Highlights Pattonville A top-tier district in Missouri and the U.S.
School news for parents, residents and staff of the Pattonville School District
February 2019
Inside
Pattonville scores among top districts on state’s annual performance report - See page 2 for details
Four candidates file for election to Pattonville Board of Education
- See back page for details
First 100 Days Kindergarten celebrates 100 days of school; registration for 2019-2010 is Feb. 27
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Pattonville is an award-winning public district in St. Louis County, Missouri. The district is fully accredited by the state and is recognized for academic success on the regional, state and national level.
Our Mission That ALL will learn.
Pattonville School District 11097 St. Charles Rock Road St. Ann, MO 63074-1509
Dr. Tim Pecoraro Superintendent
Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1 St. Ann, MO
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Jeanne Schottmueller, President Andrea Glenn, Vice President Dr. Brian Gray, Secretary Mary Kay Campbell, Treasurer Ruth Petrov, Director Dr. Amanda Lienau Purnell, Director Mindy Ridings, Director
tudents throughout Pattonville schools celebrated their 100th day of school on Jan. 24. The day was especially exciting in kindergarten classrooms, where students participated in activities to commemorate the day and spotlight things they have learned in school so far. Activities included stacking 100 cups, making a necklace using 100 beads, performing 100 exercises, finding 100 candy kisses around the classroom, sharing their home-made 100th day of school projects and more. Above, kindergartners at Bridgeway Elementary School build a tower with 100 paper cups as part of activities related to the 100th day of school. They are, from left, Ashley Green, Kennedy Fowler, Jerell Hamilton and Kyra Graves. At right, Bridgeway kindergartners use beads to count to 100. They are, from left, Delilah Howell, Alani Dixon, Chloe Squires and Sophia Mason. For more on this story, see page 6. In other kindergarten news, Pattonville is gearing up for next year’s new class of kindergartners. Kindergarten registration is Feb. 27. See page 4 for more details.
From the Superintendent
Our focus remains on teaching, learning, meeting needs of each child E
very year the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) evaluates how each school district is doing using the state’s accountability system, which is called the Missouri School ImproveDr. Tim Pecoraro ment Program (MSIP). The Superintendent current model is called MSIP Follow on Twitter: 5, which basically means @PattonvilleSupt we’re in the fifth variation of the accountability system. MSIP 5 is currently designed to measure progress in four areas: college and career readiness, graduation rates, student achievement results on state assessments and student attendance. Each of the four areas has a point value and, ultimately, school districts receive an Annual Performance Report (APR) score that summarizes the overall percentage of points they received. For the 2017-2018 school year, Pattonville received an APR score 96.6 percent. This represents one of the highest scores we’ve received since the creation of MSIP 5 in 2013. Although we once again received a high APR score, this article isn’t about listing what we did well that resulted in a good score. Instead, it’s about realizing there’s a lot more that defines a school district than a single score. We’re beginning to shift our approach in this area. Instead of focusing our energy on getting points so we maintain a high APR score, we’re targeting the components that will make our system better for the long-term. That begins with continuous improvement. By using a process that identifies both our immediate and long-range goals, we can create specific strategies aimed at constantly making us better. That’s important. We need to be better tomorrow than we are today, better this month than last month and better next year than this year. We also know that teaching and learning sit at the very core of what we do. Ensuring we have a solid curriculum that’s designed to meet the learning needs of every single student is our priority. That’s not an easy accomplishment, but the closer we get to making that a reality allows us to achieve our goal of creating a more personalized learning environment for our students. I want our teachers to focus on delivering high quality content and helping students improve instead of constantly worrying about state test scores. If our system is operating effectively, we can and will do both. One of my all-time favorite quotes is from a college coach. It simply says “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you earn.” I really think that sums up Pattonville. We do well because we work for it, not because it’s handed to us. For us to continue down that path, we have to stay focused on what’s most important - getting better.
Pattonville continues to be among top districts on Missouri’s Annual Performance Report (APR) T he Pattonville School District earned a 96.6 percent score on the state’s annual performance report (APR) and continues to rank among the highest performing public school districts in the St. Louis region and the state of Missouri. “Pattonville’s APR score continues to reflect the hard work of our students, staff, parents and community,” Pattonville superintendent Dr. Tim Pecoraro said. “Our focus remains on delivering high quality instruction for our students that is increasingly personalized according to students’ learning needs and dreams for the future. We’ll continue to work on assisting students in reaching their full potential and preparing them for life after high school.” The APRs are part of Missouri’s school accreditation system, which is known as the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP). MSIP is the system used by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to review, accredit and recognize districts for academic performance. Based on a school district’s performance on a set of five standards established by DESE, a district is designated as accredited, provisionally accredited or unaccred-
ited. The standards measured are: • Academic achievement - overall district performance on state standardized tests; • Subgroup achievement - the achievement of subgroups of students which includes African American/black students, Hispanic students, students eligible for free/reduced lunch, students with limited English proficiency and students with special education needs; • College and career readiness; • Attendance rate; and • Graduation rate. Pattonville’s student achievement results remain above the state average in nearly every grade level and content area. In addition, the performance of subgroups of Pattonville students exceeds state averages by large margins in all areas.
Find out more. • •
Read the curriculum and instruction program evaluation at bit.ly/PSD-CIreport2017-2018. View school and district data compiled by DESE by visiting the Pattonville’s website and looking under the “About Us” tab for “District/School Report Cards.”
Performance contracts save on costs while improving facilities T he Pattonville School District is using a concept called “performance contracts” to improve heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, plumbing and mechanical systems throughout the district while also saving money and reducing energy consumption. Pattonville is in the midst of completing about $20 million in renovations and upgrades at buildings throughout the district using performance contracts as a method of funding the projects. Companies chosen by Pattonville to complete the work help identify issues and design improvements, and, by law, their work must save the district a corresponding amount of money over the next 15 years through reduced energy bills and fewer repairs/maintenance. “The use of performance contracts is part of our ongoing focus on being good stewards of our district resources,” said Ron Orr, Pattonville chief financial officer. “This allows our district to fund $20 million in needed infrastructure projects that improve the learning environment without any cost to our taxpayers.” Pattonville is working with two companies to complete the work: GRP and Navitas. GRP already completed work at Holman Middle School, Remington Traditional School and Willow Brook Elementary School and is also working on projects at Bridgeway and Drummond elementary schools, as well as the print shop, maintenance facility and the Pattonville Learning Center. Navitas is completing work at Parkwood and Rose Acres elementary schools, along with Pattonville Heights Middle School and Pattonville High School. The work is being completed in conjunction with other facilities, updates and repairs made possible by a zero-tax-rate-increase bond issue approved by voters in 2017. For a list of all bond issue projects being completed with bond issue funds, go online at: www.psdr3.org/newsinfo/pdf/FacilitiesPlan2017.pdf.
