As our 8th graders are contemplating what high school will be the best fit for the next part of their educational journey, I often find myself asking them what they would like to do with their life. If that isn’t a heavy question, one that often has students looking at me with a blank look on their face, then I don’t know what is. How many of you knew at 14 years old exactly what you wanted to do when you “grew up”? I’ve come to realize that I am asking the wrong question. I should be asking, “What are you passionate about?”

The answers to this question could shed light on what would spark curiosity and sustain engagement in our children. While characteristics such as strong values, talent, ambition, intellect, discipline, and perseverance all contribute to career success, following your passion can often make the biggest difference of all.

In order to fully understand why discovering one's passion is so important we must first define success. Some individuals define success as it relates to wealth and/or fame but true success that satisfies isn't really about either of those things. Success is better defined as an achievement of a purpose. For many individuals, success means being proud of their achievements and being part of something that matters. This is particularly true when it comes to meaningful work. If an individual decides to follow their passion, they are more likely to have traditional successes, such as money, due to the enthusiasm they have for their work.

If passion is present, people tend to be more resilient when they are faced with conflicts. When people are truly passionate about their work, and not just in it for the money, they tend to have a positive outlook and have the ability to effectively problem solve. We also see that the more passionate someone is about their job, the more inclined they are to work on self-improvement, which increases their chances of success.

Many of our kids may find that they don’t know how to answer this question (what are you passionate about?). In order to get them to think about what ignites passion within them, here are some questions to push their thinking…

• What excites you?

• What is something you love doing so much you can’t wait to do it again tomorrow?

• What’s something that brings you joy?

Together we can support and encourage our children to lead a life that is full of passion so that they are truly successful. Moving forward, I will be asking students, “How can I best support you as you discover what you are truly passionate about in life”?

Kindly,

Kim

314.645.9600 (607)~kwright@premiercharterschool.org

Meet Your 6th Grade Teachers

Hello, I’m Jenny Schuth and I will be teaching Literacy. I have grown up here in St. Louis but went away for college at Harding in Arkansas. I got my BA in Business Admin and Education and my Masters in Middle School education with an emphasis in Language arts and Social Studies. When I am not teaching you can find me walking my dog, hiking, camping or reading! I spend a lot of time with my friends and family as well. You can reach me at jschuth@premiercharterschool.org and/or ext 404.

Hey, I’m Breanna Rose, and I will be teaching Social Studies. I was raised all around the country, mostly in Texas and Oregon. I went for my undergraduate degree in History from Concordia University-Irvine, California. I graduated in May with a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Educational Technology from Ball State University in Indiana. I came out to St. Louis and have been here for eight years now! I have taught for eight years and this is my third at PCS. I am so excited to share my passion for history with your students! In my free time, I love to visit any and all National Park sites with my husband, sew, and play with my fun-loving dog Bob. You can reach me at brose@premiercharterschool.org and/or ext. 405.

Hi! I’m Madison Orozco, and I will be teaching Social Studies. I am 26 years old and grew up in Nashville, TN. I completed my undergraduate studies at Pomona College in Claremont, California, where I got my BA in International Relations. I am currently working towards my Master’s Degree in Education at UMSL. After graduation, I moved to and fell in love with St. Louis, where I worked as a community organizer at ArchCity Defenders before eventually landing here at PCS. This is my 2nd year teaching and also my 2nd year PCS. I live in the city (right by school!) and have two adorable cats named Peter Fox and Tuco. I LOVE being outside - going on hikes, reading books/drawing in the park, playing sports, pretty much anything. I also love watching tv/movies and can accidentally binge a whole season in a day. You can reach me at morozco@premiercharterschool.org or ext 405.

Hello, I’m Anna More and I will be teaching Science. I grew up in St. Louis, MO and attended Webster University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in education. This is my 3rd year at PCS, but 10th year teaching! I love helping my students realize that science is all around them, whether or not they plan on pursuing a career in science. When I am not at school you can find me spending time with my husband, our two children, our cat, and our dog. We enjoy cooking and taking family walks together. I am looking forward to a fantastic school year! You can reach me at amore@premiercharterschool.org and/or ext. 406.

