Congratulations to the 60 Pre-K students who graduated on May 22! We have enjoyed an amazing year with them, and are looking forward to watching them throughout their school years. Here’s to the Class of 2026!

View an album of photos from that day on our Facebook page. (Note: you do not have to have a Facebook account to view the album.)

There are lots of exciting activities going on in May;  don’t miss any of them.  Check the daily announcements to see all of our upcoming events.

Recognition Night Invitation (1)

Congratulations to Affton High School senior Amber Sinamon, who was named the school’s 2013 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete. Amber has signed to play softball with Webster University in the Fall.

From the STLtoday.com feature (Amber can be found on Slide #2):

Academic rank: 22 of 206

Sports: Softball

Academic bio: National Honors Society … National French Honors Society … Scholar-Athlete.

Athletic bio: All-regional (two years) … all-district (three years) … all-conference (three years) … all-conference player of the year … team captain (two years).

Activities:  DECA vice-president … FBLA … Class President … Student Council … Student Council Executive Committee … Fellowship of Christian Athletes … swim team … golf team … Special Olympics volunteer … Nurses for Newborns volunteer Southview High School volunteer.

College, major: Webster University, business administration. “I think the business world is interesting and I want to pursue a career in this field. Also, taking many business classes throughout my high school career has made me interested in the field.”

Goal: ”I hope to have a successful job in the business or marketing field.”

Favorite Subject: Marketing. “I think it is interesting knowing how advertisements work and how they are effective. I also like it because advertisements, marketing, and sales techniques effect individual’s everyday lives. Knowing about business and marketing will help me in the future.”

Favorite book: Life of Pi (Yann Martel)

Favorite musician: Maroon 5

Role model: ”I consider my mom a role model. She has Sarcoid Disease and still wakes up each and everyday to go to work and help our family out. She is always here not only for my immediate family, but also our extended family. I think the fact that she overcomes her disease and is willing to help others, even if they do not help her, is amazing. Also she is personable and I can talk to her about anything.”

Personal story: ”At the beginning of my junior year I suffered a major knee injury. The doctor told me I probably would not be able to be a softball pitcher ever again. I had surgery to replace my completely torn ligament and I had six months of intense physical therapy. After six months I was able to begin playing softball again, but I had to be careful. Eight months after surgery I was able to start pitching again, and I was also scouted to play softball in college. Hard work and determination pays off.”

Affton High School was recently notified that it made Newsweek’s 2013 list of America’s Best High Schools.  The list contains 2,000 public high schools from across the nation with 23 high schools from Missouri making the list.  The list is based on six components: graduation rate (25 percent), college acceptance rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and percent of students enrolled in at least one AP/IB/AICE course (5 percent).  The link below provides further information and methodology.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/05/06/america-s-best-high-schools.html

Students from Gotsch Intermediate School and Rogers Middle School in Affton joined members of the St. Louis Rams and leading nutrition experts recently at an NFL-themed training camp. Held at the Rams’ ContinuityX Training Center in Earth City, Mo., the students were rewarded for their efforts to eat healthy foods and stay active.

Student teams from 10 elementary and middle schools in eastern Missouri and central Illinois earned invitations to the Fuel Up to Play 60 Reward Training Camp by actively engaging in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and encouraging their peers to make healthier choices and commit to at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council, Midwest Dairy Council and the NFL in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture.

The Gotsch Intermediate team included fifth-graders Cathreveny Cherestal, Megan Davidson, Lilly Ederer, Hunter Iffland, Edi Kostic, Kaitlyn Pluff, Kaleb Recht, Max Roberts, and Megan Serra.

The Rogers Middle School team included sixth-graders Brianna Forrey, Amy Puzniak and Kaylie Swinford; seventh-graders Ryan Meyer, Rachael Odhiambo, and Nadija Rizvanovic; and eighth-graders Jeffrey Au, Grace Ederer, Hanna Lanz, and Lucy Vogt.

“Fuel Up to Play 60 is in nearly 73,000 schools across the nation to teach our youth the importance of eating healthy and being physically active, and do it in a way that is fun and motivating,” says Melissa Young, director of health and wellness for Midwest Dairy Council. “Student teams participating in the training camp serve as role models for their peers.”

Students in attendance participated in a variety of nutrition and physical activity sessions including: HOPSports Brain Break activities, nutrition education stations with a healthy lunch tray relay, and a YMCA instructor-led Fuel Up to Play 60 fitness class. They also participated in interactive discussions with a Rams dietitian and trainer. In addition, the students heard a keynote presentation from Rams’ kicker, #4 Greg Zuerlein, on how healthy eating and staying active helped prepare him for a career in the NFL.

The week of May 20-24 is an A week.

