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Henry Happenings
December 3, 2023
Principal Message
With it being December, I want to make sure you are aware of the snow day plan in case inclement weather happens in the future. Parkway will use the same snow day plan for this school year. The first three snow days, if needed, will be no school days for students and staff and the district will be closed. If Parkway were to close more than three snow days, virtual learning days would be used. This allows students and staff to enjoy a few snow days each year and also avoid the need to makeup snow days at the end of the school year.
Help needed: Do we have any Henry parents that might be an artist? Do you know anyone that is an artist? Please reach out to Dr. Oliver, if you possess this talent or know someone who does that may want to be involved in a future project.
Check out information below about talent shows, strings open houses, PTO events, and more!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jodi Oliver
Upcoming Dates
December 4 - PTO/Cub Scouts Jared Box Project Donation Drive Continues (through Friday, 12/8)
December 5 - Tab Top Collection Day
December 5 - Talent Sharing Days during Music Class
December 6 - Talent Sharing Days during Music Class
December 6 - PTO Restaurant Night at Rozanna Mediterranean Restaurant 3 PM to 9 PM
December 6 - PTO's Parent's Afternoon Out 4:30 PM (see flyer below)
December 7 - Talent Sharing Days during Music Class
December 8 - Last Day for the Jared Box Project Donation Drive
December 8 - Talent Sharing Days during Music Class
December 11 - Strings Open Houses (Grades 3 and 4)
December 11 - PTO Gift Card Fundraiser (Available on PTO Facebook Page) 8 PM
December 12 - Reader in Me Turn-In Deadline 9:30 AM
December 12 - PTO Gift Card Fundraiser (Available on PTO Facebook Page) 8 PM
December 13 - Early Release, 2:05 PM Dismissal at Henry
December 13 - PTO Gift Card Fundraiser (Available on PTO Facebook Page) 8 PM
December 14 - 2nd Grade Field Trip
December 14 - PTO Gift Card Fundraiser (Available on PTO Facebook Page) 8 PM
December 15 - Strings Open Houses (Grades 3 and 4)
December 15 - Reader in Me Prize Distribution 9:05 AM
December 17 - Before-School 5th Grade Choir Performs at Ambush Game 3:05 PM Family Arena
December 18 - Spirit Day(s) starting Today through Thursday, December 21 - Details Coming Soon!
December 19 - 5th Grade Biography Day (Byrd and Call) 11 AM
December 19 - 5th Grade Biography Day (Lois and Valleroy) 1:30 PM
December 21 - Half Day at Henry, 1:05 PM Dismissal
December 22 through January 2- No School, Winter Break
Talent Show Reminder/Linked Schedule for December 5th through December 8th
All are welcome to come to the in-class Talent Shows at Henry on your student's letter day and music class time this week. Here is the TALENT SHOW SCHEDULE. We have 24 Talent Shows over a period of 4 days. These cannot be recorded by Mrs. Plesia, due to how many hours of footage that would be. Please take note of your child's letter day (A, B, C, or D), and music class date and time. Please email Mrs. Plesia with any questions. We look forward to seeing you!
Library Notes
Jan Brett is going to be visiting the Daniel Boone Branch of the St. Louis County Library on Saturday, December 9th from 5:30-8:30. The event will include a book talk by Jan Brett on her new Winter Collection Box set, including classics like “Cozy” and “The Three Snow Bears,” a book signing, photos with Hedgie, crafts, and lots of winter fun!
3rd and 4th Grade Strings Open House Invitation for 12/11 & 12/15
3rd Grade
- Mrs. O'Connor's Class - Monday, December 11th, 1:40-2:10
- Mr. Bunsick's Class - Monday, December 11th, 2:45-3:15
- Mrs. Barthelmass's Class - Friday, December 15th 1:40-2:10
- Mrs. Meyer's Class - Friday, December 15th, 2:45-3:15
4th Grade
- Ms. Ayers’ Class – Mon, Dec. 11, 9:40 - 10:10
- Mrs. Simon’s Class - Mon, Dec. 11, 10:10 - 10:40
- Mrs. Kaliyaperumal's Class – Fri, Dec. 15, 9:40 - 10:10
- Ms. Zinselmeier’s Class – Fri, Dec. 15, 11:50 - 12:20
All classes will be in the orchestra room. Please remember to bring your ID as all guests will need to sign in at the office. Plan to come about 5-10 minutes early to park and get signed in.
