OB Weekly News 10-7

OCTOBER

10 FIELD DAY!
12 Passport Night Planning Mtg. 7 p.m. 
13 Picture Retake Day
OBPTO Board Mtg. 9 a.m. 
14 End of First Quarter
Early Dismissal, 1:15 p.m.
18 3rd Gr. Performance, 7 p.m. 
19 Walk in the Park (during PE)
Dine Out Night, Noodles & Co. 5-9 p.m. 
20 Kdg. Field Trip- Thies Farm, 9-1:30 p.m. 
25 P/T Conferences, 4-8 p.m.
27 P/T Conferences, 1:30-7 p.m.
Early Dismissal, 1:15 p.m.
28 NO SCHOOL, Conference Compensation day 
29 Trunk or Treat @ OB, 3-4:30 p.m.
Announcements:
CELEBRATE THE USA at FIELD DAY
On Monday, Oct. 10 from 1:15-3:30p.m. (rain date Monday, Oct. 17) If you signed up to help, please pick up your instructions in the gym on Monday at 8:45 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Be sure your child is prepared for the weather, wears running shoes, brings a water bottle with his/her name on it, and wears RED, WHITE, and BLUE!
OB Trunk or Treat!
Saturday, October 29, from 3-4:30 p.m., All OB Elementary students & families are invited to wear their Halloween costumes and enjoy going from trunk to trunk collecting treats! This event is free and will include light refreshments. If you would like to join the fun by decorating your vehicle trunk and handing out treats, please register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ob-elementary-trunk-or-treat-registration-27939481742?ref=estw, Prizes will be given to the best decorated trunks! Limited space available, so register today!

PTO News
Bricks.... We are looking for bricks of any size, shape, or color to build a path in our Butterfly Garden. If you have any left over from a project that you'd like to donate, please contact Kate Hellmann at ktpichon@yahoo.com. Thank you to the Settler and Becker families for already contributing.
Amazon Did you know all of your Amazon orders could help out our PTO? http://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-4310750
Use the link above and Amazon will give 0.5% of eligible purchases back to Old Bonhomme PTO!
Buzz books went home last Friday, 1 per household. Thank you to our Buzz Book Chair, Jessica Goldman, and her committee, Nicole Addison and Terri Penn, for getting it done as quickly as possible. Thank you to Mrs. Roth for assisting in judging the artwork for the book as well. Our fourth graders did such a good job, we had to find a way to include as many illustrations as possible!
Thank you to our First Grade Social Chair, Sandhya Vollala, and her team of volunteers: Kelechi Loynd, Suzette Weiss, Seema Dugar, and Monai Prabagaran, for making last week's First Grade Social a huge success!
The Dance-A-Thon was also a huge success, and it could not have been possible without your support. We were able to raise over $20,000 to spend on the needs and wants of our school. Thank you to our DAT chairs: Jamie Caccciabando, Jayme Fingerman, and Anne Leidenfrost, for making the fundraising event so much fun. Coach Prange and Coach Jander, for teaching our kids all of those dances, and all of the DAT volunteers for helping with Prize Patrol, setting up and tearing down Friday night, cheering on the kids during the day, baking for our bake sale, selling baked goods or spirit wear, monitoring the kids, the chalk work, and dancing as Obi. If you got some amazing pictures from the event that you'd like to share with the school, please send them to oldbonhommepto@gmail.com

