- District News
- Making Waves - Student Spotlight
- Beyond the Bell - Staff Highlights
- Community Resources
- Upcoming Dates
- Seasonal Resources
District News
Welcome to SLPS Currents
Over the past months, we have taken a step back as a district to closely reexamine how we communicate. We asked hard questions about what we share, how we share it, and most importantly, why it matters. We looked at readability, visibility, and value, with a clear goal in mind: to make sure our stories and updates are meaningful, accessible, and worth our community’s time.
That reflection led us here.
SLPS Currents is a renewed approach to storytelling and information sharing across Saint Louis Public Schools. Our name is intentional. Like the strong current of the river that frames the city of St. Louis, this newsletter represents movement, momentum, and connection. It reflects the energy flowing through our classrooms, schools, and communities every day.
As our mission states, SLPS Currents is your essential source for the energy, flow, and shared success happening across Saint Louis Public Schools. Inside, you will find timely, substantive updates about our administrators, teachers, students, and staff, along with insights into our educational agenda. We will highlight student achievement, strategic initiatives, and key district policies, while continuing to tell our own stories with care, clarity, and purpose.
We also made a deliberate decision to make SLPS Currents exclusive to the SLPS website. This ensures that everyone in our community—students, staff, families, and community partners—has equal access to the excellence coming out of Saint Louis Public Schools. Our website now serves as a shared home for celebrating our triumphs, collaborating on new ventures, and telling our story, in our own words.
This is not a one-way conversation. In the months ahead, we will create opportunities for students, staff, families, and community partners to share ideas, successes, and perspectives. SLPS Currents is designed to educate, inform, and engage, but also to reflect the voices that make up our district.
We are glad you are here.
Welcome to SLPS Currents.
Photo by Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Dr. Berry Presents to State Board of Education
In January, the Missouri State Board of Education voted to change Saint Louis Public Schools’ classification from Accredited to Provisionally Accredited. Since that time, the District has continued working closely with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to strengthen systems and improve student outcomes.
During Tuesday’s State Board meeting, Interim Superintendent Dr. Myra Berry provided an update on SLPS’ comprehensive improvement plan and the progress made since January. At the request of DESE Commissioner Dr. Karla Eslinger, the District shared updates in four priority areas: attendance, literacy, finance, and operations, with a particular focus on transportation.
SLPS remains financially stable and continues to make academic progress. During the 2024–25 school year, 863 kindergarten through third-grade students advanced out of the lowest-performing reading category, reflecting steady improvement in early literacy.
The District will continue collaborating with DESE and the State Board of Education to drive meaningful progress and ensure all students have access to high-quality educational opportunities.
ACCESS THE PRESENTATION
SLPS Board of Education Welcomes New Member Dr. Robert S. Harvey
The Board of Education of the City of St. Louis has appointed Dr. Robert S. Harvey to fill a vacant Board seat. Dr. Harvey was sworn in during the Board’s Tuesday evening meeting. The term for this seat will expire in 2027.
Dr. Harvey is an educator, social impact strategist, and school systems leader whose work centers on justice, equity, and community-centered leadership. He currently serves as CEO of Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities, a philanthropic justice venture focused on reimagining power and advancing work, wage, and wealth mobility and connected communities. He also holds a visiting professorship in the practice of public leadership with a dual appointment in education and is an Aspen Health Fellow and Pahara Fellow.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Robert S. Harvey to the SLPS Board of Education,” said Karen Collins-Adams, Board President. “Dr. Harvey brings a deep commitment to equity, community-centered leadership, and educational excellence. His experience leading school systems and justice-focused organizations will be an invaluable asset as we continue working to ensure every student in St. Louis has access to high-quality learning opportunities and the support they deserve.”The Board thanks all applicants who participated in the vacancy process and the community members who engaged in this transparent and inclusive effort. Information about Board meetings and governance is available at slps.org.
Making Waves - Student Spotlight
Gateway STEM Senior Jackson Rodriguez Turns Doubt into Determination
Gateway STEM senior Jackson Paiz Rodriguez is one of those students whose name makes its way around the building for all the right reasons. His college counselor reached out and said plainly, “You need to hear his story.” After sitting down with him, that part was easy to understand.
At Gateway STEM High School, Jackson helps lead the Jag Paw Store, a student-run business selling food and apparel to students and staff. He is not just working a register — he is leading peers, managing operations, and learning what it really takes to run a business from the ground up.
Beyond campus, Jackson serves on the student board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and recently won the St. Louis regional National History Day competition, earning a spot at the upcoming state contest.
And yes, the numbers are real. Jackson has been accepted to 65 colleges and universities and has received more than $4.7 million in scholarship offers. But what matters most is how he talks about the journey: the discipline his parents instilled in him, the teachers at Gateway STEM who helped him find confidence, and the growth from an unsure sophomore into a senior ready for whatever comes next.
The full story is best told in his own words.
Watch the video interview with Jackson in this month’s SLPS Currents.
Beyond the Bell - Staff Highlights
Staff Highlight: Principal Toccara Montgomery
Principal Toccara Montgomery serves as the principal of Nance Elementary School, where her leadership is defined by intention, adaptability, and a deep respect for the community she serves. Before stepping into the principalship, she joined Nance as an assistant principal with a clear goal to learn the community, listen to staff, and ensure her impact was felt throughout the building. According to those who work alongside her, she exceeded expectations.
