Monroe Elementary Launches Mentorship Program and Honors Late Teacher

Casey-Westfield School Board Meeting | Feb. 23, 2026

Article Summary: Monroe Elementary has introduced a new “Lunch Buddy” mentorship program connecting community members with students. The school also held a memorial fundraiser for a late staff member and celebrated a unique kindergarten tradition.

School Culture Key Points:

• Mentorship: 11 community mentors have signed up for the new “Lunch Buddy” program.

• Memorial: A “Hat Day” raised funds for the family of the late Ms. Sherry Lewis.

• Kindergarten Tradition: Students celebrated the “wedding” of letters Q and U.

• Community Service: 5th and 6th graders physically stocked the local food pantry shelves.

Monroe Elementary Principal Kacie Rhoads reported the launch of a new social-emotional initiative and several community-building events in her report to the Board of Education.

The school officially began its “Lunch Buddy” program on Thursday, February 26. The program currently has 11 mentors scheduled to meet with 11 different students during lunch hours, with a second round of mentors scheduled to begin the following Tuesday.

The school community also came together to honor the memory of Ms. Sherry Lewis. A “Hat Day” was held on February 12, where staff and students donated a dollar to wear hats in school. All proceeds from the event were donated to Ms. Lewis’s family.

In the classroom, Kindergarten students celebrated a long-standing literacy tradition: the wedding of the letters Q and U. The event is designed to teach young students that the two letters are “always together in words.”

Rhoads also provided additional details on the “Soup-er Bowl” food drive reported earlier. Beyond just collecting cans, a group of 5th and 6th-grade students traveled to the local food pantry to help pack, organize, and shelve the 1,726 collected items, providing them with a hands-on community service experience.