District Highlights

Hazelwood School District students, staff excel during 2008-2009 school year.

The Hazelwood School District has experienced a successful school year. Here are few of the highlights:

The U.S. Department of Education selected the District as the sole Missouri district to receive a Federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students program grant, a $6 million grant to be used to support efforts in creating safe learning environments.
The St. Louis Minority Business Council selected the Hazelwood School District as the 2008 Institution of the Year for the District’s success in working with minority-and-women-owned businesses through its supplier diversity program. The Institution of the Year award is the “most coveted and prestigious award presented to a corporation by the SLMBC.”
Through Project Lead the Way®, high school students in the Hazelwood School District have a unique opportunity to learn about biomedical sciences and the possibilities of careers in biological sciences, emergency services, healthcare and medicine. There are only four high schools in the state of Missouri with the PLTW biomedical program; three are Hazelwood schools – Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West.
AT&T Inc. awarded a grant to support HSD and its Project Lead the Way program. The AT&T Aspire Grant of $85,000 was presented to the St. Louis Community College Foundation, working on behalf of the District. The grant will support efforts at high school retention and preparing students for engineering and technology related programs in post-secondary education, as well as provide enhanced instruction to improve math and reading skills. The District is one of 170 schools and non-profit organizations in the country to receive $12 million in competitive grants from AT&T.
In 2008, both the Hazelwood Central and Hazelwood East high school varsity football teams won a state championship title. The Hazelwood Central High School girls’ varsity basketball team placed third in the state, and several Hazelwood wrestlers placed at the state level.
North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice honored the Hazelwood Board of Education for its efforts to promote racial harmony and justice in the school district.
The Missouri Association of School Administrators named Superintendent Dr. Chris L. Wright the Missouri Superintendent of the Year for 2009. Dr. Wright received a commemorative ring, as well as a $500 scholarship for a HSD student. She represented Missouri at the national level. North County Incorporated has also awarded Dr. Wright with the 2009 Elmer Belsha Leadership Award. The award is presented annually to an individual whose long-term commitment to the North County region and NCI has had a positive impact on the community and/or public body that they serve.
Fifty-eight Hazelwood School District students from seven schools are this year’s Gateway West Young Achievers. Part of Young Achievers International, this local chapter features students in fifth through 10th grades who are positive role models, successful achievers in a variety of academic areas, good citizens in their schools and community and competent scholars with good attendance records. Students may be nominated for the program by their school counselors, teachers, administrators or parents.
HSD has engaged our community in an effort that has provided support to add full-day kindergarten at all elementary schools and build four new middle schools. This support has also made it possible to make facility improvements to 19 elementary schools, add a new library at Hazelwood Central High School and build new space for the Central Early Childhood and GALACTIC gifted programs.