Board Brief

Dec. 7, 2023 - The Board Brief is a review of actions taken by the SSD Board of Education during the Dec. 5, 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.

VSP Students Prepare Food Kits for Families

December 7, 2023 - VSP students at North Tech and Central Office helped pack 180 winter food kits for students within SSD schools. The kits filled with items such as fruit cups, tuna, mac and cheese, and oatmeal are provided to families to reduce some of the stress associated with food insecurity.

Students Collect and Donate One Ton Worth of Goods

December 5, 2023 - Palmquist and 13 students at Parkway South High School gave back to the community by collecting over 2,000 pounds - one ton - worth of goods to donate to the Circle of Concern Food Pantry.

SSD Teachers Recognized by Emerson

Nov. 29, 2023 - The Emerson Corporations’s Excellence in Education Award program recognizes educators in the St. Louis metropolitan area. This year, six SSD teachers were selected to receive Emerson's recognition. Each teacher each received an engraved crystal apple and were praised for their professional achievements and commitment to education.

SEF Funds SSD School Projects

November 27, 2023 - The Special Education Foundation (SEF) Women’s Leaders provided over $11,000 in funding to support SSD schools, including the Juvenile Detention Center and Bridges Program. 

Students Practice Job Skills at Fine Dining Day

November 21, 2023 - Every year a few days before Thanksgiving, instead of having an ordinary lunch, Ackerman students indulge in a delicious meal of turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, apple cobbler and chocolate chip cookies to celebrate the holiday. 

Winter Health Guidance 2023-24

Nov. 20, 2023 - As we say goodbye to the summer heat, families are preparing for cooler weather, holiday celebrations, and the need to take preventative measures against illness. Sickness is on the rise throughout St. Louis County and contagious respiratory viruses (like flu, COVID-19, and RSV) can spread easily. SSD schools are experiencing an increasingly high rate of illness in our student and staff population. All three of these illnesses are expected to surge during the fall and winter seasons.

Candidate Filing Opens Dec. 5, 2023 for Two Seats on the SSD Board of Education

Nov. 17, 2023 - Candidate filing for two open seats on the Special School District Board of Education opens at 8 AM on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, and continues until 5 PM on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The terms of current Vice President Dr. Meredith Byers, Subdistrict 5 and Director Ms. Tiffany Hudson, Subdistrict 6, expire in March 2024.

Cynthia Vaughn Announced as Director of Finance

Nov. 15, 2023 - During the Nov. 14 Board of Education meeting, Cynthia Vaughn was approved as the director of finance. Vaughn has been serving SSD since 2008, when she joined the District as a budget analyst.

KidSmart Donates Supplies to Litzsinger

November 7, 2023 - Representatives from KidSmart and Carney’s Kids Foundation, visited Litzsinger School in November to provide $7,500 worth of school supplies and books for all 24 classrooms.

SSD Leadership Change

Nov. 3, 2023 - On Friday, Oct. 27, the SSD Board of Education announced that Dr. Michael Maclin would be assuming the role of acting superintendent while current superintendent Dr. Keenan remains on an administrative leave of absence. Read Dr. Maclin's message to SSD staff and families...

Scholarships for SSD Students - Apply Soon!

Nov. 1, 2023 - Scholarship applications are being accepted until Dec. 13, 2023, from high school seniors who receive at least one service or technical education from SSD and plan to pursue post-secondary education.

Nominate a Staff Member for a Salutes Award!

Nov. 1, 2023 - If you know an SSD staff member who truly goes the extra mile, consider nominating this person for one of the District's Salutes Awards! The last day to nominate is Jan. 5, 2024.

Theresa Thoene Awarded Patty Dean Memorial Special Education Grant

Nov. 2, 2023 - Theresa Thoene, registered behavior technician (RBT) at Parkway Schools, won a Patty Dean Memorial Special Education Grant from the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation (MRTA).

Bryce Brady Crowned Hazelwood Homecoming King

October 30, 2023 - Bryce Brady, 12th-grader at Hazelwood West High School, couldn’t help but jump for joy when his name was announced at one of the biggest events of the school year. 

Board Brief - June 27, 2023

June 29, 2023 - The Board Brief is a review of actions taken by the SSD Board of Education during the June 27, 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.

New Application Portal for Special School District

June 21, 2023 - SSD will use the TalentEd application portal beginning Saturday, July 1, 2023. The new application portal will allow the Office of Employee Success and Engagement (OESE) to track applicants throughout the hiring process, improve data collection and analytics, and better serve job seekers and supervisors.

SSD Celebrates Juneteenth

June 19, 2023 - Today, June 19, SSD celebrates Juneteenth as a day of recognition and celebration of African American freedom and achievement. SSD stands in solidarity with all students, staff, and community members who have experienced hardships, mistreatment, or harassment due to the color of their skin.

SSD Earns 10th Consecutive State Transportation Award

June 15, 2023 - For the 10th year running,  SSD’s Transportation Department passed the 2023 Driver and Vehicle Safety Division’s annual school bus inspection program with flying colors. The District received an overall score of 97.9%, which is just over 10% higher than the national average of 87.2%. 

Erica Karius Announced as North Tech Assistant Principal

June 15, 2023 - During the June 13, 2023, Board of Education meeting, Dr. Erica Karius was approved as the assistant principal at North Tech High School. Karius has served as the associate principal of Hazelwood Central High School since 2019 and will begin her tenure with Special School District on July 1, 2023. 

Board Offers Virtual Listening Session: Community Engagement Plan

June 9, 2023 - SSD's Board of Education will host a virtual listening session on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at 6 PM to gather feedback on their community engagement plan. We welcome our families and partners to attend and share their thoughts.

SSD Elects New Subdistrict 1 Board Member

June 6, 2023 - At the June 5 Governing Council meeting, Carmen Stayton was elected to the SSD Board of Education for Subdistrict 1, representing Hazelwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, and Jennings school districts. The special election was held to fill the open Board seat due to a lack of quorum at the March Governing Council meeting.

Spotlight - News About SSD Students, Families, & Staff

June 2, 2023 - Catch up on the latest SSD news in the Spotlight newsletter, emailed to SSD families and staff on the first Friday of each month. The newsletter contains information about events, Board of Education actions, student activities, and staff recognitions.

SSD Celebrates Pride Month

June 1, 2023 - Special School District is celebrating Pride Month! We are proud of our commitment to creating a safe, caring, and respectful environment for all students, families, and staff and celebrating the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community.

SDNEA Awards Mini-Grants, Scholarships at BOE Meeting

May 25, 2023 - 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.

Diamond Lewis HMH Award Winner

May 18, 2023 - Diamond Lewis, 7th grader at Rockwood South Middle School, is a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) 2022 Student Award Winner. Nominated by her teacher, Helen Allinder, the award is given to students who have overcome learning challenges and experience growing success every day.

Students Awarded for Exhibiting Excellent Character

May 15, 2023 - Students and staff at Neuwoehner High School rallied together to celebrate the success of service-learning projects and Character Captured Award recipients in May. During the ceremony, eight students and four projects from each learning community were acknowledged.

Students Excel in Culinary Arts and Gardening

May 12, 2023 - 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. 

Partnership Highlight: Schnucks

May 11, 2023 - There is a lot that happens in a grocery store. Keeping items on the shelf is only part of the equation. Items must be turned to face forward, stocked by date, removed if expired, and placed in the correct spot. These are just a few of the tasks required to make sure grocery items get from the store to your home, and at Schnucks in Des Peres, SSD students are completing them.

Hancock Place Students End School Year with Improved Grades and Behavior 

May 10, 2023 - 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.