PCMS Weekly Update

We hope you have had a wonderful week with your homes a little quieter 😜! We're (finally) back in the full swing of things and ready to do great things this semester! Our schoolwide goals for this year/semester are

1. Increase each student's sense of belonging
2. Increase each student's academic achievement

All of our programs and improvement efforts focus on getting better in those two areas. We feel strongly that if we succeed at those, we're doing great things for our young Pirates!

Your child's First Semester report card will be emailed home today, so be on the lookout for those. As always, you can monitor your child’s grades anytime via PowerSchool. Directions for accessing PowerSchool can be found here.

Enjoy the 3-day weekend, stay warm this weekend, and GO PIRATES!!

Our Lost & Found made it up to 10 items during our 5 days this week. Coats and Hoodies are starting to fill the rack already! Please have your kids retrieve any items that you recognize.

Creativity meets sustainability! Mrs. Keighley's & Mr. Svendsen's 6th graders are transforming cardboard, plastic bottles, paper towel tubes, and aluminum cans into amazing projects like foosball tables, trophies, model airplanes, phone holders, gumball machines, decorative wreaths, sculptures, and more. Using the Stanford Design Model (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test), they're learning about renewable vs. non-renewable resources while shaping a more sustainable world!

Students in Mr. Johnson's 8th grade Science class learned about the effects of static electricity on the human body, specifically on hair. They had fun seeing the effects of the Van de Graaff generator on their gorgeous manes!

The CharacterDare is a heart workout, inviting students and adults to practice kindness, patience, and respect with themselves and others. These school-wide challenges encourage staff and students to put character into action, fostering personal growth and positively impacting school culture.

This Week's CharacterDare is: Ripple Effect (see below).

We invite families to join us in these challenges and look forward to the positive impact they will have on everyone.

Here’s a quick recap of our Pirates in action from this past week.

Archery: At the I-29 Shootout last weekend, Team 1 got first place with 3172 points and Team 2 got 5 place with a total score of 2857 points. The top three boys were Maddon Britz: 278, Cooper Webb: 276, and Carson Fattmann: 268. The top three girls were Victoria Kallo: 272, Zoey Miller: 260, and Emeri Snyder-Richardson: 260. Their next tournament is the 8th annual Northland Christian Qualifier.

Robotics: The Robotics tournament this past weekend was a blended tournament, they competed against high school teams from across the region. Our Coach was incredibly proud, as at least 2 of our teams were in the top 10 for the entirety of the tournament. This was an accomplishment, because all other teams in the top third were high school teams. They didn't win the competition, but they did receive the Excellence award, being the only middle school team to earn an award. Our teams also all made it to the quarterfinals round, even beating 2 of the PCHS teams!

Girls Basketball: This week our Girls Basketball teams were back in action after a long holiday break and winter storm. The C team traveled to Northgate Middle School on Monday, and Plaza Middle School on Wednesday. The team fought hard, but lost both contests. Out of both games, Grace Moran scored 6 points, Jaylyn Hupp scored 6, and Leityn Boyer scored 4. The C Team has completed their season, and has shown a lot of growth and improvement. The coaches are all grateful for the attitude and effort displayed by all.

The A and B teams played against Heritage Middle School on Tuesday, and both teams came away a little short on the scoreboard. The A team was led by Lilliana Ibarra who scored 11, Sam Jones scored 6, and Piper Moritz, Emma Schank, and Brooklyn Keiser all added 4. The B team was led by Brea Benninghoff with 5 points. On Thursday both teams travelled to Liberty Middle School. The A team played an excellent game and won 29-13, the B team lost 29-14. Lilliana Ibarra scored 13, and Brea Benninghoff scored 10. The A and B team has two more games before their end of season tournaments.

Boys Basketball: Both Boys A and B teams lost close games to Heritage Middle School on Tuesday, and were able to learn from it and get decisive wins on Thursday vs Liberty Middle School. Both teams are 6-3. The C team had two tough losses this week. One on Monday against Northgate Middle School, and one on Tuesday against Plaza Middle School, which was the last game of the C team season. The C team guys got better each week of the season and were a great group of guys to coach.

