Highlights September 2019

Highlights Pattonville A top-tier district in Missouri and the U.S.

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

SEPTEMBER 2019

Dawning of a new year

Inside

Pattonville ranked in Top 2% of public school districts in Missouri, U.S. - See page 2 for details

Join us for Pattonville homecoming festivities on Oct. 4 and 5.

- See page 5 for details

Pattonville students and staff kick off new school year Nearly 5,900 students in kindergarten through 12th grade arrived for a new year of learning and growth in the Pattonville School District as classes began on Aug. 15. Preschool classes kicked off on Aug. 19. Above, students getting off the bus at Remington Traditional School are greeted by staff members, from left, paraprofessional Lindsay Scheinerman, library media specialist Allison Stout, English learner teacher Michele Hill and reading specialist Jill Ramig. The students are, from left, Vanessa Little, Penelope Fallert, Ryan Aloor, Prestyn Driy and Joerex Aloor. At left, Eliana Owens is excited to show a picture she drew of herself on the first day of kindergarten to teacher Amy Fitch, right, and student teacher Anise Glenn, left, who is also a 2015 Pattonville alumna. For more back to school photos from every school, see pages 7 and 8 of this newsletter.

Andrea Glenn, President Dr. Brian Gray, Vice President Mindy Ridings, Secretary Mary Kay Campbell, Treasurer Ruth Petrov, Director Dr. Amanda Lienau Purnell, Director Jeanne Schottmueller, Director Dr. Tim Pecoraro Superintendent

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.

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1 St. Ann, MO

Our Mission That ALL will learn.

Pattonville School District 11097 St. Charles Rock Road St. Ann, MO 63074-1509

BOARD OF EDUCATION

From the Superintendent

New school year focuses on meeting academic, social emotional needs I

t’s hard to believe the 2019-2020 school year is more than a month old. We’ve had a great start and many students and staff are enjoying some of the facility improvements that occurred over summer break (see page 3 for details).

I love how each school year Dr. Tim Pecoraro begins. Everyone is refreshed Superintendent and excited for the journey Follow on Twitter: ahead. We’ve identified our goals @PattonvilleSupt and realize everything is possible if we stay focused on what’s important and follow our plan. We’re continuing to work toward creating a more personalized learning environment while committing more resources to support the socialemotional needs that are impacting some of our students and families.

We’ve made tremendous gains in the area With personalized learnof personalized learning, students advance ing. Several schools are in their learning by piloting new structures demonstrating they’ve aimed at promoting high mastered important learning expectations for concepts and skills. every child while better Learning is customized understanding what each to student needs, inchild needs in order to be cluding the time it takes successful. Working sideto master the subject by-side with our families, matter, the teacher’s I know we can continue to instructional practice improve and ensure ALL and the structure of the students are progressing learning environment. and reaching the level of achievement our school community expects.

Throughout our country, more students are coming to school with incidents of trauma in their lives or social-emotional needs that are greatly impacting their ability to learn. Pattonville is no different. Academic success is strongly related to the social-emotional well-being of students. We’ve been focused on this work in the past, but are now making it a priority related to staffing and professional development and implementing a social-emotional curriculum for students. We continue to develop outstanding partnerships with community organizations that have experience and resources to support us in our work, while also providing support to students and families.

Homecoming weekend 2019 is scheduled for Oct. 4 and 5 (see details on page 5). The weekend will kick-off with the football game on Friday night and continue with the parade and festivities at Pattonville High School on Saturday. After the parade, we’ll have food, fun and Jr. Pirate football games throughout the afternoon. This is one of the best weekends of our year. It’s always exciting when alumni return to PHS and marvel at the changes that have occurred since they graduated. I hope each of you are able to join us. In a lot of ways, homecoming weekend defines what it means to be part of the Pattonville family.

Pattonville ranked in Top 2% in Missouri, U.S. A

mid more than 450 public school districts in Missouri, Pattonville is ranked No. 7 among the Best Public School Districts on Niche.com’s 2020 Best Districts in America list. Nationally, Niche ranks Pattonville in the Top 2% of districts (No. 252 out of 10,782).

