Dear MRH Families,

As we approach the conclusion of the first semester, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your continuous support and partnership in your child's education journey.

Our faculty and staff have poured their hearts into guiding and supporting our students through their educational journey. Their dedication has been commendable, and we are immensely grateful for their unwavering commitment to nurturing and educating our students.

I also want to commend our students for their hard work, adaptability, and perseverance. Their eagerness to learn, explore new ideas, and overcome obstacles has been truly inspiring. Each accomplishment, big or small, contributes to their growth and development. I encourage you all to take a moment to reflect on your student's achievements and the progress they have made. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small they may seem, as they signify valuable milestones in their educational journey.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to providing the best possible education for every student in our school community. We will continue to work diligently to ensure a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment that nurtures academic excellence and personal growth.

Thank you once again for entrusting us with your child's education. We're excited to continue this journey together as we close one semester and step into another.

Wishing you all a warm winter season!

In Partnership,

Emily

Emily Kresyman Ed. S

Maplewood Richmond Heights Director of Special Education

DEC 1st- Maplewood Chamber Tree Walk

DEC 5th- Conversations with MRH administration 7-8pm Schlafly Bottleworks

DEC 12th- early release

DEC 20th- end of 2nd quarter

DEC 21st- Board of Education Meeting 7pm Research and Design Center- NO SCHOOL

DEC 22nd-JAN 3rd- Winter Break

JAN 4th- first day of second semester

Each year, the Special School District posts annual public notices as required by Board of Education policy and state law. These notices primarily serve to inform parents and students of their rights. Full SSD Board of Education policies and regulations can be found on the District website. All of SSD's public notices can be found on the District website at www.ssdmo.org/publicnotices.

High school seniors who receive at least one SSD service or attend an SSD technical school should take a look at these scholarship opportunities if they plan to enroll in a college, university or postsecondary program! Applications for The James E. Westbury/SSD Board of Education Scholarship, The Allison M. Haake Memorial Scholarship, and The Bonhomme Lions Club Scholarship are due Dec. 13, 2023. Additionally, the Special Education Foundation (SEF) sponsors the John Cary Scholarship. All scholarships require a letter of recommendation - don’t wait to begin! Visit ssdmo.org/scholarships for more information.

The UMSL Succeed Program is designed to encourage and facilitate students to gain independence through academics, vocational experiences, and college residential/student life. Students must meet the criteria, which include:

• Have a documented intellectual or developmental disability.

• Demonstrate a strong interest or desire to pursue post-secondary education to expand career & life opportunities.

• Have completed or will complete high school with a modified/standard diploma, or a certificate of program completion/achievement.

See the entire list of requirements and learn more about the program!

The cold temperatures this week have brought with it the reminder that winter is coming to the St. Louis region and how important it is for every student to have a suitable coat, hat, and gloves for the coming months.

Most of us are lucky not to have to choose between heat, food, or a warm winter coat. Sadly, there are many in our region that face that decision, and often, the winter coat comes last.

For a child with a disability, there are additional challenges when it comes to outerwear.

For example, a child in a wheelchair struggles with most outerwear as the bulkiness of the coat may interfere with the positioning equipment on the wheelchair, especially for children with complex positioning devices, such as laterals, harnesses, head supports, and other upper body supports.

For children with sensory issues, winter coats bring an extra burden. A child with autism may be overly sensitive to scratchy seams and tags, or they may react to clothes or waistbands that are too tight.

Right now, the Special Education Foundation is partnering with the Special School District of St. Louis County on the Critical Needs Coat Drive, where we’re raising money to buy coats for students this winter. Please donate online today to help put a coat on a kid who needs it. Especially with these harsh temperatures we’re facing right now!You can also mail your contribution to SEF at 11933 Westline Industrial Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63146.

Thank you for your generous support.

Applications for several awards which honor the contributions of SSD staff and community members are awaiting nominations, which are due Jan. 5, 2024. These awards are collectively known as Salutes awards because they are given at the District’s annual Salutes event in the spring. They include the following:

• Key to the Classroom Awards (for classroom teachers)

• Building Block Awards (for paraprofessionals)

• Lasting Impression Awards (for support/operations staff)

• Special Ambassador Awards (for community members or organizations)

• Distinguished Leader Awards (for administrators in SSD and partner districts)

Please refer to the Salutes webpage for details about each award. Some awards permit nomination by SSD staff only, while others accept nominations from people who are not employed by SSD. Please nominate someone you know who works for SSD and help us provide the recognition they deserve for their meaningful work in SSD!

Receiving a flu shot helps keep you and your community healthy! Free flu vaccinations are being provided through Barnes-Jewish Hospital. For more information or to schedule an appointment click HERE.

FACE is hosting a webinar highlighting the Missouri Poison Center on December 5th from 6-7pm. In this webinar, attendees will learn how to contact the Missouri Poison Center, what to do if they suspect their student has gotten into something, and poison first aid. Register for this informative event here.

