Clayton Teacher Earns Yale's Distinguished Music Educator Award

Choir Teacher Jerry Estes will receive his award in June at the Yale Symposium on Music in Schools.

Wydown Middle School Choir Teacher Jerry Estes has been selected to receive the Yale University School of Music’s prestigious 2013 Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award. This award is presented biennially to 50 music educators from across the country who are selected, based on their outstanding accomplishments while teaching music in public schools, to attend the Yale Symposium on Music in Schools. “Jerry Estes is the epitome of choir teachers. He is multitalented – a teacher, a writer and a composer whose music is published and used by other middle schools throughout the country,” said WMS Principal Mary Ann Goldberg, who nominated Estes for the honor. “Jerry is a creative, supportive, child-centered educator who truly engages his …

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Clayton Students Recognized for Outstanding Volunteer Service

Clayton students were finalists for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Missouri's top youth volunteers of 2013 were named last week by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Two Clayton School District students were named finalists. The six Missouri's 2013 distinguished finalists are: Each of the distinguished finalists will receive an engraved bronze medallion to be awarded at local ceremonies. "The selfless contribution to ones local community is a gift," said Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro. "You don't always learn about the importance of 'giving back' inside the classroom. These students have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others and their communities." The Prudential Spirit of …

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Wydown Chess Team Captures First Place

The students took first place at the Gateway Fall Open Chess Tournament.

The Wydown Middle School Chess Team blocked, trapped, forked and checkmated their way to a first place finish at the Gateway Fall Open Chess Tournament held on Nov. 12 at Lindbergh High School. The six-member team earned the winning title by outperforming the 23 other middle school teams in attendance. In addition to their first place title, Jim Wei finished second overall and Zack Boeyink finished fourth overall out of 84 players in the middle school division. David Higuchi received a medal for outstanding play. The winning Wydown Chess Team members include seventh-graders Jim Wei, Co-Captain; Cindy Zhou, Co-Captain; Zack Boeyink; and Diana Wang; and sixth graders David Higuchi and Jack Castiglione. The Chess Team is sponsored by WMS math…

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New Wydown Middle School Opens for 2012-13 Students

Clayton schools published an online video this week showing students returning to classes.

Clayton schools opened this week for classes, and students at Wydown Middle School had a new building to celebrate. Check out this video from the School District of Clayton showing first-day Wydown activities. Want to share your photos from the first day of school in Clayton or Richmond Heights? Click the button on this page to add them! More back-to-school coverage on Patch:

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Wydown Middle's Assistant Principal Named Assistant Superintendent in Clayton

Dr. Milena Garganigo has worked as a teacher and administrator in the Clayton School District since 1996.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Dr. Milena Garganigo's previous position. We are very sorry for the mistake. A graduate of Clayton High School who has worked in the district since 1996 was named Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning last week. Dr. Milena Garganigo started as assistant superintendent on Monday. She previously worked at Wydown Middle School, first as a Spanish teacher then as assistant principal*. “I am extremely excited and humbled to be able to serve the district on a larger scale, focusing on the work that I am truly passionate about,” stated Garganigo in a June 29 news release. "Her knowledge of the district and her passion for curriculum, instruction, assessment and …

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Cash Prizes Captured by Young Clayton Music Composers

Lileana Ibur and Benedetto Colagiovanni have again won awards for themselves and their respective School District of Clayton schools as part of the University of Missouri's Creating Original Music Project contest.

Two Clayton students have again won cash prizes for themselves and their schools as part of the University of Missouri's Creating Original Music Project (COMP) contest. In total, six winners came from the St. Louis area and 22 students from throughout Missouri won from elementary, middle and high schools. Lileana Ibur of Wydown Middle School won second place for her song "Nothing Boy," information provided by organizers states. She competed in the middle school popular music division. Her music teachers are Aaron Doerr and Jerry Estes. Ibur will perform her song at 9 a.m. Wednesday on FOX 2-KTVI. Benedetto Colagiovanni of Clayton High School won first place for the song "Waltz for Bill." Colagiovanni competed in the high school jazz …

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Clayton Native Kelly Mittelman Hager Rides Real Estate Wave

Her parents owned and operated Library Ltd. bookstore. She founded The Kelly Hager Group, which in 2011 performed millions of dollars in real estate transactions.

Clayton High School (CHS) graduate Kelly Mittelman Hager is building a team that will help her capitalize on what she thinks is the start of the turnaround for real estate. "The real estate market is getting incredibly hot," Hager said. "And I know that that is a little bit different than what has been reported." Hager, 39, has strong family ties to Clayton and its business community. Now, the budding entrepreneur has overcome personal adversity and is making a name for herself in the St. Louis real estate market. She founded Chesterfield-based The Kelly Hager Group in March 2005. Last year, the company performed $12.2 million in real estate transactions. She's also part-owner of two Keller Williams real estate offices, one in St. Charles …

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Clayton Students Help Fund Dred Scott Statue

Teachers at Clayton High School and Wydown Middle School have been leading the effort.

For the past two years, Clayton educators Donna Rogers-Beard and April Fulstone have assisted The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation in raising funds for a statue in memory of Dred Scott, whose legal battles set the stage for the Civil War.   “The most important steps that led to the Civil War began here in St. Louis,” Rogers-Beard said. “This was a case that had local origins, and I think people need to know that.” Plans call for the memorial to be installed at the Old Courthouse, where Scott’s legal battles started. The building is located across from the Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis. Lynne Jackson, a resident of O’Fallon who is Scott's great-great-granddaughter, started the foundation. Court case rooted in St. Louis Scott was born …

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Aldermen Agenda: Wydown Boulevard Curb Work

The Clayton Board of Aldermen also will discuss a technology upgrade at City Hall and a grant application for work on Shaw Park tennis courts.

Sidewalk work on Wydown Boulevard and a grant for Shaw Park tennis courts are among the items expected to be discussed Tuesday by the Clayton Board of Aldermen. The meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall. A complete agenda may be downloaded from the city's website. The following are agenda highlights:

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Daily Dose

Daily Dose: Mascot Contest, Wydown Students Clean Cemetery

Here's a look at what's coming up next on Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch.

Here's your Daily Dose for Clayton and Richmond Heights on Wednesday: COMING WEDNESDAY PATCH FEATURE OF THE DAY 'LOU MEDIA MIX

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Nate Birt

8:31 am on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

An update: Because of the rain, Wednesday's Wydown volunteer event has been canceled. We'll follow up when the event has been rescheduled.   more ›