Despite the challenges they have faced over the past two years, Lookout Mountain School students, faculty, and staff have remained resolutely dedicated to learning. Students have thrived in this environment, steadily making gains academically and socially in a school community that nurtures them and prepares them for successful next steps. In September, LMS was honored to learn that this hard work was being recognized in the form of two significant awards.

First, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D., notified Principal Ruth White that LMS had been named a 2022 Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School. Lookout Mountain School was one of only 295 schools in the entire country - and one of just six schools in Tennessee - to receive this honor.  In recognizing the school’s overall academic performance, Secretary Cardona wrote to Mrs. White, “The U.S. Department of Education acknowledges your unwavering commitment to the well-being of every child and the possibilities that you create for the next generation.” He goes on to say, “Congratulations on your accomplishments. Your school is truly an inspiring example of students, teachers, staff, administrators, parents, families, and community leaders all working together through challenging circumstances to prepare our nation’s students to succeed.” Mrs. White has been invited to attend a ceremony held next month in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the National Blue Ribbon schools and receive the award for LMS.

The second recognition comes from the Tennessee Department of Education, as LMS was once again named a Level 5 Reward School this year. Reward School acknowledgement is based on a school’s Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) and Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) performance. Level 5 status is conferred upon schools that earn the top rating for academic growth and show “significant evidence that their students exceeded the state growth standard” in several vital subjects including literacy and numeracy. Representatives from the Hamilton County Department of Education visited LMS in mid-September to present the award banner and take a school-wide photo with students, faculty, and staff. Recognizing the Hamilton County Reward Schools, HCS Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson said, “We are pleased to see the continued growth of students … Level 5 recognition is a testament to the hard work of our students and teachers throughout the 2021-2022 school year. We are honored to be able to celebrate this achievement of students’ success.”

Clearly, there is much to praise at LMS! The faculty, staff, parents, PTA, and entire Lookout Mountain community should feel very proud of the school for these accomplishments, and the LMS students should feel exceedingly proud of themselves for the time, effort, and determination that went into these successes. Principal Ruth White shares, “Lookout Mountain School’s mission is to create a learning community that allows all students to achieve success by providing them with research-based instruction in the areas of scholarship, leadership, citizenship, and integrity.” She says that at LMS, “we believe the foundation of lifelong learning for all students should be enhanced through the teaching of related arts, integration of enrichment resources, and development of a strong academic core.” Mrs. White feels like this recognition is “a feather in the cap for all of our community and will last for generations to come” and she “applauds everyone for your part in supporting our school!”
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by Meredith Brown

Each year, the middle of October marks the end of fall break, the start of cool weather, and the return of the annual LMS Carnival! This beloved event is one of the top highlights of the entire school year and is enjoyed by students, teachers, families, and community members alike! The weather this year was particularly cold, but it did nothing to chill the spirits of the LMS students parading from school to the Commons for an afternoon of fun.

At the front of this parade were LMS Principal Ruth White and the Carnival King and Queen George Monroe and Zoe Lusk. Kindergartener George and second-grader Zoe had earned their titles by being the top-selling boy and girl during the Hamilton County Kids First Coupon Book sales campaign this year. All of the LMS students worked hard to reach and exceed their sales goal, totaling over 1,000 books sold in all. The funds they raised will support technology needs throughout the school, and they earned a school-wide pajama day as a reward!

Heading up this year’s Carnival efforts were co-chairs May Burke and Anna Williams with wonderful support from assistant chairs April Goebeler, Hannah Harrell, and Kari Pollard. Their team began planning many weeks in advance to make sure that everything was ready to go once the students arrived, filing in behind their class banners starting with the fifth grade Carnival veterans and ending with the kindergarten first-timers. May commented, “As a child, it is a magical day, and you are unaware of all the work it entails. Now, as a parent and a member of the Carnival planning committee, you experience first-hand the efforts from all facets of the community - Lookout Mountain School, parents, volunteers, and local businesses.”

A festive balloon arrangement designed by PepperPot Party adorned the Commons gates, and booth after booth covered the field inside. Returning favorites like the Carnival Jail, bouncy houses, costume corner, jamboree jars, face painting, stuffed animals, hair-color spray, fake casts, and silly string tents were as popular as always, and there were several fun new additions to the booths, including a huge inflatable basketball game, as well as a Halloween-inspired bean bag toss designed by Greer Campbell of Cheers with Greer. Carnival goers feasted on Chick-fil-A, Mr. T’s pizza, Good Dog hotdogs, and Clumpies ice cream. May said she was surprised to see that despite the cold, the kids consumed just as much ice cream as always! And for future feasting, families took home selections of casseroles, soups, and baked goods from the Carnival Kitchen tent. Lynn Brown was in charge of it this year, and she spent weeks securing amazing food donations from parents and community members to ensure the success of this vital part of the Carnival fundraising!

