Ferguson-Florissant School District

🚗✨ Have you spotted it yet?

Our Ferguson-Florissant School District Employees of the Year billboard is officially up on I-270! Join us in celebrating these outstanding team members and keep an eye out the next time you’re driving by.

Congratulations again to our Employees of the Year—we’re proud to recognize the difference you make for our students, families, and community every day! 🎉💙

Be Part of Something Special—We’re Hiring at Ferguson-Florissant!

Two opportunities in the Finance Department are available for the 2026–2027 school year:

-Interim Chief Financial Officer
-Interim Director of Finance

If you’re ready to build something special, Ferguson-Florissant will welcome you with open arms. Come be part of a fantastic team.

All job postings can be found on the employment opportunities link on the website, or visit https://www.applitrack.com/fergflor/onlineapp/. Please share with anyone you think would be a good fit.

Future Leader Academy registration is open and spots are filling fast!

The Florissant Police Department Future Leader Academy (FLA) is a two-week summer leadership program for students in the community entering grades 8–12. It is designed to inspire and empower young people through hands-on experiences, team-building activities, workshops, and field trips that explore leadership, personal growth, and a wide range of career pathways.

Led by Florissant Police Officers and community partners, students build confidence, communication skills, and teamwork while gaining real-world exposure to opportunities that prepare them for life after high school, including college, trade school, entrepreneurship, military service, or entering the workforce.

FLA is more than just a summer program, it is a chance for students to grow as leaders, discover their potential, and prepare for a successful future, all at no cost to families.

Dear Ferguson-Florissant School District Community,

As we closed out our board meeting this evening, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the weight of this year, the progress we've made, and the responsibility we carry into the 2​026-27 school year.

This has not been an easy year. In many ways, it has been one of the most demanding years our district has faced in recent memory. We have had to confront hard truths about our finances, our systems, our staffing structures, our facilities, our academic outcomes, and the trust that must continue to be rebuilt with our community.

And beyond the operational challenges, we have also carried grief. The most difficult part of this year has not been a budget, a policy, a staffing decision, or a public meeting. The most difficult part has been the loss of life connected to our school community: students whose lives ended far too soon, staff members who served this district, former Board members who helped shape the foundation we now stand on, and others whose absence is deeply felt. Those losses remind us that this work is never just about numbers, buildings, policies, or reports. This work is about people. It is about families. It is about children. It is about a community that deserves to be cared for, protected, and lifted.

As we speak about progress, we do so with humility. We do so knowing that forward does not mean easy. Forward does not mean finished. Forward does not mean perfect.

But I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, the Ferguson-Florissant School District is certainly moving forward in the right direction.

A year ago, this district was projected to end the 2025-2026 school year with an unrestricted fund balance of approximately 2.06%. During tonight’s board meeting, our community heard something very different. They heard that we are now projecting an unrestricted fund balance of around 14%. They heard that we have moved from a projected $5.6 million deficit to a projected $3.3 million surplus. This would represent the largest surplus since 2018 and the second-largest surplus in the last 15 years.

That is not an accident.

That is the result of discipline. It is the result of difficult decisions. It is the result of tighter systems, stronger oversight, more transparent budgeting, and a willingness to confront reality instead of explaining it away. It is the result of a fantastic Board of Education, who are willing to ask hard questions, and an administration willing to do the necessary work.

Let me be clear: we are not where we want to be. I’d venture to say that what I envision for our district, we are not even close.

We still have academic work to do. We still have facilities work to do. We still have culture work to do. We still have safety work to do. We still have financial work to do. We still have trust to earn, relationships to strengthen, and systems to rebuild. We also still have fantastic staff to recruit to the Ferguson-Florissant School District, including many who will return (more on that next school year).

I say all of this to say, we are in a better place than we were one year ago.

And that matters.

It matters because progress restores confidence. It matters because stability creates opportunity. It matters because every dollar we protect, every system we strengthen, every process we clarify, and every decision we make with integrity brings us closer to becoming the district our students deserve.

This year, we did more than survive. We began to reset.

We brought greater attention to fiscal responsibility. We strengthened Board meeting preparation and transparency. We engaged staff, students, families, and community members in more honest conversations. We passed Proposition S. We elevated student voice. We celebrated extraordinary student achievement. We saw our students earn scholarships, perform, compete, create, lead, and remind us over and over again why this work matters.

We also began preparing for the future with greater alignment. Just last week, administrators met to close out this school year and continue intentional planning for the next. This convening included reviewing data, identifying barriers, strengthening school improvement plans, and developing 30-, 60-, and 90-day plans aligned to district priorities. That is what moving forward looks like. FergFlor-Forward is not just a slogan. It is a system. A standard. A shared commitment.

