On Thursday morning, Patrick Henry had the great honor to host not only our local police officers, but also our newly elected Alderman for the 5th Ward, Mr. James Page! Through our community partnership between Patrick Henry, Home Works!, and the St. Louis Police Department, we were able to bring in three police cars and several officers of different ages, races, genders, and levels of experience. It was an incredible morning to continue building our relationship with the Police Department, and making vital connections between our local officers and our students. Our officers are learning about our students and building a relationship with them, and our students are able to ask even the most difficult questions of our police force. There was also some fun involved - who doesn't love to make a siren go crazy at 9:00am?! Thank you for taking time to visit us, St. Louis Police Department!

Mr. James Page joined the event and got to meet many of our staff and students. These connections are important in order to ensure our elected officials know us and our needs, and to allow us to see our elected official's vision for the area. IA true partnership between school, community, and government must exist in order for our students to thrive. Dr. Rogers and Alderman Page enjoyed the police event, but also discussed neighborhood safety, school safety, gun control, and traffic safety on 10th and O'Fallon. It was a productive conversation and the beginnings of a strong relationship. Thank you for visiting us, Alderman Page!

We also thank Home Works! for facilitating these partnerships and events like today that bring school, neighborhood, and government together for a positive event. We cannot operate alone, and our partnerships are invaluable!

May 31st is Memorial Day, a day that recognizes and honors the members of the US Armed Forces who died in the course of their service. This holiday dates back to the American Civil War, when people placed flowers on the graves of soldiers killed in battle. It was originally known as "Decoration Day" due to the flowers and tokens placed on the gravesite, and became known as "Memorial Day" after World War I. One of the earliest celebrations of Memorial Day - and possibly the very first in recorded US history - took place in Charleston where a group of approximately 10,000 freed slaves gathered to give Union soldiers a proper burial and ceremonial salute to thank them for their service. It was an incredible show of solidarity and gratitude amongst the recently freed people of South Carolina, and served as a way to honor the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers in ending the horrific violence of slavery.

Read more about Memorial Day below from History.com. We hope everyone is able to celebrate in their classrooms and at home over the coming weeks.

Can you believe that this year is coming to a close? What an incredible, bizarre, challenging year it has been! We are so excited to celebrate our students in their final week of this school year. Please join us for two virtual celebration events:

• 5th Grade Promotion, 9:00-10:30am, Wednesday, May 26th (link will be sent home with students for parents to join virtually)

• Preschool-4th Grade Awards Ceremony, 9:00-10:30am, Thursday, May 27th (link will be sent home with students for parents to join virtually)

This week, we had students from preschool all the way up to fifth grade working in the school garden to prepare our beds for growth, harvest, and summer planting. Thank you to EVERY staff member, EVERY student, and EVERY community partner who has had a part in making this garden a gorgeous outdoor learning experience for our students. Keep up the great work!

We have some true HERO partners who have been working with our students virtually all school year as Reading Buddies. The program was designed by Home Works! to pair one child with a buddy, a volunteer who has a passion for helping students grow in reading. They have gone above and beyond their call of duty this year, and they have been doing it all behind the scenes (or behind the virtual cameras!). Our students who are involved in the program have shown immense reading growth, and they also have built an incredible connection with a volunteer who cares for their social and emotional growth, and even gets to know their families. This week, the Reading Buddies came to the school and celebrated their students' growth with a pizza party! What a beautiful moment it was for our Buddies to finally get to meet their students in person for the first time. We are eternally thankful for the impact of this program, and we are so appreciative of the time, energy, and emotional strength our volunteers have given to our students. Thank you to Home Works! for their tireless efforts to transform Patrick Henry students into the best readers possible, and for their logistical support in establishing the program from scratch during a global pandemic!