LMS Junior Beta

Sponsor's Note

2010-05-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

I just want to say a huge thank you to the parents and students who helped get LMS Beta up and running over these past 7 years! I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of you the entire time. I will be stepping down as sponsor for LMS Beta at the end of the school year to spend more time with my family!

I hope that all of my students will remember what Beta's purpose was and is: to lead by serving! Continue to strive to be your best and inspire others to do the same. Reach out and serve your school and your community. Be leaders, never followers.

I am very proud of each and every one of you(even those I occasionally correct and push to do better). LMS started out with about 100 students eligible for Beta and has 206 members currently! Every school in the county now has a Beta Club. Together, we made this happen. While I may not organize trips and collect your money, I am still here to encourage you to push a little harder and maintain those grades! I hope doing your best becomes a lifelong habit for each Beta!

Final Payment for LMS Spring Trip

2010-03-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

Those who registered for the Spring Trip will have a final payment of $65 or less if they fundraised due April 17. .

DC Parent Meeting

2010-02-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

Since every date I set for a meeting gets snowed out, I have decided to try to cover it all in a note. We will try to get together after winter is over (if it ever ends).

1. If you have an email address, I need it. Please send it to farriv@k12tn.net. With school out so much, I can’t count on getting notes home. I will email you reminders of payment dates and any trip details as I receive more information.
You can also check http://lmsjuniorbeta.blogpost.com for updates on trip planning and other LMS Beta activities and photos.
2. 2nd payment is due Wednesday, 2-17-2010. As school was closed due to snow, please have that to LMS by Friday, 2-19-2010 at 3PM so it can be mailed in.
3. Proposed room list is attached. Those highlighted have paid extra to have reduced number in their room. All other rooms are supposed to have 4 in them. If additional people are added, they will go in these rooms. If you prefer a different room, please let me know ASAP. This is in no way final; I do need to get it company this month so contact me with changes ASAP.
4. Dress code: We would like to wear shirts of the same color on days we tour DC and Williamsburg. It makes it easy for us to spot our group and looks great in photos. To represent the different schools in our county going, we will wear the following colors: royal blue, black, purple and orange. You do not have to purchase these if you already have shirts in these colors. If you would like to purchase a T-shirt package, I will have Hall’s print us up some simple one color imprint T’s for $25 for all 4. We will not order these until May so you have plenty of time to decide on this. Students will be permitted to wear shorts but should make sure they are at least finger tip length. Comfortable walking shoes are a necessity—no flip flops on tours. Flip flops are for hotel or day at the beach only. A complete packing list will be available by early May.
5. Fundraisers: Pam Smith and Valerie Maynord-Thomas at Allons are setting up some fundraisers to assist their students. Other students are welcome to participate. They have a digital camera and a gun or rifle (I believe) to raffle. If you are interested, please contact Valarie at Allons Elementary School.

Spring Trip Deposit

2010-02-13T23:15:00.000-08:00

The first payment of $65 is due Feb. 17 for the Spring Trip to Chattanooga. With all the school days we have missed due to snow and the possibility of more, we will extend that deadline to Feb. 24. Remember that students must be in good standing and remain in good standing to participate in this trip. Once we have a complete list of those going, students will be able to sign up to room with friends from their grade level. The trip is May 6-7: a Thursday and Friday. We will be spending one day at the Aquarium, spending the night at the ChooChoo and then spending Friday at Lake Winni. The $130 covers transportation, hotel, all meals, attraction tickets and a trip T Shirt. Parents please help me out by putting payment in an envelope labeled with your student's name, grade level, amount enclosed and T size. As Beta grows, I must have your help with this. I cannot continue to have students just lay money on my desk with no explanation or hand it to me at bus loading. Having it in a properly labeled envelope insures that your child gets registered!

DC Trip Update

2010-01-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

We got the 40 we needed to make the trip happen with LMS, Hilham, Rickman and Allons pooling students together. I can take 10 more registrations on a first come first serve basis if you know of anyone who wants to go and just missed the deadline. Once we reach 50 the bus is full and we can't add anyone else!!!

We will have a parent meeting for participating Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6PM at LMS. We will finalize roommate assignments, discuss fundraising for those who want to do this (it is not required--just to help those who need it), and start thinking about details. It will be nice to meet everyone! We may be a small group but we will have a BIG TIME and learn about our government and history!

DC Trip Update

2010-01-11T23:39:00.000-08:00

With schools being closed for snow, we have not been able to have any of our parent meetings regarding the DC trip! I do have registration packets ready that I planned to give out at those meetings. If you are interested in having your student go on the trip, you can email me at farrisv@k12tn.net and request a packet. I will email one to you (it is a Word document so you will need Word to open it). I will also put copies in all school offices as soon as school reopens so students can stop by their school office and pick one up.

