Today, in honor of the last day of #BlackHistoryMonth, we honor Bessie Coleman. Born to sharecroppers in a small Texas town, Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman became interested in flying while living in Chicago, where stories about the exploits of World War I pilots piqued her interest.
But flight schools in the US wouldn’t let her in because of her race and gender.
Undeterred, Coleman learned French, moved to Paris and enrolled in a prestigious aviation school, where in 1921 she became the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license.
Back in the US, Coleman began performing on the barnstorming circuit, earning cheers for her daring loops, acrobatic figure-eights and other aerial stunts. Fans called her “Queen Bess” and “Brave Bessie.”
Coleman dreamed of opening a flight school for African Americans, but her vision never got a chance to take off.
On April 30, 1926, she was practicing for a May Day celebration in Jacksonville, Florida, when her plane, piloted by her mechanic, flipped during a dive. Coleman wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and plunged to her death. She was only 34.
But her brief career inspired other Black pilots to earn their wings, and in 1995 the Postal Service issued a stamp in her honor. #VPPride
But flight schools in the US wouldn’t let her in because of her race and gender.
Undeterred, Coleman learned French, moved to Paris and enrolled in a prestigious aviation school, where in 1921 she became the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license.
Back in the US, Coleman began performing on the barnstorming circuit, earning cheers for her daring loops, acrobatic figure-eights and other aerial stunts. Fans called her “Queen Bess” and “Brave Bessie.”
Coleman dreamed of opening a flight school for African Americans, but her vision never got a chance to take off.
On April 30, 1926, she was practicing for a May Day celebration in Jacksonville, Florida, when her plane, piloted by her mechanic, flipped during a dive. Coleman wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and plunged to her death. She was only 34.
But her brief career inspired other Black pilots to earn their wings, and in 1995 the Postal Service issued a stamp in her honor. #VPPride
Thanks to the generosity of our Valley Park community, this year’s NJHS Food Drive collected donations that will directly support families through Circle of Concern. Boxes and bags filled with canned goods, pantry staples and everyday essentials are now headed to neighbors right here in our community. Service is more than a requirement for NJHS. It’s leadership in action. Thank you to everyone who donated and to our students for organizing such a meaningful effort. This is what One Community looks like. 💫#VPPride #OneCommunity
Don't forget to join us tonight from 6:00pm-8:00pm for the Valley Park School District night at the Magic House. This is a FREE event! Check in at the main entrance to pick up your scavenger hunt materials! We hope to see you all there! #OneCommunity #VPPride
The Booster Club is hosting a Trivia Night on March 6, 2026 at a **NEW LOCATION** Andres South on Telegraph Road. Please support our student groups and join us for this fun event! Visit www.vpschools.org/trivia for more information and to sign up! #VPPride
Happy Presidents' Day! If you would like to learn more about the history of this holiday, follow the link.https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day #VPPride
Thank you to Officer Chorenziak, our incredible School Resource Officer (SRO)! SROs play a vital role in keeping our schools safe, building positive relationships and supporting students . We appreciate your dedication to our district every day! #VPPride
Today, in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, we celebrate Langston Hughes. Langston was an esteemed novelist and poet who made his mark during the Harlem Renaissance, a period African American cultural and artistic growth that took place in Harlem, New York. Langston Hughes’ first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, and subsequent works, helped outline the economic situation of lower-class African Americans. Hughes was a major influence on his contemporaries, which included Zora Neale Hurston and Wallace Thurman, among others. #VPPride
2026-2027 Registrations for Valley Park Early Childhood Center and Kindergarten are now open! Visit www.vpschools.org/onlineregistration to register your child for our full-day, tuition-free kindergarten program and www.vpschools.org/eccreg to register your child for our Early Childhood Program. If you have questions, please contact the district registrar at mcoates@vpschools.org or (636) 923-3664. #VPPride #KindergartenClassOf2039
This is a friendly reminder that there will be no school on Monday, February 16, in observance of Presidents' Day, and Tuesday, February 17, for professional development. This applies to all students in grades PK-12. School resumes on February 18th. #VPPride
Peyton Whitney '26 reached a major career milestone, earning her 1,000th rebound. Fueled by effort, positioning and consistency on the court. We are so proud of the work she’s put in to get here. 🏀💙🧡#GoHawks #VPPride
Last night was all about celebrating an incredible group of seniors. 🏀💙🧡 We honored our senior basketball players Tim, Owen, Brayden, Blake, Gavin, Peyton and Aubrey, along with our senior cheerleader, Jermisha. We also celebrated a huge milestone as Tim Coleman scored his 1,500th career point. It was a night full of memories, gratitude and serious Hawk Pride. We can’t wait to see where life takes each of you next. #VPPride #GoHawks
Join us on February 18, 2026 from 6:00pm-8:00pm for the Valley Park School District night at the Magic House. This is a free event! Check in at the main entrance to pick up your scavenger hunt materials! We hope to see you all there! #OneCommunity #VPPride
The Booster Club is hosting a Trivia Night on March 6, 2026 at Andres South on Telegraph Road. This is a new location! Please support our student groups and join us for this fun event! Visit www.vpschools.org/trivia for more information and to sign up! #VPPride
Today in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth we celebrate Serena Williams. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time behind Margaret Court (24). The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) ranked her singles world No. 1 on eight separate occasions between 2002 and 2017. She is the only American player, male or female, to win more than 20 majors. She and her sister Venus are the only tennis players in history with four Olympic gold medals, as well as the only ones to win Olympic gold in the same event on three occasions. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Williams became only the third player to win Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles at one Olympic Games. Williams is the only player, male or female, to accomplish a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.