Remember that all students need to bring earbuds with them to their classes as this was an item listed on their school supplies. Many teachers give students individual video assignments so they can do them at their own pace. Without earbuds, it is difficult for many students to concentrate when doing an assignment with a video because so many are playing their video out loud. Also, we have testing in the next few weeks that requires them to have earbuds. If they need to purchase earbuds, they can be purchased in the office for $1.

Also students bringing a pencil to class, would be nice!

These students were nominated by their teachers for doing it the Pirate Way by showing great character! These students were recognized at our Assembly on 12/20 where they received a certificate and a gift bag with goodies. Today, they were able to have a pizza lunch with a friend and play in the game room with a friend during Advisory. Congratulations - we’re super proud of them!

We are excited to launch our 3rd Quarter PACE (Pirate After Class Events) Program offerings. Here are the details for the 3rd Quarter program:

• Activities still available for 3rd Quarter are:

  Acts of Kindness - 8 spots left

  Digital/Board Games - 6 spots left

  Art Club - 4 spots left

• Starts on January 23rd for the 6 week session.
• Spots are filled on a first come first serve basis!
• Every Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm-4 pm.

Tyler Crawford is our PACE Coordinator and can answer any questions you may have about the program. Please review the PACE Slideshow for additional details about our 3rd quarter offerings. To sign your student up for PACE, click on the form below. Students can sign up for one activity per day. If you need to make any changes, please contact Tyler (crawfort@platteco.k12.mo.us).

PCHS is hosting an Expo for 8-11th grade families in conjunction with their 8th grade student/parent night on January 22.

• Clubs, Activities, and Electives Expo: 5:30-8pm, in the cafeteria
• New Course and Weighted Course Information Session: 6pm, in the auditorium
• 8th Grade Student/Parent Information Session: 6:30pm, in the auditorium

The purpose of the night is to meet teachers and learn about academics and curriculum offerings at the high school as well as attend our electives expo where families can learn more about elective courses, clubs, and activities.

FUTURE FRESHMEN: We encourage both the student (current 8th graders) and parent(s) to attend, so that all can receive the information about courses offered at Platte County High School. This will greatly assist you and your student in the planning process and in course selection for the 2025-26 school year. If you would like more information, please contact your student's counselor: Kim Schank or Whitney Edman, Platte City Middle School Counselors, or Amanda Griffin, Platte Purchase Middle School Counselor.

6th Grade Parents: Please review the letter below regarding upcoming training provided by the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA). If you do NOT want your child to attend this presentation, please complete THIS FORM by Monday, January 27th.

MOCSA’s Healthy Relationships explores how all types of relationships, including friendships, need to be equal and healthy. This presentation discusses how everyone has different boundaries and how to understand each person’s. This presentation also explores what healthy vs. unhealthy relationships are and what to do if we feel like we are in an unhealthy relationship. Finally, we discuss and practice intervention skills and identify safe adults that we could talk to should we need help.

Due to the recent Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days, it was necessary to make some changes in the dates for the 7th grade field trip. Please note that the Skulls team will now be going Monday, February 24th and Crossbones team will now be going on Thursday, February 27th. If any of our scheduled chaperones have conflicts with the new dates, please email johnson.jacob@pcr3schools.org (Skulls) or chiddix.jessica@pcr3schools.org (Crossbones).

An order form is now available to fill out on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you are using the app on your phone, please select the "More" icon at the bottom of your Dashboard screen. Then you will select the "Forms" icon to find the "2024-2025 Yearbook Platte City Middle" Form. If you are on a desktop, you will just need to select the "Forms" tab from the Home screen. (see pictures below)

While you are filling out the order form online, you will be able to pay the $20 for the yearbook via debit/credit card. You may also choose the cash/check option, but then will need to send the money with your student to the front office.

Yearbooks will be on sale now through April 11th. If you have any questions, please contact the office.

