Highlights December 2021

School news for parents, residents and staff of the Pattonville School District

History and fashion

Students in Jacqueline Saxton’s History through Art and Dr. Juliane Ross’s Fashion and Interior Design Fundamentals classes at Pattonville High School collaborated on a project bringing the social studies and FACS (family and consumer science) departments together. “We were doing a fashion project where we were going to actually start creating some fashion designs and they were doing a history project where they had to research the impacts of fashion on history,” Ross said. “So we kind of melded those two together and it was really great.” Saxton said groups were formed with students from both classes. “We added elements into the assignment that had parts of my curriculum as well as from her class,” Saxton said. The students presented their final products on the last day they worked together. “They had to talk about their research and show their sketch and final fashion piece,” Ross said. All of the projects will be displayed in Gallery G, Pattonville’s own art gallery space. Shown above, from left, junior Matthew Kliethermes, senior Harriet Piirmets and junior Miranda Lopez discuss their clothing design. At left, top photo, seniors Destiny Dobbs, Chelsey Laughlin and Kate Germano work on their design with the assistance of teacher Juliane Ross. At left, bottom photo, seniors Joel Bonham and Orney Walker discuss the suit they designed.

From the Superintendent

Much to be thankful for as we work with students

As we enter the holiday season, it’s a great time to reflect on everything that’s positive in our lives. It’s almost unimaginable to think that our students have been impacted by the pandemic for three consecutive school years. In March of 2020, the county enforced stay-at-home orders, and students and staff were sent home for what ended up being the remainder of the school year. The 2020-2021 school year was a combination of in-person and virtual learning. While this year feels more normal, there are still obstacles our students and staff are working hard to overcome. Contact tracing was a term none of us really knew 21 months ago, but it’s now part of our regular vocabulary. It’s amazing how quickly we are able to adjust when needed.

Although there have definitely been some trying times as we’ve operated schools, there is so much for us to be thankful for. During difficult times, it’s easy to focus on the negatives, point out how things could improve and wish for better days. The truth is, we’re experiencing a lot of great days right now. When I visit classrooms, it looks a little different with kids wearing masks and teachers trying to physically distance as best they can, but at its core, it is teaching and learning at its best.

Our students enjoy being in school. Our teachers are working harder than ever, but they are doing what’s necessary to help our students learn and grow both academically and socially. I recently had a chance to read books to a kindergarten and first grade classroom. It’s easy to forget how important the seemingly little things are to our youngest students. They are so much fun to be around. They ask great questions because they are so curious about what life has in store for them.

I know we’re bound to have some rough patches ahead, but I believe there’s light at the end of the tunnel. There’s a quote that’s been around for awhile that reminds me of how we should approach each day: “The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.” Personally, if I find myself wishing for a better day, I’ll be heading to a kindergarten classroom. They know how to appreciate each and every one of them.

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Board reviews proposed facilities updates, possible zero-tax-rate-change bond issue

The Pattonville Board of Education on Nov. 9 reviewed a new master facilities plan for the Pattonville School District that adds classrooms to address growth in student enrollment; provides safety and maintenance improvements; and updates school facilities to meet current and future teaching and learning needs (see list on next page). If approved, the board would then ask voters to fund the new facilities plan by voting on a $111 million zero-tax-rate-change bond issue in April 2022. The board is expected to vote on the plan and funding mechanism during its Dec. 14 meeting.

Since last April, Pattonville leaders have been working with parents, students and staff to develop a new districtwide facilities plan to ensure Pattonville’s schools are well maintained and continue to meet the educational needs of its students. The Pattonville Board of Education hired Ittner Cordogan Clark Group, an architectural firm that specializes in education facilities, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of district buildings and assist Pattonville in developing the new plan. Ittner worked with building principals and district leaders to conduct an assessment of the condition of Pattonville buildings, including a space needs analysis. Ittner representatives also met with planning committees, building staff, parents and students to help develop the plan.

Pattonville has been able to address a number of critical needs in the district via bond issues that required zero change to its tax rate. In the past decade, district enrollment has grown by nearly 10% and future enrollment projections indicate the district may need additional capacity for approximately 300 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. If the facilities master plan is approved by the board and a bond issue is approved by voters, the elementary additions will be among the first projects completed. A timeline for the remaining projects will be determined once design and construction teams are hired.

Every few years, Pattonville updates its districtwide facilities master plan to address building needs for learning purposes and keep its aging facilities maintained and in good repair. The last facilities master plan was created in 2016, and a zero-taxrate-increase bond issue was approved by voters in April 2017 to fund updates and improvements included in the plan. As promised to voters during bond issues in 2006, 2010 and 2017, Pattonville has maintained its debt service levy (the portion of its tax rate that can only be used for paying off bond issue debt) unchanged at 49 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Board selects superintendent for next school year

The Pattonville Board of Education on Nov. 2 voted to select Dr. Barry Nelson as the next superintendent of the Pattonville School District, effective upon the retirement of Dr. Tim Pecoraro, the district’s current superintendent.

“Dr. Nelson has been instrumental in shaping the success of our district while recruiting and retaining outstanding individuals to work on behalf of our Pattonville students,” said board president Dr. Brian Gray. “He brings with him a strong foundation as a teacher, school principal and district leader who is dedicated to ensuring all our students succeed. We believe he will carry on the tradition of caring, excellence and innovation that makes Pattonville such a special place to learn and grow.”

Nelson has served as Pattonville’s assistant superintendent for human resources since 2009. He previously worked as principal of Rose Acres Elementary School in Pattonville for eight years. Nelson also served as an interim administrative intern at Rose Acres and as a physical education teacher at Carrollton Oaks Elementary School (in Pattonville). He was also a teacher at Twillman Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District. Nelson holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, as well as master’s, specialist’s and doctorate degrees in education administration from Lindenwood University. He and his wife, Kristi, are the parents of a 2019 Pattonville graduate and a Pattonville High School freshman.

Filing opens for positions on Pattonville school board

Filing for positions on the Pattonville School District Board of Education begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 7, and ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28. Persons interested in running for a position on the school board may file at the Pattonville Learning Center, 11097 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann, Missouri. Candidates will be placed on the ballot in order of filing. There are two positions available on the April 5, 2022, election ballot, each with three-year terms. Board members whose terms are expiring are Mary Kay Campbell and Ruth Petrov.

Free COVID-19 resources

to find information on free COVID-19 testing, vaccines and more.

Candidates may file during the district’s regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Dec. 28, filing will be open from noon until filing closes at 5 p.m. Hours are subject to change. Except for the first and last day of filing, filing will not occur on days that the school district’s central offices are closed due to inclement weather or other unforeseeable reasons. The district may not open on the first and/or last day of filing if weather conditions make it unsafe for staff to travel. Filing will also not occur on the following dates when the district’s superintendent’s office will be closed: Dec. 23 through Dec. 27.

