Reminder: DEED Family Tailgate this Friday!

If you don't already have it marked on your calendars, save this Friday, September 3, for the annual Lucas Family Tailgate, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the lower parking lot of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, at the corner of East Court Street and South 1st Avenue.

Sponsored by Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams, the tailgate will feature free hot dogs, chips and lemonade. Even better, it takes place right before the City High Little Hawks football game against Waterloo West right across the street from Our Redeemer. So feel free after the tailgate to head over, buy a City High ticket and cheer the Little Hawks on to a victory!

Also, if you're a member of DEED or member of the Lucas community and want to help volunteer for the tailgate, please contact DEED member Joe Bell at jk.bell@mchsi.com or call him at 354-2281.

City High Principal Bacon reaches out to elementary schools

John Bacon, the new principal of City High School (and husband of PTO member Michelle Bacon-Curry), has launched a newsletter for families of Iowa City elementary schools, encouraging future Little Hawk families to get involved in City High events and keeping them informed of City High activities.

You can view a welcome letter, and a calendar of upcoming events, either as a Microsoft Word document or PDF by clicking on one of the following links:

Principal Bacon Welcome Letter: doc | pdf
September 2010 City High Newsletter: doc | pdf

Mighty Hawks shine at Kernels game

The Lucas Elementary Mighty Hawks were well represented at the Cedar Rapids Kernels baseball game this past Sunday, when Lucas Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED) sponsored Lucas Day at Veterans Memorial Stadium. An estimated 20 Lucas families, as well as teachers and staff, watched as the Kernels handily defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 10-2.

Mary Olesberg welcomes everyone to the game.

Abby Pradarelli throws the first pitch.

But the real action took place before the game and between innings, when Lucas students and parents were invited to help with special activities. Abby Pradarelli threw out the first pitch; Mary Olesberg welcomed everyone to the game on the stadium sound system; Michelle Buell was invited to yell "play ball" to start the game; Lucas dad and DEED member Joe Pavelich won a geography quiz -- and an enormous bag of popcorn; and DEED leader Joe Bell, who organized Sunday's outing, went on the radio to talk up Lucas and the dads group. Additionally, some Lucas students, parents and teachers carried a large flag to center field for the singing of the National Anthem while nine Lucas students who made up the day's "Dream Team"  took positions on the field next to Kernels players during the song. Dream Team members included Kiera Bell, Maisie Snyder, Noah Pavelich, Jamie Dykes, Doug Everleigh, Will Everleigh, Zachary Fields, Kylea Greve and Kate Goodvin. (Thanks, too, to Jon Olesberg for the great photos!)

Thanks to all the Mighty Hawks who attended the game and showed the world what great school spirit looks like, and to DEED for organizing the event!

Lucas students, parents and staff carry the Stars & Stripes to the field for the National Anthem.

First Lucas newsletter of the year available

The first fall issue of The Robert Lucas Newsletter, produced by PTO member Emily Spellman, is now available online in PDF form and will be coming home in your children's folders in the next few days.

You might notice that the newsletter is a bit slimmer than in previous years. In fact, it's just one page, front and back. Though future issues may be a bit longer as we get deeper into the school year, this is part of  PTO's effort to cut down on the amount of paper we use -- and reduce the cost of printing hundreds of copies -- while still keeping Lucas families apprised of school news and events. But we're not cutting back on content. Though we'll include lots of short news items, many will link to the PTO blog, where you can read the full story. Either way, you'll be sure to be kept in the loop!

Speaking of the full story, look in this issue of the newsletter for profiles of seven new (and one returning) Lucas staff and teachers, information about how to order the new Lucas t-shirts, and other great information.

Meet & Greet roundup, T-shirt order forms and new Lucas staff

Meet & Greet

New kindergartner Adi Driscoll, with mom Stacey and dad Cam.

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the Lucas Meet & Greet and Popsicles with the Principal event Tuesday! It was a huge success, and we were grateful for the chance to see lots of new and returning families, including some new parents interested in volunteering with PTO. We look forward to talking with you more about how you can help in the coming school year. Thanks, too, to the PTO volunteers and Lucas staff who helped run Tuesday’s event.

 Principal  Burton and Family Resource Center Director Yolanda Spears

We especially got a kick out of seeing some of the new kindergartners walking around with their school supply kits and “Class of 2023” T-shirts (provided by PTO) and beaming as they shared the names of their very first teachers and anticipation of the first day of school. Their excitement, and huge grins, were infectious and reminded us how fortunate we are to be part of a school like Robert Lucas Elementary.