Order Tickets to See the 5th Grade Choir Sing at the Ambush Game 12/17
Our Before-School Henry 5th Grade Choir will be singing “The National Anthem” at an Ambush Soccer Game at the Family Arena coming up on Sunday, December 17, 2023. The game time will now be 3:05 PM. The Ambush will be playing the Dallas Sidekicks.
Please consider attending with your family to represent our school and to provide a cheering section for our choir participants! We would love to have a large group of Henry friends to celebrate the afternoon with.
Tickets are $18.35 a piece (including tax), and everyone attending does need to purchase a separate ticket - choir singers, students, parents, siblings and teachers. If anyone has a child 2 or under, they do not need a ticket (ages 3+ will need a purchased ticket). Parking fees are not included, and in the past have been $10 cash per car. Carpooling might be a good thing to consider.
** Please note: purchases can be made now, but actual tickets will not be sent out until 2-3 days before the event (which is also when our group link will close). Order tickets here!
Please also fill out this form to let Mrs. Plesia know you are coming and if have purchased tickets.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Contest Entries Due by 12/18
The Missouri NEA Human Rights Committee is sponsoring the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay-Poster Contest for K-12 public school students. The theme for the 2024 contest is "Leadership and Service."
Students are being asked to reflect on the qualities of leadership and service that were exemplified by Dr. King, and how they can apply those qualities to their own lives. Grades K-2 and 3-5 can submit a written essay with a poster.
Entries due to Mrs. Herrmann by Monday, December 18th.
Assembly Notification - 12/21/23
As an annual tradition, the PTO hosts an assembly for all Henry students right before Winter Break. Please read below to learn about the guest entertainer, Rusty Pliers. If you would like for your child to opt out of this opportunity please let the classroom teacher know.
Rusty Pliers is America’s favorite Hillbilly Comedy Ventriloquist and Magician. Rusty is from a small town in St. Louis Missouri with no phones, no lights, and no power, called Mehlville. Rusty Pliers has performed his unique “Country-Fried” magic and ventriloquism show to children from every continent.
You can see Rusty performing on cruise ships, fairs, libraries, and schools. Rusty has also performed at many church events, conventions, and corporate events. Rusty has performed on MSC Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, as a guest Children’s Entertainer.
During Apple Picking Season Rusty performs at Eckert's Fun Farm in Millstadt Illinois. You can see Rusty's show on weekends during September and October 2024. This will be Rusty's sixteenth season performing at the Eckert's Millstadt Fun Farm.
Please check out the following link for more information about Rusty.
Attendance Emails Sent this Past Monday
The attendance emails will be sent to ALL Henry parents/guardians. Receiving an attendance email is informational and does not necessarily mean there is an attendance concern for your child.
We understand that illnesses happen and some appointments can only be made during school hours, but we appreciate your support toward your child achieving 95% or higher school attendance for the school year!
Pick-ups from After School Activities
Henry hosts many after school groups such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and we are glad to partner with these groups! When arriving to pick up your child from these activities, please wait outside the front entrance (or in your car during the colder weather) until the group leader brings the children to the entrance. The office administrative assistants leave at 4:30 pm, and generally, no one is available after that time to answer the front doorbell. Ringing the doorbell after school hours may interrupt meetings or phone calls in progress. If you need to enter while a group meeting is in process, please use the contact information you have for the group leader.
Reminder: Holiday Assistance Available
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 one of our school
counselors. Contact information is below.
★ Julie Herrmann at 314-415-6359 or jherrmann@parkwayschools.net
★ Lauren Turner 314-415-6358 or lturner@parkwayschools.net
Notes from Nurse Munch
1. During cold and flu season a common question is: 'When is a child too sick for school?'
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.
2. Take a look at the Parkway December Nurse Newsletter linked below. Helpful tips and information included on the following topics:
- Decorating Safely
- Holiday Food Safety Tips
- Grandparent Cafe
- Knowing How to Differentiate Between Symptoms this Winter
3. With COVID, flu and regular cold viruses circulating this season, it can be helpful to know which you are dealing with when a family member is ill. Families can receive up to four free COVID tests through COVID.gov. Here is a link to claim yours.
