Confluence Connections Newsletter Fall 2012

7/31/2019 Confluence Connections Newsletter Fall 2012

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veryone enjoys wearingnew clothes. Whether forschool or work or fun,

wearing new clothes makes adifference in how you look andin how you feel.

Even a new school uniform canchange your outlook. Just askthe University of Junior

Academy (UJA) students atConfluence Academy-OldNorth. This school year, theiruniforms have a distinctive look white oxford shirts with a logo,royal blue ties, khaki bottomsand black dress shoes.

The idea behind the new lookis to give our scholars a morecareer-directed look, saidSonya Murray, principal, andStanley Johnson, in-schoolsuspension teacher.

We believe students shoulddress for the success theystrive for each day.

Murray and Johnson said thestudents love the new lookbecause they are nowdistinguished from the K-5grades and have a growingpride about being middleschool scholars.

Many parents have said thestudents look distinguishedand important.

The idea was developed lastschool year by a team of staffand students at Old North.

They wanted a way to provideUJA an identity. Theydeveloped a proposal and gavea presentation to the Board ofDirectors of ConfluenceCharter Schools.

The Board wholeheartedlysupported the process andprovided funding toward thepurchase of one shirt for eachstudent in UJA. We areextremely grateful to the Boardfor their continuous support ofschool initiatives, said Murray.

This is a pilot year for theprogram. To help the studentsand families, the Boardcovered the cost of the firstoxford shirt and logo.

The impact of the new uniformis noticeable in academicsand attitudes.

Students have been observedbeing more engaged in lessonsand understand the importance

of their achievement as it relatesto their future careers. Thebehavior has been much morein line with our Positive BehaviorSupport expectations. Studentsseem to be much morerespectful and responsible, saidMurray and Johnson.

Many students learned how totie a tie for the first time.Several students now carrybriefcase-style bags, adaptingto the expectations for respectand pride.

The grace of our young ladiesand the pride in our young menmakes this whole experienceworthwhile. Words cannotexpress the sense of pride thestudents have with the newlook, and the new expectationsat our middle school.

Many parents have thankedthe school for taking a stancein helping to create a newculture and standard whileputting a focus on a positivefuture for their children. We arecertain that the new look andsense of pride in our studentswill cultivate higherexpectations and performance.

UJA uniform program boosts prideConfluence Academy-Old North

UJA students

at Confluence

Academy-Old

North look

sharp in their

new uniforms

CONFLUENCECONNECTIONS

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New school year to beone of changemission and vision focuson academic excellence

I am very happy to welcome back our

returning families and I extend a hearty

welcome to families who are new to

Confluence Charter Schools.

With the school year well underway, we

hope that you and your children have

settled into your back-to-school

routines. The 2012-2013 school year will

be one of CHANGE. We hope youve

noticed our spruced up campuses, new

school logo, new website and our

simplified mission and vision statements.

Our Board of Directors appreciate that

you have selected Confluence Charter

Schools from the many school options.

We plan for your children to have aproductive year. As a parent, you can

help. In this newsletter, we have

provided tips on reading with your child

at home, and helping your child in other

ways at home. This year, we will have

parent connection meetings which will

provide additional information to support

your children. For families with students

in grades 3-8, I hope you will take

advantage of our free after-school

homework and tutoring programs, as

well as Saturday tutoring sessions.

We are focused on meeting the individual

academic needs of our children,

identifying their skill gaps and providing

both remediation and enrichment. Please

help us by making sure students get to

school on time and have a good nights

rest so they are ready and eager to learn.

Create a quiet area for them to work on

their assignments and encourage them to

read at least 15-20 minutes each evening.

Ask your child about what he or she is

learning, what skills they are working on,

and most importantly, what progress theyare making on their learning plans.

Remember to encourage your child

to succeed!

Lastly, I would like to encourage each of

our Confluence parents and guardians to

become actively involved in our schools.

You can support school events, join the

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and

attend parent-teacher conferences. You

are also welcome to attend our Board of

Directors meetings. Most meetings are in

the morning, but we do have some

evening meetings, so I hope you have a

chance to join us. Upcoming meeting

dates are included in the newsletter.

With the support of our parents, the

dedication of our teachers, staff, board,

sponsors and hard work from our

children, we will have the student

academic growth and personal

development we strive for.

Sonya G. HenryChairman

Confluence Academy Board

CHAIRMANSLETTER

Mission Statement

Confluence Charter Schools provides the highest quality

public education for our students. Every day, students are

engaged and encouraged to excel in reading, math, science,

technology, visual arts and performing arts.

Vision Statement

Confluence Charter Schools will provide a world-classpublic education to prepare our students for success in

college, career and life.

Board of Directors Meeting Dates

Thursday, October 18, 5:30 p.m.Walnut Park Campus5421 Thekla Ave.

Friday, November 16, 8:00 a.m.Grand Center Arts Academy711 North Grand Blvd.

Friday, December 14, 8:00 a.m.South City Campus

3112 Meramec St.

Friday, January 18, 8:00 a.m.Old North Campus3017 N. 13th St.


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Enrollment updatesome openings remain

Dear Confluence families,

On behalf of the District Resource Office,

I would like to thank our parents and

families for their help during the

enrollment season.Thanks to yoursupport and referrals, we had a

successful enrollmentfor fall 2012.We still have a few spaces available at

some of our campuses. We appreciate

your continued support and referrals.Ifyou are interested in helping your

students campus with recruitment,

please feel free to send me an email at

[email protected]. I will

help you get connected with the

recruitment specialist at the campus

level.Additionally, if you would like moreinformation on which grade levels areopen for enrollment at each campus, I

can help.

John Klein, District Resource Office

Family is the foundationchief academic officertalks about theimportance of parentaland adult support

One of the key cornerstones of

Confluence Charter Schools is making

connections with parents and family

members in support of each childs

education. Other Confluence

cornerstones include: providing a

positive learning culture in our schools,

customized instruction to meet the

needs of each child and building our

teachers capacity in developing effective

instructional measures. It is essential for

all cornerstones to work together to set

the foundation for student success.

We look to parents and families for

helpful background information about

our students to assist in reaching out to

their individual needs. Parents are

childrens first teachers, and role models,

and will always be essential in developing

a child to his or her greatest potential.

With the school and families working

together to build a Confluence Can Do

attitude in children, we can build on

success.

There are many challenges in our lives,

whether at home or at school. It is up to

the adults in the world to make sure our

children have a clear vision of what theirgoals are, strategies to achieve these

goals, staying on the right track, getting

help when needed, and celebrating every

victory along the way, however small it is,

for each and every one. Please support

your childs school in building

connections so we can best serve each

childs academic and social needs. You

can look forward to future connections

with your childs school to learn more

about your childs progress during parent-

teacher conferences and by monitoring

our parent portal.

We encourage parents to get involved in

their childs education and we will sharebest learning practices that you can use

at home. Together, we can make a

positive difference.

Sincerely,

Denise C. Jones

Chief Academic Officer

ACADEMICUPDATE

Parents are childrens first

teachers, and role models,

and will always be

essential in developing a

child to his or her greatest

potential.

Denise C. Jones

Third graders getting

the most out of a

Confluence education
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The right to votevoter registration atConfluence Prep

Students at Confluence Preparatory

Academy exercised their rights as future

voters. In early October, students who

are eligible to vote in the upcoming

election participated in a voter

registration event. It was organized byteachers Deanna Tamborelli and

Jennifer Luker.

A guest speaker talked to students about

the importance of voting and ballot

initiatives. She also shared her personal

experiences as a volunteer for political

campaigns. The power of voting,

regardless of who you vote for, is

important, she said.

Tamborelli encouraged the students to

think about the reasons why itsimportant to vote, and allowed students

to share aloud, if they felt comfortable.

John Troupe, 18, shared his thoughts

and the issues important to him. He

spoke firmly about education, and said

he watched the conventions for both

political parties. Other students spoke

up, too. Many of the issues were the

same public education, jobs, the war in

Iraq and health care.

Donetta Reece, 18, said she registered

to vote because its the right thing todo. She is researching her choice for the

president by watching TV, talking to her

mother, asking questions and talking to

teachers. I have the chance to vote, so

Im going to vote, she said.

QUICKTAKES

Hispanic heritagefestival events at SouthCity campus

Confluence Academy-South City will

recognize Hispanic Heritage month with a

celebration on October 16.

The Hispanic Heritage Festival will include

a living museum presented by third grade,a play by sixth grade, student displays

and activities and a potluck of Hispanic

food. Activities begin at 6:00 p.m. in the

Meramec building.

South Citys campus has about 360

students who speak Spanish as their

native language. There are many students

throughout Confluence Charter Schools

who speak Spanish as their native

language, too.

Carolyn Lammert, ELL teacher/building

coordinator, explained the importance ofrecognizing cultures.

With the understanding of other cultures,

students are able to be more productive,

sensitive, tolerant, and appreciative and

integrated into their diverse community.

For students of other cultures, knowing

that their culture and values are truly

valued by teachers and students makes

them feel part of the community, said

Lammert.

We will celebrate other cultures that are

represented in our school during second

semester with activities. Some of the

cultures are Somali, Vietnamese and

other Asian cultures.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is

celebrated from mid-September to mid-

October.

Music with a messageMusician visits GrandCenter Arts Academy

The sounds of live jazz filled the cafeteria

Students listened and watched, learning

something new, something different.

Terence Blanchard and his quintet

captivated students and teachers atGrand Center Arts Academy during an

hour-long visit on September 20.

Students were introduced to jazz, and to

Blanchards journeys through music.

Blanchard went to a music and arts high

school. He studied at Rutgers, and has

been touring as a jazz musician since he

was 19 years old.

He talked about improvisation in jazz, he

talked about the blues and he played a

musical game with the students.

After the performance, Blanchard invited

questions from students and teachers.

They asked about the instruments, how

long theyve been playing, and how they

keep up with each other. The drummer

explained that he is constantly adjusting

while performing, but that its not hard

because he knows the language of

music.

Blanchard made sure to share the

message of working hard and staying

focused. He said his success is a result

of hard work as a youth. I didnt know

where it would lead, but I can attribute

my success to my effort.

Whatever you do, do it to the best of

your ability, he said.

The visit to Grand Center Arts Academy

was in partnership with Jazz St. Louis.


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Davis assumes postinterim principal for Walnut Parkchosen

Confluence Academy-Walnut Park has a new interim principal.

Mary Leach Davis joined the Confluence family in September.She is a retired educator from the East St. Louis School District.She has 34 years of experience, serving 12 years as a principal.

She has a Bachelor of Arts from University of Illinois, a mastersdegree from National College of Education, and administrativecertification from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

I am very happy to have been appointed as the interim principal

at Confluence Academy-Walnut Park. I look forward to asuccessful school year, said Davis in a letter to families.

I have great expectations for student, staff and parentparticipation. As the year progresses, I anticipate we will makegreat strides!

Missouri S&T scholarsFive students awarded

Confluence Charter Schoolsawarded scholarships to fivestudents who attend Missouri

University of Science andTechnology.

The 2012-2013 recip ients of theRobert F. Henry Jr. Scholarshipinclude Cameron D. Boles,$5,000; DiamondWilliams,$5,000; Deron D. Johnson,$4,000; Jessica Harvey, $4,000and Britni Snow, $4,000. Thestudents will be honored at adinner in late October at theMissouri S&T campus.

Robert F. Henry Jr. was a founding

member of Confluence Academywho died in 2004. He graduatedfrom the University of Missouri-Rollain 1979 with a Bachelor of Sciencein chemical engineering. He earneda masters degree in constructionengineering from WashingtonUniversity in St. Louis in 1986. Hewas a founding member of Kappa

Alpha Psi Fraterni ty, Inc. at theRolla campus. As a professional, hewas the first African American tohold a leadership position as an

engineer in the City of St. Louis,President of the Board of PublicService. He is a graduate of CharlesE. Sumner High School.

Students who accept thescholarship must commit to an

internship with Confluence to workwith students. The paid internshiprequires working at least two weeksduring winter, spring or summerbreaks. Some students also tutor orassist during Confluences summerschool session.

To be elig ible for the scholarsh ip,applicants must be a senior at a St.Louis city or county high school orenrolled at Missouri S&T; major in ascience, technology, engineering ormath related field; secondaryeducation in a STEM field isacceptable; must be a permanentresident of the St. Louis area and aresident of the state of Missouri;have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 andmeet requirements for admission toMissouri S&T. Applications aremade available in November andare due in February. Amounts arepresented up to $5,000.

Since 2006-2007, the scholarshiphas been presented to 36 students,totaling more than $100,000.

New Walnut Park

Interim Principal

Mary Leach Davis

RECENTNEWS

Mark Your Calendars

October 12 - Professional Development, No Classes

October 17 - Parent College Computer Classes Begin

6 p.m. 8 p.m., CPA, 3rd floor Computer Lab

October 18 - Parent-Teacher Conferences4:00 8:00 p.m. Old North, South City, Walnut Park

3:15 7:00 p.m. Confluence Preparatory Academy

3:30 7:30 p.m. Grand Center Arts Academy

October 19 - Parent-Teacher Conferences, No Classes

8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.November 12 - Veterans Day

November 21-23 - Thanksgiving Holiday

December 20 - Professional Development, No Classes

December 21-January 1 - Winter Break

January 2, Professional Development, No Class


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Tips For

Parents

Helping

your child

succeed in

school

Expose your child, whatever his or her age, to a variety of cultural and educational experiences. Forexample, visit art museums, history museums, the zoo, science exhibits and community festivals. A broadrange of experiences helps children learn new material.

Encourage your child to ask questions What is that word? What does it mean? Challenge your childto add new words to his or her vocabulary every day. Help your child connect the words to his world toincrease understanding and retention.

