowings@bluevalleyk12.org).