Board of education members sworn in
- See page 2 for details
Staff, volunteers honored at annual event
- See page 12 for details
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Jeanne Schottmueller, President
Lisa Kickbusch, Vice President
Jan Schweiss, Secretary
Rená Simmons, Treasurer
Mary Kay Campbell, Director
Dr. Brian J. Gray, Director
Dr. Dan Wentz, Director
Dr. Barry Nelson Superintendent
Pattonville is an
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SIGMA students in Dodie Logue’s class at the Academy of Innovation at Remington experienced the impacts of landfills during a visit from Brittany Wiltjer from the Waste Connections Sustainability Campus. Wiltjer presented on how the Champ Landfill captures methane using liners and caps, a process that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can lower electric bills. Following the presentation, students built miniature landfills using clay, plastic bags, rocks and garbage. A fog machine simulated how gas can be trapped instead of released or burned off. Top left, from left, sixth grader Bethel Fantahun, seventh grader Leah Ayele and eighth grader Aphomya Fantahun add items to build their landfill. Top right, SIGMA students hear a presentation from Wiltjer, left, about biogas (renewable fuel) and renewable energy. Middle right, Ayele looks at samples of materials used in landfills. Above left, seventh grader Hayley Jones adds a bucket of rocks to her simulated landfill while sixth grader Hiro Lewis Lapin and Aphomya Fantahun watch. Middle left, seventh grader Michael Connelly, second from left, smooths out clay to add to his landfill while seventh grader Roman Helsinger, left, gets ready to add a plastic bag. Bottom left, Wiltjer, left, watches as sixth grader David Lloyd, right, feels the fog escaping the mini landfill. Also participating are, from left, eighth grader Luke Ruffus, Lewis, Aphomya Fantahun and Jones. Above, Wiltjer, second from right, removes the mini landfill from the fog machine as its makers, from left, Lloyd, Connelly and Lapin, watch.
Dr. Barry Nelson Superintendent
As superintendent, I value the voices of our students, families and staff.
To gather insights from these individuals and ensure all voices are heard, the Pattonville School District has developed weekly feedback surveys. The surveys launched the week of April 28 are sent to a portion of each group weekly. The goal is to ensure that every student, family and staff member has the opportunity to share feedback. These brief, electronic surveys will help guide and inform decision-making within Pattonville, highlighting successes, identifying areas for improvement and exploring new ideas to enhance the overall experience within the district and its schools.
Each week, a small, randomly selected group of students in grades nine through 12, district families and staff members are invited to provide feedback through the online questionnaire. The survey can be completed in less than five minutes, ensuring the process is quick yet meaningful. The platform administering the survey, Qualtrics, will also maintain an updated contact list to ensure that new students, families and staff members receive the survey.
To ensure broad participation and feedback, the district is using a 40-week distribution spread across this and next school year, with surveys sent each week to roughly:
• 50 high school students (grades nine through 12),
• 50 families of students districtwide (all associated guardians for a given student will receive the survey) and
• 25 staff members.
Survey Highlights
Participants are asked a variation of two key questions:
1. What do you appreciate most about your experience at Pattonville?
2. If you could make one meaningful change, what would it be and why?
Additionally, respondents use a slider to assign an overall letter grade to the district based on their experience. Students and families also have the opportunity to request follow-up contact regarding their responses.
District and school leadership will regularly review the insights gained from these weekly surveys. Additionally, the Board Student Administrative Action Committee (BSAAC) group at Pattonville High School will also review the student survey results, ensuring that student voices are elevated directly to administrative and student leadership.
These data help guide strategic decisions, spark meaningful conversations and strengthen the sense of community and shared purpose across Pattonville.
I want to personally thank all of you who have already provided your feedback. For those who have not yet gotten the survey, please consider taking a few minutes to complete it when you receive it. If you have an immediate concern or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to school or district administration. Your voice is essential in shaping a stronger, more responsive Pattonville community.
Two school district residents were sworn into office to serve on the Pattonville Board of Education. During the April 8 election, incumbents Mary Kay Campbell and Dr. Dan Wentz were elected to serve a three-year term. Because there were only two candidates on the ballot and two open seats, these individuals were sworn into office during the meeting on April 8 following polls closing by board vice president Jeanne Schottmueller. The school board then voted on officers and annual appointments to various organizations. The officers are as follows: Schottmueller, president; Lisa Kickbusch, vice president; Jan Schweiss, secretary; and Rená Simmons, treasurer. Schweiss was appointed to the Pattonville Education Foundation (PEF). Kickbusch was appointed as a delegate to the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA), with Schottmueller appointed as alternate. Campbell was appointed as the board member to represent Pattonville on the Governing Council of the Special School District (SSD), with Schottmueller as alternate. Also serving on the board is director Dr. Brian Gray. Dr. Barry Nelson, superintendent, recognized senior Rylie Faasen, who completed her term as Pattonville’s first student representative on the board. He also welcomed junior Parker Hasenkamp who was selected the next student representative on the board.
The Pattonville Board of Education on April 8 approved the selection of two administrators. Justin Bartlett was named the director of facilities, effective April 9. Eleanor Taylor was selected as the assistant director of technology. Additionally, on May 13, the board approved the selection of Cynthia Wise as the early childhood special education coordinator. Taylor and Wise will begin their new positions on July 1.
Prior to his new role, Bartlett was a maintenance journeyman and grounds team lead in the maintenance department. Before that, he was a maintenance journeyman carpenter and member of the grounds crew in Pattonville and owner of a home services company. Bartlett has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Western Governors University. He enters the position vacated by David Winslow, who retired in early April.
Taylor is currently a district technology specialist (DTS) at Pattonville High School. Prior to that, she was an English learner (EL) specialist at the high school, assistant language teacher at Fukuoka High School in Japan, outreach coordinator and instructor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and instructor at Fuxin Experimental School in China. Taylor has a bachelor’s degree in English, a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate and master’s degrees in elementary and secondary education, all from the UMSL. Taylor was also the Pattonville Teacher of the Year in 2021 and a Missouri Teacher of the Year finalist in 2022. She enters a position being vacated by Dr. Tammy Hasheider, who was selected as the district’s director of secondary education.
Wise is currently the director of early childhood special education in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Prior to that, she was an early childhood special education teacher there. Wise has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in education administration from Lindenwood University. Wise enters a position being vacated by Dr. Melanie Fitzgerald, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
On April 8, the Pattonville Board of Education approved adjustments to the 2024-2025 school year calendar, changing the last day of school for students and modifying workdays for certified staff. The following updates were approved:
• The last day for students in grades K-11 is Friday, May 30. This will remain a full day of school for K-8 students.
• High school finals will be Thursday, May 29, and Friday, May 30, with dismissal at 10:30 a.m.
• Certified staff will have a staff collaboration/
work day on Monday, June 2.
• Tuesday, June 3, will remain a staff report day. The district’s 2024-2025 calendar includes six make-up days. Pattonville used three district closure days (Jan. 6, 7 and 8) and four virtual learning (AMI) days (Jan. 10 and Feb. 12, 18 and 19). The use of three district closure days meant that the last day for K-11, scheduled as a half day, would have become June 2. However, based on student attendance time, Pattonville will still exceed the state-required instructional hours without needing to attend on June 2.
Willow Brook Elementary School is taking hands-on learning to the next level with its new maker space — a creative, interactive lab designed to spark curiosity and innovation among students. Built as part of the building addition in Phase 1 of Prop S, Pattonville’s $111 million no-tax-rate-increase bond issue passed in April 2022, the maker space is located just off the library. After opening this spring, it is already making an impact.
Earlier this spring, each classroom selected one student to attend a special demonstration from Sphero, one of the STEM companies supplying materials for the space. These student representatives got to test out different robotics kits and vote on what the school should purchase. Third grader Luke Harrington was one of the students who participated.
“A lot of people loved the robot where you get to control it with an iPad,” Harrington said, referring to the Indi robotics kit.
Harrington was eager to share what he learned and show his classmates in Chris Cheatham’s class how to use the kits he helped pick out. Cheatham’s class participated in a library session in May introducing them to all of the new kits and supplies that recently arrived in the maker space. Library technology specialist Kim Dickinson and district technology specialist Stephanie McCreary walked students through some of the tools available and gave a preview of what’s still to come.
Thanks to support from the school’s PTO, Willow Brook was able to purchase 12 Indi kits — enough for an entire class to work in pairs without waiting. Additional
STEM tools, including the Sphero ball, are still on their way. Spike kits, which are complex Lego Education kits that involve motors, lights and other electrical and circuitry components, are also being added to the maker space collection.
“It’s not just going to be playing and building randomly,” McCreary said. “There’s going to be a lesson or a story you have to tell.”
McCreary has spent time learning the ins and outs of these kits to ensure students get the most out of their experience.
“We have to watch training videos and learn about it and then we’ll teach the students, and then everybody will get to use it,” she said. “And we still have more things coming.”
At the end of the lesson, students watched the Indi robots in action. The demonstration was led by third graders Stephanie Njumbi and Jaylen Randol, who spent the hour learning and testing the robot car’s movements. Their classmates gathered around on the floor to watch the pathway Njumbi and Randol created, and the pair answered their peers’ questions.
Willow Brook staff plan to integrate the maker space and the new resources into more regular lessons, allowing students to explore coding, robotics, design and more educational areas in fun and engaging ways. With student input guiding decisions and support from both staff and families, Willow Brook’s maker space is already becoming a place where students build not just projects but also confidence, curiosity and a love of learning.
tudents in the FACS 3 class at Pattonville Heights Middle School completed a meaningful service-learning project, creating handmade port pillows for patients at the St. Peter’s Cancer Center.
Port pillows are small cushions that attach to a car’s seat belt and provide comfort for individuals undergoing chemotherapy or long-term treatment by reducing pressure on sensitive areas around medical ports. FACS teacher Elizabeth Stockmann said the project resonated with students on a personal level, including through personal experiences with family and friends.
“I actually felt really good about it, because I felt like if I didn’t take FACS, I wouldn’t have got the opportunity to make something like that,” eighth grader Alexis Spoor said. “It feels good to know that I did something for someone who needs it.”
Each pillow takes approximately two to three class periods to complete. Students worked through several steps — tracing and cutting fabric, sewing pieces together, inserting stuffing, sewing them shut, trimming excess thread and attaching Velcro. In addition to the technical skills required, the activity emphasized quality and care, with the final products donated directly to patients.
“This was a required project for all of my FACS 3 students,” said Stockmann, who has incorporated the project in the past on a smaller, optional basis. “The goal was to engage students in a hands-on, service-oriented activity that combines practical life skills with empathy and community support. Through this project, students developed an understanding of how small acts of kindness can bring comfort to those facing health challenges.”
In addition to assembling the pillows, students included handwritten notes with each donation, offering words of encouragement to the recipients.
“Students were highly engaged and took great pride in their work,” Stockmann said. “Many expressed a sense of fulfillment knowing their efforts could bring relief and show support to someone in need.”
Spoor, who also participated in the project last year, said she was excited to help again.
“We did them last year,” Spoor said. “When those got delivered, we heard that they liked them a lot. I was pretty excited to do them again because it just feels good to be able to help more people.”
Third graders at Parkwood Elementary School received encouraging letters about taking the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test for the first time from their peers at Pattonville Heights Middle School. The notes gave advice on testing, told students not to get stressed and reminded them that they would do a good job, many of them noting “You got this!”
Students in the service club at Pattonville Heights wrote positive messages to their third grade counterparts that were delivered a few days before testing started.
“We got a letters to make us feel confident, and you can look at the letter and be confident without having to stress about the whole MAP test,” third grader Zoey Regel said. “It made me feel more confident going into the test because it’s telling you good things about yourself and not to stress.”
Regel received a letter from her sister, Lilly.
“I got a letter from my sister and it said, ‘You got this and don’t be stressed and it’s scary, but you’re very smart so don’t stress,’ ” Regel said. “It made me really happy because it’s my sister and she knows me, and also it’s making me feel more confident about the test.”
In addition to sharing messages of support and encouragement, some of the letters provided advice for MAP testing. For example, one person suggested that if a student doesn’t know the answer to mark it and come back to it to review if they have time.
“The advice was helpful so you don’t have to worry about that question yet,” Regel said. “You can just work on the other questions that are easier and then flag the ones that are kind of hard, and come back to them.”
Getting letters from their peers was, in some ways, more meaningful than getting encouragement from their teachers, and the third graders were thankful to get letters from students who were familiar with the testing experience. The third graders also appreciated that other students took the time to write them letters.
“My letter says, ‘Don’t let the test bug you. You’ve got this,’ ” third grader Aiden Tang said. “It kind of just makes me feel better about how I’m going to do on the test. It makes me feel better because they’re letting me know that I probably got this.”
Following MAP testing, third graders wrote letters back, thanking their Heights peers for their support and encouragement. When he got his letter from seventh grader Danielle Young, Tang already knew what he was hoping he could say back to her.
“We’re going to write letters back after we test,” Tang said. “I’m hoping that I can tell them thanks a lot and that it helped me.”
These letters, which were also an opportunity to practice their writing skills, highlighted how the letters helped them. Some of the things the third graders noted were a feeling of confidence, focus and positivity.
“Thank you very much for the letter that you gave me,” Alan Padilla Jimenez wrote on a note decorated with a koala bear picture. “It really helped me to be focused on the test. It made me feel really positive. Thank you for the koala-ty advice!”
F
ourth graders at Bridgeway Elementary School learned about the importance of trees during a lesson about Arbor Day. The holiday acknowledges the planting, preservation and celebration of trees. Students learned about the importance trees have on the environment, wildlife and human well-being. Leading up to Arbor Day, students listened to and read stories about the impact of trees.
“My favorite thing that I learned is probably the fact that a girl lived in a tree for two days because she didn’t want the 4,000-year-old tree to get cut down,” fourth grader Alexia Steimel said. “I hadn’t thought about trees very much before this, but it made me want to keep trees safe.”
The fourth grade teachers also incorporated poetry into the Arbor Day lessons, with students writing poems about trees and the holiday. Fourth grade teacher Wendy Wamhoff said that poems were about the impact of trees on the environment.
“We wrote poems about trees and about how nice they are to the environment,” fourth grader Cohen Howell said. “I learned that if we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t survive.”
After completing their poems, students were invited to present them during a community celebration. The City of Bridgeton hosted an Arbor Day program on April 11. Students walked from school to Bridgeway Park to participate in the festivities. During the ceremony, students read their poems.
“Reading our poems was probably my favorite part,” said Steimel, whose poem was about falling leaves in autumn. “I was kind of nervous to read it to everyone, but it was fun.”
During the ceremony, the City of Bridgeton planted a tree near the parking lot to celebrate Arbor Day. After reading their poems, students were invited to assist in planting the tree by adding mulch.
“Helping to plant the tree and shoveling the mulch was fun,” Howell said. “We had mulch and soil that was mixed together and we placed it over the tree and patted it down to help the tree grow faster and take root. I’ll ask my family if they want to come up here and I’ll show them the tree that I helped plant.”
Planting the tree was meaningful for the students because not only are they helping the environment, they helped create something that will be here for their lifetime.
“This tree will be here forever,” Howell said. “It’s cool. We can say, ‘Oh, I helped make that tree. Yeah, I helped that tree.’ Technically, it’s like my tree and the environment’s tree, and everyone that helped with its tree.”