In the state of Missouri, the district is also ranked No. 1 for Most Diverse School Districts, No. 3 for Best Places to Teach and No. 6 for Districts with Best Teachers. Niche is an online service that ranks private and public schools and districts based on dozens of statistics and opinions from students, parents and staff. Pattonville earned an overall grade of A+ from Niche, with grades ranging from Ato A+ in the following categories: academics, college prep, clubs and activities, diversity, health and safety and teachers.

FIND OUT MORE: www.niche.com/k12/d/pattonviller-iii-school-district-mo

PHS teacher named semifinalist for Missouri Teacher of the Year

What is personalized learning?

P

attonville High School computer science teacher Jeremiah Simmons was selected as a semifinalist in the 2020 Missouri Teacher of the Year program. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released the names of 17 semifinalists as it continues to honor and recognize excellence in the classroom. The Teacher of the Year program spotlights the positive impact excellent teachers have on their students. The selection process began with the announcement of 35 Regional Teachers of the Year who were acknowledged for their commitment to Missouri students. Simmons was named Pattonville’s Teacher of the Year in May 2019.

Jeremiah Simmons

BOARD PROFILE: Mindy Ridings, secretary Passion for education led to service on board of education

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chool board secretary Mindy Ridings is girls swim, taking road trips with fampassionate about education, so much so ily, reading and binge-watching the TV that she has devoted her life to teaching and sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” wanted to extend her impact on students’ Ridings said it might surprise people to lives by serving on the board of education. know she grew up playing soccer.

“This will be my 19th year teaching and I “I even played a couple of years in have taught in a few different districts,” Ridcollege,” she said, “but most people are ings said. “I believe the experiences I have surprised to learn that I once coached the had provide me with a unique perspective in dance team at Hazelwood West, and that the board room.” was the first year the team attended UDA Mindy Ridings Ridings is an English language arts (ELA) (Universal Dance Association) nationteacher at Hardin Middle School in the City of St. als. I was lucky to have a motivated group of young Charles School District. She taught seventh grade for ladies who taught me a lot.” eight years, then switched to teaching eighth grade When asked about her proudest moment while servELA this year. ing on the board, Ridings pointed to Pattonville’s move As a board member, Ridings hopes “that all toward personalized learning. Personalization refers children in our district feel cared about and that to instruction paced to the learner’s needs, tailored to we provide them the best education because they learning preferences and adapted to the specific interdeserve it.” ests of different learners.

A 15-year resident of Maryland Heights, Ridings “I am proud of how our district has embraced and her husband, Mike, are the parents of three girls personalized learning,” Ridings said. “I enjoy getting who attend Pattonville schools. In her spare time, in different buildings to see how personalized learnshe volunteers as a parent representative for the ing is being implemented because each building is Bridgeton Swim Team. She also enjoys watching her unique.”

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Bond issue update: numerous improvement projects completed this summer O

ver the summer, crews worked in Pattonville to complete several projects funded by the $23 million zero tax rate increase bond issue approved by voters in 2017.

Approval of the bond issue did not increase the district’s tax rate. This is the third and final summer of projects being completed using funds from the 2017 bond issue, although a small number of projects remain under construction. Major bond issue projects this summer and fall are listed at right.

In addition to bond-funded projects, Pattonville has been using a tool known as performance contracting to improve its school buildings and reduce energy consumption and utility costs. With this process, an energy service contractor is required to guarantee that the cost of its work will have a 15-year (or less) payback to the district through energy and operational savings.

Improvements being completing under these contracts include lighting, heating and cooling and water consumption projects. By tying the construction cost to a guaranteed payback, Pattonville is able to complete construction projects without any cost to taxpayers while also decreasing the district’s energy consumption and impact on the environment. Pattonville has $21 million in projects underway districtwide and expects to reduce energy consumption by at least 30%.

