AFFTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
MOTHERS’ CLUB NEWSLETTER

Hello and welcome back to school!  I hope everyone had a great summer in spite of the crazy heat!  It was wonderful to see so many families at the open houses at Mesnier and Gotsch.  Thank you to everyone who came by to see us! 
Mothers’ Club is gearing up for another great year.  I want to welcome all our new members and extend an invitation to all moms (Grandmas, Aunts) to join us at our 1st meeting of the school year on September 15th, 7 pm in Roger’s library.  It’s a great way to meet other moms and be involved in your child’s school.  We will have refreshments and free childcare.
Our 1st Market Day pickup will be very soon.  If you have never tried Market Day you should.  The food is delicious and your order helps your child’s school!  They have everything from breakfast foods to complete dinners at very reasonable prices. 
We are collecting Boxtops again this year.  It is amazing how all those little 10 cent labels add up!  Please send them our way via your child’s school. 
Mother’s Club also has an Escrip account at Schnucks.  If you have not signed up for this please do so.  It is so easy and there is no fee involved.  If you would like more information contact anyone on our board or just inquire at Schnucks.
In our last newsletter in May, I welcomed our new board members, but did not mention our outgoing board members.  So I would like to say a special thank you to Kathy Brooks (Corresponding Secretary) and Sue Colmo (Rogers Delegate) for their outstanding service to our organization. 
We now have a Facebook page!  Please like us to keep up with all the latest happenings.  The name of our page is AFFTON SCHOOL MOTHERS’ CLUB – ASMC.  You can also visit our website at www.afftonmothersclub.org .
Thank you and have a great school year!
Sarah Hertel, ASMC President

MOTHERS’ CLUB EXECUTIVE BOARD

President—Sarah Hertel           Vice President—Clare Iffland   Treasurer—Jackie Krakos         Recording Secretary—Laura Lanemann
Corresponding Secretary—Carol Gibbons                                                Sergeant at Arms—Lisa Davidson

September 2011

Our first big fundraiser is well under way.  The Signature Fundraising packet went home with Mesnier and Gotsch students last Thursday.  Signature offers a wide variety of items to purchase.  The sale runs through September 16th.  Please return orders to your child’s teacher along with full payment of items (check made payable to Affton School Mothers’ Club or ASMC) no later than that date.  There are different levels of prizes your child can earn.  If your child sells 20 items, they will win a limo ride to Happy Joe’s Pizza Parlor for lunch with other top sellers from their school.  Last year we had about 30 students from Mesnier and Gotsch who were able to do this.  It was a big hit!  We know we can count on your support again this year.   The money that we raise with our fundraisers goes directly back into the schools!
We do not send this fundraiser home with every student at Rogers Middle School.  It is available to them, though.  If they are interested in participating, have them go to the office and pick one up. 

If you have any questions or did not receive a fundraising packet, please do not hesitate to contact me.

THANK YOU!!
Linette Schaffer
481-8944

We wanted to take a moment to remind you about an important program at Affton Schools. Market Day is a unique and valuable fundraiser that we rely on to fund the needs of our schools. It offers high quality and nutritious food at affordable prices on a monthly basis. By doing some of your grocery shopping with Market Day, you will be feeding your family while enhancing your child's education. It's easy to participate--simply order online at marketday.com or return the order form to your child's school by the date listed on the back.   Order forms went home with your child last Thursday.  If you did not receive one, please check with your school office.  There are usually extras there. 

~ROGERS REVIEW~

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year!  We are looking forward to making this a successful year for your child.  Your active support, combined with our best professional efforts will ensure academic success for each of the children that attend Mesnier Primary School.  We pledge to do our best in order to make sure each child is challenged, nurtured, and provided with a safe and wonderful year of learning.  
Mesnier School is focusing on building character in our students.  As parents, teachers, and community working together, we hope to help teach our children the importance of being a kind and thoughtful person.  We will be focusing on five specific character education traits and teaching our students what it looks like to be cooperative, respectful, responsible, peaceful and positive. 
Mesnier students participated in a Character Cruise during the week of August 22-26th.  Classes took a tour of the building and reviewed building wide expectations.  Students will be striving to become People of Dignity.  Each week, students will watch Webster and his P.O.D squad.  Be sure to ask your child about Webster’s weekly lessons. 
Every month, students exhibiting good character will be chosen by their teacher to be a part of the Mesnier P.O.D. squad.  These students will be recognized by the principal and will be invited to a special event.  At the end of the quarter, all students who have outstanding citizenship will be recognized. 

Upcoming Dates: 
9/14 and 9/15 Bookmobile at Mesnier
9/15 School Pictures
9/17 Affton Days Parade and Festival
9/23 Progress Reports sent home

Christine Powers                                                                     Christina Been
Principal                                                                                  Administrative Intern

~MESNIER SCOOPS~

Welcome back to school!  It's very busy the first few weeks but we are off to a wonderful start with our great students and staff.  It is great to see everyone again after a long, hot summer!

