Bayless/SSD Newsletter
November 2021
SSD Student Scholarship Deadline Approaching!
Many opportunities for scholarships and awards are now open for SSD students! SSD scholarship applications for graduating high school seniors are active and due Dec. 17, 2021. Students applying for The James E. Westbury/SSD Board of Education Scholarship, The Allison M. Haake Memorial Scholarship, or The Bonhomme Lions Club Scholarship must receive at least one service from SSD and plan to go to a college, university, or postsecondary program. All scholarships require a letter of recommendation. Visit ssdmo.org/scholarships for more information.
The Special Education Foundation (SEF) sponsors the John Cary Scholarships for high school seniors, as well. Applications are due Jan. 24, 2022.
For more information, please contact Deana Parsons, SSD internal communications coordinator, at dmparsons@ssdmo.org or 314.989.8102.
Family Engagement in Education Month
During the month of November, SSD will be celebrating Family Engagement Month, a time to recognize and celebrate our SSD families. SSD recognizes the vital role that school and families play throughout their child’s educational journey as their child’s first educator. This month of celebration is meant to celebrate the contributions of families and encourage increased participation within the school.
Throughout the month, a variety of activities, resources, and activities will be shared with families. Make sure to watch SSD’s Facebook page for details. A Family Engagement Month calendar has been created for each of SSD’s schools and can be found on their school’s Peachjar.
All SSD families can participate in Family Engagement Month, by securing a digital version or printing off a copy of the Family Engagement Bingo board and filing it out throughout the month. Please feel free to take photos of your family while completing the activities and share them with us using #SSDFamilyEngagement.
Wellness Corner
World Kindness Day is Saturday, November 13, 2021. Kindness can take on many forms from Pay-It-Forward in the drive-through line to volunteering at an event to saying hi to 10 people each day. Kindness can be found everywhere in big and small ways. One way we often miss showing kindness is to ourselves. There has been a lot of talk in the world and especially here in schools about giving each other and ourselves grace through this pandemic. We are heading into the heart of the 3rd school year impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and our brains are not wired to handle this much uncertainty.
In Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead she states “Connection is why we're here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” In this age of social distancing, we have lost comfort in making connections. In safe ways, we can find ways to get back to connecting with others and ourselves through kindness and grace.
Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Grace is defined as courteous goodwill. Extending kindness and grace to ourselves first will carry over to others, then our community then in grand ways our world. As we head into World Kindness Day and the holiday season, let’s strive to find ways to show ourselves kindness so that we can extend kindness and grace to those in our home which will cause ripples into our schools and community. Being kind to yourself promotes happiness and confidence, how you treat yourself sets the tone for how others will treat you.
Here is a quick first step - Give yourself a high five in the mirror to start your day positively. We can start each day fresh with new intentions and kindness. “Talk to yourself like you would someone you love.” Brené Brown.
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a wealth of resources and ideas. Here is a fun Bingo Board with tangible ways families can practice kindness throughout the month.
PEDA Update
PEDA has several workshops scheduled for November.
These include:
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders Two Part Series
Session 2 | November 15, 6:30 PM
Identify and understand the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders and learn effective and practical strategies that will support your child’s success at home and school. The second session will focus on strategies. Both sessions will have time for discussion and questions.
Presenter: John Bruno, Ph.D., SSD Autism Effective Practice Specialist
Zoom Meeting Information
https://ssdmo-org.zoom.us/j/98286346135?pwd=VVJSTFl6ZHBVeng2dkJMTUVNYWQzZz09
Meeting ID: 982 8634 6135
Passcode: 103277
Introduction to Charting the LifeCourse
(Workshop in Collaboration with St. Louis ARC)November 18, 2021, 6:30 PM
Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) is a set of eight principles developed to support people with IDD and their families so they can have their best lives. In this workshop, we will learn about the CtLC principles and work together to create planning and problem-solving tools. Participants will also receive updates about LifeCourse Connect Missouri, which is a new online platform that can be used by individuals and family members to access tools. This workshop is for everyone but especially self-advocates, families, and support staff.
Presenters: Sharon Spurlock, Director of Family Support, St. Louis Arc and Debra Fiasco, Administrator, Parent Education and Diversity Awareness, Special School District
Zoom Webinar Registration:
https://slarc.zoom.us/webinar/register/2516310324235/WN_baEHWPyjRquQSLVXDcfmLw
PEDA is happy to announce that we are taking applications for our Spring Parent Leadership Institute (PLI). PLI will occur over 4 evenings in February and March. You can learn more and download the application here: Parent Leadership Institute
Finally, PEDA would love your feedback! Please complete are PEDA Communications survey here: PEDA Survey
Parent Advisory Council
The SSD Parent Advisory Council has scheduled the following meetings for the 2021-2022 school year. All meetings are held virtually via Zoom, from 7-9 PM. Additional information about meetings, including agendas, can be found on the PAC's website.
- Nov. 10, 2021
- Dec. 8, 2021
- Jan. 12, 2022
- Feb. 9, 2022
- March 9, 2022
- April 13, 2022
- May 11, 2022 (this meeting will be held virtually and in-person)
Please contact the Superintendent's Office at 314.989.8419 or 314.989.8281 by noon on the Wednesday before the meeting and an American Sign Language interpreter will be provided.
For more information about the SSD PAC or who represents your district, e-mail pac@ssdmo.org.
Lunch and Learn
Special School District’s Family and Community Outreach, Social Work, Parent Education and Diversity Awareness (PEDA) and Communications departments have teamed up 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 take place on the first Wednesday of each month during the 2021-22 school year, from 11:30 AM - Noon.
Representatives from nine community organizations will participate in order to increase awareness about their agency and make connections with those in our SSD community who may benefit from their programs and services. Organizations represented in the
Lunch & Learn series include:
· Behavioral Health Response – Dec. 1
· Easterseals Midwest – Jan. 5
· The Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis – Feb. 2
· Team Activities for Special Kids (TASK) – March 2
· St. Louis ARC – April 6
· St. Louis County Library – May 4Upcoming Events
November 24-26: No School--Thanksgiving
Contact Us
Special School District of St. Louis County
12110 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
Phone: 314‐989‐8100
Maureen Nelson, Director of Special Education
Stephanie Wansing, Social Worker
Lindsay Amen, School Psychologist
Jason Driedger, School Psychologist
Email: monelson@ssdmo.org
Website: baylessk12.org
Location: 4530 Weber Rd, Affton, MO 63123, USA
Phone: (314) 256-8690.3009