East Lynne District 40

Here is your OCTOBER COUGAR COURIER

https://app.smore.com/n/z9qtp

📣 Don’t miss our Parent Booster Club meeting THIS THURSDAY at 5:30 PM in the Community Room!

We’ll be planning for the Fall Festival 🎃 and talking about some other fun upcoming events!

We’d love to have you join us and hope to see you there! ❤️🖤

Congratulations, Mr. Steve! We are incredibly proud to celebrate Steve Johnson on becoming a Certified Facility Manager! This certification represents hours of learning and training in everything from building systems and maintenance to budgeting, leadership, environmental health, and school safety. But if you spend any time at East Lynne 40, you know Steve is so much more than the person who manages our facilities. He is an important part of the heart of our school. Walk down the hallway with Mr. Steve and you’ll quickly discover he has reached a bit of celebrity status around here. Kids want to stop him. They want to talk to him. They want to tell him something. And Steve always seems to have a minute for them. That matters. Steve takes tremendous pride in caring for our building, but even more importantly, he cares about the people inside it. He connects with our kids, supports our staff, solves problems, and continually works to make East Lynne better. We are proud of the work you put into earning this certification, Steve, and even more proud to have you as part of our learning community!

🍎❤️ **Happy Cafeteria Worker Appreciation Day!** ❤️🍎

Today we are celebrating two wonderful ladies who help make our school such a special place , **Ashley and Jennifer!** 🥰

Ashley has been such a bright light in our school since taking over our kitchen. Her heart for our students, dedication, and welcoming smile do not go unnoticed. We are also so thankful to have Jennifer working alongside her! Together, they make sure our students are fed, cared for, and greeted with kindness each day. ❤️

There is so much more that goes into feeding a school full of kids than what we see at lunchtime, and we are incredibly grateful for everything these two do behind the scenes!

Please help us show **Ashley and Jennifer** some love today! 🥰👏

**Happy Cafeteria Worker Appreciation Day! We appreciate you both!** ❤️🖤

COUGAR HAT FRIDAYS ARE BACK! 🐾🧢

Support the East Lynne Scholarship Fund while enjoying Hat Fridays all year long! Students can participate in the 35 remaining Cougar Hat Fridays by paying $30 for the entire year, a $5 savings, or they may pay $1 each Friday they choose to wear a hat. If paying for the year, please send the $30 in an envelope labeled with your child’s name. All money raised will go directly to the East Lynne Scholarship Fund to support our students! Please note that no refunds will be given for missed Hat Fridays. Thank you for supporting our Cougars and helping us invest in their future! ❤️🖤🐾

Mango had a GREAT first day at East Lynne 40! She spent some time getting used to all the new sights, sounds, smells, people, and spaces that come with being a school therapy dog. Our students did an awesome job giving Mango the space she needed. They used good manners and helped her feel comfortable in her new environment. And one special moment, Kaden even read Mango a story! We’re so proud of Mango and our students. It was a wonderful first step as Mango slowly gets acquainted with life at ELS. We think she’s going to fit right in with our Cougar family!

🏆 Our 8th grade volleyball girls brought home two wins last night against Adrian and Clinton!

Congratulations to McKinley, Sophia, and Caroline! We’re so proud of you! ❤️🖤

Hi, East Lynne 40! I have some BIG news… I’m coming to school! You may know my human, Mrs. Bell, but you haven’t met me yet. My name is Mango and after more than three years of learning, practicing, and working really hard, I passed my test and am officially a certified therapy dog! This Thursday will be my very first day at East Lynne 40! Now, I know what you’re thinking… MANGO! A DOG! AT SCHOOL! CAN I PET HER?! Not quite yet! School is a brand-new place for me, with lots of new people, sounds, smells, bells, doors, classrooms, and activity. So Mrs. Bell and I are going to take things nice and slow while I learn how everything works. For now, I’ll only be coming in the mornings, and when you see me, the best way you can help me is to look, smile, and give me some space—no touching just yet. That will help me feel safe and comfortable while I get used to my new job. Once I’ve settled in, Mrs. Bell will share a way for classes to sign up for a chance to officially meet me. I can’t wait for that! I’ve been working toward this for a long time, and I’m pretty excited to become part of the East Lynne 40 Cougar family. ❤️ 🐾 See you Thursday! Love, Mango 🐾