During winter break, a team from Integrated Facility Services (IFS) airlifted 70 tons of equipment by air crane helicopter to replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) rooftop units as part of a performance contract with Navitas. The two-and-a-half-hour project involved removing 32 existing, hard-to-reach HVAC units and replacing them with 38 new HVAC units and cooling coils.
Register for spring community education classes
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he Pattonville community education program offers a wide variety of programs including fitness, special interests and after-school classes for adults and children. Residents ages 55 and older receive a $10 discount for most classes with fees over $25. Some classes are free to Pattonville residents. Check out the new Spring 2019 community education offerings at bit.ly/PSDcommunityeducation2019.
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Pattonville to award honorary diplomas to area veterans who entered military before graduation F
or the 17th year in a row, Pattonville will reserve time during graduation ceremonies to award honorary high school diplomas to veterans who left high school before graduation to serve in the United States military during foreign conflicts. The ceremony will take place during the Pattonville High Pattonville will reserve time during graduation ceremonies to award School commencehonorary high school diplomas to veterans who left school before ment, slated for 7 graduating to serve in the United States military during foreign conflicts. p.m., Tuesday, May 28 at the Family Arena in St. Charles. Since 2002, Pattonville has awarded more than 100 honorary diplomas to veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm through Missouri’s “Operation Recognition” program. The program is open to any veteran who is a resident or former resident of Missouri. Family members may apply on behalf of a deceased veteran. An application to receive a diploma may be downloaded at bit.ly/PSDveterandiploma19. The deadline to return applications to the Pattonville School District in order to participate in this year’s graduation ceremony is Monday, March 4. Diplomas may also be sent directly to the veteran if the person chooses not to participate in the graduation ceremonies. A copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge papers or DD-214 is required to be submitted along with the application. The Missouri Veterans Commission will verify that an applicant is eligible to receive the diploma. For more information, call the Pattonville school-community relations office at (314) 213-8025.
Pattonville launches employee health clinics with area districts to improve wellness, save costs P
attonville is partnering with two nearby school districts to open employee health clinics which provide health care services to staff members near their work sites. A clinic in Pattonville’s boundaries opened Nov. 26, and employees now have the option of using their own physicians or the employee clinic for a variety of health care needs. The model, which has been shown to increase medical access for employees and reduce health care expenses for employers, is being used by other school districts and companies both locally and nationally. Pattonville estimates it will save between $350,000 to $500,000 annually after the clinics have been in use for three years. Having a health care clinic dedicated solely to employees will provide staff members increased access and convenience to health care services which can reduce the time away from work. “This is an investment in the health and well-being of our staff,” said Ron Orr, Pattonville chief financial officer. “Many struggle with access to health care because most doctor appointments are available during times which take our dedicated staff away from their students. The clinics provide an option to ensure our staff can focus on their health and not impact their commitment to our students.” Pattonville and partner school districts Parkway and Francis Howell chose CareATC to be the provider for the new clinics, which offer the following benefits: • Acute services for symptoms such as cold, flu, sore throats, fever, infections, skin irritations, bumps and bruises, sprains and strains, cuts and lacerations and allergies; • Preventative services such as physical exams, health-risk screenings, wellness services, disease management, lab tests, immunizations and tobacco cessation; and • Additional services such as occupational health, safety, pharmacy, dental, vision, physical therapy and telemedicine. In addition, the employee health clinics are operated by a medical doctor who can dispense prescriptions on site, avoiding the need for sick or injured employees to make a second trip to a pharmacy. Pattonville staff are able to use any of the CareATC clinics located in the three partner districts.
Pattonville seniors who signed to play college-level athletics include, from left, Robert Gibson, Kendall Battle and Louie Perez.
Pattonville students sign commitment letters to play college athletics
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ight student athletes from Pattonville High School signed letters of intent to play college-level athletics in November. The students, their sports and their future colleges are listed below. • Kendall Battle will play soccer at the University of Cincinnati. • Robert Gibson will run cross country at Murray State University. • Michael Jackson will compete in track at Pittsburg State University. • Brooke Jenkins will compete in track at the University of MissouriKansas City. • Bianca Johnson will play lacrosse Pattonville seniors who signed to play at Quincy University. college-level athletics include Megan Reese, • Jada Moore will run track at San left, and Bianca Johnson. Diego State University. • Louie Perez will play soccer for Missouri Baptist University. • Megan Reese will play volleyball for Stevens College.
Pattonville seniors who signed to participate in college-level athletics include, from left, Michael Jackson, Jada Moore and Brooke Jenkins.
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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great way to keep up on Pattonville news is by following the district on social media. Facebook users, make sure you never miss a post from Pattonville by following a few simple steps. After liking our Facebook page, click the down triangle next to “Following.” Select the “See First” option to see Pattonville news at the top of your news feed. Facebook: www.facebook.com/PSDR3 Instagram: @PattonvilleSD Twitter: @PattonvilleSD YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PattonvilleR3
Kindergarten registration for 2019-2020 school year set for Feb. 27
Children must be 5 years old on or before July 31 to begin kindergarten next August
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indergarten registration for the 2019-2020 school year will take place from 8 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Pattonville Learning Center, 11097 St. Charles Rock Road in St. Ann. In order to attend kindergarten next August, children must be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2019. IMPORTANT: Before coming to registration on Feb. 27, parents/guardians must begin registration for their new kindergartner by creating an online account and completing a new registration form at bit.ly/RegisterNowforPattonville. Children who are currently in a Pattonville preschool program or Parents As Teachers will also need to enroll for kindergarten.
To enroll a child for kindergarten, parents or guardians should bring with them on Feb. 27: • Birth Certificate - If you do not have a birth certifi-
cate prior to the time your child begins school, you may call (314) 615-1720 (county) or (314) 613-3016 (city) to request a birth certificate. • Proof of Residency - Please bring with you: 1. Mortgage statement dated within the last 30 days, 2018 paid real estate tax receipt and/or dated and signed lease; AND 2. Two monthly utility bills, dated within the last 30 days; if you reside with someone else, please contact the student services office at (314) 213-8090 regarding residency verification forms. For more details, go online at www.psdr3.org/enrollment. • Immunization Record - Missouri law requires immunization of school children against polio, diphtheria, rubella, measles, mumps and other illnesses. Immunizations are available through the St. Louis County Health Department (www. stlouisco.com/Healthandwellness) or your child’s doctor. All students must meet immunization requirements before they may attend school. Parents/guardians who are unsure which school their child will attend should go online at www.psdr3.org/map and click on “Find My School” under Bus Routes. Parents/ guardians can insert their child’s grade (kindergarten) and address to find their neighborhood school. Enrollment for Remington Traditional School, a K-8
school in Pattonville, is a lottery-based system. Parents interested in the lottery drawing should enroll in their home school first and then turn in an application for the lottery at Remington after March 1. Applications are available Feb. 1 in Remington’s school office or online at remington.psdr3.org. They are due to Remington by March 27. The lottery will take place on April 2. For more information, call Remington at (314) 213-8016. Pattonville’s Parents As Teachers program offers free kindergarten screenings. Parents interested in an evaluation that includes health and developmental progress for children ages 3 1/2 and older should go online at ec.psdr3.org and click on “Sign up for a screening.” Kindergarten registration after Feb. 27 will take place in the student services office at the Pattonville Learning Center by appointment only. To sign up for an appointment, go online at timetosignup.com/psdr3. Classes for the 2019-2020 school year begin on Aug. 15. For more information on registration, call the student services office at (314) 213-8090 or the teaching and learning office at (314) 213-8007. Download a kindergarten registration flyer at bit.ly/KindergartenRegistration2019.
