This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the September 27, 2021 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.
Click here to view a recording from the September 27 Board Meeting
Board President Remarks
It’s very exciting to be able to recognize our Excellence in Education Award recipients in-person again, and to be joined by this month’s recipient Melshonda Lowe-Dobbins of Ladue Middle School tonight.
Congratulations to our 29 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists; each of the last three years we have had more than 20 students achieve this recognition and that’s amazing.
I want to recognize all of our students for giving their best each day and helping to make Ladue Schools an amazing community.
Superintendent Remarks
Thank you to Melshonda Lowe-Dobbins for being here and speaking from your heart tonight. Thank you to you and your family for joining us tonight and we appreciate all that you do.
This is the second straight year we have had 29 NMS Semifinalists; they have accomplished this feat during a pandemic and have had the support of their teachers and school community along the way. Congratulations to all semifinalists.
Congratulations to our LHWHS students who were recognized tonight, including the 10 recipients of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and senior Ryan Silver for his selection to the Student Board of Directors at the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
I want to share a quote from Elizabeth Lawrence that caught my attention recently: “Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.” We are getting to that point in the year where the leaves are changing, kids are growing, our faculty continues to challenge students; we are moving ahead in a really positive year.
Our transportation services are improving since we last met.
A hot air balloon visited the high school recently and it produced some great photos.
I want to thank the Board for supporting me in my continuous process of learning, as I traveled this past week to the Mid-American Association of School Superintendents conference in Chicago. It was a two-day conference with some amazing speakers. One topic we discussed was navigating a dual pandemic. Dr. Gregory Hutchinson, a superintendent from Alexandria, Va., spoke about diversity, equity, and inclusion work as a pandemic and COVID-19 as another. It reminds me of the work we are doing here and all of the effort we’ve put behind these two topics here in Ladue Schools. We also talked about the role of a superintendent, navigating difficult communication issues, educational administrative positions outside the U.S., and how artificial intelligence will become more embedded in both schools and the workforce in the future. We are preparing our youngest kids to be members of the workplace until about the year 2070, so when you consider that, you have to think about being a constant learner and adapting to change. Fortunately, we have a powerful staff and district that wants to keep up on the latest trends.
Thank you to Dr. Derrick Wallace for facilitating our most recent Medical Task Force meeting.
The One Book, One Community book club is ongoing and open to the entire community. We will hold a community discussion in November. More information is available on the district website.
We have begun our Future-Ready Strategic Planning process and informed our staff and community. There will be opportunities to participate in the process, starting with a virtual meeting on Oct. 12.
I was able to participate in the LEF ‘Due Run on Saturday. I want to thank the LEF for all of the work that went into this event.
I also attended a celebration of life for Coach Jim Wagner on Saturday. Many knew Mr. Wagner and he was one of the very first people to reach out to me after I became superintendent here. I remember when he left me a voicemail after I had accepted the job where he explained that he had coached my father when he attended Ladue Schools. He later met with my dad and included some of his former teammates and former superintendent Chuck McKenna in on the visit; they spent hours talking to him. Coach Wagner remembered everybody and that’s the kind of person he was. I want to thank Coach Wagner and may he rest in peace; he is a true Ladue Schools legend.
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE AND DEBT SERVICE FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR
ACTION ITEMS
The Board approved each operating levy per subclassification of property (residential, commercial, agriculture, and personal) and the debt service levy.
Director of Facilities Mike Noonan presented, and the Board approved, the design build process for storm shelters/gymnasiums at both Conway and Reed Elementary Schools.
SM Wilson Presentation/Pay Application
SM Wilson provided an update on construction progress at Ladue Middle School, Old Bonhomme Elementary, and Spoede Elementary. The Board approved SM Wilson’s change orders and pay application.
INFORMATION ITEMS
2022-23 Board Meeting Schedule (MOVED TO ACTION)
The Board approved a meeting schedule for the 2022-23 school year.
Revised 2022-23 Academic Calendar (MOVED TO ACTION)
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinski presented, and the Board approved, a list of proposed changes to the 2022-23 district calendar.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a regular Business Meeting on Monday, October 25, 2021. The meeting will be live-streamed and the Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.