District Digest

Francis Howell School District

Citizens In Our Schools applications open soon

The District will soon begin accepting applications for the popular Citizens In Our Schools program. The program gives participants a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of school district operations and provides a comprehensive understanding of the resources, people and planning it takes to operate one of the top school districts in the state. New this year! The program is offered primarily in the evening, to be accessible to more citizens! Learn more about Citizens In Our Schools on the District website and find out if the program is a good fit for you!



Check your calendars


All K-12 Schools

• March 20: Partial school day
• March 23-27: No school (Spring Break)
• April 3: No school (Spring Holiday)
• April 7: No school (Election Day / Teacher PD)
• May 22: Last day of school (early release)

Francis Howell School District hosts Senior PALS dinner and theater night

The Francis Howell School District invites residents age 55 and older to a free dinner and performance of Mamma Mia! on Friday, April 10 at Francis Howell North High School. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria, followed by the student theater performance at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The event includes a themed meal, updates from district leaders including Superintendent Mark Delaney, and a show featuring 52 student cast members along with teachers and crew. The evening will last about 3.5 hours and is free thanks to food service partner Sodexo. Seating is limited to the first 50 registrants and RSVP is required by April 1.

Summer Camp registration underway

FHSD is offering several summer programs for students, including Summer Success summer school and enrichment camps. Summer school provides extra support in reading, math, and credit recovery or advancement, with free attendance and district transportation. Elementary and middle school students attend by invitation, while high school students can register through their counselor or the district website, with all registrations due by March 31. The district also offers free enrichment opportunities through Camp Adventure for students in grades K-5 and Middle School Summer Camp for grades 6-8, where students explore interests through hands-on activities. Families must provide transportation for summer camps, and placement is first come, first served.

Register for Healthy Minds, Healthy Schools event

Register to attend the 2026 Healthy Minds, Healthy Schools event by completing the registration form. The event will take place Saturday, April 11 from 8 a.m. to noon at Saeger Middle School. Attendees will select their top three session choices and be assigned two based on preference. A resource fair will also be open from 8-10:30 a.m. Child care will be available onsite; please submit one form for each attending adult, with only one person listing the number of children needing care. Caregivers must stay in the building and provide an emergency contact.

Board of Education Candidate Forum: March 31

Six Francis Howell School District citizens will be vying for three seats on the Board of Education in the April 7, 2026, election. Students with the Francis Howell Central publications team are holding a Board of Education Candidate Forum on Tuesday, March 31, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the FHC auditorium. The event will be live-streamed for the community on fhctoday.com. Board candidates Jason Adams, Sara Dillard and Kevin McGuire have confirmed their participation in the forum.

Other district news

Now hiring

Francis Howell School District is the best place to work. Are you interested in applying for a position or know someone who might be? Visit the District’s online system to view current job openings and apply.

Louie visits Becky David

Students in Becky-David Elementary School's Essential Skills program had a very special visitor earlier this month when Louie, the Blues mascot, stopped by. Learn more about Louie's visit.

Curriculum review

The Francis Howell School District is inviting community members to review and provide feedback on six updated curriculum documents for Computer Science and Spectra courses in grades 6-8. Feedback will help guide final revisions before the curriculum is presented to the Board of Education on May 11. To facilitate your review, we have prepared an online survey The deadline for submitting feedback is Monday, March 16, at 3 p.m.

FHN choir performs in New Mexico

The Bella Voce choir from Francis Howell North High School was selected to perform at the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association Conference in Albuquerque. More than 1,000 choirs from seven states submitted recordings for the blind audition process, and only 18 were chosen. Bella Voce is the first high school choir from the St. Louis region and just the fourth in Missouri to earn this invitation since the conference began in 1968. The choir is directed by Jennifer Oncken.

District hosts chefs challenge

The District hosted its third annual Future Chefs National Challenge, sponsored by Sodexo, the District’s food service provider. The event invites students in grades K-5 to create and present original recipes while learning about cooking and careers in the hospitality industry. This year’s winner, Zoe Richardson from Henderson Elementary, earned top honors with her recipe, Pyramid Pastries, and will now advance to the national competition to compete for top prizes. All student recipes are available to view online.

Student shadows electrophysiologist

An FHSD student, Ella Emerson, who is enrolled in the St. Charles County CAPS Program, recently shadowed Dr. Justin Peiper, an electrophysiologist at Mercy. During the experience, she observed procedures and learned how physicians make complex medical decisions. The opportunity gave Ella insight into a career in medicine and highlighted how CAPS connects students with professionals for real-world learning. Hear what Ella thought of the experience!

School finance roundtables

Thanks to everyone who joined our School Finance Citizens Roundtables during February and March. The sessions explained how school funding works and how local tax dollars support students, then moved into small-group conversations. Learn more about FHSD Finances on the District website.

Kyleigh's Make-A-Wish surprise

Eight-year-old Kyleigh, a student at Central Elementary, was surprised with a life-changing gift from the Make-A-Wish Foundation — a trip to her native South Africa. Born with congenital heart disease, Kyleigh has undergone five open-heart surgeries. Last year, she endured a 20-hour operation. FOX 2 was among multiple outlets to share Kyleigh’s inspiring story.