Opinion: 'Common Core' Spells Trouble For Rockwood Schools

Chris Howard is a GOP State Committeeman from West County.

Pay Increase Approved for Rockwood Teachers

The district has approved a re-negotiated contract with its teachers union that guarantees salary increase above 3 percent each year for the next three years.

Classroom educators at Rockwood are receiving a bump in pay after the district’s board of education and teachers union inked a new contract Thursday night. The new agreement re-defines an existing contract set to expire after the end of the 2014 school year and then extends it for a further two years. Teachers had previously been scheduled to receive a raise of 2.75 percent for 2013-14, but that has been increased to 3.76 percent (including salary steps). The following years will see similar levels with a 3.74 percent bump for 2014-15 and 3.03 percent for 2015-16. The raises are based on a salary schedule with several factors, including years of experience, education level and a cost-of-living adjustment. Rockwood National Education …

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Rockwood Interviews Candidates for Interim Superintendent Position

The school board conducting the interviews during a closed session on Monday and hope to have the interim spot filled by July 1.

The Rockwood School Board is on track to name an interim superintendent by July 1 who will oversee district operations while the search for current Superintendent Bruce Borcher’s permanent replacement is conducted. Borchers has accepted a contract to helm the Oak Ridge School District in Tennesse, and his last day at Rockwood will be June 7. On Monday, the board met in a closed session to interview candidates for the interim appointment, which will likely last for one year, according to Chief Communications Officer Kim Cranston. “When a board decides to appoint an interim, it’s usually done fairly informally,” Cranston said. “The board is looking for an experienced, veteran superintendent.” When it comes to finding a permanent replacement…

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Teachers Honored for Saving Life of Eureka High School Student

Ethan Brocke collapsed during a gym class last week and went into sudden cardiac arrest.

Staff members at Eureka High School are being honored for taking quick action after a student went into cardiac arrest during a recent PE class. The Eureka Fire District and the Sudden Arrest Association presented teachers Gregg Cleveland and Jason Conley, along with Athletic Director Dr. Jason Green, Athletic Trainer Charlie Weir and Nurse Donna Vogel with awards during a school assembly May 8. The district said the recognition came in response to for their “heroic actions” in quickly and effectively performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator on senior Ethan Brock, who collapsed during a gym class last week. In addition the award, the teachers and staff received another surprise – a visit from Brock himself. KSDK …

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Lafayette Teacher Honored by Phillies First Baseman Ryan Howard

The Philadelphia slugger brought his favorite teacher, Paula Grana, out onto the field at Teacher Appreciation Night last week.

Lafayette High School physical education teacher Paula Grana received her call up to the big leauges last week.  It came from Philadpelphia Philies first baseman Ryan Howard, who wanted to honor her at the baseball team's Teacher Appreciation Night May 3. Howard said Grana was his favorite teacher when he attended the Wildwood high school, according to an article on MLB.com.  "She was a teacher who didn't allow us to do any less than what we were capable of," Howard said. "She never let us slack off, because she believed that we each had the potential for greatness and she wanted that to come out." You can watch Grana take the field with Howard and hear more of what he had to say in the video attached to this article.  Join Eureka-Wildwood…

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Rockwood Re-Opens Negotiations on Teacher Salaries

The move came after a request by the teacher's union and concerns the salary schedule for the 2013-14 school year.

The Rockwood School District’s administrators may not be the only employees receiving a raise after the school board voted on April 25 to re-open negotiations with the district’s teachers union. The vote occurred in closed session and, according to Chief Communications Officer Kim Cranston, came at the request of the Rockwood National Education Association (RNEA). The request pertains to the salary schedule section of the current collective bargaining agreement, which is in place from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2014. RNEA President Suzanne Dotta said they asked to re-open salary talks after the district said it would end the year with far more in its reserves than it had previously been estimated. According to the RNEA's website, it's …

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Board Member Cites Deficit Concerns in Opposition to Administrative Raises

Newly elected in April, Jeff Morrell said he doesn't want to worsen the district's budget gap by "stepping on the gas."

Eureka Senior Takes First Place in Congressional Art Competition

Lindsay Weinrich's artwork will be on display in the nation's capital for one year.

Eureka High School Senior Lindsey Weinrich will have her art work displayed at the U.S. Capital Building in Washington, D.C this fall after taking first place in the 2013 Congressional Art Competition. Weinrich’s piece, entitled “Working Man,” emerged on top out of 55 entries from 17 area high schools. It will hang in the capital building for one year and represent Missouri’s 2nd district, which covers St. Louis, St. Charles and Lincoln counties. “Lindsey is an outstanding artist and individual,” said her teacher, Diane Bashirian, in a press release from the Rockwood School District. “Any teacher who knows her would describe her as sweet, responsible, hardworking kind and polite. It’s wonderful for her achievements in the arts to receive …

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