Henry Happenings
February 12th, 2024
Principal Message
Happy Super Bowl Sunday!
We will exchange valentines on Wednesday, February 14 in our individual grade level classrooms. Students are invited to bring cards to share with friends if they would like, but due to health and allergy concerns, students cannot give out Valentine’s that include any edible food items including candy and treats. Also, please ensure your child brings a valentine for each student. We look forward to celebrating this week with a spirit week! See below for more details!
Make sure to look for the Henry Night with the St. Louis Blues. You can also find information about Girls on the Run registration and a sweetheart dance at Central Middle School. We also are starting a Dreambox Challenge outside of school so students can continue to accelerate their math progress and growth.
Click here to learn more about how Parkway plans for Winter Weather! Learn what to expect, how we will contact you, and how to prepare!
Keep reading below to learn more about yearbook orders, library news, and so much more!
Go Bulldogs!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jodi Oliver
Upcoming Dates
February 12 - Dreambox Challenge Continues
February 12 - Ticket Sales for Henry Night at the Blues Game Continue
February 12 to 15 - Spirit Week (see flyer with themes below)
February 13 - MOSAICS 4th/5th Grade Field Trip to Maryville STEM Studio
February 13 – PTO Meeting Henry Library 7 PM (Guest Speaker, see flyer below)
February 15 – Early Release Day 2 PM Dismissal at Henry
February 15 – Spring Parties
February 16 – No School (Professional Development)
February 18 - Priority Ticket Sales for Henry Night at the Blues Game End
February 19 – No School (Presidents Day)
February 20 - 2024-2025 Adventure Club Registration Opens (6 AM) for Current Participants
February 20 - 3rd Grade Field Trip
February 22 - Spirit of Excellence Celebration at the Touhill 6 PM
February 24 - Parkway STEMFEST at Southwest Middle 10AM
February 27 - Reader in Me Turn-In Deadline 9:30 AM
February 28 - 4th Grade Field Trip (Simon and Zinselmeier)
February 29 - 4th Grade Field Trip (Ayers and Kaliyaperumal)
No Car Drop Off in the Front of the Building Bus Lane Reminder
Please remember that there is no Car Drop off of students in the Front of the Building Bus Lane before school. If the Henry car monitor at the top of the drop off lane entrance is still present, continue to the car drop off route as usual in the back of the school.
Cars pulling up behind busses or in between busses can add danger, as the busses are not expecting cars to be in the bus lane and visibility can be low. Students should not be walking across alone from the parking lot as well. If a parent parks in the lot, they must walk with the child across the designated crosswalk and be mindful of the unloading busses. Thank you.
Dress up This Week for Show Your Love Spirit Week!
Today through Thursday, February 15th, your child is invited to participate in the spirit days below as we celebrate friendship and kindness.
February Schoolwide Dreambox Challenge
Student Wellness Program Guest Speaker at the PTO Meeting this Tuesday 2/13
Brian Kuhn, Director of the Student Wellness program, will present at this Tuesday's PTO meeting at 7 PM in the Henry Library about a free, mental health screening for Parkway students in grades 5 - 12. Brian and his staff were at Henry this past week working with some of our students whose families chose to participate. Brian will describe the program in detail including how his organization can connect students and their families with therapists in the community if there is a need. We hope you can join us to learn more about this valuable resource available to Parkway families. Check out the program's website for more information.
Free Dental Clinic for Kids the St. Louis Region March 1-2
Free Dental Clinic for Kids the St. Louis Region March 1-2 from Give Kids A Smile (GKAS).
Who Do They Serve?
* Children who are Medicaid qualified and/or who qualify for free or reduced
school lunches
* Children 12 months to 8th grade (but no older than 14 years old)
When and Where?
* Clinics take place at St. Louis University in the Center for Advanced Dental
Education on March 1-2, 2024
* Dentists provide comprehensive dental care, including cleanings, x-rays,
restorative care and more.
* Dental and nutrition educational materials for families
By appointment only. Call 636-397-6453, click here or see the flyer below for more details.
Notes from Nurse Munch
There are lots of germs circulating this year (COVID, flu, RSV, strep and more). Unfortunately, only COVID has a home test. If you would like, you can get free COVID tests here:
As a reminder, a child is too sick for school if:
- They have a fever of greater than 100.4 F or higher. Students need to stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without taking medication to reduce their fever.
- They have vomiting or diarrhea. They should stay home and rest until they are symptom free for 24 hours.
