ST CHARLES, Mo. — The Francis-Howell School District is redefining the term "Super Senior." Administrators invited adults in the community to come back to school.
The new class of 2024 includes parents, grandparents, business owners and neighbors... all with one thing in common: they are taxpayers in the Francis-Howell School District.
Francis Howell's Jennifer Jolls tells 5 On Your Side the participants in "Citizens In Our Schools" are enrolled district students: "We had about 60 applicants and we accepted about 29 in our first class."
Once a month, the "Citizens In Our Schools" students meet to learn the ins and outs of running the district. Student Bonnie Galbally filled 5 On Your Side in on the December agenda: "We're learning about transportation and all the cafeteria workers and how everything plays a role like a puzzle piece for the district."
Galbally is the mom of a kindergartener and was on the fence between public and private school. "We don't think about the bus checks, all the different routes, why they do what they do and all the safety until you really get into it," Galbally explained. "It really puts your mind at ease as a parent and a citizen of our district."
After learning about the school transportation system, it was off to lunch for the citizen students. The participants served pizza and ate with the young students of Central Elementary School. "This is our way to do more than what you can share at a board meeting or a parent event," Jolls said.
Even though the citizen students were put to work cleaning up after their lunch, lunch was not free and it didn't come out of the Francis Howell budget. The district's food service provider, Sodexo, sponsored the "Citizens in our Schools" program. Jolls told 5 On Your side there is no cost to taxpayers.
If the goal was to boost community pride in the district, then mission accomplished. "I'm really happy to be in the Francis Howell School District," the once unsure Galbally said with a smile.
The inagural "Citizens in Our Schools" class will graduate on June 5.