And as superintendent, I want to say thank you.

Thank you to the Board for your trust, your questions, your governance, and your willingness to lead through challenge. Thank you to our staff for showing up for children even when the work was heavy. Thank you to our families and community members for continuing to believe that the Ferguson-Florissant School District can be what our students need it to be. And thank you to our students, who remain the reason, the purpose, and the promise of this beautiful district.

I do not stand ​here claiming victory over every challenge.

I stand​ here claiming momentum.

I stand ​here saying that the story of the Ferguson-Florissant School District is not one of decline. It is not one of despair. It is not one of accepting less than our children deserve.

The story of the Ferguson-Florissant School District is becoming a story of courage, correction, accountability, healing, and forward movement.

We are not yet where we want to be.

But we are better.

We are stronger.

We are more aligned.

We are more honest about our challenges.

And because of that, we are more prepared for the future than we were a year ago.

So, as we close the 2025-2026 school year, let tonight be remembered as a marker. Not the finish line, but a marker. A marker that says this beautiful, North St. Louis County school district faced reality, made hard decisions, honored those we lost, protected what matters, and chose to move forward anyway.

Remaining in survival mode was not an option. Ferg-Flor is truly headed forward.

And if we remain focused, disciplined, united, and anchored in

what is best for students,…

what is best for students,…

what is best for students,…

I truly believe the best chapters of the Ferguson-Florissant School District are still ahead of us.

Thank you for the 2025-2026 school year.

To those whose journey stops here, thank you so much for the time and effort you put in for our students and school community.

To those who will continue down this meaningful path of serving students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, I sincerely appreciate you. See you. Value you. And cannot wait to see you in our schools, classrooms, offices, fields, and community.

Sincerely,
Howard E. Fields III, Ph.D.
Superintendent

Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education will meet Wednesday, June 10
at 6 p.m. This meeting will be available digitally at https://www.youtube.com/user/FFSDTV. The public is invited to attend all meetings of the Board of Education.

Anyone who would like to comment during the public comment portion of the meeting may do so in person or submit a question or comment to [email protected] by noon on Wednesday, 6/10. Those comments will be read by the Board President during the meeting.

Please see the following policy (Policy BDDH-1: Public Participation at Board Meetings) updates regarding public comments: https://www.fergflor.org/welcome-to-ffsd/board-of-education

Students at Little Creek Nature Center’s Robotics Camp are discovering that coding can happen both on and off the computer! 🤖

During today’s session, campers learned how to create codes on paper that robots could read and follow. After practicing different commands and pathways, each group put their skills to the test by sending their robots on a parade route. Throughout the camp, students are exploring coding through hands-on activities that connect technology, problem-solving, literacy, and science in fun and engaging ways.

This exciting learning opportunity is made possible through Title IV funding. And a huge shout out to all the staff who worked so hard to put this together from planning to implementation.

Online Registration for the 2026 - 2027 School Year is OPEN for all new and returning resident families. To complete registration, a lease, mortgage, or deed must be in the name of the registering parent or guardian. For more information on registration requirements, please visit the district's Admissions page here: https://www.fergflor.org/departments/support-services/admissions

Families currently enrolled in the Students-in-Transition program should have received a voice mail, email, and text message regarding the enrollment process for your students.
voicemail.

Beat the summer rush and turn your OLR in ASAP! All families should complete registration through the Parent Portal by July 31, 2026, to avoid enrollment delays. Early registration helps the District finalize class schedules, transportation, staffing, and resources, while also helping families avoid long wait times and additional paperwork later.

What a way to kick off the summer! ☀️📚🎉

On Saturday, families from across Ferguson-Florissant School District joined us for our Summer Learning Extravaganza, a day filled with books, hands-on activities, STEM exploration, community resources, giveaways, and plenty of smiles.

Students had the opportunity to discover new learning experiences, connect with community partners, and take home resources to keep their minds engaged all summer long. Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, and helped make the event a success. Together, we're proving that learning doesn't stop when the school year ends—it simply takes on new adventures.

We can't wait to see how our students continue to learn, grow, and thrive this summer!

📸 Photo Credit: Dawn Orlando and Joycelyn Pugh-Walker

☀️ Don’t miss it — it’s happening today!

Kick off summer with a day of learning, fun, and family activities at the Ferguson-Florissant School District Summer Learning Extravaganza! Join us today from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Administration Center, 8855 Dunn Road in Hazelwood.

Enjoy free books, STEM activities, giveaways, entertainment, snacks, and more for the whole family. We can’t wait to see you there! 📚🎉🌟