eNews September 2, 2022
A message from the Superintendent, the First Day of School!
From the Superintendent
Dear Clayton Families -
It’s been an amazing first two weeks of the school year! Even though summer provides some great opportunities to unplug and recharge, work never really feels the same unless our buildings are full of students, teachers and the sights and sounds of learning. Being able to be in a school during the first week, and especially on the first day, of a new school year is one of the best parts of my job. There is so much hope, energy and excitement for things to come that it’s simply contagious.
As we look ahead to the work we have planned for this year, a big focus will be a deeper dive into our strategic plan and ensuring all of our actions help make our schools a place for everyone to grow as learners in head and heart. As someone who emigrated from Kenya as a middle schooler, I understand what it means to need to be in a place where you are welcomed and feel like you belong. We all need a place that embraces your unique qualities and celebrates them with you. My parents moved to the U.S. so that my siblings and I could go to school here, so growing as a learner is a value my family instilled in me long before I became an educator. And, finally, self-care and emotional well-being is something that has always been important to me, and something that we all continue to work to be better at.
Last year, our administrators worked together every month to really dig into the ways they can make our schools a place for everyone. (Goal one of our strategic plan.) This year, our focus will be on empowered learning (Goal Two: to grow as learners) and how we as lead learners continue to empower our students to take ownership of their learning. We are also working with our teachers to explore all the different ways we can embed (and evaluate) the competencies in our Profile of a Clayton Graduate throughout our students’ PK-12 educational journey. With all of this as a focus, combined with the learning that is an everyday part of the Clayton experience, 2022-2023 is shaping up to be an incredible school year for all of us.
Even with such a strong focus on academic excellence, we are still dialed in on important things like health and safety. Long lead times and supply chain issues have extended our summer construction into this fall. We are finishing up the second round of safety improvements at our schools which will allow us to better manage visitors and access to our schools, improve our response time in crisis situations and ensure all our students/staff feel safe and supported while at school. We are also still keeping our eye on COVID cases in our schools. Our experience with different routines and evolving mitigation procedures over the past few years has left us well suited to make a change on the fly, if that’s what we need to do to keep our students and staff healthy and learning at school.
I’ve said it before. I'll say it again: This is going to be an incredible school year! I’m looking forward to sharing it with you and your family. Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools.
Sincerely,
Nisha Patel, Ed.D
Superintendent
CHS Swim Team Participates in St. Louis Swim Across America
On Saturday, Aug. 27, members of the CHS girls swim team participated in the Seventh annual St. Louis Swim Across America event held at Innsbrook Resort’s Alpine Lake. This open-water swim is much more challenging than swimming in a pool. Over the summer, and as part of the event, the Greyhounds raised $3,300 for Siteman Cancer Center research. Swim and dive team head coach Katelyn Long, a former high school and college swimmer, also participated with the squad. Last winter CHS finished third at the Missouri high school state championships and is poised to have another strong season. Click the picture to watch a short video about the team.
St. Louis Art Fair ~ Volunteer Request
The Saint Louis Art Fair presented by Centene Charitable Foundation would not be possible without our amazing volunteers... Volunteer's just like you! Have you registered to volunteer for this year's Art Fair yet? There's still time! We still have volunteer opportunities waiting to be filled, so please visit this link to register. You can also go to our volunteer page on our website. Critical needs are Artist Relations Snack/Water Delivery, Artist Booth Sitting, and Guest Relations Greeters. Sign up today!!
CEF - PTO - CPD Sponsored Food & Essentials Drive
Mark your calendars! This year's Food & Essentials Drive, sponsored by the Clayton PTO, Clayton Education Foundation and the Clayton Police Department will take place the week of September 19. Be on the lookout for a list of requested items and more information about when and where to donate.
CHS Student Selected for Federal Reserve Bank Board of Directors
Congratulations to CHS Senior Anisha Jarang on her selection to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Student Board of Directors! The Fed selected 18 students to this year's board, all who will serve a one year term. Students were chosen through a competitive application process that included an essay and letters of recommendation. Participants will meet monthly to gain a thorough understanding of the Federal Reserve's role in the U.S. economy and learn about its unique partnerships with banks, businesses and the community. For more information, visit the St. Louis Fed's student board of directors’ webpage.