There were pops of color throughout the Carnival, none more so than at the Marketplace and Spirit Wear tent. In the Marketplace, parents could buy mugs featuring beautiful murals created by each of their children’s classes under the direction of LMS art teacher Ryan Patterson. These mugs are highly sought after each year, as many parents add to their growing collection! This year’s Spirit Wear featured beautiful new designs from Tickled Ink’s Emily Johnson. You have probably already seen mountain goers sporting these stylish LMS shirts, hoodies, and hats - and if you look closely, you will see her new LMS stickers adorning laptops and water bottles around the community!

As Carnival day came to a close, freezing parents and somehow-unfazed-by-the-cold kids shuffled home tired, happy, and with new treasures in hand. Behind the scenes, the organizers were happy to see their efforts had panned out so successfully, knowing that the funds they had raised would help LMS continue to be the wonderful place it is for our children. As Burke puts it, “The Carnival is such a testament to our extraordinary community.” She and the whole Carnival team are thankful for the sponsors, volunteers, and the entire LMS community that made Carnival such a wonderful day.
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by Meredith Brown

We welcomed the 2022 school year in at Fairyland Elementary School with a new staff member in STEM/computer, Ms. Taryn Yorba. She came to us from California, and is a world traveler and a dynamic teacher. Here is a summary of what they’ve covered this year, directly from Ms. Yorba:

“This past year in STEM we worked primarily on beginning STEM practices - working together, thinking through problems, and basic engineering processes. We learned how to be effective partners in groups, how to really listen to other’s ideas, how to learn from our mistakes, and that hot glue guns are hot!

“Some projects that we worked on were: building vegetable stands to go along with the story “Tops and Bottoms;” building bridges; growing flowers; discovering aerodynamics through paper airplanes; building bird houses; designing mandalas; making solar ovens; creating tower replicas; and so many more!”

The excitement and engagement in the studies and activities Ms. Yorba led could be heard through the walls into the library next door. We are so lucky to have her and are thankful for her great work with our students!
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by Melissa Cairns

The last weeks of the school year at Lookout Mountain School are, without a doubt, the very most fun of all! Summer bucket lists are being created, tests and projects are all being finished, clothes and water bottles are being unearthed from deep within the lost-and-found, and extra recess is a must in the sunny, warm weather. A student even gets to sit in as Principal for the Day! This year, Gabriella Hanson took on the role and made sure that there was plenty of fun on schedule to close out 2022.  The end of the school year traditions at LMS certainly check that box, and they also take time to honor and celebrate all of the students who make the school such a special place.

Early May brought the return of Roxaboxen, a beloved LMS activity based on a book by Alice McLerran about a group of kids who use rocks and discarded boxes to create an imaginary town.  In years past, this has been an activity that first-graders take part in with their fourth grade buddies, but since COVID-19 considerations cancelled the event for the past few years, grades first through fifth got to all take part this year, dividing into groups, bringing in boxes, and setting up storefronts to create their town. First grade teacher Amy Thatcher joked that it was like a cardboard food court, with many stores selling snacks, but there was also a hill slide, a bank, and a games station.  Teachers shared that it was fun to see the kids working together to plan their spots, and they hope the larger version of the event can become an annual tradition. To end the event, and as a library reward for all the students, the Kona Ice truck delivered snow cones to the whole school!

On the final Friday before summer break, the LMS field was abuzz with the excitement of Field Day. Kindergarten through second grade participated in relays and games in the morning, and grades three through five took the field in the afternoon. Classes danced and sang along to music provided by emcee Ryan Patterson as they rotated through stations including water games, volleyball, relay races, hula-hoop rock-paper-scissors, and kickball. There was a whole lot of fun (accompanied by a whole lot of sun!) as kids faced off in fun competition with their classmates. The most hotly contested events of the day were the tug-of-war battles, with one class from each grade emerging victorious! As is tradition to end the day, the Lookout Mountain Fire Department raised the ladder hose of a firetruck high over the LMS field and let loose a downpour on all the students.  Not a square inch of the students was left dry after this drenching, and they could not have enjoyed it more, running from end to end of the field jumping in puddles with their friends.