For more information or to confirm if offices are open for filing, contact the secretary to the board at (314) 213-8001 or kgordon@psdr3.org. Candidates must observe district COVID-19 policies in force at the time of filing.

Dr. Tim Pecoraro Superintendent Follow on Twitter: @PattonvilleSupt

Dr. Barry Nelson, who currently serves as assistant superintendent for human resources, was selected by the board of education as the next superintendent of the Pattonville School District.

A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Pattonville’s proposed new master facilities plan adds classrooms to address growth in student enrollment; provides safety and maintenance improvements; and updates schools to meet teaching and learning needs (see details on page 2).

Pattonville Early Childhood Center

• Upgrade building-wide HVAC systems

• Complete plumbing repairs

• Install projection system for multipurpose room

• Add 40 parking spaces

• Improve exterior playground

• Create indoor play space in multipurpose room

Bridgeway Elementary School

• Construct two-story addition with music room, STEM lab, library and restrooms

• Replace kitchen flooring

• Renovate classrooms, including spaces for collaborative teaching

• Purchase new furniture

• Repair/upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC

• Renovate existing library into two classrooms, one office

• Construct outdoor learning space

• Renovate 10 restrooms

• Add stage to school gym

• Install fire suppression system and fire access lanes

• Add stormwater treatment area on west side of building

Drummond Elementary School

• Improve/repair HVAC

• Divide open corner quad areas into pull-out learning spaces

• Repair roof and install snow/ice guards

• Install shade structure in courtyard playground

Parkwood Elementary School

• Construct two-story addition with four classrooms

• Replace kitchen flooring

• Renovate classrooms for collaborative teaching

• Complete improvements to courtyard

• Correct water ponding in playground

• Purchase new furniture

• Improve corridors and provide dividing wall between main corridor and cafeteria

• Expand and reconfigure front office

• Renovate nine restrooms

Below is an overview of proposed projects.

Rose Acres Elementary School

• Renovate classrooms for collaborative teaching

• Renovate flex room into space for paraprofessionals, testing and meeting; move library door

• Relocate reading to second-floor room and provide partition

• Create first floor conference room

• Install door between multipurpose room and classroom wing

• Replace kitchen flooring

• Add large wall graphics to cafeteria

• Install shade structures for playground and outdoor learning space

• Replace outdoor learning pavilion

• Replace kindergarten playground equipment

• Complete plumbing repairs/upgrades

• Renovate six restrooms

Willow Brook Elementary School

• Construct library and classroom addition

• Build smaller south classroom addition

• Install retaining wall by new additions

• Install fire suppression system

• Add courtyard between new additions

• Add stormwater treatment area at west side of building

• Expand cafeteria

• Renovate classrooms for collaborative teaching

• Install blinds in classroom windows

• Reconfigure restrooms in kindergarten rooms

• Add awning to courtyard entrance

• Install high fence around playground

• Purchase new furniture

• Complete plumbing repairs/upgrades

• Renovate six restrooms

• Reconfigure office and Special School District (SSD) rooms, including main entry

Remington Traditional School

• Construct building addition to provide classrooms and commons learning space

• Install fire suppression system

• Enclose courtyard near cafeteria to create commons area

• Renovate classrooms to integrate with special education

• Purchase new furniture

• Renovate classrooms for collaborative teaching

• Construct expansion for music, additional classroom space

• Reconfigure front office/entry

• Redesign sitework to improve drop off and dismissal, with car traffic going north to exit on Fred Eller Drive

• Renovate nine restrooms

Holman Middle School

• Construct new gym adjacent to existing main gym

• Renovate basement below existing main gym (locker and health rooms)

• Install fire suppression system

• Add new stormwater treatment area for new gym

• Add gate or door to separate gym from rest of school

• Provide additional collaborative learning spaces between classrooms

• Upgrade library, including new exterior windows and entry enhancements

• Renovate east side of electives corridor (across from band)

• Improve elementary gifted education wing (ALPHA)

• Install additional security cameras

• Install new building clock system

• Purchase new furniture

• Repair/upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC

• Reconfigure and renovate offices

• Extend parent drop-off lane at west side of building to improve traffic

• Build ramp for Americans with Disabilities Act access to west door at drive loop

• Renovate eight restrooms

• Renovate two sixth grade science classrooms

• Improve signage and wayfinding

Pattonville Heights Middle School

• Construct three-story addition with science labs, restrooms, relocated lockers and multipurpose/ planetarium space

• Renovate cafeteria (students and staff)

• Renovate classrooms on sixth grade and seventh/eighth grade floors

• Replace some lockers with twotiered lockers

• Install elevator to service weight room area above gym

• Purchase new furniture

• Paint interior spaces

• Renovate library offices and storage to provide a new hallway that bypasses the library

• Improve parking lot and entrance plaza

• Expand existing stormwater treatment area

• Renovate 11 restrooms

Pattonville High School

• Enclose bridge and build addition with multipurpose/performance space, music rooms and outdoor plaza

• Renovate second-floor bridge classrooms

• Renovate existing front entrance lobby and guidance office

• Renovate gym lobby and cafeteria/ commons area/serving lines

• Renovate family and consumer science (FACS) food labs

• Install taller fence around athletic complex for improved security

• Purchase new furniture

• Install fire loop

• Repair/upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC

• Renovate science labs

• Renovate industrial technology shop

• Improve signage and wayfinding

• Replace aging turf in stadium

District projects

• Upgrade Wi-Fi and security cameras

• Repair structural columns in bus ports at transportation facility

• Replace lighting in bus ports at transportation facility

• Renovate Holman Middle School detached Gym B for use by transportation and printing departments

• Renovate and add to existing transportation building

• Reconfigure parking in upper lot near transportation facility

• Demolish existing print shop building to improve traffic flow and reconfigure parking at Pattonville Heights Middle School

• Renovate maintenance facility for better efficiency

Classroom additions are proposed at several schools, including, from left, Bridgeway, Parkwood and Willow Brook elementary schools, where enrollment has maxed out available spaces. Architects and Pattonville staff identified the locations in orange as potential spaces for building additions at these schools. For more details on proposed projects at each school, view the lists below.

Wayne Kaufman, Class of 1968 - During the annual Veterans Day celebration at Pattonville High School on Nov. 11, Kaufman assisted with a flag folding ceremony and was later surprised with the news that he was being inducted into the Pattonville Wall of Fame. Kaufman is an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War. He is founder and president of The Kaufman Fund, a nonprofit organization committed to serving veterans and children in the St. Louis area. Since 1990, The Kaufman Fund has helped raise and distribute over $1.5 million, bringing the entire St. Louis veteran community together through its own programs and the many veteran organizations it supports to help those in need. Last March, Kaufman was recognized with Fox2Now’s (Ch. 2) Proud to Serve Award for his efforts.

