2018-19 News Archive

Hannah Scharfenberg and her daughter hold bus safety competition awards
FHSD Bus Driver Hannah Scharfenberg - A Champion of Bus Safety
Posted on 08/07/2019
While the FHSD transportation Department is new this year, what’s not new is the dedication and skill of many of the bus drivers. For Hannah Scharfenberg, driving a bus is more than just a job. It’s a mission to keep students safe during the commute to school. Each year, she participates in safety bus competitions to continue her growth as a driver. In June she won the 2019 State School Bus Safety Competition hosted by the Missouri Association for Pupil Transportation. As state champion, she earned the right to compete in the Annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition hosted by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) where she placed fifth in the nation.  Read more about FHSD Bus Driver Hannah Scharfenberg - A Champion of Bus Safety
FHSD school bus
FHSD Bus Transportation Update
Posted on 08/01/2019
The FHSD Transportation Department wants to take this opportunity to remind our parents about some of the changes with our new Francis Howell buses. New routing software will assign pick up/drop off locations for students that comply with the state guidelines. This includes ensuring that bus stops are at least 500 ft. apart, the minimum recommended distance to activate warning lights. This year we are creating more neighborhood bus stops instead of specific house stops. This also means FHSD buses may not be traveling up and down every street in every neighborhood, especially for secondary students. In order to make our routes as efficient as possible, we are encouraging parents to inform their school office if they do not need school bus transportation.  Read more about FHSD Bus Transportation Update
Middle school student uses the color spectrum to make music during App Camp
FHSD Middle School Students Create Mobile Apps
Posted on 07/16/2019
To close out a successful 2019 Summer School camp schedule, the middle school App Camp students adventured through the world of coding and app development. The students completed a variety of tasks throughout the camp to learn how to code. By the end of the week, they had the opportunity to create an application of their own that could be published on the Google Play Store.  Read more about FHSD Middle School Students Create Mobile Apps
Middle School students design a roller coaster during STEM Camp
FHSD Middle School Students Step into STEM
Posted on 06/14/2019
More than 250 FHSD middle school students took a break from eating snow cones and riding bikes this summer to participate in this year’s STEM Camp at Saeger Middle School. The week-long camps provide students with hands-on activities that explore STEM subjects and professions in new and creative ways.  Read more about FHSD Middle School Students Step into STEM
What Happens in FHSD Over the Summer?
What Happens in FHSD Over the Summer
Posted on 06/11/2019
This summer FHSD has a record 3,750 students participating in 14 different summer school programs in 16 different buildings, but that’s not all! In addition to the 375 staff members running the summer programs, other District employees are preparing for the 2019-20 school year. “It’s a common misconception that our District is closed during the summer months,” said FHSD Superintendent Dr. Mary Hendricks-Harris. “But in reality, it is a busy time for many of our staff, even those who are not at school year-round. We never stop working to ensure that our students receive a top-notch education during the school year.”  Read more about What Happens in FHSD Over the Summer
Students loading FHSD bus
Bus Transportation Update
Posted on 06/10/2019
Over the summer, the District will be continuing its work of bringing bus transportation in-house for the 2019-20 school year. FHSD employees from several departments are collaborating with the new transportation department and working to get everything in place for the switch on July 8. This transition date will mean the last two weeks of summer school transportation will actually be provided using Francis Howell’s new buses. This will also give the District the opportunity to get the new fleet into service before the start of the regular school year on August 8.  Read more about Bus Transportation Update
Middle School students participate in DNA separation experiment
Biomedical Science Camp Finds the Cure
Posted on 06/07/2019
Summer has officially started in FHSD and so have our summer camps and programs! In the Middle School Biomedical Science Camp students started off their week learning about viruses, bacteria, and big outbreaks of different diseases. From there, they transformed into real scientists exploring how they can potentially cure genetic diseases by looking at DNA and genes.  Read more about Biomedical Science Camp Finds the Cure
Matt Van Horn
Saeger’s Matt Van Horn Chosen as Mount Vernon Life Guard Teaching Fellow
Posted on 05/16/2019
​ George Washington’s Mount Vernon has selected Saeger Middle School social studies teacher Matt Van Horn for a residential fellowship at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington. Van Horn is one of five teachers selected for this opportunity to enhance their 18th-century knowledge, explore different teaching techniques, and create educational resources that meet 21st century classroom needs.  Read more about Saeger’s Matt Van Horn Chosen as Mount Vernon Life Guard Teaching Fellow
FHSD Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week
FHSD Celebrates Teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week
Posted on 05/06/2019
Teachers deliver so much to students—inspiration, knowledge, and motivation. They play a pivotal role in our children’s lives, inspiring a lifelong love of learning and discovery and making a difference in their well-being and long-term success. Join us in showing our thanks and appreciation to our dedicated educators during Teacher Appreciation week, May 6-10, 2019.  Read more about FHSD Celebrates Teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week
Middle School band practice
Guest Clinicians Visit with FHSD Middle School Bands and Choirs
Posted on 04/23/2019
This spring, middle school music students and teachers in FHSD had the opportunity to work with and learn from a variety of decorated guest clinicians. These talented visitors traveled the District working with students and directors in their own schools on fundamental skills and music they were preparing for concerts.  Read more about Guest Clinicians Visit with FHSD Middle School Bands and Choirs
Take the Community Relations Survey
2019 Community Relations Survey
Posted on 04/16/2019
The Francis Howell School District is seeking feedback from our stakeholders on the annual Community Relations Survey. This is an opportunity for community members to provide input on the efforts of the District to involve citizens in decision-making, report plans and progress, and respond to the concerns of citizens. The survey only has seven questions, and can be completed in just a few minutes.  Read more about 2019 Community Relations Survey
FHSD students are honored by the Board of Education for their performance in the Braille Challenge
FHSD Students Excel in Regional Braille Challenge
Posted on 04/12/2019
Four students from FHSD who are blind or visually impaired were recently honored for their performance in the Braille Challenge regional competition. Tyler Groves, a sixth grader at Saeger Middle and Luke McKeon, a fourth grader at Warren Elementary, both captured a first-place finish. FHC sophomore Claire Wright and Warren fourth grader Olivia Wright both received Honorable Mention.  Read more about FHSD Students Excel in Regional Braille Challenge
Howell of Fame Recipients Announced
2019 Howell of Fame
Posted on 04/04/2019
The Francis Howell School District is excited to announce the recipients of the 2019 Howell of Fame Awards, which celebrate the outstanding achievements of volunteers and staff. This year’s 14 recipients will be honored at the annual Howell of Fame Awards ceremony on Monday, May 6, along with 2019 District Retirees, District Teacher of the Year, Teachers of the Year from each building, District Support Staff Employee of the Year, and Support Staff Employee of the Year from each building.  Read more about 2019 Howell of Fame
Occupational Therapists Making the Impossible, Possible
FHSD Recognizes Occupational Therapists for Making the Impossible, Possible
Posted on 04/01/2019
April is Occupational Therapy month, and the Francis Howell School District is taking this opportunity to say thank you to all of the occupational therapists (OT) employed by the District. Not only do they support students, but parents, teachers, and administrators in making the impossible, possible.  Read more about FHSD Recognizes Occupational Therapists for Making the Impossible, Possible
Top readers are recognized for their participation in the Word UP Challenge
Saeger Middle School Wins Word UP Challenge MVP Award
Posted on 03/28/2019
The students at Saeger Middle School have spent the past six months adventuring through stories, hurdling over difficult words, and reading their way to the back covers of many, many books. As part of the school’s reading goal and the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) Reading Counts! Word UP Challenge, the students were encouraged to read four books each quarter, a total of sixteen books for the year. The challenge tracked the number of words read by the students from early September to mid-February. The more words, the more points they earned for their school. This year, the Saeger students read a total of 9,799,356 words earning them the MVP Award – the second place prize for the Word UP Challenge!  Read more about Saeger Middle School Wins Word UP Challenge MVP Award
Jason Kuhn with the FHSD Board of Education
Student Spotlight – Saeger Middle School’s Jason Kuhn Represents Students at the March Board Meeting
Posted on 03/15/2019
The FHSD Board of Education welcomed Saeger Middle School student Jason Kuhn as the student representative for the March Board Meeting. Kuhn, an eighth grader at Saeger, has only been in the Francis Howell School District since the beginning of the school year, but this outstanding student has already made quite the impact.  Read more about Student Spotlight – Saeger Middle School’s Jason Kuhn Represents Students at the March Board Meeting
Rachael Wilcox stands with Dr. Mary Hendricks-Harris and Principal Emily Pavia
Independence Teacher Rachael Wilcox Named 2019 FHSD Teacher of the Year
Posted on 02/27/2019
The Francis Howell School District is proud to announce that Rachael Wilcox, a first grade teacher at Independence Elementary School, has been selected as the 2019 FHSD Teacher of the Year. Her goal, simply stated, is to inspire students both personally and academically. Wilcox feels her most important contribution is building relationships with her students.  Read more about Independence Teacher Rachael Wilcox Named 2019 FHSD Teacher of the Year
Lisha Ewing stands with Dr. Mary Hendricks-Harris, Mark Delaney, and FHU community members
Francis Howell Union ESC Lisha Ewing Selected as 2019 FHSD Support Staff Employee of the Year
Posted on 02/26/2019
The Francis Howell School District is proud to announce that Lisha Ewing, Educational Support Counselor at Francis Howell Union, has been selected as the 2019 FHSD Support Staff Employee of the Year. Ewing has distinguished herself as a dedicated employee by continually going above and beyond to support her school community.  Read more about Francis Howell Union ESC Lisha Ewing Selected as 2019 FHSD Support Staff Employee of the Year
Worley group photo with studens in the background
Dr. Kandy Worley Named MoASSP Middle School Principal of the Year
Posted on 02/13/2019
Behind every great school is a caring principal. A principal who not only supports the school’s success, but also fosters good character, builds relationships, encourages collaboration, and instills a love of learning. Recognizing the outstanding work and example Dr. Kandy Worley sets for others, the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals (MoASSP) selected her as the 2019 Middle School Principal of the Year.  Read more about Dr. Kandy Worley Named MoASSP Middle School Principal of the Year
Student works with a robot
FHSD Celebrates Coding During “We Love to Code Month”
Posted on 02/04/2019
During the month of February, students across the District will be provided opportunities to participate in various coding activities as part of “We Love to Code” month. This is the fourth year FHSD has hosted a District-wide event focused on coding, but the first time the event has spanned an entire month.  Read more about FHSD Celebrates Coding During “We Love to Code Month”
Online Registration Open Jan. 15-24
Online Registration for Secondary Students to be held Jan. 15-24
Posted on 01/10/2019
The Francis Howell School District will hold online registration for the 2019-20 school year for secondary students beginning Jan. 15, at 8:00 AM. Registration will close on Jan. 24, at 5:00 PM.  Read more about Online Registration for Secondary Students to be held Jan. 15-24
FHHS students working in the lab
FHSD Named to Ninth Annual AP District Honor Roll
Posted on 12/14/2018
FHSD has been honored by the College Board with placement on the 9th Annual AP® District Honor Roll. FHSD is one of only five school districts in Missouri, and one of only 363 in North America, to achieve this distinction. To be included on the 9th Annual Honor Roll, the District had to increase the number of students participating in AP while also maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on an AP Exam. Reaching these goals indicates that FHSD is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are ready for Advanced Placement. This is the fifth time that FHSD has been named to the prestigious list.  Read more about FHSD Named to Ninth Annual AP District Honor Roll
FHSD Implements New Website Accessibility Monitoring System
FHSD Implements New Website Accessibility Monitoring System
Posted on 12/03/2018
FHSD strives to communicate effectively with all members of the community. To ensure that the District and all school and program websites are accessible to everyone, FHSD has implemented a new accessibility monitoring system. Monsido is an online scanner that tracks website accessibility compliance as outlined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The tool highlights occurrences in the website that are non-compliant with these industry standards and provides guidelines on how to rectify them.  Read more about FHSD Implements New Website Accessibility Monitoring System
