Brentwood Special School District
October 2022 Edition
Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!
This month we will bring the first quarter of the 2022-2023 school year to a close. Across the district, there will be parent-teacher conferences. As always, our special education teachers will be hosting conference opportunities as well. In addition to conference opportunities, progress on IEP goals will also be provided to families.
As part of this newsletter, I would love to share pictures and/or videos of students and to celebrate the learning that is happening here in Brentwood. To do this, we would need to have a release on file for this year that allows Special School District to use your student's picture. Please complete the SSD Media Photo Release form below and email it to your case manager or me at your earliest convenience so that we have the possibility of using your child's photo in our monthly SSD newsletter or announcements.
I decided to keep the "Brentwood by the Numbers" graphic in the newsletter again this month. I moved them to the bottom of the newsletter and will remove them from the November Newsletter.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have or to connect with you to discuss the needs of your student.
Travena Hostetler; Ed D
Director of Special Education; Brentwood
thostetler@brentwoodmoschools.org
314-989-8479
Kelly Education Substitute Services
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) News
VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN SERIES FOR SSD FAMILIES AND STAKEHOLDERS
Special School District’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) department is excited to offer a virtual Lunch & Learn series for SSD families and stakeholders. The series, which will involve community organizations sharing information about their work, will continue during the 2022-23 school year and take place from 11:30 AM - Noon.
Representatives from three community organizations and three SSD departments will participate in order to increase awareness about their agencies or programs and make connections with those in our SSD community who may benefit from their programs and services.
Features in the 2022-23 Lunch & Learn Series are:
SSD Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Activities for Family Engagement Month - Oct. 26, 2022
Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis, Summer Resources - Dec. 15, 2022
Productive Living Board (PLB), Resources for Families - Jan. 25, 2023
SSD Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) department - Feb. 22, 2023
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - April 26, 2023
SSD Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Summer Engagement Activities - May 24, 2023
Each event is held virtually through YouTube Live. To access the video, please click on the organization's name in the list above. The videos will not be available to view until their scheduled date and time.
3 Part Series
Introduction to Charting the LifeCourse Framework will be held on Tuesdays, October 4th, 11th, and 18th from 11:30-12:00pm. In these 30-minute virtual sessions, families will receive an overview of Charting the LifeCourse, gather insight on the history of the framework, and learn how it can provide a systematic way to plan for the future. The second and third sessions will focus on the Trajectory tool and Integrated Supports Star planning tool and how to successfully use them. RSVP for Introduction to Charting the LifeCourse.
Parent Cafe
A Parent Café will be held on October 27th from 6-8 at North Technical High School. Cafes are hosted by families for families. They provide parents and caregivers a safe and welcoming space to connect and learn from each other. They are centered on the Strengthening Families Five Protective Factors: Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support and Communication. RSVP for Family Cafes
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County
Join FACE as they welcome CAASTLC to the Family Resource Hub located in North Technical High School on Friday, October 14th from 9am-4pm. Families can learn about case management, utility assistance, rental assistance, financial education, weatherization, program development and education activities. A CAASTLC representative will be available to answer questions and assist with applications. To learn more about Hub Huddles please call 314-989-8034.
Family Leadership Institute
The highly successful SSD Family Leadership Institute that has had more than 280 participants since 2007 is once again being offered under a new name of Family Leadership Institute (FLI).
The Institute will be Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8:30pm at SSD Central Office: October 12, 19, 26 and November 2. If you are a parent or family member who makes the educational decisions for a child with a disability, investing the time to attend these four Wednesday evening sessions will provide:
VISION: for the future of your child.
KNOWLEDGE: to help effectively participate in your child's education.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS: to improve the educational climate for all children.
ACCESS: to new resources, friends, and experts to help you on your journey.
Apply today https://SSDPEDA.as.me/FALL2022FLI
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families or households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877.384.2575.
Staff Shout Out!!!
Do you have a teacher or staff member who has gone above and beyond for you or your child supporting them, encouraging them to do their best or being a listening ear when they need someone? Please take a minute to write a note of thanks by sharing your appreciation with them. You may fill out this form as many times as you would like for different school personnel.
Upcoming Events
SSD Board of Education Meetings start at 5:45 pm unless noted:
November 1, 2022
November 15, 2022
December 13, 2022
January 24, 2023
February 28, 2023
March 14, 2023
April 25, 2023
May 23, 2023
June 27, 2023
Please visit the SSD Board of Education for more information.
Brentwood School District Board of Education Meetings at 7:00 pm unless noted:
October 18, 2022
November 15, 2022
December 20, 2022
January 17, 2023
February 21, 2023
March 21, 2023
April 18, 2023
May 23, 2023
June 20, 2023
Please visit the Brentwood Board of Education for more information.
Brentwood by the Numbers
The Special School District provides special education and related services to students who have been identified as having an educational disability and reside within Saint Louis County. It is our hope that the visuals below will provide a clearer understanding of who we serve in the Brentwood community and provide clarity on some of the terminology that is often used in meetings. The information below is a breakdown of the educational identifications of the students we serve here in Brentwood whether they attend Brentwood Schools or access services through SNAP (Special Non-Public Access Program). The last image shows the additional programs that SSD provides to the county as well.
Helpful Links
Contact Us
Special School District of St. Louis County
12110 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
Phone: 314‐989‐8100
Travena Hostetler
- Director of Special Education; Brentwood
- trhostetler@ssdmo.org
Erik Lewis
- School Social Worker
- erlewis@ssdmo.org
Mary Herbst
- School Psychologist
- meherbst@ssdmo.org