Young Leaders to be honored Feb. 25 Ebonee Shaw and Quentin Williams are among 20 young professionals under 40 who will be recognized at the 2016 Salute to Young Leaders.
2015 Newspaper of the Year!
See ad page A12
St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited FEBRUARY 18 – 24, 2016
Vol. 86 No. 46 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Hazelwood parents protest cuts Hazelwood School District music students Kennedy Foster and Allen Adams protested the school board’s decision to cut music instruction in elementary schools in the lobby outside the overflowing board meeting on Tuesday, February 16.
District slashes music programs and PE to reduce $15M budget deficit By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American
n “This is just one more thing the district is taking away from our kids.”
Hundreds of community members flocked to the Hazelwood School District school board meeting on Tuesday, February 16 to voice their concerns about the new budget reduction plan, which includes eliminating several educator positions, cutting physical education classes down to once a week, and discontinuing elementary band and orchestra classes during the school day. The district is operating with a deficit of approximately $15 million and the 2016-2017 budget
– Stephanie Grimshaw
reduction plan would save more than $6.6 million, said Dwight L. Lindhorst, assistant superintendent of finance and facilities. The school board recently
See CUTS, A6
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
‘We’re all family’ Innovative St. Louis public school teaches core African values with academics By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Redding Njoki, lead pre-Kindergarten teacher at Gilkey Pamoja Preparatory Academy, looked at pictures next to the school’s display about ancient Egyptian pharaohs on February 16.
Opinion
Why the SAB is good for SLPS One state board member’s view By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American On Tuesday, February 16, the State Board of Education voted to extend the tenure of the Special Administrative Board that governs St. Louis Public Schools. As a member of the state board, I owe the community my reasoning for this vote. During my tenure on the state board, I’ve heard many presentations on turning around troubled school districts. The strategies may
vary, but they all have a common theme: the importance of leadership. Invariably, the leadership they’re talking about is leadership at the superintendent or building level. However, my experience on the state board for the last four years has Mike Jones taught me the importance of leadership at the governance level. Whether it’s effective district-wide administrative leadership or productive building leadership, they both require a governing board that is studentcentered and committed to high standards.
n The SAB and Superintendent Kelvin Adams have created an effective, coherent governing philosophy and the ability to build consensus around educational policy and strategies.
Simply put, superintendents like Tiffany Anderson and Kelvin Adams can’t hire and empower themselves. The current educational condition of St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) is a direct See SAB, A6
Seventh grader Haile Emerson peeked his head into a classroom at Gilkey Pamoja Preparatory Academy and asked, n “We’re all family, “Hodi hodi” (or “May I enter?” in Swahili). no matter who we Principal Sean are, where we are Nichols responded, “Karibu,” or “You’re or what we are.” welcome.” Pamoja, located – Haile Emerson, at 3935 Enright 7th grade Ave., teaches its 410 students about African values and customs, alongside the standard curriculum that’s taught in St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS). Emerson said he loves how Pamoja teaches him See SCHOOL, A7
Webster to host diversity conference ‘Embracing Diversity and Inclusion’ on campus February 29 and March 1 By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Webster University will host a two-day conference on “Embracing Diversity and Inclusion” on Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 1 in the Luhr Building, 475 E. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves. All sessions are free except those that include a meal (and even those sessions are free for Webster students). The conference begins 9:15 a.m. February 29 with a panel on “Landscape of Diversity & See WEBSTER, A7