Show-Me State Times

A collaboration between Saint Louis University's School of Education and St. Louis Catholic Academy has led to enhanced test scores and student outcomes among middle school students after the first year. The SLU School of Education provided resources to support the academy's middle school.

Angela Moret, director of the Billiken Teacher Corps at Saint Louis University, expressed satisfaction with the partnership's progress: “Our role here is to support the middle school,” she said. “I’m really proud of the work after the first year, and to see the teachers all return is a great sign of a positive school culture that the Middle School Director built in collaboration with the teachers.”

The partnership also involved SLU in hiring middle school staff for the 2024-25 academic year. This relationship began in 2016 when a teacher from SLU's Billiken Teacher Corps was placed at St. Louis Catholic Academy, a K-8 institution within the Archdiocese of St. Louis. In 2020, they partnered through Access Academies, which helps historically underserved middle school students succeed through high school and beyond.

St. Louis Catholic Academy, established in 1891, served 180 students during the 2024-25 school year. Kwira Vickers was appointed as its first Middle School Director and led efforts to hire new faculty members with assistance from SLU, which provided professional development throughout the year.

“They would come to SLU’s campus every other month or so for half-day development sessions,” Moret noted. “And on alternating months, we would visit the school and lead collaborative conversations focused on student growth.”

The academy revamped its learning program to elevate students' performance in various subjects, particularly reading and math. Moret emphasized understanding testing data as a focal point for faculty to improve student outcomes: “We wanted to build a positive school culture around testing,” she stated.

To foster positive relationships among students, St. Louis Catholic Academy implemented a cohort model for core subjects and encouraged competition between grades and classes. Students took NWEA tests throughout the academic year.

“The students were excited about setting goals and seeing their own growth,” Moret commented.

Moret sees this initiative as part of SLU’s Jesuit mission: “I think of our work in terms of Cura Personalis or care for the whole person,” she said.

For the upcoming academic year, enrollment figures show an increase from 55 to 65 students across sixth through eighth grades at St. Louis Catholic Academy.

The Herrmann Center for Innovative Catholic Education at SLU offers programs like the Billiken Teacher Corps to support new teachers starting their careers in Jesuit or underserved Catholic schools.