• October is recognized worldwide as Dyslexia Awareness Month, a time to come together to raise awareness, share resources, and tell stories about dyslexia successes. Watch THIS video from the National Center on Improving Literacy for resources and visit the International Dyslexia Association for additional information about dyslexia. 
  

• Parent / Teacher Conferences for Fall 2021
• Scholars Quarantined With No Access to Technology  
  

1. Why so much testing?
2. How are we using district assessment data to inform learning and teaching practices? 
3. If we are not using testing data to inform our everyday learning and teaching practices then what is the purpose? 

1. There will be fewer district assessments this school year. 
2. The assessments identified as core to our learning and teaching work for this school year will be REQUIRED and accountability checks will be implemented to ensure 100% participation from all schools. No exceptions! 
   
   

School Spotlight:

• College Advisors are in each of our 11 High Schools.   They work as a team with the High School Counselors in their building.
• While we prepare our scholars, we have three post-secondary pathways that they select from in their planning.
  • College (2 or 4 year)
  • Employment (which often ties to their Career and Technical Education and we keep opportunities for employment that does pay for college if that is needed).
  • Military (in this area we also work to make sure the selection is what is truly desired and then we work to assist the student with achieving their highest ASVAB score thus giving them more options in their branch selected.
    
• Each SLPS High School has a Post-Secondary Leadership Team. This school team meets bi-weekly to monitor everything from credits earned to FAFSA completion, college applications, scholarships, employment interests, and any challenges that may interfere with the scholars’ plans.  Teams are challenged to really know their scholars and their data.
• In the summer, graduates often need assistance and support so the SLPS Summer CCR Center assists our graduates with FAFSA, award letter interpretation, logistics, transcripts, and the like. 
• SLPS runs the Early College Academy which is one of the model Early College programs in the region.   SLPS scholars who meet the GPA requirement are invited to apply and take the Accuplacer Entrance Exam 2nd semester and then, if selected they receive 2 years of St. Louis Community College at Forest Park education earning their Associate’s Degree in General Studies as they are graduating high school.   This opportunity is free to those accepted.   Scholars must have been in the SLPS system from the start of 9th grade.   For any further information feel free to reach out to Richard.Cusumano@slps.org. 
• Dual credit is credit earned at the High Schools for college but taught by qualified SLPS staff.   We have dual agreements with numerous colleges and universities but the primary partners are UMSL and STLCC.   All Dual Credits offered by SLPS are FREE to our students.
• Dual Enrollment is when scholars take classes at the College/University and we have such agreements with STLCC via the Early College Academy, Ranken Technical College, and Harris Stowe State University.  These opportunities are also at no cost to the families.
• To ensure our High Schoolers’ are as on the mark as possible, the CCR Department works with the High Schools on Freshmen Success Teams aiming to bolster as much success during the 9th-grade year as possible.   Across the nation, 9th grade is a stumbling block and we work hard to help our scholars find the success they are so capable of producing.
• Our CCR work is heavily supported through the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation as they sponsor five College Advisors, support ACT Preparation, support Freshmen Success Teams and so much more. 

Curriculum & Instruction Spotlight

• For the remainder of the 2021-22 school year, the inclusion of the Standards-Based Grading objectives will not be a requirement for grade reporting. Traditional letter grades are still expected and the use of standards is encouraged, but not required. We will continue to collect data around the use and impact of standards-based reporting.  The data we collect from your continued standards-based reporting will shape our work as we move forward with planning for districtwide implementation, supports, and accountability in 2022-23.  
• NOTE: In our efforts to address coherence and clarity in our communication across the school district, please be sure to use the information shared here and in the guidebook. If you have created or shared alternative information, conversion charts, or crosswalks around Standards-Based Grading, please be sure to update them immediately.  In the future, before you create your own resources and information, speak with Curriculum & Instruction Department leadership. 
• For additional support and guidance with grading during our ongoing journey and transition from traditional grades to standards-based grades, please access the Standards-Based Grade Reporting Guidebook HERE. 
  

Subject Area Spotlight:

SCIENCE

• December 1st - supplies request (grades 6-12)
• March 1 - School registration for the eFair
• March 31 - Scholar project upload
• April 1-14 - Project judging
• April 15 - Winners announced (with awards receipt date TBD with schools)

• Complete this form to tell us you're interested and receive more information
• Save the date for our Certification Opportunity with UMSL Information Session: October 7, 2021, 4:30 pm-5:00 pm (register HERE)
  

• Dr. Esther Palsenberger, Elementary ELA, 314-779-5939
• Judine Keplar, Secondary ELA, 314-532-6427
• Zehra Khan, Secondary Math, 314-532-3574
• J. Carrie Launius, Elementary Science, 314-934-5258
• Dr. Valentina Bumbu, Secondary Science, 573-544-6835
• Dr. Glenn Barnes, Social Studies, 314-934-5267
• John Grapperhaus, Visual Arts, 314-934-5320
• Kaye Harrelson, Performing Arts, 314-934-5445
• Dr. Taresa Wright-Fraser, Elementary Math, 314-943-5266