Seniors at Hazelwood Central High School and Hazelwood West High School recently agreed to their futures as college athletes and signed letters of intent to play college sports.
At Hazelwood Central High School, seven students signed letters of intent:
- Darius Adams, football, Missouri Valley College
- Kamron Crayton, football, Missouri Valley College
- Kylie Malveaux, basketball, Lewis & Clark Community College
- Ramone Minner, football, Missouri Valley College
- Melvin Morrow, football, Truman State University
- Tyler Schiller, football, Missouri Valley College
- David Simmons, football, Lindenwood University.
At Hazelwood West High School, nine students signed letters of intent:
- Will Donegan, basketball, Central Methodist University
- Rachael Harris, soccer, St. Charles Community College
- John Hoemeyer, soccer, Culver Stockton University
- Jamie Lawrence, soccer, Webster University
- Missy Long, lacrosse, volleyball, Fontbonne University
- Akaylah Mitchell, basketball, Lewis & Clark Community College
- Brittany Monroe, lacrosse, Missouri State University
- Shane Olmsted, baseball, Greenville College
- Kriss Ross, soccer, Webster University
New standards for educator preparation
As Missouri’s new standards for educator preparation take effect, several changes are ahead for students working to obtain teacher certification.
The standards, approved by the State Board of Education in November 2012, include new assessments being phased in over the next two years for prospective teachers as well as guidance counselors, librarians and school administrators.
The assessments are part of the new Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA) program, a comprehensive approach for assessing the preparation of educators in Missouri.
The MEGA program assessments include:
- Missouri General Education Assessment: This test for admission into undergraduate professional education programs at Missouri colleges and universities includes sections on English language arts, writing, mathematics, science and social science. The assessment is set to begin September 2013 and will replace the current College BASE (CBASE) test.
- Missouri Educator Profile (MEP): This new assessment is designed to measure a person’s aptitude for working in the field of education. The MEP will begin in September 2013 and will assess the characteristics of individuals pursuing certification as a teacher, counselor, librarian, principal or superintendent.
- Content Specialty and Pedagogy Assessments: These exit exams must be completed by prospective educators, including teachers, counselors, librarians, principals and superintendents, for all areas of certification they are seeking. The assessments are aligned with state and national standards and will begin in September 2014. They will replace the current Praxis test.
- Missouri Standards-Based Performance Assessments: These new assessments for prospective teachers, counselors, librarians, principals and superintendents will measure their performance in content, coursework and clinical experiences, including internships and student teaching. The assessments will begin in September 2014.
Other new requirements for educator certification in Missouri include:
- Grade point average: Higher grade point averages (GPA) will be required for educator certification, including a 2.75 cumulative GPA in college coursework, a 3.0 GPA in professional education classes, and a 3.0 GPA in content classes related to the certification a person is seeking.
More information about educator preparation can found at .
New animal welfare assistant certificate program
St. Louis Community College’s Continuing Education office has teamed with the Animal Protective Association of Missouri, Humane Society of Missouri, and St. Louis County Animal Care & Control to develop a new animal welfare assistant certificate program beginning this fall.
This program will prepare students for volunteer and paid employment as animal welfare assistants working with shelter and rescue organizations, veterinary offices, and other professionals involved in animal welfare, healthcare and management.
The program is open to students age 16 and older. It consists of six classes that introduce students to a variety of opportunities with animal welfare agencies and supporting organizations, as well as various considerations of care and handling of animals, including prevention measures and spay/neuter. Classes may be taken individually, as well as part of the certificate program. Those who successfully complete the coursework and earn a certificate may receive priority employment by the sponsoring agencies.
Hispanic Chamber Foundation awards scholarships
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce St. Louis Foundation in conjunction with Gonzalez Companies Charitable Foundation awarded two St. Louis students , Belkis Mata and Cristian Palomar, each with $3,000 scholarships for the 2013-2014 school year.
Scholarships are allotted for Hispanic and non-Hispanic minority students pursuing an undergraduate degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, (STEM), within the St. Louis region.
“Our goal is to invest in the future of the community by assisting aspiring students pursue a degree in the STEM field,” said Karlos Ramirez, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Education is the cornerstone of success and we are very fortunate to have community partnerships like those with Gonzalez Companies Charitable Foundation that allow us to support the higher education goals of local students.”
Scholarship recipient Belkis Mata will be continuing her degree in finance at St. Louis University. Cristian Palomar will be attending the University of Missouri St. Louis, pursuing a degree in Engineering. University of Missouri St Louis Chancellor, Thomas George, has agreed to match Palomar’s $3,000 scholarship.
