West Newsmagazine 12-14-16

20 I SCHOOLS I
December 14, 2016
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
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BY BONNIE KRUEGER
Emerson Excellence
in Teaching awards
One hundred local educators were honored
at the 2016 Emerson Excellence in
Teaching Awards. Recipients were selected
by their schools’ administration to honor
their accomplishments and steadfast
dedication to the teaching profession. The
ceremony and reception, where recipients
received engraved Tiffany & Co. crystal
apple boxes, were held at the Ritz-Carlton
on Sunday, Nov. 13.
Local recipients include Jessica King,
Visitation Academy; Adam White, Barat
Academy; Christina Berwin, Chesterfield
Day School; Kim Hackman, Living Water
Academy; Eve Diel, Parkway North ; Angela
Lolley, Parkway Southwest Middle; Sasha
Walchli, Green Trails Elementary; Sue Johnson,
Bellerive Elementary; Jennifer Bettis,
Rockwood Valley Middle; Jody Fowler,
Kehrs Mill Elementary; Elaine McKenna,
Rockwood Summit; Aubrea Grunstad, Valley
Park Elementary; Scott VonderBruegge,
Westminster Christian Academy; Jessica
Senne, Maryville University; and Kelly
Leavitt, Missouri Baptist University.
“Emerson is proud to honor the most
dedicated educators in the St. Louis area
who are striving to create bright futures for
all of their students,” said Executive Vice
President Patrick J. Sly. “We are delighted
to support these smart, talented men and
women who are an inspiration both inside
and outside the classroom.”
The Excellence in Teaching Awards
program began in 1989 and is sponsored
annually by Emerson, a global technology
and engineering leader headquartered in
St. Louis. Emerson and its Charitable Trust
fund the Excellence in Teaching and Gold
Star Grant programs. Under its Charitable
Trust, the company donated $9.5 million to
more than 590 education programs, schools
and scholarship recipients globally for the
year ending September 2016.
Principia introduces
REVolutionary course
At Principia Middle, the entire student
body is revved up about REV, a new program
that involves every learner from sixth
Jacki Ripson with Geggie Elementary students
through eighth grade.
In explaining the concept to parents at a
recent performance showcasing students’
skills and creativity, one eighth-grader said,
“REV is a revolutionary idea involving
revolving classes that reveal revelations in
student thinking.”
Basically, over the course of an academic
year, all students revolve through
each of three trimester-long, multi-grade
classes in art, drumming circle and drama/
improv, Principia officials explained in a
press release. Most recently, students in
drum circle have learned to make music
on plastic buckets as well as traditional
African djembe drums; the improv/drama
students have practiced what it means to
have a “Yes, and ...” mindset as they take
ideas and build on them in fast-paced, witty
sketches during improv; and the art group
developed creative costuming and insights
about urban life and landscapes.
Faculty said they see the REV experience
helping to achieve a range of objectives
that positively impact both student
learning and the educational environment.
Specifically, Principal Kimiko Ott said
REV helps students increase their appreciation
and respect for diversity and difference;
develop the ability to listen with
purpose and intent; and engage thoughtfully
and confidently in their education.
21st century sandbox
teaches topography
Why settle for sandcastles when you can
build mountains? Using a new, augmentedreality
sandbox, Parkway students soon
will create mountains or islands.
“It is wonderful for learning about topography
and land forms,” said Bill Bass, Parkway
innovation coordinator for instructional
technology, information and library media.
The sandbox helps students turn flat topographical
maps into dynamic, 3-D spaces.
“Students can move their hands over the
sand to make it rain and see how the water
flows down the sides of hills,” explained
Bass. “They can see the relationship
between sea level and mountains.”
The sandbox will be available soon for
Parkway teachers to use through school
libraries. Demand is strong already among
science, geography and business teachers.
Ameren rewards
Rockwood for saving energy
During its Dec. 1 Board of Education
meeting, Rockwood School District was
recognized for participating in Ameren
Missouri’s Biz Savers Program.
Page Selby, of Ameren’s business and
community relations department, presented
a check to the district for $35,593.19,
for various schools’ heating/ventilation/air
conditioning controls and energy management
systems projects, replacing previous
inefficient equipment.
Marquette High received $4,294.43
after saving 61,349 kilowatt hours [kWh]
of energy. The Center for Creative Learning
earned $7,660 for saving 95,750
kWh. Stanton Elementary received $565
for saving 7,369 kWh. LaSalle Springs
Middle received $203.76 for saving 2,547
kWh. Rockwood Summit High earned
$12,203.60 for saving 152,545 kWh and
Selvidge Middle received $10,666.40 for
saving 133.330 kWh.
Selby said those projects saved a total of
452,890 kWh. An average home uses about
10,000 kWh annually, so those energy savings
are equivalent to the average annual
usage of 45 homes, she said.
”Rockwood School District continues to
be a great partner with Ameren in STEM