Hello, I’m Lauren Mudge, the 6th Grade Writing Workshop Teacher.

I’ve been teaching since 2013 as a high school English teacher and Instructional Technology Coach in the Edwardsville School District. Previously, I completed teaching immersion experiences in various districts in central Illinois and the city of Chicago. I also taught conversational English to middle school students in Beijing and Changchun City, China, during the summer of 2012. This year, I’m a Writing Workshop teacher at PCS. I earned my BA Ed. in Secondary English Education from Millikin University and a MA Ed. in Curriculum Design and Instruction from McKendree University. I’m only a few classes away from finishing my Administration Certification at SIUE, and in October, I’ll be completing my 200-hr Yoga and SEL certification through the organization Breathe for Change. When I’m not at school, you can find me outside gardening, going for long walks, hanging out at a book store or comic shop, or spending time with my pets. I also hang out with my friends and family, especially my grandma! I’m excited to be here with a great team of people and students for the 2022-2023 school year. You can reach me at lmudge@premiercharterschool.org ext. 403.

Hello, I’m Renee Amoroso, the 6th Math Teacher.

I grew up in Lake of the Ozarks and moved to St. Louis in 2011 where I attended UMSL. After graduating in 2015, I started teaching for St. Louis Public Schools. After 6 years and obtaining my Master’s in Educational Leadership, I decided to join the PCS family. I’ve specialized in mathematics and truly enjoy helping students see their true potential as young mathematicians. I also serve as one of the volleyball coaches. Outside of school you may find me strolling around Tower Grove Park on a Saturday morning with my husband and son. We live in South City with our dog, Ollie, and two cats, Trick & Treat. I truly enjoy hiking and traveling to new places and eating good food. I’m thrilled to be here and looking forward to a great school year. You can reach me at ramoroso@premiercharterschool.org or ext. 402

Cheerleading Tryouts!

CALLING ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS!!

It’s time to kick off the season with tryouts just around the corner.

Coach Brandt & Coach Rice are so excited and they can’t wait for a fun and memorable season! Any girl in grade 6th-8th can try out for the team!

Tryouts are next Monday 9/19 & Wednesday 9/21 from 3:45-4:45pm. Please fill out the tryout sign-up form by visiting the link: https://forms.gle/8NupSvVdVXtHxGWq6

Message from Nurse Wilson…

#KnowBeforeYouGo

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year PCS family! I am so excited and honored to take care of your students this year! The beginning of the year is very busy and full of action items in my office! So, here we go!

Immunizations- Please send in a copy of your student(s) shot record if they are new to our school and have not been uploaded yet, or your student received new immunizations over the summer! I am accepting covid vaccination records if you have them! They are NOT required, but allows me to put in a complete shot record for your student(s). September 15 th is the deadline to turn in required shot records to me.

Action Plans- Please send in an updated copy of action plans for your students if they have food allergies, asthma, seizures, diabetes, sickle cell disease or any other chronic disease process that requires additional

steps in care! They must be updated each year! Lastly, while we are transition to Fall, this is the time to be thinking and talking with your child’s physician about seasonal allergy management and annual Flu Vaccinations (if your student normally receives them)! #ComingSoon #WhatsOnTap

Asthma, Seizure and Diabetic small groups for students! I will host small groups towards the end of October! These groups will meet and discuss key items specific to that chronic illness! The goal is to empower our students to take control of and learn how to manage their health! Mercy Health will be partnering with me for additional tools and content for our students!

Your Healthcare Partner,

Nurse Wilson

Reminders:

Meal Application…

Please take a minute to watch this video about meal applications. If you fill the form out by September 16th you will be eligible for the gift card lottery.

Upcoming Dates: