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A+ Program

Parkway West A+ Coordinator:  Chris Lorenz
Email Address:  clorenz1@parkwayschools.net
State Website: A+ Website (MO Dept of Higher Ed) 

The A+ Scholarship program provides scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools who attend a participating public community college or career/technical school.

To be eligible for A+ Program monies, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (need SSN or ARN and the ability to file a FAFSA).
  • Submit a Participation Agreement (link below) by February 1 of your senior year of high school.
  • Attend a designated A+ high school for 2 years before graduation.
  • Graduate with an overall unweighted grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
  • Have at least a cumulative 95% attendance record overall for grades 9-12.
  • Performing at least 50 hours of unpaid Parkway tutoring or mentoring, of which up to 25 hrs might include unpaid community service with a non-profit organization.
  • Maintain a record of good citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol while in grades 9-12.  This includes no more than 9 days of suspension throughout high school.
  • Have achieved a score of proficient or advanced on the Algebra I end-of-course exam or a higher level DESE-approved end-of-course exam in the field of mathematics.  The math section of your PreACT or ACT can also be used, if needed.  See chart on this state's website here.
  • The state requires all scholarship recipients to file the FAFSA for the year they are using the funds.  This would happen in senior year to use the funds in your first year of college!  The FAFSA should be filed by the priority deadline for Missouri.  Find more information here.

Step to Join the A+ Program:

Complete this Participation Agreement

After Joining the A+ ProgramReview the "Tutoring & Mentoring Handbook"

  • Use these log sheets to track your hours.  Return log sheets to Mr. Lorenz.
  • Monitor the status of your eligibility requirements in Infinite Campus.  Click "More" in the left menu, then A Plus.
    • NOTE: All students are marked "Not Yet Eligible" on the A+ tab until semester 2 grades from senior year are posted since the program requires evaluating your final cumulative GPA and attendance.

Local Opportunities for Service Hours

This list is not inclusive but includes opportunities used by West High students in the past.  If you have other ideas, feel free to connect with Mr. Lorenz to see if the time will work for either tutoring/mentoring or community service.  Turn in all log sheets to Mr. Lorenz by May 1 of senior year.
 
 * * TUTORING/MENTORING OPTIONS (to count as tutoring/mentoring, it must be on Parkway property with a supervising Parkway staff member) - 25-50 of the 50 hours must fall in this category
 
During the School Day
  • Cadet Teaching @ Parkway West High - during registration, request to Cadet Teach with a teacher at Parkway West as one of your classes and earn all 50 hours of tutoring within the school day over the course of your semester enrollment
  • PE Mentor, Theatre Mentor, or FACS Mentor @ Parkway West High - during registration, request to Cadet Teach with a teacher at Parkway West as one of your classes and earn all 50 hours of tutoring within the school day over the course of your semester enrollment

Outside of School Hours

  • A+ Tutoring at Parkway West Middle - help with after-school programming
  • Parkway/Rockwood Adventure Club (to count for A+ you would have to be an unpaid volunteer!)
  • Parkway Outdoor School (6th grade camp) Counselor - applications due by September 1st!
  • PATH (Peers Advocating for Total Health)
  • Peer tutoring - must be on Parkway property with a Parkway staff member supervising your time
  • Parkway Summer Tutoring - each year students have an opportunity to sign up to serve as a teacher's assistant in our West area elementary summer program.  Sign-up is usually in the spring and fulfills your required tutoring hours if you attend each day of the session. 

 * * COMMUNITY SERVICE OPTIONS (to count as community service, it must be unpaid service with a non-profit organization) - 0-25 of the 50 hours may count in this category.  Examples of organizations you can work with include:

Using the Scholarship Funds

If you meet all program requirements, your final transcript will be stamped with the A+ seal.  Sending that stamped, final transcript to a Missouri community college or public technical school (as well as filing the FAFSA) will initiate the processing of the scholarship funds.

Not attending an A+ affiliated college/university, but want to take some college classes for free?  Our community colleges will allow students to use their A+ funds for summer enrollment ONLY in the summer semester immediately following a student's high school graduation. If you are a graduating senior and would like to take advantage of free credit hours this summer, please review the information at each community college.  Ex: STLCC or SCC.  Note: you will need to file a separate FAFSA since the summer session falls in the previous school year.

If you are attending a 4-year institution that has an A+ scholarship opportunity available, you must check with that school to see if they require any separate paperwork/documentation to earn that award. Click HERE to access a quick reference guide of a list of colleges with available A+ scholarships.