Exxon Mobil located at 13500 Tesson Ferry Road, St. Louis presented Hagemann Elementary Principal, Scott Andrews, with a check for $750 in September, 2009. This check was granted as a result of the Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance Program. Since 2000, the Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance program has contributed more than $11.5 million to local schools through its Exxon and Mobil retailers throughout the nation. ExxonMobil is a long-standing supporter of education programs around the world. Through numerous grant and scholarships programs, employee volunteers and matching gift programs, ExxonMobil seeks to improve the quality of local schools.

Hagemann Elementary would like to express its sincere appreciation for this generous gift. It is through continued community support and involvement such as this that Hagemann is able to provide its students with the quality education for which Mehlville School District is known.

First grade students packed the library with their parents at the First Grade Family Literacy Night for Hagemann Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009.  Reading teachers Michelle Leist and Nancy Rosenhauer organized an evening of fun and learning for all  participants.  Parents learned early reading techniques such as Book Walks, Word Plays, Reading Aloud, and Word Work with their children.  Then, the parents had an opportunity to “try out” their new skills with home-made books.  Each child received a bag of books to take home, including two personalized books!  In addition, parents learned techniques to prompt their children when they get stuck on words.  Everyone had a fantastic time, and now our early readers are sure to harvest!

In September 2009, Kindergarten students and their parents attended Hagemann’s Kindergarten Literacy Night.  Reading teachers Michelle Leist and Nancy Rosenhauer planned an evening of literacy activities that focused on learning to read fiction as well as nonfiction texts.  After reading a fiction book, students retold the story using the “Reading Glove” for assistance.  After completing successful retellings, students began learning the various components of nonfiction texts. They practiced learning context clues and making inferences with their nonfiction texts.  As a final practice with their newly acquired reading skills, students completed the Hagemann Habitat Hunt.  Each child was given a homemade book featuring animals from eight different habitats. The students read their page to their parents, made an inference about what animal and habitat they were reading about, and then searched the school looking for the picture of their mysterious animal.  After locating all of their animals, students were awarded a box of animal cookies and left with a bag full of helpful reading tricks.