Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Affton School District Social Workers
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Affton School District Social Workers
š§ April Mental Health & Wellness Tip
Spring is a great time to reset routines and reconnect.Ā
Encourage student and families to:
Spend at least 15-20 minutes outside daily
Practice a simple "name 3 good things" gratitude habit each day
Create a consistent sleep routine (same bedtime/same wake time)Ā
š
Important Dates & Awareness Events
School Calendar Highlights
April 3 ā SpringĀ Weekend (NoĀ School)
April 9- Affton Parents ClubĀ atĀ 7pm
April 14- Board of EducationĀ Meeting at 7pm
Awareness Day
April 1-30-Ā National Stress Awareness Month
April 2- World AutismĀ Awareness Day
April 7- World Health Day
April 11- National Pet Day
April 15- Tax Day
April 22- Earth Day
April 26- National Help a Horse DayĀ
Monthly Awareness
National Stress Awareness Month - Focus on recognizing stress, building coping skills, and supporting emotional well-being.
Autism Acceptance Month - Encourages understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals with autism.
Child Abuse Prevention Month - Highlights the importance of safe, supportive environments for all children.
š§” UPCOMING FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN ST. LOUIS - APRIL
Looking for fun ways to connect as a family this spring? Check out these family-friendly events happening around St. Louis this month!
March 13- May 17
Animals Aglow - Saint Louis Zoo
⢠Walk around the Saint Louis Zoo at twilight amidst the luminous glow of all new towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Youāre sure to enjoy this celebration of culture and art!Ā
Mar 28-April 12Ā
Harry Potter and the cursed child at The Fabulous Fox TheatreĀ
April 18-19
Ā Paw Patrol Live at Stifel TheatreĀ
Saint Louis Zoo - Free general admission
Saint Louis Science Center - Interactive exhibits & IMAX
Free Fridays at Saint Louis Art Museum
Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House - Indoor tropical conservatory
Family programs at St. Louis County Library branches
š· April is a wonderful time to explore, learn, and create together as a family. Whether you enjoy art, animals, science, or storytelling, there are plenty of free and low-cost options around St. Louis!
Food, Clothing, & Community Resources:
Click the link below to access a list of local community resources offering food, clothing, mental health and other essential support: Community Resources
St. Louis County Childrenās Service Fund Interactive Map ā This is an interactive map to help you easily locate mental and behavioral health services for your child in St. Louis County.Ā It also includes information on which insurances are accepted and coverage that may be available through this fund (many of these services are offered free of charge).
Behavioral Health Response ā BHR provides crisis support, telephone counseling, and mental health resources 24 hours/day
988 ā Suicide and crisis lifeline
Ā Upcoming Free Meals
š½ļø Affton Christian Church - Community Meal
When: Last Friday of each month (April 24, 2026)
Time: Evening (please check church for exact time)
What: Free meal for everyone! An opportunity for neighbors, friends, and congregation members to connect and enjoy fellowship.
Where: 9625 Tesson Ferry Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123
When: Every school weekday in April 2026 (Monday- Friday, when school is in session)
Time: 2:45-4:00 PM
Who: Children and teens ages 5-18
What: Nutritious meals served on-site, provided by St. Louis County Library in partnership with Operation Food Search.
Where: 4444 Weber Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123
š„ Recurring Community Meals
(Open to everyone - please call ahead to confirm times.)
Central Baptist Church
Tuesdays | 11:45 AM
2845 Washington Ave
Centennial Christian Church
MonāFri Lunch 11:30 AM-1:00 PM
Dinner 4:30ā6:00 PM
4950 Fountain Ave
Focus Gateway City (St. Michaelās)
Wednesdays Breakfast 9-11 AM
Sundays Supper 4:30-5:30 PM
1901 Ann Ave
Project Downtown
Saturdays | 11:30 AMā1:00 PM
6809 W. Florissant Ave
Trinity Church (Soup Alley)
MonāSat | 9:30-10:30 AM
812 Soulard Ave
St. John's Episcopal Church
Saturdays | 4:00-5:30 PM
3672 Arsenal St
The Salvation Army
Wednesdays | 6:00-8:00 PM
2740 Arsenal St
St. Patrick Center
MonāFri | 12:00-12:30 PM
800 N Tucker Blvd
š Contact your school social worker for confidential support if your family needs additional assistance.Ā
Cougar Backpack Program: Weekend Food Support for Students (Affton School District)
The Cougar Backpack Program provides food bags filled with nonperishable items to help ensure that every student has access to food over the weekend
If your family would like to participate, please click the link below and complete the food preference form. Once the form is filled out, kindly email it to jcrawford@afftonschools.net or kwood@afftonschools.net, depending on your student's grade level
šFill out this formĀ
Thank you for allowing us to support your family. All information will be kept confidential
Free and Reduced Lunches (Affton School District)
Log into Infinite Campus Parent Portal on phone app
If you do not know your username or password, please contact your students building administrative assistant for help with retrieving that information
Once logged in you will select the Menu tab on the upper left hand side of the screen in green. (it has three horizontal lines)
Then you will go all the way down to the bottom of the menu items and select More
Under More you will then select Meal Benefits
Then under Meal Benefits you will select the blue Meal Benefits ApplicationĀ
Then after you submit the application, a letter of your free/reduced meal application meal status will be emailed to you.
* Please note that the application date is the date that your meal application takes in effectĀ
You can also access the application on our district website, afftonschools.net
Under Menu
Scroll down and select Click here for more information on Free & Reduced Meals
Then select the 2025-2026 ApplicationĀ
You can then send the application to Claire Smith at csmith@afftonschools.net
Encourage children to embrace challenges, try new strategies, and see mistakes as opportunities to learn. A simple conversation about āone thing I learned this weekā can make a huge difference.
Encourage consistent sleep and breaks from screens
Practice deep breathing or grounding exercises before tests
Remind students to focus on effort, not perfection
Monitor screen time, balance social media use, and model healthy online habits
Encourage conversations about kindness and safe online behavior
Take 5-10 minutes for yourself each day
Practice small resets: stretching, walking, journaling, or breathing exercises
Accept that you cannot do everything perfectly, and modeling self-care teaches kids healthy habits