Lead Test Results
Due to recent news and concerns about levels of lead in the drinking water at public schools in the area, the water in all buildings in the district were tested on Sept. 7 and 8, 2016. We just received the final full report and the conclusion states the following: "All sample results had detections of lead below the federal and state action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). No further action is recommended at this time.” In fact, no faucet or water fountain tested higher than 2.9 ppb, and the vast majority were under 1.0 ppb.
LEF NEWS
ANNOUNCING A NEW FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT,
THE HARLEM WIZARDS, ON NOV. 6!
Don't miss this first-ever community event of its kind, hosted by the Ladue Education Foundation (LEF) and the Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Boys’ Basketball Program. Join us for a fun afternoon of high-flying and interactive sports entertainment with the world famous Harlem Wizards basketball team as they take on our own home team of Ladue School District teachers, staff and students. You'll be treated to great basketball skills, teamwork, slick dribbling, alley- oops and crazy slams. Come find out why the Wizards were the chosen entertainment for over 400 communities last season alone!
Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. at LHWHS Tickets are $15
(Reserved $20 and Courtside/VIP $30) BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://www.harlemwizards.com/schedule-tickets/(also available at the door)
Wizards jerseys also available!
Proceeds will benefit the Ladue School District and the LHWHS Boys’ Basketball Program.
See www.harlemwizards.com to learn more about the Wizards, now in their 54th season.
For information on volunteering or sponsorship, please contact the Ladue Education Foundation at lef@ladueschools.net.
The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to the district’s employment practices may be directed to Ken Rossics, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Inquiries related to district student programs may be directed to Dr. Derrick Wallace, Director of Student Services. Both administrators can be reached at Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, Saint Louis, MO 63124; 314-994-7080. 

OB Weekly News 9_23

SEPTEMBER

27 1st Gr. Social, 7-8 p.m.
30 Dance-A-Thon, 5-7 p.m.(not a drop-off event)
Quarterly Newsletter goes home 
OCTOBER
10 FIELD DAY!

13 Picture Retake Day
14 OBPTO Board Mtg. 9a.m.
End of First Quarter Early Dismissal, 1:15 p.m. 

18 3rd Gr. Performance, 7 p.m.
19 Walk in the Park (during PE)

Dine Out Night, Noodles & Co. 5-9 p.m. 
20 Kdg. Field Trip- Thies Farm, 9-1:30 p.m. 
25 P/T Conferences, 4-8 p.m.

27 P/T Conferences, 1:30-7 p.m.
Early Dismissal, 1:15 p.m.
28 NO SCHOOL, Conference Compensation day 
29 Trunk or Treat @ OB, 3-4 p.m.
Announcements:

First Grade Social

The First Grade Social event is just around the corner. On Tuesday, September 27, from 7-8 p.m., in the school gym, we have one of the top 'kids' music entertainers in St. Louis, Babaloo, performing! The kids will be dancing and singing their hearts out. Please come out for this exciting evening! This event is sponsored by the OBPTO. (Siblings are welcome) If you have any questions, please contact Sandhya Vollala at vollala76@gmail.com.

Dance-A-Thon/Parking

On Friday, September 30, there will be no parking allowed on the upper blacktop all day, due to set-up for the Dance-A-Thon. It can be used for student drop-off in the morning, but student pick-up will be at Stacy Park ONLY in the afternoon.

Dance-A-Thon Update
The OB Dance-A-Thon is next Friday, September 30! We are at 31% participation and we would love to see this number soar! There is plenty of time to turn in your pledges to the office or by visiting https://99pledges.com/fund/danceathon3/ in order to receive your prizes! Want to join our students and boogie to the beat? We are still gathering volunteers to assist in handing out treats, selling baked goods, and stirring up excitement on the dance floor. Daytime or evening shifts are available. Become involved by visiting Dance-A-Thon VolunteerOpportunities. Remember, this is not drop-off event, all students should be picked up at Stacy Park at 3:50 p.m. and then we hope to see everyone at the After Party from 5-7 p.m., for food trucks, dancing and dessert! Thank you, OB Community, for supporting our efforts and strengthening our school’s resources!
Six weeks of After-School Fun!
Planning of the After-School Classes is well underway and we are finalizing some exciting classes for students in all grade levels. The Fall 2016 six-week program will begin the week of November 1, and run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school. Please look for a registration packet to come home in your student’s Friday folder in mid-October. For more details about being a parent volunteer and earning a free class for your child or if you have any other questions about the After-School Program, contact Allison Brose at allison.brose@hotmail.com.

