Henry Happenings

We hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving with your families where you were able to rejuvenate, rest, and celebrate. We are excited to see your children back at Henry this week and make the most of the next three weeks before Winter Break.

Make sure to keep reading below for more information on: Holiday Assistance, Spelling Bee, Nurse Notes and the latest from PTO! Make sure to see how you can help support our amazing PTO by signing up and participating in the Charleston Wrap fundraiser...we need you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jodi Oliver

December 2 - School Resumes

December 3 - PTO Tab Top Collection Day

December 4 - PTO Steam Night at MADE 6 PM to 8 PM

December 5 - Strings Open House

December 11- Early Release (2:05 PM Dismissal at Henry)

December 11 - PTO Steam Night at MADE 6 PM to 8 PM

December 12 - PTO Restaurant Night at Rozanna's

December 20 - No Letter Day

December 20 - Half Day (1:05 PM Dismissal at Henry)

December 23 through January 3 - No School (Winter Break)

January 6 - School Resumes

January 6 - Dreambox Challenge Begins

January 6 - Kindergarten Registration Opens

Henry is once again organizing some help around the holidays by providing gift cards to local stores. If your family could use assistance this year, please contact Mrs. Herrmann at 314-415-6359 or jherrmann@parkwayschools.net.

Henry is so excited to host our annual Spelling Bee at Henry! Students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade will have an opportunity to qualify for the Henry Elementary Spelling Bee. We will be using materials provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The first step entails a classroom spelling bee. This will take place in the classroom the week of December 16th. Teachers will be choosing the date that works best for their classroom. The test will use words that are included in the Spelling Bee Study List, which was sent home 11/22/24. Any words from the list may be used during the classroom bee. Based upon the results of the classroom bee, one student from each class will advance to the school bee.

The Henry Elementary Spelling Bee will take place on Friday, January 24th. It will be an oral contest (not written), and if your child is one of the students that does qualify, you will receive more information about the bee before winter break.

If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Goyal at agoyal@parkwayschools.net.

• The Nurses Office is seeking small boys long sweat/athletic pants and underwear for Henry students, as we are running low. Also, if students have borrowed clothing from the clothing closet, please wash and return the items to the school. Thank you.

• See the pictured flyer to learn more about upcoming Eye Thrive Community Visit Dates. The next event is January 30th at the St. Louis Public Library Central Branch.

• Check out the December Nurse's Newseltter to learn more about the following topics:

1. Oral Health Fund
2. Emergency Room or Urgent Care: What is the Difference?
3. Decorate Safely

Are you a Parkway Grandparent Raising Grandchildren? The Parkway Nurses have organized this recurring event as a chance for grandparents to gather with other grandparents raising grandchildren. See below for details on the next session.

WHEN: February 19th, 2025

TIME: 6:00pm - 7:30pm

WHERE: Parkway's Welcome Center (located at the back of Parkway South Middle, 760 Woods Mill Rd. Ballwin, MO 63011)

The Manchester Elks Lodge #2058, has invited 5th-8th grade students to participate in an Americanism Essay Contest. Winners of the contest could win up to $1000. Leare more below or click here to access the Application Packet

• Eligible participants must be Students enrolled in one of these four divisions: I—5th grade; II—6th grade; III—7th grade; or IV—8th grade.
• Essay length is not to exceed 300 words.
• Essay must be typed or legibly printed in ink. Also, Essay must be submitted as written (or typed) by the entrant.
• Essay must be submitted for judging to the Elks Lodge nearest to the address of the entrant.
• Participant must be identified by name, grade, school attending and sponsoring Elks Lodge on the Essay.
• All applications must include the coverpage to identify the student and local Elks Lodge it is submitted to.

Essay should be submitted to your nearest local Elks Lodge on/before December 15, 2024.

As we continue to focus on providing the best educational experience for all of our students, we want to take a moment to highlight the critical role that consistent school attendance plays in your child’s academic success.

Why Attendance Matters: Regular school attendance is essential for your child’s learning and overall development. Every day in the classroom contributes to building knowledge, skills, and relationships that are vital for academic progress. Missing school—even for one day—can lead to gaps in learning, which can accumulate over time. By ensuring that your child attends school regularly, you're helping them stay on track, stay engaged, and feel connected to their learning community.

How We Track and Communicate Attendance: To help monitor and encourage regular attendance, we send home attendance letters each month to students with an atttendance percentange less than 93%. These letters outline your child’s attendance record for the month and include any absences or tardies. Please know this communication is an expectation from the Parkway School District.

A Partnership in Attendance: We understand that life can sometimes interfere with attendance, whether it’s due to illness, family matters, or other challenges. If your child is struggling with attendance for any reason, we encourage you to contact us so we can offer support and find solutions together. We’re here to partner with you to ensure that your child’s educational experience remains strong and consistent.

The giving season is right around the corner and while it's not expected or required, we know families often want to do a little something extra for their child's teacher. If you're wondering what they might enjoy, check out this updated staff wishlist for ideas and inspiration gathered by the Henry Teacher Appreciation Committee.

Henry STEAM Night registration is now closed. Please see the information below for a reminder on dates, times and logistics.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4 or Wednesday, December 11

TIME: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

WHERE: 5127 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108

If registered, you will receive a registration bracelet that must be worn the night of the approved registration for admittance. Contact Henry PTO with questions at: henrypto@gmail.com. We look forward to all the STEAM fun!

The Charleston Wrap fundraiser is "wrapping" up this Friday, December 6th. There is still time to sell and shop!

Once registered as a seller, make sure or email the link to share with all of your family and friends. Henry PTO will receive 40% profit except for Personalizable Items and Boutique Items, which are 30% profit.

Thank you for your continued support of Henry Elementary!

Save the date for Henry PTO’s annual trivia night! Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 1st, and start organizing your team of 8. Trivia night is the PTO’s biggest fundraiser and a fun evening with the Henry community. Registration details to come.

We are looking for round sponsors for the evening. Sponsorship starts at $125. Interested? Reach out to Sara at henrytrivia@gmail.com.

Email: joliver2@parkwayschools.net
Website: https://www.parkwayschools.net/Domain/15
Location: 700 Henry Avenue, Ballwin, MO, USA
Phone: 314-415-6350
Facebook: facebook.com/henryelementaryschool
Instagram: @pkwyhenrybulldogs