It was great first week back to school! Thank you so much for all you have done to prepare your children for a successful school year. We are so lucky to have the best students and families around!

This year partnering with you is key to your child's success. I'd like to share some key points to help ensure a fantastic year for everyone in our Parkway community.

Fostering a Positive School Culture

This year, we're continuing our efforts to promote kindness, belonging, and positive conflict resolution. We invite you and your children to be active participants in maintaining this welcoming atmosphere. Parkway is introducing a new social emotional survey in most of our schools for students in grades 3-12 to help us better support them. We will send you more information about this later this month. If you ever have concerns about your child’s social emotional needs, please don't hesitate to reach out to our counseling staff or administrators.

Celebrating Daily Attendance

Every day at school is an opportunity for growth and connection. Consistent attendance is crucial for your child's success, and we're here to support you if any challenges arise. Let's work together to make each school day count.

Embracing a Focused Learning Environment

We're encouraging students to fully engage in the amazing learning experiences that their teachers have developed for them. To support this, we're asking students to keep personal electronic devices stored during class time unless directed otherwise by their teacher. This approach will help everyone stay present, engaged, and make the most of learning opportunities. We appreciate your support in reminding your children about this.

Thank you for all that you do to help your child succeed in school. Your partnership is invaluable in making this a memorable and successful year for everyone in Parkway schools. Here's to a year of learning, growth, and countless successes, both big and small.

It looks like it will be very hot this week! Please make sure to send your child with a refillable water bottle to school. Also, please know we stay indoors for recess when the temperature or heat index reaches 100 degrees. We consistently monitor this throughout the day to keep everyone safe. Stay cool this week!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jodi Oliver

August 27 – New Family Welcome Breakfast 8 AM (RSVP by 8/25)

September 2 – No School (Labor Day)

September 3 – Dreambox Challenge Begins

September 5 – Cub Scout Join Meeting 7 PM Henry Cafeteria

September 11 – Early Release Day (2:05 PM Dismissal at Henry)

September 11 – PTO Papa John’s Night

September 12 – Curriculum Night (Grades 3 to 5) 5:30 PM

September 12 – Curriculum Night (Grades 1 to 2) 6:30 PM

Please complete this form to RSVP for Henry's Family Bingo Night on Friday, September 20th. More information can be found in the flyer below. We hope to see you there!

I have LOVED seeing your children in the library this week where we learned about the space, read some books, and checked out for the first time this year! Kindergarten, first and second grades come to the library every week for a class. Third, fourth and fifth grades visit the library every other week. Library books can be brought home or kept at school (kindergarten will begin to bring books home in September). Books can be kept for up to two weeks, and if your child needs more time with a book they just need to let me know.

Your child's library day, information on reading eBooks, and lots of other great information can be found on the Henry Library Page. Please visit often to learn about what we are doing in the Henry library. You can also follow our library adventures on our Henry Library Instagram @henry_library.

Also, Henry Elementary is welcoming author Jasmine Warga on Friday, September 13th. Jasmine will be visiting grades 4-5 and will talk about writing, her books, and her Mark Twain Nominated book A Rover's Story. Jasmine has written many middle grade novels and has won multiple awards for her work. She also has a new book coming out on September 10th called A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hill. We would like to thank The Novel Neighbor, a bookstore in Webster Groves, for helping bring Jasmine to Henry!

If your family would like to purchase an autographed copy of her books and ordering link and form will be coming home in the next few weeks.

If you have any questions, or do not want your 4th/5th grader to attend the visit, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Goyal at agoyal@parkwayschools.net.

Attention all active Bulldogs! Do you do gymnastics? Go hiking? Ride your bike? Play soccer? P.E. would love to feature a picture of you doing healthy activities on our P.E. bulletin board! Please send in a picture of how you stay active.

You can email your picture, or send in a picture for us to hang up. You can email ahowren@parkwayschools.net or kpettus@parkwayschools.net!

We can't wait to see all of our Bulldogs making healthy choices!

Please remember, if a student requires medication, all medications must be in the original packaging with the prescription label if appropriate and accompanied by a permission form signed by parents and the student's physician. The necessary forms can be found here: Health Forms

If your child had any changes to their health over the summer, or if you would like to discuss any particular concerns please email lmunch@parkwayschools.net.

As a reminder, Parkway School District uses Peachjar to send school information and approved flyers . In addition to important school events and information, these flyers contain programs and events offered throughout your community that help your child succeed. After-school sports, local family events, free community programs, and college prep are just a handful of the resources found in our district’s Peachjar emails.

To ensure the smooth delivery of this communication, we suggest you add school@peachjar.com to your email contacts. When you receive your first Peachjar email, be sure to click “Always display images.”

A special shout out to Mrs. Nagy and Rolling Ridge Nursery! Mrs. Nagy shared our school's theme this year is Ready, Set, Grow. They were excited and wanted to support our community and students. They generously donated 14 low light houseplants to brighten up our school. Heather is the houseplant specialist who hooked us up. Thank you Rolling Ridge Nursery! We love community partners!