Candice (Temm)

Dailey, Class of 2006 - Dailey was a featured artist on StarWars.com in October. She is a licensed Star Wars artist and her work titled “An Understanding” captures a connection through The Force. Inspired by “The Mandalorian,” her artwork features Ahsoka Tano and Grogu. Dailey is a freelance illustrator who specializes in science-fiction and fantasy art. She has worked on several comic and novel covers and is a sketch card artist for Topps working with intellectual properties such as Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Her work will be included in the upcoming officially licensed Firefly Artbook and she was named a grand prize winner in Disney’s official “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” art contest, where her work was featured on the red carpet at the world premiere. Dailey earned a bachelor’s degree in commercial art with an emphasis in illustration from the University of Central Missouri.

Rachel Kerwin, Class of 2016 - Kerwin returned to her alma mater to work with the girls lacrosse program. She brings experience as captain of the lacrosse team at the University of Charleston (UC) in West Virginia all four years. While at UC, Kerwin was considered for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She was named the University of Charleston nominee because she demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. From a program-record pool of 605 school nominees, 161 college athletes were named conferencelevel nominees and Kerwin represented the Division II Mountain East Conference. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Charleston with a bachelor’s degree in radiologic science, she was eligible to play lacrosse a fifth year. She was recruited by and received an athletic scholarship with the Maryville University women’s lacrosse program. Upon the completion of her Maryville University season, the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) selected Kerwin to its all-conference honorable mention team. In December 2021, she will complete graduate school and receive her master’s in business administration with a concentration in health care administration.

ALUMNI SUCCESS

Nadia Maddex, Class of 2017Maddex, who was the 2017 Pattonville homecoming queen, was elected Lindenwood University’s 2021 homecoming queen. She is a senior at Lindenwood majoring in music education.

Shhdwafi Youssef, Class of 2018

- Youssef was selected to receive the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Student Trailblazer Award. Youssef is a triple major at UMSL in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees in international business, information systems and philosophy. Youssef identifies as an Egyptian Muslim woman with multiple sclerosis. During her freshman year, Youssef began working as project manager for the International Business Career Conference, progressing into becoming the founder and current project manager for UMSL’s Taste of Islam. Youssef holds leadership positions on campus as president of the International Business Honor Society and treasurer for the Muslim Student Association.

Graduates in the news

Kathryn Wentz, Class of 2020 - Wentz was selected to be part of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Blue Crew. The Blue Crew and Ice Crew are one and the same. The highenergy team revs up the crowd at every Blues home game and represents the St. Louis Blues at various community events. The team is also responsible for cleaning the ice during games.

Lucy Ndung’u, Class of 2021 - Ndung’u placed 10th (18:56.7) in the 5K race at the NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Cross Country National Championships on Nov. 13. As a freshman, she earned All-American recognition and helped lead the Cloud County Community College team to a national runner-up title. She also competed individually in the NJCAA Women’s Half-Marathon Championships and finished in 14th place with a time of 1:30:32.7. Her planned academic major at Cloud County Community College is physical therapy.

Got news to share?

Share your alumni success stories with Pattonville. Send information and photos to Mickey Schoonover at mschoonover@psdr3.org.

Wayne Kaufman is surprised by the news he is being inducted into the Pattonville Wall of Fame during Pattonville High School’s annual Veterans Day ceremonies.

Candice Dailey, above, had art featured on the official Star Wars website (shown left). She is a freelance illustrator specializing in science fiction and fantasy artwork.

Rachel Kerwin

Former Pattonville homecoming queen Nadia Maddex was elected homecoming queen at Lindenwood University.

Shhdwafi Youssef is shown during a virtual celebration where she was honored with a University of Missouri-St. Louis Student Trailblazer Award.

Lucy Ndung’u

Our Learners

PARKWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Fourth graders transform classrooms into biomes from across the world

S

cience came to life in the fourth grade classrooms at Parkwood Elementary School. The students worked to research plants and animals from various biomes and transformed their classrooms to represent what they learned.

Students learned about the internal and external structures of plants and animals, their adaptations and how they survive in the unique environments of the desert, tundra, ocean and rainforest.

“During this project, students came up with a project proposal for how they wanted to share what they learned,” teacher Lindsey Purviance said. “From there, the students got to create something to present their research findings.”

Arianna Arthur used her iPad to create a presentation about crabs.

“One of the things I learned is that there are over 6,000 different species of crabs and a group of crabs is called a cast,” she said.

The fourth grade team of Kristen Buescher, Audrey Masek, Purviance and Greg Stoltz made the unit a cross-curricular project. They involved the art and music teachers in the process.

“Our art teachers helped our students come up with the designs for our room and assisted with some of the projects,” Masek said. “In music, the kids created songs for each of the biomes. They were playing instruments and howling like wolves in the tundra or making fish noises in the ocean. They combined all of this together in GarageBand and it served as a soundtrack in our rooms.”

The rest of the school was invited to tour the project showcase on Oct. 14.

“We wanted the other students to come in so that our classes could have a reallife audience,” Masek said. “They are showing their projects and sharing what they learned. It’s fun because the classes are traveling through all four biomes and the students are getting to be the teacher.”

WILLOW BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Purviance said the students enjoyed working together and it was a big team-building activity to transform the rooms into a specific biome.

“It was definitely interesting to see what the students came up with,” she said. “It was a great experience and the students really enjoyed every part of the process.”

Classroom job project teaches students real-life skills for the future

Internal candidates are applying for classroom job openings in Melissa Capstick’s fourth grade class at Willow Brook Elementary School. After reviewing submitted applications, she picks one student to fill each position for a month. The project is not just for students to help out around the classroom, but to teach life lessons and offer a way to earn points that can be used to purchase items from the classroom store.

“I believe there are a lot of gaps in money management and understanding how money works and how it kind of comes and goes,” Capstick said. “This idea was just an easy way to add it in.”

By requiring applications for the jobs, Capstick is able to include a writing element to the project.

“They have to write in complete sentences,” she said. “If they turn in a job application that’s not in complete sentences or doesn’t answer the questions correctly, then I return it to them so they can try again.”

Joshua Harlow was hired as the class administrative assistant for the month of November. Every week, he earned 10 Dojo Points for completing his job.

“I was qualified for this job because I can get to the phone fast, I can help out with anything the teacher needs and I am very responsible,” he said. “When I have to take care of something, I take care of it.” Students can also earn Dojo Points by demonstrating positive behaviors and classroom culture.

