Free Family Night at Mercer Jan. 10 is a sure cure for cabin fever

If you're starting to feel like the walls are closing in, make plans to join us for Free Family Fun Night this Friday, Jan. 10, from 6-8 p.m. at Scanlon Gym/Mercer Aquatic Center. All Lucas families are invited to come release some energy in the gym, where we'll have roller skating (skates provided), a bouncy house, and games. A selection of healthy snacks will be provided in the adjacent activity room.

Parents/guardians MUST stay with students--
absolutely no drop offs allowed!

We are looking for volunteers to monitor the bouncy house in half hour shifts and to assist with snack distribution. Please go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094BA4A72FA75-free to sign up.

Annual fundraiser was a MIGHTY big success!

We end this week with some great news: Not only did we achieve the fundraising goal for the 2013 Make a Mighty Difference campaign, but we exceeded it by nearly $1,000!

The PTO leadership team thanks you for your generosity in 

donating $10,984 and pledging more than 300 volunteer hours!

We especially want to recognize our students who tapped into their own piggy banks to contribute $36 in cash and coin donations. Special thanks also to our business donors including Abundant Playscapes, Alliant Energy Foundation, Alpla, Inc., Century Roofing, Expectations Salon, The Printing House and Plank Family Dentistry.

Your contributions allow us to continue to fund enrichment activities for our students, support special requests from our teachers, and enhance the playgrounds and outdoor spaces around our school. In fact, we are excited to share this image of a new bouncy play structure slated for installation in Spring 2014 on the 3-6 playground (north side of school building):

Please note that you can make a tax-deductible donation to Make a Mighty Difference any time of year by visiting our web page www.makeamightydifference.org. If you would like information about contributing your TIME to support our school, please contact Nancy Cassady, PTO volunteer coordinator, ncassadyim@gmail.com.

A MIGHTY BIG THANK YOU to all who participated in the 2013 Make a Mighty Difference campaign!

Abundant Playscapes
Aguilar-Rosales Family
Alliant Energy Foundation
Alpla, Inc.
Anonymous (9)
John and Marcia Anderson
Renee Baird & Jen Jordan
Jason and Catherine Burke
Sharon Burke
Ann and Chad Campion
Patricia Cantagallo
Brian and Nancy Cassady
Ana Cassady
Century Roofing, Inc.
Mason Chase
Patricia Clinton
Dennis Crall & Aprille Clarke
Mary and R.J. Daughenbaugh
Michael Davis
Kate Degner
Ryan Downing & Jennifer Sherer
Tobi and Damond Drake
Joelle Dickerson
Expectations Beauty Salon
John and Mayuri Farlinger
Dawn Fitzpatrick & Brad McDowell
Mike Frasier & Jennifer Horn-Fraiser
Crystal and Stan Galloway
Kyle and Sarah Galloway
Kristin Giuliani
Gary and Sara Glenn
Amanda and James Goodrich
Jill Graff
Carol Greve
Phillip and Andrea Gugliuzza
Kristopher Halter
Marie Hicks
Marta Hamity
Jody and Shawn Harmsen
Ronald and Beverly Herman
Ben and Brooke Hill
Sarah Holmes & Zara Wanlass
Jennifer Hyduke
Ruthanne Hyduke
Chris and Sheral Jensen
Shella and Brandon Johnson
John and Mary Kenyon
Morgan Langfitt
Megan Lavelle
Leah Lee
Jenilyn Lewis
Maddy Lewis
Timothy Lewis
Les and Nancy Lipschutz
Lucas On Campus
Sarah and Andrew Lynch
Debbie and Joseph Manning
Tara and Rod Martin
Maria and Jesús Martinez
Jun-Nicole Matsushida & Huy Tong
Anna and Rob McComas
Emmy McComas
Karrie Merriweather
Roy and Mollie Miller
Paul and Shelby Myers-Verhage
Carroll Novak
L. Charles & Cathy Novak
Richard and Sun Hee Oberfoell
Debra and Brian Parrott
Mike and Pat Pavelich
Joseph Pavelich
Kevin and Michele Pellinen
Christine and Jay Phillips
Cruz Phillips
Plank Family Dentistry
Steve and Nancy Pohlman
Beatrice Puryear
Jen Reynolds
Sara and Erika Riggs
Heather and Damien Roth
Sara Schwindt
Nicole Scott & Susan Summers
John Shoop
David Snyder
Erin Snyder
Barbara Solomon & Jeff Arnold
Renee Speh & Anthony Miller
Kristen and Clay Surom
Suellen and Will Swain
Joan Taylor
Tim & Julie Taylor
Mary Therese and Tom Teegarden
Sander Tompkins
Andrew and Leslie Veit
Mr. and Mrs. George Veit
Patricia Verhage & James Blanchard
Helene Volkert
Larry and Marilyn Walberg
Claudia Zambrano

