Welcome to Women's History Month!
March is internationally known as Women's History Month! After celebrating such a powerful February with Black History Month, we are rolling right into the next celebration - this time of our incredible women. What started out as a week-long celebration of women in one school district in California and grew to be a month-long celebration of women all over the world, Women's History Month showcases accomplishments of women who changed their communities for the better. Take a look below for some context on what Women's History Month is, and how people celebrate it across the country.
Academic Growth
Our students know that we are on a mission to GROW this school year! No matter where a child starts, we want to see them grow academically. This week, we got to celebrate reading growth in several students who are in Ms. Evans' "Novelier" program. To become a Novelier, students have to really WORK and TRAIN! They study hard when they are at home, they work hard when they are in class, and they stay focused when they are in their reading groups. They also encourage each other and are thrilled for each other when they make progress. Take a look at a few "Noveliers" and "Noveliers in Training" from Ms. Jami's class, and at some students who found a very comfortable place to sit with a new story!
Behavioral Growth
Academics are so important to us at Patrick Henry, but we also value social and emotional well-being, meeting behavioral expectations, and growing up into mature young adults. Several of our students have made great strides in their social and emotional maturity, and we are proud to see them consistently meeting expectations, learning from mistakes, and giving themselves and others enough grace to learn and grow.
Thank you, Ms. Harris!
This week was National School Social Workers' Week, so we had to celebrate our amazing Social Worker, Ms. Saquorria Harris! Ms. Harris has one of those fantastically kind, empathetic personalities that always puts people first. She knows just how to make someone's day, how to check in on them, and really make them feel heard. She works so hard here at Patrick Henry to make sure students are well cared for, and she is truly a caring person towards the staff as well. We are lucky to have such a fantastic person on our team!
What is Ms. Gonzalez up to???
Ms. Gonzalez received a very strange delivery this week - a giant box of pool noodles! We in the office are very intrigued - what on earth could Ms. Gonzalez be doing with giant pool noodles??? Is there a secret swimming pool in Patrick Henry that we don't know about? Is there a leak coming from the ceiling? Is Ms. G. planning a field trip to the Mississippi River? Stay tuned for news from Ms. Gonzalez's music classes....
Tornado Season Safety
This week, we ran our final tornado drill of the school year in preparation for tornado safety. In Missouri, April through October is considered tornado season. We practice tornado drills at school so that students always know what to do if a tornado strikes, but we also encourage you and your family to create a safety plan and practice even at your home. Take a look below for resources on how to be safe during tornado season no matter where you are:
- https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado
- https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/tornado.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/tornadosafety/index.html
We also want students to understand how and why tornados occur. See some of the fun activities below to learn the science behind tornado occurrences and tornado safety:
Thank you, DonorsChoose!
Our students benefit from the hard work their teachers put in every single day to challenge them academically, socially, and emotionally. Sometimes our teachers need a little extra help from the outside world to make sure our students get the very best. This week, our students benefitted from yet another DonorsChoose project fully funded.
Thank you, Washington University!
WashU's junior and senior students in Professor Lorberbaum's class have been gearing up to partner with our Patrick Henry second, third, and fourth grade students all semester long. This week, it finally happened! Students in Ms. Hammock's fourth grade class, Ms. Jackson second and third grade class, and Ms. Jami's second grade class all got to start their adventures with WashU. Through the magic of virtual meetings, WashU students focus on relationship-building and problem-solving with the Patrick Henry students. So far, it's been a fun and exciting experience for our students!
Thank you, Little Bit!
The Little Bit Foundation brought their mobile Book Fair to Patrick Henry this week, and our students were thrilled! They got to choose brand new books to take home with them to add to their growing collection of books, increasing their opportunity to read at home. Reading practice is hard to accomplish without books in your house, so we love and appreciate every opportunity to put new books in our students' homes!
Thank you, BJC!
In partnership with BJC School Outreach and Youth Development, Oasis Tutoring, and BJC Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, we received a beautiful donation of new books for every single first grader to take home over Spring Break! These books came to us free of charge and in mint condition. The intention is to empower our students to read books at home during their break, build their home libraries, and instill a love of reading in every student! We are so thankful for this gift, and we love the stories the books tell!
Below the synopsis of the books, take a look at two YouTube videos of each story being read aloud. One read aloud is from the author herself, bestselling author and actress Grace Byers. The second read aloud is from Ms. Cece, an educator who promotes read alouds of books that highlight strong self-esteem and empowerment.
"I Am Enough"
This story is written by Grace Byers and focuses on a young girl who realizes that she is enough for anything she wants to be and anything she wants to do!
"I Believe I Can"
This book is an affirmation for boys and girls of EVERY background to realize their potential and believe in themselves. The illustrations show powerful young people dreaming big and believing in themselves!
March 19-27: Spring Break
We wish everyone a happy, safe, and healthy Spring Break the week of March 21st! Take this time to relax, enjoy time with your family, and prepare yourself mentally and physically for the last quarter of the year. Take a look at some resources below for what to do with your children at home over Spring Break this year:
March 28: Return to School
We cannot wait for Spring Break, but we are also excited to welcome everyone back for 4th quarter. Our final quarter of the year brings with it academic challenges, end of year celebrations, and the promise of an amazing summer. We will see you back in school on Monday, March 28th!
April 6: St. Louis Symphony Art Contest Awards Ceremony
Join us in congratulating our two Patrick Henry artists who will be honored at the St. Louis Symphony on April 6th. Jaleah and Jayla were both chosen for the SLSO Art Contest honorees out of 11,000 entries. We are so proud of them and cannot wait to celebrate them!
April: MAP Testing
As we prepare for our state standardized test, we know that many students have test anxiety and stress associated with the MAP exam. We will work hard in our classrooms to prepare our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders for this assessment. We ask for parent support in ensuring that all students get a good night's sleep, eat healthy, get exercise, and receive encouragement to focus and do their very best. We know our students will show their knowledge and growth!