Patrick Henry Post

February was a literal breath of fresh air this week (even if it got much colder later!). The warm weekend weather and the lovely start to the week made me think that Spring is not so far away after all. The month of February has always held so much promise to me; the weather finally seems to thaw just a bit, we celebrate the love of St. Valentine by giving each other sweet treats, we celebrate the history of our democracy by honoring former presidents on Presidents' Day, and we take a special time to celebrate Black History Month. It is important to recognize that all of these things should be celebrated all the time - black history is American history, not just in February, and love should be gifted between friends and family members all year long, not just on Valentine's Day - but it is also really fun to have a designated time to celebrate! I hope you join us this month as we dive deep into our black heritage and as we prepare for our Black History Month Talent Show.

Tuesday, February 4th was the birthday of Rosa Parks, a Civil Rights activist who famously refused to give her bus seat up for a white passenger. Named one of the most influential people of the 20th century by Time Magazine, Rosa Parks serves as an inspiration to us all to fight for the freedom of all peoples regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, class, or status. We honor her and the example she set for us this month as we celebrate Black History Month. We also recognize that Rosa Parks was one of many Civil Rights activists, including several who also refused to give up their seats on the bus lines throughout the country. Thank you to Rosa Parks, those who came before her, and those who came after her for their courage and fortitude in the face of great and terrible obstacles.

Read more about Rosa Parks and her life of activism here: https://www.biography.com/activist/rosa-parks

President Barack Obama visited the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan and sat on the famous bus of Rosa Parks. In his own words, President Obama explained that Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat "was the simplest of gestures, but her grace, dignity, and refusal to tolerate injustice helped spark a Civil Rights Movement that spread across America."

Take a look at the following events happening throughout St. Louis this month to celebrate Black History Month:

• St. Louis Public Library Events: https://www.slpl.org/news/bhm2020/
• Missouri History Museum screening of The Kinloch Doc, a documentary about Missouri's first black city: https://mohistory.org/events/kinloch-doc
• African American Art Festival: https://www.fortheculturestl.com/events/2020/2/9/50th-annual-african-american-art-festival
• St. Louis Symphony, "Lift Every Voice," a concert to celebrate African American and African influences in music that shaped the music of this region: https://shop.slso.org/6264

This week was a whirlwind of warm weather that quickly transitioned into snow and ice and snow days! But we certainly had some fun along the way. Take a look at a few of our fun moments from the first week of February.

Our cafeteria staff works hard every day to keep our food healthy, fresh, and fun for our students! Our five staff members work as a team to make sure we have breakfast and lunch prepared for 289 students every day. That is no easy feat! We also have special occasions where our staff bags up lunches for classes going on field trips, and they are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure our students get a healthy meal no matter the circumstances. Thank you to our cafeteria staff!