Each month during the school year, the Pattonville Board of Education honors students, staff and volunteers who have gained recognition outside of the district. Recognized this month were students and staff from Bridgeway Elementary School, Remington Traditional School, Holman Middle School, Pattonville Heights Middle School and Pattonville High School.
Bridgeway Elementary School
Published nationally
An article written by Bridgeway art teacher Mollie Ahlers was featured in the November issue of SchoolArts magazine. The article dives into the school’s choice art program and how Ahlers uses themes to engage and challenge students. SchoolArts is a national art education magazine committed to promoting excellence, advocacy and professional support for educators in the visual arts.
Remington Traditional School
All-Suburban Honors Band
Four students were selected to the All-Suburban honors bands. Selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band were Ella Tinnon for trumpet and Dylan Jamison for percussion. Selected to the All-Suburban Honors Jazz Band were Tyler Manker for trumpet and Colin Darrah for saxophone. These students will rehearse five times with other musicians across the area and perform at a concert on Jan. 9. Andrew Smith is their band teacher.
All-Suburban Honors Orchestra
Sixth grader Noelle Wilson was recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra for violin by Lindsay Diesing, her orchestra teacher. Students in sixth grade were selected for the orchestra based on teacher recommendations.
Holman Middle School
All-Suburban Honors Concert Band
Seventh grader Olivia Monroe was selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band for clarinet. She is directed by band teachers Adam Hall and Steve White.
All-Suburban Honors Orchestra
Five students were selected to the All-Suburban Honors Orchestra. Ash Burroughs, Maxwell Fetter and Sydney Woodrome were chosen for cello, Elias El-Ghazal was selected for violin and William Truong was chosen for viola. Recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra were Macie Bowersox for viola and Aubrey Holdren for double bass. These students are directed by orchestra teacher Irena Goren-Scheer. Students went through a rigorous blind audition process playing solos equivalent to the 11th grade level and were adjudicated by three judges. The All-Suburban Honors Orchestra concert will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8.
Pattonville Heights Middle School
All-Suburban Honors Concert Band
Eighth grader Zoe Click was selected to the All-Suburban Honors Concert Band for bassoon. She is directed by band teachers Abby Hall and Liz Pace.
All-Suburban Honors Orchestra
Sixth graders Clare Derhake and Bradley Underwood were recommended to the sixth grade All-Suburban Honors Orchestra for violin by their teachers, Lindsay Diesing and Carlye Feeney. Students in sixth grade were selected for the orchestra based on teacher recommendations.
Pattonville High School
National Merit Commended Students
Seniors Thomas Clifford, Kalista Roades and Henry Winfrey were named Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students represent 34,000 of the 50,000 highest scorers on the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, after the semifinalists.
Opera Theatre Artists in Training
Six students from Pattonville High School were selected to the Opera Theatre of St. Louis Artists in Training program. They include juniors Da'Shon Dunn, Kenedi Jenkins, Jahlil Johnson, Sarah Nelson, Hannah Radican and Alyssa Van Hooser. Javan Williams was selected as an alternate. These students are taught by choir teachers Tracy Baker and Melynda Lamb. The program offers seven months of college-level voice lessons to approximately 20 high school students in the St. Louis community who are selected through an open and free audition process. In addition to students’ weekly vocal lessons, Opera Theatre hires internationally and nationally recognized artists to work with students during seasonal residencies. Students also experience performances and programming by performance groups and companies in the St. Louis area.
SSD Para of the Month
Special School District (SSD) paraprofessional Katy Schwarte was selected as SSD’s Para of the Month for October. She was nominated by SSD teacher Carrie Cobb for establishing positive relationships with students and always going above and beyond to support them.
Newcomer Activities Director of the Year
Jason Sellers, Pattonville High School’s activities director, was named the St. Louis Area Newcomer Activities Director of the Year by the St. Louis Area Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA). Sellers was selected as the Pirates’ activities coordinator in April 2020.