Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Many teachers and students dressed as pirates to celebrate Rockwood Reading Week.
Rockwood students found the treasure in books and had fun doing it last week during Rockwood Reading Week. Activities to build excitement for reading included a new program, Read Across Rockwood, which enables classrooms across the district to engage in literacy activities together using video conferencing technology. Some of these activities include sharing book reviews, illustrations and poems, performing skits and puppet shows, and participating in book discussions. “This experience will help make reading more meaningful for students as we use technology to connect students from different classes across the district,” said Elaine McKenna, instructional technology specialist, in a news release from the district. “It’s also a great way…
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Funds to be used for enhanced music, reading, leadership and multimedia programs.
During the 2011-2012 grant cycle, the Rockwood Schools Foundation awarded 10 grants totaling more than $17,000 to teachers throughout the district. Teachers and administrators had the opportunity to apply for matching grants, innovative grants or community partnership grants to pay for creative programs in classrooms. The 2011-2012 grant winners include: Emilee Kellerman at Kellison Elementary School received a $1,000 matching grant titled, "Rock Stars." This grant helps provide materials for students to learn to compose music and play guitars in grades 3-5. Adam Gabris, Debbie Odlum and Jason Neal at LaSalle Springs Middle School received a $5,000 community partnership grant titled, "The Green Club." The grant will be used to fund …
Monday, July 11, 2011
Brian Gentz has served in the Rockwood School District for 17 years.
Brian Gentz has been named as the new principal at Kellison Elementary School, 126 Hawkins Road, Fenton. Gentz has served in several capacities in the Rockwood School District including as principal at Eureka Elementary for the last six years. He also was as an administrative intern at Ballwin and Wild Horse elementary schools for four years, a Summer Academy principal for three years and a teacher at Woerther Elementary for four years. Gentz has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, a master’s degree in educational administration from Lindenwood University and a specialist degree from Missouri Baptist University. Gentz replaces Tracy Edwards, who has accepted a job in another district.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Parents are upset that the Rockwood School District suddenly decided to eliminate the popular drug abuse resistance program.
Rockwood School District fifth graders will no longer be dared to graduate from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. Rockwood officials have ended the district's nearly 25 years of participation in the national program. The news shocked and surprised many parents. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug- and violence-free lives. Locally, the program has been implemented during the fifth grade of elementary school, serving as a rites of passage for that important milestone year in students' education. D.A.R.E. programs are taught in the Fenton area in the Kellison, Uthoff Valley, Stanton, …
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Students and families from Kellison Elementary supported the school by dining out.
The Fenton Culver's was crowded for a Tuesday this week, and all you had to do was look behind the counter to see why. Students from Kellison Elementary helped serve up the food for the evening to friends and family as a part of the PTOs Restaurant Night fundraiser. Check out the gallery for pictures of all the tasty fun.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A banquet is planned May 1 to recognize those in the Rockwood School District who have made a difference in the lives of children.
It was like a Publisher's Clearinghouse prize patrol as representatives of the Rockwood School District ROSE Award committee went from school to school to recognize the winners of the district's top honor for those who have shown excellence of character, performance, leadership and service to the schools. The 15 award winners, who were presented with balloons and flowers by the ROSE Award committee co-chairs, will be honored at a banquet May 1 at the Doubletree Hotel, Westport. The award recipients were selected by a 17-member committee from among 209 nominees. The ROSE Award winners are: Also at the ROSE Awards ceremony, Rockwood will recognize the recently named 2011 Teachers of the Year from all of the district's schools. They are: At …
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Amy Wiedemann’s first-grade class learns about the presidents in style.
The Kellison Elementary students in Amy Wiedemann’s first-grade class love history, and it’s no surprise. A recipient of a "History Matters!" federal grant, Wiedmann teaches her class with flair. While playing American history-themed computer games, making colonial hats, playing with Civil War toy soldiers and dressing up in powdered wigs, students in this class on presidents and symbols are having fun learning.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Bowles, Kellison and Uthoff Valley elementary schools named as 2011 Missouri Schools of Character.
The Character Education Partnership has named seven elementary schools in the Rockwood School District, including three in the Fenton area, as a 2011 Missouri Schools of Character. The schools are: “Rockwood has amazing schools, amazing staff and amazing students. We are excited for our schools to receive recognition for their outstanding work in character education and school climate,” said Roxanna Mechem, director of assessment and school climate, in a district press release. Mechem said the winning state schools will be considered for the National Schools of Character award. According to Mechem, Missouri is one of 30 states to present State Schools of Character (SSOC) awards. The awards recognize the level of excellence schools and …
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Parents will register at the elementary school their child will attend.
The Rockwood School District has set Feb. 2-3 for parents to enroll their children for kindergaten for the 2011-12 school year. Children must be five years old before Aug. 1, 2011 to be eligible to begin kindergarten in the fall. The dates and times of kindergarten enrollment at Rockwood's elementary schools in Fenton are: Rockwood offers full- and half-day kindergarten programs. For more information about which school new students will attend and the materials required for enrollment, visit the Rockwood Kindergarten Web page.
Bill McKenzie
9:17 pm on Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Unfortunately there is plentiful research proving that DARE has failed. Children who took the program show no greater resistance to drug use than children who did not take the program. Here is an article from "TIME magazine about this failure: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,99564,00.html. We need a plan B. I have several children. My two oldest have used drugs and were DARE … more ›