- Severe cough, persistent sinus or nasal congestion, persistent headache and body aches also usually indicate that a child needs to stay home until they are feeling better.
PLEASE NOTE FOR THOSE WITH FOOD ALLERGIES: We were recently notified that the supplier of bread products for our cafeteria has changed and there is a sesame allergy alert with the new product. Sliced sandwich bread, like that used for sunbutter sandwiches and grilled cheese, and hoagie rolls may contain sesame. Chartwells has updated the allergy alerts in the computer and will post additional signage in the cafeteria. They are also working to find another local supplier for this product, but until a replacement has been found, please review the lunch menu for alerts and discuss options with your child if they have a sesame allergy. Please contact Nurse Munch with any questions.
We have a new February Nurse Newsletter with information about asthma, heart health and preventing the stomach flu! Click here to read.
Granting Dreams Application Deadline Wednesday, 2/14
The Granting Dreams program, sponsored by Parkway Alumni Association, offers three grant opportunities for Parkway students who have a dream to learn outside their regular classroom:
- Dream Grants for Parkway K-12 students
- Thomas Phelps Entrepreneurship Awards for students (grades 9-12) interested in business
- John Baker Music Scholar Awards for band students (grades 10-11).
Click here to learn more about the 2024 Granting Dreams Guidelines and Application Process.
Parkway PACCD Night February 20th
Parkway PACCD is hosting an upcoming simulation night on Tuesday, February 20th at 5:30 PM at the Parkway Welcome Center. Families will have an opportunity to better understand what their child experiences regarding Dyslexia, DHH, AAC Devices, and Assistive Tech. Click below to register for one of the sessions.
Parkway's STEM Fest Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10-2 at Southwest Middle School
Join the fun at Parkway's STEM Fest on Saturday, February 24th from 10 AM to 2 PM. The event will take place at Southwest Middle, 701 Wren Ave, Manchester, MO 63021.
Interactive STEM activities include:
- Code and program robots
- Dig up real dinosaur bones
- Make slime and other take-home activities
- Mathination Station
- Electronic recycling ($25) and paper recycling (Free)
Click here to learn more or see the flyer below.
Blues Game Night to Support Henry April 1st
Register Now for Girls on the Run by February 25th
Interested in joining Girls on the Run? For students in grades 3-5. Program Dates at Henry: Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 5:30 PM, starting the week of March 4th and ending with a 5K Event on May 11th in Forest Park. Registration is currently open and ends February 25th (if spots available, late registration is from 2/28 through 3/8 or until the team is full).
Click here to register. Questions, contact Kim Torrence.
Directions for Using the Online Payment System for Field Trips
* Log into your Infinite Campus Parent Portal (if you need assistance with this, please contact the help desk at 314-415-8181, option 2 or via email at ic-parenthelp@parkwayschools.net )
* Select "More"
* Select "Online Payments"
* If you have more than one student in Parkway, please select your student's name (tab next to where it says "Summary")
* You will then see all fees/fines assigned to your student. You may then add items to your cart and proceed to pay as preferred.
*Please complete the form, click “Submit.”
NOTE: If you are using an Apple product, please use either Chrome or Firefox when logging in to your account. Also, if you are using your mobile phone, please turn your phone to landscape mode so you can see the full screen properly.
PTO Updates
FEEDBACK NEEDED on Trivia & Auction Night (For those who attended or didn't attend.)
The PTO is working to figure out how to engage more people in our biggest fundraising event of the year. Currently it is our Trivia Night where we raise $20,000, but honestly a very small part of our school population participates in the event and we would like to be more inclusive. Please respond to this google survey telling us why you attended or why you didn't (3 questions long). https://forms.gle/JzTSVUpAKMpvhai59
Volulnteer for Multicultural Night on Friday, March 8th
Please consider these ways to volunteer listed below:
- Host a Table - Students and Families can sign up to display items about a country/ethnicity/heritage. Share about the people, customs, languages, fashion, etc. You don’t need to come from the country you represent! You’ll also give out “stamps” so that students can fill up their passports!
- Performance - Encourage your student to take the stage and show off a little bit about their culture! Recite a poem, sing an anthem, dance, show off some fashion!
- Share Food - Bring food from around the world and share with other students. Maybe you can prepare a special dish and have recipe cards to hand out, or you can simply bring pre-packaged treats with notes on where families can purchase locally! The idea here is that we want families to sample flavors from around the world.
Questions can also be emailed to Jose Artiaga.
Henry Elementary School
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
Twitter: @BulldogsHenry