Kirkwood Special School District
October 2023 Edition
Unified Night Lights Recap
The KHS Varsity football players, along with cheerleaders, dance team members, musicians from the band, and students with and without disabilities partnered for this event. Students stormed the field, cheered from the track, and played instruments from the pep band section in the bleachers.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR EVENT SPONSORS: Kirkwood School District Foundation, Kirkwood Pioneer Boosters, Inc., Pioneer Parents' Organization, Pioneer Bakery Cafe, Mike Duffy's, and Spirit of Discovery Park.
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (FACE) Upcoming Events
Behavioral Strategies in the Home and Community Series: Are you often frustrated or at a loss trying to manage your student’s behavior? Join SSD’s Applied Behavior Analysts on October 9th from 6-7pm to learn basic behavior strategies on how to prevent and react to behaviors when in and out in the community. In this webinar, attendees will review reinforcement strategies, basic functions of behavior, determining what your student prefers, how to apply these things across settings, and where resources are for you in the community. Click here to register and learn more.
Family Resource Hub
The Community Action Agency of St. Louis (CAASTL) will be available at the Family Resource Hub, located inside North County Technical High School on October 6th and November 3rd from 10-2pm. CAASTLC can provide the following programs and services to families:
Case management
Utility assistance
Rental assistance
Financial education
Weatherization
Program development and educational activities.
Contact FACE with any questions.
Lunch and Learn Series
FACE is excited to host Pathways to Independence for a Lunch and Learn on October 25th from 11:30-12. Pathways to Independence is a local non-profit supporting teens through navigating their transition years, with a focus on friendship and social skills. Pathways is geared toward more independent teens, often with a Level 1 Autism diagnosis, a learning disability, or other developmental disability. Through a monthly calendar, participants have their choice of a variety of social activities and social skills classes. To access the video, please visit the SSD YouTube channel.
Family Cafe
Do you have a strong desire to make connections with other families in your community? Join FACE on October 5th from 6-8pm for a Family Cafe. Family Cafes are hosted by families for families. Conversations are centered around the Strengthening Families Five Protective Factors: Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support, and Communication. To learn more or to register, click here.
Family Academy
Family Academy: EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT! FACE is hosting its second annual Family Academy on Saturday, November 4th from 9-12 at North Tech High School, 1700 Derhake Rd., Florissant MO 63033. Families will have the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of community providers and vendors as well as participate in self-directed learning opportunities. So gather up the kids and head to North Tech for a morning filled with fun and empowerment. Visit the FACE webpage for more information and to register!
Kirkwood by the Numbers 23-24
Unity Day
Unity Day is coming to Special School District. All across the
nation, Unity Day is being celebrated on October 18th. Students should wear and share orange to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying. FACE will be holding a “Unity Day: Express Yourself” contest. Students are encouraged to submit entries based on the theme: “Kindness, Acceptance and Inclusion.” All forms of artistic expression will be accepted. Check the FACE website for more details on how to enter, and for additional October events and opportunities to support Unity Day.
Student Survey
Students Who Receive Special Education Services Invited to Take SSD Survey: Special School District values the academic and personal well-being of our students and prioritizes making data-informed decisions to support their success. In collaboration with Panorama Education, SSD students in grades 3-12 are invited to share their voices through two surveys, a climate survey and a social-emotional learning (SEL) survey. The surveys will be given during the fall and spring of the 2023-24 school year, with the fall survey window being Sept. 19 through Oct. 9. The surveys will be administered electronically, but PDF versions can be previewed on SSD's website.
Special Education Foundation
SEF Critical Needs Program: The Special Education Foundation (SEF) offers Critical Needs services - a solution to provide immediate funding to those students served by the Special School District (SSD) where the family is either unable to financially meet the need, has exhausted community resources, or is at risk for a student medical emergency that may result in the loss of independence or academic failure. Applications (accepted year-round) are to be completed by a social worker, teacher or administrator through the SEF website, submitted to Adrienne Eaglin at aeaglin@ssdmo.org or mailed to the Special School District Learning Center at 900 Hornet Drive, Hazelwood, MO 63042.
Kirkwood SSD Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
The KSD PAC is a group of volunteer parents working together with Kirkwood and SSD to
SUPPORT, EDUCATE, and CONNECT other parents of children in special programs. 2023-2024 PAC meetings will be held on the following dates from 6:30-8:00 PM:
October 4, 2023: KHS Library
December 6, 2023
February 8, 2024
April 24, 2024
Staff Spotlight
Nicolya Thomas
Kelly Brooks
Dianna Sapienza-Caruso
Upcoming Events
SSD Board of Education Meetings:
October 10, 2023 Board of Education Work Study 5:45 PM/Executive Meeting 7:00 PM
October 24, 2023 Board of Education Business Meeting 5:45PM/Executive Meeting 7:00PM
Please visit the SSD Board of Education for more information.
Kirkwood School District Board of Education Meetings:
October 9, 2023 Board of Education Work Session 6:30 PM
October 30, 2023 Board of Education Business Meeting 6:30 PM
Please visit the Kirkwood Board of Education for more information.
October 4: KSD SSD PAC Meeting
October 11: SSD PAC Meeting
October 18: Unity Day, Wear Orange
October 19: End of 1st Quarter
October 20: No School for Students
October 23: No School for Students
Contact Us
Special School District of St. Louis County
12110 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
Phone: 314‐989‐8100
Taneal Davis
- Director of Special Education-Robinson
- tmdavis@ssdmo.org
- taneal.davis@kirkwoodschools.org
Colleen Card
- Special Education Coordinator-KHS
- COcard@ssdmo.org
- colleen.card@kirkwoodschools.org
Emily Meuth
- Special Education Coordinator-Keysor, Westchester, NKMS
- ELMeuth@ssdmo.org
- emily.meuth@kirkwoodschools.org
Amy Wassman
- Special Education Coordinator-North Glendale, Tillman, Nipher
- AKWassman@ssdmo.org
- amy.wassman@kirkwoodschools.org