The first payment of $125 is due by January 20. I am asking the company to extend this deadline to January 27 in view of our school closings so you have a little more time to pull that together.

If you have any question, email is a great way to reach me or feel free to stop by LMS.

Summer DC Trip

2009-12-25T22:46:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of putting a summer trip to DC/Williamsburg/Virginia Beach together for the week of June 7-12. General information sheets have been given out to students. Parent meetings will be held in early January. $645 (if 50 go, price changes as number goes up or down) covers 5 nights hotel, charter bus, all 3 meals a day, all DC attractions for 3 days including a Dinner/Dance Cruise on the Potomac River, 1 Day in Williamsburg, and 1 day at Virginia Beach ending with an all you can eat Seafood Buffett before the Friday night bus ride home. We will leave after church on Sunday and return early Saturday morning! A payment plan is available. Come to a parent meeting to learn more.

2009-11-25T18:37:00.000-08:00

LMS students at Convention! We took the largest group in our history--96 students, 6 Junior Chaperones, 4 Teachers, 2 Food Service Staff, 2 Bus Drivers and several parents who helped. Over 6,000 Betas from across the state were present. In spite of this sponsor's stress with a sick child, the LMS students pulled together and did well in their contests. We had very few minor discipline issues! A great time was had by all!

Poinsetia Sale Update

2009-11-25T18:29:00.000-08:00

As most of you now, I was out of school the week of November 20 due the hospitalization of my child. With me out, very few students remembered to turn in orders. I have processed those that did and will have them delivered as scheduled on Nov. 30. Due to my absence, I will take a 2nd round of orders. All orders must be in by noon on Monday, December 7. That set of orders may be picked up at LMS on Thursday, December 10 from 4:30-6PM. The greenhouse is
now sold out of White, Marble, & Jingle Bells in the 6 & 1/2 inch pot but has a full selection in the 8 inch pots. If you plan to turn in a Dec. 7 order, please mark these items off your order form and add the new dates to the front of the form. Remember that this money goes in your child's individual Beta account to help cover the Spring Beta Trip. 5th graders who are anticipating joining Beta are welcome to participate!

Possible Dinner Valentine's Dinner Theatre

2009-09-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

Several of our students worked very hard on the talent entry for convention. The sad thing is that they are only allowed to perform 6 minutes at convention so we are doing several clips of songs to get as many students as possible involved. We have some really talented singers and dancers!! We plan to perform a dinner theatre in late Spring

We need a place with a stage and dinner seating. The students will provide the entertainment. We have other students who could be waiters and waitresses. We need a parent committee to organize and take care of the following: ticket preparation and sales, set up and decoration of room for the dinner, menu planning/meal preparation, supervising waitresses and waitors, sound and lighting technician, makeup and hair. Parents who would be willing to help please let me know and let's plan to meet the 2nd Wednesday in January at 3:30 to get jobs divided.

We had considered Valentine's Weekend but it seems everyplace in town is booked up with church events. I am now looking at the last weekend of February or first weekend of March.
The students involved will practice Wednesday afternoons in January and February and have one week of rehearsals on stage prior to the event. They did an excellent job at convention so I am eager to see them take this to a full 45 minute production.

Mums

2009-09-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

We sold over 1,600 mums! Way to go. Delivery is this Saturday, September 19 from 8AM-11AM rain or shine (pray for a break from the rain). Each student has been given their order form and a delivery instruction sheet. Parents please bring this with you to pick up your child's mums so you can make sure you get what you need. We want all our customers to be happy so we can continue this very successful project for years to come. It really has allowed many students an opportunity to earn money to cover convention and spring trips when money is tight for most families! If it helps our students, it is well worth a rainy Saturday morning! Let's just all be patient with the delivery process and not rush it; we want to take our time and reduce the inevitable errors that can occur. Thank you for your support!!

2009-2010 Beta Calendar

2009-08-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

August 7 Registration—
August 21 Splash Bash 4-7 Deep Valley
August 31 Turn in Notarized Medical Release Forms for Year by this date
September 8 8th Grade Starts Adopt A Grandparent Program

September 11 $20 Little House tickets on sale to first 76 to bring in money

September 16 Mum orders and payments due!

September 19 Mum Delivery 8AM-Noon
September 30 All convention arts entries due to Ms. Farris
October 7 $$$1st Payment for Convention Due($60)
No late payments will be accepted.
***No refunds will be given for students who decided not
to attend or fail to maintain good standing until convention.

If in doubt, ask me to check your students grades before processing payment!