Above, Willow Brook Elementary School kindergarten teacher Amanda Ambrose checks in with her students as they work on an activity with letters of the alphabet. Below, teacher Kristen Gartland goes over words with her kindergarten students at Willow Brook.
At left, Pattonville High School senior Aric Hamilton, left, serves as a panel moderator at the Midwest Global Teaching Dialogue at the Missouri History Museum. At right, Marius Ignat, right, shares his experiences with the student exchange program.
Covering the Musial Awards Pattonville High School senior Mikayla Bridges was granted a press pass to cover and photograph the Musial Awards, named for baseball hall of famer Stan Musial. The event honors the year’s greatest moments of sportsmanship and the biggest names in sports who embody class and character. Bridges is part of Brian Heyman’s Pirate Sports Network multimedia journalism class at the high school. The class gives students hands-on experience in creating, publishing and broadcasting sports news.
PHS students, teacher take lead with Global Teaching Dialogue at History Museum
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attonville High School teacher Katherine Korte organized and facilitated the 2019 Midwest Global Teaching Dialogue at the Missouri History Museum on Jan. 5. Korte put the event together using a $5,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that she received as an alumnus of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classroom Program. She attended that program in Morocco in 2017. Pattonville senior Aric Hamilton served as the panel moderator during the event, and senior Marius Ignat, an exchange student from Romania, spoke on his experiences with the student exchange program. The goal of the dialogue was to bring high-quality professional learning centered around global education to teachers in the region. Global education is defined as the skills, understanding and aptitudes needed to be successful in diverse communities and a global economy.
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Our Learners Spotlight on
News focusing on students, staff and schools in Pattonville
PARKWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
New badging program helps personalize learning for students in math and art S
couts can earn merit badges in personal-interest areas such as animal science and wilderness survival. But what if students in schools could personalize their learning the same way? If they attend Parkwood Elementary School, they can. First-grade teachers and the art teacher began a badging program this year as a way to personalize learning for their young students. In first-grade math, students earn badges as they master a skill within a unit. They work at their own pace and have choices about which badges they complete and when they are ready to take the assessment to earn their badge. Earned badges are awarded during special classroom badge ceremonies, so the achievements turn into classroom celebrations. Students are then able to proudly wear their badges on a necklace for all to see. “Math badges build student buy-in and overall engagement during math time,” first-grade teacher Kristin Gosa said. “Students are able to celebrate their successes and increase their level of mastery. Students are developing a strong foundation of mathematical skills and number sense.” First-grade teacher Jessica Gerst said the program adapts to students’ needs and progress. “Our day-to-day implementation continues to evolve and grow with students’ mastery levels and learning preferences,” she said. “This means students
may change from a group setting to more one-on-one instruction as well as using math manipulatives and math apps and programs on their student iPads.” Art teacher Janel MacLean also uses a badging system in her classes. Students went through “boot camp” at the beginning of the school year to learn about different art techniques to earn badges. For the rest of the year, they make choices about different art studios they want participate in and continue to earn badges. Teachers say the programs provide learning structures that are highly engaging and personalized to the students. “The program is still showing great success and student engagement continues grow,” Gosa said. “Students’ math conversations are more indepth and show a higher level of understanding.” First-grade teacher Kristin Gosa awards a badge to Regina Baugher during a badging ceremony at Parkwood Elementary School. Gerst said several other teachers are exploring the program and completed observations to start “I like it because it’s very challenging and you have similar processes in their classrooms. Currently a fifthto work hard to earn them,” said first-grader Karson grade teacher and a kindergarten teacher are designing a Richards. similar program to meet their students’ math needs. First-grader Regina Baugher said the badges make it What do the students think? fun to learn math, and “If you’re not good at math, then First-grader Danielle Young said, “I like the badge it’s helping you learn. If there’s something you can’t program because there’s a lot of them and all of us have figure out and then you figure it out correctly then ... one that we can do.” you’re going to be happy because you’re good at math.”
DRUMMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Winter chili cook-off tradition is about fun competition and community building C
hili is a staple for the winter months, and it’s a staple at Drummond Elementary School when the PTO hosts its annual chili cook-off. It’s a Drummond tradition: there has been a chili-related event since the school opened 17 years ago, and the chili cook-off has been around for 12 years. The PTO organizes the evening, works at the tables and provides hotdogs and a chili serving line, but it’s up to staff at Drummond to make the chili. Each grade level, as well as groups including counselors, office staff and specials teachers, each have their own booth. Teachers and staff make the chili, come up with a theme for their booth and work at the booth, handing out samples to students, parents and other attendees. The competition gets pretty fierce. Sometimes the votes come down to the best-tasting chili, and other times it’s all about the show - how creative a booth’s theme is or if the booth has something special. Past booths have included pop culture themes such as Star Wars and Taco Bell hot sauces, as well as the ever-popular Pirate theme, a Hawaiian theme (complete with a teacher playing the ukulele) and a western theme featuring a covered wagon, hay bale and a steer people could ride if they voted for that team’s chili. “It’s the competition that makes it popular,” assistant principal Dr. Amanda Denson said. “Teachers want to win, and their excitement is passed down to the students, who
Drummond Elementary School third-grader Zechariah Thornton, left, accepts a sample of dessert chili from district technology specialist Heather Klein.
are excited to come and get people to vote for their team.” Winners are announced the day after the cook-off, and the winning team gets a traveling trophy and a gift certificate to spend at the Scholastic Book Fair. This year, the specials team won. A special award called Chief’s Choice was created after St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez donated funds for 50 people to participate in the chili
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tasting, and this award went to the fourth-grade teachers. An award for best-decorated booth will be announced at an upcoming PTO meeting. The PTO planned for between 375 and 400 people to attend this year’s event, making the chili cook-off the second biggest school activity of the year (after the Fun Fair at the end of the year). In addition to students, their family and members of the community are invited to attend. Participants can chose to pay just for five sample cups or they can buy a meal deal and get the sample cups, a full cup of chili, hot dogs, chips and a drink. Individual food items are also available for purchase. There are a variety of chilis, from white chicken chili to deer chili to chilis that meet dietary or cultural restrictions like vegetarian chili. This year there was even a dessert chili made of pudding, M&Ms and whipped cream. In addition to being a competition, it’s an opportunity to expose students to things they may not have tried before. It’s also an occasion to build relationships with staff members as well as several St. Ann police officers who attended. “It’s great for students to see staff in a non-teaching way and to help build those relationships,” counselor Carla Robertson said. “It’s also an opportunity for parents to see teachers and staff members outside of conferences.”
BRIDGEWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindergartners mark 100th day of school F
PATTONVILLE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
PECC hosts messy play for 1st Family Night A
fun time was had by all at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center’s (PECC) first Family Night. Children explored, painted (shown here with Juan Medina), glued, built structures and got messy. Beyond being fun, the “messy play” theme night was beneficial to the young students’ growth and development. This type of play helps children develop concentration and problem-solving, conversation skills, curiosity, imagination, social development and the opportunity to express themselves creatively.
or students in kindergarten, the 100th day of school is a milestone and cause for celebration, one that includes fun and memorable learning. At Bridgeway Elementary School, kindergartners make their 100th day extra special. It’s such a landmark occasion, kindergarten teachers at Bridgeway began planning for day 100 at the beginning of the school year. Since the first day of kindergarten, we have been keeping track of the number of days we’ve been in school,” kindergarten teacher Amanda Brodbeck said. “We also count to 100 every day, so reaching the milestone of 100 days is a big deal. We combine all aspects of the curriculum and focus on the number 100 throughout the day.” The teachers found creative ways to combine the number 100 with activities that build on the knowledge students have learned so far. In addition to fun things such as coloring a special 100-day hat, activities included stacking 100 cups, visualizing what students will look like in 100 years, making a necklace out of 100 beads, building a structure with 100 marshmallows and toothpicks, finding 100 candy kisses hidden around the room, performing 100 exercises, counting to 100 (shown above with, from front to back, Evan VanHoosier, Brandon Huseman and Desmond Rufener) and more. Celebration leading up to the 100th day also extended to families. Each student created a 100th day of school project at home, then brought to school to share with the class. Projects included collections of 100 things, like buttons, PEZ candy dispensers, stickers and cereal. After sharing with the class, the projects were displayed in the kindergarten hallway for the whole school to see. The 100th day, though, was not only time for celebration, it was a day for students to reflect on what they’ve learned. “The 100th day of school is an exciting time for kindergartners to show what they have learned,” Brodbeck said. “A lot of the activities are a spotlight on what they have learned over the past 100 days. We are more than half way through kindergarten and are getting excited for first grade. We are 100 days smarter!”
PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Students learn, practice the art of persuasion ROSE ACRES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Students take lead in JA annual business meeting W D ater bottle waste, computer science requirements, illegal fossil trade - these were among the topics students researched and advocated solutions for as part of their College Credit English classes at Pattonville High School. Taught by Jodi Moeller and Jennifer Raymond, the first semester of this class is called Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research and is a course offered via a program with Saint Louis University that enables students to learn and practice the art of persuasive speaking and writing. Students study the more complex structures of language and develop skills related to analytical reading, critical thinking and research methodology. “Students chose an advocacy project and directed their research and various types of writing towards that topic, with consideration of authentic audiences, rhetorical context and strategies designed for the specific purposes identified by the students with their topics in mind,” Raymond said. “The assignments focused on research, information, argumentation, persuasion and presentation skills and culminated in a final research proposal and a multimodal project that was submitted/presented to the audience the students originally identified.” For some, that meant visiting the school board to present their proposals (shown above with senior Rachel Williamson at the podium). Others developed websites or videos to highlight their causes. “It’s a really cool class, and the students produced some excellent work,” Raymond said. The second semester of the class is called Conflict, Social Justice and Literature and focuses on literature taught through the lens of conflict and social justice. Students read a variety of genres, including drama, poetry and fiction and engage in comparative textual analysis and argumentative writing.
uring Rose Acres Elementary School’s annual Leadership Day, students and staff demonstrated their leadership skills when they hosted the annual Board of Directors meeting for the Junior Achievement (JA) of Greater St. Louis. Students greeted about 25 business guests from across the region upon their arrival and escorted them to their meeting room. Third-graders Kristopher Farfan and Kady Ohlsen gave welcoming remarks during the JA board meeting (shown above). Other students made announcements over the intercom and later escorted visitors to classrooms, where several of the visitors provided JA lessons to students. Students also shared their leadership binders with the guests and welcomed visitors to participate in DEAL (Drop Everything And Lead) time with their crew members. Once a month, students and staff spend time in action teams (called crews) during DEAL, participating in leadership activities geared toward improving the life of their school. JA senior program manager Katie Pagano nominated Rose Acres to host the JA board meeting visit in order to give board members a first-hand experience with educators and students that their program supports. JA of Greater St. Louis is part of a national organization that provides programs for students in work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Rose Acres is in its sixth year of being a Leader in Me school. The program teaches leadership and life skills while creating a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader.
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REMINGTON TRADITIONAL SCHOOL
PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
emington Traditional School fourth-graders are getting an unprecedented opportunity in a new pilot program that teaches them orchestra techniques typically available to older students. Traditionally, the earliest students begin to play an instrument in Pattonville is during fifth-grade orchestra. But at Remington, where fourth- and fifth-grade classes are combined, the pilot orchestra class means the younger students can join the fifth-grade students in learning and perfecting the necessary skills earlier in their musical careers. Orchestra teachers including Remington teacher Kim Gindler use the Suzuki method, where students sing familiar tunes they learned in general music classes and then play them on their instruments. This allows students to focus on basic muscle motor techniques and good tones, thus giving them the chance to perfect their technical skills before being thrown other challenges, like learning to read music. By concentrating on things like curving their pinkies and getting precise muscle angles, they are learning the most important basic skill and getting comfortable and familiar with their instrument. Response to the pilot has been positive and, Gindler said “The children who are working hard are feeling a great sense of self accomplishment and hopefully the experience will bring joy to their lives.”
attonville Heights Middle School staff award students a Pirate Pride ticket when they see them displaying respect, responsibility and involvement, providing immediate positive feedback. The tickets can then be exchanged for prizes at the Pirate Store (as shown here with, from left, Shannen Zanders-Hatchett, Caraline Guetschow and Isabelle Hatfield) during lunch in the cafeteria. “There has been a noticeable positive change in the climate of the building since the store opened,” assistant principal Amie Bemke said. “Students are excited about the store and receiving Pirate Pride tickets, so they are more conscious of their behavior and choices. Seeing students rewarded for positive behavior encourages others to do the same.” Items available in the store include candy, pencils, character bracelets, stuffed animals, ear buds, books and jewelry. Students run the store, and like a real job, they must apply and are responsible for showing up for their shifts. Staff members supervise, but it’s up to the students to keep the store running smoothly. “Those that are working in the store are also benefitting from leadership skills that can only be provided through hands-on experiences,” reading teacher Tracie Russo said. “It’s amazing to watch a student grow in their knowledge of how to manage a store.”
