2024 Annual 'Welcome to Retirement' BBQ

LCARSP held their annual “Welcome Back and Welcome to Retirement” BBQ August 8. The group welcomed several new retirees from the Silex and Troy School Districts as well as MRTA President-Elect Hap Hairston.

LCARSP and Region 13 Distinguished Retiree of the Year, Margaret Smith, was also introduced. Margaret, pictured in the aqua blue shirt, is a retiree of the Troy School District, a member and president of the Troy Elks Lodge and a long-time board member of the MRTA-Foundation which is responsible for the MRTA Classroom Grant Program.

LCARSP is looking forward to another great year of interesting programs, fun ‘capers’ and community service! They will meet at Denny’s in Troy August 19 at 8:30 to celebrate The First Day of School and their first meeting will be September 12 at the Lincoln County Health Department.

Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Museum

On March 21st, an intrepid group of eight headed to the Lewis and Clark Boat House in St. Charles for our March caper. Quite a few members in the group were part of the group who visited the Confluence Tower and Lewis and Clark Museum in Hartford IL last fall. We all thought this latest visit was a fitting conclusion to our Lewis and Clark adventures.

 

Most of us picked up a “Nature Display Scavenger Hunt” and “Can You Find Me?” set of pictures on the way into the museum. We enjoyed “the hunt” and resource sharing.

The museum exhibits provided a good sampling of an exciting part of United States history, the expedition of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. The museum is the home of the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles.

Your tour begins with a map of the paths taken by the expedition, the 8,000-mile journey from St. Charles to the Pacific and back again, taking over 28 months. There are various dioramas and murals throughout the museum.

Lewis and Clark recorded their observations, flora, fauna, and various minerals and fossils, including the Missouri geode.

Native Americans played an important role in the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The ways in which the Native Americans helped the expedition are on display.

Examples of nightly campsites are on display as are medicine and tools used by the expedition.

Scale-model boats are on display, including a historic dugout canoe and a full-size replica below the museum.

In searching for the blue heron as part of the scavenger hunt, we were treated to a blue heron standing on the riverbank outside the museum.

Afterwards, we headed across the street to the Schlafly Brewhouse for lunch, then on to Main Street for Grandma’s Cookies and a trip to Main Street Books.

Legislative Day 2024

LCARSP members participated in Legislative Day February 13 at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.

One of the day's highlights was paying a visit to Representative Doyle Justus (District 41). Members shared their views on public education and the PSRS-PEERS (retirement system). Rep. Justus is a Lincoln County R-III retiree. He taught agriculture education for 26 years.

Congratulations to the 2023 LCARSP Classroom Grant winners!

Congratulations to the 2023 LCARSP Classroom Grant winners!

LCARSP Grants – 2023-24

Silex R-1 Amy Grote is a rootEd College and Career Advisor at the high school. RootEd is funded through a grant which was reduced this year. Amy will use the LCARSP grant to supplement that cut in funding. The money will be used for Decision Day -- high schoolers, their parents, and the community at large come together and students “announce what each member of the senior class intends to pursue after graduation.”

Elsberry R-2 Jeanne Ogden teaches 5th grade science and reading at Ida Cannon Middle School. Using the money for manipulatives, she will teach students how our very complicated brains work: why we feel welcomed or unsafe, what happens when the brain is damaged, how memory works, and why some of us experience feelings that others may not.

Winfield R-4 Steffan Colbert is a SPED teacher at Winfield Middle School needing money for a subscription called Step Up to Writing. Having used this program before, she knows it to be highly effective in catering to students at their various stages of writing. It also substantially reduces time spent on lesson planning.

Troy R-3 Elizabeth Coil is a Food and Nutrition teacher at New Horizons working with 11 and 12th graders. Having only odds and ends, she would like to have one complete set of cookware on site. For too often when attempting a recipe, they discover they don’t have the tools needed.

Non-Certified Staff Scott (Andrew) Brandt is a parent educator in Winfield. LCARSP will be purchasing a color printer for their organization. Currently, they have to walk to the Primary School to make copies.

Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower Tour

On Thursday, September 21st, eight of us headed out on the September caper to the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower in Hartford, Illinois.

We arrived just in time to take the first tour up the tower.  There are 360° views at 50 feet, 100 feet, and 150 feet. At the top platform, or 150 feet, we were able to see Confluence Point where the Missouri and Mississippi rivers meet.

 

The Confluence Tower was built to honor the 200th anniversary of the famed Lewis and Clark Journey to map the western United States in 1803.

The Confluence Tower visitor center is home to an interactive exhibit with videos and panels that tell the stories of the region’s history, wildlife, and Byway communities.

 

Once our feet were on solid ground again, we traveled a mile down the road to the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, “the point of departure”, the mouth of River Dubois. Experience the visions of the expedition, a woodland environment, a 55-foot keelboat with a 30-foot mast crosscut to see how the provisions were stored, and much more.

 

Now, it was time for lunch at the infamous Lotawata Creek Restaurant in Fairview Heights.

A “lota” food was enjoyed by all before we headed back to Troy with a “lota” food to eat later.

As always, one caper tends to lead to ideas for another caper. Stay tuned for the latest idea for 2024.