October 29 Little House play at TPAC
November 6 $$$2nd Payment for Convention Due($60)

November 13 Final Convention Payment ($30 Cash only) due
November 22-24 State Convention at Opryland Hotel
December ??? Christmas Party

January 29 New member dues ($15) due for those added 2nd 9 weeks
May 6-7 Spring Trip to Chattanooga Aquarium, Choo Choo and Lake Winni
May ??? Red Cross Blood Drive
May 21 Induction for New Members 1:30PM

Please remember that you must be in good standing to participate in trips each 9 weeks.
Students will be put on probation and thus be ineligible for Beta activities as follows:
1. Any 9 week grade failing to meet Beta standards will result in a 9 week probation period(no trips, privileges). Continued failure to meet the academic standard will result in expulsion from Beta Club.
2. More than 5 absences per semester unless they are excused by a doctor or other professional will result in probation for the remainder of the school year.
3. Any behavior that results in ISS or Alternative School placement will result in expulsion from Beta Club for the remainder of the school year.
4. Any student who receives 3 or more discipline slips will meet with the Beta Sponsor, LMS Principal or Vice Principal, and Beta officers to review his/her membership privilege.

Transfer Students will be considered for Beta membership only after the completion of one full nine weeks of school at LMS if they had acceptable grades at their previous school, maintain acceptable grades at LMS and demonstrate positive character.

BETA: A CIRCLE OF WINNERS 2009 CONVENTION

2009-08-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

2009 State Convention Plans

BETA: A CIRCLE OF WINNERS

State Convention will be November 22-24, 2009 at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

8th grade Beta students may go without entering a contest but are encouraged to participate in some event.

6th and 7th grade students must be representing LMS as an officer or a contestant to attend. There are so many contests that we can usually find a way for everyone who wants to go to attend. We cannot go over 100 students as we will only take 2 buses.

Costs is $150 for 2 nights hotel, registration, bus, 2 T-shirts, and some meals (we provide breakfast and lunch and only eat dinner out each day to save $$$). Students room 4 to a room and each chaperone has 2-3 rooms.

The first payment($60) will be due by Oct. 7, 2009; the 2nd payment($60) will be due by November 6, 2009 and the final payment($30 cash only) will be due November 13. Students must be members in good standing as of the end of 1st nine weeks and remain in good standing throughout convention time. No refunds will be paid to anyone who registers and then fails to go! If you are in doubt, please email your child's teacher to check grades or let me know and I will check for you before I deposit your 1st payment.

Arts/Crafts Contest

1. Oil/Acrylic Painting

2. Photography (no larger than 8X10-color or black and white)

3. Sketching—pastel or charcoal

4. Sketching-pen, pencil or ink

5. Sculpture

6. Watercolors

7. Crochet/Knitting

8. Cross-stitch

9. Handmade Jewelry (one-piece—no sets)

10. Needlepoint/Embroidery

11. Woodworking

12. Wreath

13. Banner

All entries are due to Ms. Farris before the end of September! If we have multiple entries is any category, we will have them judged and select the best one to represent LMS If you are interested in a particular contest, see Ms. Farris for complete rules.

Academic Contest

Battle of the Books Books are A Long Way from Chicago, Peck; Matlida, Cahl; Little Women, Alcott; Olives' Ocean, Henkes; The Devils Arithematic, Yoland; Twilight, Meyer; The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Speare; Tangerine, Bloor; Wolf by the Ears, Rinaldi; My Side of the Mountain, George; Lincoln, a Photobiography, Freeman; and Dicey's Song Voight. We need 4-5 students on this team. It is simple: read all the books, take the AR tests on them, the team will assign each member 4-5 to re-read and really know front to back, then take the test at convention.

Essay Contest (600-1000 words, typed and double spaced on the convention theme.

Spelling Bee*

Quiz Bowl (similar to scholars bowl, team of 4, and 1 alternate)

Social Studies

Poetry : a poem on the convention theme

Math

Tower Power 4 people design & build a free standing tower with straws and tape---takes practice---need a parent with some engineering expertise to help coach this.

Public Speaking

If you are interested in one of the academic contest, see Ms. Farris. We will review test scores and academic work to select students to represent our school. Poetry and essays need to be submitted to Ms. Farris.

Talent/Group Contest

Group Talent/Special Talent--We are entering group talent for the first time ever. We are doing a Hannah Montana gone country musical. Tryouts for singing parts will be Sept. 2 at 3PM. All students who want to participate will be cast in some part; there are many parts for dancers. Scripts are available from Ms. Farris. Practice will be every Wednesday from 3-4PM beginning Sept. 2 and running until we go to convention.

Campaign Skit Daniel Flatt is running for State Chaplain. We are doing a Jungle theme skit. Everyone going to convention will be a villager in the skit! Main parts are Jungle Daniel and Jane, the Lion, and the Guns and Roses airband members. We are in need of African drums if you can loan us any! Practice will be the Sunday afternoons is November from 3 to 4:30PM!