Combined classes provide early intro to orchestra Pirate Pride store fosters positive behaviors P R
WILLOW BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HOLMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
New approach improves student responsibility Longer art class enhances student learning H olman Middle School began using a new tardy system this school year that has decreased the number of student tardies by 23 percent compared to the same time last year. “It’s our attempt to teach and reinforce a culture of timeliness,” principal Dr. Sarah Moran said. Research shows that students who have a high level of school attendance do better academically. Every minute of class time is important. Under the new system, when a student is tardy, the student is required to take a yellow pass off the teacher’s door and go to their grade-level principal’s office (re-enactment illustration shown here with assistant principal Stephanie Jewett). There, they talk to the principal or secretary about why they were tardy and brainstorm ways to avoid being tardy in the future. “This allows us to solve minor issues - like when sixth-graders are first learning their routes, when to take bathroom breaks, what to carry with them and when to go to their lockers - or bigger issues such as students who have frequent tardies,” Moran said. “The conversations are designed to be positive, not punitive, in nature since the student is also still receiving a tardy. It’s part of our (positive behavior) initiative in order to teach students how to be responsible, respectful and involved.”
When fifth-graders at Willow Brook Elementary School clean up at the end of art class, there are fewer groans than last year. It’s because fifth grade is piloting an 80-minute art class, double the time they got last year. The idea behind the longer art class is that students learn best when they are excited by what they are working on. “The 80-minute class allows students to get lost in the process of creating and engaging in their work on deeper levels, where they are persisting and stretching and exploring art curriculum based on studio habits,” art teacher Dawn Lynn said. “The time is more relaxed, rather than stressing about beating the alarm clock.” Students start with a mini lesson, like a skill or concept, and then respond to it in their sketchbooks. During studio time, students work on their artwork in areas of their choice: sewing (shown above with Aidan Alvey Davis, left, and Whitney Porter, right, working with Lynn), painting, sculpting and more. Next is clean up and time for reflection. The longer class gives students the chance to go deeper with artistic choice and personalizing their learning. Students indicate they enjoy having more time to work on projects. “Last year I had a project where I was trying to recreate a scene from a video game and I never got to finish it because art wasn’t long enough,” fifth-grader Chase Ellis said. “This year I have two sculptures that took me a long time to do but I did get to complete them.”
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Bragging Writes
Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff entries and appeared in the Post-Dispatch print and online editions. In addition, Elizabeth Adler, Tyler Martin, Karlton McGee, Sebastian Rader and Sydney Witherspoon had artwork on display at the Missouri History Museum as part of the 100 Neediest Cases program. The Neediest Cases campaign has helped thousands of disadvantaged families during the holidays, with the newspaper highlighting 100 to raise awareness and encourage donations for thousands of needy families. Holman Middle School orchestra teacher Irena Goren-Scheer, left, is shown with students who were selected to the honors orchestra. They are, from left, Addison Gutschenritter, Matthew Cuttrell, Carter Gray and Aaron Wolz. Sophia Fernandez and Jack Fernandez earned honors at a state music competition.
BRIDGEWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL State music competition
Second-grader Jack Fernandez placed second and fourth-grader Sophia Fernandez earned honorable mention after competing at the Missouri Music Teachers Association’s (MMTA) honors audition state piano competition. During the competition, students had to play two compositions by different composers in contrasting styles by memory. To qualify for this competition, the students participated in the MMTA district auditions.
REMINGTON TRADITIONAL SCHOOL All-Suburban Honor Concert Band
Eighth-grader August Linenbroker was selected to the All-Suburban Honor Concert Band. He is directed by teacher Andrew Smith.
HOLMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
All-Suburban Honors Orchestra
Members of the Holman orchestra selected to the All-Suburban Honors Orchestra were sixth-graders Matthew Cutrell and Addison Gutschenritter for violin and sixth-graders Carter Gray and Logan Monroe and eighth-grader Aaron Wolz for viola. The orchestra is directed by Irena Goren-Scheer.
PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL All-Suburban Honor Concert Band
Young Artists and Their Teachers Exhibit
Eighth-grader Patrick Ferguson was selected to the All-Suburban Middle School Honor Concert Band. He is directed by teacher Abby Hall.
PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Patrick Ferguson
U.S. Senate Youth Program A. Linenbroker
All-Suburban Honor Jazz, Concert bands
Holman students selected to the All-Suburban Honor Jazz Band were eighth-graders Jack Caesar for trombone and Max McFarland for trumpet. Both were also invited to the Honors Concert Band, but chose to participate in the jazz band. Other students selected to the All-Suburban Honor Concert Band were Anna Burke as second chair bass clarinet, Lillian Cave for clarinet and Sydney Suvansri as first chair clarinet. They are directed by teachers Adam Hall and Steve White.
Art teacher Beth Kathriner, left, is shown with students honored in the Lindenwood University art program. They are, from left, Jefferson Lopez, Michael Chien, Shelby Price, Celia Friedrich and Vince Costa.
Senior Terrell Henderson was selected to be the first alternate in the United States Senate Youth Program. The week-long government and leadership education program takes place in Washington, D.C. in March. Participants have the T. Henderson opportunity to interact with the highestlevel officials from each branch of the government, including a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Only two students from Missouri - and one of about 100 nationwide - are selected to participate in the program. As alternate, Henderson will attend if one of the Missouri delegates is unable to participate.
A studio art piece by Celia Friedrich was named Best of Show and she earned first place for printmaking in the Young Artists and Their Teachers exhibit at Lindenwood University. Other first-place honorees were Elmira Aladinova in 3D for her ceramics piece and Michael Chien for photography. Emily Schrumpf placed third for her printmaking piece. Other students whose art was on display were Victoria English, Jefferson Lopez and Shelby Price for drawing; Cole Brown and Emily Gamache for sculpture; Randy Hartmann for printmaking; and Vince Costa for studio art. These students are taught by Danielle Adams, Kelli Dornfeld, Scott Fader, Beth Kathriner and Marcia Mueller.
Earning speech and debate honors during first semester were, from left, front row, Brittany Strasburger, Eden Magana Lopez, Tajh Martin, Britney Wallace and Mya Harris; middle row, Edmond Zhang, Jailah Broadway, Sarah Burke and Belle Tucci; and back row, Will Polster, Devin Zahner and Griffin Taylor.
Speech and debate honors Karlton McGee, Sydney Witherspoon and Sebastian Rader had artwork on display at the Missouri History Museum as part of the 100 Neediest Cases art program.
100 Neediest Cases art program Holman students selected to honor bands included, from left, Max McFarland, Sydney Suvansri and Jack Caesar.
Several students from Pattonville High School submitted artwork to the 100 Neediest Cases art contest sponsored by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and United Way. Art by Kyra Correa was selected to be among the top 40
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During first semester, Pattonville’s speech and debate teams competed at seven competitions, and several students earned awards. • Jailah Broadway placed sixth in original oratory at the Clayton Varsity Fall Classic. • Sarah Burke placed fifth in storytelling at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 1 and at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 2; she also placed first in humorous interpretation at the Francis Howell North Events Tournament.
