John Baker, third grade teacher at High Ridge Elementary, recently had his head shaved in front of the entire school. While this may not sound like that big of a deal, it is. His head was shaved as a fundraiser for one of his students who is currently battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
High Ridge Elementary is using technology to create a virtual classroom for a student unable to attend class in person. The technology, called Swivl, is on loan from SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
Lion Nation,
Well, we all know the 2020-21 school year was one of the strangest in history, and we are now about to enter 2021-22. We are excited to welcome our students, staff, and families to the new school year. Our new teachers start tomorrow, and the rest of the staff returns on Monday, August 16. And of course, we are looking forward to seeing our students on the first day of school Tuesday, August 24.
I wish I could write to you today and not have to mention anything COVID related, but it continues to be a challenge to our community and our nation. Last year, we weren’t 100 percent certain as to how the year would look. As you all know, there were many twists and turns during the year. We had masks, virtual learning, hybrid learning, and social distancing. In June, we decided to make summer school as normal as possible, with masks optional. I am happy to say that it was a success. We realize the circumstances continue to change and will need to be monitored, but based on our experiences, we will continue to make masks optional and start school as normal as possible. While masks are an individual/family choice, we respectfully request that masks be worn by staff and students not fully vaccinated. However, a federal mandate requires masks to be worn on all public transportation, which includes school buses.
While we strive to be back to normal, one way we can ensure our schools stay open and continue to operate as normal as possible is for the vaccination rate to rise. The more the virus is suppressed, the less likely we are to have Covid-related disruptions. All of this is outlined in the 2021-22 Return to School Plan. Knowing that we are allowing face coverings to be optional, it will be even more important for staff and students to continue to monitor daily symptoms and to stay home if they are experiencing any symptoms.
Included in the Return to School Plan, you will see that Northwest secured extra funding that is being used to directly benefit students. This funding has enabled us to hire several new teachers, reading and math interventionists and coaches, plus administrative interns for all of our elementary schools. We’re excited to have this opportunity, and excited to see how our students grow even more with these additional resources.
Although summer meant some time away from in-session classes with students, it has been a busy July and August for our staff. Teachers have been planning and participating in new learning, our incredible Facilities Department has been prepping our buildings for the new year, and our 12-month staff have been hard at work over the summer to make sure that this year is as close to normal as possible. I cannot thank them enough for their hard work and diligence.
As you have seen in my past letters, our classrooms, and our website and social media channels, our motto is Love, Learn, Lead. That means to Love what you do, Learn every day, and Lead the way. It’s not just a saying, it’s a culture within our district and a belief that permeates through every single building and classroom. At Northwest, we strive to create a culture where students know they are valued and feel like they belong.
We are looking forward to a great school year!
Take good care,
A day at High Ridge Elementary
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