Hazelwood Early Childhood Hosts Community Meeting, Accessing High-Quality Preschools

Parents can observe learning strategies to distinguish what a facility should offer their child in order to prepare them for kindergarten. RSVP by April 15.

Parents can come out on May 10 and observe experts in childhood education discuss quality programs for district children. The Hazelwood School District Early Childhood Education staff will host a kickoff meeting for Community and Schools Together Achieving Results (CSTAR), the district's program that helps train childcare providers on prepping students for kindergarten success.  "Invitations have gone out to the community members who will participate in the actual discussion," Kimberly McKenzie, HSD community relations and communication specialist said. "Parents and members of the community are invited to observe this session." The meeting will take place Friday, May 10, at 1 p.m. Interested parties should meet at the Hazelwood School …

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"Spring into Employment" with Hazelwood School District's Career Workshops and Job Fair

The Hazelwood School District will host "Spring into Employment" career workshops and a job fair April 4, 18 and 25. This event is free and open to the entire community.

The Hazelwood School District will host “Spring into Employment” career workshops and job fair at Hazelwood East Middle School located at 1865 Dunn Road. “Spring into Employment” consists of three workshop sessions April 4, 18 and 25. The theme for each session is below: Child care will be provided at each event, which area free and open to the public. RSVP is required. RSVP to Hollie Henderson at hhenderson@hazelwoodschools.org or (314) 953-4944.

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HSD Staff Donates $36,928 to the United Way of Greater St. Louis

The Hazelwood School District sets annual fundraising goals for the agency.

For years, the Hazelwood School District (HSD) has participated in the annual fundraising campaign for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. This year, district employees collectively raised $36,928. Daryl Lester with the United Way of Greater St. Louis said the contributions raised not only helps the St. Louis-community, but the county and all of its surrounding areas. "The money raised by us stays with us," he said. "We know times are tough and it can be hard." In 2010, then-superintendent Steve Price established a fundraising incentive called the Pacesetter Award. To earn the award, schools had to have a minimum of 60 percent participation to the campaign from HSD staff. This school year, three schools earned the third annual Pacesetter …

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HSD Approves Budget for Several Hundred Teachers, Administrators to Attend Summer Institute

The board of education approved a contract with NCS Pearson for its annual summer professional development at Tuesday's meeting along with two other contracts.

Hazelwood School District (HSD) teachers and administrators will participate in a summer professional development to strengthen assessment literacy practices. The cost for the Assessment Literacy Summer Institute is $88,000. The board of education approved a contract with NCS Pearson, which operates a contact center on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, and according to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance holds more than $12 million in federal contracts to conduct education research. Diana Gulotta, assistant superintendent for communications said several hundred teachers and administrators attend the summer professional development each year. The board of education also approved two small contracts that total a little more …

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What's on the Agenda?

Hazelwood School District to End School Year Two Days Early

The Board of Education will vote on approving an updated school calendar for the year that reflects inclement weather days the district did not have to use, at Tuesday's meeting.

The Hazelwood School District (HSD) Board of Education will convene Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to discuss district business. Even with recent inclement weather, the board will have to adjust the school year calendar it set to reflect the amount of days missed. There are "snow days" built into the calendar and school was originally set to end on May 31. Diana Gulotta, assistant superintendent for communications said the last day of school will now be May 29, pending the board's approval. "Today (Monday) is our third snow day," she said. "We had already built six snow days into our calendar so we don't really have to "extend the year" until we miss the (seventh) day." Gulotta said the last day of school will remain the May 29, unless another bout…

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Hazelwood School District is Tackling the Dropout Rate

More than 100 students in the district graduated last year due to dropout prevention efforts. All three high schools have their own programs to aid those students at-risk of dropping out.

In the past four years, the dropout rate at Hazelwood West High School (HWHS) has increased by 10 percent each year. HWHS principal Dennis Newell revealed that alarming statistic at the March 5 Hazelwood School District Board of Education meeting. He along with Hazelwood Central's principal Cheryol Mitchell, and Hazelwood East's principal Jacqueline Kelly, discussed programs each school has adopted to save students like Darius Matthews, a sophomore at West, who said he was on the road to giving up on school as early as his freshman year. "In my freshman year at Hazelwood West I failed three classes and I hated school," he said. "I didn't like my teachers and I didn't feel connected to the school." Matthews, who aspires to play football but…

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Don't Forget HSD's Safety Forum for Parents

Wednesday's forum will be held at Hazelwood West High School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at (314) 953-5065.

What's on the Agenda?

HSD to Discuss Drop-Out Prevention at Tuesday's Meeting

The Hazelwood School District Board of Education will vote on contracts for windows and storefront replacement, as well as a classroom rental agreement for Special School District of St. Louis County.

The Hazelwood School District (HSD) Board of Education will convene Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to discuss district business. At it's last meeting, the Board of Education learned of Hazelwood Schools Realizing Operating Budget Surplus. Dwight Lindhorst, assistant superintendent for finance and facilities gave his quarterly budget update in which he attributed an increase of revenue, along with decreased expenditures for taking a  November 2012 budget deficit from $496,000 to a $168,000 operating surplus in the first quarter of 2013. Items on this week's agenda include: Reports: Some Items Requiring Board Voting Action: Will you be attending this week's meeting? Remember you can get instant news updates. Like Patch on Facebook and follow us on …

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Parents Show Up for Hazelwood Schools Safety Forum, Another Set for Wednesday

If you are concerned about safety in Hazelwood schools, this is your opportunity to hear about safety measures, to voice your concerns and have questions answered.

More than 60 people attended the Hazelwood School District’s (HSD) first parent engagement forum on school safety, and the last in the trio of town hall style events is set for Wednesday. “We were very pleased with the turnout and hope that many more patrons will attend forums scheduled in the future,” said Julia Burke Thorpe, HSD's assistant superintendent for student services, in a statement. “Participants were very interested in what our district is doing to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community members. "They also provided excellent feedback and suggestions as we move forward.” During the first forum, HSD discussed safety improvements made since the Newtown shootings. As well, the St. Louis County Police Tactical Unit …

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