SCSD Newsletter

View in Browser

I’m very proud of the work our staff and students accomplished together this past school year. With that said, we are hard at work preparing for the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The first day of school is Tuesday, August 19th. Our main focus is carrying out our new Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) to meet our collective goals as we continue to provide a learning environment that is safe, respectful, and where everyone is responsible for ensuring a high level of learning and growth for every student.

Our new mission statement is… “Engage. Empower. Inspire. Every Learner, Every Day!” That means our students and staff are fully valued, supported, and loved daily as we continue to work together toward our shared goals. SCSD is a special place where students and staff can bring their diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and passion to better themselves, others, and the group as a whole. We are truly united in our strong, diverse learning environment that is rooted in equitable opportunities for all, as we include everyone in the SCSD.

We are a PBIS district. Positive Behavior Interventions and Support is a systematic approach aimed at establishing positive student culture. It is designed to benefit all students across all environments in school to help create a safe and effective learning environment. SCSD is committed to Engage, Empower, and Inspire optimal student behaviors. At all times, staff and students are expected to: “Be Safe, Respectful, and Responsible as a Learner and a Leader.”

I want to thank you for approving our latest no-tax rate increase bond issue initiative in the spring of 2025. Because of your support, major projects are continuing to take place throughout the school district. This summer… The renovation work at both St. Charles West and Harris Elementary is in full swing, Hardin Middle School renovations are finishing up, and other district-wide projects this summer include roofing and HVAC work, asphalt replacement/repair, new phone installs district wide, and the continuation of rekeying doors. Also, please make sure you check out the district fact sheet in this newsletter. You will be able to get a quick snapshot of key facts (student, staff, financial, other pertinent information) about the district.

It’s my continued honor and privilege to serve as Superintendent of the City of St. Charles

School District. We can’t wait to start another year-long journey with you. Thank you for your

ongoing support! Our schools are strong because of the wonderful staff, students, families, and supporters that make up our unique and highly successful community/district.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. We can’t wait to see you later in August!

#ALLin

Jason T. Sefrit, Ed. D.

Superintendent of Schools

Mission

Engage. Empower. Inspire. Every learner, every day!

Vision

The City of St. Charles School District will be a leader of academic excellence that prepares students to be successful in all aspects of life.

Values

• Academic Excellence

• Integrity
• Diversity
• Community

• Student Centered

Free & Reduced Priced Meals
Remember to fill out your free and reduced meal applications online at MySchoolApps.com. You must fill out the form at the beginning of each year, because eligibility resets each year.

Add Funds to Your Child's Account
MySchoolBucks gives parents and staff the flexibility to view café purchases, access meal balances and add funds to accounts at any time. Be sure to sync your PowerSchool parent portal with MySchoolBucks to access updated account information. Here are helpful instructions for syncing your accounts.

Contact Director of Dining Services Michelle Fohey, RDN, if you have questions.

Bus routes will be available in PowerSchool parent portals the week of August 11.

Visit our website to access individual school information, including principal information, websites, addresses, phone numbers and more.

Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! For your convenience, our enrollment process is completely online. To start the initial part of the enrollment process through our student information system, PowerSchool, please create an enrollment account.

It is important to complete the entire online registration application for your child. If families do not complete the process, their child is not actively enrolled in the district. If you aren't able to complete your enrollment and registration in one sitting, you can save your progress in the system. Once the initial enrollment and registration form is complete, our central office team will contact families with more instructions to complete the enrollment process.

Kindergarten students must be five years old before August 1, 2025, to enroll for the 2025-26 school year beginning August 19. We do not have optional testing for early entrance.

We have many important back-to-school events coming up:

Early Childhood Center
Open House: August 13 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Blackhurst Elementary
Kindergarten Roundup: August 6 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Open House: August 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Coverdell Elementary
Kindergarten Roundup: August 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Open House: August 12 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Harris Elementary
Open House: August 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Lincoln Elementary
Open House: August 12 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Kindergarten Roundup: August 6 from 5 to 6 p.m.

Monroe Elementary
Kindergarten Roundup: August 7 from 5 to 7 p.m.
PTO Bash: August 10 from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Open House: August 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Null Elementary
Pool Party: August 2 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Kindergarten Roundup: August 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Meet and Greet: August 12 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Jefferson Intermediate
Fifth Grade and New Student Chrome Pick-Up: August 7 from 3 to 7 p.m.
Fifth Grade Open House: August 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the gym
Sixth Grade Open House: August 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria

Hardin Middle

Schedule Pick-Up: August 5 & 6 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Open House: August 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

St. Charles High School

Freshman All Aboard Day: August 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Sophomore, Junior and Senior Registration : August 6 from 12 to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

Open House: August 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

St. Charles West High School
Freshman and New Student Orientation: August 7 from 1 to 5 p.m.
Sophomore, Junior and Senior Schedule Pick-Up: August 5 & 6 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Open House: August 26 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Success Campus

Open House: August 28 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Check out important back-to-school dates on our calendars. Our website lists printable school-year calendars for families and staff. Be sure to view our school-year calendars, and subscribe to our calendar for up-to-date information.

Our SCSD Student Clinic is located at the rear of Blackhurst Elementary, 2000 Elm Street.

Student Clinic Services

• Sick visits: cough, cold, sore throat, ear infections, stomach bugs
• Sports physicals
• Yearly checkup
• Vaccines, including VFC Vaccines for Children program
• Asthma
• Blood pressure
• Allergies
• Minor cuts, burns, sprains and strains
• Diet and nutrition

This is exclusively for SCSD students, their siblings and SCSD faculty's children. The clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact the clinic to make an appointment or for more information at 636-206-2244.

