“New location: Trunks in the back of Spoede, with parking for attendees in the front lot.

The SSA invites all ghosts & goblins to join us on Friday, October 24 from 6:00–7:30 PM in the back Spoede parking lot for an evening of trunk-or-treating!

🎃Vehicle Participants: Decorate your trunk and hand out candy. Bring enough candy for 300–400 children.

Click here to register for the event  https://spoedeschoolassociation.membershiptoolkit.com/volunteer/153254

🎃Prizes: awarded to the best and most creative trunks—so go all out!

🎃 Pizza Orders: Costco 18" cheese pizzas are available for $15 each. Pick up your order at the start of the event.

Click here to purchase pizzas

https://spoedeschoolassociation.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/356531

Halloween will be celebrated at school during the afternoon of Friday, October 31! 

There will be an all-school costume* parade followed by a class/grade-level party** organized by room parents and volunteers. 

1:45 -- Room parents/volunteers can set up for the Halloween Parties

2:00 -- Spoede Halloween Parade

2:15 - 3:15 -- Classroom/Grade-level Halloween Parties

*Costumes must be school-appropriate (i.e. no gore, not super scary, etc.). No masks, weapons or weapon-like objects permitted.

**The SSA will provide snacks and drinks for all children that follow the district's healthy snack guidelines. Do not send in any candy or treats.

Felise Photography is offering Spoede families 10-minute photo sessions at Forest Park Nature Playscape.

Sign up here for Saturday, November 8

Sign up here for Saturday, November 15

No cost to sign up! All you pay for is your images with digital files starting at $35 and prints starting at $10. Felise Photography will donate 10% of all sales back to our school!

Within two weeks of your session, you'll receive an email with a link to a proofing gallery with both black/white and color images. Prints and digital files can be ordered directly from this site. The gallery will be live for seven days and all orders must be placed within that period.

Questions? Contact Mollie at glazer.mollie@gmail.com

Tuesday, Oct. 21

6:30 - 7:30 PM

Spoede Cafeteria

Join to learn more about Girl Scout Troops at Spoede and how to get involved. 

Girl Scouts is a great opportunity for your girl to make new friends, gain courage, confidence, and learn about how to make the world a better place! You can join now with this direct link: https://vr.girlscoutsem.org/1450 

If you have any questions about this troop, or any other Girl Scout opportunities, please contact Darcy McCown at dmccown@girlscoutsem.org or 314-482-5788.

Superintendent Hiring Timeline

Survey Close Date - Wednesday, October 22

Share narrative insights and rank personal and professional priorities for the new superintendent.The search team will produce a general report based on the information gathered in this survey. The report will be shared with the board to advise them on what priorities the district and community stakeholders are looking for in a new leader. The survey is anonymous unless you provide your name voluntarily.

Community Engagement Forum - November 3

Community Engagement Forum - November 6

Application Close Date - November 14

Interviews Begin - Week of December 4

The Play That Goes Wrong: High School Edition

The entire community is invited to experience The Play That Goes Wrong: High School Edition by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields. Join the Ladue Horton Watkins High School’s Theatre Department for a night (or afternoon) of laughter, talent, and the kind of delightful chaos that makes live theatre unforgettable!

Three performances at the LHWHS Performing Arts Center (1201 S. Warson Road, 63124)

Thursday, October 23 | 7 p.m. (purchase Thursday night tickets)

Saturday, October 25 | 7 p.m. (purchase Saturday night tickets)

Sunday, October 26 | 1 p.m. (purchase Sunday matinee tickets)

RATING: PG for mild language and themes

RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

Spoede Elementary School Absentee & Retake Picture Day

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Wagner Portrait Group will be at school to photograph any students who were absent on the original Picture Day. 

FOR ABSENTEE STUDENTS WHO NEED TO ORDER:

Pre-Order Online: www.WagnerPortraitGroup.com

Pre-Order Password: 6A5R4Y6Y

Direct Order Link:
https://wagner.portraitpics.co/api/v2/keys/lookup/wagner?key=6A5R4Y6Y

Retake photos will also be available upon request. If your student is having a retake, please return the entire portrait package (including the insert sheet) to the photographer on retake day. Feel free to attach a note describing what you’d like done differently.

A huge thank you to Mollie Glazer and Lindsey Jaeger for organizing fantastic teacher dinners last week! Thanks to the generous donations from parents, we were able to provide dinner, drinks, and snacks for our teachers during their long school days.

A special thank you to the Creech family and Smalls Sliders for providing dinner on Wednesday night — our teachers truly appreciated it!

Make your holiday card and gift purchases count this year by using the SSA's unique code: FUNDRAISESPOEDE at Minted. You’ll receive 20% off and Minted will donate 10% of your purchase back to the SSA at the end of the year!

Tuesday, November 11

Spoede Elementary

2:00 PM

Morning quiz sessions every Tuesday at 8:10 a.m.

Math Fact Scholars is a program offered through Spoede that is made up of at home practice books and Tuesday morning quiz sessions for students currently in 1st through 4th grades. (Kindergarten students are welcome to join in January!)

Find out more and register/purchase books on Membership Toolkit.

If you have any questions about your registration status, please reach out to Kristin Hogan at spoedemathfactscholars@gmail.com prior to placing an order. 

Volunteers are also needed for Tuesday morning quiz sessions!

Help us show our appreciation for Spoede's amazing teachers and staff! We're stocking the lounge with snacks and drinks to keep them fueled throughout the day, all year long. Each month has a different theme. 

Please sign up here if you'd like to contribute!

Thank you for helping us take care of our wonderful Spoede team!

October Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Membership Toolkit is the SSA Hub. This is the place to find the family directory, volunteer opportunities, shop for Spoede spirit wear, and more!

Parent & Student Information Forms

BUZZ Book Family Directory

Spoede Gear 

Volunteer Opportunities

Grants funded by the SSA 2024-25

Click on the links below to connect with the SSA via Facebook this school year!

Primary SSA Page

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

Spoede Mom's Book Club

If you have a news item or event you'd like to include here in the Spoede Gazette, please send the info to spoedenewsletter@gmail.com by Friday morning to be featured in the following Monday's Gazette.