Hazelwood SSD News & Updates
June/July 2023
Important Summer Dates
June 1 - Half-day for students (high schools only)
June 2 - Half-day for all students
June 3 - Central High School Graduation (9:00 am)
June 3 - West High School Graduation (1:30 pm)
June 3 - East High School Graduation (6:00 pm)
June 6 - Hazelwood Board of Education Meeting
June 19 - Juneteenth Holiday - all Hazelwood and SSD buildings and offices closed
June 20 - Hazelwood Board of Education Meeting
June 27 - SSD Board of Education Business Meeting
July 4 - Independence Day Holiday - all Hazelwood and SSD buildings and offices closed
July 18 - Hazelwood Board of Education Meeting
July 25 - SSD Board of Education Business Meeting
Please note: ALL Hazelwood schools and offices are closed on Fridays during the summer months.
Dates for SSD-sponsored events and community events can be found elsewhere in this newsletter.
Hazelwood Celebrates Graduates on June 3, 2023
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Extended School Year 2023
SSD Extended School Year (ESY) will operate Mondays through Thursdays, June 12th - June 30th (no school on 7/19/23).
Elementary: 8:50am-2:00pm
Middle School: 8:00am-1:10pm
High School: 7:15am-12:25pm
Please contact the Hazelwood ESY Coordinator, Denise Quante, with any questions.
Adaptive & Assistive Equipment
The Special Education Foundation (SEF) is able to provide specialized equipment to students with disabilities up to age 21. The aim of the SEF is to enhance the education or the independence of students or to improve their quality of life. Through grants, the Foundation is able to help provide requests for specialized equipment, based on financial need, which includes:
● augmentative communication devices
● adaptive equipment
● hearing aids
● eyeglasses
Applications are accepted year-round and are initiated by the student’s teacher. Learn more about SEF’s Adaptive and Assistive Equipment program and how to apply.
SEF Kid-to-Camp
Special Education Foundation Kid-to-Camp: Camp experience brings life-changing benefits to a student with a disability. Outcomes from attending camp include easier adjustment to new environments, a greater sense of personal satisfaction, and personal habits that lead to a healthy lifestyle.
The Special Education Foundation’s (SEF) Kid-to-Camp program helps provide funding for students served by the Special School District (SSD), those who may be impacted financially, preventing them from being able to attend camp. Camperships are awarded based on financial needs and child benefits. Applications are accepted year-round including summer, winter, and spring breaks. SEF is here to help eliminate that financial burden where possible.
Learn more about SEF’s Kid-to-Camp program and camp options for students with disabilities.
BIA of Missouri Educational Scholarships
The Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) is pleased to offer educational scholarships for survivors of brain injury to pursue post-secondary education. Please click here for more information.
Social Skills Program
PEERS® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) is a 12-16 week social skills program for children, teens or young adults with autism. Find more information about this below.
Food Pantry
Please click here for more information on SSD’s Satellite Food Pantry at The Family Resource Hub at North Tech High School.
FACE News
Recreation Council 2023 Summer Resource Guide is Now Available!
Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis Mission
We aim to connect individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities with a variety of recreation activities and programs across the greater St. Louis area. We work to ensure individuals are aware of and have access through funding to recreation opportunities, including community inclusive recreation
programs, specialized city programs and camps and other community resources. Through these connections, we encourage them to build communities of their own.
Click on the here for more details. Financial assistance available.
Community Partner Highlight
PEERS® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) is a 12-16 week social skills program for children, teens or young adults with autism. In this program, individuals are engaged in learning real-life skills for connecting with others, as well as building and maintaining friendships. Parents/Caregivers will also participate in the program and will be taught how to support and assist their child/young adult in making and keeping friends by coaching and providing feedback during weekly homework assignments.
This program is offered to three age groups:
- Children’s Friendship Training: 3rd-5th graders
- PEERS: Middle and high school aged students
- PEERS for Young Adults: Individuals ages 18+ who are no longer in high school
New sessions will begin in August 2023.
A pre-program assessment to determine eligibility is required. Funding options include DDRB,
DMH and Private Pay.