The opportunity to plant trees also extended to each student individually. In addition to the tree they helped plant at the park, each student was given a sapling to take home to plant. Wamhoff said that fourth graders across the state receive a tree every year, sometimes from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This year, both Howell and Steimel said they would like to plant their tree in the backyard.
“I got the red one that grows really tall,” Howell said. “I’ve always wanted a climbing tree, so I hope that it’s a climbing tree. It’ll maybe be like 10 years before I can climb it. It’ll take a long time. I want to put it in the backyard. We had two trees in our backyard. There was one I planted, but it got ripped out from the storm. So I was very much looking forward to this day, because I heard that I can get a new tree.”
Pattonville High School students took center stage on April 24 during the Sustainability Fashion Show, an event showcasing creative ways to reduce waste and promote eco-friendly fashion.
Hosted by the school’s Green Team, an environmental sustainability group, and Pete’s Closet apparel store, the event served as a fashion show and an educational experience. Students modeled original designs made from thrifted or upcycled materials and also shared facts about the environmental impact of fast fashion. The show was part of a broader campaign to encourage sustainable living and conscious consumerism.
“Sustainability alone, you’re making sure we are not compromising the needs of the future generations,” senior Adrian Woods said. “If we’re not sustainable in our practice now, if we’re not conscious in our practices now, then future generations, or even us in the future, who knows what tomorrow will look like. We need to be very mindful so that we can live a healthier future and that those after us can inherit and hopefully take care of the earth just as well as we hope to do.”
The show started with an interactive presentation comparing fast fashion with sustainable practices, focusing on the environmental toll of mass-produced clothing. The event emphasized practical alternatives, such as thrifting, reusing textiles and being mindful of materials and manufacturing processes.
Nearly 20 student models walked the runway — the auditorium stage — in outfits created by themselves or their peers using reused or repurposed materials. Several students designed original outfits, with styles ranging from casual ensembles to formalwear.
“My favorite part was definitely just seeing the models and the whole thing finally come together, because that part was definitely the hardest to organize,” Woods
said. “Finally, seeing all the lights and hearing the applause and them (the models) just strutting their stuff on stage, it definitely warmed my heart, and I felt very proud at that moment.”
Students volunteered to model both their own creations and designs made by others. Prom dresses available for resale at Pete’s Closet were also on display, reinforcing the message that fashion can be both stylish and sustainable.
It was very important to the event organizers that the models felt comfortable and confident, especially when it came to outfit choices. Models were able to share their outfit preferences and ideal styles.
“I didn’t want them to be uncomfortable,” junior Ash Cruzado said. “We made sure everyone had input on what they wanted to wear.”
Cruzado designed four outfits for the show. She wore a fully thrifted look during the finale — an outfit combining items from her family, local stores and her own closet.
“I got the skirt from my mom,” Cruzado said. “This top is from the thrift store down the street. I’ve even had these boots since fifth grade.”
Cruzado also assisted with backstage logistics, such as organizing the outfit lineup and managing last-minute changes.
“It’s been so much work,” Cruzado said. “I put all the outfits in order, helped Adrian (Woods) with the slideshow, and also with papers telling people where they were going and who was next.”
Dozens of students participated in the show’s production, including stage crew, designers, hosts and tech support. Volunteers were organized through a digital schoolwide sign-up form, with all students welcome.
“We had a lot of volunteers, and I’m really grateful
Themed food days give encouragement to eat healthier
Students and staff at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center had a great time celebrating National Banana Day on April 17. The cafeteria turned into a fun, fruitfilled experience that helped promote healthy habits in a way that was both age-appropriate and exciting for young learners.
The celebration began during breakfast, where students were served bananas alongside their morning meal. Before heading to their classrooms for the day, the song “Go Bananas” began to play over the speakers. The cheerful and upbeat song encouraged a spontaneous dance party where students and staff were encouraged to stand up and shake it out. This resulted in a scene of laughter and silly dance moves as everyone wiggled their arms and jumped up and down. The activity served as a joyful demonstration of how simple foods like bananas are a great source of energy — perfect for powering a busy day of learning and play.
Early childhood lead cook Jennifer Hopkins shared how the school is committed to helping children become familiar with a variety of healthy foods and encouraging curiosity about trying new things.
“We try to highlight at least one or two bigger food days each month to get the kids involved and to understand different types of foods and how those foods make our bodies move,” she said.
The celebration continued during lunch with a special story time where Hopkins read the book “Pete the Cat and the Bad Banana” aloud as students finished their lunches. The story opened the door to more conversations about healthy food choices and made the day’s theme even more engaging. The focus on bananas was a big success with the early childhood students.
“Bananas are my favorite fruit,” preschooler Cayleigh Walton said. “All the fruits are my favorite though. I like bananas because they taste good and you
for that,” Woods said. “Especially for things like lighting and stuff that’s not something we have experience with. I definitely want to give a shout out to the stage group, because they do a lot behind the scenes to run the show, and it’s not always the most obvious.”
For Cruzado, the event underscored how fashion can be both expressive and environmentally responsible.
“Fashion sustainability is super important. It doesn’t just affect people; it affects animals, the environment and the world,” she said. “Even if you are just one person doing something to help, whether you think it or not, a little goes a long way. Also, you can be sustainable and look good doing it.”
As the show came to a close, participants gathered on stage for a final bow.
“My favorite part out of everything that happened was being able to have everyone go out on stage at the end, do a little bow and just have some fun,” Cruzado said. “It was great seeing everyone and everything come together at the end. I’m happy about all the hard work that me, Adrian (Woods) and everyone else put into it. Even though there were some hardships, there were a lot of struggles, it was still a really good time, and I had so much fun.”
Staff members were on hand throughout the process to support the students. They included science teacher and Green Team sponsor Lauren Church, science teacher Paige Jester and FACS teacher and Pete’s Closet sponsor Dr. Julie Ross. Church expressed pride in the student-led effort.
“The students were very much the driving force in all this,” Church said. “We were just like, ‘What do you need, how can we help?’ They did all the garments and accessories and development. Pattonville has some talented students, and they were very proud of their work.”
can break them up and pull them out from the stem. I like that.”
By combining storytelling, music, movement and a hands-on food experience, the Banana Day celebration helped students associate healthy eating with fun and joy.
Drummond Elementary School recently hosted its first ABC Parade, a joyful school-wide celebration that gave kindergartners a chance to show off how much they’ve learned this year and let the entire school cheer them on.
The parade marked a special milestone for Drummond’s youngest learners, who spent the year mastering letter names, sounds, blending and early spelling skills. What began as a hallway red carpet concept shared by fourth grade teacher Brittany Garcia, the idea quickly grew into a building-wide event that had students and staff lining the halls to clap, wave and cheer as kindergartners made their way through the building in a spirited alphabet march.
“I took the idea to the team and then we said, ‘Why don’t we just make it a parade around the whole building?’ So it started like that,” kindergarten teacher DaMara Lashley said.
The classes walked a planned route that began in the cafeteria and wound its way through the school, with kindergartners receiving high-fives, waves and encouragement from older students and staff along the way. Reading specialists and interventionists also joined the walk, celebrating the academic growth they’ve helped support.
Before the parade, each kindergartner was assigned a letter and made a custom vest out of brown paper grocery bags, decorated with their own drawings of items that began with their letter, from ice cream and igloos to watermelons and wagons. The students spent time in class coloring, cutting and gluing their vest decorations. To complete the look, kindergarten teacher Kellie Randazzo provided festive paper crowns to wear
during the parade.
