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SSD.Normandy Communication

Family and Staff Newsletter November 2023

SSD.NormandyCommunicationFamily and Staff Newsletter November 2023
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Greetings Families & Staff~


November is Family Engagement month! FACE is hosting Family Academy, this highly anticipated event on Saturday, November 4th at Northview High School from 9am to noon. There will be interactive activities, community vendors, networking opportunities, music, light refreshments and fun learning! We will also have a timely personation from our community partners at Crisis Aid International. They will share information that will help our students and loved ones stay safe from sexual exploitation and trafficking. Families and staff are welcome to join at any point during the day and stay as long as they wish. All are welcome, but we ask you to RSVP if you plan to attend.


As always, please let one of us know if any questions or concerns arise. We look forward to seeing you and your children soon!


In partnership,

DeAndria Player, Director of Special Education, dmplayer@ssdmo.org, (314)989-8422

Barbara Champagne, Special Education Coordinator, bachampagne@ssdmo.org, (314) 989-8198

Lynette Swift-Elliott, Special Education Coordinator, lswift-elliott@ssdmo.org, (314)989-8240

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SSD Milestone Congratulations

On behalf of SSD, we would like to thank each of you for your years of service and dedication.


Debbie Finan - 20 years

Rose Bordes - 10 years (20 years combined 1996-2006/2013-2023)

Beth Cook - 25 years

Lisa Riggens - 25 years all in Normandy

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Public Notices

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.
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Procedural Safeguards Notice

Did you know that the SSD has copies of the Procedural Safeguards and Parent Bill of Rights available in multiple languages on our website? The Procedural Safeguards help keep families informed about their rights and protections under IDEA. Visit the Procedural Safeguards section of the District website to review.
SSD Normandy Schools Collaborative
Click the banner to visit SSD's website for Normandy Schools Collaborative
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Kid to Camp Program

Camp programs help to maintain educational momentum for students during extended academic breaks throughout the year. The Special Education Foundation's (SEF) Kid-to-Camp program can help bridge the learning gap for students served by SSD during the upcoming winter break. Camperships are awarded based on financial need and student benefits. For a list of camp resources and to apply to SEF's Kid-to-Camp program, visit https://sef-stl.org/programs/kid-to-camp/

Upcoming Events from FACE

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Community Action Agency of St. Louis (CAASTL)

The Community Action Agency of St. Louis (CAASTL) will be available at the Family Resource Hub, located inside North County Technical High School on November 3rd from 10-2pm. CAASTLC can provide many programs and services to families including:

  • Case management

  • Utility assistance

  • Rental assistance

  • Financial education

  • Weatherization

Contact FACE with any questions.
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Family Cafe

Are you interested in making connections with other families and community members in our district? Join Face on November 16th, for the final Family Cafe of the semester. Family Cafes are hosted by families, for families. They provide parents and caregivers a safe and welcoming space to connect and learn from each other. They are centered on the Strengthening Families Five Protective Factors: Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support and Communication. Three cafes will be hosted each semester. This semester they will be held at North Technical High School 1700 Derhake Rd., Florissant, MO 63033 from 6-8pm. Register today!

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Lunch & Learn

Join FACE as they welcome Starkloff Disability Institute for a Lunch and Learn on November 15th at 11:30am live on YouTube. This Lunch and Learn will highlight Starkloff’s Dream Big and Access U programs. Each of these programs help student’s focus on the future by offering career and post-secondary education guidance. You can find this live event as well as previously recorded Lunch and Learns on the SSD YouTube page.


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Hub Huddle

FACE will host Vocational Rehabilitation for a HUB Huddle on Friday, November 17th. SSD's The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to provide our community with additional support and access to resources that support employment after transition. A representative from VR will be available at the SSD Family Resource Hub (located inside North Tech High School) to provide information on many of their programs, including VR Youth Services, Pre-Employment Transition Services (pre-ETS), and share support for families.

SEF Critical Needs Program:

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.
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Invitation from Clayton PAC.ED

Please join us on Monday, November 6th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom Link

Presentations from SWEP (Summer Work Experience Program), Neighborhood Experiences, and the Youth Summer Program, along with a Q&A Session.

It is never too early to start thinking about summer options! Whether you are thinking about this summer or subsequent summers!

Knowledge is power when planning for your students. Programs such as SWEP (Summer Work Experience Program) have early deadlines in February.

SSD Parent Advisory Council
Click the banner for SSD PAC updates

Online SSD Resources to Help Families All Year:

Visit SSDMO.org for links to resources that will direct you to information that will be helpful throughout the year - bookmark the webpage to make it easy to find. The links below apply to all students county-wide who receive services from SSD.

SSD Superintendent Updates
Click the banner for Superintendent Updates

Special School District Upcoming Events

November 2023

https://www.ssdmo.org/Page/2#calendar1/20231101/month


November 1: American Sign Language (ASL)-Session 6 of 6 6pm-7:30p

November 3: Hub Huddle: Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) 10am-2pm

November 8: Parent Advisor Council (PAC) Meeting 7p

November 14: Board of Education Business Meeting 5:45p

November 15: Lunch & Learn: Starkloff Disability Institute 11:30a-Noon

November 16: Family Café 6p-8p

November 17: Hub Huddle: Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Noon-2pm

November 21: FACE's Virtual Open House 9:30a-10:00a

November 22-24: SSD Schools Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving

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Special School District

Email: dmplayer@ssdmo.org
Website: www.ssdmo.org
Location: 12110 Clayton Road, Wildwood, MO, USA
Phone: 314.989.8100
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSDStLCo
Twitter: @SSDDStLCo

Let's Talk
Let’s Talk is an open invitation from Special School District (SSD) to tell us what’s on your mind.​Let’s Talk is an easy way to submit feedback at your convenience directly to the SSD staff member who can help.

Normandy Schools Collaborative Upcoming Events

November 2023

https://www.normandysc.org/utility-links/upcoming-events?cal_date=2023-11-23


November 10: Professional Development-No School for Students

November 14: JEGB Public Meeting 6pm

November 20-24: Fall Break/No School