LIEUTENANT GENERAL GARY H. HUGHEY IS NEW COO & COMMISSIONER

The Board of Education of the St. Louis Public Schools has appointed Lieutenant General Gary H. Hughey as chief operating officer and building commissioner. General Hughey is responsible for the district’s information technology, food services, buildings and grounds, purchasing, school operations, archives, student records, warehouse, printing/reprographics and transportation functions. “I am excited about joining this team of professionals,” he said. General Hughey is the former deputy commander for the United Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base. “General Hughey is joining a list of distinguished senior military officers who have served school systems across the country,” said Board President Darnetta Clinkscale. Some career highlights include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with Star, Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.

ST. LOUIS MAGNET SCHOOLS RECRUITMENT PERIOD BEGINS

The 2005-2006 St. Louis magnet school application process is underway. Magnet schools specialize in academic themes such as international studies, visual and performing arts, general academics, math-science-technology, early childhood education, military, gifted education and computer animation. Applications for gifted programs at Kennard and McKinley Classical Junior Academies and Metro Academic and Classical High School are due by Jan. 17. All other applications are due by February 28.

Vashon High School Boys Basketball Team Ranked #1 in Nation

Vashon High School Boys Basketball team (17-0) is ranked number one in the nation according to USATODAY newspaper. To earn a spot in the Super 25 high school rankings, a basketball team must have hot shooters, tough defense and great coaching. “This is the first time in my 31 year career that a basketball team that I have coached has been ranked number one,” said Coach Floyd Irons. “Yes, we are ranked number one in the nation, but what many fans may not know is that we have won 49 consecutive games, and that’s an accomplishment in itself,” Irons said. Coach Irons began coaching for Vashon High School in 1974 and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Vashon’s next basketball game is Friday, January 28, 2005 against Central Visual Performing Arts High School.

HOOTZ THE CLOWN LOVES TO SEE STUDENTS READ!Hootz the Magician clown may be coming to a school near you! Hootz, who prefers not to give his real identity, travels to various schools encouraging students to read. “Reading is the key to everything,” he said.

“When a child can read, he or she can go anywhere and do anything by opening a book.” In addition to his 30-minute comedy, Hootz is the author of Hootz the Clown Visits the Library, the first in a series of four children’s books promoting the fun of reading. Billing himself as Hootz the Clown, Edu-tainment Specialist/Author, he can be reached at 314-550-4162.

ROOSEVELT STUDENTS TO TOUR NEW YORK CITY’S BUSINESS/FASHION DISTRICTRoosevelt teacher Kacy Seals is looking forward to taking her students to New York City. The trip will serve as an opportunity to expose students to the business and fashion industry. The students are members of the school’s association of marketing students. They will attend seminars and tour the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, NBC Studios, January 3, 2005 Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music and Radio City Music Hall. “The students have worked hard to raise money needed for the trip,” said Seals. “This would not have been possible without the assistance of our school administrators, parents, teachers, students and the business community.” Students were in New York from January 14-18.

SLPS STUDENTS INVOLVED IN ROBOTICS TEAM AND COMPETITIONStudents from Gateway Institute of Technology are learning how to build robots. They are involved in a six-week robotics competition which kicked off at the St. Louis Science Center. Students from Career Academy and Central Visual and Performing Arts High School will join Gateway’s team in moving and stacking tetrahedrons made from PVC pipes. “They will do a lot of hands on activity,” said John Petsch, practical arts supervisor. Gateway’s team will be shadowed by KETC-TV Channel 9. A documentary about their robotics project will be aired at a later time.

CARR LANE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT BRAZIL

Dance and strings students at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts will learn about the many styles of Brazilian music during the months of January and February. The Missouri Arts Council has funded a grant allowing two consultants to work with the students.The consultants are Moacyr Marchini, Brazilian percussionist, and artist Robert Ketchens.
SLPS music supervisor Robert Nordman and Debbie Corson of Young Audiences were the grant writers. Sixth grade band, seventh grade vocal and eighth grade dance and strings will
play Samba and other styles of Brazilian music. They will also make their own instruments and costumes, create a Carnaval parade and perform in a concert. The school’s theme is “Smart through the Arts.”

SAY, DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Approximately 50 ESL students at the International Institute experienced the E-Bus, a city-sized bus equipped with 8 computers and staffed by USBank personnel. Students became familiar with the computers, job searching, banking and home buying. The bus project was sponsored by USBank, the Community College Foundation and FreddieMac.

HIGH SCHOOL RENEWAL LINK IS HERE!

The High School Renewal plan web site is here. SLPS has started renewing high schools in the areas of curriculum, educational models and much more. Each high school is completing its own reform plan. The reform effort is a national trend. The website was developed by the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools, Office of Career and Technical Education and Office of Technology Services. For more information, call Steve Warmack at 345- 4485 or Susan Katzman at 345-5711.

CONGRATULATIONS CORNER…

John Samuel Tierman, English teacher at Soldan International Studies High School, was re-appointed to the literature panel of the Missouri Arts Council. Vashon High School football team placed first place in the Public High League. Gaila Jones, preschool student at Laclede Elementary School, has her art work showing on the September edition of Safe Driving General Motors Calendar. Students and staff at Career Academy raised $1,080 for Tsunami victims. Funds will go to the American Red Cross relief fund.