Message from the Superintendent
Clayton News and Highlights
This week, we have enjoyed getting to know our newest educators, and on Monday, we will welcome our returning teachers back as we prepare for the year ahead. There is always a special energy around Clayton at this time of year, and I am looking forward to all that we will learn and accomplish together.
It has also been a busy and productive summer across the District. We continue to make progress on our Prop O projects, including refining designs for Glenridge, Gay Field and the new Learning Lab at Clayton High School. We are also encouraged by our conversations with Washington University about using the former Fontbonne University campus as our Bridge Campus beginning in 2027. We have added key information to our facility improvements website to help answer questions about the Bridge Campus and our other projects, and we will continue to share updates as plans move forward.
There is also plenty to celebrate as we look back on the past year. This week, I had the honor of joining our Teacher of the Year, Jeanne McQueen, at the regional banquet, where she was recognized as one of the top 10 educators in the region selected to advance in Missouri’s Teacher of the Year program. We are proud to have Jeanne in Clayton and proud of the outstanding work our teachers do every day to support student learning across our schools.
I am also thrilled to share that Clayton has been awarded the St. Louis Suburban Conference Commissioner’s Cup! CHS finished first among 31 schools, thanks to strong performances across a number of sports, including tennis, basketball and girls soccer. Our student-athletes continue to impress us with their focus, determination and commitment both on and off the field and court. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and coaches who helped make this honor possible!
As we celebrate those accomplishments, we are also looking ahead to the work that will guide us this year. At last night’s Board of Education meeting, we reviewed our Continuous School Improvement Plan and the work ahead in our three goal areas:
- A Place for Everyone
- To Grow as Learners
- In Head and Heart
While some of the objectives within those goals are evolving, they continue to guide the work we do across the District. This year, we are leaning even further into the idea that learning is something we all do, and we have updated our Profile to reinforce that growth does not stop when we leave the classroom.
We are excited to bring that idea to life for our broader community this fall with our first Learning Together Conference. We hope you will make plans to join us on Thursday, Nov. 5, at CHS for an evening of learning, conversation and connection with parents and community members. More details will be shared as plans are finalized, but I am excited about what this event can become.
For our families preparing for Aug. 24, I encourage you to stay connected through your principal’s newsletters, visit our website for helpful resources and join us at the PTO Back to School Bash next Thursday.
It is going to be a great year, and I am ready to get started. I look forward to sharing more about all that is happening across Clayton in the months ahead.
Nisha
Nisha Patel, EdD
Superintendent