SG R-II Connection
Parents & Guardians Edition — Sept. 29, 2023
Good afternoon, SG R-II families,
Last week, I was reminded why our school district is so special.
Our local Chamber of Commerce Leadership group visited both of our campuses, and I spent most of the day tagging along on their tour. The agenda was filled with presentations and highlights from every level, and provided an overview of just some of the opportunities that we offer our students. To put it simply, this group was impressed. There were many positive comments about programming, student leadership, and teacher dedication and passion.
Being able to stand back and watch our faculty, staff and students share what we do here at SG R-II was inspiring and energizing. The Chamber leadership group left our schools with a small glimpse into the climate and culture we have built and continue to foster.
Through every interaction the Chamber leadership group had with educators and staff, the conversations all came back to what we need to do for our kids. I was overjoyed being able to see our district through their eyes — learning about and experiencing the amazing things that I know are going on in this district every day.
Happy Friday, and have a relaxing holiday weekend!
Dr. Paul Taylor
Superintendent
UPCOMING EVENTS
Homecoming Details: Homecoming will be held the week of Oct. 9- 13! Ste. Genevieve High School announced the week’s activities, including the parade, the football game, the dance, and spirit days. See all of the details here, and see the 2024 Homecoming Court here.
College & Career Information Event
Local businesses are invited to participate in the 2023-24 College & Career Information Event at the SGHS Peggy J. Johnson Gymnasium on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023.
- New this year, freshmen and sophomores will also have the opportunity to participate in the event. Each high school student will be able to explore a broad range of possible pathways through meeting career and postsecondary representatives.
- Registration & Set-Up for Colleges & Businesses: 10 - 10:30 a.m.
- Student Sessions: 11 - 11:45 a.m. (9th and 10th grade students) and 11:50 a.m. - 1 p.m. (11th and 12th grade students)
- Any business interested in participating can contact Stephanie Brumfield in the high school’s counseling office by Oct. 16 at 573-883-4500 ext. 2104 or at sbrumfield@sgdragons.org.
PROP SG UPDATES
Ste. Genevieve Middle School:
At this time, construction on this project is anticipated to take approximately nine months. The new addition will span three floors in order to make Ste. Genevieve Middle School accessible. Along with an elevator, the three floors include: a corridor connected to the nurse’s office on the basement level; a new counseling suite on the first floor; and bathrooms on the second floor. Crews have begun pouring concrete for the elevator walls, and the basement wall formwork is to follow before the main level foundation. The elevator footings have been tested and inspected by the City.
Early Childhood Center:
The Early Childhood Center project will be split into two bid packages, as the site work is estimated to take a significant amount of time. The Bid Opening was held on Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. The District is hopeful that site work will begin in October. Barring minor adjustments related to the placement of the building, the floor plan for the Early Childhood Center is finalized. There are challenges associated with water pressure, and Taylor Engineering and KRJ Architects are working through those plans.
The updated site plan can be viewed here. An updated timeline for the construction of the Prop SG projects can be found here.
CLOSE THE GAP — Up to $1,500 Grant for Educational Expenses for Families Who Qualify
DESE and Odyssey, a platform that helps states connect families to public funding and education services, announced the launch of the Missouri Close the Gap Grant program. This is a one-time grant of up to $1,500 for parents/guardians who reside in Missouri to use for allowable education expenses. Applications are now open and must be submitted by Oct. 25, 2023. Close the Gap Grant applications will be administered on Odyssey's website, where families can access both the application and the Odyssey Marketplace. Read the full Close the Gap news release here.
To be eligible for the grant, students must be a Missouri resident and be enrolled in grades K-12 in a Missouri public school district or charter school. Per state statute, the distribution of funds will be prioritized for families whose income is below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If sufficient funds are available after those below 185 percent of the federal poverty level receive funds, families at or above that poverty level may receive funds.
BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATES
Check out the Board Briefs and the Board Minutes from the Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, Board of Education Regular Meeting here. This unofficial document includes more context and details than our official Board News. All Board documents, such as the Board News, the presentation and these Board Briefs, are located on the “Board of Education” page of our district's website.
IDENT-A-KID UPDATE
Our schools have returned to utilizing the Ident-A-Kid visitor management system in our building office. All visitors should bring their driver’s license or photo ID to sign in.