By Your Headspace Mindfulness & Meditation Experts

The holidays have a well-earned reputation for being a time that’s all about giving. On top of giving gifts and giving our time and energy to plan and attend events, it can also feel like we’re obliged to exude a happy, carefree energy — even if that’s not how we actually feel.

During particularly stressful stretches of time, it’s important to commit to taking care of ourselves and our mind. After all, how can we truly show up for others when we’re exhausted, on edge, or overwhelmed? By doing small, mindful acts, we can maintain a sense of calm and balance, no matter how hectic the festivities might get. And when we practice self-care during the holidays, it can be surprising how quickly we can begin to experience the benefits.

Self-care tips for the holidays

Throughout the season, we might try using one or all of these tips to practice self-care during the holidays:

1. Find short periods of time to sit quietly.

• Sometimes self-care can be as simple as taking a few minutes to stop, sit, and breathe. Whether we’re able to find a free 3 minutes or 30 minutes to take a break, it can make a world of difference for our well-being. Should we opt to use this time to do a guided meditation, research shows that people who used Headspace for only 10 days reported an 11% decrease in stress.
• But we don’t necessarily have to meditate during this time. We can also simply sit and reflect. “It doesn’t matter what we call it,” says Andy. “The point is to take some time out, not to be distracted in any way, and just allow the body to decompress and unwind.”

2. Tap into a sense of play.

• Throughout the holidays, it can be easy to get wrapped up in all the logistics the season requires, constantly ticking things off to-do lists. Before we know it, the holidays have become less of a celebration and more of a long chore.
• To bring more fun back into this season, we might carve out time to do something that we really enjoy. “Do you remember the last time you really had a sense of play and joy? Even if it’s for 5 or 10 minutes, reignite that spark,” says Andy.
• Maybe that means watching nostalgic Christmas movies or reveling in the daily surprise of an advent calendar. Whatever it is, making these elements a priority can help to bring balance to the stressful moments.

• While caring for the mind is a great start to self-care, caring for the body is an equally important part of the equation. During the holidays, preserving our physical health may look like having healthy sleep hygiene or practicing mindful eating to better navigate all the indulging associated with the season. It can also look like taking time to schedule a daily walk, a habit that studies show can help reduce anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and a negative mood, while also boosting self-esteem.

• There tends to be an underlying pressure during the holidays to feel perpetually happy and festive. While some people may feel truly blissful during this time, 64% of people say they experience a case of the holiday blues at some point throughout the season. It’s common for this time of year to bring up feelings of sadness, stress, anxiety, grief, and loneliness.
• Should these emotions arise, we might sit with them as an act of self-care. While this can admittedly be uncomfortable, we can use meditation to navigate these feelings in a way that may help us feel much better in the end.
• Meditation offers us a chance to step away from the thinking mind and instead focus on the breath, rather than our thoughts and emotions. This anchors us to the present moment and calms the mind. In stepping back from all our storylines and ruminations, we are better able to observe what’s going on in our mind; the more we observe, the more we realize we don’t have to get caught up in all the mental noise we self-create. As we learn how to acknowledge thoughts and feelings that arise during meditation, we learn to give them less weight and meaning, so we start to release them — allowing us to move forward and form a clearer, calmer, more contented space.

• Sometimes, the best, biggest act of holiday self-care we can give ourselves is simply to work on letting go of the standards and expectations we so often set for ourselves at this time of year — fixed ideas created in the mind that might not match how life actually plays out. This is something else we get to observe when meditating.
• When we sit with the mind, we are sitting with the present moment; we are sitting with life as it unfolds, without guarantee. We are, in fact, training the mind to be okay with uncertainty. Ultimately, we come to a place where we lessen our grip on seeking to control outcomes, and so we let go of any ideals or expectations that can often trip us up, or lead to sadness and frustration.

The holidays can be a stressful time financially for many families. The Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) will be at the HUB at North Tech High School on January 5th from 10-2pm to help families.

CAASTLC can provide the following programs and services to families:

● Case management

● Utility assistance

● Rental assistance

● Financial education

● Weatherization

● Program development and educational activities.

The Special Education Foundation (SEF) offers Critical Needs services - a solution to provide immediate funding to those students served by the Special School District (SSD) where the family is either unable to financially meet the need, has exhausted community resources, or is at risk for a student medical emergency that may result in the loss of independence or academic failure. Applications (accepted year-round) are to be completed by a social worker, teacher or administrator through the SEF website, submitted to Adrienne Eaglin at aeaglin@ssdmo.org or mailed to the Special School District Learning Center at 900 Hornet Drive, Hazelwood, MO 63042.

The MRH Parent Advisory Council offers an opportunity to connect with other parents of students with disabilities and to learn about topics of interest. Please contact MRH parent Mrs. Kim Gifford if you are interested in participating.

• SSD Superintendent Updates
• SSD Parent Advisory Council
• SSD Partner District - Maplewood-Richmond Heights
• Academic and Related Services Toolkit