Saint Louis Public Schools

As we look forward to the first day of school on Monday, August 12, 2013, there is much to be excited about in the Saint Louis Public School District.  Thanks to the hard work of our students and teachers, the District continues to make academic strides and remains on the right track toward Full Accreditation.

First off, I want to extend my congratulations to the Class of 2013. Our students were awarded millions of dollars in scholarships and have been accepted to prestigious universities and colleges throughout the state and around the country. More than 1,700 SLPS students graduated this spring, and we look forward to hearing about all of the great things they will achieve in the future.

The District continues its focus on academics year-round.  During this past Spring Break, hundreds of SLPS children in grades 3 – 8 attended a week-long Spring Break Academy to sharpen their skills in reading and math.  Then, during June, several thousand SLPS students attended Summer School for four-weeks to improve their academics and reduce the summer “brain-drain.”

Each new school year brings with it new opportunities and new ideas.  We are excited to open the doors to the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience (CSMB).  This unique high school will provide students with practicums and internships under the guidance of local healthcare professionals.

We are also excited to continue and expand our iPAD initiative which was introduced to our 3rd grade students during the previous school year.  This year we will expand to 4th grade with a continued expansion to 5th grade.

A new reading and math tutoring initiative will get underway during 2013/2014.  With the assistance of external tutors, our elementary students will receive concentrated and focused one-on-one support in the areas of reading and mathematics.

We are also excited to receive new School Improvement Grant dollars to enhance student performance for children in eight District schools.  These dollars will help support the on-going efforts to improve the academic outcomes for children who have not previously benefited from the School Improvement Grant program.

The District has also continued moving forward with our Proposition S facility improvements and upgrades.  During the past year a new football field and track were installed at Gateway STEM High School, a state-of-the-art auditorium was opened at Central VPA/Cleveland NJROTC High School, and outdoor classrooms have been built at multiple elementary schools.  I encourage you to read more about our Prop S program on page 4 of this issue of School & Home.

Another important change for the 2013-2014 school year will be in the area of food services.  The District has selected a new provider for our breakfast and lunch programs – Southwest Foodservice Excellence.  Southwest specializes in K-12 food service only, serving 46 other school districts in the United States.  Based on our initial sampling of Southwest’s fare, we believe SLPS students are in for a real treat.

No one knows what the next 12 months will bring, but one thing is certain: At SLPS, we are dedicated to providing a quality education for all students and enabling them to realize their full academic potential.  Every child’s experience in our schools should be productive and positive.  We thank you for choosing to send your child to SLPS and will do our absolute best to make 2013-2014 the best school year ever.

Finally, I’d like to welcome all new students and their families to Saint Louis Public Schools.  If you are enrolling in our schools for the first time, or coming back after attending other schools, please know that we are happy to have you as part of the SLPS family.