“They can get points for following the Willow Brook Way, being peaceful and following directions the first time and doing random acts of kindness or helping a friend,” Capstick said. “They can also lose Dojo Points so it’s kind of a balanced system.”

She teaches students how to keep track of their points using a bank book and the points can be used to purchase items from the class store.

Students can purchase goods like headphones for five points, a special pencil for eight points or candy for 12 points. They can also earn experiences such as show and tell for 36 points, a 10-minute Me Break for 45 points or 15 minutes to play a game with a friend for 60 points.

“There’s accountability and motivation to have jobs and to do the right thing,” Capstick said. “This whole project teaches them to think about their responsibilities as a student and a good person.”

Willow Brook Elementary School fourth grade teacher Melissa Capstick, seated, works with her students on their job assignments. Shown are, from left, Jocelyn Aronberg and Maurice Graves.

Fourth graders in Kristen Buescher’s class at Parkwood Elementary School share information with younger students as part of a project on biomes. Aiza Niazi, center, discusses musk oxen found in the tundra. Behind her is classmate Natalia Norman.

PATTONVILLE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

Pizza makes practically perfect learning topic

The best learning comes when students are able to connect personally to something in the lesson. That made it easy for early childhood teacher Sharon Wood to stir a heap of learning into activities centered around the tasty topic of pizza.

“Our students love pizza, so it made sense to provide a variety of learning opportunities around something they were so interested in,” said Wood, who teaches preschoolers at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center. Wood planned activities that provided students learning experiences in fine motor skills, math, language, pretendplay skills and science.

After reading “Hi, Pizza Man!” by Virginia Walter, the students created their own books, titled “Hi, Pizza Kid!” in their writing center. Students listened to the book “Pete’s A Pizza” by William Steig, and then participated in retelling and acting out the story.

The learning continued into the art center where students were provided a variety of materials to create colorful pizzas. The students also practiced social and pretendplay skills by “working” in a pizza restaurant in the pretend center

And what’s a pizza-themed lesson without the real thing? The students practiced pre-reading skills by following a recipe when they each made an individual pizza for a special snack during a cooking lesson.

HOLMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Students learn from renowned archaeologist

Learning doesn’t get much more authentic than when students have the rare opportunity to interact with a renowned expert in a high interest topic. That’s exactly what happened during a recent social studies unit in Maegan Bowersox’s Pirate Academy class at Holman Middle School.

When preparing for a unit on the classical period of Greece, Bowersox watched a video on National Geographic about the Greeks.

“I was watching ‘Cavemen to Kings’ and Dr. Michael Cosmopoulos was speaking with a lot of authority about this topic and I noticed on the video that he was attached to UMSL here in St. Louis, so I sent him an email,” Bowersox said. “I asked if he’d be willing to talk to our students about his experiences and he agreed to do it.”

Cosmopoulos, an archaeologist and professor of Greek studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), was working on an excavation near the modern village of Iklaina in 2011 when his team discovered a tablet that dates sometime between 1490 to 1390 B.C.

“He is actually credited with finding the very oldest piece of writing in Greece,” Bowersox said. “The kids got to experience that in a video and so they had lots of questions about the archeological process and how to determine the age of an artifact after finding something.”

That’s one of the things that seventh grader Shania Woodson found most interesting. “I thought it was really cool how they were able to read the tablet and figure out what it meant,” she said.

After his presentation about mythology and his fieldwork, he answered questions from the students.

Bowersox was excited to offer this connection to her students.

“What we’re doing is really helping the kids see that history is living even if it’s thousands of years old,” she said.

BRIDGEWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Students thrive with choices in art studios

“Give me a drumroll, please. This month’s art challenge theme is … ‘Up, Up and Away!’ ” Bridgeway Elementary School art teacher Mollie Ahlers developed the concept of themed art challenges in response to the disconnect between her mini-lessons about artists and techniques and students’ learning and artwork. She recently wrote an article about her themed art challenge projects, which was published nationally in SchoolArts Magazine.

“I try to come up with something that will have multiple responses to it,” Ahlers said. “I select themes that are open-ended and will allow a lot of different ideas.”

After students learn about the new theme, they brainstorm what they want to create. Ahlers allows students to use all of the different studios in her classroom.

“They can draw, paint or even sculpt something,” she said. “Everyone takes a different approach to it and that’s OK.”

October’s theme was “Happy Fall Y’all” and fifth grader Natalie Barton made a haunted house with her friends.

“We used cardboard and put felt and other collage pieces on it to decorate it,” she said. “We also used paint and other materials.”

Fifth grader Skylar Kuzuf learned about street artist Kelsey Montague and the project she created in November was inspired by Montague’s work.

“I really like when there’s wings on a wall and you stand in front of them to take a picture,” Kuzof said. “I’m going to make it out of paper and put a sign next to it to invite people to do that.”

Barton has participated in Ahlers’ challenges for several years. “I always like them because they force people to be really creative,” she said. “We don’t all need to use the same stuff so it gives us freedom to choose what we want to do.”

At the end of each month, Ahlers displays student artwork in the hallway. “It’s a fun way to share everyone’s work,” she said. “We vote on our favorites and by looking at other pieces, it’s a way for a student to come up with a new idea for their next project.”

Mateo Flores Lechuga, left, and Hailey Duverny pretend to buy and sell pizza in their play pizza restaurant at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center. Their teacher, Sharon Wood, designed a number of learning activities centered around one of students’ favorite things: pizza.

Pirate Academy students at Holman Middle School listen to Dr. Michael Cosmopoulos, an archaeologist and professor, discuss his discoveries and knowledge about Greek studies.

Bridgeway Elementary School art teacher Mollie Ahlers assists fifth grader Skylar Kuzuf, standing left, with a sewing project in her themed art class. Also shown are other fifth graders in Allison O’very’s class. They are, from left, Ellen Slocum, Lauren Hernandez, Isaiah Crook, Frank Snow (seated front), Bella McDaniel and Ava Irish.

DRUMMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Goal setting is part of annual Dragon Run

All third, fourth and fifth graders participated in the annual Dragon Run on Oct. 22 at Drummond Elementary School. The runners each received a ribbon for participating in the mile run around the campus and the top 10 boy and girl finishers for each grade were presented a medal during the closing ceremony. The annual event has been a staple since the school opened, but it was canceled last year due to the pandemic.

“It was so great to see the runners out there being supported by their teachers and classmates again,” physical education (PE) teacher Kevin Hughes said. “They really fed off the enthusiasm of the people cheering them on and with two grades having never participated in the real event, they did amazing.”

The mile run is part of the PE curriculum and the teachers talk to the students about goal setting in class leading up to race day.