PTO News

We are looking for some adults willing to wear the Obi Eagle costume during school and PTO events. If you are interested, please contact Cathy Moore at cathymoocow@gmail.com.
Thank you to Bridget O'Neal and her committee (Debbie Pflanz, Jillian Thomadsen, Kelechi Loynd, Kate Haffenreffer, and Lori Sigel) for putting on an amazing Kindergarten Social Tuesday night. The kiddos had a great time making music with Babaloo!

We Are Family
Our O.B. families kick-off event occurred on Monday, September 19. Old Bonhomme is one big family who cares about each other! The goal of our families is to build relationships with staff and other students in the building. So, during monthly family meetings, your child or children will meet with their designated family and participate in engaging lessons that center on building relationships and choosing to be nice. The groups include a head of family which is someone who works at Old Bonhomme and 10-12 other students from kindergarten through fourth grade. From year to year your child will have the same family in order to build relationships within their school family. When fourth grade students move on to the Fifth Grade Center at the end of each year the incoming kindergartners will join each family the following year. We are excited to embark on this new adventure with our staff and students, knowing that it is our strong relationships that support learning and being the best we can be!

The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to the district’s employment practices may be directed to Ken Rossics, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Inquiries related to district student programs may be directed to Dr. Derrick Wallace, Director of Student Services. Both administrators can be reached at Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, Saint Louis, MO 63124; 314-994-7080. 

OB Weekly News 9-16

SEPTEMBER

20 Kdg. Social, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
27 1st Gr. Social, 7-8 p.m.
30 Dance-A-Thon, 5-7 p.m.(not a drop-off event)
Quarterly Newsletter goes home 
OCTOBER
10 FIELD DAY!
13 Picture Retake Day
OBPTO Board Mtg. 9a.m.
14 End of First Quarter
Early Dismissal, 1:15 p.m.
Announcements:
Volunteer Opportunity in First Grade
R.A.V.E. Program
(Reading And Volunteers = Excellence)

Are you interested in Volunteering your time and talent? Do you love to read and talk about books with children? Are you interested in helping children practice reading and writing skills? Are you yearning to make a real difference in your community and in our school? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you...

Time Commitment:

One Training Session (30-45 min)
Two hours per week for two- nine week sessions (18 total days)
If you are interested, or would like more information about this rewarding opportunity, please contact Becky Bennick-Butts at bbennick-butts@ladueschools.net, or through voicemail at 983-5843.

CURE
Community, Understanding, Respect, Education
A committee of parents/guardians of African- American students that meets four times a year on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Administrative Center.
Join these invaluable conversations on topics related to student achievement. The 2016-2017 Meeting Dates are: October 20, November 17, February 16, and April 20.
Contact Beth Hufford at bhufford@ladueschools.net or 314-983-5302 if you would like to receive reminders of these meetings.
Dance-A-Thon
On September 30, during PE classes, students will participate in OB’s first ever Dance-A-Thon. Then that evening, from 5-7p.m., the fun will continue with a free After-Party on the OB Blacktop. All students, families & friends are welcome to attend. This is not a drop-off event.
Show us your Bonhomme Beat, or kick back with dinner & dessert from local food trucks and the OB Bake Sale! We look forward to announcing the grand total of our efforts! There will be shout-outs from DJ Mike Rocks, giveaways, games & grade level performances...We hope to see you at our first community event of the school year!

The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to the district’s employment practices may be directed to Ken Rossics, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Inquiries related to district student programs may be directed to Dr. Derrick Wallace, Director of Student Services. Both administrators can be reached at Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, Saint Louis, MO 63124; 314-994-7080.

