O'Fallon Safety Town to be held at Emge Elementary

Beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, residents will be able to enroll children in O’Fallon Safety Town online or in person at the Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Circle, O’Fallon, Missouri 63368.

O’Fallon Safety Town is a nationally-accredited accident prevention program designed to instill safety awareness and safe procedures in children ages 4 ½ through 6 ½.  Under the guidance of police officers, a certified teacher, paramedics, firefighters, railroad police and trained volunteer staff, children experience “real life” situations, learn to decide if a situation is safe or unsafe, and how to respond safely. The program uses a simulated city layout, a classroom facility and an off-campus field trip to teach children how to stay safe.

Three sessions will be offered, with each session lasting two weeks, Monday through Friday. The dates are: June 3-14, June 17-28, and July 8-19. Choose morning classes, 9-11:30 a.m., or afternoon classes, 12:30-3 p.m. Children must be at least 4 ½ but not older than 6 ½ on the start date of the program. Safety Town sessions will be held at Emge Elementary School, 250 Fallon Parkway, O’Fallon, Missouri 63368. O’Fallon Safety Town is sponsored by the O’Fallon Police Department and VFW Post 5077 and the Ladies’ Auxiliary. www.ofallon.mo.us/PD/SafetyTown

The cost for the program is $60 per child and $40 for each additional child from the same family. Fees must be paid in full when children are enrolled. Space is limited, so early enrollment is encouraged. Only parents or legal guardians may enroll their children.

To register in person, come to the Renaud Spirit Center and pay by cash, check or a credit card. To register online, visit www.renaudspiritcenter.com and select “Register Online.” No phone registration will be available.

From the O'Fallon, MO Police Department 

National Rx Take Back; turn in unused drugs

Don’t let your unused prescription medications get into the wrong hands. Take advantage of the National Rx Take Back Event on April 27, 2013, and bring in those old drugs for safe disposal. The St. Peters Police Department is offering two locations for drop-off during this national event between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. Turn in your prescription and over-the-counter drugs during this time only at either the St. Peters Justice Center, 1020 Grand Teton Dr., or at Walgreens, 1305 Jungermann Rd. The Justice Center is located at the corner of Grand Teton Drive and Suemandy Drive near Mid Rivers Mall. Walgreens is that the intersection of Jungermann and McClay Roads. 

Your medications will be accepted no questions asked. Police cannot accept any medications before or after the event, so be sure to drop off your drugs between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency is coordinating the National Rx Take Back Event. The St. Peters Police Department is participating in the event because unused medication is a potential source of supply for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to public health and safety. When people drop off their unused medicines during this event, they eliminate the possibility of the drugs harming someone else or getting into the wrong hands. 

The service is free and anonymous. You can turn in medications that are out-of-date or medicines that you no longer need or use. Intravenous solutions, injectables and needles will not be accepted. Illegal substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative. 

If you’re worried about anonymity, remove identifying information from prescription medicine container labels before disposal. Tightly seal the cap on any liquid product, such as cough syrup. 

Learn more at www.dea.gov.

From the City of St. Peters, MO

Encaustics course at the Foundry Art Centre

Paint, draw, melt, then add paper, texture and much more! The Encaustic Workshop with Lisa Sisley-Blinn is an introductory course that will teach the basics of working with encaustic media. Learn step by step while personalizing your own project! The workshop will take place in the FAC Community Classroom from 10am – 3pm on Saturday, May 25, 2013. The price of the workshop includes a complete supply kit. Class size is limited and advance registration is required. For more information, prices or to register, visit www.foundryartcentre.org or call 636-255-0270. 

The Foundry Art Centre is a fine arts gallery overlooking the Missouri River at 520 North Main Center, in the Frenchtown district of Historic St. Charles.  The Foundry features a Smithsonian-caliber art gallery hosting national juried exhibitions plus 20 working art studios where visitors can watch the creative process and buy art directly from the artists. The not-for-profit art centre also provides community meeting rooms, event space and a children’s art gallery. Hours are Tuesday - Thursday from 10-8pm, Friday and Saturday from 10-5pm, and Sunday 12-4.  Admission is free, and donations are welcome.  For more information, call (636) 255-0270 or visit www.foundryartcentre.org.

O'Fallon Theatre Works to present Faith County

Tickets are available for the O’FallonTheatreWorks’ production of the southern-fried comedy, Faith County, which will be performed on April 19-21 and 26-28 in the auditorium at O’Fallon’s Municipal Centre (City Hall), 100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366. The curtain will go up at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Faith County is set in a small southern town where the beehive hairdo is still the rage and Saturday nights are reserved for the tractor pull. The story unfolds at the Faith County Fairgrounds where a colorful collection of town and country folk swap gossip about one another and show off their handiwork.

Tickets can be ordered in advance by calling 636-474-2732 or by coming to the Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Circle, O’Fallon MO 63368. The cost is $10 for general admission (ages 18-54), $8 for students (ages 6-17) and seniors (age 55 and up), and free for ages 5 and under. For an additional $2 each, tickets can be purchased at the box office, which opens one hour before the start of each show.

“Faith County offers a relaxing evening of fast-paced dialogue and humorous characters in a rural setting,” said Darren Granaas, O’Fallon’s Cultural Arts Coordinator.