T-Shirts

We know many of you are anxious to show your Mighty Hawk pride by buying our new Lucas T-shirts. If you didn’t place an advance order on a shirt at Meet & Greet, your student will be bringing home an order form with his or her school materials in the next few days (you can also find a copy here and on our Download Center page and print one off at home). The deadline to order is September 3. Not only can you buy a T-shirt, but you can order cool Mighty Hawk water bottles and decals (we bear one proudly on our own minivan back windshield). We’ll also be selling the new shirts at upcoming PTO events, including the September 17 Big Blast Fall Festival. If you still have questions about the shirts, shoot PTO member Heather Lowry an email at chlowry@mchsi.com

New Lucas Staff

PTO wants to give a big welcome to the eight new staff members joining Lucas this fall. While many of you may have had a chance to meet our new principal, Julia Burton, during Popsicles with the Principal Tuesday, there are seven other staff members who will be working with our students this coming year. They are:

Lisa Collier, Reading Teacher
Elise Denniston, School Secretary
Travis Mead, Sixth Grade Teacher
Cheryl McCoskey, Reading Teacher
Kirk Ryan, Reading Intervention Teacher
Lauren Trolley, Orchestra Teacher

Helene Volkert, Language Arts Resource Specialist and Reading Teacher

Learn more about each of them in the printed Robert Lucas Newsletter (produced by PTO member Emily Spellman) coming home in your child’s folders next week, including which one has a dog named “Peanut,” which one enjoys windsurfing, which one was born in a car while his parents rushed to the hospital and which one spent 15 years living in China.

Save the Dates

Here are a few upcoming events that you’ll want to keep on your radar:

• Sunday, August 22: Lucas Day at Kernels Game, Gates open 1:05 p.m., Veterans Memorial Stadium, Cedar Rapids 
• Friday, September 3: DEED Family Tailgate, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Our Redeemer Lutheran Church parking lot 
• Monday, September 13: PTO Meeting, 7 p.m. 
• Friday, September 17: Big Blast Fall Festival
• Saturday, September 18: Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED) meeting, 8 a.m., First Avenue Hy-Vee cafeteria

As always, be sure to check back on the PTO blog for other updates and information. And if you aren’t already subscribed to receive updates by email, we encourage you do so – that way, you’ll know right away if there’s new information up there.

Thanks, and we hope everyone has a successful first day of school Thursday!

Stephen and Melinda Pradarelli

PTO Co-Presidents

Don't forget Meet & Greet Tuesday! Also, a call for Volunteers

Just a reminder that Lucas will hold its Meet & Greet and "Popsicles with the Principal" from 12 to 1 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 17. This is a great chance to meet your child's teachers, visit classrooms, pay your child's lunch money in advance, learn more about the Lucas PTO and dad's group, Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED, find out about special activities and volunteer opportunities and have a popsicle with our new principal, Julia Burton.

Speaking of volunteers, Heather Lowry is still in need of two volunteers to help Lucas t-shirts during both periods of the Meet & Greet. If you can help from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and/or 3:45 to 5:45 p.m., please let her know right away! You can reach Heather at 351-3074, or by email at chlowry@mchsi.com.

See you Tuesday!

Hy-Vee school supply donations featured in Press-Citizen

Hy-Vee helps out: Donations gets students ready for school

Emily Schettler • Iowa City Press-Citizen • August 11, 2010

A full book bag of supplies will be standard issue for each Lucas Elementary student when school resumes next week.

Employees from the Hy-Vee grocery store at 812 S. First Ave. dropped off four large boxes of school supplies at the school Tuesday. The store collected the supplies for the children as a part of its annual Million Stem Rose Sale.

Lucas Elementary Principal Julia Burton said the donation of backpacks, crayons, notebooks and folders will make a big difference for students when they return for classes Aug. 19.

"These donations are critical," Burton said. "We have a lot of new families moving to Iowa City, and school supplies are expensive."

Full Story...

Deadline for buying Kernels tickets extended!

The Lucas dads group, DEED, has gotten an extension to sell discounted tickets for Lucas School Day at the Cedar Rapids Kernels Game.

Lucas families now have until next Tuesday, August 17, to buy tickets -- at $6.50 apiece -- for the Sunday, August 22, game in Cedar Rapids. You can buy tickets two ways: by contacting PTO DEED Chair Joe Bell or, in person, at the Lucas Meet & Greet, which runs from noon to 1 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. next Tuesday.

The tickets can be picked up at a special DEED table outside the gates of Veterans Memorial Stadium ahead of the game on August 22. Gates open at 1:05 p.m., and the first pitch is 2:05 p.m.

More information about this fun event can be found here.

Meet your 2010-11 Lucas PTO Board!

A big Mighty Hawk welcome to all the volunteers who have agreed to fill important chair positions on the Lucas PTO for 2010-11! All the great things PTO does throughout the year wouldn't be possible without great volunteers like these. So if you see one of these folks at a school event, or in the hallways at Lucas, or out in the community, please be sure to tell them "thanks" for helping make Lucas Elementary School such a vibrant, inviting and successful place to learn.

And for other parents or Lucas staff who are interested in helping out with PTO, don't hesitate to ask! We don't imagine any of our chairs would turn down some additional help.

