Back To School Is Around The Corner For Thousnads Of SLPS Students!

Classes will begin Monday, August 22 for thousands of SLPS students. An aggressive “Back to School” campaign is underway promoting the first day as a day of instruction and academic readiness.

This year’s Back to School theme is “St. Louis Public Schools… Educating the Future.” From bus shelter signs, radio ads and bus tail advertisements, a comprehensive message is being communicated throughout all sectors of the St. Louis area.

“The purpose is to energize our parents and provide our students with the necessary tools
to be successful on the first day of school and every day,” said Superintendent Creg E. Williams. “We are determined to provide our students with a good start.”

Mark your calendar for the upcoming “Back to School” activities and events:

Dr. Charlene Jones and Johnny Little will appear on “Sunday Morning Live” on Sunday, Aug. 7 and 21 on 104.9 FM KMJM Radio Station, beginning at 9 a.m.

“Back to School” Campaign Kick-Off - At Clyde C. Miller Academy, 1000 North Grand,
Tuesday, Aug. 9 from 2:30 until 4 p.m.

Family Festiva l- Saturday, Aug.13 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Gateway Middle School, 1200 North Jefferson Ave.

Cardinals Broadcast - Superintendent Creg E. Williams will be a guest on KMOX radio during the Cardinals home game on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 7:10 p.m., Busch Stadium.

Student Rally- Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 5- 7 p.m. Students and staff will listen to pumped up music, speeches and enjoy refreshments. A surprise rap artist and other entertainers will appear!

Back to School Sunday- On Sunday, Aug. 21, the Superintendent and Board members will speak at churches in the St. Louis area to spread the message of first day attendance. Some of those churches include: Mt. Zion Baptist, pastored by Rev. Sammie Jones; Central Baptist Church, pastored by Rev. Dr. Robert C. Scott and St. Augustine Catholic Church, where Father Robert Gettinger serves as pastor.

Back to School Parent Rally - Superintendent Creg Williams will speak to parents and community members at this festive event. Church/community choirs will sing and Bunche International Studies students will perform. The event will be held at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Ave., Sunday, Aug. 21, 2:45 p.m. until 5 p.m.

August 5, 2005
The Superintendent and SLPS staff will visit several homeless shelters and student homes before school begins.

Back to School commercials are being aired on SLPS-TV Channel 20 and radio ads can be heard on radio stations KMJM, Gospel 1600, Foxy 95.5 and 100.3 The Beat.

The following Schnucks stores will pass out Back to School literature at these locations:

Lindell- 4171 Lindell
City Plaza- 3431 Union
Kossuth- 4127 North Grand
Arsenal- 5055 Arsenal
Gravois- 7450 Hampton
Loughborough- 950 Loughborough
South City- 3430 South Grand

Public High League Provides Free Physical Exams To High School Athletes

The Public High League of the St. Louis Public Schools will be offering free physical examinations for high school student athletes. The physicals will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis at the following location:

Gateway Middle School- Saturday, Aug. 13,
1200 North Jefferson Ave., 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Forms can be obtained from any athletic director or through the Public High League. To receive a form or for more information, call Georgiaetta Binion at 345-4417.

Congratulations to…. Assistant Superintendent Myrtle Reed. Myrtle was featured in the “Interaction Educator” publication for turning around Peabody Elementary’s test scores.

A veteran educator, Reed enrolled her teachers in a program called eMINTS, short for enhancing Missouri’s Intructional Networked Teaching Strategies. The result… improved academic achievement. She has shared her successes with educational audiences around the country.

Congratulations to Dorris McGahee, coordinator
of the Family Literacy program. She will be included in the next edition of the Metropolitan’s Who’s Who publication.

SLPS Announces Teachers Enrolled In New Leaders Project

The St. Louis Public School District has launched an initiative that will make
strong teachers into strong principals. The program is called the New Leaders project and it is being modeled after the successful New York City’s Leadership Academy, a blend of best practices in academic and business strategies.

Sheila Smith-Anderson, the school district’s LEAD project executive director, is spearheading the project in conjunction with the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The following SLPS teachers are enrolled in the class: Mary Helen Brindell, Humboldt; Vrhonnee Brown, Adams; Marilyn Burress, Dewey International Studies; Carolyn Carter, Woerner; Rachel Clark, Beaumont; Jacquelyn Eckert, Northwest; James Harris, Mason; Terrell Henderson, Sumner; James Ligman, Oak Hill; Roslyn McSpadden, Shepard; Natalie Means, Sumner; Catherine O’Brien, Nottingham; Olivia Roberts, Laclede; Linda Schow, Mullanphy; Kacy Seals, Roosevelt; Peggy Starks, Special Education; Amber Stevenson, Gateway Elementary; Cheryl Turner, Mann; Esperansa Veal, Monroe; DeAndria Wallace, Mann; Pamela Williams, Mann; and Jeanine Zitta, Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts.