Patrick Henry Post

January is always a difficult time of weather ups and downs, and this week was the perfect example of what St. Louis weather can be like. We swung from mid-60s sunshine to a complete winter wonderland. We have been working hard to keep our students as active as possible during this snowy and cold season. Indoor recess (pictured below) gives our students the opportunity to play games with each other, laugh, and have fun in their classrooms. There are plenty of other fun activities you can do in the classroom or at home to give our students some fun physical activity! Check out some of the resources listed below for ideas on what to do with these cold days!

As a reminder, make sure your phone number is updated with the school and the district to make sure you get notices for snow days and early dismissals.

Steven is a kindergartener in Ms. Wildermuth's class who just tested out of SIPPS entirely! Steven proudly showed off his work in the main office to prove his level of excellence, and we were so impressed with both his intellect and his hard work to continually move up levels. We love to see our students succeed, and we love celebrating those successes!

If you have ever received an attendance phone call from us, you know how much we value attendance and students arriving at school on time every day. Arriving at school on time means that children get to participate in one of the most important parts of the day: the morning routine. Each class is different, but they all have that special way to start the day in the right way. Ms. Ivory greets each of her students with a special handshake and greeting, Ms. Wildermuth provides morning work, second grade starts with a Do Now and music in the background, first grade begins with a journal writing activity and a series of songs. It sounds so simple, but making sure students know what to expect as they start their day with us is incredibly important! It makes students feel safe, comfortable, relaxed, and prepared. It helps them feel secure to know what happens first, especially when the first activity of the day is a positive greeting and a moment to connect with their teacher.

Ms. Bryant's art classroom received a beautiful gift this week: all new tables built by our community partner, Building Futures! The tables are the right size for Ms. Bryant's stools to fit under them with students able to sit much more comfortably now. The old tables will be used in a new area on the second floor intended for collaborative learning spaces in the hallway. We have so many beautiful spaces throughout our building, and it is our mission to make sure we use each inch of it for student learning. Thank you to Building Futures for these spectacular tables, for beautifying Ms. Bryant's room, and for making it possible to create a new collaborative learning space!

Every month, our teachers select a special student from their class who has exhibited strong character traits. This month's Henry Honors theme was Leadership. Teachers selected students who showed us not only that they can make excellent choices for their own well-being, but they can also help their peers and those around them to make positive choices. We are so proud of each of our students for this great accomplishment! Thank you to Ms. Hill and Mrs. Terrance for the awesome celebration!