EDUCATION DIGEST

Seminary nets $80 million in fundraising

CONCORDIA SEMINARY • Concordia Seminary has concluded a major fundraising campaign, raising $80 million.

The "How Will They Hear?" campaign was launched in 2005 with a goal of raising $77 million. The campaign was the first conducted by the seminary since the late 1980s.

In 2009, the seminary cut its budget by more than 20 percent. But officials say the fundraising campaign has allowed the seminary to operate in the black. The seminary is owned by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

More than 200,000 gifts were received during the campaign. More than half of the living St. Louis alumni provided gifts through the campaign, and 100 percent of the seminary faculty made gifts or pledges, according the school.

HAZELWOOD SCHOOLS > School enrolls triplet and quadruplets • Jana Elementary School in the Hazelwood district has a set of triplets and quadruplets in kindergarten this year.

Jana has three kindergarten classrooms. The quads are split between two classrooms while the triplets are split among three.

The quadruplets are Bryson, Josiah, Madison and Nyla McDaniel. The triplets are Kameron, Khalil and Kyle McLeod.

This year, at least nine other Hazelwood schools have two or more sets of twins enrolled. Jana has four sets while Walker Elementary School has 11 sets of twins, according the district.

RITENOUR SCHOOLS > District dedicates new early education center • The Ritenour School District has dedicated its new School for Early Childhood Education.

The new school, at 3580 Woodson Road, is the first new school constructed in the district in 52 years — since Wyland Elementary opened in 1958. Construction of the new Ritenour School for Early Childhood Education is funded by Proposition K, a $50 million bond issue Ritenour voters approved in 2008.

Officials expect the building to earn a LEED gold certification for meeting environmental standards for energy and water efficiency. According to the district, only a few early childhood center have been awarded the certification nationwide.

SANFORD-BROWN COLLEGE > Two leaders named for campuses • Sanford-Brown College has announced leadership changes at two St. Louis area schools. Tina Seidel will serve as the new president of Sanford-Brown College —Hazelwood. She has been with Sanford-Brown for seven years, including as president of the Collinville campus for two years.

Doug Goodwin will serve as the new campus director for Sanford-Brown College-Collinsville. He has been with Sanford-Brown for more than six years, most recently serving as director of admissions at the St. Peters campus.

Seidel and Goodwin will both oversee the day-to-day operations at their respective campuses, including admissions, academics and management.

VALLEY PARK SCHOOLS > District refinances bonds • The Valley Park Board of Education has approved the refinancing of the district's leasehold revenue bonds. New, lower interest rates prompted the move to refinance. The district estimates it will save more than $16,000 per year in interest charges, or $170,000 over the life of the loan. The maturity date of the loans will not change, according the district.

ROSSMAN SCHOOL > School selects new board members • The Rossman School has selected three new board members for the current school year. They are Marty Blaylock, retired from Monsanto; Holly Butka, project lead at Monsanto; and Sam C. Sciortino, retired head of school at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill and a former administrator in the Parkway School District.

Rossman School is an independent, coeducational, preparatory school for students serving kids from preschool through grade six.