This week is Red Ribbon Week. Spoede has planned a special spirit week that coincides with age-appropriate, grade-level lessons that teach and reinforce to our students the importance of making safe and healthy choices in a variety of different ways and settings. We'll also be decorating the exterior of our school building with red ribbons to celebrate the week!

For more information about Red Ribbon Week, please visit www.redribbon.org. 

Registration for winter tennis lessons and chess classes is now open! Get your students registered for another great season of after-school fun and learning.

Mondays, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Start Date: November 3

End Date: December 15 (just in time for winter break!)

Registration links:

Winter Chess Club Registration 

Winter Tennis Offering Registration 

Spots fill up quickly, so register as soon as possible!

If you have any questions, contact Community Education Department at communityeducation@ladueschools.net or call (314) 983-5308.

Spoede Elementary School Absentee & Retake Picture Day

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Wagner Portrait Group will be at school to photograph any students who were absent on the original Picture Day. 

FOR ABSENTEE STUDENTS WHO NEED TO ORDER:

Pre-Order Online: www.WagnerPortraitGroup.com

Pre-Order Password: 6A5R4Y6Y

Direct Order Link:
https://wagner.portraitpics.co/api/v2/keys/lookup/wagner?key=6A5R4Y6Y

Retake photos will also be available upon request. If your student is having a retake, please return the entire portrait package (including the insert sheet) to the photographer on retake day. Feel free to attach a note describing what you’d like done differently.

Halloween will be celebrated at school during the afternoon of Friday, October 31! 

There will be an all-school costume* parade followed by a class/grade-level party** organized by room parents and volunteers. 

1:45 -- Room parents/volunteers can set up for the Halloween Parties

2:00 -- Spoede Halloween Parade

2:15 - 3:15 -- Classroom/Grade-level Halloween Parties

*Costumes must be school-appropriate (i.e. no gore, not super scary, etc.). No masks, weapons or weapon-like objects permitted.

**The SSA will provide snacks and drinks for all children that follow the district's healthy snack guidelines. Do not send in any candy or treats.

There is NO SCHOOL for students on Tuesday, November 4. 

ALL 4th Graders will receive a FREE 2025-26 Spoede Yearbook!

Thanks to the generosity of the community and a successful Dance-a-Thon fundraiser, the SSA will purchase a yearbook for every 4th grader.

Please disregard messages from Wagner about ordering a yearbook for your 4th grader.

Direct any questions about yearbooks to ssaexecboard@gmail.com. 

November and December bring joy and happiness, and sometimes stress and worry, especially given the government shutdown and local strikes. To help ease the burden that may accompany this time of year, the Ladue School District has its Holiday Happiness program designed to support families experiencing hardship during the holiday season.

Participation in this program will be kept confidential and shared only with your child's school counselor and Danielle Green, the Ladue School District Social Worker.

If you need additional support, please contact District Social Worker Danielle Green at dgreen@ladueschools.net. 

Please submit your information using this Google form by Monday, November 3, 2025. 

Thank you for allowing us to help make your holidays bright.

**If you would like to contribute/help fulfill wishes, please be on the lookout for a Sign Up Genius that will be emailed out the week of Nov. 17**

All Ladue School District Families are invited to hit the slopes on our Third Annual Ski Trip to Devil's Head Wisconsin, February 13–15 over President’s Day Weekend! 

Registration is now open. 

Whether you’re a returning skier or joining us for the first time – welcome! We promise a memorable experience packed with outdoor adventure, family bonding, and plenty of wintery fun. Trip details, itinerary, payment info, and logistics can be found by clicking the following link. 

Families can choose to drive themselves or reserve a seat on the charter bus (seating is limited, so register early!).

Please note: All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Contact communityeducation@ladueschools.net or call us at (314) 983-5308 with any questions.

What an amazing turnout for Trunk or Treat last Friday! Thank you to all the families who decked out their trunks and handed out candy.

The winning trunks were:

Spookiest - Sinon Family

Most Creative - Lataria Family

Major kudos and immense gratitude to Angie Foster and Tonya Lataria, the masterminds who managed all of the logistics to make this Spoede's best Trunk or Treat yet!

Felise Photography is offering Spoede families 10-minute photo sessions at Forest Park Nature Playscape.

Sign up here for Saturday, November 8- ONE SPOT LEFT

Sign up here for Saturday, November 15 - FULL

No cost to sign up! All you pay for is your images with digital files starting at $35 and prints starting at $10. Felise Photography will donate 10% of all sales back to our school!

Within two weeks of your session, you'll receive an email with a link to a proofing gallery with both black/white and color images. Prints and digital files can be ordered directly from this site. The gallery will be live for seven days and all orders must be placed within that period.

Share your input at one of the upcoming Community Engagement Forums open to the public:

Monday, November 3 or Thursday, November 6

7:30 PM

Ladue Horton Watkins High School

Tuesday, November 11

Spoede Elementary

2:00 PM

Help us show our appreciation for Spoede's amazing teachers and staff! We're stocking the lounge with snacks and drinks to keep them fueled throughout the day, all year long. Each month has a different theme. 

Please sign up here if you'd like to contribute!

Thank you for helping us take care of our wonderful Spoede team!

October Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Make your holiday card and gift purchases count this year by using the SSA's unique code: FUNDRAISESPOEDE at Minted. You’ll receive 20% off and Minted will donate 10% of your purchase back to the SSA at the end of the year!

Membership Toolkit is the SSA Hub. This is the place to find the family directory, volunteer opportunities, shop for Spoede spirit wear, and more!

Parent & Student Information Forms

BUZZ Book Family Directory

Spoede Gear 

Volunteer Opportunities

Grants funded by the SSA 2024-25

Click on the links below to connect with the SSA via Facebook this school year!

Primary SSA Page

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

Spoede Mom's Book Club

If you have a news item or event you'd like to include here in the Spoede Gazette, please send the info to spoedenewsletter@gmail.com by Friday morning to be featured in the following Monday's Gazette.