“We work up to this event in class and start with a one-minute jog and then move up to two minutes and then three, four and five,” Hughes said. “We talk about pacing yourself and finding a good speed and then just trying to push yourself to go a little faster.”

Physical education teachers Windy Cushman, Hughes and Caleb Stroop want the students to perform the exercise skills, but they teach sportsmanship in their classes, too.

“How they treat people is a lifelong skill that is equally as important as fitness so it’s something we really emphasize in our PE classes,” Hughes said. “Hearing students support each other and watching other runners congratulate each other is really rewarding.”

Fifth grader Caleb Hubbard finished with the best time of the day, completing the course in just five minutes and 55 seconds.

“Everyone’s goals are different,” Cushman said. “Some want to finish in the top 10 and others just want to finish the race. We focus on that part but we want to encourage

ROSE ACRES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

everyone to be there for each other and support each other with positive words.”

Parents were invited to attend and cheer on their students or run the course with them. Police officers from the St. Ann Police Department also participated in running and cheering on the students.

“Lots of students stepped up today and did a great job,” Stroop said. “I think the crowd and having classmates cheer them on really motivated them to do better than they do on a regular day.”

Fifth grade orchestra provides students with introduction to musical options in district

During a recent Friday afternoon, 20 fifth graders gathered in the Rose Acres Elementary School lobby to make music. They are part of the fifth grade orchestra program taught by Irena Goren-Scheer. After meeting twice a week for just six weeks, the students were already perfecting the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Students throughout Pattonville are given the opportunity to start taking orchestra beginning in fifth grade. They are introduced to the program by trying different instruments. This glimpse builds excitement and encourages students to take orchestra while still in elementary school. If they choose to join, students can learn to play the cello, viola or violin. Once a student decides on what to play, they are measured for an appropriate-sized instrument.

In the early stages, students learn proper position and form, string techniques, rhythms and note reading. Students begin by using “pizzicato” - an Italian word for plucking - where musicians pluck with their fingers rather than using a bow, which helps focus on learning notes and other beginning techniques before introducing the bow. By January, students will add the bow and will already be able to play many recognizable songs. These techniques set them up for future learning at the middle school level.

Each week, Goren-Scheer shows a video of a song being performed for the students to hear and see. Students discuss what they notice and what abilities the musician is showing, from musical techniques to performance skills.

“Music is another language, and we listen to recordings to get inspired and refine their ears and techniques,” Goren-Scheer said. “Since strings do not have buttons or frets, training the ear is an important step.”

The techniques students learn in orchestra are also beneficial for them in the future in all areas of education and life.

“We have to celebrate every little success,” GorenScheer said. “Mastering an instrument takes much persistence, self-discipline, time and effort. In this day

of instant gratification, playing an instrument develops perseverance, commitment, teamwork, patience and resilience. It is also fun!”

Starting students as early as possible is vital to creating a successful skill.

“String instruments require advanced brain skills involving the coordination of the fingers, arms, hands and eyes,” Goren-Scheer said. “For the skills to become natural, the earlier students begin instruction, the better.”

Despite this, the program isn’t focused on training students to become professionals and win competitions, though many will show extraordinary skill and thrive in playing their instruments. For Goren-Scheer, the goal is to pass along life skills like getting along with others, focus and sharing. And to create lifelong musicians who can enjoy and be comforted by music.

Rachael Schaefer, the nurse at Rose Acres, was part of the fifth grade orchestra program when she

herself was a student at the school. Schaefer was part of the orchestra program through her graduation from Pattonville High School in 2009. She started playing violin, but switched to viola in sixth grade and has been playing ever since, including in the Washington University Symphony Orchestra while in college.

“I absolutely recommend that students participate in fifth grade orchestra,” Schaefer said “It’s more than just an opportunity to start learning new musical skills early. Going into middle school, it’s an excellent opportunity to make connections and even lifelong friendships. In high school, I had opportunities to participate in musicals, local and state competitions and outside orchestras. Playing viola was the hobby that I always enjoyed the most, and it opened a lot of doors for me. Mrs. Goren-Scheer was also one of the most influential teachers I had in my educational career, making the experience even more meaningful to me. And, beyond the educational value, playing an instrument is fun!”

At Rose Acres, orchestra class takes place in the school lobby, so the students are accustomed to giving mini performances as people walk by and stop to listen. For Schaefer, this is extra special because she can hear them from her office.

“They are constantly learning and improving, and you can already hear how much they’ve grown this year,” she said.

In March, their audience grows. The fifth grade orchestra students are invited to participate in the district’s Festival of Strings concert where they perform with the middle and high school orchestras. The event is a highlight for them and their families and lets them see what a future in orchestra at Pattonville holds for them.

“Many of the students have told me that orchestra and learning strings is the highlight of their day and wish they could have orchestra class every day,” GorenScheer said. “They are challenged, but they get excited to learn and play music and all look forward to performing for people.”

From left, third graders Ashley Rangel Angeles and Kaylee Chatman support each other as they reach the finish line at the annual Dragon Run at Drummond Elementary School.

Rose Acres Elementary School fifth graders Sofia Lammert, left, and Aliyah Brown, practice on their cellos in the school lobby during orchestra class.

REMINGTON TRADITIONAL SCHOOL

Classrooms transformed for optimal learning

Alarge gap exists in the wall between the fourth grade classrooms of teachers Julie Linck and Alyssa Lipson, making it easy to cross between the two spaces. A white couch sits in the gap, frequently occupied by Remington Traditional School students working independently or watching Linck and Lipson teach together. The two teachers began co-teaching this year and developed a goal of improving their classroom spaces to positively impact student learning.

Co-teaching enables students in both classes to learn together in one big group from one or both teachers, and the new room structure allows the classes to learn together or go separate ways to learn from their own teacher in their own classroom. They are getting help with their classroom design from Dr. Robert Dillon, a 1992 Pattonville graduate and school designer.

“We found that since we are co-teaching, the space from where we teach was crowded and difficult to move around to facilitate learning,” Linck said. “Bob showed us that we could remove a table and open the space. We also found that removing a couple of other pieces of furniture helped the rest of our classrooms feel more comfortable and open.”

They focus on designing spaces for learning and creating a modern learning experience that empowers students. Dillon’s help is available to all teachers at Remington who want to make their learning spaces the best they can be for learning.

“I’ve been so impressed with both teachers’ commitment to thinking about the craft of teaching and how it syncs with space design,” Dillon said. “I was drawn to this project because it was a chance to give back to the school system that gave me so much. It is impressive to see RTS make this work a priority as it can be a key to engage more students in deeper learning and begin to craft the skills, depositions and mindsets needed beyond high school.”

