One District United e-Newsletter

As we move into the fall season, we need to work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. Please remember to keep your child at home if they experience any symptoms associated with COVID-19, if they have had close contact with someone positive for COVID-19, or are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

Families, please help us keep our schools safe and open in these ways:

• Complete a morning health screener on your student every morning before sending them to school.

• Please send your child to school every day with a well-fitted mask.

• COVID-19 symptoms resemble other respiratory illnesses. Symptoms can include cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, nasal congestion, and fever. If they are sick, please stay home, notify your child's school, and contact your primary doctor to consider getting tested.

• If the student has any of the above symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay home from school and notify the school nurse immediately so that contact tracing can begin.

COVID-19 is undistinguishable without testing -- please do not assume symptoms are just something else. If we all work together, we can safely and effectively keep our schools open for in-person learning.

We have taken great steps toward a safer and more secure District, however, it is going to take all of us working together as a team to keep our students safe. Please take a moment to watch this important school safety message from Dr. Davis.

Report cards will look different in Grades 1-5 this school year. To help you understand how student progress will be reported, we have created a Q & A sheet to answer many of the questions you may have. Beginning with this reporting period, we will be using the same format to report progress as you would see on your child’s report card at the end of each quarter. This enables teachers to report specifically on standards and give you a better idea of how your child is performing in Math, Reading, Writing, Social Studies and/ or Science. Learn more.

Congratulations to Johnson-Wabash 6th Grade Center musical theatre teacher James Young on being named the 2022 Missouri Teacher of the Year. Young is the first Ferguson-Florissant School District teacher to receive this honor since the program’s inception in 1957. Read more about Mr. James Young here.

We have so many bright spots about the great things happening in our District. Check out the Ferguson-Florissant School District Shared Images of Success video series that highlights success stories from around the District. You can see a new SIS video each month at monthly Board of Education meetings or on the District YouTube channel.

Congratulations! Jennifer Lane, school counselor coordinator for the Ferguson-Florissant School District, has been named the 2021-22 Advocate of the Year by the Missouri School Counselor Association. Learn more here.

Know a great teacher? Nominate them for KMOV's teacher appreciation contest. We all know teachers influence and shape the lives of our students daily. Submit a photo and include a special greeting, and they may be honored during a News 4 broadcast. Congratulations to Karyn Jones, a teacher at McCluer North, for the KMOV recognition. Ms. Jones currently teaches Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. Nominations can be submitted here.

Elly Walsh-Rock, STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley science and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) biomedical teacher, is one of only 74 teachers in the U.S. to earn the 2021-22 PLTW Outstanding Teacher award. The national award recognizes educators who demonstrate a strong record of delivering an inspiring and empowering student experience, expanding access to PLTW programs, and transforming teaching.

The honor also recognizes Walsh-Rock for her commitment to providing students with meaningful learning experiences through our PLTW Biomedical Sciences program. Read more here.

The 2022-23 FAFSA application is now open! Make sure to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Federal/state aid is disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The earlier you submit the FAFSA and other required documentation from the schools that you apply to, the better chance you will have at receiving more financial aid. So, why bother filling out Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

1. The FAFSA is free and costs nothing to complete.
2. The FAFSA is necessary for most forms of student aid.
3. If your family's financial circumstances suddenly change, you'll already have a FAFSA on file.
4. Nearly everyone who applies receives student aid of some sort, regardless of their credit history.

High school seniors should make a plan to apply for FAFSA today, visit www.studentaid.gov/fafsa

Ferguson-Florissant School District is in the process of updating its strategic plan that will outline the District’s top priorities over the next five years and beyond and provide a collective focus for the District. All of the resources created around the development of the next strategic plan will be available so that staff, students, parents, and the school community can follow along as the development process unfolds over the next several months. In addition, the District will be seeking stakeholder participation, so please watch for future opportunities to participate and share your voice. Here is a timeline of the strategic planning process:

Wednesday, Oct. 20 @ 6 p.m.(Watch Live)

Board of Education Recognitions

Oct. 25-Oct. 28

Parent-Teacher Conference Week

Oct. 29 - Nov. 2

No School / Fall Break

District Offices Open

Wednesday, Nov. 10 @ 6 p.m. (Watch Live)

Board of Education Meeting

Ferguson-Florissant School District

8855 Dunn Road

Hazelwood, MO 63042

Email: info@fergflor.org
Website: www.fergflor.org
Location: 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO, USA
Phone: 314-687-1910
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FergusonFlorissantSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @FergFlorSchools