Spotlight - June 2, 2023

The Governing Council will hold a special election on June 5, 2023, for the open Board of Education seat in Subdistrict 1, representing Hazelwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, and Jennings school districts. Three candidates submitted applications and will be voted upon during the Governing Council meeting on June 5, 2023: Stephanie Boykin, Curtis Faulkner (incumbent), and Carmen A. Stayton. Read more...

The Board Brief is a review of actions taken by the SSD Board of Education during the May 23, 2023 meeting. It is one more way SSD is working to be transparent and improve communication, helping keep our community informed. Agenda items are linked, where applicable, to the meeting items on BoardDocs. Official meeting minutes will be posted on BoardDocs. Read More...

St. Louis County Library’s popular summer reading clubs kick-off on June 1 and run through August 5. The programs offer great prizes for the whole family! Sign up beginning June 1 and receive a free book when you register. You'll also be entered in raffle for a chance to win a $50 Target gift card each week. More activities and opportunities are available - check them out!

...

Operation Food Search will provide summer lunch meals to children at select SLCL locations from June 5 - Aug. 18, 2023, Monday-Friday, noon-1:00 PM. Stop by during lunch and enjoy a nutritious meal along with activities for kids. Meals will be free of charge for children ages 18 and under. Pizza will be served on Fridays!

The meals program will be offered at the following branches: Florissant Valley Branch, Jamestown Bluffs Branch, Lewis & Clark Branch, Natural Bridge Branch, Parkview Branch, Prairie Commons Branch, Rock Road Branch, Weber Road Branch, Bridgeton Trails Library.

Looking for some summer fun and learning? Six Missouri state parks and historic sites will be hosting hikes, programs or tours featuring ASL interpretation on-site! Families with deaf or hard of hearing family members are welcome to come explore their parks with pre-scheduled ASL interpreters. Events and programs are free to the public, but nominal tour fees may apply.

SSD's Evaluation & Research division supports positive student outcomes and organizational improvement through the coordination of external and internal research. Our partners are seeking families interested in participating in a variety of studies, including a new Washington University study examining childhood hearing loss. Review current opportunities...

The Governor's Council on Disability is accepting entries for the poster contest for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). All Missouri residents are invited to showcase their artistic talents by submitting original artwork. The winning poster will be featured on the GCD’s 2023 poster celebrating NDEAM. Posters must be submitted by September 15. Find out how you can participate.

There are still a few spots left for caregivers to attend the Youth Mental Health First Aid training on July 22, 9 AM - 4 PM.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (ages 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. Register for the training...

The Special Education Foundation is accepting applications for children with disabilities served by SSD to attend one or more camps this summer. The SEF provides tuition assistance to enable students served by SSD to attend summer camps. Parents and caregivers can have peace of mind knowing that their child is in a safe and healthy place. Apply here.

Congratulations to all of SSD's 2023 graduates across the county! We ❤️ you and wish you all the best on your future endeavors! Here's a glimpse of graduations at all SSD schools this year...

Congratulations to our student scholarship winners from SSD sponsors this year! These scholarships will help pay for books and tuition at the college, university, or postsecondary program of their choice. Learn more about these bright young students! #SSDMomentsOfAwe

Bonhomme Lions Club Scholarship: Sara Brooks (Bayless School District), Holly Connor (School District of Clayton), Austin Sidenstricker (Parkway Schools), Liam Cassidy (Parkway Schools)

Allison M. Haake Memorial Scholarship: Emily Butler (Kirkwood School District)

James E. Westbury Memorial Scholarship: Amelia Alonzo (Lindbergh Schools), Spencer Thompson (Rockwood School District)

...

Students at Northview High School participated in their first Career Day in late April. Vendors from 12 organizations helped students explore career paths that included transportation, cosmetology, culinary, and health care. Students also worked on communication skills such as introducing themselves, making eye contact, and engaging in conversation, all skills that would be used during a job interview. A Career Walk (similar to a cake walk) was also available and provided participating students with an opportunity to enter a drawing to toss a cream pie in the face of Mark Sharp, assistant principal (and very good sport). #SSDMomentsOfAwe Read more...

...

Litzsinger students put in weeks of dedication, strong work ethic, creativity, and patience in preparation for the annual Spring Program and Art Walk. The special day is led by Music Teacher Kyle Spies and Art Teacher Stephanie McCoy. It combines two events - a talent show and art walk - allowing students to showcase different types of skills and abilities. “I thought the show was a lot of fun and the students did a fantastic job,” said Spies. “It’s important to have some kind of performance because it gives the students a goal to work towards. Performing and preparing for a show is something I believe all students should get to experience.” Read more...

...

Mario Holmes is not yet in high school, but he is earning accolades as an eighth-grade student at Valley Park Middle School. He is a 2021-22 National Junior Honor Society member, was selected as student of the month last October, and is one of 16 students who was chosen to participate in the BrightPath STEAM Academy program at Washington University in St. Louis. Not only did he receive a Certificate of Achievement for his accomplishments in STEM, he also was given a full-ride scholarship. “The last few years have been really awesome and I’m really proud of myself,” said Holmes. Read more...

...

