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. 

Food For Kids Donations

The Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel (LCARSP) presented donations to the school-to-home food programs in each school district in Lincoln County on Dec 2-4. Linda McGlothlin, LCARSP President, and Zenda Folta, LCARSP webpage administrator and photographer, met with representatives from each school district to present a check for $200 with a matching donation of $200 for their food support programs.

As part of the LCARSP Community Service in Lincoln County, LCARSP members voluntarily donate to the LCARSP Food For Kids project. The Food For Kids monies are then donated to the school-to-home food support programs – the Silex R-I Owls Pals, the Elsberry R-II Backpacks, the Troy R-III Buddy Bags, and the Winfield R-IV Pals Pax programs.

LCARSP is a unit of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association which supports the statewide Show Me Hunger project and strongly encourages local community service projects.

Elsberry R-II Backpacks

Sponsor- Natalie Head

Accepting:

Madison Leckbee, President Elsberry National Honor Society

Kyndal Pratt, Vice President Elsberry National Honor Society

Macy Barber, Secretary/Treasurer Elsberry National Honor Society

Winfield R-IV Pal Pax

Volunteer director – Terry Feeler (not available)

Accepting:

Pastor Fielding Poe of the First Baptist Church of Winfield

Troy R-III Buddy Bags

Sponsor & accepting -- Dr. Amy Salvo

Silex R-I Owls Pals

Sponsor – Laura McDonald

Accepting:

Kelan Kinion, President Silex National Honor Society

Laura Mc Donald, Co-sponsor Silex National Honor Society

Heather Miller, Co-sponsor Silex National Honor Society

The 2021 Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel Classroom Grants are now available on the LCARSP website, under the "Classroom Grants" page. or follow the link at the bottom of this page.  

Let's move on to 2021!  We understand your school year has been very challenging and you have worked harder and more creatively than ever before so we have simplified our application form (tell us what you need and how much it will cost). Check it out 

The purpose of these grants is to help fund small projects for classroom teachers.  One $200 grant will be awarded to a teacher in each of the four county school districts.  

Applications may be accessed by clicking at the bottom of this page or on the Classroom Grants tab on the menu bar.  Scroll down to the article and click the work "HERE."

If you are a teacher in the Silex, Elsberry, Troy or Winfield School District, fill one out!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GmUsTs7tSrgpHfTesw1hDBEL-0OycfotuU0PGlueJUU/edit?usp=sharing

2020 Missouri Retired Teacher Foundation Grant Winners

Several members from the Lincoln County Area Retired School Personnel unit helped Missouri Retired Teachers Association Region 13 Vice President Sherry Brandes award four Missouri Retired Teacher Foundation Grants to Lincoln County 

teachers this month.  

On October 21, the group met with Elizabeth Utterback, Agriculture Education instructor at Troy Buchanan High School in Troy. She used her $500 grant to purchase a license to create on-line record books for all agriculture students at TBHS.

Pictured l-r: Linda McGlothlin, LCARSP President; Elizabeth Utterback; Sherry Brandes, Region 13 Vice President, Margaret Smith, MRTF Board Member.

The group traveled across town to award another grant to Stephanie Harris, First Grade Teacher at Main Street Elementary School in Troy. She used the grant to purchase Good Morning Tubs, an alternative for morning work that emphasizes STEM skills.

Pictured l-r: Sherry Brandes; Linda McGlothlin; Megan Sanford, Main Street Elementary Principal; Stephanie Harris, Sierra Johnson, Main Street Elementary Assistant Principal; Margaret Smith.

October 28, representatives of LCARSP and MRTA presented two more MRTF Grants to teachers in Lincoln County.  Sheri Hoff, Winfield Middle School English Language Arts teacher has used her funds to purchase tall tables and stools for those students who work better standing.  She said her students were thrilled to work at these stations when they were able to return to class earlier this month.

Pictured l-r: Sherry Brandes, Region 13 Vice President; Sheri Hoff; LCARSP President 

Linda McGlothlin

The group awarded the last $500 Missouri Retired Teacher Foundation Grant to Melissa Skibinski, Third Grade Teacher at Main Street Elementary School in Troy (Lincoln County R-III). She used the grant funds to purchase items for a Calming Box. These include weighted blankets and fidget busters to aid students who

need help focusing.

Pictured l-r: Linda McGlothlin; Brianna Knorr, Third Grade Teacher; Melissa Skibinski; Sherry Brandes

Of the eight grants awarded in Region 13 (Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties), Lincoln County Schools received four!  Congratulations to all of these winners!  We appreciate your dedication to your students!