Dear Rogers Middle School Parents and Students,

The results of our Spring Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) indicate that our students made tremendous gains in their literacy skills through the year. Current research indicates that reading over the summer months can prevent students from regressing. In order to encourage students to keep up their reading habits over the summer, we have established the Summer Reading Club here at Rogers Middle School.

Students are to read grade-level and age-appropriate books and keep a record of their reading on the enclosed form. Students who participate will earn a variety of incentives.

Read 3 books – earn a “free pass” – such as a free homework pass, hall pass, tardy pass, first in lunch line pass, etc. The students will be able to choose.

Read 6 books – earn an invitation to a picnic lunch provided by RMS. Students will be invited to enjoy a picnic on the field and basketball courts, complete with games and an entire lunch period to enjoy. Students will also receive the “free pass” in addition to the picnic lunch.

Read 10 books – the ultimate goal – earn a Cougar Pride t-shirt. Students who read 10 books can show their pride while wearing an exclusive Summer Reading Club t-shirt. They also receive the picnic lunch and free pass.

Students are to keep a record of their reading on the RMS Summer Reading Club progress log which is included. These logs must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to school the first week of school in August.  Students will be recognized and given their incentives shortly after school begins. The date of the picnic lunch will be determined at that time.

A recommended reading list of Young Adult Literature is also included, along with other reputable sites for recommended reading lists. Most of these books can be checked out from the city or county library, or purchased at local bookstores in the metro area.

We appreciate your support and encouragement of this program at Rogers. Have a safe and enjoyable summer. Happy reading!

Recommended Reading List 13

Summer Reading Log

Sincerely,

Jeff Remelius, RMS Principal

The Missouri Association of College Admission Counseling (MOACAC) has named Mary Carpenter, college counselor at Affton High School, the 2013 recipient of the Peggy Clinton Memorial Service Award, their highest honor.

Founded in 1984, the Peggy Clinton Memorial Service Award program honors high school and college counselors who have shown amazing qualities in supporting the students and their schools.

“Over her career, Mary has shown amazing strength and endurance in working with and helping the students of Affton,” said Dr. Sue Jackson, principal at Affton High School. “We couldn’t be more proud of her, and grateful that she is able to work with our students every day.”

Carpenter has served as a counselor at Affton High School for 27 years; the last two as college counselor.

“As a long-standing member of MOACAC, I am so honored to have been selected for this award,” said Carpenter. “We work hard so that every student has a post-secondary plan in place. I hope my students know that they are all worthy; the student in the floor-laying program at South County Tech is just as important to me as the student matriculating to a selective college.”

About The Peggy Clinton Memorial Service Award

Peggy Clinton epitomized the role of the true admission professional. Some of those qualities include being detail-focused and caring for the well-being of the students with whom she worked; she had a sense of humor and style. She was an active member of MOACAC and worked during the 60’s and 70’s for William Woods College. Peggy was respected, admired and loved by all.

In 1981, she was stricken by a stroke before a national fair and died soon afterward. In her memory, the Peggy Clinton Memorial Service Award was created. This award is bestowed upon an admission professional who exemplifies the qualities that made Peggy so special.

]]> http://www.affton.k12.mo.us/2013/05/10/moacac-bestows-highest-honor-on-mary-carpenter/feed/ 0 http://www.affton.k12.mo.us/2013/05/09/new-principals-named-at-gotsch-intermediate-and-mesnier-primary/ http://www.affton.k12.mo.us/2013/05/09/new-principals-named-at-gotsch-intermediate-and-mesnier-primary/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 20:27:17 +0000 Erica Chandler http://www.affton.k12.mo.us/?p=17703

On Tues., May 7, the Affton School District Board of Education approved Dr. Christine Powers (pictured at left) as principal of Gotsch Intermediate School and Tina Been (pictured at right) as interim principal of Mesnier Primary School. Both changes will be effective July 1 for the 2013-2014 school year.

“Both Christine and Tina have a strong record of success in our schools and with our students,” said Dr. Steve Brotherton, superintendent. “We are excited about the leadership in these schools and within the district, and are looking forward to continuing to move in a positive direction.”

Powers has served as principal at Mesnier Primary since 2011, and prior to coming to Affton, she served as an associate principal, instructional, and classroom teacher at University City. She began her elementary teaching experience in Wellston in 2001, and worked for the Missouri Reading Initiative.

Been has served as assistant principal at Mesnier Primary since 2011, and at Northview Elementary in the Jennings School District prior. She began her elementary teaching experience in the St. Louis Public School system in 1997, followed by serving as a mathematics coach and instructional specialist at Northview Elementary for six years.

Also effective July 1, Brian Smith, current principal of Gotsch Intermediate, will begin serving as assistant principal for Mesnier Primary, and Rose Davis will continue serving as assistant principal of Gotsch Intermediate.