IMPORTANT DATES:

            September 1                LABOR DAY—Schools and offices closed.
            September 3                MAGAZINE SALE COLLECTION
            September 3                PTA EXECUTIVE BOARD, 7:00 pm, Media Center
            September 5                MAGAZINE PRIZE DAY
            September 10              MAGAZINE SALES COLLECTION
            September 11               MAGAZINE PRIZE DAY
            September 17              MAGAZINE SALES COLLECTION
            September 19              MAGAZINE PRIZE DAY
            September 24              MAGAZINE SALES COLLECTION
            September 24              SCHOOL PICTURES
            September 25              BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, 7:00 p.m.
            September 30              ROSH HASHAAH—Schools and offices closed.

REMEMBER TO SEND BACK ALL OF THE NUMEROUS FORMS
THAT WERE SENT HOME THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year! What an exciting time of year this is for the staff as we eagerly prepare for our students to return. Welcome to our new students and to our returning 7th and 8th graders. There have been lots of smiles as friends reunite and return to their school routines.

TeacherEase will be back this year and teachers are busy inputting their class lists. Please send in email addresses as soon as possible so we can update our accounts. Parents and students should be able to access their students’ grades within the next few weeks. We are thankful to the PTA for their support of this important communication tool.

The Lime Kiln teachers will continue to update their websites on TeacherWeb. Assignments, curriculum information and important links will appear on these sites.

The annual Magazine Drive kick-off was on Wednesday. Please support this major fundraiser for our school. The proceeds have enabled us to update our television program, provide educational and engaging cultural arts programs, provide excellent communication tools, such as TeacherWeb and TeacherEase, and support multiple educational opportunities for our students.

Due to our increasing enrollment, two additional staffing positions were provided this year. Additionally, we lost some staff members to private industry and professional growth. However, LKMS has added outstanding replacements that are all experienced teachers. Please welcome the following: Deana Abrams (Health), Lisa Katzen (Reading Specialist), John Lippert (6/8 Reading), Starsha Driver (7/8 Reading), Tegan Mancini (7 Social Studies), Liz Tenaglia (7 Special Education), Jennifer Saks (7 Math). We also welcome our new ELL assistant, Katie Keddell. There were three weddings over the spring and summer; so three staff members have new surnames—Karen McVay (Eckstein), Jinny Bae (Shin) and Jennifer Eckley (Dixon). Congratulations to them!

Mrs. Ober and I are very excited to start the 2008-2009 school year. We hope that it will be one of the best for your children and for you. Please do not hesitate to contact the school regarding any questions you may have.

Warmest regards,
Brenda Thomas

7th Grade Parents/Guardians and Students The 7th Grade team would like to welcome all of the new 7th Grade students and parents. We are looking forward to a great year and hope that the students are already making many special memories. The first week has gone very smoothly, and we look forward to getting to know you better over the upcoming weeks and months.

Just a few reminders: All 7th grade teachers will continue their use of TeacherWeb to post homework assignments and links to helpful websites. We will also continue our use of TeacherEase this year. Remember that you can stay updated on your child’s academic progress in each class on a 24-hour basis with the use of this online tool. I would encourage you to return the TeacherEase letter that went home on 8/25 if you have not already done so. After that, you can expect an invitation email from TeacherEase in the near future.

Please check out the Leopard’s Tale in the upcoming weeks for additional news about what is happening in 7th grade.

Thanks for your support in helping us get off to a great start this year and we all look forward to seeing you at Back to School Night.
                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    W. Todd Kelly
                                                                                    7th Grade Social Studies/Team Leader

From the PTA:

Many forms and papers came home in the first day folder. One very important form that came home was a membership form to join the PTA. However, some of you may have missed receiving your membership envelope. If you did not receive a membership envelope, please forward your membership form and dues to school in a plain envelope and mark it "Membership Chair." We hope that all parents join this year.

The fundraising efforts of the PTA have started. The biggest one is the magazine drive, which had its kickoff on Wednesday. The PTA hopes that all families will participate in this fundraiser. However, if you choose not to purchase or renew any magazines, it would be great if you would consider a direct donation instead. Your participation in one of these two major fundraisers would be appreciated.