“Ms. Lashley made the vests and I cut the pictures out, then I glued them all on the vest,” said kindergartner Remy Stevens, who walked representing the letter W. “I was a little nervous, but I had fun at the end. The most fun part was when I saw my brother (watching the parade).”
This sentiment was shared by other students, who were excited to see siblings along the parade route.
“The best part was seeing my brother and waving to people,” kindergartner Frankie Piskulic said.
Many other kindergartners were excited to find their older siblings in the crowded hallways, which became filled when classes from every grade came outside of their room to cheer on the alphabet parade. Older students started chanting “A-B-C!” and “Go kindergarten!” as the kindergartners walked by, which caused the kindergartners to beam with surprise and pride at their schoolmates’ reactions.
For many of the kindergartners, this was their first time taking center stage in a building-wide event and they loved every minute of it.
“I told them we were still walking in the hallway at school (so they had to follow certain hallway procedures), but it was (a celebration) for them,” Lashley said. “So they could walk with their friends, they could cheer, they could smile, wave — all that fun stuff.”
The ABC Parade celebrated effort, growth and the joy of learning. It also showed how even the youngest students can inspire pride and unity across an entire school.
Eighth grade students transformed their English lessons into a living museum, highlighting historical figures whose contributions are often overlooked. The Unsung Heroes Showcase began with students reading picture books about lesser-known individuals from a collection of more than 50 titles provided by the school’s librarians. From there, students selected a person and conducted research, wrote essays and created handmade artifacts representing their chosen figure.
“This actually started with an idea from our librarians about unsung heroes,” English teacher Jessica Smith said. “They got 50-plus different books from people from Henry Box Brown to Grace Hopper to all kinds of people that are unsung heroes.”
The English teachers guided students through the process of developing their research into written arguments and eventually crafting elevator pitches to advocate for the inclusion of these heroes in school curriculum.
“They researched, they wrote argumentative papers and (English teacher Amanda Weber) came up with the idea that we should have them do an elevator pitch to sell why their person should be taught in schools,” Smith said.
Each student then created a visual artifact and presented their work in a living museum format for staff and peers. As visitors moved through the exhibit, students “came to life” to tell the stories of their heroes.
“I thought it would be fun, kind of like pressing a button and they come to life and tell their stories,” Weber said.
Eighth grader Laila Sterling explained the project’s purpose and structure.
“This assignment is about unsung heroes, so heroes who may have been forgotten or not learned about in history,” she said. “In the beginning, we did research by reading a picture book, then we wrote a paper about it and then we brought our paper into an elevator pitch and made a visual about it so that we could teach others about these unsung heroes that should be learned about in school.”
Students were challenged to advocate for figures whose stories often go untold, using written and visual storytelling rather than relying on technology.
“We picked heroes whose stories were never told and who really impacted the world that we live in now and how they changed it,” eighth grader Sydney Martin
said. “The argumentative essay was to convince other people to learn about these heroes, to inspire others and to show how so many people contributed to their society and how it’s changed.”
Eighth grader Madison Jurilla said it was great to learn about someone new.
“We’re kind of telling people why they are heroes and why they should be learned about, and why they’re so important to society by doing things like making essays and showing people what they’ve done for us,” she said. “It’s a great experience to work on public speaking and being informed.”
Smith said the students poured their hearts into the showcase.
“It’s their Unsung Heroes Showcase, and we honestly couldn’t be more proud,” she said. “They were so nervous, and we really wanted them to actually try to not use technology for this and they’ve gone above and beyond.”
I
n the STEM lab at Rose Acres Elementary School, second graders aren’t just learning about plants, they’re growing them one frame at a time.
Working with science paraprofessional Rungsee Suvansri, students created animated videos on their iPads using Stop Motion Studio, a mobile app that turns a series of still images into short films. The hands-on project was part of a MySci unit on plant life cycles and combined science, creativity and technology.
“Their unit was about plants, so what we wanted to do was have them create a model of a seed turning into a flower and label them so they can identify what the different parts were,” Suvansri said. “It kind of gives us something visual they can do and also lets them play around with Stop Motion Studio to make it look like something moving.”
To animate their scenes, students used pattern blocks, carefully adjusting each piece by tiny amounts between photos. They followed Suvansri’s instructions to “stop, take a picture, move the pieces a little, then repeat.” It’s a slow and deliberate process that mirrors the gradual pace of real plant growth.
“They’ve gotten really good at it,” Suvansri said. “The cameras have to stay really still, so they understand they have to only move the parts to make it look more realistic.”
Some students even added insects to their animations, showing bees and butterflies flying in and out of frames to demonstrate pollination. Others showed flowers wilting and falling apart to represent the end of the cycle.
“That’s one of their favorite projects,” Suvansri said. “The teachers really enjoy it too because it’s very creative. They get to be more hands-on compared to completing a worksheet or coloring a piece of paper. They get to build something instead of just filling something out about it.”
Students also recorded voiceovers to explain each stage of their animation, combining science with communication skills. The finished projects were exported and shared on SeeSaw so classroom teachers and families could view them, with some even shown on screen in a class gallery walk.
“We collaborate a lot with the teachers and try to tie in any STEM activity to the MySci unit that students are doing in their classrooms,” Suvansri said. “We echo what they just learned so they remember everything better.”
The lesson focused on science standards, but it also introduced students to a new creative tool they can revisit in future projects.
“We use Stop Motion Studio with all the grades for different projects,” Suvansri said. “So this gives them a little taste of it, a chance to try it out and tell a story about it.”
FORE-th graders at the Academy of Innovation at Remington turned the back playground into a mini golf course using geometry skills to design creative and challenging holes.
Students cut and taped cardboard boxes to build each hole, incorporating angles and obstacles to guide the golf ball toward the target. The hands-on project gave fourth graders a fun way to apply math concepts and first graders the chance to try the course, keeping their own score as they tested out each tee-riffic hole.
“We made our hole using cardboard and duct tape and cups,” fourth grader Cade Petti said. “We used all of that stuff to make the obstacles and tried to make the course kind of difficult to get a hole-in-one.”
Despite the difficulty, a few shots managed to beat the odds.
“Two people already got a hole-in-one on our course,” Petti said. “We weren’t expecting that, and one shot kind of went around our obstacles instead of going through it.”
One of those hole-in-ones came from first grader Elly Flores, who visited with her classmates to test out the fourth graders’ creations.
“It felt good,” she said after sinking the shot.
The fourth grade designers were focused on structure, strategy and creativity. For fourth grader Aisosa Okhomina, it was all about the challenge.
“I liked building it,” she said. “We chose to make it really hard. We had to use cardboard, paper and boxes and some other materials. We had to tie geometry into it using right angles and straight lines and other shapes.”
One of the most elaborate builds belonged to fourth grader Avery Thomas and his group, who installed a maze within their course that required players to find a hidden path through multiple cutouts. He even rigged a signaling device to confirm a successful shot.
“You get seven hits and you’ll know if you got the goal if the goal alarm goes off,” Thomas said. “I’m using a Simplex mini horn as the device to signal that.”
The inspiration, he said, came from an unlikely place.
“We were looking for ideas for our golf course,” he said. “There were these fire alarms inside the building. I didn’t know what they were for but I got inspired to put a fire alarm on our hole since I collect fire alarms
Kylie Surratt, Class of 2024 - Surratt had a record-setting freshman season on the volleyball court at the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM). Surratt, an outside hitter for the Skyhawks, was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) second team, becoming the first UTM player in program history to earn first or second team honors as a freshman. She was one of only three freshmen recognized among the top 22 players in the conference.
During the fall 2024 season, Surratt earned OVC Freshman of the Week honors three times (Sept. 2, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28), a program first. She holds three of UTM’s eight all-time OVC Freshman of the Week recognitions. She was also named to the Skyhawk
and it was something I could get my hands on easily.”