This question will be placed on the April 8, 2025 ballot. If approved by voters, the approximately $62 million bond issue would fund the following projects identified in the District’s Long-Range Facility Plan:

• Completing Phase 2 of rebuilding Platte County High School, creating a consolidated high school building with all classrooms and programs under one roof
• Constructing site amenities at Platte Purchase Middle School activities complex
• Constructing playground facilities at Pathfinder Elementary
• Expanding parking and improving traffic flow and safety at Compass Elementary

For more information, click here, or attend an Informational Meeting:

• Monday, March 3, 2025, 6pm, Platte Purchase Middle School
• Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 6pm, Platte County High School

The Matt Madill Memorial Golf Foundation is excited to announce that we are able to host our 2nd youth golf camp (8-12 years old) this summer free of charge! Here is the link to register each child in your family! Each child will receive a camp t-shirt and receive 4 hours of golf instruction . We only have space for 60 golfers! Get registered now….spots fill up quickly! One child will win a free set of golf clubs!

Whether you know it as marijuana, THC, cannabis, or weed, one fact is clear: No amount of marijuana use is safe for youth. Because young people’s brains are still developing into their mid-20s, they are much more vulnerable to the harmful effects of marijuana. Not only is today’s marijuana stronger than ever before, but it's more addictive than ever before. Marijuana use harms teen mental health and school performance, and makes driving even more dangerous for our kids. Here are 5 urgent reasons to keep our kids marijuana-free:

1. Marijuana today is stronger than ever before. The average potency of THC is marijuana flower in 1995 was just 3.96% compared to 15.34% in 2021. That’s an almost 400% increase in just the last 25 years!

2. Marijuana, like other drugs, can be addictive. About 1 in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted, but if they start before age 18, the risk of addiction rises to 1 in 6.

3. Marijuana use harms teen mental health. Depression and anxiety are more common in teen marijuana users than in their non-using peers.

4. Marijuana use negatively impacts school performance. Students who use marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school compared to their peers who don’t use. The effects of marijuana use can include things like difficulty thinking, worsened problem-solving, memory and learning issues, and difficulty maintaining attention. All important skills for succeeding in school.

5. Marijuana use makes driving dangerous. Marijuana negatively affects the skills needed for safe driving - especially for inexperienced teen drivers - like alertness, concentration, judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Marijuana use is thought to roughly double a driver’s chances of being in a crash.

We can prevent youth marijuana use by caring about their developing brains, connecting, communicating, and paying careful attention to our kids and teens. To protect young minds, visit ParentUpKC.com/drug-topics/Marijuana for free tips and resources to help prevent youth marijuana use.

Jan 17 & 18

• Archery 8th Annual Northland Christian Qualifier @ Northland Christian Schools

Jan 20

• No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Jan 21

• Boys Basketball A/B Teams vs Northgate Middle School @ Home, 4 pm
• Girls Basketball A/B Teams @ Northgate Middle School, 4 pm

Jan 23

• Boys Basketball A/B Teams @ Platte Purchase Middle School, 4 pm
• Girls Basketball A/B Teams vs Platte Purchase Middle School @ Home, 4 pm

Jan 24

• FCA Meeting, 7:10 am
• Archery 7th Annual Hunger Games Tournament @ Home

Jan 25

• Archery 7th Annual Hunger Games Tournament @ Home

Jan 27, 28, & 29

• Boys Basketball A/B Teams Tournament, TBD

Jan 31 & Feb 1

• Archery 7th Blazer Shootout @ Northland Christian School
  

Pirates R.O.C.K. (Raising Outstanding Character Kids) is a program designed to surround our families with examples of strong character traits through school experiences, at home, and reinforced in their community. Each month our community focuses on a specific character trait and students are recognized for exhibiting these traits: Self Confidence, Pride, Responsibility, Citizenship, Compassion, Individuality, Self Control, Integrity, Perseverance, Respect, Honesty, and Cooperation.

January's #PiratesROCK trait is INDIVIDUALITY: setting yourself apart from others.

Email: tomlinson.kristie@pcr3schools.org
Website: http://www.pcms.plattecountyschooldistrict.com
Location: 900 Pirate Drive, Platte City, MO, 64079
Phone: (816)858-2036
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plattecitymiddleschool/