Living Literature Museum (we choose a scene and characters from well known literature and do a 10X12 feet scene with students as “wax figures”—no movement---judged on scenery, costuming, pose—ability to maintain characters expression and attitude). We need a parent volunteer to coordinate this contest! We have an idea but need someone to see it through! This would be a great way to get more students involved in convention.

Poster Contest (3 students are given a theme and have only 2 hours to design and complete poster on site using 1 poster board, pencils, erasers and colored markers only—which they must take to convention)

Parents are always welcome to attend convention. I love to have you help hold our seats in the auditorium so bring a book to read! Only your own child may room with you. You will need to pay your first night of $125 on October 7 if you want me to make your reservation with the group and then the final payment of $125 by November 6. This will get you in the same block as the students. If you want to be away from the students, you may call the hotel and reserve your room.
Parents: We will use the LA Wildcat trailer for luggage and will need a parent to tow this for us.

2009-2010 Spring Reward Trip

2009-08-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

MAY 6-7, 2009-THURSDAY AND FRIDAY CHATTANOOGA
We will leave at 7AM to spend Thursday at the Tennessee Aquarium. Your ticket includes an aquarium tour and scavenger hunt, a 3D movie and an excursion on the River Gorge Explorer! A picnic lunch is also included!

Spend the night at the Historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn. Students will be in rooms of 4! We will eat dinner at the hotel and breakfast in the Gardens Restaurant at the hotel. We will also have an hour or two to swim in the hotels indoor pool and tour the gardens!

Spend Friday enjoying some of the 23 rides at Lake Winni! We will have a picnic lunch here. We will return home around 8PM.

Cost per student will be $130 for all this-we’ll even have a T-shirt included! Remember you must be in good standing to participate in this trip—90+GPA, all A-Bs, no more than 10 absences, no ISS or Alt. School and no more than 3-5 discipline slips for any reason(we will review you at 3).
You can earn money for the trip by selling Mums this fall and Poinsettas for Christmas!

Christmas Poinsettia Sale

2009-08-22T05:49:00.003-07:00

I am trying to finalize plans for our poinsettia sale. It will work very much like the mum sale. We will take orders from October 15 to November 20. Money and order forms will be due in by noon on November 20. Delivery will be (hopefully) on Monday, November 30 with pickup anytime between 3PM and 7PM.

Info from the grower I am leaning towards is as follows.
We guarantee quality! Red is the favorite color, but we also offer white, marble, jingle bells, burgundy, pink, silverstar red, and peppermint, and the double blooming Winter Rose. Our standard sizes include a 6.5-inch pot with one pinched plant with five or more blooms and an 8 inch pot with three pinched plants and 12 or more blooms.Your price includes pot wraps in a wide variety of styles and colors. We ship in a plastic sleeve that protects the poinsettia, provides an easy way to carry them, and prevents potting soil, leaves, etc. from littering your staging areas during delivery, sorting, etc. We also provide order forms, care instructions, and other point-of-sale (POS) information.
Size / Your Cost / Suggested Price Range
6 1/2-inch Florist / $5.25 / $12.00
8-inch Florist / $11.45 / $20.00
10-inch Pot / $15.45 / $29.00

Student profit would be $5, 7, and 12 respectively as we have to pay tax on any item we resale and leave room for any mistakes or failures to collect. We could elect to sale only 1 or 2 sizes or all 3 and the varities we sell are up to us also. I am looking to parents to help guide this decision.

If anyone knows of another grower I should consider, please get this information to me. This grower is out of Pall Mall and has a good reputation. http://www.wolfriver.net/poinsettia_fundraising.html If we can make more profit for our students with a different grower and still get a quality product, I will be all for it. My bottom line is helping our students raise enough money to go on trips and building a solid financial base for our Beta Club so we can continue to grow and do more at convention as we are this year. Please email me with any suggestions you have.

Beta Mum Sale

2009-08-22T05:45:00.000-07:00

All orders and payment due Sept. 16 at noon. I need 2-3 parent volunteers to come in this day and count money/tally orders/etc.
All orders must be picked by the student and/or parents on Saturday, September 19 between 8AM and 11AM and should be delivered to your customers within 3 days!
Each student receives $3.50 credit for every mum. This is put in their BETA account and may be used to help pay for state convention or spring trip this school year!
Student will receive a copy of the order sheet when order is placed and then the original on delivery day.
If your customers pay by check, please have them make it to you, deposit in your account and then turn in only one check from the Beta parent and/or your cash with this order. LMS cannot process checks from individuals who do not have a student at LMS.