Volunteers are needed for this event! Please contact Volunteer Services at 636-379-5507, or volunteer@ofallon.mo.us. Or, visit www.ofallon.mo.us/volunteer.

From the City of O'Fallon, MO

Independence is 2013 State School of Character

The Character Education Partnership has named Independence Elementary in the Francis Howell School District a Missouri State School of Character.  Independence Elementary is one of fifteen schools in Missouri to receive this designation. State Schools of Character have demonstrated that their focus on character development has had a positive impact on academic achievement, student behavior and school climate. 

Emily Allen, Independence Elementary principal, says character education at Independence is a journey that has helped change the culture of the school and receiving this award is a testament of the hard work of the Independence community.

“Receiving this award feels absolutely incredible. I am so proud of all of the hard work by all members of our community. It truly requires buy in and commitment by the entire community,” says Allen.

Nationally, only 45 schools received the State School of Character designation. One-third of those schools come from Missouri, clearly demonstrating the region’s leadership in the area of character education. The State Schools of Character program for Missouri is administered by CHARACTERplus and is generously supported by the St. Louis Rams. 

“We are extremely proud of the schools that have achieved this honor,” said Liz Gibbons, director of CHARACTERplus. “The staffs in these schools have created a positive environment in which students feel safe and connected to adults and each other.  These schools are truly able to focus on learning and academic achievement thanks to the cultures they have created.”

State and National Schools of Character are expected to serve as models for other schools, by helping them to achieve the same results. State sponsors will recognize their applicants and winners in state-level awards ceremonies. CEP will announce finalists for the national award by March 1, and national winners in early May.

Recognition as a State School of Character is a step toward being honored as a National School of Character. 

The mission of CHARACTERplus is to develop positive character traits in young people by providing a high quality character education process and resources to schools, homes, and communities.  For more information, visit www.characterplus.org.  CHARACTERplus is a program of Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis.

The Francis Howell School District encompasses over 150 square miles in the southeast corner of St. Charles County, and is one of the largest school districts in the State of Missouri, with an enrollment of nearly 18,000 students and approximately 2,200 employees. The Francis Howell Learning Community works everyday to provide the best learning practices for enhancing student achievement. 

From the Francis Howell School District

Ice skating classes at St. Peters Rec-Plex

 

Would you like to be able to glide across the ice with ease? The St. Peters Rec-Plex can help you or your child learn how to ice skate and improve your ice skating. Plenty of spots are still open for ice skating classes in the upcoming semester starting Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.

The Rec-Plex offers 6-week and 7-week sessions this semester. Tuesday evening and Saturday classes are available. Classes are open to children as young as 3 years up to adults. All classes are 30 minutes long, and the Rec-Plex provides ice skates for students who need them.

As a bonus, students in a number of Rec-Plex ice skating classes receive free admission to Rec-Plex public ice skating sessions for the duration of their registered course. These classes include beginning and intermediate learn-to-skate classes. Check the Rec-Plex Front Desk for eligible classes. Receipts must be shown to the Front Desk for admission. All Snowball and Tot level students (ages 3-5) also receive free skate rental and admission for one guardian. Receipts must be shown to the skate guard for free skate rental.

Rec-Plex instructors teach skills developed by the Ice Skating Institute (ISI), a leading national ice industry association. Students also have the opportunity to perform during Rec-Plex ice shows. The fee for 6-week classes is $62 for Rec-Plex passholders and $72 for the general public. The fee for 7-week classes is $73 for Rec-Plex passholders and $83 for the general public.

Register for classes online at www.stpetersmo.net/rec-connect, call 636.929.2386, or register at the Rec-Plex, 5200 Mexico Road.

From the City of St. Peters, MO

 

Free disaster preparedness training

Get prepared for emergencies and disasters in a weekend! Anyone who lives or works in or near O’Fallon is invited to sign up to learn basic disaster response skills by attending the O’Fallon Police Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training March 1-3, in the Public Works Building at 1089 Public Service Drive, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366. The free, 20-hour course is taught by the O’Fallon Police Department and emergency professionals.

 

The course, which includes training materials, will cover:

• Basic medical assessment and treatment for injuries, burns, etc.
• Preparing for emergencies at home and in the community
• Working as a team, conducting triage, light search and rescue, extinguishing small fires
• Communicating effectively with public safety organizations during a disaster

The schedule for the CERT session is 6-10 p.m. Friday (March 1), 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (March 2), and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday (March 3). Graduates are invited to learn more and keep skills fresh with free monthly training and exercises.

“During an extreme weather emergency or an earthquake, for instance, it’s going to be important to know what do to help yourself, your household and your neighbors until professional help arrives,” said Police Officer Andy Stowers, director of O’Fallon CERT. “That’s why this exciting, hands-on training is important to neighborhood organizations, parents, older teens, businesses, civic groups and churches as well as individuals.”

For more information or to register for the training, visit the City’s website at www.ofallon.mo.us and select “Police” on the homepage, or go directly to www.ofallon.mo.us/PD/CERT. 

For questions, contact Officer Stowers at 636-379-5686, or astowers@ofallon.mo.us.

From the City of O'Fallon, MO