OB Weekly News 9-9

SEPTEMBER

14 Walk in the Park (during PE)
20 Kdg. Social, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
27 1st Gr. Social, 7-8 p.m.
30 OBPTO Dance-A-Thon, 5-7 p.m.
Announcements:
Dance-A-Thon
Hello OB! We are so excited about all of the pledges that the Dance-A-Thon is collecting on behalf ofour beboppin' Old Bonhomme School! We are more than halfway to our $10,000 goal which will help achieve a "1-1 tech" ratio for our school. Remember, you can turn in cash or checks (payable to OBPTO) at anytime to the office. The faster that pledges are received, the sooner you will earn prizes! Check out our progress at https://99pledges.com/fund/danceathon3/. For more Dance-A-Thon information visit obpto.squarespace.com. Ask your child if he/ she has learned any new dance moves during PE this week. We are so proud of our superstar community!
PTO News
Membership information: Thank you to all 141 families that joined the OBPTO. We collected almost $11,000 in dues!! To add to that, did you know that some employers have "Matching Gifts" Programs? We know that Monsanto, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo will match your membership donation. Please check with your employer to see if they have a matching program you could take advantage of to earn more dollars to support our children and school.
Dad's Club Happy Hour- Wednesday, September 21st 8:00pm at Fallon's. Please mark your calendars for a fun dads night out at Fallons (note: this is not a school sponsored event).
Thank you- Thank you to Lisa Hirshberg and her volunteers for making Picture Day go so smoothly on Thursday!

Art News
We will be using the online digital portfolios again through the website ARTSONIA.COM We began using Artsonia last year and already have over 3,000 artworks uploaded from last year. I think the site is remarkable and the products for sale are excellent quality. Artsonia will replace the previous fundraiser through Square One Art.
This year the students will be uploading their own works of art using Ipads in the art studio. Ask your artist to show you their portfolio in Artsonia.
There are many ways to access your artist’s portfolio: You can purchase items with your artist’s artwork on them, comment on your artists’ work, you can see your child’s portfolio from last year and share your artists’ portfolio with family and friends. You can change your settings as to how many emails you receive and see other artworks to inspire your artist to create even more works of art!
Character Council
It's time for Old Bonhomme's Character Council 2016-17 to get underway! Character Council is comprised of third and fourth grade students who participate in different activities throughout the year to promote good character to everyone in our building. This is a SOARiffic way for students to develop their leadership skills and give back to our school. If you have a third and/or fourth grade student, please consider talking with them about this opportunity!
Click on the link: Character Council Application to go directly to the online application.
The deadline has been extended to Monday, September 12. If you have any questions contact Mrs. Arnold at harnold@ladueschools.net.
Cafeteria News
Students have You tried breakfast in the Cafeteria? Join us all month and you will have a chance to win fun prizes !

Old Bonhomme School
2016-17 Special Education Introductions
Ms. Sarah Remsen
Ms. Remsen is a Paraprofessional for Special School District. This is her second year being a Para. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Art Education from UMSL. She is currently working on her Master's Degree in Special Education from Fontbonne University. Her goal is to eventually receive another Master's degree in Fine Arts from Fontbonne University.
Mrs. Carol Litton
Mrs. Litton is an elementary ed graduate from Oklahoma Baptist University and she has taught first, second and third grades for many years. This is her fifth year with SSD as a paraprofessional (2 years were at Spoede Elementary). This will be her second year at Old Bonhomme. She has been married for over 40 years and has two sons and two grandsons. She is expecting her first granddaughter any day now!
Miss Christina Callahan
Miss Callahan is starting her fourth school year as a SSD paraprofessional at Old Bonhomme. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with honors and a Bachelor's Degree in Special and Elementary Education. She student taught with SSD in 2012 at Combs Elementary School in a K-3 resource room. She is now attending Graduate school at UMSL, and is working on her Masters in Autism Education. Miss Callahan also does respite care for the St. Louis Arc on the weekends. She is excited to start a new year with the amazing students and staff at OB!

Lunch at OB
We are always happy to have parents join us for lunch, however lunch is also a social time for students to sit and visit with their friends. Please consider making it a “special occasion" visit only, for example, birthday or star of the week.
When having lunch with your child you may invite up to two additional students to sit with you at another table that is not in use by classes. More than two friends makes others feel left out. After lunch, please say good-bye in the cafeteria and the student will walk back with their class. At that time, you will sign out in the office.

The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to the district’s employment practices may be directed to Ken Rossics, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Inquiries related to district student programs may be directed to Dr. Derrick Wallace, Director of Student Services. Both administrators can be reached at Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, Saint Louis, MO 63124; 314-994-7080. 