Gotsch created “Family Flags” for the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, to help new families and returning families get to know the staff better. Each staff member made a picture collage of themselves and anything personal about them. The staff then hung them up in the main hallway for the first two weeks of school. They were quite popular at Open House. For this we won a Promising Practice Award through Character Education Partnership. It is a national award!  Gotsch will continue to try and acquire more personal connections with families this school year with the same concept as the flags, only called “Family Circles.”

School pictures will be taken on Thursday, September 15.  All students will be photographed for student IDs and the yearbook.
Watch for information about purchasing Gotsch t-shirts and sweatshirts that will be sent out later this fall.

Upcoming events at Gotsch are:
Sept 7 - Purple & Gold Day
Sept 12 - J.A. BizTown Parent Information Meeting - 6:30 to 7:00 P.M.
Sept 13 - Hearing Screenings for 3rd & 5th graders & new 4th graders
Sept 15 - School Picture Day
Sept 15 & 16 - Bookmobile
Sept 21 & 22 - Test of Cognitive Skills for 3rd graders
Sept 27 - P.A.C. Meeting - 6:00 PM

Brian Smith                                                                 Rose Davis
Principal                                                                      Assistant Principal

~Arts and Crafts Fair~

The Fall Arts & Crafts Fair is filling up quickly.  Mark the dates of Nov. 12th and 13th on your calendar for a great weekend of holiday shopping.  We have a great variety of crafters this year, and of course we will be having our raffle for a beautiful handmade queen size quilt.   If you are interested in having a booth at the fair,
contact Sarah Hertel.

~MARKET DAY~

~GREETINGS FROM GOTSCH~

~VICE PRESIDENT’S NOTE~

As we begin this school year, I hope that many of you will consider joining us to continue the awesome work that we do to support the schools.  Our first meeting of the year will be held at Rogers Middle School on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m.  Babysitting will be provided.
Come find out the many great things that we do as an organization and meet other Moms just like you.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, but would like to volunteer in some way, please contact Sarah Hertel or any other board members. 
Clare Iffland, ASMC Vice President

~SIGNATURE FALL FUNDRAISER~

Don’t forget!! 
Get those orders into your child’s teacher by September 16th!

We are off to GREAT start!  The first day of school starts early at RMS!  As the buses rolled in Dr. Brotherton and Roger the Cougar were on hand to welcome the students.  We welcome several new staff members to our building this year:
Amanda Tripoli – Art
Tarah Thurber – Math
Natalie Kilgore – 8th grade Health
Kelly Sander – Instructional Coach
Betsy Weber – Teacher (SSD)
Cara Gabrian – Teacher Assistant (SSD)
Judy Felts – School Psychological Examiner (SSD)
Heather Julius and Kathy Blakely are in the building half days since we have expanded our Foreign Language classes.

Our cafeteria has a bright new look for 2011!  A new tile floor and new paint on the walls has given the room a brighter and spirited feel.  Be sure to check it out when you come for a visit.

RMS is now on Facebook!  Take the time to “Like” us!  You will be in on all the good things that are happening at school when you check out our postings!

We are celebrating our MAP Scores this year! Rogers Middle School had the largest increase in St. Louis County for Communication Arts and the second largest increase in Math scores.  We will have some sort of celebration prior to 2012 test taking.  Mr. Remelius might be spending another night on our roof!

From Nurse Beezley Office –

Rogers will be celebrating “Back to Football Friday” on September 9. This is a nationwide campaign to help celebrate the return of football and help “tackle” childhood obesity.  We have the opportunity to win prizes, including a $10,000 grant.

I am looking for any RAMS giveaways or paraphernalia to help decorate  RMS to show our “football spirit”.  Also, if parents would like to participate or have suggestions on how to celebrate “Back to Football Friday” please drop me an email at -  kbeezley@affton.k12.mo.us

Mike Fitzgerald, our walking counselor and AHS head basketball coach, received his "Shoot-Away" Tuesday Aug. 30.  He and the kids were so excited they plugged it in and shot on it for 2 hours! Over a thousand shots! They had a blast! Fitz wants ASMC to know how much he and the kids appreciate their help in purchasing the "Shoot-Away", without their help it would not have been possible.  Fitz and all the kids who play basketball say "Thanks Moms!".

Jeff Remelius                                                                          Donald Martin
Principal                                                                                  Assistant Principal

We’re on the Web!
afftonmothersclub.org

Mesnier, Gotsch, and Rogers Middle School all collect box tops throughout the year.  Please save your box tops and send them to school with your child.  For each box top received, the schools receive 10 cents.  Last year alone, the combined three schools earned over a total of $2500.
Find out more at www.boxtops4education.com.

Welcome back teachers, staff, studentsfamilies of the Affton District. I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable summer with family and friends.

School,
Effort, and
Play.
Trying your best
Each hour of the day,
Making new friends,
Being as good as I can,
Exciting Discoveries,
Reading a book with a friend.
: Boni Fulgham
Lisa Davidson, ASMC Sergeant at Arms