Now that we have completed our third week of school, our students are officially "in the swing of things" and they are building their strength for an impressive 2021-2022 school year! They've practiced their routines and procedures, they have formed friendships with new and old classmates, they have built relationships with their teachers, and they have reviewed what they learned last year. This week we introduced our new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum, and our students dug deep into the new materials. It has been a spectacular week watching our students happily pursue their academic studies, and we have been impressed by their progress even this early in the school year. Congratulations to each of our scholars and their teachers for the hard work already showing! Take a look below for the highlights from our third week of school.

Students in Ms. Ivory's class got to experience the fun of a mental break with art as they colored images from their favorite video games. Students were proud to show off their work and their color choices. Providing mental breaks to our students is an important part of breaking up our academic day and giving students a creative outlet to express themselves.

Students in PreK and Kindergarten were seen in art class with Ms. Godfrey exploring different materials and making creative projects of their own design. The skills used to complete these projects help students as they are developing physically and mentally.

Our incredible students have been hard at work harvesting, weeding, and planting in our first three weeks of school. Students have sampled vegetables, created salsa tastings, enjoyed melon slices, and observed a full growth cycle of many different types of fruits and vegetables. If you have not stopped by recently, you need to see the magic of the school garden! How many plants can you identify below??

Students of every age are invested in the Patrick Henry garden. Teachers encourage many forms of participation with our students. If you are a parent passing by the garden, come on in and encourage your children to complete a scavenger hunt or try something tasty and delicious right off the vine! Students are pictured below sampling our cherry tomatoes, completing a scavenger hunt, and identifying different textures and smells amongst the plants that are growing in our garden. Classroom teachers, support staff, and parents are all encouraged to come and participate in all the fun and learning that the garden has to offer!

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and runs through October 15th. This month, we focus on the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. It is an important time to learn about the beautiful traditions that came from Latin American countries. Recognizing the influence of those traditions in our American culture and in St. Louis is important for us to understand not only a group of people different from us, but also the impact it has on our lives every day. Explore the resources below to learn more!

On Friday, September 17th, the annual Balloon Glow will take place in Forest Park. Hundreds of hot air balloons gather on the fields in Forest Park to practice their take-offs. There will be carnival foods, games, and even the opportunity to walk right up to the hot air balloons!

On Saturday, September 18th, the annual Balloon Race will lift off from Forest Park. The hot air balloons will be in a race to catch the lead Energizer Bunny balloon. It is an incredible site to see all of the balloons in the sky! Dr. Rogers will be there with her whole family, and several Patrick Henry staff members will also be there - we hope to see you in the crowd! Click the links below for more information.