OB Weekly News 9-2

SEPTEMBER

5. 5  NO SCHOOL- Labor Day
   
6. 6  3-4 Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m. (Parents Only)
   
7. 7  Dine Out Night- California Pizza Kitchen, 4-7 p.m.
   
8. 8  School Picture Day!
      PTO Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
9. 14 Walk in the Park (during PE) 
10. 20 Kdg. Social, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Announcements:
Dance-A-Thon
The Dance-A-Thon is in full swing, keep those pledges coming in! Prizes will be distributed as money is received. Want to help out with this event? DAT Committee is looking for volunteers interested in baking goods for the “After Party” on 9/30. If you are willing to bake for this event please contact Marianne Wolken at mariannewolken@yahoo.com
PTO News
Did you know that some employers have "Matching Gifts" Programs? We know that Monsanto, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo will match your membership donation. Please check with your employer to see if they have a matching program you could take advantage of to earn more dollars to support our children and school. We are looking for some adults willing to wear the Obi Eagle costume during school events. If you are interested, please contact Cathy Moore at cathymoocow@gmail.com.
OBPTO Frontenac Tennis Carnival
September 10, 6-8 p.m. is the Frontenac Racket Club "Tennis Carnival" fundraiser. It is limited to 120 students, and is first come first serve. The cost is $25 and pizza is served. Checks are made payable to the OBPTO. Look for more details on Peachjar! Still have questions? Email Chris Ward at chrisw@frontenactennis.com or call (314) 991-5599.

BOX TOP News
This year the art studio will continue to collect Boxtops! Boxtops are a great way to earn a little extra cash for our school. Each Boxtop is worth 10 cents and they add up fast! The art studio is offering a crayon eraser to any student that collects 25 boxtops. There are collection sheets outside the art studio to help you count or you can simply put the 25 boxtops in a baggie with your name and class on the bag.
Bring your collections to the art studio and Mrs. Roth will give you the crayon shaped eraser.
Thank you for supporting the art program, arts integration and special assemblies at Old Bonhomme through the Boxtops program!
Library News
This is the last call for summer reading forms to be turned in to the OB library! According to the St. Louis County Library, 58 students from our school completed the Summer Reading Club--that's spectacular! Mrs. Kelley would like to recognize each and every one of those readers, so please print off the summer reading record from the county library website and send it in to school!
Character Council
It's time for Old Bonhomme's Character Council
2016-2017 to get underway! Character Council is comprised of third and fourth grade students who participate in different activities throughout the year to promote good character to everyone in our building. This is a SOARiffic way for students to develop their leadership skills and give back to our school. If you have a third and/or fourth grade student, please consider talking with them about this opportunity! Click on the link to access the Character Council online application.
Interested students should fill out the application and submit it by Wednesday, September 7. If you have any questions contact Mrs. Arnold at harnold@ladueschools.net.

Old Bonhomme School 2016-17 Support Staff Introductions
Ms. Robin Mayfield
Ms. Mayfield joins us as a building Teacher Assistant (TA). She has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Elementary Education from UMSL where she was on the Dean’s List and a member of the Honor Society and Honors College. She student taught from August through May last year at Hanna Woods Elementary School in the Parkway School District. She was active in Girl Scouting and served as a camp counselor for 6 years. One interesting fact is that she’s an Old Bonhomme and Ladue graduate!
Mr. Kal Smith
Mr. Smith joined us last year as a teacher assistant in February when our kindergarten classes went over the class size policy. Mr. Smith has a B.A. in Elementary Education from UMSL and taught second grade for two years at Mullanphy in the St. Louis Public Schools. The TA position works out well since he is also in law school at St. Louis University and hopes to focus on educational law.
Ms. Ashley Powell
Ms. Powell has her B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Missouri Baptist University. Her field and student teaching experiences were at Rossman School, Bierbaum Elementary in the Mehlville School District, Twin Oaks Christian School, and the Parkway Central Early Childhood Center. Most recently she worked as a Teacher’s Aide at the Gateway Science Academy, which is a math and science magnet school in the city.
Ms. Chelsie Spellmeyer
Ms. Spellmeyer is our Title 1 Math TA. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Lindenwood and an M.S. in Educational Leadership and Curriculum. She has two years of classroom teaching experience and has been a substitute teacher in Francis Howell and the Wentzville School Districts the last two years while she worked on her Master’s Degree. She was a classmate of Mrs. Wright, our third grade teacher, at Lindenwood University.