Students load a school bus
FHSD to Bring School Bus Transportation In-House for 2019-20
Posted on 11/16/2018
School bus transportation is typically the second biggest expenditure for school districts after salary and benefits. FHSD has used First Student (and its predecessor Laidlaw) to provide student transportation services for the District since 1999. The 2018-19 school year is the final year of the most recent two-year contract extension.  Read more about FHSD to Bring School Bus Transportation In-House for 2019-20
FHSD Veterans Day Events
FHSD Celebrates Veterans Day
Posted on 11/05/2018
In honor of Veterans Day and in appreciation for the men and women who have served our country, FHSD schools will participate in a variety of events to recognize our heroes. A list of the activities occurring throughout the District can be found below:  Read more about FHSD Celebrates Veterans Day
Infinite Campus Changing to Campus Parent and Campus Student
Infinite Campus Changing to Campus Parent and Campus Student
Posted on 11/05/2018
Providing easy access to your student’s information is a top priority for FHSD. Class schedules, assignments, attendance, course registration, report cards, and transcripts are all accessed through Infinite Campus, the District’s student information system. Infinite Campus is undergoing some upgrades to improve communication and enhance the user experience for parents and students.  Read more about Infinite Campus Changing to Campus Parent and Campus Student
National Physical Therapy Month
FHSD Celebrates National Physical Therapy Month in October
Posted on 10/03/2018
School-based physical therapy involves dynamic collaboration with students, staff, and parents to ensure that every student is able to successfully navigate the school environment and effectively learn, socialize, and play. At FHSD, this includes assessing all areas where a student might interact during the school day – bus, classroom, hallways, playgrounds, gymnasiums, and lunch rooms – to ensure that the student can be as independent as possible in their functional mobility.  Read more about FHSD Celebrates National Physical Therapy Month in October
FHSD Transportation Audit Image
FHSD Transportation Audit
Posted on 08/16/2018
School bus transportation for students in the Francis Howell School District has been provided by First Student since 1985. While this partnership has served the transportation needs of FHSD well for more than 30 years, the District recently commissioned an analysis to proactively examine the efficiency of the operation and to verify current service levels to determine if there are any opportunities for improvement.  Read more about FHSD Transportation Audit
What's New for 2018-19?
What's New for the 2018-19 School year
Posted on 08/01/2018
The start of the 2018-19 school year is just around the corner! Parents and guardians planning for the new school year need to make sure children are up-to-date on their immunizations.  Read more about What's New for the 2018-19 School year
Hiring: Industrial Technology Teacher
Hiring: Industrial Technology Teacher
Posted on 08/01/2018
FHSD is currently seeking candidates for an Industrial Technology Teacher one year position at Saeger Middle School.  Read more about Hiring: Industrial Technology Teacher
Sign-up for SchoolMessenger Text Messages
Sign-up for SchoolMessenger Text Messages
Posted on 07/19/2018
FHSD and all schools in the District use a variety of communication channels to share important school information with parents/guardians. FHSD uses the SchoolMessenger Notification System to provide timely communication to parents about emergencies, weather related closures, attendance, and other messages that are closely related to the mission of our schools.  Read more about Sign-up for SchoolMessenger Text Messages
Peachjar Electronic Flyers
Peachjar Electronic Flyers
Posted on 07/19/2018
Francis Howell School District is always looking for ways to save taxpayer dollars and still improve convenience for parents and students. Both goals are achieved with the Peachjar flyer distribution system. FHSD delivers school information and approved flyers from community organizations electronically through Peachjar. These eflyers are emailed directly to you, and can also be viewed by clicking the Peachjar button on the home page of your school’s website.  Read more about Peachjar Electronic Flyers
Add Immunizations to Your Back to School Checklist
Add Immunizations to Your Back to School Checklist
Posted on 07/19/2018
The start of the 2018-19 school year is just around the corner! Parents and guardians planning for the new school year need to make sure children are up-to-date on their immunizations.  Read more about Add Immunizations to Your Back to School Checklist
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