Were you able to see the new mural during Meet the Teacher Night? Did you know our very own parents Mr. and Mrs. Crowley thought of this design and created it from start to finish? We cannot thank them enough for giving back to our school and adding this wonderful piece to our hallway by the gym!

It is important that we have the most updated contact information for each family. Parents can update their Family Profile online using Infinite Campus or in the Infinite Campus Parent app. Please complete the update before the first day of school.

Update your family profile here.

The Henry School Calendar has been updated for the 2024-2025 school year with school-wide events and information (as much as can be planned at this time).

• Please click here to access a printable district calendar that includes days off school and early release days.

• You can access the school calendar by visiting our website (click here).

• You may wish to load the calendar into your personal electronic calendar. Please use this web address to access the calendar from other applications: https://www.parkwayschools.net/site/handlers/icalfeed.ashx?MIID=15. You can copy and paste this into any calendar product that supports the iCal format (i.e. Google Calendar, iOS devices, Android devices, and Microsoft Outlook). Detailed instructions are available by clicking here.

Bus Stop Information: Bus information is available on the Parkway mobile App. Download the app and log in to access the bus stop location, pick and drop-off times.

Students in the VICC program and anyone receiving specialized transportation will receive a postcard in the mail with their bus stop information.

Call the transportation office at 314-415-8415 for questions or additional information.

Kindergarten Bus Safety Video: This message is designed for kindergarteners, but the tips are important for all bus riders. Please click here to view the bus safety video with your child.

Reminder for Parents of Kindergarten Students: Kindergarten students (unless riding with an older sibling) must be met at the bus stop by an adult. If an adult is not at the bus stop when the bus arrives to drop off your child, your child will be brought back to the school office.

Bus Procedures and Safety: Please review these bus rules with your child.

1. Be at the bus stop early.

2. Respect the bus driver and listen to instructions.

3. Take your seat right away after boarding the bus.

4. Stay seated at all times.

5. Always get on and off the bus at your bus stop.

6. Leave the bus carefully using the handrail.

7. Keep your head, arms, legs and hands inside the bus.

8. Look both ways before crossing the road.

9. Wait for the bus in a safe place away from the road.

10. Keep away from the bus if you drop or forget something.

11. No eating or drinking on the school bus.

12. Do not ride the bus if you feel ill/sick /have a fever.

13. Specific seats may be assigned by the bus driver.

In collaboration with the Ballwin Police Department, to keep our car drop-off & pick-up lane safe and the traffic moving on Henry Ave, please follow the route through the neighborhood as outlined below. Please help us keep the non-school traffic moving on Henry Avenue by following this right turn only plan and NOT making a left turn from Henry Ave into the school lot. Please only enter the Henry lot AFTER you have been on Guenevere.

DROP-OFF LOOP

From BOTH DIRECTIONS on Henry Ave:

1. Turn onto Clayworth Dr.

2. Left on Ruthwood Dr.

3. Left on Guenevere Dr.

4. Right on Henry Ave.

5. Right into Henry Elem

6. Proceed to the Rear of the School

Right Turns Only for Entering the School Drive! Please enter the school drive only from Northbound Henry Ave (going toward Clayton Rd) AFTER you have LOOPED THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD and are exiting the neighborhood from Guenevere. THE LINE BEGINS ON GUENEVERE.

DO NOT TURN DIRECTLY ONTO GUENEVERE

If you turn directly on Guenevere, you will have to make a U-Turn to enter the line. This causes a major safety issue for those children walking to school. It also upsets our neighbors when cars turn around in their driveways. Please help us be safe and good neighbors by entering Guenevere only by using the route through the neighborhood. When waiting in line, please be considerate of neighbors needing to enter or exit their driveways.

FROM GLENMEADOW DR OR SPRING MEADOWS DR

If you are coming from Glenmeadow Dr or Spring Meadows Dr, please turn Right onto Henry Avenue and loop back to make a right turn into the Henry drive.

SAFETY REMINDERS

For safety, please do not use cell phones in the pick-up line where students are loading. Students should always load on the passenger side of the vehicle in order to avoid walking between cars.

PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF LANE

Please refer to the map below for the loading/unloading zones, waiting zones, and exit path.

Please refer to the maps above!

• See the map through the neighborhood and follow this route before attempting to turn into the Henry lot so we avoid traffic back-ups on Henry Ave.

• You will circle around the concrete island and then go into the upper playground blacktop and circle around the perimeter of the blacktop.

• Always pull forward as much as possible. Please drive all the way to the stop sign past Door 4 to ensure the maximum number of cars can load and unload at one time. This helps us keep the line moving efficiently!

Drop-Off:

• The back drop-off doors will be open from 8:50 - 9:05 a.m. Once the doors close, you will need to bring your child to the front of the building, park, and walk them to the door. Please do NOT drop off your child if the doors are closed because the doors lock and they will not be able to get in.

• Students do not need to wait for a staff member to open the car door. Once the cars have stopped moving, students may exit through the passenger side of the vehicle. Adults will assist younger students as quickly as possible, but to keep the line moving, please practice with your child unbuckling and opening the car door independently.