What is getting to be my favorite 20 minutes of my day? Middle school lunch. ❤️ There can be a lot of negativity out there about middle school kids, but they are some of my favorite people on the planet. They’re funny. They’re curious. They’re honest—sometimes to a fault. They’re figuring out who they are, testing their independence, finding their people, and learning how to navigate this whole growing-up thing. And ours? Simply some of the best. Today alone, I’ve seen acts of kindness that would touch your heart. I’ve watched kids hold doors for one another. I’ve watched them make sure someone else felt included and seen. I’ve watched them laugh together and encourage each other. And I’ve had three different middle schoolers go out of their way just to ask me, “How’s your day going?” They didn’t have to. They just noticed someone else and cared enough to ask. Middle schoolers sometimes get a bad rap, but there is so much GOOD happening in these years—and I get a front-row seat to it every. single.day. So do yourself a favor: get to know a middle schooler. Listen to their stories. Laugh at their jokes. Ask them what they think. Give them a little grace while they figure things out. You might just discover what I already know: Middle schoolers are pretty awesome people. And ours? I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

It was fun seeing some of our East Lynne kiddos participating in the Harrisonville Homecoming Parade! 🐾💙 It is always fun to see our students out in the community, making memories and being part of traditions that connect us beyond the school day. We love cheering them on wherever we see them!

Shout out to our very own Mrs. Katie Schork who participated in the Murder on Maui with the Pleasant Hill Theatrical Guild's Murder Mystery Dinner. Some of the staff were able to join in on the fun! Well done Mrs. Schork... well done!

Due to a water main break on town East Lynne 40 School District will dismiss at 10:00 AM.

When you are writing, two heads can be better than one. In 5th grade, we talked with a partner about our ideas for our first essay and shared ideas on how to improve our stories. Collaboration to spark imagination!

🐾 COUGAR SPIRIT GEAR IS HERE! ❤️🖤

Spirit Gear order forms were sent home with students last week! If you haven’t checked those backpacks yet, now is the time! 🎒

We have shirt designs to choose from, plus a NEW Cougar blanket this year! 🐾

👕 T-Shirts — $20
👕 Sweatshirts — $30
👕 Hoodies — $35
❤️ NEW Blankets — $30

📅 Orders are due September 25!
💵 Payment is due when the order is turned in. Exact cash or checks payable to East Lynne Boosters will be accepted.

Orders are expected to be delivered by October 30, just in time for plenty of Cougar spirit this fall! ❤️🖤

Thank you for supporting our Cougars! 🐾

Shout out to Mrs. Schroeder for being awarded a grant from the Voya Unsung Heroes program. She will use the money to continue improving our school garden and chicken coop that provide a hands on learning experience for our students.

We know the donuts are pretty great, but the best part of Donuts with Grownups is definitely the grownups! ❤️ Thank you for taking the time to show up and share these moments with our students. They may not always say it, but having you here matters. Our school is a better place because of the people who love, support, and show up for our kids. 🐾❤️

If you are coming to DONUTS with GROWN UPS tomorrow (9/15) and see that the main parking lot is full, don't forget that you can park in the South Gravel Lot and either enter in the south corner of the gym or through the Fine Arts door off the playground. We look forward to seeing you!

🐾 TOMORROW IS COUGAR HAT DAY! 🧢❤️🖤

Don’t forget to wear your favorite hat tomorrow! Students can wear a hat for $1, and every dollar raised goes directly to the East Lynne Scholarship Fund! 🎓

Wear a hat, show your Cougar spirit, and help us support our students! ❤️🐾

$1 • Every Friday • For a great cause!

Our co-op sports partnership with Harrisonville gives our 7th and 8th graders opportunities they might not otherwise have—and sometimes that means stepping into something completely new! New teammates, new coaches, new expectations, and the responsibility of balancing athletics with schoolwork. It takes courage to step out and give it a try. This morning, Bella got to participate in the Harrisonville pep rally, and we loved seeing her be part of the experience! We are proud of Bella and ALL of our Cougar athletes who step outside their comfort zones, try something new, and represent East Lynne 40 along the way! 🐾

🍩 DONUTS WITH GROWNUPS IS COMING! 🍩

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 15th from 7:30–8:00 AM! ❤️🖤

Bring your favorite grownup(s) and join us before school for a sweet morning together! 🍩☕ Flyers will be coming home soon, so be on the lookout!

📅 Tuesday, September 15th
⏰ 7:30–8:00 AM
📝 Please RSVP no later than September 11th!

We can’t wait to see everyone there! 🐾❤️🍩