The next celebration was Awards Day, which took place in person this year for the first time since the spring of 2019! Miss McKenna awarded certificates to students in all grades who had earned perfect attendance during the year. Mrs. Huffine announced that third-grader Carter Pierre, fourth-grader Eloise Sewell, and fifth-graders Mary Ellen Mixon and Wylie Shumate won the Outstanding Effort in Music award for their grade levels. Coach Crownover announced fitness awards for students in all grades who achieved award levels in the seven fitness tests administered in both the fall and spring.  Mrs. Fessler announced the Accelerated Reader awards, recognizing the top 20 point earners throughout the school, with Harper Wakefield topping the list with an astounding 1,044.1 AR points. Mrs. Avans selected Wylie Shumate as this year’s recipient for Outstanding Achievement in Science, and Mrs. Patterson announced that the Art Awards went to kindergartener Ezra Roebuck and fifth-grader Evie Stewart. Mrs. Inman presented the Redwood Award, which recognizes “exponential growth in fifth grade,” to Joseph Bastone, and Mrs. Cain presented the Susan Frankenburg Writing Award to Harper Wakefield.   

Rainy weather forced this year’s graduation ceremony indoors, but the bad weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of the fifth-graders, who had worked so hard to accomplish this milestone!  Friends and family of the class of 2022 celebrated the achievements and dedication of this year’s graduates, including 16 students who had earned recognition as Presidential Academic Scholars.  Allie Wakefield led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance and the LMS School Student Pledge. Nathan Eriksen voiced the students’ appreciation of parents, and Caroline Carr spoke on their appreciation of the faculty. Evie Stewart presented the class gift, a lovely new outdoor table in memory of beloved LMS teacher Betsy Bookout. Several special graduation awards were also presented. Adelaide Gerwin gave the class address. Mrs. Cain announced that Nathan Eriksen was the recipient of this year’s DAR Good Citizenship Award. Principal White presented Mary Ellen Mixon with the Christy McBryar Faculty Award.  Caroline Carr received the Nancy Caulkins Scholarship, which was presented by Caroline Bentley.  After an introduction by Ellie Gervin, LMS alum Alice Martin spoke to the assembly, offering advice to the new graduates. We congratulate everyone on this special day, and we see nothing but clear skies ahead for this exceptional group of students!    

This year was not without its challenges, but LMS students proved once again what spirit and determination they possess. They have been supported beautifully by Principal Ruth White, LMS PTA President Mandy Hickey, and all the exceptional teachers, faculty, parents, and volunteers within our community!
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by Meredith Brown

The end of February marked the return of two beloved events for Lookout Mountain School.
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First up was “Grandparent and Special Guest Day,” which was last held in early 2019! This event typically takes place every other year at LMS, but due to COVID-19, there was a little longer wait than usual. But, oh, was it worth the wait! Event co-chairs Maggie Estes and Kari Pollard organized a beautiful celebration, giving grandparents and special guests a glimpse of what makes the school such a special place. Parent Emily Johnson created a lovely invitation for the day, welcoming guests aboard the “LMS Express.” The “passengers” were greeted by Principal Ruth White and then started their journey with a musical performance led by LMS music teacher Katie Huffine; the kindergarten, first- and second-graders sang “Pearly Shells,” and the third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders sang “I Love the Mountains.” After the entertainment, guests connected with their student “conductors” to tour the school, visiting classrooms and seeing first-hand the projects their students were working on. In the library, the guests had the chance to donate a book in honor of their student, and they ended their visit with refreshments in the cafeteria, including coffee donated by Canopy and Moon Pies by Elizabeth Griffin. On their way out, Beth Wingfield took lovely family photos at an enormous blue and gold balloon backdrop created by LMS art teacher Ryan Patterson.

Reflecting on the day, Maggie Estes said, “Faces were all smiles watching the children in the auditorium perform, and it was so sweet to see students grab the hands of their grandparents or special guests to show off their classrooms, art room, science lab, and all their incredible accomplishments at LMS this year.” Maggie laughed that she even saw a child teaching a grandparent how to take a “selfie” to remember the day! Kari Pollard said she loved seeing everyone’s excitement as well, and she was grateful for the support of teachers and parent volunteers who helped with the day. She commented that the support of the LMS community is “why and how our school thrives!”

The next evening, parents and community members gathered in support of LMS again at the “Night Out for Lookout” dinner party and auction. The event was held in the Lookout Mountain Club’s Fairyland Ballroom, where event co-chairs Katherine Smith and Meagan Duke put together a wonderful evening! Guests caught up on lost time while enjoying delicious food and bidding on a wide variety of silent auction items including class murals, student art projects, summer camp vouchers, vacation packages, dinner gift cards, jewelry and home goods, and an impressive array of other items donated by the LMS community. They could even bid to have their child become “Principal for the Day” or be able to pull the school fire alarm! In the live auction later that evening, guests tried to outbid one-another for impressive vacations and experiences, as well as contributing to the night’s special project supporting “Digital Literacy and Mindfulness.”

