• SLPS Spotlight News

    November 30, 2012

     

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    SLPS has important news to share with its community. From recognizing student accomplishments, announcing teacher recognitions and promoting upcoming events, Spotlight News fills a critical role by sharing District news with more than 4,500 people across the city, including reporters, community partners, elected officials, parents, and SLPS faculty and staff.  To submit information to be included in the next edition, please contact Julie Linder by calling (314) 345-2367 or via email to Julie.Linder@slps.org

     

    Important Announcement

    SLPS Social Media

    Keep up-to-date with SLPS news and events as they occur by following the District on Twitter @SLPS_INFO

    Information about the District can also be accessed by visiting the official Facebook page at Saint Louis Public School District

     

    Help Gateway Middle Win a Power a Bright Future grant from Clorox!

    After a competitive nomination period, voting is now open and Gateway Middle needs your help to win up to $50,000 in The Clorox Company’s Power A Bright Future grant program! Help the school secure funding for a trip to Washington DC by visiting www.PowerABrightFuture.com and texting 1768pbf to 95248. Supporters can vote once per day per person through Dec. 19, 2012 until 11:59pm EDT for Gateway Middle.

     

    SLPS News

    ·         Rams Salute Stix ECC Classroom

    ·         SLPS Names Special Education Teacher of the Year

    ·         New Theater & Auditorium Unveiled at Central VPA Thanks to Prop S Dollars

    ·         State Board of Education Visits SLPS

    ·         SLPS Educator Publishes Teaching Series with Interact

    ·         SLPS School Gardens Take Sweet Potato Challenge

    ·         SLPS Thanks District Music Teachers for Their Contributions

    ·         SJ 39 Visits Walbridge

    ·         United Way Education Express

    ·         Gateway STEM Autism Walk

    ·         SLPS NAMES NIKOLAISEN AS THE 2012 MIDDLE/SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER OF THE YEAR

    ·         Finalists Selected for Missouri Entrepreneurship Challenge

     

    Beaumont JROTC Retains 'Honor Unit with Distinction' Title Following National Inspection

    Beaumont Army JROTC retained the coveted designation as a Gold Star "Honor Unit with Distinction," following their triennial Cadet Formal Inspection held in February 2012.
     

    For the next three years, Beaumont JROTC is in the top 10% of the nation's Army JROTC programs. There are currently 1,731 Army JROTC programs throughout the US and overseas, totaling 301,000 Army JROTC cadets.

    The inspection is a formal and comprehensive review of every aspect of a JROTC unit. It consists of a Cadet Staff Briefing, a full inspection of all Cadets, a review of all Cadet Records, a full inspection of all the program’s facilities, a brief Drill and Ceremonies inspection, a Curriculum Q&A session and a meeting with school administration.  Each category has multiple facets that are assessed and awarded points. The results of the Command Formal Inspection determine the unit’s designation. US Army Cadet Command has established several ratings for its JROTC Unit Inspection Program. These ratings are Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Merit Unit (White Star Unit), Honor Unit (Blue Star Unit), and Honor Unit with Distinction (Gold Star Unit).

     
    In addition, each JROTC instructor was evaluated according to the Army School Program checklist. Each instructor scored the maximum points.

     

    Peabody Energy Leaders in Education Program Honors Teacher at Lexington Elementary School

    Ms. Latasha McClelland, a 3rd grade teacher at Lexington Elementary School, has been named an honoree of the 2012-2013 Peabody Energy Award.  Ms. McClelland was surprised with an awards presentation and a check for $1,000.00 from the Peabody Energy Leaders in Education Awards team.

     

    R. L. Stein Visits Gateway Middle

    Fifty 7th graders from Gateway Middle had the distinct honor of meeting R. L. Stine, the legendary Goosebumps author!  After a presentation and Q&A session, Mr. Stine autographed a Goosebumps book for each student to take home.  It was a wonderful visit and the students enjoyed meeting one of their favorite authors.

     

    Students @ Humboldt Academy Holds School-wide Student Council and U.S. Presidential Elections

    In keeping true to our Project Construct curriculum, the team of 5th grade teachers and students at Humboldt Academy of Higher Learning organized and hosted a school-wide election on November 6th. 

     
    Leading up to election day, all three of the fifth grade classes participated in pre-election activities, including campaigning, and a “primary” election for the Student Council offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.  On election day, the school library served as the official polling place, complete with voting booths, check-in/sign in, poll supervisors, and, of course, the ballot box.  All of the students entered the polling place very excited, but very serious about casting their vote, and receiving the coveted “I Voted” sticker!