In a variation of Marie Kondo’s notion of throwing out things that don’t give you joy, Dillon challenges teachers to consider one item each week and ask how it’s positively impacting student learning. If it doesn’t, then get rid of it. This often means donating the item to another teacher who does need it.

“I realized I had a bench that I hadn’t sat on yet since school had started, so I took it out,” Linck said. “When you remove items, ask the kids ‘What’s missing?’ If they can’t answer, it’s a definite sign that it didn’t impact learning.”

Another technique the teachers are implementing is specifically asking students what they’d like or need to help their learning. The students have enjoyed the changes, and Linck and Lipson have noticed it’s easier to teach in a less-crowded space.

“We are working to make the best use of our learning space,” Linck said. “That means how we can arrange our furniture and what we put on the walls. We look at how it will impact student learning before adding, removing or placing it.”

Their next goal is working with the technology department to find a way to mirror their TV monitors so students can see them in both classrooms without having to move. In the future, Linck and Lipson are planning to investigate having one side of the joined classrooms being a more traditional classroom setup with desk and chairs, and the other side being more flexible where students can move around and work. The overall goal is to create a personalized learning space within both rooms so all students can succeed in learning in a way that works best for them. Just like teachers educate their students, they themselves must also be flexible and are always happy to do what’s best for students.

“Pattonville is always a step ahead in students’ learning and willing to think outside the box as to how we can make new ideas and programs work,” Linck said.

PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Planksgiving builds strength, mental health

Leading up to Thanksgiving break, Pattonville Heights Middle School students spent time thinking about what they’re thankful for, and they did it during their physical education (PE) class while doing a variety of planks. The combinations of planks and contemplation were part of the PE department’s Planksgiving Challenge.

Each day in November, students completed four different planks for 30 seconds each - front, right side, left side and reverse. While planking, they were asked to think about something they were thankful for that day. After completing two minutes of planks, the students had an additional minute or so of cool down to continue thinking about who or what inspired their gratitude. They then had the opportunity to share with the class if they wished. Most shared that they were thankful for friends, family, teachers and pets.

“Students sharing what they are thankful for daily is a great way for them to feel more positive emotions, acknowledge goodness in their lives and build strong relationships,” said PE teacher Sammie Bezzole. “Students talking about how thankful they are for their teachers that helped them with an assignment or a counselor with a personal problem or a friend telling them why they care about them builds communication and relationships with others.”

The Planksgiving Challenge started in fall 2020 while the PE teachers were looking for a way to motivate and engage students virtually.

“We found that when we worked out with them it helped motivate them seeing we were all in this together,” Bezzole said. “After we finished the planks, we would have the students either speak out or write in the chat what they were thankful for that day. Doing this daily helped us all know a little bit more about everyone in class and it started a chain of conversations with our students.”

In addition to being a fun challenge, planking offers many benefits. Planks improve posture and balance, reduce lower back pain, enhance bone and joint health, boost mood, relieve stress and strengthen the core. Students do a lot of sitting during the day, so planks help improve their posture by helping them keep their shoulders back and their lower back in a neutral position, both things that also help keep people from hunching.

Planks were initially challenging for students, but once they found their level and built up their strength, they got excited about doing them.

“We noticed after the first week they are more confident and by the end of the 15 days, they are very surprised and happy with themselves at how much stronger they are and how easy it is to hold a plank for 30 seconds,” Bezzole said. “We can all find success when we find a level of comfort and confidence when we are exercising. You do not need any equipment to increase your strength or core ability. It’s just finding the level that works best for you and taking baby steps to reach your goals.”

Remington Traditional School teacher Julie Linck stands in the gap between two fourth grade classrooms to read a story to her class and that of her co-teacher, Alyssa Lipson.

Imarie Brown, left, and Michael Duenas, both eighth graders, concentrate while planking during physical education class at Pattonville Heights Middle School. They were participating in the Planksgiving Challenge.

Eighth grader Ben Howell holds a side plank position during Planksgiving at Pattonville Heights Middle School. Also shown in the background on the right are, from left, eighth graders Sophia Selyuta and AJ Meredith.

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Biomedical students learn from college researchers during Washington University visit

Students in Jamie Jobe’s biomedical science classes at Pattonville High School were given the chance to conduct real-life biomedical research with experts in the field. Jobe partnered with Dr. Spencer Lake of the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis to give the high school students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a research laboratory while assisting with the college’s research.

In September, the Biomedical Innovations students toured three different biomedical engineering labs at the university. Students worked with the principal investigator, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students in Lake’s musculoskeletal soft tissue lab; Dr. Lori Setton’s lab specializing in disc and cartilage health and healing; and Dr. Barani Raman’s lab which specializes in computational and systems neuroscience with an emphasis in olfaction.

“The three labs involved different means of gathering information to help innovation within human medicine,” explained senior Dominique Bradshaw. “The experience was insightful into the vast field. I enjoyed my time on the campus and am very grateful to talk with professionals from the field.”

Jobe said students gained an understanding of what research can look like and examples of real-world applications of many concepts they have been studying.

“With these lab connections established, the Biomedical Innovations students will design their own individual research project that will be ongoing for

BRAGGING WRITES

Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff

BRIDGEWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

National publication

An article written by Bridgeway art teacher Mollie Ahlers was featured in the November issue of SchoolArts Magazine. The article dives into the school’s choice art program and how Ahlers uses themes to engage and challenge students. SchoolArts is a national art education magazine committed to promoting excellence, advocacy and professional support for educators in the visual arts.

REMINGTON TRADITIONAL SCHOOL

All-Suburban Honors Band

Four students were selected to the All-Suburban honors bands. Selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band were Ella Tinnon for trumpet and Dylan Jamison for percussion. Selected to the All-Suburban Honors Jazz Band were Tyler Manker for trumpet and Colin Darrah for saxophone. These students will rehearse five times with other musicians across the region and perform at a concert on Jan. 9, 2022. Andrew Smith is their band teacher.

All-Suburban Honors Orchestra

Sixth grader Noelle Wilson was recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra for violin by Lindsay Diesing, her orchestra teacher. Students in sixth grade were selected for the orchestra based on teacher recommendations.

HOLMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

the remainder of the academic year,” she said. Many will partner with a mentor from one of the labs as they work through experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis and a final presentation of findings.

“It was a very fun experience,” senior Keilah Wilkes said. “Getting to see a lot of the things we’ve talked about over the past three years in actual practice, not just our classroom setting, was refreshing and exciting. Interacting with undergrads, grads, postdoc fellows and professors also provided a lot of insight into actual research processes and conduct. My initial interest in majoring in biomedical engineering was further solidified with this trip, as well as my aspirations to really get involved in undergraduate research next year.”

