ROOSEVELT TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS RECEIVE $1,000 DONATION!

Roosevelt High School’s book and Spanish clubs are collecting monies to bring relief for Tsunami victims. The funds will be used to buy school supplies for an elementary school that was destroyed by the Tsunami. Because of their efforts and the media attention, a local citizen donated $1,000 to the fund. Jeanine Riley of Riley Ready Mix Company wanted to make a difference. Riley, a former teacher at Farragut Elementary School, heard about the students’ efforts on the radio. “We’ve all heard about the devastation and wanted something to do,” she said. Dr. Shane Hopper, assistant principal at Roosevelt, was thrilled when he received the call. “ We appreciate community members like her who are willing to help people,” said Hopper. The money collected will be used to help buy supplies for an elementary school that was destroyed. The school is located in Hafun, Somolia.

Roosevelt’s social studies teacher Yusuf Haid is from Somalia and has been in touch with governmental officials there. “ I think people are wanting to help but they are not aware that
people in Somalia were affected,” he said.
The goal is to raise $2,000. “The amount should take care of rebuilding the school for those 90 students.” At least 430 people were killed in Somalia and another 2,000 are missing. If you wish to donate, please e-mail
Pamela.Calvert@slps.org.

SLPS PE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR IS AROUND THE CORNER!

The St. Louis Public Schools 5th annual Physical Education Teachers of the Year award is not far away. The purpose of the award is to highlight outstanding talent and commitment of teachers who teach physical education in the district. The program was created and sponsored by the St. Louis Rams football organization. Thirteen teachers have been honored the last four years of the program. Parson Blewett Fund contributes to the award’s program. It’s a way of recognizing and honoring the best in the classroom. One teacher from the elementary, middle and high school levels will be selected. Teachers who apply must have the following requirements: current teacher of physical education courses; have at least three years of experience teaching; and have not previously received the award. If selected, teachers will receive a $1,000 cash award, $500 towards purchasing equipment to use in their classroom, two special plaques, guest of honor at the awards reception in June and special guest at a preseason Rams Football game during the 2006 football season. For more information about the program, call Dave Cook, SLPS athletic coordinator at 345-4416.

ADAMS ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT!
Adams Elementary teacher Amanda Matthiesen and her students are very serious about the environment. They are participating in a Leadership Environment Action Project (LEAP) sponsored by the Missouri Botanical Garden. The program is a six-week thematic waste reduction and recycling program for grades 5 though 12. Students who participate in LEAP collect, measure and record trash that is generated daily. The program is an unusual approach to resource education which combines waste reduction and real life recycling solutions to the classroom.

COLUMBIA AND SCRUGGS ELEMENTARY TALK ABOUT STUDENT SUCCESS TO EDUCATORS

Principal Judith Dixon-Durham talked about her school’s success to 950 participants from across the country recently. The Powerful Learning Conference, held at the Chase Park Plaza, included a gathering of teachers and administrators from around the nation to discuss best educational strategies and practices. Durham talked about Operation MAP attack and how the school’s test scores have improved. “ I talked about how data drives instruction,” she said. “ Scruggs Elementary School teachers also talked about how they are improving their test scores by combining their student resources.

SLPS STUDENTS WIN BIG IN THE SHOW ME SOUND DRUM LINESeveral students from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and Gateway Institute of Technology are first place winners in the Show Me Sound Drum Line
Winter Guard International Regional competition. The next goal is to win the national championship in April. The drum line is scheduled to perform at the NCAA Basketball finals. For more information, call Homer Shanks at 345-2550.

CONGRATULATIONS CORNER…

More Tsunami fund raising efforts are still underway. Gateway Elementary has collected $778.12. Mann School, in cooperation with Tower Grove South Neighborhood Coalition and Asha for Education has raised $710. Their funds will benefit the southern coast of India… Thirty cadets from Cleveland Naval Academy ROTC Academy will serve as honor guards and ushers at Mayor Slay’s black history month program on Feb. 18…Roosevelt High School has received a grant to develop student leaders and enhance cross cultural communication. Called the “Roosevelt Ambassadors” the $6,500 grant is a partnership between the school, ESOL students, YMCA and Commerce Bank. The goal is to improve cultural understanding while developing student leadership skills. McKinley Classical Junior Academy received a gift of seventeen Hewlett Packard handheld computers. The gift was valued at $7,984.00 and was made possible through the company’s employee product gift matching program entitled “Gifts in Kind International”.

SLPS ENJOYS SUCCESSFUL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Selected music students from SLPS participated in the E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Collaborative music festival Feb. 8. The event was held at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The festival choir and orchestra performed a variety of music including a standard classical repertoire to modern American music. Robert Nordman, music supervisor for SLPS, served as one of the guest conductors. The music collaboration provides music education support to 99 schools in 14 school districts.