Ms. Kalynn Keil
Ms. Keil comes to us as a graduate of Fontbonne University with her B.A. in Elementary Education, where she was on the Dean’s List. She student Taught for a full semester in Fort Zumwalt in fifth grade and she has two years of classroom teaching experience in first and fourth grade. She currently lives in Wright City, MO so we’re thrilled she is willing to make the daily commute and bring her talents to OB.
Ms. Danielle Myers
Ms. Myers joined us last year as a Supervisory Assistant (SA) who begins her five-hour day with bus duty in the morning. This year she assists in classrooms and interventions as well as all lunch shifts. Ms. Myers is working with us while finishing her degree in Early Childhood Education at UMSL, which will certify her to teach Pre-K through third grade. We’re hoping she’ll decide to student teach at Old Bonhomme in the near future.
Mrs. Deanna Kendrick
Mrs. Kendrick joins our team as a Supervisory Assistant (SA) who will work a five hour schedule in the middle of the school day. She has been a stay-at- home parent with her four kids and just sent her first off to college! According to the references from Dr. Mosher, a Principal in the Pattonville School District where her children attend, she is the volunteer extraordinaire. She is his go-to parent when something needs to get done. It sounds like she’ll fit in well around here! We recruited her through a neighborhood friendship with Coach Jander, one of our PE teachers.
Look for the introductions of our SSD Paraprofessionals coming soon! 

OB Weekly News 8-26

AUGUST

30 K-2 Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.(Parents Only)
SEPTEMBER
5  NO SCHOOL- Labor Day
6  3-4 Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m. (Parents Only)
7  Dine Out Night- California Pizza Kitchen, 4-7 p.m.
8  School Picture Day!
   PTO Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
14 Walk in the Park (during PE)
Announcements:
Morning Drop Off News
We are all adjusting to the construction nicely! At the same time we are preparing for fall weather which will certainly mean some increased drivers on inclement weather days. As a trial effort, we are going to keep the front circle drive open to morning drop off to provide some relief.
Please note:
1. You will not be able to park anywhere in the circle drive.
2. Drop off students next to the curb only for their safety and remain in a single file line. 
3. If our buses arrive and no curb access is available, we must bring the buses into the center of the circle drive to unload. This means that if your car is near the curb you may be held in place and asked to turn off your car for a few minutes while we unload the buses.
Remember that there is a crossing guard available from Stacy Park to the school sidewalk if you prefer to drop off there.
Picture Day
Picture Day is Thursday, September 8. You can order portraits now at mylifetouch.com using Picture Day ID JO016168Q0.

PTO News
Buzz Book- Don’t Forget! Sept. 2 is the last day to get your Buzz Book form turned in to be included in this year’s buzz book.
Did you know most of your Amazon.com orders could support our school? Simply make your purchases through AmazonSmile:Youshop.Amazongives. and select "Old Bonhomme Parent Teacher Organization" as your charitable organization and our school will get 0.5% of each eligible purchase!
Thank you to all of the families that signed up to volunteer at any of our great events and fundraisers. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to oldbonhommepto@gmail.com.
Our new fall FUNraiser is here! The Old Bonhomme Dance-A-Thon will have our students moving and grooving throughout the month while raising money for our school! Look for detailed information and an invitation to an evening family event coming home in backpacks.
Nurse’s Notes
The nurse needs your outgrown clothes! If your kids have clothing that no longer fit, consider donating them to the nurse. The clinic especially needs underwear (new or gently used) and bottoms (shorts or pants) for sizes 5 and up. Thank you!
OB Spirit Wear
Get your Old Bonhomme Spirit Wear HERE! We have all new designs this year. Please have your order in by Thursday, September 1, and your purchases will be sent home with your child the week of Sept 12. If you have any questions you can contact Amy Doughty at amyleahs@yahoo.com.