SUMMER 2019 REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BY SCHOOL

Bond Issue Plan Overview

• •

Item

Est. Cost

Building safety and security updates

$4,304,934

Energy efficiency improvements $6,017,730 heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, roofing, doors, windows Classroom, library and other interior building renovations

$5,367,675

Updates that encourage student involvement in school and students’ long-term fitness and health (ex: replacing fitness equipment and renovating or adding physical education facilities)

$3,967,936

Early childhood program moves to former Briar Crest Elementary building (interior renovations/site improvements)

$1,720,600

Renovations of Community Auditorium at Pattonville High School

$1,620,856

TOTAL

$22,999,731

Projects funded by the 2017 zero tax rate increase bond issue unless otherwise noted as being funded by performance contract.

Pattonville Early Childhood Center •

Repave asphalt

Bridgeway Elementary School • •

Enlarge library space and add new library furniture Replace and upgrade heating and cooling equipment and improve controls in each classroom (performance contract)

Drummond Elementary School • • •

Replace some exterior doors Repave asphalt Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract)

Parkwood Elementary School • • • • •

Replace leaking windows (performance contract) Repave asphalt Renovate interior space for a new library and repurpose old library space for instructional space Modify front entrance for improved safety Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract)

The Pattonville Heights Middle School cafeteria was renovated this summer, allowing for improved service for students.

Rose Acres Elementary School • • •

Replace leaking windows (performance contract) Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract) Repave asphalt

Willow Brook Elementary School Add new security cameras Repave asphalt

Remington Traditional School •

Add new security cameras

Holman Middle School • • • • • • • • •

Construct new canopy and entrance to Gym A Add volleyball court and scoreboard to Gym A Install new storage in family and consumer science room Paint Gym B and update locker rooms Purchase new fitness equipment Renovate lava rock/jungle room area as instructional space Repair parking lot and sidewalk Add security cameras Add band storage

Parkwood Elementary School has a new entrance designed to safely screen visitors during the school day.

Pattonville Heights Middle School

Find out more.

See the complete list of bond issue projects online at www.psdr3.org/newsinfo/pdf/FacilitiesPlan2017.pdf.

• • • • • • • •

Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract) Add security cameras Update/improve locker room Paint Gym B Replace gym floor Paint interior doors, frames and railings and exterior railings Install new urinal screens for boys’ restrooms Renovate and expand serving lines in cafeteria

The area near the stairs in the Holman Middle School cafeteria was renovated and cleared of overgrown plants.

Pattonville High School • • • • • • • • •

Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract) Add security cameras Replace water fountains and add bottle fillers Provide ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access to soccer fields Construct stairs to upper practice field Replace field house with new locker room, concession and restrooms Renovate interior locker rooms Renovate concession area in commons Paint hallways

Pattonville High School Community Auditorium Building • • • • • • • • •

Replace seating Refinish/repair/replace stage Install new screen Add lighting upgrades in auditorium Provide new microphone system on stage Update instrument lockers Add parent drop-off lane by auditorium Renovate classrooms in lower level Replace ceilings and lighting in lower level

Students at Pattonville High School advocated for new water fountains with bottle fillers, which were part of the summer updates.

Pattonville Learning Center • • The auditorium at Pattonville High School received new seating and other renovations, the first time since it was built in the 1980s.

Install updates to improve heating and cooling (performance contract) Continue to renovate interior space following early childhood move to Pattonville Early Childhood Center

Transportation •

Repave asphalt

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The high school band room received new storage lockers.

Bragging Writes

Honors, Awards and Achievements by Pattonville Students and Staff

DISTRICT-WIDE

Administrator of the Year

David Besgrove, Pattonville’s director of human resources, was selected to receive the first Human Resources Administrator of the Year award by the Missouri Association of School Personnel Administrators (MOASPA). “David currently serves on our board of directors and has served as a leader in David Besgrove this organization since 2002,” said Patty Corum, MOASPA executive director. “Because of David and others like him, our organization has grown to over 150 professionals and serves our members in a variety of ways. David is an outstanding example in HR leadership and we are all so proud to honor him.”

