La Salle Middle School

LA SALLE MIDDLE SCHOOL MENU

La Salle Overview

La Salle Academic Performance

La Salle Operations and Finance

Sponsor Evaluation

The MU Office of Charter School Operations monitors school operations throughout the year and provides an annual statement regarding how well a school is complying with its stated charter goals.  These web pages provide information about the school, including

• Overview
• Academic Performance
• Governance and Operations

Based on this and information gathered in other monitoring activities our office conducts, we provide the adjoining Sponsor Statement.

Prior Years
Sponsor Statements

SY2017
SY2918‘
SY2019

La Salle Middle School  Sponsor Statement SY2019

School Year 2019 was a significant year for La Salle Middle School (LSMS).  The Head of School hired new teaching staff and administration—changing the organization of the school administration to include two Deans, one of Academics and one of Students. The change was an effort to create a strong focus in both areas. Both academics and culture have been a challenge for the school since transitioning from private to public. As a result, the school has less people that were there from the De La Salle time than before. The board has started work on the school’s renewal for 2020 and making plans for the future of the school. This report is structured by the expectations set forth in the Performance Contract with MU.  LSMS fulfills the expectations set forth in its charter in all areas except Academic Outcomes, where the outcomes are mixed.

• The governing board of LSMS has complied with federal and Missouri laws and regulation and requires the school personnel to do so as well. This year the board has started working on the renewal application. The application process was a significant move toward the board’s strategic planning for the next five years. The board worked closely with the Head of School to ensure goals were based on the school’s needs. The board also made a significant decision to change grade configuration served from 5-8 to 6-8 to better align with the elementary and middle school enrollment pattern in St. Louis.
• The board continues to work closely with De La Salle, Inc. foundation board. The two boards continue to have joint meetings during the year and work on ways to support each other’s efforts towards student success. The board partnered with MU Charter School Sponsorship to engage the school in a LEA evaluation with Swann Educational Solutions. The evaluation informed the renewal process and provided information for the Board and school leaders.
• The La Salle Middle School Board of Directors provides regular and detailed oversight of financial operations with monthly review and approval of detailed financial statements, The board reviews financials and checkbooks monthly, maintaining a 20.65% fund balance in 2019.
• The year brought a significant change in personnel and culture at La Salle. The Head of School hired a new Dean of Academic and a Dean of Students. Also, there were a notable number of new, experienced teachers. Changes in administration came with new expectations for teaching and learning and new expectations for students and parents.
• Based on last year’s scores and performance, LSMS was identified as a school needing Comprehensive Support based on DESE’s implementation of Missouri’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan criteria.
• LSMS continues to work with volunteers, community programs through De La Salle, and tutoring and partnerships with area schools. Students taking high school algebra are attending Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School for classes. There were 16 students this year accepted to tuition-based private schools, 1 accepted to Metro High School and others to Grand Center Arts Academy.
• The 2019 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) underwent further changes in reporting that prove challenging once again to fairly reporting assessment of academic outcomes and progress. This is the second year La Salle has an APR report. While Status is at the Floor for ELA, Math and Science, LaSalle is Exceeding Expectations for Improvement in all three subjects, and is On Track for Student Growth in both ELA and Math (Science does not have a Growth score). We expect to see even more improvement in School Year 2020 following the changes in administration, curriculum, and grade configuration implementing the school’s comprehensive improvement/accountability plan.

La Salle Middle School, formerly De La Salle Middle School, is a public charter school located in North St. Louis. La Salle is committed to transforming children and our community through innovative education. We work hard to educate the whole child. Students at La Salle are pushed to achieve excellence academically, nurture caring relationships, understand the need for service in the community and are shown the importance of respect for all.

Mission

Excellence in educational opportunity for all.

Vision

We are dedicated to transforming children and our community through innovative education.

Values

Care: We nurture loving relations which build whole person wellbeing.
Inclusivity: We embrace our differences. Every voice matters.
Community: We open our doors to our neighbors so all feel welcome.
Service: We are called to ask “How can I help?”
Justice: We see unfairness. We take responsibility to fix it.
Zeal: We feel unabashed enthusiasm for life, love, and learning.

Philosophy of Education

The staff of La Salle Middle School believes that the purpose of education is to create learning experiences that are liberating and empowering. This belief calls for the education of the whole person according to his or her developmental needs. Our students seek that empowered sense of self that comes from learning and testing new skills and goals in the presence of strong mentoring, support, and exposure to diverse role models.

We, in partnership with parents and guardians, believe that each student can excel in academics and in life regardless of environmental influences, socioeconomic status, or race/ethnic background.

La Salle Middle School sees its mission as giving due emphasis to the human, cultural and intellectual development of its students to prepare for success in high school, college, and the workplace.

Motto

“I am somebody.”

Leader Statement  (LaShanda Boone)

As Head of School, my ultimate goal is to facilitate a school environment that will provide the best possible academic instruction to meet the needs of each student to the best of my ability. At La Salle Middle School we work to ensure that the education program is academically challenging, engaging, and promotes further learning and the exploration of ideas. We also work tirelessly to guarantee that all of our students receive the support necessary to develop leadership skills, build character, cultivate passions, and explore the world outside the classroom.

Academic Highlights (provided by school)

La Salle offers many benefits–extended school day and school year, small class sizes with a student to teacher ratio of 16:1—to help students succeed. 100% of students are eligible to receive financial assistance through high school; 98% of our alumni graduate from high school; 81% of alumni are accepted into a college or post-secondary program.

Extra-Curricular Highlights (provided by school)

Outside the classroom, students may choose to participate in the EnCompass program—an optional enrichment program that includes classes such as dance, yoga, and swimming. Students who participate in the EnCompass program are offered many college preparatory opportunities including financial aid, tutoring and counseling. EnCompass students participates in college visits starting in fifth grade, visiting schools in Tennessee, Chicago and the St. Louis area.

Student Demographics