Lucas to hold Meet and Greet August 17

Students, parents, and family members of Lucas Elementary School, 830 South Lawn Drive, Iowa City, are invited to a Meet and Greet and “Popsicles with the Principal” on Tuesday, August 17. Families are invited to drop into their children's classrooms between noon and 1 p.m. or 4 and 5:30 p.m.

Meet and Greet is a chance for students and parents to visit classrooms, meet with teachers, drop off school supplies and lunch money, and sign up for special activities and volunteer opportunities. New this year is “Popsicles with the Principal,” where visitors can pick up a cool treat and get to know the school’s new principal, Julia Burton.

District ahead of nation in curbing high-school smoking

Here's another interesting story in today's Daily Iowan:

District ahead of nation in curbing high-school smoking

BY KATE FOWLER | JULY 27, 2010 7:20 AM

It's hard to argue with Mr. Gross Mouth — a graphic description of what can happen after years of smoking — or even the Jar of Tar, which shows the amount of tar that can be accumulated in a pack-a-day smoker's lungs after one year.

Such antismoking visuals are a part of the Tar Wars program, an annual presentation all students in the Iowa City School District attend.

Tar Wars is one of the ways Iowa City schools are trying to prevent high-school tobacco use.

Read the full story here.

Iowa City teachers to make home visits

Just passing along an interesting story in today's edition of The Daily Iowan:

Iowa City teachers to make home visits

BY KRISTIN CALLAHAN | JULY 27, 2010 7:20 AM

A new Iowa City School District program will give another meaning to the term "home school."

The district received grants to allow teachers to go on home visits starting this year as a way to better involve parents in students' school lives — especially for families who do not normally engage in school activities.

Read the full story here.

Elementary Textbook Fee information

In case you didn't see it on the Lucas Web site, the Iowa City Community School District has provided information about the textbook fee assessed for each student:

The Iowa City Community School District is requiring an “Elementary Textbook Fee” to help pay for books, workbooks, and supplemental materials, as allowed per Iowa law.

• The fee is $20 per student.
• For families who quality for reduced lunch prices, the fee is $10 per student 
• There is no fee for families who qualify for free lunches.

Checks should be made out to the Iowa City Community School District. Cash is also accepted, however we do not accept debit or credit cards.

Evans family still in need of items

First off, thanks to everyone who helped with last weekend's furniture drive for the Evans family. Despite the short notice the Lucas DEED group, led by Jeffrey Fields, collected a number of household items that the family will use in their new home following a house fire that destroyed their house and belongings. But the family is still in need of some things:

* Recliner
* Dressers
* Queen size bed frame
* Toaster
* Blankets
* Swing set

If you have any of these items please contact Joe Bell at jk.bell@mchsi.com or
319-354-2281.

Thank you!

Volunteers still needed to help with furniture drive

DEED members and friends:

Volunteers are still needed for tomorrow’s furniture drive at Lucas.  If you can give an hour or two between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.,  you would be a great help to this effort. I’m guessing we’ll spend a fair amount of time waiting for donations, but when people arrive to make donations, it would be great if we had extra hands to help unload their furniture.

If you are available, please e-mail, telephone, or text me to let me know when you’re available.  If you are unsure when you’ll be available tomorrow, please just show up when you can.  Every volunteer will make a huge difference.

Thanks and I’ll see you tomorrow,
Jeffrey Fields
jeffrey.fields@yahoo.com
319-936-1750

Calendar page added to blog

Just another housekeeping item to report. I've just added a Calendar page to the blog. Brief reminders about upcoming events will continue to appear in the right-hand column of the blog under Calendar. But for more information about times, locations and other details, click either the Calendar page link in the top-left column of the site or the "More" link in the right-hand column.

Story about Evans family in today's Press-Citizen

The Evans family is featured in a Press-Citizen story this morning about their recent house fire, and about two fundraisers planned this Saturday to help them out, including the Lucas DEED furniture drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lucas Elementary (click here for more information about that event).

Benefit planned to assist Evans family

Emily Schettler • For the Press-Citizen • July 15, 2010

For Craig and Kim Evans of rural Iowa City, the sense of loss in the past two weeks only has been matched by the support they've received from family and friends.

On July 2, the family's home at 4300 Sioux Ave. S.E. burned to the ground. One week later, Kim Evans' grandmother passed away.

"We've kind of been hit with a double whammy," Craig Evans said. "The fire left us with just our bicycles and our clothes and our vehicles."

In addition to their belongings, the family's two dogs were killed in the fire. Craig Evans said that has been especially tough.

An outpouring of support has helped the family, including sons Codie, 23, Colton, 18, and Kyle, 3, as they move forward.

New! Subscribe to blog updates via email

Don't want the hassle of having to check The Mighty Hawk Messenger blog all the time to see if there's something new? Subscribe now to get updates via email each day. You'll only get an email when something new is added. Look for the subscription box in the left-hand column of the blog. Questions? Contact Stephen Pradarelli here.

2010-11 School Supply Lists now available

With the first day of school just over a month away, it's time to start thinking about all those pens, folders and protractors you'll need to help your Lucas student have a successful school year. To help you with the task, we've posted the 2010-11 School Supply Lists for grades K-6 on our new Download Center Page. Click here to visit the page, or look for the link in the top left-hand column of this blog.

Furniture drive July 17 to help family displaced by house fire

Lucas Elementary School Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED) will hold a drive for furniture and household items Saturday, July 17 to benefit Craig and Kim Evans, whose family lost their home in a recent fire. Items that are in good condition may be dropped off at Lucas Elementary, 830 South Lawn Drive, Iowa City, between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Evanses and their two sons recently moved into a temporary, unfurnished home and are in need of a wide range of items. Furniture and household goods collected during the drive but not needed by the family will be taken to Stuff Etc., with proceeds from their sale going to the Evans family as well.

A special account has been set up at Hill Bank for those who wish to make a cash donation to the family. The family is also registered at Target and would welcome gift cards from Bed Bath & Beyond, which can be dropped off during the furniture drive.

Kim Evans is an associate at Lucas Elementary.

For more information about the furniture drive, or to volunteer with the drop-off, contact DEED members Jeffrey Fields at jeffrey.fields@yahoo.com or 319-936-1750 or Joe Bell at jk.bell@mchsi.com or 319-354-2281.

Welcome to a new school year – and a new blog!

As we begin the countdown to the 2010-11 school year, we’re happy to announce the launch of The Mighty Hawk Messenger. The Lucas Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will use this blog to post up-to-the-minute information about upcoming Lucas activities, important dates, volunteer opportunities, special announcements and news about our great school. The blog will complement the Lucas News newsletter, which will be sent to students’ homes every month, and the official Lucas Web site. If you have any thoughts or suggestions about the blog, feel free to shoot us an email. Or just leave a comment in the comments section below each blog post.

Meanwhile, PTO is already planning an exciting year ahead.

DEED meeting Saturday, July 10

Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED) will have a meeting this Saturday July 10, at 8 a.m. in the dining area of the First Avenue Hy-Vee. Our primary topic of discussion will be planning a DEED-sponsored fundraiser for Lucas staff member Kim Evans, whose family lost their home and most of their possessions recently in a fire.

As a reminder, DEED meetings are open to all members of the Lucas community.  Feel free to bring your little ones along. We start right on time and limit our meetings to one hour or less. If you can’t make the meeting and want to be involved in the fundraiser or DEED in general, please contact our fearless leader Joe Bell via email or any DEED member.

See you on Saturday.

Jeffrey Fields