Besgrove joined Pattonville’s human resource center in 2002. He was previously employed as the senior technical recruiter and recruiting manager for CDI Corporation in St. Louis. He brought to Pattonville 14 years of experience in recruiting employees, coordinating human resource activities and monitoring employee performance. Besgrove holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

National 3M Young Scientist Finalist

Yosef “Joey” Granillo was named a Top 10 national finalist in the 12th annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge for his submission titled “The Big Sea Forest: How Earth’s Climate Can Be Saved.”

He submitted the piece last year when he was a fifth-grader in the Program for Exceptionally Gifted Joey Granillo Students (PEGS) at Remington Traditional School. The program is now located at Rose Acres Elementary School and Granillo is in sixth grade.

After submitting a short video demonstrating the science behind a possible innovation to solve an everyday problem, 10 middle school students were selected for their exceptional communication skills, ingenuity and impressive passion for bettering the world through innovation. For his project, Granillo developed a solution to mitigate Earth’s rising temperatures by planting hydroponic trees in the ocean.

“I developed a solution that uses a low-tech, proven technology for a big problem,” Granillo wrote about why he entered the challenge. “The Earth’s climate needs to be saved and fast! Also, my teacher encouraged me to enter.” Each of the 10 finalists will now begin a journey to the final event where they will be paired with a 3M scientist for an exclusive virtual mentorship as they prepare to compete for the grand prize of $25,000 and the title of America’s Top Young Scientist. Granillo’s PEGS co-teachers are Robin Chang and Tracey Robinson.

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

State Barebow Champion

Junior Tyler Wright received a gold medal and won first place for barebow in the cadet male division of the Missouri Archery Association (MAA) state championship and ShowMe Cup Championship. He was also named the 2019 Junior Male Barebow Archer of the Year by

MAA. The MAA Archers of the Year awards are based on the combined finish at both the 2019 indoor and outdoor championships. Wright also won the barebow cadet championship during the MAA championships in 2018 and 2017. The MAA is the National Archery Association (NAA)/USA Archery state affiliate for the state of Missouri.

Three PHS students named National Merit semifinalists P Tyler Wright

FOCUS St. Louis Board of Directors

Senior Momo Kikuchi was chosen to be on the board as a youth member at FOCUS St. Louis​. She is a 2019 graduate of FOCUS’ Youth Leadership St. Louis​program and will serve a one-year term with the organization. Board members are community leaders who demonstrate interest and commitment to FOCUS’ Momo Kikuchi mission to educate leaders, connect leaders and facilitate the important conversations in the St. Louis region.

Eagle Scouts

Two Pattonville High School students recently completed projects required to attain their Eagle Scout rank.

Senior Connor Hughes completed an Eagle Scout projected that involved mapping and marking 8 miles of previously unmarked nature trails for Connor Hughes the Mound Ridge Retreat and Mission Center. He led a group of scouts in using GPS and walking the trails while painting markers along the way. After gathering the data, Autocad DeAndre Westbrook was used to create a color-coded map. The map was provided to Mound Ridge in a brochure for visitors.

Sophomore DeAndre Westbrook III built and installed a Little Free Library and picnic benches at Parkwood Elementary School over the summer for his Eagle Scout project.

“For my birthday, I decided that not everything is about me and it was time to give back to the school that showed me character and leadership, so thanks Pattonville,” he wrote on his Instagram account on Aug. 3, which is the day he finished his project.

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attonville High School seniors Kyle Halveland, Erin McMahon and William Skaggs have been named semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program and now have the opportunity to continue in the competition to earn a National Merit Scholarship.

Kyle Halveland The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic and scholarship competition that honors students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Approximately 1.6 million high school juniors across the U.S. entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking Erin McMahon the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. Only about 16,000 William Skaggs out of the initial 1.6 million earned semifinalist status.