Fourth graders Colton Knepper and Atticus Young built a course to test players’ decision-making, including two obstacles named the Hall of Shame and Hall of Never Return. Both were dead-end paths that didn’t lead to the hole and forced players to rethink their approach. The Hall of Fame led golfers to the hole.
The hands-on project was a hole-in-one for fourth grade teachers Julie Linck and Alyssa Lipson by mixing math with movement and giving students a chance to see geometry in action. The goal was to help students apply academic concepts like angles and shapes in a fun, creative way.
To practice math concepts, fourth graders at the Academy of Innovation at Remington created mini golf courses and then invited first graders at the school to try them. Top, first grader Lyriq Tellis, center, plays a course built by fourth graders Aisosa Okhomina, left, and Bianca Villalobos. Above, students play a mini golf course. They are, clockwise from left, fourth grader Jackson Edwards, first graders Grayson Griffin, Ben Freshney and Danny Smith, fourth grader Knightly Colbert-Weiss and first graders Jaxon Robison and Will Ewing.
Classic All-Tournament Team.
Surratt led the Skyhawks in kills in 15 of their 27 matches, posting double-digit kills in 14 contests. She finished the season with 292 kills — 80 more than any of her teammates — ranking third all-time among UTM freshmen during the school’s NCAA Division I era (since 1992). Surratt added 191 digs, 30 blocks, 17 service aces and 15 assists. In OVC play, Surratt ranked seventh in kills (3.18 per set) and eighth in points (3.52 per set). Overall, she finished ninth in the conference in kills per set at 2.98.
At Pattonville High School, Surratt earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-American and all-region honors as a senior. She was a three-time conference player of the year, a four-time all-district honoree and named all-state first team.
Surratt is majoring in health and human performance at UTM.
Young Biz Kidz billboard Drummond Elementary School first grader Richland McFadden was featured on a billboard celebrating young Black entrepreneurs throughout February for Black History Month. Through the Young Biz Kidz program, which teaches financial literacy and entrepreneurship, McFadden launched his own business selling custom bucket hats with patches. He showcased his products at a vendor space during the Urban League’s convention, where he also learned how to use a Square machine for transactions and track his inventory via an iPad. His brand, Rich in Everything, reflects his diverse talents, including music and sports. Each year, a billboard company partners with Young Biz Kidz to highlight young entrepreneurs during Black History Month. McFadden was selected by a group of parents and the organization’s founder for the honor. He was featured on a billboard at Olive Boulevard and Woodson Road.
Students from Pattonville Heights Middle School had their short stories accepted for recognition in the Young Writers USA anthology of short stories contest. They are, from left, front row, Parker Schormann, Gabriel Ising, Sadie Harpole and Padraig Keane; second row, Ella Willey, Lily Gunawan, Elrich Louis Panganiban, CJ McCullough and Bradford Wells; third row, Evan Weeden, Mason Kuhn, Logan Kirton and Alexis Spoor; and back row, Aria Kuhn, Judah Metz, Jackson Kier and Javon Griffin.
Poison Prevention Poster Contest PEGS students at Rose Acres Elementary School were honored in various categories of the 2025 National Poison Prevention Week Poster
Contest. The following students were honored. Matthias Schillinger was the grand prize winner. Leia Brown earned first place in the Grades K-2 category. Charles Stage earned first place in the Grades 3-4 category. These students were taught by gifted teachers Allison Bennett and Robin Chang. Students were tasked with creating posters and messaging to teach other children to stay safe from danger and poisons. These students were also invited to attend an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 17.
Worldfest presenter
Pattonville High School freshman Mustafa Kareem was accepted into the Apple Maker Academy. He will have the opportunity to spend four weeks this summer at Apple in Silicon Valley engaging with employees, doing internship work and building a capstone product. Apple will cover all expenses and a technology package Kareem will be able to keep. Only 30 students nationwide were selected to participate.
Pattonville High School freshman
Students from Pattonville Heights Middle School had their short stories accepted for recognition in the Young Writers USA anthology of short stories contest. Students had the option to have their work printed in the publication of this anthology. Students who had their stories recognized were Arianna Arthur, Lorenzo Bana, Daniel DeWick, Audrey Farrell, Javon Griffin, Lily Gunawan, Sadie Harpole, Mckenna Hunter, Gabriel Ising, Caitlyn Jamieson, Korraligh Johnson, Padraig Keane, Jackson Kier, Logan Kirton, Uriah Kornegay, Pearl Krieger, Aria Kuhn, Mason Kuhn, Caden McCandless, CJ McCullough, Cohl McTyer, Judah Metz, Caden Moore, Isaac Nagel, Natalia Norman, Elrich Louis Panganiban, Ryan Rottier, Ezra Samayoa, Parker Schormann, Devina Skye, Alexis Spoor, Vrusha Upadhyaya, Adrienne VanEngelen, Evan Weeden, Bradford Wells and Ella Willey. These students were taught by English teacher Sarah Slane.
Scarlett Stinekraus was nominated for the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. She will be a delegate to the conference scheduled for June at the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus. This is an honors-only program for high schoolers who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. During the three-day congress, Stinekraus will learn from Nobel Laureates, top medical school deans and leading researchers, gaining insight into cutting-edge medical advancements, inspiring patient stories and the future of medicine. Stinekraus’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the science director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. Stinekraus was selected to represent Missouri based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve in the field of medicine.
Pattonville Heights Middle School eighth grader Chanell Burnett was invited to read her original poem during the opening ceremony of Worldfest. This public event on April 27 celebrated cultural diversity through performances, crafts and cuisine. Burnett read an original poem she wrote in seventh grade about celebrating diversity and accepting differences, titled “Black and Beautiful.” Worldfest is sponsored by the City of Maryland Heights and took place at St. Louis Music Park. Burnett was taught by English teacher Melissa Wetzel.
Pattonville Heights Middle School sixth grader Cohl McTyer earned second place in the University of Missouri’s Creating Original Music Project (COMP) competition in the Middle School: Popular - Electronically Produced category. This statewide competition recognizes K-12 students who compose original works in a variety of musical styles. Honorees have the opportunity to perform at the University of Missouri and both they and their schools are awarded cash prizes. Pattonville Heights will receive $750 to be spent on musical instruments, equipment and other learning materials to directly enhance music education in the school.
Pattonville High School senior Caleb Bledsoe was selected as one of the Special School District’s (SSD) 2025 Rosemary Zander Award recipients. The Rosemary Zander Award is given to students, who are nominated by a staff member, for working hard to accomplish their goals at school and in the community, maintaining a positive attitude and providing inspiration to their peers. Bledsoe was invited to be recognized at SSD’s Inspiring Futures event on April 29.
Art teacher Chris Casaine was selected as the featured artist for Black History Month at the Maryland Heights Community Center. After noticing a lack of artwork on display at the center, he reached out to the gallery supervisor and proposed an exhibit celebrating Black artists and activists. His collection, which includes charcoal and colored pencil portraits, as well as acrylic paintings, was on display throughout February and early March. The exhibition featured 14 works created over the past three years, highlighting themes of culture, history and identity.
Pattonville earned first place in the Missouri High School Cyber Security Challenge, a statewide event designed to inspire and showcase the next generation of cybersecurity talent. The competition included challenges on encryption, coding and cyber best practices. During the virtual preliminary round, Pattonville’s team placed sixth, advancing it to the finals where students used real-world security tools during the challenge. The competition was sponsored by the Missouri Research and Education Network (MOREnet), the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and cyber.org. Team members were Elisha Dukes, Rhys Harden and Matthew Wasser. These students were sponsored by computer science teacher Stephanie Carson.
