Student Services

Every morning as we wake up, thousands of children in Missouri wake up homeless. Education can play a significant role in meeting the needs of homeless children and youth, providing an environment that supports their physical, social, and emotional growth. By providing children, youth and their families with resources and support to achieve stability and the confidence for success in school, homeless education programs have significantly improved the odds that today’s homeless children do not have to be tomorrow’s homeless adults. Contact the District Homeless Coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Patterson at 636-851-4076. 

Educational Stability

New requirements under Title I of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, highlight the need to provide educational stability for children in foster care, with particular emphasis on collaboration between SEAs, LEAs, and child welfare agencies to ensure that students in foster care have the opportunity to achieve at the same high levels as their peers. These provisions emphasize the importance of limiting educational disruption by keeping children who move in foster care (due to entering the foster care system or changing placements) in their schools of origin, unless it is determined to be in their best interest to change schools. These provisions also ensure that, if it is not in their best interest to remain in their schools of origin, children in foster care are enrolled in their new schools without delay. In implementing these provisions, SEAs, LEAs, and child welfare agencies must ensure compliance with other applicable laws, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), among others. Taken in totality, these provisions promote greater stability for children in foster care so that they can continue their education without disruption, maintain important relationships with peers and adults, and have the opportunity to achieve college- and career-readiness. The Francis Howell School District has designated Dr. Jennifer Patterson, 636-851-4076, as the Foster Care Liaison. 

School of origin is defined as the school in which a child is enrolled at the time of placement in foster care.  School districts and Children’s Division must ensure that a child in foster care enrolls or remains in his or her school of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest. (ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(E)(i)). If a child’s foster care placement changes, the school of origin would then be considered the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of the placement change. 

Certain factors should be considered when determining if it is in a child’s best interest to remain in his or her school of origin, the Foster Care Liaisons between the two districts, the Children’s Division case manger, foster parents, biological parents (if applicable), juvenile officer, etc. takes into consideration all factors relating to a child’s best interest.

These factors include the appropriateness of the current educational setting and proximity of placement. Though the specific factors may vary depending on context, in order to make a holistic and well-informed determination, a variety of student-centered factors should be considered. These factors may include:

• Preferences of the child;
• Preferences of the child's parent(s) or education decision maker(s);
• The child's attachment to the school, including meaningful relationships with staff and peers;
• Placement of the child's sibling(s);
• Influence of the school climate on the child, including safety;
• The availability and quality of the services in the school to meet the child's educational and socio-emotional needs;
• History of school transfers and how they have impacted the child;
• How the length of the commute would impact the child, based on the child's developmental stage;
• Whether the child is a student with a disability under the IDEA who is receiving special education or related aids and services and, if so, the availability of those required services in a school other than the school of origin; and
• Whether the child is an EL and is receiving language services, and, if so, the availability of those required services in a school other than the school of origin, consistent with Title VI and the EEOA.

Transportation costs should not be considered when determining a child’s best interest.

All students and children currently enrolled in the eighth grade and younger must be accompanied and directly supervised by an adult to be admitted to or remain at the event.

Youth spectators as described above will not be admitted to the stadium without a designated adult. Any youth spectators without a designated adult will be held outside the stadium until a parent/guardian comes to pick them up or accompany them into the game.

Accompanying adults are asked to maintain active supervision of those youth spectators for which they have assumed responsibility for the entire contest. Any youth spectators found to be without adult supervision will be returned to the adult(s) that brought them to the event. If the adult(s) are unable to be found, the student will be escorted from the stadium until a responsible adult arrives to pick them up. There is no re-entry once a spectator leaves an event.

2022-23 School Year

• Social Distancing is encouraged in the bleachers and while standing throughout the stadium.
• Stadium bleachers will be cleared marked to designated spaces for seating.

Sportsmanship/Cheering Expectations

For the enjoyment of all, the following expectations for fans, players, and students will be enforced:

• No student seating on the front row of the bleachers. No standing on the floor
• Continuous standing in designated areas only
• No profanity or implied profanity allowed
• No disrespectful chants including personal remarks directed at players and officials
• No singling out players by number or name on posters, signs, or chants
• No disrespectful behaviors to other fans, players, or cheerleaders
• Cheerleaders will not cross over half-court in basketball games
• Sportsmanship Banners will be displayed at all schools and appropriate expectations will be explained during public service announcements
• Cheer for your own team – Not against the other team!

Pre-Game Activities

• Must be school organized and approved
• No coolers
• Faculty members (coaches, sponsors, or administrators) must do all cooking unless it is provided by an outside source (vendor, food trucks, etc.)
• Must be in a designated area set up by the Administration

Dress Code at Outside Events

Since a major part of Education-based-athletics is that we are an extension of the classroom, students will not be allowed to attend games without proper attire, students cannot be shirtless (males) or in sports bras (females) to wear body paint. Face paint is allowed as long as the student’s identity is recognizable.