R-7 Newsletter

R-7 NEWS UPDATE

2011 HOLLY FESTIVAL CRAFT FAIR TO BE NOV. 12 AND 13 AT BCMS 
Popular event is benefit for DARE program The 18th annual Holly Festival Craft Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 12 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 at Bernard Campbell Middle School, 1201 NE Colbern Road. The popular event is a fundraiser for the R-7 DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. Admission is free. The Holly Festival will include crafts, gift items, concessions, door prizes, a bake sale and a free child identification program. This is also the first year for the event's decorated Christmas tree feature. The Holly Festival is sponsored by Lee's Summit

CARES. R-7 CELEBRATES RED RIBBON WEEK
Lee’s Summit R-7 hosted a community kick-off for Red Ribbon Week Oct. 24 at Richardson Elementary School. Red Ribbon Week is a national recognition to promote healthy lifestyles, including avoiding illegal use of alcohol and drugs. In addition to the community kick-off, Lee’s Summit R-7 schools are hosting a number of activities to encourage students to lead healthy lifestyles and to resist the use of drugs and alcohol.

RECEPTION TO HONOR KRISTEN MERRELL, STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Kristen Merrell, a teacher at Lee's Summit Elementary School and Missouri's 2011 Teacher of the Year, will be honored at a community reception scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Stansberry Leadership Center, 301 NE Tudor Road. The event will include a brief presentation at 5 p.m. as well as refreshments. Mrs. Merrell was selected R-7 Teacher of the Year last spring and was named Missouri's Teacher of the Year in late August. She was also recognized at a state banquet held Oct. 26 in Jefferson City.

THEATRE STUDENTS TO COLLECT FOR LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES
Theatre students from Lee's Summit High School, Lee's Summit North High School, Lee's Summit West High School and Lee's Summit Community Christian School will join forces to collect canned and dry food goods for local charities as part of Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat, a national community service project through the International Thespian Society. The students, who will be dressed in costume, will be collecting food donations in neighborhoods Oct. 29 through Oct. 31 with the main effort from 4 to 8 p.m. Halloween evening. All donations will benefit Lee's Summit Social Services and Greenwood Helping Families. Last year, the students from the four schools collected more than 10,000 pounds of food.

LS CARES TO PRESENT PARENTING TEENS WITH LOVE AND LOGIC
Lee's Summit CARES will present its popular Parenting Teens with Love and Logic courses from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays Nov. 15 through Dec. 13 at Pleasant Lea Middle School, 630 SW Persels Road. Included in the course are tips for good communication, setting limits, handling peer issues and influences and much more. Parents are encouraged to bring their youth ages 11 and older to the session on Internet safety that will be facilitated by the Lee's Summit Police Department on Nov. 22. Cost is $42 per participant, and scholarships are available. There is no cost for previous participants in the teen program. For more information, visit http://www.lscares.org/love&logic.htm or contact Bev Hatley at (816) 347-3298 The Lee's Summit CARES web page also includes information about additional upcoming parenting classes.

TICKETS AVAILABLE UNTIL NOON TODAY FOR DANCING WITH THE CHAMBER STARS
Fundraiser to benefit Chamber's support of R-7 students A few seats are still remaining for the first Dancing with the Chamber Stars fundraising luncheon, scheduled for Oct. 28. Deadline to purchase tickets is noon today (Oct. 27). The dance competition will help raise funds for the Chamber Education Committee's annual high school scholarship fund. Eight teams will be competing for the top dancing prize with team members collecting pledges. Those attending the luncheon may also vote on their favorite dancing duo during the event. For more information, visit http://www.lschamber.com/?page_id=1226. You may also visit this website if you are unable to attend the luncheon but still want to donate to the fundraiser by voting for your favorite dancers. Deadline to donate/vote online is 5 p.m. Oct. 28.

 DATES TO REMEMBER 
 o Nov. 8 – No School – Staff Development.
 o Nov. 12 – Parent University from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pleasant Lea Middle School. For information
    or to register online, visit www.lscares.org.
 o Nov. 12 and 13 – Holly Festival 18th annual craft sale, a fundraiser for the R-7 DARE program, at
    Bernard Campbell Middle School. Visit http://www.lscares.org/.
 o Nov. 15 – R-7 Transition Fair to help families with special needs children prepare for their children's
    transition from high school to young adulthood, 6 to 8 p.m. at Lee's Summit West High School, 2600 SW
    Ward Road.
 o Nov. 23-27 – Thanksgiving Vacation.
 o Dec. 21 – Early Release Day – End of Semester.
 o Dec. 22-Jan. 3 – Winter Break.
 o Jan. 3 – No School – Staff Development.
 o Jan. 4 – Classes Resume – Second Semester Begins. Additional calendar dates are available on the R-7
    website at www.leesummit.k12.mo.us and select "District Info," then "Calendars."