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Le Journal
AL News & Updates
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| Our Tradition, Our Future: Annual Fund & Raffle Launch | |
Dear AL Community,
Fall is here, and with it comes one of our favorite AL traditions—the launch of the $10,000 Cash Raffle! All proceeds from the raffle go directly to the Annual Fund (and one lucky winner!).
The Annual Fund plays a vital role in the Académie Lafayette experience, covering nearly 3% of our annual operating budget. These funds directly support international teacher recruitment, campus maintenance, transportation, and the clubs and activities that make our students’ days brighter and richer.
The $10,000 Cash Raffle is not only a beloved community tradition but also a key piece of this effort. Each $5 ticket gives someone the chance to win $10,000—plus, with both paper and digital tickets, friends and family near and far can join in the fun. Raffle sales begin Friday, September 26 and run through Friday, October 24, with the big winner announced at the PTO’s Boo Bayou on Saturday, October 25.
This year’s raffle will feature weekly challenges with fun prizes, raffle shirts designed from student artwork, and opportunities for families to volunteer at ticket booths around the community. More details will come home with students on kickoff day, including how to share your student’s personalized fundraising page to maximize sales.
Thank you for making this tradition a success year after year. Together, we keep Académie Lafayette strong and vibrant!
Alyson Stewart
Director of Development
astewart@academielafayette.org
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September 16
Cherry & Oak Parent-Principal Coffees, 7:15 am
September 17
AL PTO Meeting, 6 pm, Armour
September 18
Armour Parent-Principal Coffee, 8:30 am
September 26
$10,000 Annual Raffle Kick-Off
K-5 September Birthday Lunches
September 27
Shrimp Boil EIP Community Party, 6 pm
September 29
Armour HealtheKids Screenings
September 30-October 1
Oak HealtheKids Screenings
October 1-2
Cherry HealtheKids Screenings
October 2
Conseil d'Ecole, 6 pm, Armour
October 3
Casual Day
K-12 Fall Pictures Retake Day
| Access our live academic and athletics calendar here. |
| | Wanted: Armour Conseil d'Ecole Representatives | | Armour is seeking one parent representative from ALIHS and one from Armour Middle School to serve on the Conseil d’Ecole, our advisory committee to the superintendent. The council meets 5–6 times a year and plays an important role in school life and decision-making. Parents interested should reach out to Dr. Paul at mpaul@academielafayette.org or Mme Beach at mbeach@academielafayette.org. | | Parent-Principal Coffees are Back! | | |
Parent-Principal Coffees are laid-back events where parents are invited to join the campus leadership for conversation, coffee, and pastries. The first Parent-Principal Coffees of the school year are happening next week:
- Cherry & Oak: 7:15 am in the auditorium on Tuesday, 9/16
- Armour: 8:30 am in the conference room on Thursday, 9/18
There is always time at the end for questions, so come on by!
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- AL in the Community
- Wanted: Early Care Supervisor
- Be the Force Behind $10K
- AL PTO Events
- Oak Robotics Lottery Sign Up for 3rd, 4th, and 5th
- Wear the Magic, Win Your EIP Seat
- Updates from Oak GreenAL Garden Club
- Kick Off the Year with AL Community Fun!
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- Armour Suicide Prevention Program
- 7th Grade France Trip Information
- Volunteers Power Our Community
- Required Notifications
- AL in the Community
- 24-25 K-8 Yearbooks Reorders
- School Communications
- Ads:
- YMCA Welcoming Week - September 12-21
- Franck's Real Estate Corner
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💡 Did you know? Our newsletter is often so full of important updates that some browsers cut it off early. Be sure to click "View entire message" at the bottom so you do not miss a thing!
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Miles the Matter: ALIHS teacher and cross-country coach Hope La Sota is running the 2025 Chicago Marathon to help fund a life-changing trip to Peru for our Spanish students. This journey will give them true cultural immersion and global experiences they’ll never forget.
Click here to support Mme La Sotas’s run!
| | Wanted: Early Care Supervisor | | Académie Lafayette is seeking a before-school care student supervisor for late-start Wednesdays from 8:00 to 9:30 am at Armour. The position pays $20 per hour. If you are interested, please contact Rick Carpenter, hcarpenter@academielafayette.org for more details. | | Be the Force Behind $10K! | | |
Big money. Big impact. Big fun! Our $10,000 Cash Raffle is almost here, and we need YOU on the volunteer squad. Click here to volunteer. Volunteers make this event unstoppable!
This year, physical raffle tickets are back—and ticket booth shifts put you at the heart of the excitement. Sign up for a booth shift to sell tickets, meet community members, and keep the energy going for one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. Reserve your booth slot today—shifts are limited!
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AL PTO Meeting
All families are invited to attend on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6:00 pm, Armour (201 E. Armour Blvd). Join us to see what’s going on in the PTO, as a parent you are already a member! The second half of the meeting will be a Town Hall style conversation to answer questions and promote discussion and community amongst families. Bonus: If we get 50 parents to attend, K-12 students will get a free casual day as a reward. Pizza provided! Child care is also available for school-aged children.