Dine out at Shorts Dec. 11 to benefit Lucas PTO

Short’s Burgers Eastside
521 Westbury Dr, Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 338-7743

Please join us at Short’s Burgers Eastside on Wednesday, December 11, to have a great meal and help support Lucas PTO.

10% of proceeds from all sales on that day, both lunch and dinner, will be donated to Lucas PTO.

You can dine in or carry out. Tell your friends, grandparents, neighbors and co-workers!

Funds raised for PTO help us bring a number of enriching opportunities to Lucas students including visiting authors, class field trips, musical performances and playground improvements.

Hope to see you there!!

PTO meets Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.

We hope you can join us for the next PTO meeting, Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. in the art room (agenda.) Free childcare is available in the Kindergarten room. At this month's meeting you'll have the opportunity to meet our new School Administrative Manager, Angela Roe. We will also discuss a number of fun events coming up after the first of the year including Family Supper, Family Night at Mercer, and our annual Fun Night carnival and raffle.

Please take a moment before Monday's meeting to review the November meeting minutes.

PTO meeting Nov. 11 includes presentation from Kindergarten teachers

Our next PTO meeting is Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in the art room (agenda.) Free childcare is available in the Kindergarten room.

Please take a moment before Monday's meeting to review the October meeting minutes, which include details about last month's report from the first grade teachers, in which they shared information about their curriculum, teaching techniques, goals and strategies. This month, the Kindergarten teachers will offer a report from their classrooms, so Kindergarten parents, if you've been curious about PTO, this is the month to jump in with both feet!

Save the tricks, but share the treats: Make a Mighty Difference for Lucas

As your ghosts and goblins prepare for tomorrow's school Halloween festivities, keep in mind that the Halloween dance is just one of many fun activities the Lucas PTO sponsors for our kids. You can play a vital role in ensuring that these and other opportunities continue by supporting the Make a Mighty Difference fundraiser with a financial or a time commitment.

Lucas parents just like you have committed dozens of hours to creating a fun and memorable afternoon for our students. Additional activities are planned throughout the school year that will need your support. We ask that you consider how you might best support our Lucas community and then make a commitment--either of money or time or both--to Make a Mighty Difference.

On the campaign web page you'll find links donate time and money--both of which are vital for carrying out PTO activities.

Lucas PTO makes a Mighty Difference by funding:

• Technology - Computers, Smart Boards, I-Touch
• Enrichment - Field Trips, Visiting Authors, School of the Wild
• Outdoor Educational Playscape - Outdoor classroom space, Nature based play, Prairie Pocket, School Garden, playground equipment
• Family Activities - DEED events, Family supper, Free Family Nights, Fun Night

Lucas families Make a Mighty Difference by volunteering to:

• Prepare food for teachers on conference nights
• Assist on picture day (helping students move from classrooms to photo room)
• Set-up, serve, and clean-up Family Supper
• Organize games for Fun Night
• and MUCH MORE!

You can donate online by clicking here, or by downloading this form and sending in with cash or a check payable to 'Lucas PTO' to:

Lucas PTO c/o ICCSD Foundation
1725 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52245

You can add your commitment of volunteer hours to our tally by filling out this online form or by contacting Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Cassady at ncassadyim@gmail.com.

A mighty big THANK YOU to everyone who has committed time and money so far! Please see our Wall of Fame for a list of donors.

Un-stuff your house with Lucas "Stuff the STUFF Truck" Oct. 26

Here's a great way to turn your unwanted and outgrown stuff into support for Lucas--bring your stuff to "Stuff the STUFF Truck" on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Lucas parking lot. STUFF Etc. consignment will have a big box truck available to haul everything you want to donate. Receipts will be available for tax purposes. No appointment necessary! Proceeds from anything they are able to re-sell in their store will go to the Lucas Family Resource Center, which supports a wide variety of needs in our Lucas community.