Recent Changes

Who: Students K-12, teachers, and families. Everyone is welcome!
Cost: Free, no sign-up for activities. Lunch is NOT included
Web site: www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut Look for an updated website by mid-December.http://www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut/welcome.html
Prepare for college and careers: Attend sessions on college admission and paying for college. Tour residence halls, labs and libraries. Talk to University students about what college is really like. Learn about careers in everything from aerospace engineering to law, pharmacy to computer science, architecture to film and broadcasting.
Look for lots of NEW learning activities, plus old favorites, all over campus:

The Match the Promise Foundation encourages families to save for college by offering matching scholarships and tuition grants to participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund. The Texas Tuition Promise Fund helps families prepay for all or some future tuition and required fees at any two- or four-year Texas public college or university.
Eligible applicants have between now and Dec. 31, 2012, to apply for Match the Promise scholarships. Families can also enroll in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund during this time if they haven’t already done so. Visit the Match the Promise website for scholarship eligibility and selection criteria, and apply now. It's never too soon to dream big!
Explore UT. InformationInformation as follows:
Mark your calendar for “Explore UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas!"
When: Saturday, March 2, 2013, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free, no sign-up for activities. Lunch is NOT included
Web site: www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut Look for an updated website by mid-December.
and careers: AttendAttend sessions on
Look for lots of NEW learning activities, plus old favorites, all over campus:
watch robots in action,
participate in a trial of “Gold E. Locks” with a real judge presiding,
march with the Longhorn Band.
Plan a family field trip: Bus registration begins online Jan. 2, 2013. Of course, families may bring students on their own and have a fun family outing.
Questions? Contact Barbara Langham, 512-637-2186 blangham@austin.utexas.edu

Dear 5th grade parents and students,
The following dates and information is currently available as we look ahead to 6th grade for the 2013-2014 school year.
Important dates:
February 4th at LME: 2:00 pm presentation in cafeteria to 5th grade students discussing elective choice sheets and 6th grade course work at Canyon Vista Middle School.
February 5th at Canyon Vista Middle School: Parents and students are invited to an informative evening regarding becoming a middle school family. There will be an overview of academic teaming and will showcase their sixth grade elective choices.
February 4th-8th Registration & Choice Sheets for 2013-2014 school year. Mrs. Justice will be sending home paperwork in Monday folders regarding registration, class placement and elective choices. All students are automatically registered at their feeder campus for core classes, but we will be asking students to select one elective. Choice sheets for students attending Deer Park MS will also go home on Monday, February 4th and are due on February 11th.
Monday, February 11, 2013--CHOICE SHEETS DUE TO CLASSROOM TEACHER
May 8th, MUSTANG EXPRESS at Canyon Vista Middle School: 5th grade students will take a field trip from LME to Canyon Vista, and will shadow a sixth grade student, tour the building, have a chance to ask questions, and receive additional information in child friendly terms.
6th GRADE STUDENT DAY (Formerly SUPER SUNDAY) Specific date TBA: The week before school starts, students will be able to pick up their schedules, pre-ordered supplies, PE uniforms and textbooks. Students will have an opportunity to walk their schedule with parents and figure out where their classrooms are.
Dates are subject to change. More information will follow. Please do not hesitate to call Canyon Vista or Mrs. Justice if you have any questions.

Lionhearts Peer Mediation Applications, due Monday 12/17/12 by 9:00
Dear 3rd and 4th Grade Parents and Students,
We are gearing up to start our second year of the Lionhearts Peer Mediation team in January. This week we will be accepting applications from students who are interested in joining the mediation team. We currently have 12 trained mediators in fifth grade, and are looking to add 12 more students to our team—6 in third grade, and 6 in fourth grade.
Peer mediation is a process where trained student mediators help other students work out small conflicts/problems with each other by improving communication and specific problem-solving skills. Research has shown that peer mediation programs result in fewer disciplinary actions and interventions by school staff, increase student resiliency, enhance the learning atmosphere, and create a more caring, supportive, and empowering climate for students and staff who participate. We will be using the PAX United Peers Making Peace peer mediation program, and more information on this program can be found at www.paxunited.org.
To participate in the Peer Mediation team, students must:
Complete the attached application and return it to the box outside Mrs. Justice’s office by 9:00am on Monday, 12/17/12
Strive to be a good role model and example for others, using active listening strategies learned in training, and follow school rules
Be respectful and maintain confidentiality/privacy of students who come for mediation
Attend and complete the mediation team training during school on January 23-25, 2013, from 11:00-2:30pm including lunch time
Attend a special guidance lesson on tobacco-use and refusal, with a post-assessment to check for understanding
Do mediations during non-instructional times (likely during recess or ROAR/DEAR time) and attend team meetings (about every 2 weeks)
If students are unable to come to school on their mediation day, please call Mrs. Justice at 464-4304 (even if just to leave a middle-of-the-night voice message). This applies to ALL team members.
Communicate with Mrs. Justice about his/her needs and questions about the mediation process
Before deciding whether or not your child will apply to be on the Lionhearts mediaton team, please take a moment to review the above noted expectations. It is important that you and your child agree to fulfill the expectations outlined above to ensure a quality mediation experience for our campus.
If you and your child agree that he/she will apply to be on the Lionhearts Peer Mediation team, please sign and complete the attached application. Applications are due to Mrs. Justice by 9:00am on 12/17/12, and late applications will not be accepted.
Here is the application: {Peer Mediation Application.doc}

