St. Louis Public Schools still has both its Special Administrative Board (SAB) and an elected school board.
It still has a contentious relationship between SAB and Teachers Local 420, which has sent its members back to work without a contract and with concerns about how well the administration is prepared for the number of students returning to school.
And it still faces a budget crisis that could lead to millions of dollars in cutbacks.
But the district does have some positive developments as the close of the first week of school approaches.
First, Monday’s first day of school, like school board meetings over the past year, was quiet.
Second, a number of elected officials have joined the Surrounding Our Schools with Care campaign, which was established by state Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford in 2007.
She announced on Monday that City aldermen and other community members have joined the effort as SOS Care “grows and changes to meet the needs of our children.”
“Together we’ll do what we can to surround the schools we represent with community support during the 2008-09 school year,” she said.
State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed said many members of the city delegation continue to be active with SLPS. One of her own commitments is “In It To Win It” Fresh Start, a program aimed at reaching dropouts and helping them to graduate and succeed.
Nasheed and Sean Nichols, “In It To Win It” director, said about 300 dropouts have been reached through the program.
Mary Armstrong, president of Teachers Local 420, said “it was a good start” to the school year, despite concerns that extend beyond the lack of a negotiated agreement.
She is concerned that the district will be able to meet federal requirement for certified staff, given the number of displaced staff in-district, as well as quality teachers leaving for “surrounding districts with more stability and better pay.”