Bragging Writes
Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff •
Victor Kirkwood placed seventh in novice radio speaking at the Parkway West Fall Classic. • Eden Magana Lopez placed fourth in poetry at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 2 and third in program of oral interpretation at Clayton. • Will Polster placed fifth in domestic extemporaneous speaking and fifth in informative speaking at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 1; first in U.S. extemporaneous speaking, sixth in informative speaking and third in public forum debate at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 2; first in informative speaking and second in U.S. extemporaneous speaking at Francis Howell; and third in champ public forum debate at Clayton. • Nolan Prebianca placed fifth in radio speaking at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 1; sixth in radio speaking and third in public forum debate at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 2; fifth in humorous interpretation at Francis Howell; and third in champ public forum debate at Clayton. • Brittany Strasburger placed third in varsity dramatic interpretation at Parkway West, third in interpretation and fourth in storytelling at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 1, and third in storytelling and fifth in dramatic interpretation at Francis Howell. • Belle Tucci placed fourth in informative speaking at the Greater St. Louis Conference Tournament No. 2 and fourth in informative speaking and sixth in U.S. extemporaneous speaking at Francis Howell. • Camilla Wilkerson placed fifth in informative speaking at Francis Howell. • Devin Zahner placed first in varsity public forum debate at the Troy Buchanan Debate Tournament and fourth in international extemporaneous speaking at Francis Howell. • Edmond Zhang placed first in varsity public forum debate at Troy Buchanan. • Wyatt Martin, Griffin Taylor and Britney Wallace were semifinalists in duet improvisational acting at the Ladue Novice Invitational. • A Pattonville team placed third in overall sweepstakes at the Francis Howell North Events Tournament. The team included Burke, Mya Harris, Emily Lu, Magana Lopez, Tajh Martin, Kristinne Pacheco, Polster, Prebianca, Strasburger, Meredith Stroud, Tucci, Wilkerson, Zoe Wallace and Zahner. The speech and debate team is coached by Jennifer Raymond, who earned the 2017-2018 Leading Chapter Award from the National Speech and Debate Association in the Eastern Missouri District.
VFW national teacher award
Pattonville High School social studies teacher Doug Newton was recognized at the state level by VFW Post 3944 for the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. He will now advance to the VFW National Headquarters for consideration in the national awards contest. This teacher of Doug Newton the year award recognizes the nation’s top classroom elementary, junior high and high school teachers who regularly teach citizenship education, American history and the nation’s traditions.
Hispanic League Leadership Initiative
Receiving state and regional band honors were, from left, Thomas McFarland, Leslie Azwell and Alex Newett.
Junior Maria Cerda completed the Hispanic League Institute High School Leadership Initiative. The program is a skills-based leadership training program with the goal of developing the next generation of Hispanic leaders for the St. Louis community. It consists of six training sessions focused on developing leadership skills, including effective communication, the importance of volunteering, financial literacy and more. In addition to the leadership training, students are encouraged to give back to the St. Louis area through community involvement.
All-State, All-Suburban bands
Eagle Scout Rank
Junior Thomas McFarland finished in the top 3 in the state and was selected to the All-State Jazz Band for vibes. In addition, nine students were selected for honors bands. Selected for the All-Suburban Concert Band were Natalie Baugher as first chair tuba and Chad Jones as first alternate for tuba. Other students were selected for the All-Suburban Jazz Band for the following instruments: Layla Dukes for trumpet; Abby Twyman for baritone sax; and Trevor Vigus for trumpet. In addition, the following students were selected as alternates for the All-Suburban Jazz Band: Leslie Azwell for alto sax; Alex Newett for trumpet; DJ Smith for bass and second bass alternate for the All-Suburban Orchestra; and Savanna Wooten for bass trombone. The band is directed by Denny McFarland, Sara Deutschmann and Anna White.
All-State Orchestra
Senior Abby Surlet was selected to participate in the All-State Orchestra for bass. Only eight seats were available. She was also selected as principal bass for the All-Suburban Orchestra. Six other members of Pattonville’s orchestra were selected to the All-Suburban Orchestra. Natalie Young was selected Abby Surlet as first chair violin and viola and chose to play violin. Jade Boyd was selected as second chair violin. Other students selected for the All-Suburban Orchestra are Nathan Moser for viola and Lacey Harder for bass. Will Skaggs was selected as bass second alternate. The orchestra is directed by Michael Dunsmoor.
Best of SNO
Two sophomores had articles selected for publication on Best of SNO (School Newspapers Online). Chosen to be featured were Imani Warren’s article “What if you were the top Student journalists Imani Warren, left, and Ava Woods had articles selected for Best of your class” of SNO (School Newspapers Online). and Ava Woods’ story “Alumni return to teach at the high school.” Of the more than 4,500 stories submitted to SNO this year, only 816 have been selected for publication on the Best of SNO site. The students completed their stories as part of their final exam in teacher Brian Heyman’s Introduction to Journalism class.
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Senior Jarred McCormick earned the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Scout project, he created two PVC pipe accessible pool equipment storage units for the Edward Jones Family YMCA. The units provide accessibility to people of all ages and abilities, as well as improved drying capabilities of pool equipment and other items.
J. McCormick
Questbridge Finalists
Seniors Victoria Lofland, Gage Menk and Jacob Wilfong were named Questbridge finalists. Questbridge is a college access program for high-achieving students that matches finalists with the top selective colleges in the country. After submitting additional essays to their choice colleges, finalists could receive a full-ride scholarship if they are selected for a match scholarship.
Jacob Wilfong
National Board Certification renewal
Kathleen O’Keefe, an English learner teacher at the high school, renewed her National Board Certification in the area of early adolescence through young adulthood/English as a new language. O’Keefe originally earned her board certification in 2008. Certification is designed to develop, retain and recK. O’Keefe ognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.
DISTRICT-WIDE
Lindenwood teacher award
Two teachers from Pattonville were selected by Lindenwood University as an Outstanding Cooperating Teacher after serving as a cooperating teacher for a LindenM. Bowersox Melynda Lamb wood student teacher last fall. Holman Middle School eighth-grade English teacher Maegan Bowersox and Pattonville High School choir teacher Melynda Lamb were nominated by their student teachers for the award.
Bragging Writes - Sports Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff
Football players who earned state, regional and conference honors are shown with coach Steve Smith, right. They are, from left, Logan Huls, Peyton Boji, Sam Sanderson, Terrell Sanderson and Vicario Upchurch.
PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Among the students who qualified for state swimming and diving were, from left, Christopher Tobar, Kyle Hubbs, Chaska Cox Potter and Philip Tso.
Four students were named Missouri Football Conference Association All-State players. Donovan Prott was named All-State First Team, All-Metro Second Team, All-District First Team, All-Conference First Team and All-Conference Second Team. Sam Sanderson was named All-State First Team, All-Metro Second Team, All-District First Team, All-Conference First Team and Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named a St. Louis Post-Dispatch Athlete of the Week. DeAndre James was named All-State Second Team, All-District First Team and All-Conference First Team and Conference Lineman of the Year. Isaiah Wilkes was named Academic All-State and All-Conference Second Team. Chandler Mann was named All-Metro Third Team as well as All-District Second Team and All-Conference First Team. Two students were named All-District Second Team: Hayden LaZear, who was also AllConference First Team, and Terrell Sanderson, who was also All-Conference Second Team. Other players named All-Conference First Team were Jaumarcus McFarland; Reggie Oliphant, who was also named All-Conference Second Team; Vicario Upchurch; Aaron Webb; and Andre Webb, who was also named Conference Newcomer of the Year and a St. Louis Post-Dispatch Athlete of the Week. Other All-Conference Second Team players were Peyton Boji, Shawn Brooks, Xaivier Tipler and Jake Vitale. Students named All-Conference Honorable Mention were Blake Alicea, Jatarius Battle, Ricky Brooks, Alijah Carter, Jack Gietl, Logan Huls, Charles Johnson and Steven Smith II. Coach Steve Smith was named Conference Coach of the Year. Assistant coaches were Kent Booth, Christian Brinser, Antonio Bryant, Victor Fink, Don Greco, Travis Harris, Scott Hauser, Steve Jones, Corey Lewis, Corey Newsome and Jesse Robinson.
Boys swim and dive state qualifiers
State, metro, district, conference football
Softball conference honors
Chloe Shamel was named All-Conference First Team in softball. Julia Blankenship, Amonnie Carter, Courtney Faasen and Rose Vishy were named All-Conference Second Team. Maddie Bailey and Jade Wooten were named All-Conference Honorable Mention. The team is coached by Doug McGhee with the assistance of Rob Simpson.
J. Blankenship
Six Pattonville students qualified for the state tournament in swimming and diving. Chaska Cox Potter qualified for state in the 200 medley relay, 400 free relay and 100 backstroke. Wyatt Martin qualified in the 200 and 400 free relays. Nathan Moser was a state qualifier in the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay. Christopher Tobar qualified in the 200 medley relay and the 200 and 400 free relays. Philip Tso was a state qualifier in the 200 medley relay, the 200 and 400 free relays and the 100 fly. Kyle Hubbs qualified for state in the 1 meter dive. Anna Braswell was the team’s head coach and Ashley Haar and Gretchen Haughey were assistant coaches.
Girls golf state, conference honors
Momo Kikuchi was a state qualifier, conference champion and the 2018 conference player of the year. Sydney Beins was also named a state qualifier and All-Conference Julie Niebling, left, and Madison Brown Honorable Menearned All-Conference golf honors. tion. Other golfers named All-Conference Honorable Mention were Madison Brown, Bridget Dermody, Julie Niebling and Haley Swift. David Gross coached the team with the assistance of Scott Hutson.
Field hockey conference honors
Kendall Battle and Mikayla Bridges were named All-Conference First Team in field hockey. Bridges was also named the conference defensive player of the year. Students named All-Conference Second Team were Bianca Earning All-Conference honors in field hockey were, Lexi LamJohnson, Lexi Lambros bros, left, and Mikayla Bridges. and Taylor Wooten. In addition, Lucy Bodde and Victoria Lofland were named All-Conference Honorable Mention. The team is coached by Jessica Hale with the assistance of Mike Mooney.
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Keilah Wilkes, left, earned district and All-Conference honors and Joshua Killian, center, and Lucy Ndungu were state qualifiers in cross country.
Cross country state honors and more
In girls cross country, Lucy Ndungu was named a state qualifier, district champion and All-Conference First Team. Keilah Wilkes was a district runner-up and was named All-Conference First Team. The girls team was coached by Margaret Hall. In boys cross country, Robert Gibson was a state qualifier and named AllConference Second team. Joshua Killian was also a state qualifier. The boys team was coached by Jeremiah Simmons. Kyle Hall assisted both teams.
Girls volleyball district champions
The girls volleyball team was named district champions for the first time since 2006 and finished the season 209-3, earning the most wins in 10 years. Helen Nelson, Megan Reese and Samantha Schuler were named AllConference First Team and Kelley Peters was named All-Conference Honorable Mention. Other members of the championship team were Ellie Atkinson, Gabrielle Chan, Kelsey Mack, Madison Rigsby, Lacey Swanson, Trinity Wessler and Natalie Wildberger. Kyle Walsh is the team’s coach.
Boys soccer conference honors
Alexander Perez and Nick Derleth were named AllConference First Team in boys soccer. They were coached by Marcus Christian with the assistance of Tomi Benney.
Girls tennis conference honors
Roma Khurana was named All-Conference Second Team in girls tennis. She was coached by Jeff Grass with the assistance of Emily McDaniel.
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ALUMNI SUCCESS Graduates in the news | alumni.psdr3.org Mike Tarpey, Class of 1991 - As head coach of the Ladue Horton Watkins High School varsity football team, Tarpey led the Ladue Rams in winning the Class 4 state championship against MICDS 48-11, securing the team’s first varsity football state championship in school history. Tarpey is also dean of students at Ladue High School. Dr. Hope Rias, Class of 1992 - Rias published a book titled “St. Louis School of Desegregation: Patterns of Progress and Peril.” Rias is an assistant professor of education at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Spelman College, a master’s degree in teaching from Brown University and a doctorate in the history of education from Indiana University. She previously taught middle and high school in New York, Indiana and Durban, South Africa, and was an associate instructor at Indiana University. Kimberly Kuehn Russ, Class of 2004 Russ, an account manager and estimator at Champion Floor Company in St. Louis, was named among the 40 Under 40 successful industry professionals by Hardwood Floors, the magazine of the National Wood Flooring Association. Each year, Hardwood Floors recognizes 40 industry professionals under the age of 40 who are helping to determine the future of the wood flooring industry. According to the magazine, “These individuals are today’s movers and shakers who are already setting the pace for tomorrow.”
Johan Paul, Class of 2009 - Paul was recently chosen to serve as a patrol officer for the Maryland Heights Police Department. He is a graduate of the Eastern Missouri Police Academy and previously served as a jailer for Maryland Heights. Kailey Utley, Class of 2012 - Utley was featured in a story by ESPN. She plays semipro soccer while pursuing a degree in optometry at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) College of Optometry and is a commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves. Read the article at: bit.ly/KaileyUtley2019.
Above, Pattonville alumnus Johan Paul, right, is shown with Chief Bill Carson after being sworn in as a patrol officer for the Maryland Heights Police Department. Below, Nicole Callahan, center, is shown with school resource officer Mike Mooney, left, and Detective Chris Silliman after she joined them working for the Maryland Heights police.
Nicole Callahan, Class of 2014 - Callahan graduated from the police academy and joined the Maryland Heights Police Department. She interned with the department while in college.