    Student Council Election Results:             

    ·         Amber Jones                                  President

    ·         Joy Williams                                  Vice President

    ·         Anthony Chaney                            Treasurer

    ·         Domonick Washington                  Secretary

    U.S. Presidential Election Results:            Barack Obama

     

    Compton-Drew Volleyball Team

    In the first year of the SLPS’ volleyball league, the Compton-Drew Dolphins went undefeated during the regular season. Going 7-0, the team was led by their captains: Trinity Sky-Hall, Jamiyah Hughes, & Mariama Brown.  They were coached by Erica Polk, Emily Vance and Richard Rice. Congratulations Dolphins on your successful first season!

     

    Bravo!

    The performance of the SLPS 2nd graders representing 23 elementary schools in the Desmond Lee Showcase at Powell Symphony Hall was absolutely the hit of the night.  Their energy and exuberance lifted everyone’s spirit and set a high performance expectation for the ensembles that had to follow them on stage.  Unique to the SLPS performance was the addition of digitally displayed artwork, created by 2nd graders to illustrate the music, projected to a screen above the choir as they sang. 
     

    “WOW!  It was a performance that will be talked about for years to come.” said E. Desmond Lee Collaborative Executive Director, Robert Nordman.

     
    Congratulations to the following participating teachers and their music students:

    AESM                  Megan Smith

    Adams                Larissa Young

    Ames VPA           Beverly Whittington                       Featured conductor

    Ashland               Stacie Powell

    Columbia            Dawn Riske                                         Piano accompanist

    Dewey                 Julie Beede                                         Featured conductor

    Farragut              Tina Poynter                                      Featured conductor

    Froebel                Yordanka Dobrichkova

    Gateway              Joy Rikli

    Hickey                   Latasha Peyton                                 Featured conductor

    Int. Wel. Sch.     Brandon Clay

    Kennard               Annette Silver-Betts

    Laclede                 Dawn Riske

    Mallinckrodt       Aaron Watson

    Mann                    Yordanka Dobrichkova

    Mason                  David Donnelly

    Oak Hill                 Amy Goforth

    Peabody             Cecilia Shipps

    Shaw                   Stephen Jones

    Sherman             Kim Payne

    Stix                       John Wilson

    Wilkinson            Janice Moorehead

    Woerner              Carl Nelson

    Lyon @ Blow      Mark Clark                                          Featured conductor       

     

    The Pen Pal Around the World Program takes off at Buder Elementary

    Lieutenant Commander Charleese Malone-Sampa, the daughter of third grade teacher Geraldine Malone from Buder Elementary School started a Pen Pal Around the World Program as a way to teach Ms. Malone’s students about different cultures. A 1993 graduate of Gateway High School, she has traveled the world thanks to her career in the Navy, and is able to bring back artifacts and pictures to teach students geographical and historical information about the countries she has visited. Recently, she did a tour in Asia, visiting places such as Japan, China, Thailand, and South Korea, and the students enjoyed learning about the exotic countries.

    Charleese also gives students paper dolls to color, which she takes with her on her tours. For the next two years Charleese will be stationed at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. as the Assistant Officer in Charge of the Naval Operations Intelligence Plot. The dolls prepared by the students  will get to visit attractions in our nation’s capital and nearby towns, such as Mount Vernon (the home of our first president, George Washington), the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian, The White House, the Pentagon, Ford’s Theatre and much more. 

     

    Upcoming Events

    Public Art Unveiling

    The O'Fallon Community Development Organization, Inc. would like to invite the SLPS community to an unveiling works of art done by students from the Yeatman-Liddell Preparatory Middle School.

    Date:  December 6, 2012

    Time:  4:00 p.m.

    Place: O'Fallon Park Harris Avenue entrance, 4100 West Florissant Avenue

     

    News Articles of Interest

    ·         Cardinals “Doin’ it Right” program at Dewey International Studies Elementary School

    ·         Chess club drawing new residents to St. Louis

    ·         Magnet school unveils new theater

    ·         Premiere early childhood center planned in North City

    ·         Roger CayCe in the St. Louis American

    ·         Schools Head Finds a Formula

    ·         SLPS honors music teachers

    ·         SLPS names Special Education Teacher of the Year

    ·         SLPS on Fox 2

    ·         Springfield Public Schools no longer state's largest district

    ·         St. Louis area boosts college graduation rate, but not enough

    ·         St. Louis is a finalist for school district Race to the Top competition

    ·         St. Louis Public Schools honors PE teachers

    ·         St. Louis schools chief wins Wall Street Journal notice

     

    Photos of the Week

    mann

    Ladies at Mann Elementary School enjoyed the perks of the school’s positive behavior support program.
     
    jag

    Students in Gateway STEM High School’s autism program as well as members of the Gateway Football and Cheerleading teams helped out with the Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation annual Turkey Give-a-way by packing and delivering over 2,000 Thanksgiving Dinners for the less fortunate in the community.