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
STEAM Night Follow Up
Mrs. Frazzle heard how all you Henry kiddos and families just LOVE doin' that STEAM! All those experiments! All those projects! All that SCIENCE!
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ART MATH
She wants to keep those science minds engaged and asking all those experimental questions!
To do this, Mrs. Frazzle came up with an out-of-this-world, razzle dazzle RAFFLE and is hosting this ONLINE RAFFLE available to only current Henry families. So, for 1-week and 1-week only, you can get your chance (or chances) to purchase and enter to win a VEX GO Educational Robotics Kit.
Click link to enter (also more info about VEX GO):
*ALL proceeds from this raffle will be going straight into the HenryGives Direct Giving Fund and be put to work right away for our Henry School PTO Teacher Grants, classroom and school enhancements & improvements, and so much more! A direct impact right back to our students and the school. Helping to grow young Henry minds!
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Looking for the Do-It-Yourself STEAM Night information??? Well look no further! Just click the link below into the 2023/2024 Portal of STEAM. Activities and projects like you could never imagine! Remember to complete and return to your Henry teacher an Experiment Reporting Form -- your Henry Teachers LOVE to hear what you've been STEAMing about. They have a STEAM surprise for you when you turn in your Reporting Form! Exciting!! Click NOW and have a blast! https://tinyurl.com/HenryDIY23STEAM
Upcoming Event Reminders
ATTENTION 2ND GRADE PARENTS: Please help us stock the lounge for the teachers/staff/administration. 2nd Grade is responsible for the month of December. Please see the Sign Up Genius at the link attached and sign up to bring items. You can drop off at the school office by the morning of Monday, December 11th. Thank you for being so thoughtful and generous for those taking care of our students.
Restaurant Night 12/6:
Rozanna Mediterranean Restaurant Night – December 6, 2023 – 3-9pm - 403 Lafayette Center Drive 63011. Please come support Rozanna Mediterranean Restaurant, as it is a Henry family owned restaurant and they are generously giving back 20% of sales to the Henry PTO. Please let them know your order is for Henry when ordering.
Register for PTO Parents' Afternoon Out on 12/6
Take advantage of a child-free few hours with PTO's upcoming Parents' Afternoon Out this Wednesday, December 6th, from 4:30-6:30 PM in the Henry Elementary Gym
Hosted by the Henry PTO and Mr. Curran & Mr. Pettus, the event is only open to Henry students grades K-5. Spots available for the first 50 kids registered (if registration is full, there will be a waitlist for cancellations and first on the list for future afternoon outs). Registered students should bring a water bottle and nut-free snack. Cost: 1st kid $15, 2nd kid $10, 3rd kid free. Sign up here!
Jared Box Project Donations Still Sought Through 12/8
Cub Scout Pack 310 is collecting items through this Friday, December 8th to fill empty plastic shoe-box sized boxes that they collected and designed to donate to the Jared Box Project. The Jared Box Project puts a smile on the faces of children in the St Louis area who are in-patient and/or undergoing medical treatment at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital.
Recommended Supplies to Donate:
Crayons, markers, colored pencils, pens, coloring books, activity books, doodle pads, writing journals, reading books, joke books, brain games, magazines, action figures, matchbox cars, stickers etc. See the pictured flyer for more ideas of what to donate, as well as items that they do not accept. Please also keep in mind, toys need to fit into a plastic shoe-box sized box.
Visitor and Volunteer Information
A Parkway volunteer is an individual who has an opportunity to be alone with a student.
A Parkway visitor is an individual in a school for a limited period of time who does not have the opportunity to be alone with a student.
Parkway Volunteers must go through the background check process outlined below.
Parkway Visitors do not need to go through the background check process.
Per Missouri Statute 168.133, those who wish to volunteer must complete a fingerprint
background check through the Missouri State Highway Patrol and FBI. The cost for the
background check is $41.75 and is the responsibility of the volunteer. Please reach out if you
need assistance. The background check will remain current as long as a volunteer stays active.
If a year passes, the volunteer will need to complete and pay for another background check.
Volunteers may complete the App Garden/TransAct (Parkway volunteer tracking software) now. Use this link to start App Garden/TransAct Application. It can take volunteers anywhere from 4-6 weeks to be approved so please do not delay if you plan to assist in the coming months.
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