Makenzie Blackburn

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda. Special recognitions were presented for Sappington Elementary students Mia Paleo and Cooper Stone, and for support staff Mary Naan and teacher Jen Eers, highlighting their dedication, leadership, and embodiment of core values. The principal and assistant principal then presented a detailed learning report, sharing significant positive student growth data in reading diagnostics, exceeding goals for multilingual learners in math achievement, and emphasizing the importance of Lindberg life success skills and community partnerships. Data also indicated strong student sense of belonging, surpassing the goal for identifying a trusted adult. Further discussions covered personalized learning through self-monitoring and goal setting, and increased partnership between SSD and general education staff. A consent resolution for National School Social Work Week was approved. Student representative Stella provided updates on achievements, including the Lindberg Flyers securing third place in a national competition, the opening of the winter musical Mamma Mia, and successes in swim/dive and girls wrestling programs.

The workshop focused on community education programs, specifically the Lindberg Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. Discussions covered the value of community programs in building public trust and supporting working families, noting that these programs operate as self-sustaining enterprises, separate from K-12 instruction funding. Detailed presentations were given on the ECE program's mission, philosophy, enrollment statistics, and staffing ratios based on DESIE guidelines. The presentation highlighted positive outcomes from the new student placement queue system, noting that morning half-day programs are at capacity while afternoon slots need improvement. Data from a survey of kindergarten and first-grade families indicated strong readiness in social-emotional learning among students who attended ECE. Future plans include expanding preschool opportunities by opening a new classroom at Sappington Elementary and continuing the pilot pals program at ECE West.

The meeting agenda was amended by pulling item 10.01 pending final documentation regarding an easement with a St. Louis County church. Presentations included recognitions for the 2025 Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Jordan Stevens, and Support Staff of the Year, Miss Gina Niccastro. Student spotlights from Long Elementary were also presented, including Henry Noli and an absent student, Blake Call. A detailed presentation covered student data, focusing on growth for students with IEPs and multilingual (ML) students in reading and math, noting positive trends in reading but challenges in fourth-grade math for IEP students. Initiatives such as monthly collaboration days for case managers and the use of AI for personalized learning were highlighted. Discussions also covered student satisfaction metrics, employee well-being data, and recognizing high-quality teachers with external accolades. The new student representative, Stella Pelarito, was sworn in and gave her first report, mentioning a tour of Long Elementary, noting the presence of student artwork despite ongoing construction, and discussing semester wrap-up topics.

This document outlines the Middle School Redesign process for Lindbergh Schools, initiated in 2019, to create a student-centered experience. The plan, focusing on flexibility, wellness, real-world learning, and collaboration, details key structural changes for the 2021-2022 school year. These include the implementation of quarterly electives, assigning full-time staff to individual buildings, discontinuing separate challenge classes in core subjects (while maintaining math acceleration), and establishing a flexible 'flyer/flex time' for character education, study skills, and targeted student support. This constitutes the first phase of an ongoing, multi-year strategic evolution of the middle school experience.

This document introduces the Lindbergh Life Success Skills framework, developed over a four-year journey. The framework is structured around five core ideas: critical thinking and creativity, communication and collaboration, identity and agency, integrity and inclusiveness, and work ethic and habits. It aims to provide students with essential skills for success in college, careers, and life, fostering independent and reflective individuals, with full implementation targeted for the 2022-2023 school year.