Shannon McMurray, third grade teacher at Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy, engages students in a classroom discussion on the first day of school in the International Building, at 1509 Washington in the downtown Loft District.
St. Louis' First Elementary School in Downtown Opens
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), September 4, 2003 - Several hundred students were welcomed to the first day of school, September 4, at Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy, located in the historic International Building at 1509 Washington Avenue.
The Academy, originally located in the 4000 block of Goodfellow, encompasses 26,000 square feet of space on the 7th and 8th floors of the recently renovated high-rise building in St. Louis' downtown Loft District. The space features central air-conditioning, wall-to-wall carpeting and refinished original flooring.
Principal D'Anne Tombs-Shelton noted that the Academy is St. Louis' first downtown elementary school. "It is a charter school with free tuition and transportation. We serve students K through 5 from the City of St. Louis."
"The Omicron Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority had an idea to open a school in the downtown area. They met with the owners of this building, Sam Glasser and Dave Jump, and the vision became a reality," stated Tombs-Shelton.
According to school officials, students will have a tremendous advantage over other area pupils attending public schools. The location will provide students with first-hand experiences of business, government, sports and culture from classrooms featuring unique views of the downtown business district.
"There are no special qualifications for students other than living in the City of St. Louis and being able to prove it," said Tombs-Shelton.
Responding to a question, Tombs-Shelton stated that "Parents who do not wish to have their children in the St. Louis public schools - if they live in the City of St. Louis - can come here. The monies that the state has to spend on each child comes into this charter school. Charter schools just give you an option to public education."
"As a charter school, the Academy is sponsored by Harris Stowe State College," continued Tombs-Shelton. "We have 11 classrooms with 2 classrooms at every grade level except for fifth grade, where I have only one. I have two Title I teachers, a special school district teacher, a speech teacher and an occupational therapist."
When asked about parents keeping their kids home in protest of the recent actions of the St. Louis School Board, Tombs-Shelton stated emphatically, "Oh no. Children come first all the time. They are first here at our school and I hope at some point all children are first in our country."
For more information about enrollment, call 314-436-1345.
The new Mel Carnahan School, located at 4041 South Broadway, will open on Monday, September 8.
Carnahan Middle School to Open in Dutchtown
by Betty Magrath, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), September 5, 2003 - As workers scrambled to finish construction on the new Carnahan Middle School, located at 4041 South Broadway in Dutchtown, teachers and staff prepared for the first day of school on Monday, September 8.
In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Principal Shirley Kaczmarski spoke enthusiastically about the new school. "This is a neighborhood school that will serve nearly 530 children, grades 6 - 8, from the surrounding area and other students who are being transferred from other public schools depending on their needs."
Kaczmarski said the school will have 25 full-time teachers, a special education teacher, ESOL teacher and a literacy coach in addition to ancillary staff. "I've spent the last few days with these teachers and I must say that I am so impressed with this group. Students are their business," she said.
"The school district is very focused on students being proficient in reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking," emphasized Kaczmarski.
"We are wired for the Internet," stated Kaczmarski. "Every teacher will have a computer at his or her desk and all classrooms will have at least five computers. In addition, students will receive 6 weeks of intensive computer instruction outside the classroom." There are two full-time computer labs and one half-time lab for the students. The new school also features a full-size gym with a stage and pullout bleacher seats.
Kaczmarski proudly noted that she is a product of the St. Louis Public School system and has over 16 years of experience as a middle school teacher in the Kirkwood, Brentwood, Wentzville and Decatur, Illinois school districts. After a short stint at UMSL training students to be teachers, she jumped at the opportunity to return to the classroom teaching middle school. "I missed my 'little people'. I just wanted to be back in school where I can make a difference in the lives of these kids."
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Thousands of Parents Attend Back to School Family Festival at Vashon High School
