St. Louis Post Dispatch Scholar Athlete Post Dispatch
COOPER BELLCHAMBER
CUMULATIVEGPA (unweighted): 3.963
Sports: Soccer,Basketball andBaseball
College: Universityof Missouri- Columbia
Elana Feldman Valedictorian
Carissa Kiefer Salutatorian
Cooper Bellchamber Hawk Award
Seal of Biliteracy Honors Seal of
The Missouri Seal of Biliteracy and Distinguished Missouri Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to graduating high school students in districts with a DESE-approved program, who have demonstrated achievement in English, a Language Other Than English and sociocultural competence. All Missouri students studying any of the world’s languages are potential Seal candidates. Congratulations to our awardees!
A+ Scholarship Honors
This year, the Class of 2025 had 37% earn A plus honors. The A+ Scholarship Program is a merit-based scholarship that provides scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools who attend participating public community colleges or vocational/technical schools, or certain private twoyear vocational/technical schools. Congratulations to our A+ program honorees!
A huge congratulations to our incredible VPHS HOSA (Future Health Professionals) students who shined at the State competition and qualified for nationals! Rosalyn Fischer ‘28, 1 Place in Life Support Skills, Jennifer Hernandez-Pena ‘27 and Spencer Warren ‘27, 3rd Place in Mental Health Promotion, Jack Miller ’26, Peter Grittini ’26 and Kamesh Yallapragada ‘27, 3rd Place in Biomedical Debate
VPHS STUDENTS COMPETED AT NATIONAL FCCLA COMPETITION
Congratulations to our Valley Park High School FCCLA LifeSmarts team who competed at the LifeSmarts National Championship in Chicago! In their first-ever appearance at Nationals, the team placed 12th out of 46 teams! They advanced to the Sweet 16 and had the chance to compete for a spot in the finals. While they didn’t advance further, the FCCLA students were incredible against tough competition. Many of these students had national experience. We are so proud of how they represented Valley Park with heart, skill and pride! Congratulations to Peter Grittini ‘26, Leah Gruendler ‘26, Brayden Kiefer ‘26, Owen Royal ‘26 and Hayden Gunter ‘26
VPHS STUDENTS RECOGNIZED AT STATE FESTIVAL!
Two Valley Park High School students proudly represented our music program at the State Music Solo and Ensemble Festival at Mizzou Jermisha Lewis ’26 earned a silver rating, and Isabel Inman ’26 received a bronze for their vocal solos.
Congratulations to these talented students for their hard work and well-deserved recognition!
Spring Sports Celebrations Spring Sports Celebrations
Allison Barrington Naomi Baumann
Cooper Bellchamber
Will Geary
Gavin Hubbard Clark Menley
out of
ENGLISH II, BIOLOGY AND GOVERNMENT OUTPERFORMED THE STATE ON END OF COURSE EXAMS
SUBJECT AREAS TESTED OUTPERFORMED THE STATE IN GRADES 3-5 ON THE 2024 MAP ASSESSMENT
THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS SCORING PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED IN 7 GRADE MATH INCREASED BY 17% TH 71% OF AREAS TESTED SHOWED GROWTH FROM 2023 TO 2024 IN GRADES 3-5 ON THE 2024 MAP ASSESSMENT
100% of VPHS Students who took a 2024 AP Exam Scored a 3 or higher as compared to 60% Nationwide.
The Annual Performance Report (APR) is the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) one-number metric to define the state’s measure for school effectiveness Total APR went up 3 5 percentage points in 2024!
MORE THAN A GAME: SPECIAL OLYMPICS AT VALLEY PARK
At Valley Park, learning means more than academics. It is about growth, confidence, and community. The annual Special Olympics exemplifies this spirit of Limitless Learning, where students demonstrate courage, resilience, and joy. It is a day filled with personal victories, inclusion, and celebration as students practice real-world skills, connect with peers, and shine in their own unique ways. Supported by families, staff, and buddies from across the school, the event fosters independence, confidence, and a deep sense of belonging. It shows that true learning happens when everyone has a chance to succeed. See all the photos and read the full article at www.vpschools.org/specialolympics
Valley Park families are asked to complete the 2025–2026 Annual Update in Infinite Campus by August 1. This quick process ensures we have current emergency contacts, transportation info and required tech agreements. Even if you’ve recently registered, please complete the update to keep our records accurate. Visit www.vpschools.org/olr for details
First Day of School is August 18th. Back to School Newsletter will hit mailboxes the beginning of August! Updates will also be shared, as they are available, at www.vpschools.org/backtoschool
CELEBRATING CURIOSITY:
NIGHT AT
PARK ELEMENTARY
Valley Park Elementary’s first-ever STEAM Night was a hands-on celebration of learning, bringing together students, families, staff, and high school volunteers for an evening of discovery and creativity. With engaging stations like oobleck experiments, coding, and chromatography, the event sparked curiosity and strengthened the connection between home and school Read more about how this exciting night inspired our youngest learners and showcased the power of learning across our campus. Read the whole article at www.vpschools.org/steamnight
VALLEY PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL 8TH GRADE PROMOTION!
At Valley Park, 8th grade promotion is more than just a step up, it’s a celebration of growth, resilience and the journey ahead. Though it’s not a formal graduation, this milestone honors the transformation from sixth-grade beginners to confident, high school-ready learners. Principal Angie Syron calls it a time to reflect on how far students have come and to look ahead with excitement. For a district where students often grow up together, promotion also reinforces community, connection and a shared commitment to supporting each learner’s next chapter. Read the whole article at www.vpschools.org/promotion
MIDDLE SCHOOL VOCALISTS SHINE AT DISTRICT FESTIVAL
Valley Park Middle School vocalists impressed at the St. Louis County District Solo and Ensemble Festival on April 12, with five students performing solos. Marisse Cadorna, Grayson Feldman and Edward Price earned top “Exemplary” ratings, while Keira Bausman and Lillian Holmes received strong “Outstanding” scores Congratulations to these talented students for proudly representing Valley Park Middle School!
VALLEYPARK SCHOOLDISTRICT
Student
Spotlight Student Spotlight
At our monthly Board of Education meetings, our Valley Park leaders celebrated students for their exemplary academic efforts, character, community service, citizenship, and volunteerism in and out of the classroom to make the world a better place. These are the second half of the school year awardees!
EXPLORE U - CAREER DAY
VPMS Explore U – Career Day gave middle school students a meaningful opportunity to explore future careers, connect with professionals, and see how classroom learning applies in real-world settings. The day featured a wide range of guest speakers from engineers and dog trainers to police officers and entomologists followed by afternoon visits to local businesses and organizations like The Biscuit Joint, Christian Hospital, and Junior Achievement. These hands-on experiences helped students discover new interests, build confidence, and better understand how their skills can shape their futures. Read the whole article at www.vpschools.org/careerday