To continue in the competition, semifinalists submit a detailed scholarship application with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment and honors received. Candidates must have an outstanding academic record, be recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores confirming their earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Discovery Education summer institute

High school science teacher Rob Lamb, a 1998 Pattonville graduate, joined more than 160 fellow educators from around the world for the 2019 Discovery Educator Network Summer Institute (DENSI), an immersive, five-day professional development experience at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Rob Lamb Featuring a number of interactive seminars and hands-on workshops, DENSI was designed to support educators as they combine the latest technologies and digital content to create authentic digital learning environments that engage students and improve achievement.

PATTONVILLE HOMECOMING 2019 Join us as we celebrate a Pirate Homecoming

The entire Pattonville school community is invited to join in as Pattonville celebrates homecoming on Oct. 4 and 5. This year’s theme is “Pattonville in the USA: American Cities.” Below is a list of activities scheduled to date.

Oct. 4

7 p.m. : Football game

Watch the varsity Pirates take on Rockwood Summit High School.

During halftime, the homecoming court will be announced and the queen will be crowned. Tickets for the football game are $5 for adults, $3 for students with an ID and $3.50 for children.

Oct. 5

9:50 a.m. : One-mile fun run

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to participate in this run. For more information on costs and how to register, call the Pattonville community education office at (314) 213-8094.

10 a.m. : Parade and food trucks

Parade floats will stage at the Maryland Heights Community Center (2300 McKelvey Road). From the community center, the parade will proceed north on McKelvey, turn left onto Glenpark Drive and then right onto Bennington Place until it reaches Pattonville High School.

Floats and walking groups from all Pattonville schools participate, as well as many community groups and alumni classes. Alumni, community or school groups wishing to participate in the parade must fill out an application form. For more information, contact Heather Johnston at hlopez@psdr3.org. Food trucks will be available in the high school parking lot for hungry Pirates.

Noon : Jr. Pirate football games

The seventh and eighth grade Jr. Pirate teams will play football at the Pattonville stadium.

Alumni Groups

Alumni groups interested in touring Pattonville High School as part of homecoming festivities can arrange a tour in advance by calling Donna Sellers or Bob Thompson at their school office at (314) 2138051, ext. 8015.

Phillip Scherer, Class of 2013 - Scherer was named the new editor of the Las Vegas (NM) Optic, a 140-yearold newspaper. Scherer previously worked as a sports editor at the Los Alamos Monitor. During his time at Pattonville High School, he was an awardwinning staff member of the Pirate Press.

Austin Ratanasitee, Class of 2014 - Ratanasitee is a

ALUMNI SUCCESS

Graduates in the news

video and digital content producer for Blue Note Find out more: alumni.psdr3.org Productions and helped capture the celebration of the St. Louis Blues hockey team winning its first Stanley Cup. Ratanasitee was a member of Pirate TV at Pattonville High School before earning his bachelor’s degree in video production from Webster University in 2017 and his master’s degree in business administration from Webster in 2019.

Anthony Green, Class of 2016 - Green was selected by the

St. Louis Cardinals in the 33rd round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, 995th overall. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-handed pitcher from Jefferson College was picked by the team that plays where he grew up. Green tweeted, “Could not be more thankful of the St. Louis Cardinals for taking a chance on a kid from St. Louis ... and to everyone who’s been there for the ride, THANK YOU. Let’s get this thing going!!” While at Pattonville, Green was the 2016 Suburban XII South player of the year and was named to First Team as both a pitcher and shortstop. After signing, Green was assigned to the Cardinals Gulf Coast League club, a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida.

Madelyn Hubbs, Class of 2018 - Hubbs was chosen as one of

Austin Ratanasitee, who works with the Blue Note Production team, is shown with the Stanley Cup following the St. Louis Blues' first championship win.

