15 May 2020

Le Journal




from the head of school

Summer School Plans and Benefits  

Dear AL Community,
 
We are working diligently on the Online Summer School plans. We understand all of the pressures related to the situation: parents wondering where to find childcare while they go to work or while they look for work, what will summer school look like, how to keep kids motivated to learn this summer, how to keep kids from falling behind over the summer after an already altered final trimester, and how to make sure kids still have fun over the summer.

The 2020 Online Summer School will have a rigorous academic focus to make up for lost instructional opportunities in the third trimester due to the pandemic as we are not able to cover all the planned learning progressions. Also, we would like to adequately prepare our students by preventing  any summer learning loss. We are committed to continuing to support our families with technology and internet connectivity. 

We know that everyone wants some sense of normalcy. Normalcy is ever changing right now, but we want to control what can be controlled, and we're asking you to have students attend summer school to the extent possible and allow them to keep learning. Studies show time and time again that routine is beneficial for kids. We know online classes have been quite an adjustment for many students, parents and teachers, but the routine of this can benefit our students, and their well-being.
 
We don't know how long online learning is going to continue; it's already been longer than anyone initially imagined. The consistency of participating in online learning over the summer will prepare your students for the possibility of this being a reality across the city, state and country going into the first trimester this Fall. There is nothing we want more than to have everyone back in our buildings. In the meantime, we will provide the tools, technology and teachers to educate the children of Kansas City to become globally minded, locally active, critical thinkers through immersion in world languages and cultures.
 
Last but not least, we would like to thank all those who generously participated in our very first Virtual Evening in Paris. What a creative adjustment! Merci Beaucoup to the EIP Committee.

Have a safe weekend

Elimane Mbengue
Head of School


from the Cherry Principal

Cherry Principal's Message


Click here for this week's message from Madame Royce.

Heather Royce
Cherry Principal


  

In This Edition:


calendar

Upcoming Events

May 22 
Last Day of School for students online classes


May 26-29
Teachers online PD days

June 3
8th grade Virtual Graduation, 6-7pm

Access the 2019-20 school calendars by clicking here


INFO SHARING

School ClosedClosed

Académie Lafayette is closed for the rest of the 19-20 school year with May 22nd the last day of online classes.  Teachers online PD days will be May 26-29 to review curriculum for next year.

INFO SHARING

CondolencesCondol

Mauricia Strother was a former Academie Lafayette student and graduated from the 8th grade in 2016.  She was tragically killed on Sunday, May 3rd, and we are all very saddened by this incident.  Our school has always supported our students and families in many situations, we again want to help assist Mauricia's family with expenses incurred due to this tragic incident.  As her AL family, we are asking that those who want to contribute,  please do so by making a donation through this GoFundMe account set up in her name.

INFO SHARING

8th grade Virtual GraduationGrad

graduation_cap.jpg
We are thrilled and honored to announce the virtual graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020. This special event will take place Wednesday, June 3rd from 6 to 7 p.m. We invite you to join us in celebrating their accomplishments and wishing them well in their future pursuits. More  details to follow. 


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Special Delivery: Graduating 8th Grade Yard SignsSpecialDelivery

Congratulations
Congratulations to all of our graduates; we are excited to see what their future holds and want to help celebrate in their success!
We have created yard signs for each graduating 8th grader for you to display proudly for all to see!

Please fill out this survey to determine if you prefer delivery or pick up for the days and times available next week. During these pickups we will adhere to physical distancing guidelines and will ask that you remain in your car and simply drive through to pick up your graduate's yard sign. If you have any questions, email Robyn King at  rking@academielafayette.org.

Congratulations!

INFO SHARING

Paper Leaf Bags availableLeafbags

Thank you to everyone who have purchased trash bags during the pandemic!  I assume there are some really cleaned basement ms.

All We have left is paper sacks!  $11 for 15! Contact Becky Smith for pick up, Smith.rebeccabogen@gmail.com.

The next order period for trash bags will be mid-August to mid-September for end of September delivery.

INFO SHARING

2020 Girls Middle School VolleyballVball

Update for the Academie Lafayette Girls Middle School Volleyball Team: 

Because of the current restrictions and safety guidelines, we will not be having tryouts this spring. If your incoming 6th, 7th, and/or 8th grade daughter(s) is/are interested in playing volleyball for the 2020 fall season, please email  rodneyriffle@gmail.com. Please include your name, your contact information [email address(es) and phone number(s)], your daughter's name and her grade in the fall.  He will create a contact list to get information directly to those interested in playing as this extremely fluid situation unfolds.
Thank you,

Mamadou Dieng
Middle school P.E teacher /  Athletic Director


INFO SHARING

How 7th graders make it through quarantineSeventh

Ever wonder how seventh graders, some of the planet's most social animals, make it through quarantine?  Read Mme. Wilson's class' odes to the people, places and things that help them cope.  Here is a link to many more!

INFO SHARING

Girl Scouts is still happening!Girlscouts

Academia Lafayette Girl Scouts are so disappointed we missed the opportunity to connect with NEW families this spring.  Girl Scouts is still happening! We continue to be with our families through the summer on-line until we can meet safely in-person.



At Girl Scouts your girls will unleash their imagination, make new friends, grow in confidence and build skills that will help her in and out of the classroom. Click here for more info and here for the flyer. 

INFO SHARING

The ABC's of Online Classroom EtiquetteABC

THE ABC'S OF ONLINE CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE


INFO SHARING

Yearbook Pictures Neededyearbook

Do you have pictures of our students in groups at school or field trips before the quarantine? Please email them to communication@academielafayette.org so they can be included in this year's edition of the yearbook. 

Please include the grade and homeroom teacher of the students in your email. 

Online ordering is not yet open, we will let all families know when the system is ready. 

INFO SHARING

20-21 Intent to Return for incoming 1st thru 9th graders & Summer Enrollment summerenroll

AL parents please check your email for the intent to return forms link for 1st thru 9th grades. If you did not see the email with the link please check your spam folder. If it is not there please contact Peggy Arians at parians@academielafayeete.orgPlease log-in to SchoolMint right away to complete these forms so you will receive your re-enrollment information in a timely manner. 
The intent to return form sent to incoming 9th graders is considered as the application to the AL high school.
Step 1 of the re-enrollment process is open f or submitting these forms. If you only answered "Yes we are Returning" but did not complete any forms, please login at this time, hit the continue button, and complete the forms that are showing.

In-person summer school will not be permitted until August at the earliest. This is based on mandates that school buildings remain closed going into summer. Online learning options will be provided prior to August. Please bear with us as we work through the logistics based on your summer school responses on your intent to return forms. We will communicate the summer program with everyone once it is finalized.

The details and dates will be sent to you as soon as they are established.

INFO SHARING

Grading Practices during Covid-19grades

We want to communicate clearly our grading policy for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. We have monitored what other schools/districts are doing and listened to feedback from staff and parents.

Our goal with grades during this time is to keep parents informed of their child's progress and to keep students motivated to work till the end, while not penalizing families who are struggling at this time.

To that end, we will adopt a "hold harmless" approach. Grades will be set where they were at the end of Trimester 2, so students can maintain that grade or improve their grade/ level of proficiency if they demonstrate progress. We expect students to be consistently engaged in learning, and teachers will continue to assess student work and communicate with parents. If you have questions about grades, please contact your child's teacher directly. 
 
You can check your child's grade on eSchoolCore (click here to access it). If you need your login information, please email M. Addoh, eaddoh@academielafayette.org

Thank you for your partnership during this challenging time. 

INFO SHARING

Supporting the AL Intern ProgramInterns

Dear AL Families,

I would like to invite you to sign a letter to Secretary Pompeo in support of our intern program. J-1 visas are under scrutiny in Washington, and we urgently need your help. Our interns provide crucial support to our youngest students and their teachers. I'm sure you agree it is in the best interest of our children and our school as a whole for this program to continue.

Click here to complete a form with the letter already typed. All you have to do is add your name, address and email, and click send. 

Thank you for your time, and I hope you are well.

Best,
Diane  Balagna

INFO SHARING

Host a French Intern for the 20-21 School YearHost

Would your family consider hosting  an intern for the upcoming school year?

Académie Lafayette, French Immersion Charter School, is pleased to announce that we will again be welcoming interns for the 2020-21 school year. However, we still need host families. This year AL will save approximately $260,000 by using the intern program. If you are able to welcome an intern into your home, it's almost like you're donating $20,000! 
Interns are university students from French speaking countries who spend a year working in the classrooms of our youngest students. Host families open their homes and welcome an intern for a semester or for a year. They provide a private 
bedroom and meals when you are together as a family. The school provides a generous monthly stipend to the intern and a monthly city bus pass. 

Hosting an intern is a great way for your children to speak French at home, to discover more about francophone culture, and to have someone to visit when your family goes to France in the future! 
If you would like more information about hosting, please contact Diane Balagna, intern coordinator at Académie Lafayette, at 816-888 7400 or  dbalagna@academielafayette.org.

INFO SHARING

Emergency Blood DriveBlood

Have you been shut in at home for weeks, wishing there was something you could do to help out?  Well, you're in luck!  There is!

EMERGENCY BLOOD DRIVE
TIME:   Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 12 noon to 6 p.m.
VENUE:  St. Peters School, McKay Center School Gymnasium (north entrance) with parking at 701 E. Meyer or 6415 Holmes       
APPOINTMENT NECESSARY:  Open only to those with appointments, which can easily be made by simply calling Community Blood Center  (1-877-468-6844) or online,  https://donate.savealifenow.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/69062
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:  Community Blood Center observes all rules and  regulations of the Center for Disease Control, as well as those of our State and   Local Health Departments. 


INFO SHARING

Food Service: Time ChangeFood

  • Free sack lunches and additional groceries and supplies will be provided to families as they become available for pick up at the Armour Campus, 201 E. Armour Blvd, KCMO 64111, at the east door on McGee Street, from 11:00 - 1:00 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Families are also welcome to deliver grocery, toiletry and cleaning supplies for donation at that time. 
  • Meals for families will be available. The meals will feed 12 people. They will be available first come, first served.

INFO SHARING

Teaching and LearningTeaching


INFO SHARING

Technology and EquipmentTech

  • If you need a Chromebook and/or hotspot, please contact M. Goudiaby, rgoudiaby@academielafayette.org
  • Click here for internet options for families.
  • LOCATION FOR CONNECTIVITY BUSES!
    As an immediate solution to connectivity, a consortium of community partners (Connecting for Good, KC Library, and KCPS) are organizing Connectivity BusesBuses that serve as wifi towers will be positioned in the parking lot of the Southeast Library Branch and the Bluford Library branch starting Wednesday of next week. All Kansas City Public Library locations will also have free wifi access in all of their parking lots. 
  • Technical issues: 

INFO SHARING

CommunicationCommunication

  • To help answer your questions, we have created our Covid-19 webpage, which will be updated as we have more information to share.  If, at any time, you have a question, concern or information to share, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teachers, counselors, principals or Mr. Mbengue.
  • We will continue to communicate with families and students through emails, all-calls, website and social media updates. We are also exploring the possibility of text messages with families.

Oak Street Campus
6903 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64113
816-361-7735

Cherry Street Campus
3421 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64109
816-888-7400

www.academielafayette.org