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Boy Scout Builds Learning Stands for SSD Students
September 22, 2023 - Over the summer, Trey White, senior at Affton High School, built 20 learning stands for SSD students with the help of family and a few close friends. Trey is a member of Boy Scouts for America and for his service project to become an Eagle Scout, he wanted to do something that positively impacted SSD.
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Annual Sporting Event Unites School Community
September 21, 2023 - Kirkwood High School was met with loud cheers, friendly smiles, and a lot of pride as over 100 students, families, and staff gathered for the seventh annual Unified Night Lights. The philosophy behind the event is that sports can help provide a path to friendships and understanding.
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Therapy Dog Improves Learning and Behavior
September 13, 2023 - “When she sees me, she smiles and gives me a lot of kisses, and it tickles.” For Kierice Irbing, sixth-grader at Ackerman School, that’s a greeting from a four-legged friend named Sophie that never gets old. Sophie is a therapy dog who has been coming to Ackerman since she was only eight months old. Her owner is Amy Keith, reading specialist.
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Students Explore the Outdoors while Fishing
September 11, 2023 - It’s a tradition that’s continued for nearly a decade. Every year in September, students and staff at Ackerman make the journey to a nearby park to socialize, play games, and of course, go fishing.
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SSD Now Hiring Retirees
Aug. 30, 2023 - SSD is pleased to announce the extension of Missouri legislation SB999, which allows retirees to return to teaching while enjoying insurance and health benefits, a full salary, and retirement income. SSD invites veteran experts back to our classrooms to help us serve students in our critical needs districts. Those who retired on or before June 30, 2023, are eligible.
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St. Louis Community Member Hand Knits Hats for SSD Staff
September 1, 2023 - Dana Evans, SSD social worker in the Valley Park School District, had no idea that her compliment to a fellow colleague would lead to a very generous act of kindness. It all started when she noticed Julie Schroeder, Valley Park partner district director, wearing a cozy and comfy accessory.
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SSD Student Surveys Administered Sept. 8 - Oct. 9, 2023
Aug. 31, 2023 - SSD values the academic and personal well-being of our students and prioritizes making data-informed decisions to support their success. In collaboration with Panorama Education, SSD students in grades 3-12 are invited to share their voices through two surveys, a climate survey and a social-emotional learning (SEL) survey.
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JDC Students Meet with Book Authors
August 31, 2023 - Moving forward with hope, setting goals, and creating opportunities past incarceration are just a few of the themes students in St. Louis County Courts Schools discussed during a visit from book authors Terrence G. White and Bettye L. Blaize.
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Buddy Room Activities Bring Northview Community Together
August 23, 2023 - Rekindling old and making new friendships was the outcome at Northview as students mixed and mingled during the first buddy room activity of the school year. Buddy room activities take place once a month and are designed to bring students together from all departments (social-emotional behavior, deaf or hard of hearing, autism, etc.).
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Board Brief - Aug. 22, 2023
Aug. 23, 2023 - The Board Brief is a review of actions taken by the SSD Board of Education during the Aug. 22, 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.
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Summer 2023 Construction Updates
Aug. 18, 2023 - Updates have been made to SSD schools and buildings during the hot summer months and just in time for the 2023-24 school year. Learn more about changes made throughout the District.
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Helping Students Navigate Back-to-School Anxiety: Tips for Families
Aug. 16, 2023 - The start of a new school year can bring both excitement and apprehension for students, especially after the challenges posed by the previous year. It's not uncommon for students to experience back-to-school anxiety as they face new classrooms, teachers, and classmates. As a family member, your support and guidance play a crucial role in helping your student manage these feelings and start the year positively.
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Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year!
August 16, 2023 - On behalf of the SSD Board of Education and District staff, I am excited to welcome you to the 2023-24 school year. I hope that you and your family are returning from summer break refreshed, re-energized, and refocused. As we prepare to embark on a new school year, we are excited to welcome both familiar faces and new members to our school community. New and returning students can look forward to a supportive and welcoming environment that fosters growth and a strong sense of belonging.
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Back to School In-Service Prepares Bus Drivers and Monitors for New School Year
August 9, 2023 - 220 other transportation staff, geared up for the 2023-24 school year during SSD’s Transportation Department’s Back-to-School Kick-Off at South Tech High School.
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Dr. Matthew Traughber Announced as Director of Evaluation and Research
August 8, 2023 - During June 12, 2023 Board of Education meeting, Dr. Matthew Traughber was approved as the director of evaluation and research. Dr. Traughber previously held the position of evaluation and research associate with Special School District.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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%.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
