Le Journal

AL News & Updates

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19 December 2025

Understanding the DESE Funding Adjustment

Dear AL Community,

We want to share a brief update about the $1.7 million repayment to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Each year, DESE conducts a standard funding “true-up” for all public schools, including charter schools. This process adjusts prior-year funding based on actual enrollment and attendance. While these adjustments are typically modest, this year’s true-up was larger across Kansas City due to increased student enrollment and attendance citywide. No school did anything wrong; this is a normal part of how public education funding works.

Académie Lafayette’s portion of this adjustment is $1.7 million, to be repaid over several months. Because the impact is greater than usual and occurred after the Board approved the 2025-26 budget, we wanted to communicate proactively and transparently with our families. This adjustment affects our operating budget but does not impact projects funded through separate, dedicated sources such as Bond funds or donor-designated initiatives like Fund-a-Need, which will continue as planned.

We remain committed to maintaining progress while prioritizing classroom stability, staffing, and student support as we carefully manage this adjustment.

As we enter the holiday season, we are deeply thankful for our families, staff, and broader AL community. Your support and trust mean so much to us. We wish you a joyful, restful winter break and look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.

Elimane Mbengue

Superintendent

embengue@academielafayette.org

Upcoming Events

December 20 - January 4

Winter Break

January 5

NO SCHOOL - School Improvement Day

January 6

First Day Back for Students

January 12

Board Meeting, 6 pm, Armour & Online

January 13

Restaurant Giveback Night at City Barrel Pizza and Patio

January 14

11th Grade College Night, 6:30 pm, Armour

January 15

ALIHS 10th Personal Project Exhibition, 1:50 pm

Conseil d'Ecole, 6 pm, Armour

January 19

NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 24

School Saturday, 10-noon, Oak

January 29

Cherry Literacy Night, 5:30-7 pm

ALIHS 9th College & Scholarship Night

January 30

K-5 Birthday Lunches

January 31

Girls' 4th-8th Grade VIP Dance, 6-8 pm, Armour

Access our live academic and athletics calendar here.

Table of Contents

Cherry Literacy Night
Save the Date: Ethnic Food Festival
Save the Dates: VIP Dances
T-Shirt Tuesdays Reminder
Generations Day Photos

Apply to Reserve Your Sibling Seat for 26-27
School Communications
Ads:
Franck's Real Estate Corner

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AL Insights

Cherry Literacy Night

Save the Date: Ethnic Food Festival

The Third Annual Ethnic Food Festival will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Armour campus. It is a benefit for high school international trips. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for students.

More information & link to purchase tickets will be shared when we return from winter break, so stay tuned!

VIP Dances: Save these Dates

Please mark your calendars now! Registration and details will be available closer to each event, but FAQs are available now on the AL PTO website.

Girls 4th-8th grade dance - Sat. January 31, 6-8 pm
Girls K-3rd grade dance - Sat. February 28, 6-8 pm
Boys K-5th grade dance - Sat. March 7, 6-8 pm

T-Shirt Tuesdays Reminder

Every Tuesday during the school year, students at any campus may wear Académie Lafayette t-shirts in place of their traditional uniform tops. This includes any AL t-shirt received through the Raffle and Musketeer March, as well as the new 2026 Evening in Paris (EIP) t-shirt. Dress Code–approved pants, shorts, skirts, and jumpers are still required.

If your student earned a 2025 Raffle t-shirt, distribution is expected the week we return from Winter Break.

Generations Day Photos

Thank you to all the families and friends who joined us for Generations Day! We loved celebrating the connections that make Académie Lafayette so special.

Shout out to Oak parent, John Benson, and ALIHS Journalism teacher, Karen Huber, for helping us edit these wonderful photos! Want to see more of John's photography work? Click here to view his website.

You can view and download photos from the day using the campus link buttons below.

Armour

Cherry

Oak

New Students Only: Apply to Reserve Your Child's Sibling Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade, and High School Seat

If you have a new incoming child or sibling entering in the fall of 2026, please apply here starting November 8 until March 1st, 2026 for the 26-27 school year. The process will take you less than one minute! Sibling applications received after the deadline will be placed on the waiting list. For additional information, click here.

Please note this only applies to new siblings not currently enrolled at AL. All current pre-K-11th grade students will re-enroll at a later date. Remember All 8th grade students have a guaranteed 9th grade seat at ALIHS. When re-enrollment opens in January make sure to let us know if you want to reserve your ALIHS seat.

Questions? Email enrollment@academielafayette.org. After you fill out your child's application, share with your friends and neighbors wanting to join the AL family!

Click here to view the ALIHS brochure!

School Communications

If you know someone who is not receiving this newsletter, encourage them to contact communication@academielafayette.org.
We use Facebook to communicate with our families. Please "like" us at https://www.facebook.com/LafayetteKC/ and join our private FB group!
Changing emails? Phone number? Let us know at communication@academielafayette.org.