Food For Kids Donations

Once again LCARSP supports our local schools' Food For Kids initiatives. The LCARSP Craft Club provides the funds for Food for Kids program by creating and selling handmade craft items. Checks were presented to representative of each of the four county school district programs.

Picture 1 (Elsberry) L-R: Taylor Watts, NHS Treasurer: Kyndal Pratt, NHS President; Clarissa Sydnor, LCARSP President-Elect; and Payton Robinson, NHS Secretary

Picture 2 (Silex) L-R: Heather McDonald, NHS Sponsor; Gwen Gilbert, NHS President; Clarissa Sydnor, LCARSP President-Elect; Allison Schneider, NHS Secretary; and Heather Miller, NGS Sponsor

Picture 3 (Winfield) L-R: Linda McGlothlin , LCARSP President and Tracy Lewis, Secretary First Baptist Church of Winfield

Picture 4 (Troy) L to R: Linda McGlothlin, LCARSP President and Dr. Jeff Lacy, CFO Lincoln Co R3 Schools

2021 Classroom Grant Recipients

LCARSP Classroom Grants

LCARSP (Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel) has offered $200 grants each fall to help teachers continue providing a safe and secure learning environment t for students in Lincoln County. One grant is offered to each of the four public school districts in Lincoln County. Troy R-III had about one-third of its applications asking to supplement STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) projects. LCASP could not fund them all, so the committee contacted local sources to provide 3 more STEM Grants. A total of $1,400 in grants were awarded.

The LCARSP Craft Club’s 18 members work throughout the year creating items to sell at Eagle Fork during their pumpkin patch celebration. They have painted, sewn, knitted, stuffed over 50 pumpkins, and created holiday decorations working their “fingers to the bone” to fund these grants. The meetings were joyful and from the heart as they worked/visited together. Other LCARSP members have donated funds to this project as well.

There was a total of 21 request for a wide range of teaching aids, equipment, and books. Some examples are a display bookshelf, presentation table, books to start “Ready Readers” a High School/Elementary after school program, a cart to offer personal care items (toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene items), easy to sanitize alternate chair, and wired keyboards for ChromeBook computers.

If you are interested in providing some of the other 17 unfunded requests, visit our website: www.lcarsp.blogspot.com Contact Nancy Lenk at nancylenk@centurytel.net for more information.

This year’s grant recipients are:

* Silex RI – Heather Miller is the Art teacher at Silex R-I. She teaches 17 classes K-12 and requested a drying rack to accommodate all the “wet projects” in one room. Painting projects have been limited because of space.

* Elsberry RII – Diane Hale is a K-12 Special Education teacher. She is asking for individual task boxes for each of her students to store their work. It would help them to develop self-esteem by working independently. She’s also asked for a personal laminator, and learning games.

* Troy R-III - Sara Larson is a 3rd grade teacher in Boone Elementary. She LOVES to teach reading to 3rd graders. She wants to have “book club book sets” in her room. Students would divide into small groups to read along together and share ideas helping develop a LOVE reading too. A few of her book request are: Magic Treehouse; Refugee; and the Indian in the Cupboard.

* Winfield RIV – Katie Wideman teaches 7th grade ELA at WMS. Her request was Fidget Bands for their chairs to help them use their energy while staying in their seats and remain focused. 20 Headphones that can be sanitized for reading aloud and also completing online test.

Congratulations to all of our winners this year!

And to all of our Lincoln County Educators we say a very heartfelt THANK YOU for all you continue to do for our local students!

2021 MRTA Annual Meeting

Three members of LCARSP attended the 2021 MRTA Annual Meeting September 14-15 in Jefferson City. Linda McGlothlin, unit president and Clarissa Sydnor, unit president-elect, learned about issues the group supports as well as the many benefits available to MRTA members through AMBA. The attendees were also entertained by nationally known motivational speakers Devin Henderson, magician and mentalist, and Jan Hargrave, leading behavioral and body language expert.

Our LCARSP again achieved the MRTA Unit of Excellence! President McGlothlin accepted the award from MRTA President Arleta Godwin. Also pictured are President McGlothlin and President-Elect Sydnor with the award.

                                        

Zenda Folta, publicity committee chair, also attended the meeting and received the 2021 Distinguished Retiree Award for Region 13. (Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren Counties). Zenda has been busy volunteering in her community since retiring in 2013. She is actively involved in Master Gardeners, Daughters of the American Revolution, LCARSP and her church and has created and maintains their websites and/or Facebook pages. She delivers Meals on Wheels with her husband, has helped with mass vaccination events at her local health department, and has shared information about MRTA and LCARSP at local functions. Photos include MRTA President Godwin, Mrs. Folta and Region 13 Vice President Sherry Brandes and the thirteen recipients of the 2021 MRTA Regional Distinguished Retirees.

   

                           

Our 2020 Region 13 Distinguished Retiree was also a LCARSP member, Jan Burlison. Jan has been quite active during her retirement. She has worn many hats in our local unit, including president. Jan is an active member of the group's craft club which makes and sells craft items to fund the unit's classroom grant program. She has also volunteered at the LCARSP booth during local health fairs and makes phone calls to prospective members about upcoming events. Jan serves her church as Sunday School teacher, Bible Study leader and Bible School leader. She serves on the board of the Lincoln County MIZZOU Alumni Association and volunteers as an instructor with the Cuivre River Education Program. Since the MRTA Annual Meeting was virtual last year, a video was created to honor these distinguished recipients. You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4hpXCEESdA

Congratulations to both of these ladies and thank you for your commitment to our community! You exemplify the MRTA motto "To Serve, Not Be Served."

2021 LCARSP Classroom Grant Recipients

Congratulations to the 2021 LCARSP Classroom Grant winners! Each year the Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel sponsors classroom grants for our four county school districts. These $200 grants are designed to give some financial assistance to teachers for needed classroom items.

Stephanie Ostmann is a Kindergarten teacher at Silex R-I Elementary. She will be using the grant to enhance her reading area with a display style bookshelf and books for her students. Stephanie is very excited and appreciative of the grant. Pictured is Gina Harris, Silex Elementary Principal, Stephanie Ostmann, and Cheryl Kerns, LCARSP grant committee member and Silex R-I school retiree. 

Arla Jo Kaimann is a kindergarten teacher in Elsberry R-II for 13 years. Her request will help to organize her classroom with individual center boxes. She chose wipeable, sturdy crates so each student has their own space to store their practice activities. Pictured is Arla Jo. Covid concerns prevented Diane Bockhorst from personally delivering it. Diane is a retired Elsberry elementary teacher from Elsberry. 

Helene Hodak, a TBHS Language Arts teacher, requested plug-in keyboards for students to use with their chrome books. It makes typing for writing activities, where spacing and formatting is important, much less stressful. She says her teaching life is more enjoyable when her students struggling with technology are able to be more successful.

This year’s recipient from Winfield R-4 of a $200 grant awarded by the Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel is Carrie Gracey. Ms. Gracey teaches seventh grade advanced and co-taught math. She has taught in the Winfield R-4 district for 11 years. The grant will be used to purchase headphones to aid in individualized instruction and testing. Pictured is Carrie Gracey. Person awarding the grant check is Bonnie Hubbman, retired teacher from Winfield.