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The Patrick Henry Post

November 13th, 2020

The PatrickHenry PostNovember 13th, 2020

November Gratitude

This week, the gratitude continues. As I sit and reflect back on this second week of November, I find myself feeling so incredibly thankful for our families who work with us tirelessly to make sure their child is learning and growing here at Patrick Henry. Last week, I was feeling thankful for our kiddos - for their laughs, smiles, curiosity, kindness. This week, I am thinking more and more about the incredible parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings who make our students as magical as they are. I feel so much love and gratitude for our Patrick Henry families, and the way they surround their child or children with support throughout the school year. 2020 may have been the most challenging year in the history of our nation for parents of young children, and our families not only rose to the occasion, they rose above our challenging circumstances. I am really proud of our Patrick Henry families, and for all those who take such care of our students.


Each week this month, I am reflecting on what makes me feel thankful. Share your thoughts with me and I'll include them in the newsletter! This past week, some of our staff commented on what they are grateful for:

"I'm grateful to see the smiles through the students' eyes and their joy of learning." -Ms. Tolbert

Highlights from Virtual and In-Person Learning

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KWL Charts

Mrs. Wildermuth's students started studying jellyfish on Tuesday, and they started with a KWL Chart to track what they already know about jellyfish, what they want to know about jellyfish, and what they learned after studying them.
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It was fun to see their previous knowledge prove true as we read the book about jellyfish and saw how many students were right! One student even correctly identified that some jellyfish have tentacles!
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Writing Prompts

Did you know that Ms. Versen starts her day with a writing prompt for her students? Even in her virtual classroom, she starts every morning by asking students to think through a topic of the day. This one was on theme right before Veterans' Day!
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GGO

Welcome back to one of our long-time community partners, Gateway to the Great Outdoors (GGO)! Normally, this program is an in-person visit from a team of college students passionate about the outdoors, but this year they have pivoted to a virtual program that includes arts, crafts, and even growing kits! We were excited to experience some of those events even in the main office.
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Artists in the Making

One of our most artistic families, the Motley brothers, took advantage of a free moment they had in the office after school to create beautiful works of art with supplies graciously supplied by Mrs. O'Shea. It is always fun to see what they come up with!
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All in the Family

Big sister Iyana quizzed her little sis Tre'Onnah on her letters before our doors opened this morning. It was awesome to see the academic lessons started before the school day!
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Unleashing Potential

It was great to see the systems in place to keep all of our afterschool students' belongings safe and separated as they entered their afternoon with Unleashing Potential!
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Unleashing Potential

Safety checks happen every afternoon before students may enter the library. If your family is interested in applying for the program, see Mrs. O'Shea in the main office!
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New Challenges

Ramon's love for math has led him to the ultimate challenge that he can't seem to put down even for a minute!
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Recess Activities

Deshon's legos entertained him during recess this week as he built a new figure and got to enjoy a mental break from his fifth grade work!
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Masks up!

Thanks for modeling the right way to wear the mask while at school, Darrion! Noses and mouths should be covered at all times.
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Grandparent Surprise

Ka'Marii received the best surprise today during dismissal: her grandma came in town for a visit! The hug lasted for a full minute of pure, wonderful joy!
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A Patrick Henry Kitten

Staff discovered a kitten this week and Ms. Brandon even took the little guy home to bathe, feed, and welcome him!
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Highlight on Staying Active

This week, our students got a magical delivery from the recess Santa: new kickballs, jumpropes, skip-bos, ring tosses, and even a parachute! During this time of the pandemic, it is so important to get outside into the fresh air and let students run free. Check out some of the highlights from the new equipment from Ms. Willard's class!

Treats with the Treasurer

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This week, several of our classes got to visit with Treasurer Tishaura Jones! She read them a story and provided treats that they all got to take home! Best of all, they got to take home information to their families about savings accounts and how to protect an investment from the city of St. Louis for school-aged children to save for college.

Staff Shoutout to our Custodial Team

Mr. Mike, Ms. Annette, and Mr. Eric received a shoutout this week for their dedication to keeping Patrick Henry clean and safe for our students and staff. We all owe our custodians a huge thank you for their hard work the last month to keep our building sanitized as our students came back in person. Awesome job, team!