Academic Office Newsletter

From the Office of Dr. Paula Knight, Deputy Superintendent of Academics

Virtual Learning Update

Principals: We understand you are wearing many hats at this time, and we appreciate your flexibility. It is one of the things that makes you good leaders! As you are aware, some parents are having a hard time navigating school websites and Microsoft Teams, and they are frustrated that they are unable to access assignments for their child. As the leader of your school and the key person who has student login information and access to your teachers and staff, please keep your cell phones on, check your email multiple times a day, and make yourself available to parents. Once they get over this initial hurdle, it will be much smoother sailing. Additional tutorials for Microsoft Teams have been uploaded at www.slps.org/teamstutorials and can be shared with staff and families.

Additionally, at this point, all teachers should have completed the task of building out their teacher pages. For continued support with the intranet, please direct them to:

Videos to assist teachers with their intranet pages: www.slps.org/webteacher

For families that do not have access to the internet or a device, please complete the technology survey (www.slps.org/tech) for them over the phone. You can also direct them to any of our meal distribution sites to pick up printed copies of assignments for April 6-24. Additionally, the assignments are uploaded at www.slps.org/keeponlearning. Thank you!

Food Stamp Update

Please post this information on your school websites and share with families, as there has been a change!

An application is being developed to provide a meal-replacement benefit through SNAP under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. DESE will share details as soon as they are available. Read more from USDA about the Pandemic EBT here.

DESE has worked with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to update the DSS Family Support Division recording and the information being shared about P-EBT. This message previously instructed families to contact their local school district. However, this was incorrect information. The message has been revised to say the following: “This benefit is not yet available. You will be contacted to apply when applications are available.”

For questions, please direct families to call 855-FSD-INFO or 855-373-4636, M-F 6am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 3pm.

FYI: Board Meetings

During the stay-at-home order, meetings of the Board of Education of the City of St. Louis will be held virtually using Zoom video conferencing. The next meeting is Tuesday, April 14, 2020. The link to view the live stream will be included in the agenda.

GOOD NEWS: Video Featuring Sumner Music Teacher Goes Viral

Sumner High School music teacher Dominque Burton (L) and his pal and roommate Benjamin Kosberg (R) are bringing joy to the Tower Grove South neighborhood through their two-man brass band.

Their story (and the viral video that has been viewed more than 2.4 million times!) has been covered by nearly every media outlet in town! Check out some of the content:

GOOD NEWS: Chess Tournament Results

Congratulations to these students and schools for their achievements in the 3rd Annual Districtwide Chess Tournament.

STUDENTS:

1st Place – Elementary: Nariah Johnson, Columbia Elementary; Middle: Marquis Johnson, Gateway Middle; High School: Daveon McKinney, Roosevelt High

2nd Place – Elementary: Taryan Doss, Columbia Elementary; Middle: Christopher Tesreau, Gateway Middle; High School: Joseph McCloud, Roosevelt High

3rd Place – Elementary: Jimmy McKinney, Gateway Elementary; Middle: Sibit Gurung, Gateway Middle; High School Amiri Abolfazi, Roosevelt High

SCHOOLS:

1st Place – Roosevelt High

2nd Place – Gateway Middle

3rd Place – Mallinckrodt AGI

Districtwide Professional Development for APRIL

In an effort to provide continuous learning and growth and satisfy our April professional development, the District will host PD through Virtual Modules.

You will receive an email from the SafeSchools / Scenario Learning platform with instructions for how to access the training. NOTE: If you do not receive this email, you can still access the training by visiting slps.mo.safeschools.com and entering your employee ID #.

Staff will have until Friday, April 24, 2020, to successfully complete the online PD.

The three modules for completion are

Module I: Virtual vs. Distance Learning, Recommended completion date: April 13

Module II: Teaching in an Online Environment, Recommended completion date: April 17

Module III: Designing Instruction in a Virtual Environment, Recommended completion date: April 24

This training is mandatory for all designated staff and provides staff credit for the April 10, 2020 Districtwide PD Day.

Designated staff are:

School leaders
AICs
Deans
Certificated staff
Any staff as designated by leaders and/or supervising administrators

The first staff members to successfully complete the training will receive a gift card (until gift cards funds are completed).

Virtual Presentations for Juniors

The Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling (MOACAC) and StriveScan are partnering to offer juniors four full days of virtual presentations.

Please share this information with your juniors. Virtual College Exploration Week (300+ colleges from 44 states and 10 countries!) is April 20-23. Free for students. Space is limited.

Registration for students and parents is now live: www.strivescan.com/virtual

Did You Miss an Issue?

There is now an archive of all issues of the Academic Office Newsletter. Yay! Click HERE or visit www.slps.org/AONArchive.

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