Sept From Our Teachers

From Our Instructional Coach

Hello!  My name is Aimee Crispin and I’m the full time Instructional Coach here at Leawood.   I have many roles here, all with the same goal of supporting our staff in the work we do to improve student achievement.  My roles include Classroom Supporter, Data Coach, Mentor, School Improvement Leader, and Instructional and Curriculum Specialist.  I have the privilege of working side by side with the teachers, both in and out of the classroom. I help them address learning challenges and provide support and feedback to facilitate and plan for best practices in instructional strategies. 

I am so proud to be a member of this community.   I was a teacher in this school for 14 years, and this is my 5th year as Instructional Coach.   In addition to my role as Instructional Coach, I’m here as a parent of a 5th grader and 3rd grader.   These truly are OUR students and I’m dedicated to working with you and the staff to continue to provide top-notch instruction that leads to high achievement. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions about curriculum or resources we use in the building.  I look forward to hearing from you!  Aimee.Crispin@jeffco.k12.co.us

From Our Library

Hello, Leawood Lions!  My name is Lisa Pepper and I’m happy to be the DTL at Leawood  again this year.   The best thing about my job is that I get to work with ALL of the students at Leawood on both library and digital learning skills.  I am at Leawood on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wednesday mornings.  Angela Langowski, our amazing library assistant, works on alternating days so the library is always open. Please stop by anytime!

One important focus of our learning is Digital Citizenship.  All students need digital citizenship skills to make smart choices online. Digital citizenship skills include communicating appropriately online, creating a positive digital footprint, internet safety, evaluating credible information sources and creative credit and copyright.  

Our school district is offering a great (and totally free) opportunity for families to support digital citizenship skills.  Please join us for a special showing of Screenagers: Growing up in the Digital Age in the Ken Caryl Middle School gym on Wednesday September 19th from 6:30-8:00 pm.  Screenagers is an award winning film that offers solutions to the struggles young people face with social media and screen time. For more information click here: Screenagersmovie.com or download the flyer below.

From Our Music Teacher

Hello Leawood Elementary! I'm Joel Zigman and I am the new general music teacher for 1st-6th grade. This is my second year teaching general music in Jeffco, last year I worked at Swanson Elementary School in Arvada. Before that I was a Fourth Grade associate teacher at the Little Red School House in New York City, where I grew up. My background is in composing music, both classical and pop, and this year I am recording an album of songs with my band. I went to Rice University to study classical composing for undergraduate school and the University of Texas at Austin for my master's degree in music education. For fun I like getting involved in social justice activism, gardening, riding my bicycle, hiking, and playing video games. I am looking forward to meeting everybody and sharing my passion for music with the Leawood community this year! Mark your calendars for this year’s concert dates: 

Winter Concert December 13th 7pm

1st Grade Singing Games Night March 21st 7pm

Spring Concert April 23rd 7pm 

From P. E.

It is great to be back again and see our kids.   We are starting our year out with a great deal of excitement.  I am now organizing our annual Leawood Lion track invitational, which will be held on Tuesday October 16th with Wednesday October 17 as a rain date.  The meet will be held at Jeffco Stadium on 6th and Kipling. We will have 5 schools competing in this meet-Leawood, Green Mountain, Red Rocks, Stein, and Ute Meadows.  I am looking forward to an exciting year.

Thank you,

F.T. Gonzales/Leawood P.E.

From Track Club

Hello Leawood families!  Track season is here for our 4th - 6th graders. Information and permission slips were given to students who were interested. Please keep the yellow informational sheet and return the blue permission slip, filled out.  Our practices will be Monday & Thursday after school, 3:45 - 5:00 and Friday mornings, 8:00 - 8:50. Additional forms can be picked up outside of the front office in the hanging trays. Please contact Mr. Lupo if you have any questions.  tlupo@jeffco.k12.co.us

From Band & Orchestra

Thank you to everyone who attended our instrument rental night at Ken Caryl Middle School on Tuesday evening August 28. Many students left with instruments that they will be using to experience the next step in their music education!

It’s not too late to join instrumental music! There are still spots available in our instrumental ensembles, and school instruments are available on clarinet, flute, trombone, trumpet, and tuba. Please contact me at eric.whaylen@jeffco.k12.co.us if your student is interested, and I will get you the necessary information.

Important Dates:

September 5 (Wednesday) – Our first instrumental music rehearsal at Leawood!

September 11 (Tuesday) – Fundraising night at Chili’s! All day mention Columbine area instrumental music and 15% of your bill will go to fund the instrumental music department.  For the flyer, click HERE

November 13 – Fall Concert @ Columbine HS

January 22 – Area Music Festival @ Columbine HS

May 9 – Spring Concert @ Columbine HS

Eric Whaylen, Instrumental Music, Columbine Articulation Area

Garden Committee

Did you know Leawood has a garden committee consisting of teachers, staff, and community members?  We are eagerly planning a garden to educate our students in authentic ways, build school community through teamwork, and connect with our neighborhood community in a positive and collaborative way. This outdoor classroom is an ideal way to integrate the curriculum across all grade levels into authentic learning and authentic tasks.  5th grade has an entire science unit on living things, with a big focus on plants, kindergarten learns about living and nonliving things, 3rd grade’s science units deal with earth’s materials and living things, and all grade levels will be able to integrate the garden into literacy and math.  The garden will require students to problem solve and work together, and it will empower them and boost their confidence as they take ownership of and contribute to the garden’s overall success. The garden will also support our healthy school initiative through more learning about nutrition, nature, and simple fact that we will have to spend more time going outside to utilize the garden.  SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, April 20th will be the BIG ROLL OUT!!  For more information, please contact our teacher sponsor, Mr Peter Lomba, peter.lomba@jeffco.k12.co.us

HEALTHY SCHOOLS

Leawood now has a Healthy Schools Leadership Team, and we're hoping to get more parent involvement.  We are currently coming up with our school goals and action steps for how to meet those goals.  If this is something that interests you, we'd love to have you a part of our work.  Please contact teacher sponsor Melissa Stelmach for more information, Melissa.Stelmach@jeffco.k12.co.us

The District Wellness Policy continues to support healthier school environments in Jeffco. This year, student birthdays should only be recognized with non-food celebrations. The district also has new Food Allergies Guidelines, which can be found here and are also summarized in our Wellness Guidelines. 

From the Principal 

From the Office  

From Our Teachers  

From PTSA/Accountability  

From the District/Community