2025 LCARSP Classroom Grant Recipients

 LCARSP sponsors Classroom Grants to teachers in each of the four public school districts in Lincoln County plus one grant to a non-certified staff member. The money from each of these grants helps educators purchase things for their students / classroom that their classroom budget does not cover. This year the group was able to award extra grants as funds were available through sales of items made by the group's Craft Club and generous member donations. Elsberry (Lincoln County R-II) did not submit any grant applications this year.

The 2025 Classroom Grant recipients are:

PIcture 1: Katelyn Pezold, Troy Buchanan High School French Teacher (Lincoln County R-III) - With a new cell phone ban in place, students aren't used to free time when they have finished assignments. Their free time is being redefined. This teacher plans for her students to use this time working on French-themed puzzles along with a puzzle table for long-term use. The tables at which the students work are all in use.

Picture 2: Melanie Prinster, Troy South Middle School Flight Teacher (Lincoln County R-III) - Melanie will purchase a set of 13 styluses to help students work more easily on their tablets or touchscreen devices (like an iPad or Chrome tablet). A stylus is like a pen for a touchscreen device — it makes writing, drawing, and navigating apps much more precise than using a finger. Newer styluses connect instantly via Bluetooth, offer features like pressure sensitivity and shortcut buttons, and help students write and create with greater accuracy. Currently, this teacher has ONE to lend out.

Picture 3: Mandy Johnson, STEM Teacher for Hawk Point Elementary and Claude Brown Elementary (Lincoln County R-III) - Mandy will purchase age-appropriate drones to introduce major job opportunities to students particularly in agriculture for crop monitoring and analysis.

Picture 4: Claire Wommack, Silex (Lincoln County R-I) Fifth Grade teacher - Claire will purchase Google Slides offered through the Teachers Pay Teachers website. These are ready-made slides that are engaging, interactive and support reading, spelling and grammar curriculum as well as being aligned with the standards.

Picture 5: Crystal McDonald, Troy South Elementary Art Teacher (Lincoln County R-III) - This teacher wants to use biographies to extend the learning about the artists students study. Most books about famous artists are not age-appropriate for younger readers. Ms. McDonald has found a set from the publishers of Little Golden Books.

Picture 6: Anita Fitzwater-Stevens, Winfield (Lincoln County R-IV) 7th Grade ELA Teacher - This teacher needs items to create a safe space within the classroom to be used as 'a privilege granted on an as-needed basis."

PIcture 7: Elaine Mueller, Parents As Teachers (Lincoln County R-III Non-Certified Staff ) - This group is in need of storage containers and clear mesh bags for items the PAT teachers carry into homes as well as within their office.

The retired educators of Lincoln County want to say 'Thank You" to ALL the current teachers and staff members of each of our county's public schools for the outstanding work they do everyday to educate our local students!

1904 World Fair Exhibit

Members of LCARSP traveled to the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis Thursday April 17th to enjoy the 1904 World's Fair Exhibit.  After the tour, they dined at the Boat House in Forest Park.  Even though it was a bit rainy, it was a delightful day!  Below is a description of the exhibit.

Covering about 2 square miles, the 1904 World's Fair contained dozens of palaces, attractions, exhibits, and concessions. Visitors used maps to find their way around and make the most of their time at the Fair.

St. Louis was the center of the world in 1904. With multicultural exhibitions and architectural marvels that swept across nearly 1,200 acres of Forest Park, the 1904 World’s Fair (also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) was truly larger than life. Twenty million visitors attended this pivotal event in St. Louis history—one that continues to attract both awe and criticism over a century later.

Today the World’s Fair has taken on an almost mythical significance. In this revamped exhibit, artifacts and images will bring to life a more complete picture of the Fair, one that shows what it was like from many different perspectives: the organizers, the visitors, the workers—both those who came to St. Louis voluntarily and those who were forced. It will re-examine the complexity of the Fair in ways that will make this story feel new again. Learn about the Fair as a construction site, as an arena, as a representation of empire, as an amusement park, and much more.

The back gallery of The 1904 World’s Fair includes a rotating exhibit that will change every two years. The current rotating gallery is The World in St. Louis.

Source: A Guide to the 1904 World’s Fair Scale Model Four-fold and the Missouri History Museum website.

2024-2025 LCARSP Classroom Grant Recipients

Lincoln County Retired School Personnel is announcing the The 2024-2025 Classroom Grant LCARSP recipients!

In the non-certified category:

* Debora Mitchell – Winfield RIV, Special Education paraprofessional

The items in this grant application could be described as educational games for Pre-K special education, however these games are used to promote whole group activities for non-verbal students to improve communication.

pictured l-r: Ginger Hobbs, LCARSP 2nd Vice President; Debora Mitchell, Winfield Special Education Paraprofessional

* Amanda O'Neal – Troy South Elementary, paraprofessional

This grant will be used to purchase sensory tiles, sensory mats, a weighted vest, earmuffs, and chew necklaces.

pictured l-r: Amanda O'Neal; Jason Cook

Certified category

Troy

*Jason Cook – Troy South Elementary, Library Media Specialist

The librarian at this school has a Makerspace for students to use during specials time to supplement the learning taking place. With the $200. grant money, he will purchase three new snap circuit kits for students in grades 3-5.

* Rebecca Watt – Troy Middle, 6th grade social studies

According to many of the grant applications we received – tablet chargers, styluses, and headphones are sorely lacking in our schools. This teacher requested a set of styluses as they have to borrow from the library which is inconvenient for a one to one apple classroom.

Elsberry

* Carolyn Harmon – K-12 All Buildings, English and English Language Teacher

There is a shortage of bilingual books available for kids transitioning to English speakers. Having some reading material in their native language makes them feel comfortable, welcomed, and included in their school. (Several other teachers in different districts asked for this as well.)

No picture

* Sheri Hoff – Elsberry Middle, 7th grade ELA and Comm Arts

Headphones for students so that they can use the read aloud features on Commonlit, Readworks, YouTube videos posted on Google Classroom, and Edpuzzle. The package ordered would ensure enough for students in the classroom and a few extra.

Silex

* Jamie Drobil – Elementary Music Teacher

Jamie is creating a music library with books about different musicians – past and present – different musical genres, books that reinforce the musical concepts they are learning, along with interactive music books. This also enables the teacher to work with and assess small groups while others are reading.

pictured l-r: Jamie Drobil, Elsberry Elementary Music; Candi Arrigo, LCARSP Classroom Grant Chair

Winfield

* Patricia Dawson – Winfield Middle, 8th grade ELA

Floor chairs and lap desks will enhance this classroom. The teacher has

discovered that some students prefer a semi-isolated spot in which to work. While this is for the students it also keeps classroom management at the forefront, as well as being a great motivator for desired student behavior.

pictured l-r: Ginger Hobbs, LCARSP 2nd Vice President; Patricia Dawson, Winfield Middle School 8th Grade ELA

Food For Kids Donations

As part of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association (MRTA) "Food For Kids" initiative, LCARSP continues to support our four local school districts with their weekend food support programs. The $200 checks were presented recently to the district organizations that oversee their programs.

Pictured, left to right:

Photo 1: Silex "Owls Pals" NHS President McKenna Claborn and LCARSP member Janet Finnerty

Photo 2: Elsberry "Operation Backpack" Special Education Director Jill Koch and LCARSP President Terry Elia

Photo 3: Troy "Buddy Bags" Director of Teaching and Learning Services Laura Parn and LCARSP member Sherri Heckman

Not pictured: Winfield "Pals Pax" Presented to First Baptist Church of Winfield by LCARSP Carolyn Click

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.