News

Rewarding Excellence in St. Louis Public Schools

Pettus Foundation grant funds program honoring outstanding teachers and principals.

The Pettus Awards of Excellence program recognizes teachers who demonstrate excellence in teaching by inspiring all students to achieve and who have the respect and admiration of their students, parents and colleagues. They must also play an active role in creating a positive culture in their school.

Outstanding SLPS principals who inspire staff and students to achieve and who have the respect and admiration of their teachers, students, parents and colleagues are also recognized. The goal of the program is to honor and promote the work and educational methods that are succeeding and inspire others to replicate that success. Every full-time certified teacher and principal in the district is eligible to be nominated for the award.

This past school year, a panel of 62 judges consisting of retired St. Louis Public School teachers and principals conducted a thorough selection process by reviewing nomination packets and selecting teachers and principals whom the judges observed firsthand in their respective schools. The judges then selected finalists for interviews and used a point system in choosing the winners.

One teacher, judged as the most outstanding, was chosen from each SLPS elementary, middle, and high school and awarded a $1,000 cash prize. Eight principals judged as the most outstanding were also awarded $1,000 each. The winning teachers and principals also received a plaque to be prominently displayed in their school and a desktop award for their office or classroom. A Certificate of Excellence was presented to each non-winning semifinalist.

For 2009-2010, the third year of the program, eight principals and 73 teachers from among a total of more than 200 finalists received the Awards of Excellence and the $1,000 cash prize.

“We enthusiastically support this important program that recognizes the outstanding achievements of St. Louis Public School teachers and principals and provides us with the opportunity to share their successful philosophies and best practices which help so many students succeed, said Chris Lee, Executive Director of the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation.

2010 Pettus Awards of Excellence Winners

School CAJT at Nottingham Carnahan Dunbar Ford Fresh Start @ Turner Langston Lexington Woerner

Principal Brian O’Connor Bruce Green Carla Cunigan Denise Segers Sean Nichols Rose Mary Johnson Barbara Anderson Margaret Meyer

School Adams Ames VPA Ashland Beaumont Big Picture Academy Buder Bunche Busch Bryan Hill CAJT at Nottingham Carnahan Carr Lane VPA Central VPA Clay Cleveland Clyde C. Miller Cole Columbia Compton Drew Cote Brillante Dewey Dunbar Fanning Farragut Ford Fresh Start @ Turner Froebel Gallaudet Gateway Elementary Gateway Michael Gateway Middle School Gateway High School Griscom Hamilton Henry Herzog Hickey Hodgen Jefferson Kennard CJA Laclede Langston Lexington Long L’Ouverture Lyon Mallinckrodt Mann Mason Meramec Metro Monroe Mullanphy Nance Northwest Oak Hill Peabody Roosevelt Shaw VPA Shenandoah Sherman Sigel Soldan Stevens Stix ECC Sumner Vashon Walbridge Washington Montessori Wilkinson Woerner Woodward Yeatman

Teacher Mary Kitipitayangku Beverly Whittington Jaculyn Martin Rose Marie Goble Cara Ciccarelli Tracy A. Weider Vernon Beard Renee Ganley Bertha Lee Bethel Hale Candice DeBoise Ms. Taylor Brown Janet Beltz Debbie Lambing-Granger Patrick Charles Tina Gross Rosemary Bruce Daisy Fisher Chanel Harris Deborah Clark Emily Jackson Gillian Sawtell Cheryl Jackson Dorothy Monroe Jeanne Rice Martin Rachel Washington Thelma Thompson Elizabeth Simkus Alfreda May Jennifer Carter Nelver Jean Brooks Belinda Paine Monica Freese Jacqueline Russell Mr. Robin Roberts Jasmin D. Moore Denise Ross Denise Certain-Jeffries Philip Buben Susan Decker Marcia Lewis Judith Billups Carrie Regelsperger Heather LaLuzerne Sherita Watson Justin Ginter Mary Saputo Constance Berry Peggy Halter Kathleen Anderson Marquita Reef Kristen Steffens-Hutchison Jennifer Kirchner Alicia Covington Ebone` Brisbon Stephens Danielle Butler Bridget Stegall Kathryn Flynn Sandra Book Shirley Green Kehinde Osikoya Angela Vaughn Summer Schneider Patricia A. Jenkins Wendy Huddleston Arthur Dupree Reginald Ferguson Tomaka Grose Tiffany Rich-Lane Christine Brown Lora Wissmann Heather Tuckson Laurie Anderson

District Students Show Improvement on MAP Scores

Preliminary Report Indicates 12 Schools Made Adequate Yearly Progress

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released the preliminary results from the 2010 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) exams and End Of Course (EOC) exams. St. Louis Public School District students improved in 14 of 15 categories measured. In addition, 12 St. Louis Public Schools earned Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status.

Missouri students are required to take the MAP tests in Communication Arts and Mathematics in grades 3-8. Additionally, the Missouri Assessment Program includes the required End Of Course assessments for grades 9-12 in the subject areas of Algebra 1, Biology, English II and American Government.

A comparison of MAP scores from the 2008-09 school year to 2009-10 school year shows growth in the percentage of St. Louis Public School District students scoring in the top two categories – Proficient and Advanced – in 11 of 12 MAP categories measured:

Of the 58 SLPS elementary and middle schools taking the MAP tests (high school students take EOC exams), 39 schools showed improvement in MAP scores in Communication Arts, 48 schools showed improvement in Mathematics, and 35 schools showed improvement in both Communication Arts and Mathematics.

At the high school level, St. Louis Public School students showed improvement in all three End Of Course exam categories measured in 08-09 and 09-10 (Mathematics, English and Science). Social Studies End Of Course exams were taken for the first time by SLPS students in grades 9-12.

For more information, please visit the St. Louis Public Schools website at www.slps.org.

Proposition S Passes

Will provide $155 million in building upgrades for St. Louis Public Schools

The Proposition S bond issue was approved on August 3, 2010 by nearly 75% of voters, easily surpassing the 57.1% required for passage.

Proposition S will provide $155 Million for school building upgrades. Improvements will focus on three key areas: Improving Academic Achievement, Improving student Safety and Security, and promoting a healthy lifestyle for students.

"This is a great day for the St. Louis Public Schools and we are proud that Proposition S passed,” said Richard K. Gaines, Chairman of the Proposition S campaign. “We'd like to thank the voters of the city of St. Louis for the support they've shown in passing Proposition S.” Gaines said the district will now have the resources necessary for improving district schools to benefit the education, safety and health of SLPS students.

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