Dear Colleagues,
Let me be one of the first to say, “WELCOME BACK"" or just "WELCOME" whatever the case may be. Seems like just yesterday that school was letting out for the summer, but now we are starting the 2025-2026 school year.
As always, I must acknowledge how humbled and honored I am to serve as your President. I am so proud of each and every one of you for your dedication and the professionalism you show each and every day to make this district successful by educating and supporting students.
This coming Tuesday, the Missouri state auditor will release his report on SLPS in the areas of budgetary, hiring, and procurement practices. No matter what the report says, it has nothing to do with the outstanding work you do each and every day.
Just so you know, Local 420 is 110% on board when it comes to SLPS being In It to Win It! The “It” is the competition for what appears to be a decreasing population of Pre K-12 students in the City of St. Louis. In this competitive environment we must be proactive in our approach to achieve the maximum number of students in all available classrooms from the first day of the school year. Students in seats and ready to learn equates to money in the bank for the district and job security for all employees .
We cannot relinquish student enrollment to those who have produced inferior results. Mind you, our competitors are out there right now aggressively recruiting students for non-public schools, especially in areas rocked by the May 16th tornado.
In case you have not noticed, we have nearly three whole days for room preparation on the calendar. These days provide us with a unique opportunity to be proactive in reaching for maximum attendance.
Therefore, I am asking teachers to contact by phone the parent/caregiver of each of their students twice before the first day of school. If you are not a teacher, reach out and volunteer to help a teacher. (Sample script below)
Like you, 420's goal is to have a record attendance year from the first day! Afterall, we're all, In It to Win It!!!
Sincerely,
Ray Cummings, President
AFT St. Louis, Local-420