Nov. 21, 2024

Personnel

The Board approved the retirement of three administrators, all effective June 30, 2025:

• Dr. Dan Gieseler, principal at Westridge Elementary, will retire after 25 years in Rockwood.
• Mitch Lefkowitz, activities director at Rockwood Summit High, will retire after 30 years in Rockwood.
• Nicholle Simmons, assistant principal at Ridge Meadows Elementary, will retire after 18 years in Rockwood.

Superintendent Comments

In his Superintendent Comments at the Nov. 21, 2024, Board of Education meeting, Dr. Curtis Cain shared the following updates:

• A number of Rockwood elementary and middle schools earned recognition in U.S. News & World Report's newest edition of Best K-8 Schools rankings. The publication published numerical rankings and data on more than 47,000 elementary schools and more than 23,000 public middle schools from around the country. Chesterfield, Kehrs Mill and Wild Horse elementary are ranked in the top 2 percent, and Crestview, Wildwood and Rockwood Valley middle are ranked among the top 4.5 percent of schools at their level in Missouri that were assigned a numerical ranking.
• Westridge Elementary fifth-grade teacher Molly Clince, Eureka High Spanish teacher Jenni Highfill and Westridge special education teacher Sarah Studie have been named 2024 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award recipients. The three Rockwood educators are among more than 100 teachers from across St. Louis who are being recognized this year through the Emerson program as examples of truly outstanding educational excellence.
• More than 30 members of the Rockwood community took part in our second five-year strategic plan community engagement meeting Nov. 12 at Eureka High. The meeting, on the theme of "Fiscal Responsibility," included information and discussion about topics such as the district's budgeting process and how facilities projects are prioritized.
• Congratulations to this year's 10 recipients of the Rockwood Cornerstone Award, celebrating the outstanding support staff members who serve our students and staff. These exceptional staff members were chosen by the Cornerstone Committee from a pool of more than 100 nominees from around the district. Students, staff and community members helped celebrate them during a Cornerstone patrol on Nov. 13 and 14. Watch some scenes from last week’s awards patrol.

To view Dr. Cain's entire Superintendent Comments from the meeting, click here.

Patron Comments

There were no patron comments at last night's meeting.

Board Discussion

Review of Dec. 5, 2024 Board of Education Meeting Date - Board members and Cabinet members reviewed the Dec. 5, 2024 Board of Education meeting date. View the planning calendar.

**For full meeting details, please visit BoardDocs.**