From the Desk of…
Diana Bourisaw, Superintendent
The St. Louis Public Schools are demonstrating accomplishments
with district-wide programs focused on helping students get
on the road to college.
Virtual School Scores Early Success
At the beginning of the school year, SLPS launched Virtual
School, an e-Learning initiative grades K-3 and 9-12. The
full-time high school slots are already filled. The district
is collaborating with K12 Inc. and Kaplan Virtual Education.
Online courses begin September 4.
SLPS Registration Open to Students of All Employees
SLPS employees may enroll their children in the district. Many
of our staff members already take advantage of this opportunity.
Contact Donald Kamps in Recruitment and Counseling for more
information: (314) 633-5204 (extension 5204 for employees
at central office).
MAP Highlights
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
recently released the scores for the Missouri Assessment
Program (MAP). Seven schools in the St. Louis Public School
District met adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals for the
2006-2007 school year.
Schools making AYP are:
Bryan Hill
Herzog
Kennard
Sherman
Busch AAA
McKinley
Metro
Additional highlights:
Eleven schools demonstrated improvement in both communications
arts and mathematics. Test scores reveal significant improvements
by sixth and seventh grade youngsters – gains that exceed
the statewide results.
In communications arts, students in grades six and seven outpaced
growth in the state overall.
Student achievement improved in math in grades six to ten.
While we have demonstrated improvements in some areas, we have
a long way to go! Each and every day, our focus needs to be
on improving teaching and learning. Raising expectations for
our students is also critical to student achievement. Our children
deserve a high-quality education and the skills necessary to
achieve success at the postsecondary level and in the workforce.
Independent Accreditation for St. Louis Public Schools
All St. Louis Public high schools are considered either accredited
or in the process of becoming accredited by the North Central
Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
(NCA).
Accredited schools: Central VPA, Metro, Cleveland @ Pruitt
NJROTC, Roosevelt, Soldan, and Sumner.
NCA candidates: Beaumont, Vashon, Carnahan, Clyde C. Miller
Career Academy, Gateway IT, and Northwest Law Academy.
NCA certification is the accreditation standard that colleges
and universities nationwide rely upon when admitting students.
The real value of NCA accreditation is the focus on improvement.
The accreditation process focuses the school staff on analyzing
student data, identifying areas of weakness, and developing
clear goals and plans for improvement. The process keeps everyone
in the building focused on raising student achievement. To
learn more, visit www.ncacasi.org.
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a cooperative endeavor
between secondary schools and colleges and universities.
The AP district-wide program is designed to support middle
and upper level high school students (2.5 to 4.0 grade point
average) to achieve the following:
Succeed in a curriculum that focuses on rigor, relevance, and
readiness.
Complete the upper level college preparatory path.
Earn college credit while still in high school.
Participate in activities for personal development.
Increase graduate rate and enrollment in post-secondary education.
Increase the number of students receiving scholarships.
Reduce the cost of higher education by starting earlier with
AP credit.
Become educated and responsible participants and leaders in
a democratic society.
The program redefines the teachers’ role as a catalyst
for higher order learning. The AP team consists of specially
trained teachers, who are qualified to expose the students
to new academic challenges and encourage them to raise their
career goals and ambitions. The team offers support to families
of participating students.
For information about the Advanced Placement (AP) Program,
contact John Niemeyer, Project Coordinator, (314) 345-2363,
John.Niemeyer@slps.org.
The AVID Program (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
The Advancement Via Individual Determination Program (AVID)
is a highly-successful, international program designed to
place low-achieving students in a rigorous college preparatory
curriculum, while providing them with necessary support to
achieve success. Participation in AVID increased student
enrollment in four-year colleges and encourages students
to enter mainstream activities at their schools. A typical
AVID student candidate has a 2.5 to 3.5 G.P.A., the potential
to attend college with support, and desire and determination.
Candidates must meet one or more of the following criteria:
first person in their family to attend college, historically
underserved in four-year colleges, and/or low family income.
For more information about the AVID Program, contact Linda
Bell, AVID Director for St. Louis Public Schools, at (314)
345-4474, or Linda.Bell@slps.org.
The Big Picture – One Student at a Time
All students deserve a second chance, and the district’s
dropout efforts focus on prevention and recovery. SLPS has
initiated three strategies shown to be effective in working
with all students:
The Big Picture schools have created changes in American education
by generating and sustaining innovative, personalized schools
that work in tandem with the real world of the greater community.
The philosophy of our Big Picture schools is grounded in educating “one
student at a time.” We promote and create personalized
education programs that are unique to each student.
The Fresh Start Program allows students who have dropped out
to complete the requirements for a high school diploma in one
year. Certain requirements apply. For more information, contact
Sandra Dawson at (314) 345-4405.
The ACE Learning Center provides students with the opportunities
to receive high school credit recovery or earn a high school
diploma. Certain requirements apply. For information, contact
Peggy Baine at (314) 345-4431.
Special Administrative Board
Rick Sullivan’s appointment to the Special Administrative
Board remains in effect. Reports indicating that Governor Blunt
withdrew Mr. Sullivan’s appointment are unfounded. The
next meeting of the Special Administrative Board is Thursday,
September 6, at 6 p.m. Place: 801 N. 11th St., Room 108.
Countering the Heat
As we continue to monitor weather conditions daily, the district
is taking additional measures to provide relief for students
and staff.
We are updating our heat contingency plan to fit the needs
of our schools.
The district is evaluating the electrical capacity of our buildings
with no air conditioning. The plan is to provide window units
to those facilities. SLPS is in the process of updating its
air conditioning timeline for those schools in need of cooling
systems.
At the beginning of the school year, we provided fans and
water to our schools.
Because SLPS runs a comprehensive transportation program and
participates in the student transfer program, the district
cannot close buildings without cooling systems, while leaving
air conditioned buildings open.
We appreciate the feedback from Local 420 and the Principals
Union as we move forward. Providing an environment conducive
to teaching and learning is essential for our children and
staff.
Service First
For the ninth year, Washington University freshmen will spend
part of their Labor Day weekend sprucing up St. Louis Public
Schools. The day-long community service event, Service First,
takes place this Saturday, September 1. Nearly 900
students will volunteer at ten St. Louis Public schools.
The ability to think straight, some knowledge of the past,
some vision of the future, some skill to do useful service,
some urge to fit that service into the well-being of the community – these
are the most vital things education must try to produce.
Virginia Gildersleeve (Barnard College)
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