The Ritenour School District is excited to welcome the class of 2036 with Kindergarten Kickoff.

Families with children entering kindergarten this upcoming fall in the Ritenour School District will not want to miss Ritenour’s important Kindergarten Kickoff on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. The event will be held 5 - 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium lobby at Ritenour High School, 9100 St. Charles Rock Road.

Kindergarten teachers and school administrators will be on hand from each of Ritenour’s six elementary schools to answer questions and discuss expectations. In addition, information will be available about registering for school, transportation, special education, kindergarten readiness activities, and before- and after-school care, food service, immunizations and much more.

Incoming kindergarten students are encouraged to attend with their families. Families who attend will have the opportunity to win attendance prizes and receive free kindergarten readiness materials for their child. Students must be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2023 to enter kindergarten in the fall.

For more information about the Kindergarten Kickoff event, please call (314) 493-6006.

Beginning Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 parents can register their kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday - Friday at the Ritenour Administrative Center, 2420 Woodson Road. For more information about general registration, call (314) 493-6048 or visit the registration page on the district website.

SSD’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) program is seeking applicants interested in participating in the Spring 2023 SSD Family Leadership Institute.

Family Leadership Institute participants have the opportunity to:

• Build understanding of future planning and problem-solving utilizing the Charting the LifeCourse tools.
• Learn to effectively participate in their student's education and improve the educational climate for all children.
• Learn how to positively interact and collaborate with other families and school personnel.
• Discover new resources and network with other families.

This program, which is offered at no cost to participants, is designed for family members who are the educational decision-makers for a student with a disability.

Spring application is now open. Apply here.

Please check out these unique and FREE leadership opportunities for high school students with disabilities, ages 16 - 21.

• Missouri Youth Leadership Forum

• Virtual Leadership Summit

Summer Work Experience Program, or SWEP is currently accepting applications until February 6, 2023. Through the program, students hold a summer job in their community and receive job-coaching support. They are paid an hourly wage for their work. SWEP is funded by the Productive Living Board of St. Louis County, and is open to county residents with a qualifying disability. It is conducted through a collaboration of six area agencies - MERS/Goodwill is the Lead Agency.

A few important things to remember about eligibility for the SWEP program:

• You must be a resident of St. Louis County.

• You must be between 16 and 20 years of age and planning to return to a school program in the Fall of 2023.

• You cannot participate in SWEP while participating in the Extended School Year Program.

• Your teacher needs to submit a Teacher Input form before the program begins. Upon receiving your application, we will contact your teacher about this requirement – you do not need to do anything.

A few important things to remember about the SWEP program:

• You must be available for the entire 8 weeks of the program. Tentative dates for SWEP 2023 are June 5 to July 28. These dates are subject to change.

• All SWEP participants will need to present appropriate identification – normally, a social security card and photo ID -- at intake. These documents are used to complete the I-9 form and prove identity and eligibility to work in the US.

• You must have your own transportation to participate in the program. Transportation options to consider: getting rides from family members and friends, using the METRO bus system, using Call-A-Ride, driving yourself, riding a bike, using a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft.

• Students who participate in the SWEP program will earn the minimum wage of $12.00 an hour.

• Not everyone who applies to the SWEP program will be able to participate this summer. Students who are eligible and send in completed applications by the deadline will be selected in age-order, with older students taking priority.

• Students who are selected to participate will be informed via mail that they have been selected. This letter will arrive by mid-March. Students who are not eligible or who are on the wait list will not be contacted.

A few important things to remember about the SWEP 2023 application:

• Applications received on or by February 6 will be given first priority. All applications received by February 6 will be treated equally. All candidates turning in applications after this date will be put on a waiting list.

• Please print neatly so that all of the information on your application is legible.

• Please fill out the application completely and accurately (including the release forms). Any information that is missing or incorrect, including your Social Security number, could delay or prevent the processing of your application.

• You must sign and return the Participant Application (page 2) and both Authorizations for the Release of Protected Information (pages 3 & 4). These authorizations give the SWEP Lead Agency, MERS/Goodwill, permission to request documentation of your disability from the St. Louis Regional Office, and the Special School District. This is necessary to prove your eligibility for the program. Parent/guardian must sign application and releases if student has not reached the age of 18.

The goal of the RSD-SSD PAC is to collaborate with parents/guardians, Ritenour School District Administration, and SSD Administration to improve the overall results of our kids. We seek parent input on matters concerning special education services.

We meet monthly to develop our abilities to:

• Share information and support with other parents navigating the special education process

• Learn about advocating effectively for our children

• Improve communication and promote collaboration between Ritenour Schools and Special School District

• Promote a positive, inclusive understanding of students with disabilities

The RSD PAC meeting will be on Monday, February 27th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Ritenour Administrative Center. Future meetings will be held on the 4th Monday of each month.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and 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.