Principal News
Dr. Allen, the Ladue Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, is sending information to all elementary school parents about changes in the curriculum and instruction areas including some staffing changes that took place over the summer. Please take a minute to read over her letter because it goes more in depth about the new math materials being used to teach our curriculum objectives this year. I wanted to share a few additional notes.
The Math in Focus program, based on Singapore Math, was researched for almost two years prior to adoption. It is being introduced in Kindergarten through Third Grade this year, and next year Fourth Grade will implement it. The new series has increased rigor as well as classroom strategies for intervention and enrichment.
This year we have a full time Math Specialist Teacher role, filled at OB by Mr. Andrews. His main responsibilities will be providing extra assistance to students who find math challenging, collaborating with grade level teams to best differentiate math instruction to meet the needs of all students, assist with the implementation of the new math materials (Math In Focus), and provide coaching and professional development on best instructional practices in math. At Old Bonhomme we also have Ms. Spellmeyer, a Math TA hired through Title 1 funds, for math support. Although there will not be an Enrichment TA this year, we intend to work collaboratively with all of our resources to meet the needs of all students. The 2nd and 4th grade robotics program will be facilitated through the collaboration of the Technology Specialist and the classroom teachers.
Curriculum Night
We hope to see you on your child’s curriculum night (K-2 on 8/30 and 3-4 on 9/6) The following Specialists will also be available to answer any questions you might have:

3-4 Curriculum Night:
Learning Lab- Stacy Butz
Math Intervention- Kevin Andrews
Spanish- Anton Martin

PE- Coach Connie Jander & Coach Matt Prange
SSD- Stephanie Fulford
Counselor- Hayley Arnold

K-2 Curriculum Night:
Technology- Patricia Brown
Music- Meghan Ladue
Library- Susan Kelley
Enrichment- Tammy MacLean
Art- Lisa Roth
Learning Lab- Becky Bennick-Butts 
Counselor- Hayley Arnold
LEF NEWS
It's a special 10th Anniversary Celebration for the Ladue Education Foundation. Join us at our
Annual Community Breakfast on 9/30 from 7–9 a.m. at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. $50 individual reserved seats Featuring Special Guest Speakers and Foundation & District Updates REGISTER NOW: LEF Breakfast Registration Form For ten years, we’ve funded innovative grants and programs that support the Ladue School District. On this 10th anniversary of the Ladue Education Foundation (LEF), we hope you’ll join us in continuing our pursuit of excellence on behalf of all the students in our community. SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: Breakfast Sponsorship Form
Then. . . lace up your shoes and join us for the LEF Annual ‘Due Run on Saturday, October 1!
After the run/walk, the festivities will continue at the finish line, with attendance prizes, music, food and drinks. Please continue to enjoy homecoming festivities throughout the day. Register now to secure your spot, guarantee your t-shirt size, and save $5 on fees! Early bird registration available until September 18:'Due Run Registration Form The ‘Due Run 4 Education is a community-wide event supporting the LEF’s mission of advancing the excellence of the Ladue School District by expanding opportunities for student success. Your sponsorship is a crucial source of funding. SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: 'Due Run SponsorshipForm
We depend on donors like you, who come together as a community to celebrate our successes, learn about current initiatives, and support our future programs. 

OB Weekly News 8-19

AUGUST 
23 Room Parent Mtg. 7p.m.

24 Chair Committee Mtg. 7 p.m.
30 K-2 Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.(Parents Only)
SEPTEMBER
5  NO SCHOOL- Labor Day
6  3-4 Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m. (Parents Only)
8 School Picture Day!
Announcements:
THANK YOU FROM MRS. KIRCHGESSNER
Thanks for a wonderful first week of the 2016-17 school year! I’ll admit to having a few nightmares about the construction and early start time, but I should have known this community would pull together and make it work! It was amazing to see the flexibility and patience of everyone involved in making it a smooth transition for our students. Everyone played a part and I’m extremely grateful that our students were able to see the way adults show character and how to “Choose to be Nice” even when faced with challenges! It makes me proud to be an Old Bonhomme Eagle!
OB Summer Updates
You may have noticed the new lights on our parking lots and our new marquee. Now that we have our key and new letters for the marquee we can’t wait to start using it!
Picture Day
Picture Day is Thursday, September 8. You can order portraits now at mylifetouch.com using Picture Day ID JO016168Q0.