Senior Emma Eiswirth was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete for Pattonville High School. As a swimmer, Eiswirth is a seven-time state finalist, eight-time individual conference finalist and four-time first team all-conference honoree. She holds multiple school records, including in the 100-yard breaststroke and multiple relay events. Academically, Eiswirth ranks 41st in her class and is involved in several honor societies and leadership activities. The scholar athlete program honors high school seniors who excel in both athletics and academics. Each school selects one student who lettered in at least one varsity sport and ranks in the top 25% of their graduating class. Scholar Athletes were honored at a St. Louis Cardinals game and in a special section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper.
Pattonville High School senior Gabrielle Kellner earned second place for her poem in the Saint Louis University Undergraduate Writing Competition: 1818 Dual Enrollment Edition. The award honors literary achievement for students in grades nine through 12 in the genres of creative nonfiction, poetry and short fiction for students. Kellner was awarded $150 and her poem was published in the program for this year’s St. Louis Literary Award Ceremony which took place on April 9 at the Sheldon Concert Hall and honored author Colson Whitehead. She was taught by English teacher Jennifer Raymond.
A team of high school students earned third place in the Additive Manufacturing Competition, hosted by the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis (AMICSTL) and Project MFG on Feb. 28. The competition featured nine high school teams demonstrating their expertise in problem-solving, engineering principles and precision manufacturing. Students were challenged to assemble a CubeSat — a small, standardized satellite — using various additive manufacturing methods. The students received a $500 award for their work. Students who were part of this team were Aiden Alvey, Tanish Dorasani, Brandon Hurtado and Evan Spell. These students were sponsored by computer science teacher Stephanie Carson.
A team of five students from Pattonville earned first place in the World Wide Technology (WWT) STEM Student Forum. The forum challenges high school teams to create solutions for their school’s or community’s unique needs. Each team works directly with a WWT mentor to develop a solution to the proposed problem for six weeks. At the end of the program, five teams are selected to present their final solutions to a panel of WWT leaders. The Pattonville team received the $10,000 first place prize for their project Ducky, an AI-powered browser extension that detects phishing emails, fact-checks social media posts and articles and serves as an AI chatbot to help students improve their cybersecurity literacy. This is the fourth time a Pattonville team has earned first place in this competition. Students who were part of this team were: Mathew Cafiero, Elisha Dukes, Rhys Harden, Lucas Konopka and Matthew Wasser. These students were sponsored by computer science teacher Stephanie Carson.
Six AP Art and Design students had their artwork selected for the Foundry Art Centre’s Regional High School Student Show. This exhibit was on display at the Foundry Art Centre from March 7 to 22. Melaina Prentice earned the Art in Mind award for her mixed media painting. Additional students who had their artwork accepted into the juried exhibit were: Gwendolyn Fallert and Lauren Harris, for their drawings; Mackenzie Newell, for her mixed media drawing; Ellis North, for his painting; and Cheyenne Smith, for her digital drawing. These students were taught by Beth Kathriner.
A group of Pattonville High School DECA students participated in the organization’s district competition on Feb. 6. From there, students who placed first or second in their event qualified to compete at the state competition from March 23 to 25. At state, two students placed first in their category at districts, qualifying them to represent Pattonville at the national competition in Orlando, Florida, in April. Those who qualified for nationals are Charlotte Lohman, who placed first in business services marketing, and Krisha Avaiya, who placed third in human resource management. In addition, students who competed at the state competition after earning first place at districts were: Shauntavia Conway in hospitality and tourism professional selling; Solyana Damte and Helen Kbrom in buying and merchandising; Nmesomachukwu Ezeokafor in business services marketing; Yishan Lan for innovation plan; Antania Pratt in financial services; Amauri Thornton in financial services; Shawn Ward in apparel and accessories marketing; and Brianna Washington in accounting. Students who competed at districts were Malachi Jackson in automotive service marketing; Mackenzie Newell in marketing communication; Imani Wood in principles of entrepreneurship; and Benjamin Usry in sports and entertainment marketing. In addition, members of the DECA team participated in the annual AdZou Challenge at the University of Missouri and earned the Best Marketing Tactics Award. They were Lohman, Newell, Pratt, Thornton and Washington. The DECA students were sponsored by business and career teacher Dr. Raghib Muhammad. Also, business teacher Kelly Thames assisted with the DECA state competition events and received a 10-year DECA service award.
A group of high school students competed in the Missouri Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Competition. In the first round, students either took a test or submitted a project to qualify and those who placed in the top 20 of their event advanced to compete in the second round. Nine Pattonville students placed high enough to qualify for round two and six were able to attend the event. Of those six, two students placed after competing in the second round and qualified to compete at the HOSA International Leadership Conference that will take place in Nashville in June. The students who qualified for the international leadership conference were Kaylee Corona Damian, who earned second place in nursing assisting in the second round at the state competition, and Lydia Fantahun, who earned first place in patient care in the second round at the state competition. Students who qualified to compete in the second round of the state leadership competition after placing in the top 20 of the first round were Savannah Branson, Amanda Eberts, Robert Guynes, Janani Kamalakkannan, Shams Khalid, Shelan Khalid and Joselyn Reyes Damian. These students were sponsored by science teacher Jamie Jobe.
The Pattonville mock trial team competed in the regional finals of the Missouri High School Mock Trial Competition as one of the top 16 teams in the St. Louis area after qualifying in two preliminary rounds of the competition. Several students also earned individual recognition in various rounds of the regional competition. The following students were part of the team and earned individual recognition. Abby Edmonds was named outstanding witness twice. Also named outstanding witness were Addison Gutschenritter and Hannah Wansing. Rick Derby, Edmonds, Gutschenritter and Shota Kikuchi were named outstanding attorney. Students who were also part of the mock trial team were Tyler Bass, Ayla Brown, Jordynn Lee, Obadiah McCollum, Anastasiya Richardson, Matthew Schiermeyer, Kayla Watts and Gracie Wilfong. These students were sponsored by English teacher Jennifer Raymond.
Girls swim and dive
Students from the boys basketball team received all-conference honors. Evan Longmeyer was named all-conference player of the year.
Terrell
Lyles was named all-conference second team. Kameron Eleby was named to the all-defensive team. Mason Clay and Cayden Flagg were named all-conference honorable mention. Jordan Redden was selected to receive the all-conference sportsmanship award. The boys basketball team was coached by Travis Harris.
Two students from the girls basketball team were named all-conference first team. They were Hannah Fenton and Kennedy Horton. Horton was also named second team for the St. Louis American Girls “Fab Five” All-Stars Team. The team represents a combination of the talented young players in the area along with seasoned veterans. The girls basketball team was coached by Adam Ketcherside with the assistance of Tiffanie Becks.
The girls wrestling team was named first place conference champions and students were named to all-conference teams. Makayla Gordon, Samantha Mokwa and Aleeya Thompson qualified for the state championship after placing third at districts. Gordon, Mokwa, Tanise Rhodes, Thompson and Kalie Vogel were named all-conference first team. Amalia Bowman was named all-conference second team. Bailey Leedle was named all-conference honorable mention. Lexi Lam was selected to receive the all-conference sportsmanship award. Additional members of the first place conference team were Amal Ali and Belle Bradshaw. The girls wrestling team was coached by Paige Mueller with the assistance of Danelle Emerick.
Girls swim and dive students competed in the state championships. Students placed individually in the consolation and championship finals of the state competition. Emma Eiswirth was a finalist in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke and was named all-conference first team in these events. Jenna Ridings earned a third place medal in the 100-yard butterfly and sixth place in the 200-yard freestyle. She was also named the all-conference swimmer of the year and broke the school records in the 100-yard butterfly, 100yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle this year. The 200yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams qualified and competed in the preliminary rounds. Members of the 200-year freestyle relay team were Eiswirth, Mackenzie Newell, Ridings and Ella Tinnon. Members of the 200-yard medley relay team were Nora Barry, Eiswirth, Newell and Ridings. Additionally, Tiyah McCoy qualified for districts in diving. These students were coached by Anna Braswell with the assistance of Ashley Haar and Madeline Marren.