Her leadership philosophy is rooted in lessons learned through wrestling and coaching at the highest levels. As an Olympic athlete and coach across international, collegiate, high school, and youth settings, Principal Montgomery learned that success is never accidental. It is built through consistency, preparation, accountability, and trust.
“One of the greatest lessons wrestling and coaching taught me is that leadership is built through consistency, preparation, and accountability. As an Olympic athlete and coach at the international, collegiate, high school, and youth levels, I learned that success is never accidental. It comes from setting clear expectations, building trust, and helping individuals grow through challenge and support. Those same principles guide my work as a school leader, where my role is to create conditions for students and staff to thrive, even when the work is hard.”When Principal Montgomery assumed the role of principal, she did so during a period of transition following Dr. Tyler Archer. Staff say she approached the moment with humility, focus, and a solution-minded mindset.
“Principal Montgomery came to the Nance staff with the desire to learn about the community and to play a vital role in ensuring that her impact was felt throughout,” shared Regina M. Lewis, a third-grade teacher at Nance. “She surpassed expectations with ease. She has done an amazing job supporting the staff through the transition by always listening and being solution-minded. In her efforts to be all that our students and families need her to be, she is a true chameleon and champion. It is an honor to work under her leadership as we strive to be change agents in education in our school and community.”
In 2024, Principal Montgomery’s impact was recognized on a national stage when she was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member. The honor highlights her lasting contributions to women’s wrestling and her role in shaping the sport’s history. Her athletic career includes four U.S. national titles, two silver medals at the World Championships, and a seventh-place finish at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also made history as the first Black woman to wrestle for the United States in the Olympics.
At Nance Elementary, those achievements translate into leadership grounded in HEART, honesty, empathy, accountability, respect, and tenacity. Principal Montgomery’s presence is felt in classrooms, hallways, and daily decisions. Her leadership is not theoretical. It is practiced every day as she continues building a school culture where students and staff are supported, challenged, and empowered to grow together.
Community Resources
Learn and Earn Students Step Into Real-World Experience
Learn and Earn gives SLPS seniors the opportunity to gain real-world work experience aligned to their interests while continuing their education and earning a paycheck. This year’s participants are already seeing how intentional placement can shape their future.
At Gateway STEM High School, senior Amoria Walker is majoring in business and was placed at the JagStore. The role builds on work she has been doing since her sophomore year, selling merchandise and snacks to fellow students while learning how a school-based business operates.
“I’m excited to get paid doing something I’ve already been learning for years,” Amoria said. “It’s helping me save for college and grow in my field.”For Amoria, the internship feels like a continuation of her education rather than a separate experience, allowing her to deepen skills she has already been developing while preparing for what comes next.
Soldan International High School senior Samiro Aiden is preparing for a career in health care. His internship placement at the VA Hospital aligns directly with his goal of pursuing nursing and pre-med studies. Already balancing school, work, and soccer, Samiro sees Learn and Earn as an opportunity to focus on his future career while earning income during the school day.
“Not only are you earning money during school hours, you’re doing something connected to what you want to be in the future,” Samiro shared.For Gateway STEM senior Javion Jones, an accounting major, the Learn and Earn placement at the SLPS Central Office through the College and Career Readiness team offers a glimpse into professional life beyond high school. He is looking forward to developing communication skills, learning workplace expectations, and gaining experience in an office setting similar to what he expects after graduation.
“It feels like a real step into adult life,” Javion said. “You’re gaining experience, learning how to work in a professional space, and getting paid for it.
”Other Gateway STEM students placed at JagTown echoed similar sentiments. Business majors Lynn Chillers and Muhammad Dekh Abdurman described Learn and Earn as a chance to explore different career pathways, build responsibility, and apply classroom learning to real-world situations. Both emphasized how the program helps students see new possibilities and feel more prepared for life after high school.
Across schools and internship sites, one message is clear. Learn and Earn is not just about earning a paycheck. It is about confidence, clarity, and giving students meaningful opportunities to step into their future before graduation.
SLPS Open Enrollment and Resource Fair
Save the date for our Open Enrollment & Resource Fair on March 28, 2026.
Families who register will have an opportunity to receive an SLPS Swag Box while supplies last.
This event is a one-stop shop to access important services and supports, including:
· Focus/Student Information System support
· Dental resources
· Lead testing
· Immunizations
· Open enrollment assistance
· Help obtaining a birth certificate
· Opt-in for transportation
· And more family resources
Plus, enjoy a live DJ, prize giveaways, free food, and free parking.
REGISTER NOW
Upcoming Dates
Save the Date – Camp SLPS
Saint Louis Public Schools offers summer learning opportunities for students at all grade levels through Camp SLPS 2026.
During the four-week session, elementary and middle school students will engage in learning for their rising grade level and participate in project-based, Choose Your Own Adventure–themed experiences. High school students will have the opportunity to recover credit or earn first-time credit in a select number of courses.
Camp SLPS 2026 Dates
June 1–26, 2026
School will not be in session on June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
Camp SLPS Daily Times
Tier 1: 7:50 a.m.–1:20 p.m.
All middle and high school sites, including:
Gateway Michael, ETS @ Madison, NCNAA, and Nottingham
Tier 2: 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
All elementary school sites
Enrollment opens February 2, 2026 in Focus.
Families are encouraged to enroll by April 17, 2026 to ensure transportation and priority for aftercare (PK–5 only).
More details will be shared as enrollment opens.