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.

Board Brief - May 23, 2023

May 24, 2023 - The Board Brief is a review of actions taken by the SSD Board of Education during the May 23, 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.

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. 

Mario Holmes Making High Achievements in STEM

May 9, 2023 - Mario Holmes is not even in high school yet, but he is earning accolades left and right as an eighth grade student at Valley Park Middle School. He is a 2021-22 National Junior Honor Society member, was selected as student of the month in October 2022, and is also one of 16 students who was chosen to participate in the BrightPath STEAM Academy program at Washington University in St. Louis.

Candidates for Special Board of Education Election for Subdistrict 1

May 8, 2023 - The Governing Council will hold a special election for the open Board of Education seat in Subdistrict 1, which represents Hazelwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, and Jennings school districts. The Governing Council, which elects the Special School District (SSD) Board of Education, was not able to elect a candidate for Subdistrict 1 at the March 6 meeting and declared an impasse due to lack of a quorum. According to bylaws, the Governing Council must hold a new election for the open seat at the next scheduled Governing Council meeting. Candidate filing was open from April 3, 2023, through April 28, 2023. Three candidates submitted applications and will be voted upon during the Governing Council meeting on June 5, 2023: Stephanie Boykin, Curtis Faulkner (incumbent), and Carmen A. Stayton. - The Governing Council will hold a special election on June 5, 2023, for the open Board of Education seat in Subdistrict 1, representing Hazelwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, and Jennings school districts.

Litzsinger Spring Program and Art Walk

May 8, 2023 - Litzsinger students put in weeks of dedication, strong work ethic, creativity, and patience in preparation for the annual Spring Program and Art Walk. The special day is led by Music Teacher Kyle Spies and Art Teacher Stephanie McCoy.

South Tech Carpentry Signing Day 

May 3, 2023 - Seven students in the Carpentry Program at South Tech were celebrated during the school’s annual Construction Signing Day. Seniors Gavin Beaudreau, Jacob Borst, Reece Doza, Zander Estrella, Tim Fisher, Collin ORourke, and Aniyah Williamson committed to working for companies such as Builder’s Bloc, CCS, PARIC, and Doza Painting immediately following graduation. 

Webster Groves Presented Special Olympics Certificate of Appreciation

May 1, 2023 - Webster Groves High School is one of 13 districts who hosted a Special Olympics Track & Field Meet this spring. During the event in April, students competed in relay races, shot put, 200 meter dash, and long jump. 

SSD Student Surveys 2023

April 27, 2023 - 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. The surveys will be given during the fall and spring of the 2022-23 school year, with the spring survey window being May 1-19. The surveys will be administered electronically, but PDF versions can be previewed on SSD’s website.

Talent Show Boost Student Confidence

April 26, 2023 - Students put on a show stopping performance at the annual Ackerman Talent Show. There were nearly 25 acts that ranged from signing, dancing, joke telling, drawing, football skills, and even video games.