Early Childhood Education Excellence: HSD Recognized with Program of the Year Award

The Hazelwood School District's Early Childhood Education Preschool Program has been selected as the 2025 FutureBuilders’ Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program of the Year for large-sized districts! 

This recognition highlights the outstanding dedication of the center’s staff, and the impact of their work in building a strong foundation for Hazelwood’s youngest learners. The award is presented by the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) through its FutureBuilders’ Foundation. 

The District’s innovative kindergarten readiness program played a huge part in receiving this award. During the 2023-24 school year, the district launched a focused initiative to align instruction with Missouri’s Early Learning Standards, supported by a grant from Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership. A cohort of teacher leaders was formed to guide this work, meeting regularly to monitor student progress and share best practices. The grant also enabled targeted professional development and coaching for all early childhood educators. In a collaborative effort, kindergarten and early childhood teachers came together in March 2025 to strengthen alignment and support for incoming students. The program’s impact was further highlighted when seven teacher leaders presented their work at Washington University’s Practical Research in Education Showcase.

“We are deeply honored to receive the 2025 FutureBuilders’ ECE Program of the Year Award," said Dr. Stacy Ray, director of early childhood education at HSD. "This recognition reflects the unwavering dedication of our staff, the support of our families, and the ongoing interest in learning shown by our young students. Together, we’re building strong foundations for lifelong learning.”

Hazelwood was formally recognized at the MSBA Annual Conference Awards Banquet on Saturday, October 25 in Kansas City. 

The Hazelwood School District congratulates the entire Early Childhood Education Preschool Program team on this well-deserved recognition, and we thank them for their continued commitment to excellence in early childhood education.