Mandy Hickey, PTA president, expressed how “incredibly grateful” she was to Katherine Smith and Meagan Duke for their “amazing efforts this year.” She also shared, “It was apparent our community missed [this event] last year, and they were eager to support LMS in a big way.  I loved watching some of our long-term and newer parents come together to make it happen.” A highlight of the evening’s décor was assistant chair Kakhi Wakefield using pottery bud vases made by LMS students as table centerpieces; parents were thrilled to purchase these beautiful works of art to take home after the auction! Assistant chair Morgan Everett expanded the auction’s art offerings as well, helping to secure outstanding pieces by local artists, including some very talented LMS parents.

There is always a sense of relief when big events like these two days are all wrapped up … everyone had a nice time, and everything went well. But this year, that sense of relief was magnified somehow by the sheer joy of getting to have the events at all! We got to see in person the community support for LMS, and we were reminded of what shared joy this community brings. Congratulations to everyone involved in these celebrations of LMS - all your hard work came together beautifully!

by Meredith Brown

Looking back over the past weeks, as the school year has progressed into full swing, we have much to celebrate around the halls of Lookout Mountain School! From academics, to athletics, to community support and fundraisers, the good news is plentiful!
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Starting with academics, LMS met and exceeded expectations last year, maintaining both Level 5 and Reward School status from the Tennessee Department of Education based on 2020-2021 Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVASS) scores. Level 5 schools show the highest level of academic growth in subjects like literacy and numeracy, exceeding the state growth standard. Reward schools achieve multiple high ratings across all students, and this designation is considered the highest honor for school accountability measures in Tennessee. We are so proud of the commitment to learning shown by our LMS teachers and students!   

Moving next to athletics, the good news came from an extremely successful cross country season by the LMS Flying Pigs. Be sure to check out the article in this edition from Coach Vicky Caughman for more details on the fast feet and school spirit these talented runners demonstrated this year!

Even more good news came from our community, as the amazing organization Quarterboards for a Cause donated $1,000 to LMS this fall!  This nonprofit organization was founded by Lookout Mountain resident (and former LMS parent) Linda Kitzman, who says that she “loves the giving part of this community … we give back to each other and make it a better place.” Along with her husband Mike, Ted and Kelly Alling, Rich and Kate Boschi, and Cameron and Hannon Doody make up the board of directors of Quarterboards for a Cause, and they are making good on their commitment to the Mountain. Since incorporating in 2019, they have supported the Lookout Mountain Police Department, both LMS and Fairyland Elementary, and the Lookout Mountain Rec Board. And beyond their philanthropy, their beautiful and unique quarterboards, which are crafted by Bob Guth and painted by his wife, Vicki, add a whimsical charm to many houses in our community. We are so thankful for their support of our school!     

And, we have some wonderful news from the first big LMS fundraiser of the year. The Hamilton County Kids First Coupon Book sales took place for two weeks in September. Parent volunteer Jennifer Mixon chaired the fundraiser this year, and she says, “I definitely know almost every name in the school now, and I really enjoyed the communication with some of the new parents I hadn’t had the chance to meet yet due to COVID-19 last year.”

Jennifer set up an Olympics theme around the sales this year, and kids jumped at the chance to sell enough books to win gold medals and other prizes! The students met the initial goal of selling 1,000 books, and they sold all but a handful of the additional 400 books added in the last days of the event. Every classroom met or exceeded its 35 books/class goal, and many classes sold over 100 books each! No class could top Mrs. Cook’s kindergarten, however, as it secured the title of top-selling class this year. Fifth-grader Findley Beasley sold over 80 books and earned the title of top-selling student overall. Second place went to Winston Hostetler, and third place went to Jones Walston. The top-selling girl was Turner Allen; she and Findley will reign as King and Queen of Carnival this year as a reward for their efforts! Jennifer says, “I am so grateful for all the parents and PTA board members who stepped up to help … the whole community (both Tennessee and Georgia) was eager to help make this a success, and I am so grateful for our children that we live in a community where they can skip from door to door or hop on their bikes and ride around selling coupon books for their school.”

This truly is a wonderful community, and we are happy to see LMS thriving with its support! Thank you to everyone who puts their time and talents toward the academic, athletic, and financial support of our school!      
by Meredith Brown