The boys wrestling team was named conference champions and members of the team earned individual all-conference honors. Josh Schindler qualified for state. Elijah Hopgood, Jace Prabhu and Schindler were named all-conference first team. Damian Rodriguez was named all-conference second team. Students named all-conference honorable mention were Drew Killian and Jordan Whitfield. The boys wrestling team was coached by Brent Mueller with the assistance of Jon-Michael Brown and Jake Kim.
Theater teacher Lara Corvera received the Debbie Corbin Outstanding Service Award at the Missouri Thespian Conference. This honor is given to a person or persons within the community that has demonstrated a love for educational theater and its students. Recipients of this award have provided outstanding services to the school or Missouri thespian theater community. Nominees have exhibited a love for and dedication to educational theater through their efforts on behalf of the school or thespian community.
Pattonville High School activities coordinator Jason Sellers was inducted into the Missouri Soccer Hall of Fame. His induction was part of the 12th Induction Class, joining a group of 38 honorees since the hall’s founding in 2012. This selection celebrates his exceptional contributions to high school soccer in Missouri, both as a highly successful soccer coach with a career record of 532-311-27 from his time at Hazelwood West, Pattonville, Timberland and Lafayette high schools, and as a dedicated leader on the Missouri Soccer Coaches Association board for 17 years. He has served as the Class 3 and Class 4 representative, worked with the United Soccer Coaches as a rankings representative and contributed to the Missouri Athletic Club and St. Louis High School All-Star Game. His career exemplifies the Hall of Fame’s core criteria: success, service, longevity and legacy, with a lasting impact on the sport, particularly in the St. Louis area.
Des Lee Fine Arts Festival
Students from three Pattonville schools were nominated by their art teacher to participate in a visual art workshop as part of the Des Lee Fine Arts Festival on Feb. 4 and 5. Each student also received honorable mention for art they created during the festival. These students were: Holman Middle School eighth grader Gracie Beane, who was nominated by art teacher Montie Richter; Pattonville Heights Middle School eighth grader Chandi Kennedy, who was nominated by art teacher Katrina Van Ryn; and Pattonville High School junior Melaina Prentice, who was nominated by art teacher Beth Kathriner. The festival was organized with the assistance of Chris Casaine, an art teacher at the high school, who serves as the chair of the visual arts for middle and high school art festivals.
The following student-athletes made a commitment to play a sport at the college level. Those who participated in a signing day event at Pattonville High School on May 14 were: Reilly Edmonds, dance, Maryville University; Kameron Eleby, football, Mizzou; Hannah Fisbeck, lacrosse, Missouri Baptist University; Danya Green, cheer, Lindenwood University; Brayden Halter, cross country, Webster University; Quinntes Rider, volleyball, Missouri Valley College; Tristyn Russell, cheer, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Addison Swanson, cross country, Missouri Baptist University; Xander Werthmuller, volleyball, Westminster College; and Zelletta Wyatt, golf, Missouri Baptist University.
Staff members at Pattonville High School presented their MVP (Most Valuable Pirate) Awards to 116 students. Each staff member selected one outstanding student to receive an MVP medallion award during a special awards ceremony at the school on April 17. There’s no set criteria — students can be selected based on academics, overcoming obstacles, work ethic, character, extracurricular participation and more.
Five teachers in Pattonville earned or renewed their certification as a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT). Designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide, NBCT is considered the highest credential in the teaching profession. Certification is awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and NBCTs can keep their certification active by completing a Maintenance of Certification every five years. Two staff members earned NBCT certification. Bridgeway Elementary School reading teacher Lori Yudovich earned Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood certification. Parkwood Elementary School fourth grade teacher Kristen McGreer earned Generalist/Middle Childhood certification. Three teachers renewed certification. Bridgeway art teacher Mollie Ahlers was recertified in Art/Early and Middle Childhood. Academy of Innovation at Remington library and technology specialist Jill Ramig was recertified in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood. Pattonville Heights Middle School reading teacher Jennifer Robin was recertified in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.
One student was a four-time recipient of the award. Additionally, three students were selected as an MVP for the third time, 21 were second time recipients and 91 were first-time recipients. The following students were invited to cross the stage and met the staff member (listed in parenthesis) that selected them as their nomination was read aloud.
Emely Herrera Escobar (Reem Tahsin) was a four-time recipient. The following students received their third MVP Award: Maya Baum (Haley Hunter), Janani Kamalakkannan (Tom Crockett) and Carlton Lowman (Gene Grimshaw).
Receiving their second MVP Award were: Andrea Aguilar (Eleanor Taylor), Anyssa Basler (MaryClare Stoker), Tahj Dillon (Ashley Haar), Katarina Garland (Madison Avery), Addison Gutschenritter (Justin Levy), Parker Hasenkamp (Lanee’ Hasenkamp), Paris Hill (Elizabeth Kean), Leo Ingolia III (Robin Woodrome), Gabrielle Kellner (Tracie Olson), Lucas Konopka (Michael Cobb-Schultz), Joseph Lewis (Lorna Bulger), Derick Lopez (Jessica Hale), Isabella Lopez Ramirez (Dan Woehrmann), Marissa Marsala (Mary Favazza), Melissa Mendieta Perez (Paige Jester), Simon Muthemba (Matt McClellan), Ellis North (Beth Kathriner), Micah Ramsey (Caleb Stroop), Hunter Riley (Jacob Bubb), Tatyana Seay (Cynthia Hall) and Lillian Strebeck (Katie Funderburk).