Fellow senior Loudin Cato also enjoyed the experience, including “being able to meet real-life biomedical researchers and hearing about their experience in the field and what steps they took to get there. It was also really interesting learning about breakthrough research that in the future really could make the difference and possibly seeing myself doing the same thing.”

Biomedical Innovations is the capstone course of Pattonville High School’s biomedical science program. All students enrolled in the class have successfully completed the previous three courses of the program: Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems and Medical Interventions.

All-Suburban Honors Concert Band

Seventh grader Olivia Monroe was selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band for clarinet. She is directed by band teachers Adam Hall and Steve White.

All-Suburban Honors Orchestra

Five students were selected to the All-Suburban Honors Orchestra. Ash Burroughs, Maxwell Fetter and Sydney Woodrome were chosen for cello, Elias ElGhazal was selected for violin and William Truong was chosen for viola. Recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra were Macie Bowersox for viola and Aubrey Holdren for double bass. Students went through a rigorous blind audition process playing solos equivalent to the 11th grade level and were adjudicated by three judges. The All-Suburban Honors Orchestra concert will be held on Jan. 8, 2022. These students are directed by orchestra teacher Irena Goren-Scheer

Recognitions continued on next page ...

From left, Pattonville seniors Lucy Ridings, Tate Holt and Loudin Cato assist a graduate student in a lab at Washington University in St. Louis. They are part of the biomedical sciences program at Pattonville High School.

Colin Darrah Dylan Jamison Tyler Manker

Olivia Monroe Ella Tinnon

Noelle Wilson

Mollie Ahlers

Macie Bowersox

Aubrey Holdren

Ash Burroughs Elias El-Ghazal Maxwell Fetter

William Truong S. Woodrome

BRAGGING WRITES

Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff

PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL

All-Suburban Honors Concert Band

Eighth grader Zoe Click was selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band for bassoon. She is directed by band teachers Abby Hall and Liz Pace.

All-Suburban Honors Orchestra

Sixth graders Clare Derhake and Bradley Underwood were recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra for violin by their teachers Lindsay Diesing and Carlye Feeney. Students in sixth grade were selected for the orchestra based on teacher recommendations.

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

St. Louis County “I Voted” sticker contest

Junior Tara Wang was selected as a finalist/grade-level winner in the St. Louis County Board of Elections and St. Louis County Library “I Voted” sticker contest. After nearly 7,000 votes were cast, Wang’s artwork was chosen by the public as the best in the 9th-12th grade category. Her design, along with the other two finalists’s designs, will be professionally printed on the “I Voted” stickers and distributed to all polling places throughout St. Louis County beginning in 2022. Wang will receive a large plaque containing her artwork image and a $50 Visa gift card. Her art teacher is Kelli Dornfeld.

Neediest Cases Art Contest

Seven students from Pattonville High School submitted artwork to the 100 Neediest Cases art contest sponsored by the United Way and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Art by sophomore Macy Bunton and senior Caleb Simpkins was selected to be among the top 40 entries and appeared in the print and/or online editions beginning Nov. 21. Jada Brown, Aileen Cortez Gomez, Payton Crump-McHugh, Jessica Hurtado and Michael Montoya Jr. also submitted for the contest and will be included with Bunton and Simpkins in a display at the Missouri History Museum through Jan. 3, 2022. The Neediest Cases campaign helps thousands of disadvantaged families during the holidays, with the Post-Dispatch highlighting 100 cases to raise awareness and encourage donations for those in need. The art students are taught by Beth Kathriner.

All-State, All-District honor choirs

Patrick Ferguson and Hannah Radican were selected to the All-State Choir. Ferguson was previously named a three-time All-District honoree and Radican is receiving her second All-State honor and has been All-District throughout her high school career. Additionally, in October, 36 members of the Pattonville choir auditioned for the St. Louis Suburban All-District Honor Choir and 29 were selected to either the Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (SATB) or Treble honor choirs. Austin Branson, Kam Ren Brown, Ferguson, Kenedi Jenkins, Connor Lorino, Ethan Massey, Radican, Joey Stewart and

Hannadey Yezza qualified to audition for the All-State Choir and were selected to the SATB Honor Choir. Other students selected to the SATB Honor Choir are Dominick Austin, Isabella Crawford, Da’Shon Dunn, Margaret Haselbauer, Daniel McCoy, Jacob Mendelsohn, Sarah Nelson, Omolara Ogunmola and Alyssa Van Hooser. The following students were selected to the Treble Honor Choir: Kristen Bowers, Ja’nya Cruise, Miranda Lopez, Ruth McCarron, Maichi Nguyen, Lily Reynolds, Kalista Roades, Devin Scharer, Laniya Smith, Jakayla Townsel and Honey Waweru. They are directed by choir teachers Tracy Baker and Melynda Lamb.

College signing

Pattonville senior and varsity basketball player Kellen Thames signed to play basketball with Saint Louis University Billiken athletics. The 6-foot-6-inch point guard made his commitment on the first day of the early signing period for college basketball.

SSD Para of the Month

Katy Schwarte, a Special School District (SSD) paraprofessional at Pattonville High School, was selected as SSD’s Para of the Month for October. She was nominated by SSD teacher Carrie Cobb for establishing positive relationships with students and always going above and beyond to support them. “I’ve worked with Katy over the past seven years,” Cobb said. “I couldn’t imagine working without her. She also works with me during (the) ESY (extended school year). I request to have her as my paraprofessional because we both work well together in the classroom setting and we can anticipate each other’s next moves, ideas (and) thoughts so well that we don’t even need to say it out loud sometimes. To me, she is more than a paraprofessional or a coworker. To me, she is a friend and positive role model for all students. There should be more Katy Schwarte’s in the world!”

Newcomer Activities Director of the Year

Jason Sellers, Pattonville High School’s activities director, was named the St. Louis Area Newcomer Activities Director of the Year by the St. Louis Area Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA). Sellers was selected as the Pirates’ activities director in April 2020.

College/career counselor presentations

Pattonville college and career preparation coordinator/counselor

Michelle Luraschi was a co-presenter or panelist at several recent conferences. Luraschi co-presented a session titled “Counseling for All Post-Secondary Pathways” at the Missouri School Counselor Association Conference. She served on a panel with Brian Crouse, vice president of education programs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, as a former participant in the “Show-Me Careers Educator Experience.” At the Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Personnel Conference, Luraschi served on a panel of high school counselors speaking to student financial aid administrators from Missouri colleges and universities on ways to improve the financial aid outcomes for students and families. Luraschi was also a co-presenter at the STEMSTL’s Annual Gathering on “Career Counseling Strategies” to high school, non-profit and STEM industry leaders. Luraschi assists Pattonville High School students in exploring, preparing for and transitioning from high school to their future educational training or college program, military enlistment and/or career.