2. Scholarships Now Available!
The Texas Match the Promise Foundation®encourages families to save for college by offering matching scholarships and tuition grants to participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund® — the state’s prepaid college tuition plan.
graders can apply nowapplynow for competitive
Texas Students and the Texas Tuition Promise Fund: A Perfect Match
The Match the Promise Foundation encourages families to save for college by offering matching scholarships and tuition grants to participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund. The Texas Tuition Promise Fund helps families prepay for all or some future tuition and required fees at any two- or four-year Texas public college or university.
Eligible applicants have between now and Dec. 31, 2012, to apply for Match the Promise scholarships. Families can also enroll in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund during this time if they haven’t already done so. Visit the Match the Promise website for scholarship eligibility and selection criteria, and apply now. It's never too soon to dream big!
3. Opportunity at the University of Texas... Explore UT. Information as follows:
Mark your calendar for “Explore UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas!"
When: Saturday, March 2, 2013, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: The University of Texas at Austin
Who: Students K-12, teachers, and families. Everyone is welcome!
Cost: Free, no sign-up for activities. Lunch is NOT included
Web site: www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut Look for an updated website by mid-December.
Prepare for college and careers: Attend sessions on college admission and paying for college. Tour residence halls, labs and libraries. Talk to University students about what college is really like. Learn about careers in everything from aerospace engineering to law, pharmacy to computer science, architecture to film and broadcasting.
Look for lots of NEW learning activities, plus old favorites, all over campus:
watch robots in action,
walk on water (non-Newtonian fluid),
learn how to extract DNA from a strawberry,
find out how tall you are in nanometers,
watch a pig’s lungs fill with air,
deliver the TV news in a real TV studio,
participate in a trial of “Gold E. Locks” with a real judge presiding,
march with the Longhorn Band.
Plan a family field trip: Bus registration begins online Jan. 2, 2013. Of course, families may bring students on their own and have a fun family outing.
Questions? Contact Barbara Langham, 512-637-2186 blangham@austin.utexas.edu

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1. Where can I find college information?
A great place for information about college and post-high school education is the and more!
2. Scholarships Now Available!
The Texas Match the Promise Foundation®encourages families to save for college by offering matching scholarships and tuition grants to participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund® — the state’s prepaid college tuition plan.
Match the Promise Foundation: Sixth through ninth graders can apply now for competitive matching scholarships and tuition grants offered by the Match the Promise Foundation. Eligible Texas students at those grade levels may apply for scholarships of up to $2,000 worth of college tuition units in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund.
Texas Students and the Texas Tuition Promise Fund: A Perfect Match
The Match the Promise Foundation encourages families to save for college by offering matching scholarships and tuition grants to participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund. The Texas Tuition Promise Fund helps families prepay for all or some future tuition and required fees at any two- or four-year Texas public college or university.
Eligible applicants have between now and Dec. 31, 2012, to apply for Match the Promise scholarships. Families can also enroll in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund during this time if they haven’t already done so. Visit the Match the Promise website for scholarship eligibility and selection criteria, and apply now. It's never too soon to dream big!

2012-13 Red Ribbon Week:
Red Ribbon Week will be from October 22-26, 2012. Red Ribbon Week is a time for schools across the nation to honor Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena and other public officials who work to keep our country safe from the negative effects of illegal drugs and substance abuse. Agent Camarena lost his life in 1985 from members of a gang who were dealing with illegal drugs. Schools are given the task of educating students about healthy choices and the dangers involved with substance abuse, strengthen life skills and drug refusal techniques, and increase communication and social bonding to strengthen anti-drug-use attitudes and norms within our community.
The RRISD Guidance and Counseling Department, through a partnership with the Texas National Guard, will be providing red bracelets and red ribbons to each elementary school student in the district to be worn throughout the week.
During Red Ribbon Week this year at LME, we will be honoring our public officials for their service and demonstrating our commitment to making healthy choices with the following:
Dress-Up Theme Days
Monday (10-22-12) - Make A Difference Day Students can wear red to show their commitment to helping others be healthy and stay safe. Teachers will give each student red ribbons to be worn today to kick off Red Ribbon Week, and red bracelets to be worn throughout the week.
Tuesday (10-23-12) - Let’s Team Up Against Drugs Students can wear shirts or other apparel from their favorite team and continue to wear their red bracelet to demonstrate their understanding that together we can make better choices when we work as a team.
Wednesday (10-24-12) - Hats for Health Students can wear hats and continue to wear their red bracelet to school to pledge that they will make healthy and good choices.
Thursday (10-25-12) - Sock It to Drugs Students can wear crazy socks and continue to wear their red bracelet to show that they will walk away from unsafe or unhealthy situations.
Friday (10-26-12) - Show your PRIDE by staying safe and being healthy! Students can wear a school shirt or school colors (red and white) and continue to wear their red bracelet to express our school's dedication to being a healthy and safe school!
Other activities...
1. Bulletin Board: "Healthy choices for healthy lifestyles"
We will have a bulletin board highlighting healthy lifestyle choices and facts, and a Declaration of Healthy Habits (similar to the Declaration of Independence) that students can sign to proclaim their commitment to making healthy choices in their lives.
2. Daily Health and Safety Facts
On our KPAW morning broadcast
3. Class activities:
Each teacher will be given a list of activities they can choose to do with their class that addresses healthy habits. Examples include writing prompts, such as "why I choose to say 'no' to using illegal drugs" or "healthy choices I will make for my life that will help me as I get older", math problems calculating the cost of healthy foods at the grocery store, and reading activities, like reading nutrition facts to obtain health information about them. Developmentally appropriate classroom guidance lessons on healthy choices, substance use & abuse, and drug refusal techniques will be given in grades 4 and 5 in November.
Thank you all for your participation and support of Red Ribbon Week, and I hope you are able to use this week to have conversations with your children about safe and healthy choices, including drugs and alcohol for the older elementary students. Well wishes to you all for healthy lives and choices.