Saturday, May 11, 2013
Four schools were recently awarded the district's Green Ribbon Award.
The Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education awarded four of its schools for their sustainable efforts Wednesday night. Central Elementary, Commons Lane Elementary, Ferguson Middle School and Mark Twain Student Support Center each received a Green Ribbon Award for Sustainability. Central and Commons Lane each received a platinum award, Ferguson received a gold award and Mark Twain received the silver award. Each school was presented a certificate and an ecology flag. The district developed the awards through its green initiative. Schools were asked to submit nominations for the award. Each nominated school was judged on five criteria area—energy, recycling/waste reduction, reducing water run-off and erosion, school gardens and environmental …
Friday, May 10, 2013
The annual run/walk hopes to raise $500,000 for scholarships for 100 students. Have you benefited from the program? Tell us in the comments section.
It's time for the They’ll be out for the 32nd Annual Hazelwood PTA Scholarship Run/Walk event. More than 2,000 participants are expected to turn out to run, walk and enjoy the festivities of the day starting at 8 a.m., and ending at noon. The Hazelwood School District (HSD) PTA coordinates the event each year to benefit students’ scholarships to college. The group hopes to raise $50,000 this year, which would provide $500 scholarships to 100 students. For more than 30 years the event has raised more than $2 million for the Hazelwood PTA Student Scholarship Fund. On-line registration is still available or you can register Saturday morning at the event. To register for this event or to make a donation toward the scholarship fund, visit the …
Make sure you congratulate the senior in your life with Patch's help.
With the end of the school year comes laughs, tears and a cap and gown usually for seniors as graduation nears. This month, students will be saying goodbye to high school and hello to the beginning of young adulthood. Graduation dates and places for area high schools are as follows: Seniors in Florissant will be graduating from area high schools on varying dates, and we’d love to hear from you. Here’s how you can do it: Post a congratulatory announcement: There’s nothing better than seeing the one you love show it publicly. Post an announcement in our announcements section and have it featured on the homepage or in our daily newsletter. Write about the experience: Whether you’re the parent, grandparent or graduate, we love to hear from …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The board unanimously approves the allocation from the 2010 no-tax-increase bond issue.
The Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education approved a $5.7 million capital budget Wednesday night for district improvements in 2013-2014. The funding comes from a $25 million no-tax-rate-increase bond issue passed by voters in August 2010. According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, the district bought bonds to pay for facility and technology upgrades. No tax money is needed, and the bonds can’t be used to pay for items such as salaries and benefits, transportation, utilities, textbooks or other supplies. Last year, the board allocated $5.8 million of bond funding for improvements. The allocation comes as the board and district consider another bond issue for other district and infrastructure needs. Financial Director Laura Modrusic …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The board's agenda looks at a number of financial issues, including the budget and possible bond issue.
When the Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education convenes Wednesday, a good portion of its agenda will focus on the finance side of the district. The board will receive a 2013-2014 budget update, a capital/bond budget and get an update from the bond issue exploratory committee. Earlier this year, the district announced it would be facing a $10 million deficit in the next school year, but in March the board received a budget draft with almost $7 million in cuts. Last month, the board heard a bit about the formation of a committee who would look into the possibility of a bond issue for the district’s needs, including facility infrastructure improvement. For a full look at Wednesday’s agenda, check out the Ferguson-Florissant School District …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Florissant students reap the benefits of Target's Take Charge of Education program.
Although several area school districts, such as Ferguson-Florissant and Hazelwood, are working to overcome financial hurdles, some area schools are getting a helping hand from a large retail company. Several Florissant area schools have received funding thanks to Target’s “Take Charge of Education” initiative, a signature program designed to provide funds to area K-12 schools for their most important needs, such as books, classroom technology and so forth. The program has donated more than $350 million to schools across the country since 1997, according to its website. The program is also a part of the company’s commitment to give $1 billion to education by the end of 2015, Sarah Van Nevel, a spokeswoman for the company, wrote in an email…
Will you be at Tuesday's meeting? The board will also discuss
The Hazelwood School District (HSD) Board of Education will convene Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to discuss district business. The board will hear a quarterly update report regarding the district's supplier diversity program. The last update, given in early February, included stats through Dec. 31, 2012, on minority and women supplier participation as it pertains to bid contracts awarded within the district. See: Hazelwood Schools Minority Suppliers On Target, Struggling to Find Women. At it's last meeting, newly re-elected Board of Education members were sworn in. Council also approved contracts to purchase three new vans and approved bids proposals for contractors to perform building code upgrades at multiple HSD schools. These code upgrades …
Monday, May 6, 2013
Students in the Hazelwood School District received recognition in academics, athletics and community service during the evening.
North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony & Justice honored seven Hazelwood School District students, including three from Hazelwood Central High School, recently at its annual appreciation dinner. Jahvonta' Mason, Alexis Chappelle and Najath Abdullahi were each honored for their their own merits. Mason, a senior at Hazelwood Central, received an academic achievement award. “A conscientious worker who aims to succeed in all of his classes, Jahvonta’ aims for success,” Hazelwood Central science teacher Julie Grogan said. “He is a diligent worker, who always puts forth his best effort and often surpasses the expectations of highest standard. He will often time come to my room during academic mentoring lab to work ahead of the class …
What do you want to say to that educator who meant the most to you? What would you say to the teacher who makes learning that much easier for your child?
It's Teacher Appreciation Week. The first full week in May has been designated as such since 1984. That's when the National PTA began a designation to show gratitude to teachers, according to its website. Thank A Teacher Contests This year, the organiztoin is holding a contest for parents who deliver thank-you letters to teachers May 6-10. Visit the PTA Web site for more information about Thank a Teacher contest rules and deadlines. The contest is open only to parents in schools with an active PTA, within states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards. States that have not adopted are Alaska, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia, according to the PTA Web site. Deadline is May 13. You can also enter a teacher in Promethean’s Thank A …
Friday, May 3, 2013
The RoboHawks made its best showing in the international competition in three years.
After the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics (FIRST) World Competition last weekend, the Hazelwood Central RoboHawks finished with its highest ranking in three years of competition. The RoboHawks finished in 13th place out of 100 teams in their division, according to a school district press release. Last year, the team finished with a No. 29 ranking and an overall record of 4-5. In 2011, the team finished in 41st place with a 5-5 record. “The RoboHawks really had a wonderful time at the competition,” Katie Allen, the Robohawks sponsor, said in a press release. “This was by far our best finish yet at world championships. We were not picked to go onto the final rounds, so that remains a goal for next year.” …
