Seven SSD Teachers Awarded Grants from Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation

Aug. 30, 2021 - A total of eight SSD teachers and support personnel have been awarded grants from Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation (MRTF). MRTF is a not-for-profit organization devoted to raising funds to award grants to active teachers to enhance their classroom instruction, among other things. Last year, almost 100 grants were awarded to teachers across Missouri.

Haar Helps Paras Joining SSD

August 26, 2021 - Kevin Haar can often be found standing in front of the brightly lit windows of the Learning Center’s third-floor conference room as he welcomes newly hired SSD paraprofessionals (or commonly known as teacher assistants) to orientation. He greets new staff with granola bars and laptops as they stream in to begin their first day as a para for SSD. “I want them to know I am their ally, they can come to me with anything,” says Haar, who joined the Planning and Development team as our Paraprofessional Professional Learning Facilitator on July 1, 2021.

Zonar GPS Installed on All SSD Busses

August 18, 2021 - SSD’s transportation department added a new feature to its bus service: Zonar Advanced GPS. With the new system, SSD buses can now be tracked up-to-the-minute by the SSD dispatch team, as well as parents and students using the Stopfinder app.

SSD Ranks as Top Ten Regional Employer

August 12, 2021 - In St. Louis Business Journal’s July 2021 Employers and Who’s Who lists, Special School District ranked 10th among the region’s largest employers.

New Special School District Leadership for the 2021-22 School Year

August 11, 2021 - Special School District will start the 2021-22 school year with several new partner district directors, school principals, assistant principals, and district administrators.

SSD Earns 2021 Aetna Workplace Well-Being Award

SSD is proud to announce that we have received a Making a Difference Gold level Aetna Workplace Well-being Award. Our SSD Wellness team has a strong commitment to supporting and improving the physical and mental health of our employees. This award is the culmination of their dedicated work and our employees’ desire to make their well-being a priority.

2021-22 New Teacher Orientation

August 5, 2021 - Special School District was pleased to welcome 217 new employees to New Teacher Orientation (NTO), held at North Tech, from July 27-29. The three-day event focused on readying recent hires, ensuring they have the supports and resources they need using a mission titled Equip, Empower, Excel.

New Parent Education & Diversity Awareness Liaison Announced

July 29, 2021 - Emily Laboube has been announced as the new Parent Education & Diversity Awareness (PEDA) Liaison. Laboube previously served as a paraprofessional for SSD within the Rockwood School District. For part of the last school year, she held a long-term substitute position as a resource teacher.

SSD Transportation Department Receives Total Fleet Excellence Award

July 29, 2021 - Special School District’s Transportation Department has been awarded the Exemplary School Bus Maintenance Award, for the tenth year running. Provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the award recognizes school districts and/or contractors who have 90% or more of their buses pass the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s spring school bus inspection on the first attempt.

PAC Welcomes New Leadership Team

July 28, 2021 - Dr. Camesha Hill-Carter has been announced as the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) president. Rob Eaton has been announced as the PAC vice-president. SSD’s PAC consists of parents or guardians whose students are receiving special education and related services from SSD in each of the 22 St. Louis County school districts and 5 SSD special education schools.

St. Louis County Back to School Immunization Program

July 13, 2021 - The St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) is offering an extensive back to school immunization and vaccination program, beginning Monday, July 19.

P-EBT Benefits for Eligible Missouri Children

July 12, 2021 - On June 15, the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced that in conjunction with DESE Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) they will again issue Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefits through the Missouri’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT card system to households with eligible children.

Special School District Unveils New Branding, Logo, and Tagline

July 1, 2021 - The Special School District of St. Louis County is ushering in the 2021-22 school year in style, with a brand new logo, tagline, and branding. The new logo and tagline, “Specialized for Success”, were developed in conjunction with work on the District’s next strategic plan and as recommended by a recent communications audit.