Zoe Click

Clare Derhake B. Underwood

Tara Wang is shown above and her artwork, at right.

Caleb Simpkins is shown above, his artwork, at right.

Macy Bunton is shown above, her artwork, at right.

Patrick Ferguson Hannah Radican

Katy Schwarte is shown after being surprised with the Para of the Month honor.

Jason Sellers

Michelle Luraschi

Pattonville senior Kellen Thames signs to play basketball and further his academic career at Saint Louis University.

Pride of Pattonville marching band sweeps awards during competition season

The Pattonville High School Pride of Pattonville marching band and color guard won several top awards during band competition season. During its first competition in two years due to COVID-19 precautions, the marching band earned Best Musical Performance, Best Visual Performance, Best Drumline, Best Guard, first place in its division and Grand Champion of the entire competition at the Farmington Marching Invitational. At the Music on the Meramec band competition at Fox High School, the band took first place in all categories and received recognition for Outstanding Music, Outstanding Visual, Outstanding Auxiliary and Outstanding Percussion. The band also earned the top overall score of the day.

During the annual Oktoberfest Marching Band Festival in Quincy, Illinois, the band earned first place in its division, Best Guard and Overall Champion with a gold rating for its musical performance in the parade competition. In the Oktoberfest field show competition, Pattonville earned first place in its division, Outstanding Brass Section, Outstanding Percussion and Overall Champion with a gold rating. For the band’s efforts in the parade and field show competitions, Pattonville was awarded the Grand Champion Sweepstakes Award with the highest overall combined score from both events. This marked the third time this season that Pattonville was the overall competition champion. The band’s final competition took place on Faurot Field at Mizzou. Pattonville placed fourth in its division and finished ninth overall out of 23 bands.

This year’s drum majors were Alyssa Koller, Hayden Langston and Isabelle Usry. The high school band directors were Denny McFarland, Laura Livesay and Anna White. Additionally, Holman Middle School band teacher Steve White served as the marching and visual technician and Charlie Bourrage directed the color guard.

WORK WITH US

The Pattonville School District is hiring for several positions including bus drivers, custodians, food services and substitute employees. For more information or to apply, visit bit.ly/PattonvilleJobs.

Healing the Cove

Pattonville sponsors second annual online series to support family health and well-being

The Pattonville Community Action Team’s (PCAT) second annual “Healing the Cove” series picks up again in the new year with a session on “Mental Health 101 for Parents and Caretakers” on Jan. 13. Interested individuals can find out more or register online at bit.ly/ healingthecove21-22.

Healing the Cove is an online series where Pattonville families can connect with health and community experts on a number of relevant topics. During each session, speakers share information and resources on a variety of topics related to mental health and well-being. Last year, topics included suicide prevention, self-care, de-escalating child behaviors, positive communication and many others. The sessions are free, but require pre-registration.

PCAT is a community problem-solving group composed of Pattonville staff and community organizations, including state and local governments, religious organizations, local charities and more. The team meets regularly with the goal of providing a system of community support for Pattonville families and students. The group looks at issues facing students and families and collaborates to develop or connect them to needed services.

Drum majors, from left, Alyssa Koller, Hayden Langston and Isabelle Usry led the Pride of Pattonville marching band to earn multiple top-place finishes during the high school band competition season.

Pattonville community programs department earns USA Lacrosse grants

The Pattonville community programs department earned two grants worth nearly $3,000 from USA Lacrosse to support lacrosse programming for middle school students.

Pattonville earned a 2021 First Stick Youth Equipment grant worth $1,450 which provided the district with equipment for 10 field players and one goalie. Pattonville also earned a $1,500 grant from the USA Lacrosse National Diversity Grant Program.

“We will be using these grants to build the feeder program at the middle school level,” said JoAnn Greenwell, community programs supervisor. “This will offset some of the cost to make the sport more affordable to all students.”

USA Lacrosse is an organization that provides national leadership, structure and resources to fuel the sport’s growth and enrich the experience of participants.

For more information on the middle school lacrosse program, contact Greenwell at jgreenwell@psdr3.org or (314) 213-8095.

Holman, Heights students learn from Scottish musician

Orchestra students from Holman and Pattonville Heights middle schools participated in a music workshop with Brian McNeill, a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and musical director. Students worked with McNeill via Zoom to learn about and practice Scottish music. The workshop was sponsored by the Scottish Partnership for Arts and Education (SPAE). Students are led by Irena Goren-Scheer at Holman Middle School and Lindsay Diesing and Carlye Feeney at Pattonville Heights Middle School.

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Pattonville partners to support families with health care options for students

Thanks to a partnership with SSM Health DePaul Hospital, Pattonville has welcomed IFM Community Medicine to its school health team. IFM Community Medicine is a not-for-profit health care organization that partners with over a dozen school districts in the St. Louis city and county area.

Physicians and nurse practitioners from IFM will be available to the district on a daily basis, including being on-site at many schools throughout the week. Families at Drummond and Willow Brook elementary schools and Holman Middle School are among the first in the district to be able to access the program for their students after providing parental consent.

“This new partnership will help us better support our students’ health and well-being in a way that’s convenient for families,” said superintendnet Dr. Tim Pecoraro.

Access to the health care professionals at school is funded by a $5.3 million grant awarded to SSM DePaul Hospital, SSM Health Foundation and IFM Community Medicine by the Bridgeton Landfill Community Project Fund, which is administered by the St. Louis Community Foundation.

Through the new partnership, Pattonville will be able to offer physicals and evaluation of acute health problems to students with parent permission.

“This program is not intended to replace the role of

your child’s primary care physician, but rather to work collaboratively in a way that makes care more convenient,” Pecoraro said. “Our goal is for these services to be a convenience to families and to reduce health challenges that may keep students from attending school.”

Families are informed when their child is seen, and no treatments, including vaccines, will be administered without express parental consent. Families must fill out and return a consent form to participate.

SSM DePaul officials said the overall grant project’s multi-pronged approach will translate into increased access to care, improved health and wellness outcomes and improved quality of life for residents in the area.

Students try out new skills during a middle school girls lacrosse clinic sponsored by Pattonville community programs. Shown are, center from left, Holman Middle School eighth graders Angela Clark, left, and Maya Heimsoth.

Holman and Pattonville Heights middle school orchestra students had the opportunity to learn from Scottish musician Brian McNeill. At Pattonville Heights, eighth grader Ananiah Hopper, front, left, focuses on her cello playing during the workshop. Also shown are, from left, seventh grader Lola Hennrich, orchestra teacher Lindsay Diesing, eighth graders Camilla Caldwell, Melaina Prentice and Parker Matthews-Klingebiel.