Anthony Green, who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals for one of its minor league affiliates, is shown during his time on the Pirate varsity baseball team.

two National Patient Ambassadors for Shriners Hospitals for Children for 2019-2020. The new ambassadors were announced at the Imperial Session of Shriners International, the Shriners annual convention, held in Nashville, Tennessee, June 30 through July 4. Every year, Shriners Hospitals for Children selects two National Patient Ambassadors to represent the health care system’s patients. They spend the year sharing their stories of perseverance in the face of adversity and the ways Shriners Hospitals for Children has made a dramatic, life-changing difference in their lives. Hubbs’ story is told in a video created by Shriners Hospitals and includes a section featuring her playing water polo at Pattonville, along with an interview clip of her Pattonville water polo coach, Tom Crockett.

Home Again

Each August, Pattonville hosts an All-Staff Orientation for all certified and support staff to kick off the school year.

After the event, staff members who are also alumni of Pattonville were invited to take a group photo. Each year, several alumni return to their alma mater to work and serve the children of Pattonville. More than 130 former students gathered for this picture, representing about 11% of all Pattonville employees, including Special School District staff who work in Pattonville.

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Registration open for Pattonville’s fall community education classes Pattonville is now accepting registrations for its fall community education programs. Pattonville’s community education department is offering a variety of programs for adult and youth learners. Download the fall brochure to find out more and register for classes and programs at bit.ly/PSDFallComEd19.

Keep updated on youth activities and athletics

Pattonville publishes an opt-in enewsletter to share information about activities and athletics for students in the district and the community.

To sign up to receive the updates, go online and subscribe at www.psdr3.org/subscribe.

A goat chows on a squash found buried in the weeds at the Pattonville High School garden/ greenhouse created in a previous school year by the Applied Science and Technology class.

Pattonville science teacher enlists goats to clear garden, teach sustainability P

attonville High School science teacher Amy Schwendemann was listening to the radio when she heard about a crew of local goats that could clear a weedy lot in a matter of days. Over the summer, weeds had overtaken the garden and greenhouse her Applied Science and Technology classes created in a previous school year, so she enlisted Goats on the Go to help.

Goats on the Go - St. Louis West provides an environmentally friendly Senior Sydney Williams reacts to meeting one of the visiting goats at Pattonville High School. way to eliminate weeds.

Erika Streeter, owner of Goats on the Go, brought a trailer filled with 20 goats to the high school and unloaded them into the fenced garden area. The goats spent the next 48 hours eating and clearing the weeds, while various classes from the high school and nearby Rose Acres Elementary School dropped by to watch.

“In my Applied Science class, we’ve been talking about sustainability,” Schwendemann said. “This summer, the weeds kind of took control of our garden and won the little battle so we were looking at different ways that we can help control the weeds that are in here.”

Pattonville shared several videos, including one showing before and after photos, on its Facebook page. A video of the goats can also be found on the district’s YouTube account at www.YouTube.com/PattonvilleR3.

Pattonville teachers awarded grants from Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation T

hree Pattonville teachers were each awarded a $500 classroom grant from the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation. Holman Middle School technology aide Lisa Roth and Pattonville High School math teacher Brooke Callan and modern language teacher Mariah DeLong were recently presented checks by members of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association (MRTA).

Roth applied for a 3D printer.

“When students are now doing project-based learning, they can come up with their project and then actually create a model of their project,” she said.

“They can take their idea and make it something physical.”

Callan created a proposal for three rolling whiteboards in her classroom.

“I went to a conference this past year and they talked about how students are more engaged and willing to make mistakes if they’re doing it on vertical non-permanent surfaces,” she said. “My students can use the whiteboards that are already on the walls in my room, but we can roll these in the middle of the classroom and they are double-sided so students can work there. It’s just kind of another way to get students up and moving in my class and into their math problems.”

DeLong applied to get about 100 reading books for students in her Spanish for Native Speakers class.

“We do a lot of reading and I wanted to get books for my classroom library at different reading levels, because we have Spanish speakers that have never read in Spanish,” she said. Her grant was actually called “Leer y Crecer,” which is translated to “Read and Grow.” “You can be bilingual and not be biliterate,” she said. “Maybe at home, they watch things in Spanish or they listen to Spanish music, but they’ve never sat down and read a book in Spanish. This class is basically Spanish language arts for them.”