In 2021, she was ranked 28th on Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Athletes list. In terms of career prize money, she stands as the highest-earning woman athlete of all time.
In 2021, she was ranked 28th on Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Athletes list. In terms of career prize money, she stands as the highest-earning woman athlete of all time.
The Booster Club is hosting a Trivia Night on March 6, 2026 at Andres South on Telegraph Road. This is a new location! Please support our student groups and join us for this fun event! Visit www.vpschools.org/trivia for more information and to sign up! #VPPride
Tune in to the newest episode of Voices. This episode is all about Kindergarten - Join Dr. Dilg and Elementary Assistant Principal Kaily Butz, along with kindergarteners Colt, Hank and Ariah, as they chat about what makes Kindergarten such a big and exciting start. Kindergarten and Early Childhood registration opens today! Listen in at www.vpschools.org/voices #VPPride
2026-2027 Registrations for Valley Park Early Childhood Center and Kindergarten are now open! Visit www.vpschools.org/onlineregistration to register your child for our full-day, tuition-free kindergarten program and www.vpschools.org/eccreg to register your child for our Early Childhood Program. If you have questions, please contact the district registrar at mcoates@vpschools.org or (636) 923-3664. #VPPride #KindergartenClassOf2039
It’s National School Counselors Week! 💙🧡 This week, we’re celebrating the caring professionals who show up every day as listeners, problem-solvers, and cheerleaders for our students. From helping students work through big feelings to planning for big futures, their impact reaches far beyond the classroom. A huge thank you to our School Counselors, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, and Youth In Need Counselors who support our students day in and day out. We’re so grateful for all you do. 💫 #VPPride #NSCW2026
Today, in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, we honor Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo," "Pops" and, later, "Ambassador Satch," was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. An all-star virtuoso, he came to prominence in the 1920s, influencing countless musicians with both his daring trumpet style and unique vocals.
Armstrong's charismatic stage presence impressed not only the jazz world but all of popular music. He recorded several songs throughout his career, including he is known for songs like "Star Dust," "La Vie En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World."
Since his death, Armstrong's stature has only continued to grow. In the 1980s and '90s, younger African American jazz musicians like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis and Nicholas Payton began speaking about Armstrong's importance, both as a musician and a human being.
A series of new biographies on Armstrong made his role as a civil rights pioneer abundantly clear and, subsequently, argued for an embrace of his entire career's output, not just the revolutionary recordings from the 1920s.
Armstrong's charismatic stage presence impressed not only the jazz world but all of popular music. He recorded several songs throughout his career, including he is known for songs like "Star Dust," "La Vie En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World."
Since his death, Armstrong's stature has only continued to grow. In the 1980s and '90s, younger African American jazz musicians like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis and Nicholas Payton began speaking about Armstrong's importance, both as a musician and a human being.
A series of new biographies on Armstrong made his role as a civil rights pioneer abundantly clear and, subsequently, argued for an embrace of his entire career's output, not just the revolutionary recordings from the 1920s.
Last night’s Board of Education meeting gave us plenty to celebrate! 🎉 We recognized our Athletes of the Month, Jake Sieges (Boys Basketball) and Peyton Whitney (Girls Basketball, not pictured), and honored our VPMS VIP Students, Lilly Holmes and Alivia McGowen. Hawk Pride was definitely on full display. Congratulations to all! 💙🧡 #VPPride #OneCommunity