MAP TEST RESULTS
MAP test results from last spring will be released from the state and sent home to parents of current fourth and fifth grade students in mid September. If you have any questions about this please contact Mrs. Arnold at harnold@ladueschools.net
OB Spirit Wear
Get your Old Bonhomme Spirit Wear HERE! We have all new designs this year. Please have your order in by Thursday, September 1, and your purchases will be sent home with your child the week of Sept 12. If you have any questions you can contact Amy Doughty at amyleahs@yahoo.com.
PARENT HANDBOOKS AND SAFETY LETTER
If you were a little overwhelmed with getting the year started and only glanced at the Old Bonhomme Parent and Ladue Schools Elementary Student Handbooks, we encourage you to take time this weekend to really read through it. You may be surprised how much great information they contain.
Also this week you will receive the OB Parent Safety letter with information about our Safety Procedures. It even has a link to the script we use when we practice for building intruders so be sure to check it out!
Summer Reading Program
Did your student participate in the St. Louis County Library summer reading program? If so, be sure to send in the reading log you kept over the summer to the Old Bonhomme library so Mrs. Kelley can celebrate your reader!

PTO THANK YOU!!!
The PTO would like to thank The Grill Master Dads and all who helped make the Back to School BBQ a fun time! Without all your help we wouldn't have been able to pull it off. There are still spots available for volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Simply send an email to oldbonhommepto@gmail.com.
Thank you to all the parents that stopped by the First Morning Coffee, it was great to meet so many new people.
Also, don't forget to fill out your Buzz Book forms. All PTO forms are due by Friday, September 2, 2016. We have about 100 families that have joined the PTO thus far.
We are very excited for this year at Old Bonhomme, it's looking to be a great one!
Any questions feel free to contact your PTO Executive Board below:
President - Jen Jim jen_jim@ymail.com
VP of Events- Sara Goellner goellnerse@gmail.com
VP of Fundraising - Sarah Glasser
smteal@yahoo.com
Co Treasurer - Stephanie Dahl
sfarmst@monsanto.com
Co Treasurer - Jillian Thomadsen
jillianthomadsen@yahoo.com
Recording Secretary - Jenny Kissel
jenny.kissel@gmail.com
Corresponding Secretary - Heather Lloyd
gleasonheather@hotmail.com
Parent District Council Rep - Anna Poger
annapoger@gmail.com

Parent District Council Rep- Heather Huewe
hhuewe@hotmail.com
Past President- Becky Marbarger
beckymarbarger@sbcglobal.net
Don't forget to check out our new PTO Website at
www.obpto.squarespace.com
OB’s Got Character
Howdy! You may have noticed staff members wearing rodeo attire this Wednesday. We weren’t just horsin’ around. Each classroom teacher lassoed his or her students together and took them through several stations around the building to teach school-wide expectations. The stations included the cafeteria, hallways, and practicing what it looks and sounds like during arrival and dismissal. Those school-wide expectations are: Be in control of your voice, Be in control of your body, and Do your work. While the classroom teachers took their students through the building stations, Coach Jander and Coach Prange trotted through Recess Rodeo where they talked to the students about recess expectations. We feel It is important to teach our students the value of appropriate behavior in a school setting. We focus time and energy at the elementary level on the prevention of misbehavior through proactive instruction and interventions. We are looking forward to a great year and appreciate you encouraging these positive behaviors at home too!

The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs or activities. Inquiries related to the district’s employment practices may be directed to Ken Rossics, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Inquiries related to district student programs may be directed to Dr. Derrick Wallace, Director of Student Services. Both administrators can be reached at Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, Saint Louis, MO 63124; 314-994-7080.