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA A

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 Subscribe to our enewsletter: psdr3.org/subscribe

Teachers selected for grants from the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation are, from second from left, Lisa Roth, Brooke Callan and Mariah DeLong. They are shown with representatives from the Missouri Retired Teachers Association.

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PATTONVILLE GOES

Back to School

Nearly 5,900 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, along with more than 200 preschoolers, began classes in the Pattonville School District in August.

Bridgeway Elementary School first grade teacher Nicole Hagedorn assists Ostin Herrera (right) with a project on the first day of school.

Shown next to her are, from left, Khloe Thomas and Taraji Smith.

At left, Pattonville Early Childhood Center paraprofessional Chardonnay Clay, right, assists preschoolers with their play dough.

Shown are Raymond Hunter, left, and Elizaveta Oganova.

Willow Brook Elementary School English learner teacher Maggie Fairless greets students as they arrive on the bus. They are, from left, Paula Lebcowitz, Sophia Wynne and Noah Sanders.

At right, when they ran out of whiteboard space, students in Emily Difani’s math class at Holman Middle School were encouraged to answer icebreaker questions using dry erase markers on the classroom windows.

In this photo, Alex Nunn answers the prompt “Something you are proud of.”

Remington Traditional School second grade teacher Taylor Koenig instructs students to whisper their answer to a question into their hands during an activity on the first day of classes.

Jacob Irish, a kindergartner in Tiffany Laughlin’s classroom at Parkwood Elementary School, shows off his first day of school art.

Pattonville High School teacher Shelley Christian, standing, assists students in her College Credit Spanish 3 class on the first day of school.

Sixth graders in Madeline Marren’s social studies class visits clerk Mallorey Burns’ desk to discuss attendance while on a tour of Pattonville Heights Middle School on the first day of classes.

Drummond Elementary School fourth grade teacher Caleb Stroop leads his students in a “get to know you” activity with a soccer ball covered with icebreaker questions.

Michelle Wagner, standing center, addresses her third graders near the end of the first day of classes at Rose Acres Elementary School. She co-teaches a combined class of third grade students with teacher Kim Zuccarello.

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PATTONVILLE GOES

Back to School

Nearly 5,900 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, along with more than 200 preschoolers, began classes in the Pattonville School District in August.

Paraprofessional Joanne Cadwallader and preschooler Jarvell Mitchell exchange a warm greeting on the first day of classes at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center.

Bridgeway Elementary School fourth graders try out instruments in Shannon Senzig’s music class on the first day of school. Shown are, from left, Thomas Reddy, Omar Lopez Encarnacion, Rylan Denbow and Nyia Johnson.

Holman Middle School seventh grader Marvin Porter, center, holds the mini basketball signifying it’s his turn to talk during an icebreaker activity in Whitney Strubhar’s English language arts classroom.

Drummond Elementary School students are on the move during physical education class on the first day. Shown with teacher Kevin Hughes are, from left, Savannah Hernandez, Brooke Klein and Gracie Beane.

Willow Brook Elementary School library technology specialist Jennifer Bober gives second grader Chasity Brew a back-to-school welcome hug.

Students in Eric Johnson’s eighth grade classroom at Remington Traditional School work on an assignment on the first day of classes. Shown are, from left, Yashika Raja, Abby Evers, Camren Horton and Floyd Davis.

Pattonville Heights Middle School choir teacher Kurtis Heinrich shares a laugh with seventh grader David Dunn during an icebreaker activity.

At left, students in the Advanced Placement (AP) College Credit Calculus class at Pattonville High School focus on an assignment as teacher Christopher Broyles looks on. Below left, Parkwood Elementary School staff welcome fifthgrader Amani Peppers as she steps off the bus on the first day back.

Shown are Chip Ianiri, left, district technology specialist, and Kim Dannegger, right, instructional specialist.

“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.