Stay involved as your child gets older, and be sure to ask questions. Be sure to show up for your childrenThey may act like they dont want it, but your presence shows them that they are important to you. It alsoshows that education is important to their future.

Ask your child to teach you what he is learning. Teaching new material is the highest level of learning.

Organize for success. Designate a quiet spot in your home as a homework station. Keep pencils, paper,crayons and pens at home so your child can complete assignments.

Avoid last minute cramming. Spend a little time each day studying for tests or quizzes.

Be an advocate for your child. Make sure you are aware of important dates at school such as PTOmeetings, conferences and special events. Be aware of how and when the school will communicate withyou and stay involved.

Tips For

Parents

Reading at

Home: 10

Simple

Reading

Strategies

for Parents

Reading with children is a proven way to promote early literacy. As most parents know, however, it is notalways easy to make time each day for reading. By putting a few simple strategies into action, a parent can

make a significant contribution to their childs reading in as little as 20 minutes per day.

Here are a few ideas you can use when reading with your child at home:1. When reading a book with large print, point word by word as you read. This will help your child learn that

reading starts from the left and goes to the right. It will also help your child understand that the word hesays is the word he sees.

2. When you come to a new word, take the opportunity to talk about it in interesting ways that your child willenjoy and learn from. For example, This big house is called a palace. Who do you think lives in a palace?

3. Read a childs favorite book over and over again. This will provide positive reinforcement and your child wilgain confidence to successfully recognize words.

4. Choose stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat. Invite your child to join in on these parts.

5. Stop and ask questions about the pictures and about what is happening in the story.

6. Read a variety of childrens books such as fairy tales, song books, poetry books and information books.

7. Set aside special reading time and a special reading place. Setting a designated reading time helps inmany ways. It allows a parent to plan the day more effectively and to make time for reading. It also helpsthe child, especially a reluctant reader, to think of reading as a normal scheduled daily activity.

8. Read with emotion. Reading with emotion draws a child into the story in a way that is much morememorable and enjoyable. It also helps children understand how words can describe something.

9. Let your child turn the pages. Besides being enjoyable, it helps more active children stay focused on thebook.

10. Take your child to the public library to check out books. Most popular childrens books are available atthe local library. It is an affordable way to give your child access to a wide range of books. Taking your

child to the library also turns reading into a special occasion.

Confluence Charter

Schools

Walnut Park Campus

5421 Thekla Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63120

314-383-8900

Old North St. Louis Campus

3017 North 13th Street

St. Louis, MO 63107

314-241-1110

South City Campus

3112 Meramec Street

St. Louis, MO 63118

314-481-4700

Confluence Preparatory Academy

310 North 15th Street

St. Louis, MO 63103

314-588-1088

Grand Center Arts Academy

711 North Grand Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63103

314-533-1791

PA

RENTCONNECTION


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The best place to learn whats happening in our classrooms and in our schools are on our websites:

www.confluenceacademy.org and www.grandcenterartsacademy.org

Confluence Charter Schools are also on Facebook. Have you liked us yet? Are you a fan? Look for the official

page for your childs school and like us to keep up with whats new.

Confluence Preparatory Academy

Confluence Academy-Old North Campus

Confluence Academy-South City Campus

Grand Center Arts Academy

In early August, Confluence Charter Schools recognized

teachers and staff who have been with the District for five

years. Honorees received service pins and certificates at the

All Staff meeting, held at Confluence Preparatory Academy.

Emily Hileman, Kindergarten Teacher, Old NorthScott Mitchell, School Operation Manager, Old North

Samantha Snarzyk, 2nd Grade Teacher, Old North

Jennifer Susa, 3rd Grade Teacher, Old North

Jonathan Abbott, Dean of Students, Walnut Park

Shatiega Brown, Title I Tutor, Walnut Park

Angela Carpenter, Interim Principal, Walnut Park

Bernita Mitchell, 3rd Grade Teacher, Walnut Park

Rosemary Petruso, Technology Teacher, Walnut Park

Shannon Robins, Title I Tutor, Walnut Park

Loreal Vanderford, Title I Tutor, Walnut Park

Karen Walker, Kindergarten Teacher, Walnut Park

Ronnie Banks, Physical Education Teacher, South

Patricia Clarkin, Kindergarten Teacher, South CityLyndsey Derber, 7th/8th Grade Teacher, South Cit

Ciara Moore, Title I Tutor, South City

Deanna Noseff, Kindergarten Teacher, South City

Dion Edwards, School Operation Manager, CPA

Rene Hughes, Food Service Coordinator, Resource

Office

Five-year servicehonorees

NOTABLEEVENTS

Facebook,

web sites

get updates

Confluence getssocial


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Confluence Connections Newsletter Fall 2012

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