For more information and to see if you qualify, please contact our Admissions Department at 314-394-7100 or via email info@esmw.org
SSD FACE News
SUMMER HOURS FOR THE HUB: Access to the HUB, located in North Technical High School, will only be available over the summer by appointment. Email face@ssdmo.org to make an appointment.
Still on the hunt for good summer camps or activities? There are search engines that can help with that. Blueprint 4 Summer and Kids out and About are great resources to help fill those hot summer days.
Family Workshops
All of the workshops offered by FACE are provided free of charge and are open to all parents, families and community members. After registering, participants will be provided with information about the platform that will be used for the workshop.
The workshops will be set up as webinars, so you will be able to see the panelists but not other attendees. Your confirmation and reminder email will contain information about how to submit questions to the panelists in advance, or you can use the chat and Q&A features during the workshop. If you have any questions, please let us know. If you are unable to attend the live workshop, please still register so that we can send you the link to the recording a day or two after the workshop.
If you need more information, or if you require an alternative format as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact face@ssdmo.org, 314.989.8460 or 711 (Deaf/HOH).
Ready to Register?
FACE has an updated registration process that makes it easy for all! Find the event you wish to register for in the list to the right and select it. Inside, you will find a registration link. Please be sure to register for each event you are interested in!
If you need additional assistance, please email face@ssdmo.org or call 314.989.8460.
Hazelwood SSD Parent Advisory Council
The Hazelwood SSD Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is a cross-categorical group of parents of children receiving services from the Special School District. It is a volunteer organization made up of parents, SSD and Hazelwood administrators who are committed to identifying and building upon the strengths of all children in the Hazelwood School District. Hazelwood Parent Advisory Council provides a forum for parents to meet other parents and share information concerning their children and resources.
If you would like to become involved in the Hazelwood SSD PAC or if you would like more information about Hazelwood SSD parent supports and resources, please complete the survey found here: Hazelwood Parent Involvement Survey
Work for SSD in Hazelwood!
SSD is hiring all summer long! Come join the amazing SSD HSD instructional team!
An awesome benefit of working at a school is that you have the same schedule as your child! Pictured below are just a few of the positions currently available countywide - in Hazelwood, we specifically need teachers and paraprofessionals. We have openings in middle schools and elementary schools from the West side of the district to the East. We have open opportunities to work with students in general education classrooms, special education classrooms, collaboratively taught classrooms (two teachers - one HSD & one SSD), essential skills classrooms, and classrooms for students with our highest support needs.
Please also share this information with friends and family looking for a collaborative, equitable, and committed work culture, outstanding benefits, and competitive salaries.
Click here for more information about working for SSD.
Click here to see a current list of job vacancies on the SSD website.
Click here to contact a special education coordinator to ask about opportunities at a specific school or in a specific classroom.
Let's Talk
We want to hear from you! Click here to share your comments, questions, or concerns.
Lunch & Learn Series
Click here to register for upcoming sessions or to view recorded sessions from SSD's Lunch & Learn series that features community organizations.
SSD Website
Click here for information for SSD's families, students, and community.
Hazelwood SSD Department Contact Information
If you have any questions feel free to contact us at any of the following:
Special School District of St. Louis County
12110 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
Phone: 314-989-8100
Hazelwood School District
Director of Special Education for Hazelwood
Meet the SSD Team
Amanda Barton: Arrowpoint Elementary, Grannemann Elementary, Keeven Elementary, and Twillman Elementary
Angela Edwards: Barrington Elementary, Garrett Elementary, Larimore Elementary, and Jury Elementary
Stephani Hudson: Hazelwood Central High
Dr. Jana Schaefer: Hazelwood Opportunity Center, Hazelwood East Middle, Armstrong Elementary, and Townsend Elementary
Shannon Jeralds: Brown Elementary, Lusher Elementary, McCurdy Elementary, and Walker Elementary
Erin Kinion: Lawson Elementary, Cold Water Elementary, McNair Elementary, and Russell Elementary
Matt Moellering: Hazelwood West High
Renita Murphy: Hazelwood Central Middle, Hazelwood North Middle, and Jamestown Elementary
Denise Quante: Hazelwood East High
Dr. Leigha Wetter: Hazelwood Northwest Middle, Hazelwood Southwest Middle, and Hazelwood West Middle