PTO Board Members (2010-11)

Basket Auction: Ashley Cahoon
Basket Auction: Cathy Fehr
Big G Labels: Mara Goodvin
Campbell’s Soup Labels & Swiss Valley Milk Caps: Brooke Hill
Can Recycling Drive: Michelle Bacon-Curry
Can Recycling Drive: Nancy Cassady
Can Recycling Drive: Amy Greazel
City High Homecoming Parade: Joe Bell
Co-President: Melinda Pradarelli
Co-President: Stephen Pradarelli
Coin Drive: Brooke Hill
DEED Rep: Joe Bell
DPO: Michelle Bacon-Curry
Free Family Night Events: Leslie Veit
Free Family Night Events: Andy Veit
Fun Night: Amy Greazel
Fun Night: Sarah Holmes
Fundraising–Pizza Hut: Joelle Dickerson
Fundraising-Pizza Hut: Carol Greve
Fundraising–SCRIP: VACANT      
Fundraising--T-shirts: Heather Lowry
Fundraising-Fall: Brooke Hill
Hospitality: Ana McComas
Hospitality: Ashley Cahoon
Hospitality: Emily Spellman
Kernel’s Game/Lucas Night at the Ballpark: Joe Bell
Lucas Day at Iowa Women’s Bball Game: Joe Bell
Membership/Publicity: Cathy Fehr
Movie Night: Joe Bell
Newsletter: Emily Spellman
Past President: Lisa Ringen
Pre-packaged School Supply Kits: Carol Greve
President-Elect: VACANT
Principal: Julia Burton
Room Parent Coordinator: Heather Roth
Safety/Playground: Carol McDonough
Secretary: Renee Speh
Teacher Rep: Ann Kessler
Teacher Rep: Mindy Wieland
Teacher Rep: Tres Brown
Teacher Rep: Laurie Martin
Treasurer: Ruthina West
Volunteer Coordinator: Heather Roth
Yearbook: Emily Spellman

Buy tickets for Lucas School Day at Kernels Game now!

Time is running short to buy advance tickets for Lucas School Day at the Cedar Rapids Kernels Game on Sunday, August 22!

To receive the special Lucas discount of $6.50 per ticket, tickets must be purchased by Friday, August 13. Send a note with your name, contact information and the number of tickets you want to purchase, along with a check for the exact amount made out to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Then mail it to Joe Bell at 5 Dunuggan Ct., Iowa City, IA 52240-2831. Or contact Joe at 354-2281 or jk.bell@mchsi.com to make other arrangements or ask questions.

The tickets can be picked up at a special DEED table outside the gates of Veterans Memorial Stadium ahead of the game on August 22. Gates open at 1:05 p.m., and the first pitch is 2:05 p.m.

The event is being organized by Lucas Dads Engaged in Engineering Dreams (DEED) and is open to anyone in the Lucas community. Lucas students will get special recognition and call-outs as part of Lucas School Day.

Additionally, August 22 is Sunday Family Day, which means fans can get autographs from the Kernels on the concourse prior to the game and kids can run the bases and play catch in the outfield after the game. Meet Cinderella, Snow White and others, presented by Glass Slipper Entertainment, and enjoy the balloon artistry of Papa Balloon on the main concourse

Cast votes to win Lucas Elementary $500,000 through Kohl’s Facebook contest

Kohl’s Cares, a philanthropic subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, is holding a contest to see which 20 public K-12 schools in the United States will win $500,000.

The competition – which can be accessed at http://apps.facebook.com/KohlsCares/ -- gives Facebook users a chance to cast up to 20 votes on behalf of their favorite schools: a maximum of five votes can be cast for one school. So after casting your first five votes for Lucas (make sure you pick the one in Iowa City! There are several in the U.S.), consider using your other votes for Southeast Junior High, City High, or any other public school of your choice.

The contest began July 7 and ends September 3. Winning schools will be announced in September, based on the total number of votes cast for them.

Through its community giving and volunteer program, Kohl’s Cares support kids' health and education, environmental initiatives and women's health. Its vision is a future where kids are healthy, resources are plentiful and breast cancer is a thing of the past. More information about Kohl’s Cares can be found at http://www.kohlscorporation.com/communityrelations/community01.htm.

Please note that Lucas PTO’s sharing of this information should not be considered an endorsement of the contest. We encourage anyone considering entering contests like these to do so at their own discretion.

PTO meeting schedule set for 2010-11

The PTO meeting schedule has been set for the 2010-11 school year. Please note that the meetings have been changed this year from Tuesday nights to Monday nights so they don't conflict with meetings of the Iowa City School Board. But they're still held at 7 p.m. in the Lucas Art Room. And childcare will be provided at ALL meetings. So please join us if you can!

Here are the dates:

September 13
October 11
November 8
January 10
February 14
March 14: PTO Meeting, 7 p.m.  (Whoops! We realized this falls during spring break. We'll reschedule this meeting soon.)
April 11
May 9