See what we have been up to during the month of September.

What We’ve Been Up To

• Executive Director Anna-Stacia Allen spoke with Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools, Kelvin Adams, on the latest episode of the Navigate STL Schools podcast. In the episode, Dr. Adams sits down with Staci to discuss the future of Saint Louis public schools with collaboration at the forefront and how they will allocate COVID relief funds to address inequality in the district.
• Navigate staff are closely following developments around the passage of House Bill 349. The law creates the “Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program,” which grants residents tax credits if they donate to certain educational assistance organizations. The educational organizations will then be able to grant the money to individual students and their families – prioritizing low-income students and students with special needs – to be used to supplement their educational options and resources. Check out the full story on our blog, and keep an eye out for updates as they come.
• The Navigate STL Schools team had a blast participating in The Taste of Black St. Louis Sept. 10-12 at the STL City Foundry. Navigators and staff enjoyed meeting with families all weekend and sharing what we offer – the music, food, and crafts were a welcomed bonus! 

Save the Date

• Oct. 1: Many applications for the 2022-23 school year will open on October 1. Now’s the time to start getting your materials together so you can get everything in on time. Get FREE support from a Navigator with determining your school priorities and understanding the application processes of your top schools by making an appointment today. Find more resources on applications and enrollment on the Navigate STL Schools website.
• Oct. 2-3: Navigate STL Schools is excited to be part of the 2021 Hispanic Festival as a sponsor and vendor! Come see us at the Knights of Columbus, 50 St Francois St, Florissant, MO 63031. The Hispanic Festival will be bringing back their famous live music, entertainment, food, art, drinks, FUN and laughter! 

Navigator Spotlight

• This month, we’re spotlighting our Bilingual Navigator, Maria! Maria does such great work for our team and we are so proud of the work she does for our community. Schedule your FREE School Navigator Appointment with Maria today!
• “I’m Maria and I’m the bilingual navigator because my family has been in the same situation as the families we help. I know first hand the struggles of facing a language barrier that’s why I’m passionate about the work I do. We’re able to help families understand their options clearly in their language, and I am able to connect with them in a way that makes them feel more comfortable. As a navigator I love helping families understand how the school system works, how schools can better support them, and empowering families as they advocate for their children.”

Connect With Us

• Set up a FREE appointment with a Navigator for support in determining your top choices and understanding the application processes for your choice schools. 
• Create a parent profile on our website to save your top schools and gather key information for your applications and stay up-to-date on deadlines and other important information.
• Keep an eye on our community event calendar to see what we’re up to next.
• Forward this newsletter to a friend or family member who could use support in finding their best-fit school, or in making their current school work better for them. We love to see our community grow!

Have more questions? Reach out to Mayra Garcia Hernandez, Director of Family and School Support. You can email her at mgarcia-hernandez@navigatestlschools.org, call her at 314.398.1073, or schedule a meeting with her via Calendly.