Pick-Up:

• Please have a car sign hanging from your rearview mirror.

• New families will receive a rearview mirror tag at Meet the Teacher or it will be sent home with your child on the first day of school.

• If you do not yet have a sign, please be prepared to show photo identification and ensure that anyone picking up your child is listed as a guardian or emergency contact in your child’s Infinite Campus profile. This is our safety procedure all year long and everyone having a sign helps the line move faster.

Safety Reminders:

• Students can ONLY unload/load from the passenger side IN the specified ZONE.

• Drivers side doors should ALWAYS stay closed.

• Do Not pull up in front of the building to drop off your child during arrival/dismissal. This is an important safety procedure due to the unloading of the buses in the front area. Please remember that due to the size of the buses, the drivers have limited visibility. Never walk between buses because they can roll back which can cause a serious accident.

• For safety and so that full attention is given as students walk to their cars, we ask that cell phones are NOT used in the pick-up line.

Each family will have a hangtag with its family number. The hangtag and/or family number allow the Henry staff to quickly confirm that an authorized individual is picking up each child.

• For car pick-up, please display your hangtag by hanging it from the rearview mirror.

• For parent-led walkers and bikers, please hold your hangtag and show it to the Henry staff member at the dismissal door.

If the person picking up the child does not have a hangtag or does not know the family number, photo identification will be required. Not having your hangtag will slow down the dismissal process. If you need a new hangtag or need your family number changed, please contact the school office and a new tag will be made for you. Please know that the hangtags are only used during regular dismissal. When children are signed out early, the adult must present photo identification.

The safety of children walking to school is very important. Please show your child the route you wish him/her to take before school starts. Also, please review with your child the necessity of using the designated crosswalks near the school and also to follow the instructions of our crossing guard. Children should always be aware of any strangers who approach them and should let a responsible adult know immediately if anything unusual occurs. They should also remember not to approach anyone in a car who may stop to ask them questions.

The school crosswalks are supervised from 8:50 a.m. to 9:05. Students should leave home at a time when they will reach the crosswalks when they are supervised.

Students riding bicycles to school should park their bikes at one of the two bike stands in front of the building and secure their bikes using a lock. Per St. Louis County ordinance, bicycle riders under the age of 16 are required to wear a helmet.

PARENT-LED WALKERS & BIKERS

Parents are asked to wait outside the building when waiting for those students who are walking. When walker dismissal begins, please walk down to the main entrance and show your hangtag with your family number to the school staff.

INDEPENDENT WALKERS & BIKERS

If your child will be walking or biking home without an adult (or siblings middle school-age or older), please email permission for your child to be released independently. Please send emails to your child’s teacher and to Carolyn Schenck in the main office via cschenck@parkwayschools.net.

If at any time during the school year, your child will be going home a different way than normal (e.g., parent picking up instead of the bus, walking instead of car pick-up, going home with a friend, etc.), please send a note to your child’s teacher.

Children being picked up by someone other than their parents are to also bring a note and get a pickup pass. Notes from the parents of both children will be needed if a child is going to another student’s home.

If you are calling in with a last-minute change of transportation, you need to call the main office by 2:30 p.m.

If you would like to apply for the free and reduced lunch program it is available for online submission at this link. Please contact the Henry office if you would like to request a paper copy. If you think you may qualify, please fill the forms out completely and return/submit them promptly. Students are charged the full price of their meals until the application is submitted and then, if approved.

In mid-September we will collect the signs again and/or you can return them through the car drop off or pick up line. This allows for our incoming Kindergarten class the following year to enjoy as well! We will communicate more at that time.

Do you have a kindergartener, or are you new to the Henry community? Please join us for a light breakfast on Tuesday, August 27th at 8am in the Henry Library. We want to welcome all of our new families and give you the chance to ask questions in order to make everyone’s transition to Henry as smooth as possible. Please RSVP by 8/25 to Lisa Bradley (Bradley.Lisa.0328@gmail.com).

Please take a minute to see what areas you can help out with. There are many items that you can do from home, some items on the weekends, and some during the day. We know everyone is busy, but if you can help with 1 or 2 committees it would make the process much easier for all. (And if you are eyeing a lot more than 1 or 2 then you are amazing and thank you)! Depending on the committee it is a great way to get to know more people.

https://forms.gle/92M7XdDbQS6rWeQs9

Please keep an eye out for upcoming information in programming changes and details.

Looking for a fun, flexible work environment close to home?

Interested in a part-time job to earn some extra money and help your Henry Community? Adventure Club is hiring part-time staff to supervise and engage with children before and after school. Do you know an adult, high school, or college student looking for a job that will work around their schedule? Adventure Club is currently looking for passionate, caring people to join our school-age care team!

• Morning and/or afternoon positions available

• Pick your days and shifts (Mon-Fri)

• No nights or weekends

• All training provided

• Positions starting at $15 to $17 per hour
  

Complete this form to learn more or schedule an interview, and we’ll contact you.

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