Missouri's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is August 1-August 3. Many families opt to purchase their children's school supplies during the event. Check out our website to view school supply lists.

Join us for a fun evening with bounce houses, music, crafts, food and games! The Family Festival is Monday, August 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. at St. Charles High School. We will have vendors, non-perishable food and hygiene bags while supplies last, and Compass Health will offer a limited amount of school vaccinations. You can pre-register for vaccinations in Spanish or English.

This event is sponsored by The City of St. Charles School District, Care to Learn St. Charles, and We Love St. Charles.

JCPenney is offering an exclusive 30% off discount for our district families and staff only! Enjoy savings on select original, regular, and sale-priced apparel, shoes, accessories, fine jewelry, bedding, bath, rugs and curtains. Please do not share this offer outside our district—we want to ensure this opportunity remains available!

To receive your coupon, text "SCSD25" to 67292. Each time you text that number, you will receive a new coupon code to use. You can use this offer through the end of the school year.

Our preschool program is full, but you can still schedule a DIAL-4 developmental screening for your children by calling 636-443-2900. After the screening, we may have other preschool options to share with you. If you have questions about the Early Childhood Center or the preschool application process, please contact Ms. Sharon Elliott at 636-443-2905.

Parents as Teachers is a free program available to all City of St. Charles School District residents who are expecting a baby or have children from birth to age five. When you join Parents as Teachers, you are eligible to receive the following services:

• Home visits by certified parent educators
• Group meetings and activities for both you and your child
• Annual developmental screenings
• Connection to other resources
• Referral services
  
  

If you are interested in learning more about the Parents as Teachers program, contact Mrs. Sarah Sherwood at 636-443-2906.

This year, we are launching SCSD Morning Brew. Join members of the SCSD central office team for coffee, light breakfast, and informal conversation about what’s happening across the district. It’s a great opportunity to connect, ask questions and share ideas.

• Friday, August 29
• 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• SCSD Boardroom at 400 N. Sixth Street

Dr. Paul Wright, English Language Arts teacher at Success Campus, earned the SCSD Teacher of the Year award for the 2024-2025 academic year! DESE recently announced that he advanced in the state-wide competition, and Dr. Wright was named a Regional Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. Tiffanie Worland, principal at Monroe Elementary, earned the SCSD Administrator of the Year award for the 2024-2025 academic year!

Colleages, teachers and staff members said, "Mrs. Worland models grace and love and elevates the unique qualities of every child and staff member. Her hands-on approach and deep belief in every student’s potential make her stand out.”

SCSD is still hiring for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. We need exceptional paraprofessionals and aides. View and apply for our open positions, and make a difference in our community!

A toothbrush. A coat. Deodorant. Breakfast. These are the things that stand between children and belonging—basic unmet needs that cause pain and embarrassment.

Last year, nearly 40% of City of St. Charles School District students qualified for free or reduced-priced meals. Poverty can alienate kids, making school a lonely, scary place. They come to school distracted by hunger and limited by embarrassment - their education an afterthought to survival.

During the 2014-2015 school year, the City of St. Charles School District became a Care to Learn chapter. The mission of Care to learn is to provide immediate funding to meet the emergent health, hunger and hygiene needs so every child can be successful in school. During the 2023-2024 school year alone, 15,441 student needs were met under the health, hunger, and hygiene umbrella. Since 2014-2015, our Care to Learn chapter has met 106,552 emergent health, hunger, and hygiene needs of our students. Our Care to Learn chapter sustains our backpack program and in-school pantries, serving over 400 students weekly. We have provided students with clothing, hygiene products, eyeglasses and hearing aids, transportation to and from medical appointments, mental health services, lice treatments, and bed bug treatments--just to name a few.

We need YOU! You can make a difference! Your support helps alleviate the suffering that occurs when basic needs go unmet.

To find out more information about the St. Charles Care to Learn and to get connected, please visit us at our website or on Facebook.

Each year, we must share important notifications to our families and staff. Please use the links below to review the information.

• Notification of Rights under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
• Missouri Course Access Program (MoCAP)
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
• Notice of Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015
• Initial Annual Written Notification to use Public-Funded Program Benefits or Insurance
• Student Directory Information Notice: Notification of Rights to Parents, Guardians and Students
• Public Notice: Special Education/Early Childhood Special Education
• Public Notice: Assessment

The first day of school is around the corner, and so are practices for fall athletics and activities. If your children plan to participate in any athletic activity, they must have a current MSHSAA medical eligibility form on file in the activities office before they are authorized to participate in tryouts and practices. Visit our athletics and activites website to access the required forms.

Cool off with a splash and some friendly competition at the Water Balloon Battle: Kids vs. St. Charles City Police Officers. The event will take place on July 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lion's Pavillion in McNair Park. Police Officers will provide hotdogs, chips and drinks for lunch. Email the Community Outreach Team for more information.

The St. Charles City Police Department is hosting Watermelon Wednesday on August 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Town Hall in New Town St. Charles. There will be a speed spitting contest, watermelon bowling, coloring and more.

EducationPlus is hosting run and walk on August 23 at Creve Coeur Park. All proceeds from this event will benefit a scholarship fund for students pursuing a career in education. SCSD students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Register online.

Harley-Davidson at St. Charles is hosting a free Bikers for Backpacks event on August 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its store, 3808 W. Clay Street. Students entering K-12 can get a backpack full of free school supplies.