AL PTO Trash & Yard Bag Sale
It is that time of year! The ever popular trash and yard bag sale is here. Leaves will be everywhere before we know it! Purchase rolls of these durable, high-quality trash and yard bags. Trash bags come in a variety of colors and sizes. Place your order online by Sept 20th. Pick up is at Armour on Wed Oct 15th 5-7 pm OR Sat Oct 18th 9 am- 12 pm. Please share with family, friends, and neighbors.
Wanted: Boo Bayou Co-Chairs
AL PTO is looking for 2 people to serve as co-chairs for Boo Bayou for this school year! If you love all things fall and want to lead this school wide fun event, we’d love to have you on the team. Reach out to alptowebsite@gmail.com if you’re interested!
Holiday Art Mart: Mark Your Calendars, Vendors Needed
The Académie Lafayette Holiday Art & Bake Sale is back! Saturday, December 6, 2025
9 am – 5 pm, 3421 Cherry Street. Vendor applications open September 1 – November 15, 2025. Click here to sign up!
| | Oak Robotics Lottery Sign Up for 3rd, 4th, and 5th | |
Come build robots out of legos and program them to move, make sounds and react to colors with us at Oak! Our 3rd and 4th grade program is for getting their feet wet and trying something new. We do ask that 5th graders that sign up have a genuine interest in robotics.
Sign up for the seat lottery by midnight on September 14th. Space is limited. Scholarships are available.
Our elementary club is run entirely by parent (and grandparent!) volunteers. As a benefit for volunteering, your student will be guaranteed a seat in robotics! Sign up to get more information about volunteering. Questions? Email alkcrobotics@gmail.com.
Cherry families: Robotics is run at Cherry in the spring semester so keep an eye on the Friday Newsletters.
| | Wear the Magic, Win Your Seat at EIP | | |
On May 2, 2026, the Big Top rolls in for Evening in Paris: Cirque — a night of celebration and community spirit in support of our school.
The excitement begins now with the launch of the EIP 2026 t-shirt! Each purchase shows your AL pride, helps power our Annual Fund and even gives you the option to grab a raffle ticket to win a table at the event. Click here to get started!
Students can join the fun, too, by wearing their the shirts in PE and on T-Shirt Tuesdays — making this more than just a fundraiser, but a way for everyone to share in the magic of EIP.
| | Updates from Oak GreenAL Garden Club | |
We are switching gears and planning to host an after-school Garden Club in the spring semester. Thank you to those who signed up to help! We hope postponement will help us staff up, and on a more exciting note, we will be able to utilize newly installed raised garden beds!
You may have noticed two raised garden beds being installed by the orchard along Oak street. Volunteers are planning to install six more beds in stages in the coming weeks, and last Friday, some families jumped in to help! We welcome helpers/observers, big and small, geared up with shovels and boots or in school uniform! We will typically meet promptly after dismissal on Fridays. Feel free to join the action on the spot, or if you’d like some heads-up, please contact Stefanie Cole (crowleycolehousehold@gmail.com) to receive workday updates.
| | Kick Off the Year with AL Community Fun! | Whether you’re brand new or a longtime AL family, the Shrimp Boil & Boucherie is the perfect chance to gather with fellow parents, enjoy great food, and celebrate what makes this community so special. Limited tickets remain for the September 27 event: Make a Payment. Cost includes all food and beverage! | | Armour Suicide Prevention Program | Armour campus (MS+HS) is rolling out the evidence-based Signs of Suicide program this year. This program will provide additional support and information to our staff & students about suicide risks and how to help someone they're concerned about. Click here for more information. | | 7th Grade France Trip Information | | Since 1999, Académie Lafayette has proudly offered a two-week trip to France for our 7th grade students, a tradition that gives them the chance to experience the language and culture they have been studying for years. To help families prepare in advance, please note that the cost of the trip is approximately $5,095, based on this year’s and last year’s expenses. We look forward to continuing this meaningful opportunity that connects classroom learning to real-world experiences abroad. | | Volunteers Power Our Community | | Every great organization is built by people who step up. Your time and talent can spark real change! Join our amazing family of volunteers and help us grow, thrive and celebrate success together. Sign up today! | | Did you know that important school policy information is available on the AL website? Simply go to Families > Our Community to view them, or click here. On that page, you will find the ESSA Complaint Procedures, School, Parent and Family Engagement Policies, the Schoolwide Program Plan, and more! You may also request paper copies at your campus main office. | | 24-25 K-8 Yearbooks Reorders | | K–8 parents who did not order a yearbook but would still like one can now place a reorder directly through Strawbridge using code YB31447. Orders will be shipped straight to your home address—no school pick-up or coordination needed. There is a $10 shipping fee in addition to the cost of the yearbook. This online ordering option will remain open until the end of October. Click here to view the flyer and ordering instructions. | |
Armour MS & ALIHS
201 E. Armour Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-800-8771
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Cherry K-5
3421 Cherry St
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-888-7400
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Oak K-5
6903 Oak St
Kansas City, MO 64113
816-361-7735
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