Kimberly Russ
Taylor Hartwick, Class of 2014 - Hartwick was selected to attend Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom to study career development and play lacrosse. Hartwick graduated from McKendree University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and played lacrosse there all four years. Hartwick was chosen as captain of the Nottingham lacrosse team and plays as a defender. The post-graduate degree she is pursuing abroad will equip her with the skills, qualities and knowledge required of a professional practitioner workTaylor Hartwick ing in the career development and employability sector. Sara McFarland, Class of 2016 - McFarland was chosen by the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) as one its inaugural Bond International Scholars. She’s been studying Japanese and will take her learning abroad to study at a university in Tokyo as part of the program. Nico Shumpert gives a cooking demonstration to culinary arts students at Pattonville High School.
Nico Shumpert, Class of 2007 - Shumpert returned to his alma mater to share his culinary expertise with students in Tracie Olson’s culinary arts class. Shumpert gave a cooking demonstration using the concept of molecular gastronomy, a branch of science dealing with the physical and chemical processes that take place during cooking. The term is also used to describe the concept using science to transform the tastes and textures of food. He also cooked chicken using the sous vide method of vacuum-sealing food and cooking it in a low-temperature water bath. Shumpert and his wife Ebony (also a Pattonville alum) own the company Bliss, where they offer catering and “pop-up dinners.”
Becky Kaufman, Class of 2018 - Kaufman was selected to be among the first marching band members at Benedictine College. This is the first year for the college’s Raven Regiment, and Kaufman and her fellow marching band members performed at the NAIA national football championship when Benedictine played there in December. Kaufman also made the Dean’s List her first semester. She is double majoring in elementary and special education. Josh Royal, Class of 2018 - Royal was featured on KSDK Ch. 5 singing an original song and promoting his gig as the opening act for a band at the Pageant. See the video at: bit.ly/PHSJoshRoyal19.
Becky Kaufman
Share the good news Are you an alumnus with a success story to share or do you know of one? Send us photos and details at mschoonover@psdr3.org.
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SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION | April 2, 2019 Election
Four candidates on ballot to fill two open seats on Pattonville Board of Education (shown in order of filing) DR. SUMMER JOHNSON
MARY KAY CAMPBELL
RUTH PETROV
CHIENGMING (MING) SAELEE
A three-year resident of Pattonville, Johnson works as clinical psychologist for Compass Health Network in St. Charles County. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Truman State University and a master’s degree from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology and a doctorate from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, both in clinical psychology. She is a resident of St. Louis County and the mother of a second-grader at Willow Brook Elementary School.
A 25-year resident of Pattonville, Campbell is a homebound teacher for the Special School District and Green Team supervisor for the St. Louis Cardinals. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education from Fontbonne University. A resident of Maryland Heights, she is the mother of two Pattonville graduates, one from the Class of 2006 and one from the Class of 2009.
A 28-year resident of Pattonville, Petrov serves as the nursing manager for the intensive care unit at SSM Health DePaul Hospital. Petrov holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri and a master’s degree from Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville and her RN (registered nurse) from Missouri Baptist School of Nursing. A Maryland Heights resident, Petrov and her husband, Larry, are the parents of four Pattonville graduates.
A 13-year resident of Pattonville, Saelee is a program associate with the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF). She earned a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College in Los Angeles and a master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. A resident of Maryland Heights, she and her husband, Jeffrey, are the parents of two students at Remington Traditional School.
Volunteerism/Experience
“I have 22 years experience working with youth in inpatient and outpatient settings. I evaluate to determine whether a child requires accommodations at school and then help parents advocate for those accommodations. I have a research background in cultural diversity, having made several presentations. I am currently working to help create a youth enrichment program.”
Statement of Purpose
“It has been fascinating to be a part of the evolving social and cultural landscape of our district. With this evolution comes challenges that are beyond just educational needs. My hope is to continue to improve the district’s ability to adapt to the needs of all of Pattonville’s students, staff and their families.”
(Incumbent)
Volunteerism/Experience
“I am a retired Special School District teacher with 32 years of experience in the Pattonville School District. I have served on the Pattonville school board for the last four years, 2015 to present. I currently teach for Special School District in the homebound department. I also serve as a Green Team supervisor for the St. Louis Cardinals.”
Statement of Purpose
“I would be honored to continue to serve on the Pattonville school board for another term. Our district has become a high achieving and highly sought-after destination for both students and staff. This is accomplished by outstanding leadership and a dedicated staff who put students first. I am proud to live, work and volunteer in Pattonville.”
(Incumbent)
Volunteerism/Experience
“I have had the honor to serve the Pattonville School District as a member of the school board for the past 15 years. My experience will help to ensure that the efforts of the district will continue to be on doing what is best for all children.”
Statement of Purpose
“As a member of the board of education, I will continue to work with district leaders to make decisions that will provide the best learning opportunity for all children, create a safe learning environment and address critical issues in a way that will positively impact the Pattonville community. I would be honored to serve on the Board of Education for another term.”
Volunteerism/Experience
“In my role at CSF, I provide oversight and accountability to the fund’s $40 million-plus annual investment in behavioral health services for children and youth. My previous roles included fundraising, volunteer management and administration for children and family services. Child well-being continues to be the foundation of my work.”
Statement of Purpose
“I am committed to strengthening school communities by supporting nurturing learning environments that meet children’s social and emotional needs and foster academic success. I firmly believe educating the whole child prepares them to become productive members of our community. I look forward to contributing to Pattonville’s promising future.”
Pattonville assembles first girls wrestling team after Missouri sanctions sport M
Autumn Otis gets her hand raised at the Pattonville-Kirkwood meet. The girls team won the match.
issouri added girls wrestling to its list of sanctioned sports this school year, enabling Pattonville High School to put together its first girls wrestling team in school history. While most schools only fielded teams with a handful of female wrestlers, Pattonville’s team is 19 wrestlers strong. The team earned honors at a number of contests this year and was named conference champions in its first full season. Season highlights include taking first place out of 16 teams from the region at the Fort Zumwalt East wrestling tournament, with seven girls placing in the top 3 in their weight class, and a sixth-place finish out of 33 teams at the Kyle Thrasher Wrestling Tournament at Francis Howell High School, one of the largest regular season tournaments in the state. Brent Mueller coaches the team with the assistance of Jake Kim, Mike Moeller, Paige Mueller and Mike Oostendorp.
Pattonville’s first-ever girls wrestling team took first place out of 16 teams in the region at the Fort Zumwalt East tournament and several girls placed in the top 3 in their weight classes. Competing at the event were, from left, front row, Camilla Wilkerson, Autumn Otis and Lucy Ndungu; and back row, Brittany Strasburger, Isabella Tucci, Lilly Buehrle, Esther Gbloesse and Da’Viona Bonner.
“Pattonville Highlights” is published six times annually for residents of the Pattonville School District by the Pattonville Office of School-Community Relations, 11097 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann, MO 63074, (314) 213-8025. Website: www.psdr3.org. Email: mschoonover@psdr3.org. To sign up to receive a Pattonville newsletter by email, send your email address to PSDnews@psdr3.org.