Inside WGSD

Last week we shared the latest Niche school ratings, which note that our district and schools continue to be ranked among the best in the state. Congratulations! The work that you do in support of our young people and families is so deserving of continued praise, recognition, and thanks!

While rating systems such as the one niche uses certainly reflect your care, energy and expertise, they alone reflect an incomplete picture of the educational experience you provide our students. Our district continues to be a place where our teachers and staff are committed to seeing and supporting students, to learning both from and for our young people, and ALWAYS prioritizing the well-being of people first. Whether compared in rankings or compared in conversations, I stand firm in my opinion that the Webster Groves School District is different because of you, as well as those that came before you.

Thank you for your continued care and commitment to our students!

With gratitude…John

We encourage staff to pursue grant opportunities to fund innovative learning experiences for both educators and students.

The process outlined here is designed to encourage grant development, while also ensuring that funding efforts follow district procedures related to purchasing, bidding, travel, and professional learning.

Learn more.

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this fall.

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 1:20 p.m. today.

Learn more.

Today we are profiling a staff member who has roots that bring her back to 1971 when she was a first grade student at Bristol Elementary!

Denise Foley is currently a second grade teacher at Hudson Elementary. Her first teaching position was at Bristol in 1995. She then moved to Ventura, CA where she continued to teach. In 2002, Denise moved back to St. Louis and was hired to teach first grade at Hudson. She has been at Hudson since that time and eventually became a second grade teacher there, which is where she is today.

Denise was nominated for WGSD Cares by Carolyn Recke who said "Denise brings the best energy to the building and to her classroom. She sets high expectations for students and helps them meet those expectations. Denise has a smile when she greets you in the morning, and closes out the day with a smile just as big. She provides so many engaging, creative opportunities for her students. I feel very fortunate to work with her."

Denise says what she enjoys most about her job is "growing a salad with my young farmers! We grow radishes, spinach, and lettuce and then have a salad party! We do this in support of our Ecosystems Science unit." She said the most challenging part of her job is "facilitating learning to ensure each of my students learns something new daily."

WGSD is grateful to have teachers like Denise, who enable our students to grow and learn in a warm and nurturing environment. Likewise, we are grateful to be surrounded by staff members like her who continue to show their care for everyone they work with. Thank you, Denise, for making a difference every day!

Nominate someone deserving for WGSD Cares today!

Pictured, Hudson Elementary second grade teacher Denise Foley

Students of all ages, families and community members are welcome to join us at the Chelsea Learning in Action Street Fair tomorrow, Thursday, October 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This will be a night of performances, experiential learning, prospective student tours, community connections, food by the Parkmoor and more!

Performances throughout the night will include the Thrive Entrepreneurial Program Steve McAlevey Pitch, the Chelsea Center Future Teachers and Leaders, the Jazz Band, Drama and Chamber Choir. If there happens to be rain, the event will be held inside the PV commons and covered courtyard.

Tell us you're coming on Facebook.

Did you know that Kaiut Yoga here in Webster Groves is offering Yoga classes to WGSD staff at no cost as part of our employees benefits package? You can learn more about the program here: Kaiut Yoga for WGSD Employees

The Inside WGSD page on our website has a host of other resources for staff such as facilities requests, calendars, technology information, human resources information and employee benefits. Make sure you check it out!

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on an all- hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. The premise is simple - there are five specific actions available during an incident. The SRP is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.

Notifications

In addition, we have begun to use the Raptor Emergency Alert system to rapidly alert staff of incidents in our schools and buildings. The system also allows leaders to effectively manage drills and instantly notify first responders of potential incidents. The district is able to utilize Raptor due to state funding.

More information on keeping our students and staff safe can be found here.

Did you know that in addition to the new Raptor Alert mobile app, you can enable notifications on your computer? This could be useful if you are in a space where cell service is limited.

Just go to raptortech.com, login, and enable notifications. Click here for step-by-step directions.

October 5 Chelsea Center Learning in Action Street Fair, 6-8 p.m., Selma Street

October 7 Webster Groves Country Race, Noon - 3 p.m., Blackburn Park

October 8 Camp Wyman Open House, 1 p.m., Camp Wyman

October 11 Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Service Center

October 14 Run for Webster, 8:30 a.m.

Cultural Calendar

If you have a group photo of your school staff or department that you would like to be featured in an upcoming staff newsletter, email connect@wgmail.org.