Be ready. Be responsible. Be respectful. These expectations are known as the three R’s at Hancock Place Middle School, and students in Special Education Teacher Amy Bortle’s class have been working to excel in these areas since the beginning of the academic school year. “My seventh and eighth graders have been setting academic and behavioral goals every couple of months or so,” said Bortle. “Their personal objectives are posted to their desk and we track their progress every day using a star chart. If they earn four out of five stars for four consecutive weeks, that means they are showing major improvements.” Read more...

...

At Schnucks in Des Peres, SSD students are mastering tasks that help the staff get products ready for sale. Lee Goldstein, an SSD teacher at Kirkwood High School, accompanies her four students to Schnucks for the first three periods of school, four days a week, as part of SSD’s Community Based Vocational Instruction program (CBVI). Read more...

...

As the weather gets warmer and the grass gets greener, students and staff at Ackerman School anxiously await restarting the seasonal culinary arts and gardening programs. “The question isn’t what are we doing in art when it gets warmer,” said Jason Betancourt, instructor of the programs. “The question is always when are we going outside.” Students were introduced to cooking and gardening last year in an effort to learn how to grow their own food and incorporate herbs and spices into family meals. Since then, students have become amateur chefs who are seasoning, marinating, and slicing meat and produce with little to no assistance. Read more...

...

Students and staff at Neuwoehner High School rallied together to celebrate the success of service-learning projects and Character Captured Award recipients in May. Eight students and four projects from each learning community were acknowledged. “The service-learning projects positively impact the entire school, and allows for collaboration between students, staff, and the community," said Bridget Duke, Neuwoehner's assistant principal. For the service-learning projects, Learning Community 1 wrote thank you cards for staff at St. Luke’s Hospital. Learning Community 2 hosted a food drive and collected over 145 items to give to Kirkcare. Learning Community 3 sold dog biscuits to students and staff, donating $600 in proceeds to Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Lastly, Learning Community 4 held a toy drive to support Friends of Kids with Cancer. Read more...

...

Southview held a spirit week with each day incorporating an activity related to mental health – Meditation Monday, Team Up Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, and Free to Be Me Friday. EVERY student had the ability to complete an activity whether on paper, physically, through conversation, and or virtually. All activities are used to promote mental health wellbeing to utilize these strategies as they learn and enhance self-care strategies as a vital part of their everyday life. #CougarPride #SSDMomentsOfAwe Read more...

...

Diamond Lewis, a seventh grader at Rockwood South Middle School, is a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) 2022 Student Award winner. The award is given to students who have overcome learning challenges and now experience growing success every day. “I nominated Diamond because of her outstanding work ethic and because she is a member of the National Junior Honors Society (NJHS), earning A’s in all her classes,” said her teacher, Helen Allinder. Read more...

...

Special District National Education Association (SDNEA) presented its annual round of student scholarships and teacher mini-grants at the SSD Board of Education meeting on May 23, 2023. Funding these projects has been part of the organization’s mission for many years and demonstrates its support of extraordinary teaching and learning among SSD’s population. Read more...

...

Students and staff at Bridges celebrated the end of the school year with their annual BBQ, complete with games! #SSDMomentsOfAwe Read more...

...

SSD's Central Office staff recently celebrated three VSP interns who have moved on to their next adventure! Ariyonna and Jaylon are transferring to a new VSP location next year, and Waldy graduated! All three students were given a clap-out as they left the building for the last time. The VSP interns have been a wonderfully positive presence within CO. #SSDMomentsOfAwe Read more...

Special School District’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) team was recognized recently by North County Incorporated (NCI) for its progress on DEIA initiatives that have positively affected schools and families in the north area of the St. Louis region.

The District’s DEIA team — Dr. Michael Maclin, Dr. Darryl Diggs, and Dr. Tonnette Harris — accepted the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Award at the organization’s 46th Annual Leadership Breakfast on May 12 at the Marriott St. Louis Airport Hotel. The award was an expression of appreciation for the way their work has broadened education opportunities for students and staff, and for setting an example to other organizations striving to realize DEIA initiatives. Read more...

...

In recognition of her commendable leadership and collaborative endeavors, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Elizabeth Keenan was presented the Horace Mann Friend to Education Award by representatives of the Missouri National Education Association (MNEA). She accepted the award during the May 9, 2023, SSD Board of Education meeting. Read more...

Congratulations to the Spring 2023 class of Family Leadership Institute (FLI)! These dedicated family members joined SSD's FACE for three sessions of learning, networking, and discovery. Discussed topics included Charting the LifeCourse, how to effectively participate in a student's education, and how to collaborate with other families. #SSDMomentsOfAwe Learn more...

...

Do you want some great tips and tricks to make this summer break your best one yet? FACE has a list of Summer Engagement Resources (scroll down the webpage) to help you out. Click here to learn how you can use the Charting the LifeCourse Integrated Support Star to help plan your summer and get access to tips, tools and ideas to ensure summer success.

...

Do you want to increase your knowledge about all things Special Education this summer? Visit the FACE YouTube page - all the webinars available to watch at your leisure. You can learn about anything from the IEP process to toilet training! Click here to start learning today!