SSD Celebrates Juneteenth

June 19, 2022 - Today, June 19, SSD celebrates Juneteenth as a day of recognition, restoration, 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. The District honors and recognizes the contributions that people of color have made and continue to make, toward the betterment of our nation.

Ackerman Students Discuss Juneteenth in Summer Podcast

June 16, 2022 - Students at Ackerman School have launched a summer podcast series. The goal is for students to practice articulating their thoughts about topics that they find meaningful. The first episode was held in June and focused on Juneteenth. 

SSD Celebrates Pride Month

June 1, 2022 - Special School District is committed to creating a safe, caring, and respectful environment for all students, families, and staff. During the month of June, SSD celebrates and recognizes Pride Month and the impact and valuable contributions of the LGBTQ+ community across America. 

Vacant Space Turned into an Outdoor Garden at Ackerman School

May 16, 2022 - For nearly a year, Ackerman School staff have been revamping an unused outdoor space behind the school. In May, it officially opened to the school community as the Ackerman Outdoor Pavilion.

Missy Leibbrandt Named SSD's 2022 Teacher of the Year

May 2, 2022 - Missy Leibbrandt was selected as SSD's 2022 Teacher of the Year! Leibbrandt is a special education teacher at Claymont Elementary in Parkway School District. She is known for her whole child approach to her students and consistently going above and beyond in her support of them. A dedicated team player and communicator, she commits time to collaborate with her students' general education teachers and ensures her families are updated frequently, comprehensively, and in a caring and personal style.

Ackerman School Presents the All About Me Fashion Show

April 14, 2022 - Students at Ackerman School strutted down the runway on April 8 at The Marvel-ous All About Me Fashion Show of Superheroes. During the show, students had the opportunity to dress up as their favorite superhero and walk down the red carpet while being cheered on by family and friends.

SSD Named 10th Largest Employer in the Region

April 11, 2022 - In St. Louis Business Journal’s July 2022 Employers and Who’s Who lists, Special School District once again ranked 10th among the region’s largest employers. The Journal defined the region as the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren, Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson, along with the City of St. Louis.

SSD’s Personal Care Items Drive

March 30, 2022 - Special School District will be collecting personal care items during the month of April. Donated items will directly benefit students in SSD schools and programs and will be distributed by social workers. The goal is to provide students with access to personal hygiene items to help decrease their absences, promote community, and increase students’ active participation in their education.

Special Education Curriculum Review Night

March 15, 2022 - Special School District invites all interested parties to a Curriculum Review Night focused on our SSD special education schools on Tuesday, April 5. Special education mathematics, social emotional learning, and character development curriculum will be discussed and feedback reviewed before being submitted to the Board of Education for approval.

SSD Masking Update

March 9, 2022 - The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently announced updated mask guidance. As a District, SSD has continued to follow the CDC’s guidelines to inform our decisions regarding COVID-19 mitigation and masking.

Information on AMI Virtual Learning Days

February 23, 2022 - Last week, our District used all of our scheduled “traditional snow days” during the winter storm that affected our area. With the threat of additional winter weather moving in later this week, we wanted to remind families that going forward if school must be closed, the District will use Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days to provide virtual learning for students.

Summer Programming for 2022

February 11, 2022 - SSD is excited to offer summer programming in June 2022! All students who attend Ackerman, Litzsinger, Northview, Neuwoehner, and Southview Schools are eligible to participate in summer programming. We are partnering with Summer Journey to provide enrichment and STEM activities for students.

Family Resource Hub Opens to Support SSD Families

January 20, 2022 - The Family and Community Outreach team has fulfilled a longstanding need at SSD-- opening a Family Resource Hub for students, staff, and families. The space is located at North Tech High School and provides the SSD community with computer, phone, and internet access, as well as a food pantry.

SSD Celebrates MLK Day 2022

January 18, 2022 - On Monday, Jan. 17, SSD celebrates the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He devoted his life to realizing the dream of equality, peace, and dignity for all people. In SSD, our first core value is equity for a very important reason. We strive to ensure diversity and inclusion are valued in our schools, with our students, teachers, staff, and partners. Our students and staff are best served in environments where they feel safe and respected.

Superintendent Insider: Our People, Our Success - Attracting Talent to SSD

January 12, 2022 - Happy 2022 SSD! I hope you rang in the new year healthy, happy, and well-rested. As many do at the start of the new year, SSD is looking toward our future and taking a closer look at the past year. Once again, we were evaluating a challenging year in which COVID-19 has continued to impact our work.