Another fundraiser, which is in place most of the school year, is the grocery store education program. Our school now participates in Bloom (LKMS #01174) and Harris Teeter's (LKMS # 7193) education programs as well as continuing with the Giant and Safeway education programs. Please register your grocery cards with these stores for LKMS to receive the benefits.

PTA is still looking for people to chair some of the committees that are vacant. If you are not sure what you can do to help or how much time is involved with a committee, please contact me (301-317-1766) or jeanne_lineberry@verizon.net for information.

I hope everyone has a great and restful Labor Day weekend.

Jeanne Lineberry
President, LKMS PTA

Direct Donations - Direct Donation Letters and Envelopes came home the first day of school and can be sent in with your child to their homeroom teacher. The PTA provides many valuable services for you and your children at Lime Kiln Middle School. To be able to provide these services, the PTA raises money throughout the school year with several different fundraisers. One alternative the PTA offers those families who do not wish to participate in fundraisers or do not have the time to sell is direct donation. The PTA estimates that it spends $60.00 a year for each child on items such as helping to purchase TeacherEase, the grading program so many parents and students rely on, as well as over $10,000 worth of PTA cultural arts events such as drug and smoking awareness. Your donation is completely tax deductible and you will receive a receipt acknowledging your gift. Donations of any size are welcome, and every dollar will be used to support our students and teachers. If you have any questions, please contact Leanne Glueck, lglueck@earthlink.net, 301-604-7150

LKMS PTA Membership Needs You!

Show the strength of our numbers. Demonstrate our partnership in Education.

Sign-up to be a LKMS PTA member NOW.

Envelopes are available in the Front Office

Box Top$ for Education – Support Lime Kiln Middle School by clipping those box tops and dropping them in the box in the entry way near the office. Each box top is worth 10 cents so start clipping!!!!!

School Directory - Forms to collect information for this year's LKMS School Directory were sent home on the first day of school. Please complete the form and return it to your child's homeroom teacher by Friday, September 5th. One form per family. If you have questions, contact Mary Kapp at mary.kapp@gmail.com.

Thank you!! - The PTA would like to thank these Magazine Drive volunteers for the outstanding job they performed this past Wednesday in preparation of our school's largest fundraiser: Kelly Cidre, Sherri Tatum, Gail Poole-Vaughn, Moira Monk, Rimmi Singh, Lena Patel, Carolyn Murray, and Linda Milligan. We would also like to thank all of the volunteers who have signed up to help on Wednesdays and Fridays during the Drive, including our coordinators, Sharon Dass and Maureen Bentz. We are still in need of a co-chair for this committee to work along with Kelly Cidre, the current chairperson. Kelly is available to train the co-chair step-by-step on how to run a successful Magazine Drive, which is essentially over by October. If you are interested in co-chairing this committee, please contact Sherri Tatum at statum1@verizon.net. We Need You!

Welcome Back Luncheon: A great big THANK YOU to all the parents and students who helped make our August 21 Welcome Back Luncheon a success! The teachers and staff were treated to a delicious lunch of pork and chicken bar-b-que, rolls, assorted salads, drinks and desserts. There were even door prizes and party favors. Without everyone’s assistance, we could not have hosted such a lovely luncheon. Thank you to Mrs. Harriet Spadin for taking care of putting out the food for the luncheon so that the parents could attend freshman orientation at the various high schools; it is greatly appreciated. When you see the people listed below, please thank them for a job well done: Monica Spain, Theresa Pomeroy, Cheri Horne, Monica Fabri, Avis Dyson, Michelle Evans, Shari Underwood, Maureen Bentz, Jenny Leopold, Denise Gilliland, Joan Smith, Sunithi Khanna, Inga Swaner, Sue Monthie, Kim Stubbings, Eliza Stubbings, Amanda Leopold, Charlotte Hoyson, Sandy Rogers, Sheri Tatum, Moira Monk, Maureen Monk, Stephanie Harman, Amy Bagley, Lisa Regner, Linda Milligan and anyone we may have inadvertently left off the list. THANK YOU!

If you are interested in helping out with future Hospitality events or Staff Appreciation Week in May please fill out the volunteer form, contact Moira Monk at mdmonks@comcast.net, or watch the Leopard Tale for future requests for volunteers and donations. Thank you.