Earning their first MVP award were: Haley Banta (Jamie Jobe), Rosario Barcenas Garcia (Lauren Negrete), Tyler Bass (Karolyn Florence), Ella Baum (Jodi Moeller), Nathan Bertrand (Brittanie Bendawald), Stephany Blandon Perez (Bella Neuman), Caleb Bledsoe (Estella Hunter), Addison Candela (Aaron Zart), Benjamin Castleberry (Chloe Parker), Zoelle Clark (Kewana Smith), Jeremiah Cole (Jon Fitzgerald), Thomas Coleman (Scott Hauser), Ava Condon (Greg Adam), Antonio Contreras (Carolyn Overton), Kaylee Corona Damian (Mike Mooney), Anthony Creer (Melissa Sparkman), Alejandra Cruzado (Lauren Church), Devin Dent (Lauren Masnica), Richard Derby (Keyur Patel), Emily Derhake (Anna White), Landyn Driy (Victor Fink), Triniti Dugger (Anetra Johnson), Emma Eiswirth (Anna Braswell), Kameron Eleby (Steve Smith), Savannah Ewing (Shaun Patrick), Gwendolyn Fallert (Amy Adam), Cam’ron Gardner (Lara Corvera), Kalkidan Gebrewahd (Sarah Hollstrom), Giada Glass (Court-
ney Faasen), Aunnah Grady (Mindy Ridings), Kenadi Gray (Paige Mueller), Danya Green (Paul Rueschhoff), Justice Hamilton (Kaitlyn Chester), Ibrahim Hardan (Kate Ramatowski), Rhys Harden (Stephanie Carson), Jaydn Harvick (Natalie Vance), Saturn Haynes (Jessica Wynn), Andrew Heine (Laura Livesay), Lola Hennrich (Ben Schamber), Sophia Hershberger (Magaret Hall), Alexandra Hill (Macie Baucum), Brady Hollingsworth (Racquel Manuel), Gabrielle Hurd (Teisha Ashford), Brandon Hurtado (Rebecca Clubb), Malachi Jackson (Gabe Faron), Broderick Johnson (Kathleen Gengler), Joelle Leake (Kim Stinnett), Khalil Logan (Ryan Brueckmann), Markira London (Vicki Emerson), Chase Love (Madi Lehmann), Elaine Lu (Julie Buchholz), Carter Mackay (Andy Wall), Aaron Massay (Jake Kim), Kennedy McMiller (Megan Kemper), Haydyn Mellor (Carrie Cobb), Kadyn Mellor (Jennifer Mangiapanello), Kathryn Mercurio (Laine Johnson), Yennedith Mijango Vargas (Joe Baird), Kaden Moxley (Michael Boulanger), Rita Shantel Muthoni (Rachel McAllister), Alexander Neumann (Jacqueline Perales), Harper Parker (James Dalton), Jace Prabhu (Jon-Michael Brown), Antania Pratt (Raghib Muhammad), Sarah Pruitt (Danielle Adams), Jordan Redden (Kent Booth), Joselyn Reyes Damian (Valerie Green), Hannah Richardson (Melynda Lamb), Quinntes Rider (Rebecca Byrne), Jenna Ridings (Jason Sellers), Justin Robertson (Mary Cross), Daniel Rose (Lauri Radican), Cheyanne Scheer (Larry Jerrod), Joshua Schindler (Brent Mueller), Mikayla Shryock (Andre Redden), Natalie Smith (Tamika Duncan), Rashida Smith-Nevels (Kimberly Walker), Xavier Stepney (Cody Kimmerle), Carter Stroud (Jen Wasmer), Olivia Teixeira (Patrick Handrahan), Pearl Truong (Allie Wills), Benjamin Usry (Jared Beucke), Shreeya Verma (Mark Storer), Kalie Vogel (Danelle Emerick), Taylor Volmert (Janet Kuhn), Harper Webb (Tara Borcherding), Wilbert Williams (Trista Giubardo), Thomas Wilson (Charlie Bourrage) and Alyssa Yin (Alex Hubbs).
J
ulie Linck, a fourth grade teacher at the Academy of Innovation at Remington, was named district Teacher of the Year and Minako Baczynski, a paraprofessional at Drummond Elementary School, was named Pattonville Support Staff of the Year. The announcements were made during Pattonville’s District Appreciation Night on May 5.
Finalists for Pattonville Teacher of the Year were Margaret Hall, French teacher at Pattonville High School, and Michele Lewis, first grade teacher at Drummond. Other finalists for Pattonville Support Staff of the Year were Cori Brown, executive secretary at Rose Acres, and Sharon Kendall, executive secretary at maintenance, representing the district services group.
These individuals were also building-level honorees for their respective awards. Other building-level honorees (semifinalists) for Teacher of the Year were: Erika Dietrich, teacher at early childhood; Tara Perks, second grade teacher at Bridgeway; Kelsey Magee, special education teacher at Parkwood; Lillian Corzine, special education teacher at Rose Acres; Christy Newsham, counselor at Willow Brook; Matthew Loyet, history teacher at Holman; and Rachel Woodson, librarian at Pattonville Heights.
Other building-level honorees (semifinalists) for Support Staff of the Year were: Brittany Stevens, paraprofessional at early childhood; Susan Peroutka, special education speech pathologist at Bridgeway; Sharon White, special education paraprofessional at Parkwood; Tammy Mathes, executive secretary at Willow Brook; Debra Johnson, special education paraprofessional at Remington; Betty Nelson, nurse at Holman; Steven Aversa, lead custodian at Pattonville Heights; and Tamika Duncan, executive secretary at the high school.
Stephanie Appel, reading/math intervention teacher at Bridgeway, was honored with the Teacher Rookie of the Year award and Pamela Davis, paraprofessional at Willow Brook, was chosen for Support Staff Rookie of the Year.
Minako Baczynski, left, a paraprofessional at Drummond Elementary School, was named Pattonville Support Staff of the Year, and Julie Linck, a fourth grade teacher at the Academy of Innovation at Remington, was named district Teacher of the Year.
Staff members selected as building Teachers of the Year include, from left, front row, district finalists Margaret Hall, Julie Linck and Michele Lewis and semifinalists Kelsey Magee and Erika Dietrich; and, back row, semifinalists Rachel Woodson, Matthew Loyet, Christy Newsham, Lillian Corzine and Tara Perks.
Staff members selected as building Support Staff of the Year include, from left, front row, district finalists Sharon Kendall, Cori Brown and Minako Baczynski; and, back row, semifinalists Susan Peroutka, Debra Johnson, Brittany Stevens and Betty Nelson.
Stephanie Appel, left, was chosen as the Teacher Rookie of the Year and Pamela Davis was honored with the Support Staff Rookie of the Year award.
Ten individuals were chosen to receive the prestigious Pride of Pattonville award. The honor recognizes staff, parents/guardians and volunteers for outstanding service to the district. The 2025 Pride of Pattonville honorees are:
• Sierra Dertinger, library technology specialist at Drummond Elementary School;
• Dr. Melanie Fitzgerald, coordinator at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center;
• Lanee’ Hasenkamp, physical education teacher at Pattonville High School;
• Jon Hisaw, auditorium technical director at the high school;
• Rebecca Krohn, A+/community service teacher and English learner (EL) counselor at the high school;
• Rob Lamb, science teacher at the high school;
• Jill Ramig, library technology specialist at the Academy of Innovation at Remington;
• Rodney Spann, custodial supervisor at Pattonville Heights Middle School;
• Mark Storer, school resource officer (SRO) at the high school; and
• Anna White, instrumental music teacher at the high school.
Honorees were surprised in April and honored at District Appreciation Night in May.
Pattonville honors parents/guardians and community members who volunteer their time to lead support organizations for Pattonville. Honored during District Appreciation Night for volunteering were, from left, front row, Kristi Stroud, Kelly Dedeke, Staci Scott, Erin Roberts-Wilson, Kinsey McKibbin and Letty Goering; second row, Kelly Monroe, Jenna Besserman, Carrie Blalock, Laura Wick, Sarah Barth, Michelle Flood and Teree Davis; and, back row, Frank Spell, Sharon Wood, Lisa Williams and Jennifer Lipscomb. To see a full list of volunteers, visit the District Appreciation Night program at the link below right.
Each year, Pattonville recognizes staff members who are retiring or who retired since the previous year’s District Appreciation Night event. All retirees have the option to receive an engraved School Bell Award recognizing their service. This year, 44 staff members were honored as retirees. View a copy of the District Appreciation Night program featuring bios of all the retirees at the link at right.
Each year, staff members are honored as retirees and thanked for their service in Pattonville. Shown are, from left, front row, Rebecca Krohn, Janet Kuhn, Lori Calvin, Julie Buchholz, Vincent Licameli and Stephen Jones; second row, James Ivie, Thomas Iffrig, Regina Dunmire and Michele Hill; third row, Melanie Fitzgerald, Kimberly Butts, Cynthia Kiankhooy-Fard, Brenda Kelch, Laura Waisner, Stephanie Walton, Erin Zoltanski and Ramona Earnest; and, back row, Gary Wierzbicki, Becky Steinbecker, Joyce Lindsey, Carla Robertson, Elizabeth Brisch, Vicki Emerson, Patricia Benbenek, Kelly Strobel, Laura Hartsock and Marian Mitchell.
Staff who have been in the district for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years were recognized at District Appreciation Night. Top right, Lisa Stahlhut, a first grade teacher at Rose Acres, was honored for 35 years of service.
Right, staff recognized for 35 years of service were, left, Jackie Ramey, a reading teacher at Holman, and Michelle Wagner, a third grade teacher at Rose Acres. To see all of the honorees, see the program at the link below.