The Patrick Henry Post

April 7th, 2023

Big picture

A Message of Community and Hope

Last weekend, Patrick Henry experienced a break-in that could have ruined our week. Three teenagers broke into the school and attempted to destroy our beautiful school environment by flipping over the furniture, knocking everything to the floor, and creating a mess. Luckily, our school safety measures worked just how they were supposed to, and SLPS Safety and Security Officers were here within minutes. Our community partners came out in a massive effort on Sunday morning, and together with Patrick Henry staff, custodial teams, Central Office staff, and staff from other SLPS schools, our building was fully restored in time for our students to return to school on Monday morning.


I want to say thank you to our community who rallied around us in our time of need. A senseless crime could have ruined our building, but instead, it brought our community together even stronger than before. Our partners and staff donated their time, money, physical strength, and resources to make sure our school was put back together for our students. We even had people sending us treats and kind messages throughout the week to keep our spirits lifted.


In times like these, it can be easy to focus on the negatives, but in this situation, I can only see the magic of our school community and the support that we have all around us. Thank you to everyone who cleaned our school and made things right for our students. We love you and thank you for your support of our students, our staff, and our school. We truly could not do this without you!

The Impact of the Break-In

The Miracle of Community

Thank you, Patrick Henry Community!

Big picture

Highlights from Patrick Henry This Week

Kids Vision for Life

Thank you to our community partner, Kids Vision for Life St. Louis, who came to Patrick Henry for our follow-up appointments for all students who qualified for glasses and a more in-depth vision exam. Students were able to pick their new glasses and receive vision services, all at the convenience of the Vision Van! We are so excited to welcome 66 new students to the "Glasses Club"!

Kindergarten/1st Grade Field Trip

Ms. Willard and Ms. Versen took their students on a district-sponsored field trip to the Missouri History Museum this week and everyone had a delightful time learning about our local history! Students got a tour of the museum and had a beautiful day exploring this corner of Forest Park. We also found out that Ms. Karen Evans, our own Reading Specialist, is actually IN the Missouri History Museum! Her family is featured for their experiences growing up in St. Louis during segregation and urban development. Check out some pictures of the full field trip experience!

Little Bit Book Fair with KPMG

Our community partners, The Little Bit Foundation and KPMG, came to Patrick Henry with a special visit to bring us books! All of our students were able to come to the book fair and choose several books to take home with them permanently to add to their home libraries. This is perfect timing in preparation for the summer so our students can keep reading even when school is out! Thank you, Little Bit and KPMG!

Upcoming Events at Patrick Henry

April 12th, Field Trip to Grant's Farm, Kindergarten-5th Grade

Make sure your child arrives to school on time on April 12th so they can enjoy a free field trip to Grant's Farm! Students will be able to interact with over 900 animals who live on Grant's Farm and learn how to care for both land and creatures!

April 17th, MAP Testing Begins for 3rd-5th Graders

Our statewide assessment, the MAP test will begin on Monday, April 17th. Students in 3rd-5th grade will take multiple tests in Reading, Writing, Math, and Science, and will get to show what they know. It is extremely important for our students to get a full night's rest the day before a test, a healthy breakfast, and relaxation time when they get home from school that day. Encourage your child to do their very best on the state test!

April 29th, Resource Fair at Patrick Henry

This event will take place on Saturday, April 29th, behind Patrick Henry in our backyard driveway. Our community partners from Delta Sigma Theta Alumni Chapter of St. Louis will bring their cars full of supplies for our families to gather resources and enjoy a fun morning at Patrick Henry. All families are invited to join and take resources for their family! More details will be sent out closer to the event.

May 1st - May 5th, Educator Appreciation Week

Help celebrate your teachers for Educator Appreciation Week the first week of May! Families can send a thank you card to let your child's teachers know how much you appreciate what they do during the school day and beyond. If you need ideas on how to celebrate the staff of Patrick Henry, email Dr. Rogers at deborah.rogers@slps.org.