PCMS Weekly Update

Update on our Lost & Found - It is now at 25 items. Please have your students take a look to see if anything belongs to them and retrieve it!

Mrs. Robertsons design and modeling class work on creating prosthetic designs for paralympians using 3D pens.

Mrs. Pegler's Social Studies classes learn about Greek Government using gummy bears.

Chiefs Spirit Week!

Here's a few of our Chiefs Door Decorating Contest Submissions!

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

Archery: Our team did great this weekend. Team One got first place with a total of 3231 and Team Two got fifth place with a total of 2896.

Winter Guard: Our cadet winter guard had a great first performance of the season! This is the first time performing in a color guard competition for all of our students on the team, and the students were very calm as they stepped on the floor. The team did a wonderful job executing both dance and flag skills, with no drops from their tosses! We got some great feedback for improvement, and have been working on adding new choreography, for this coming up weekend at Blue Springs South!

We are very excited to introduce our college and career readiness platform, SchooLinks! All of the SchooLinks features are designed with students in mind to help them become career, college, and life ready. As a guardian, you will have the opportunity to join your student in their career and college exploration process and have conversations with them about their future. You will have access to SchooLinks through your own account.

SchooLinks allows you to:

• View the results of your student’s career interest, strength, and mindset assessments to learn more about their interests and what careers might be right for them

• Check your personalized dashboard for upcoming events as well as important reminders and to-dos for your student

• Complete your own research on colleges, careers, and more to help you have informed conversations with your student

• Compare college costs and explore expected financial aid, scholarships, and out of pocket expenses

For incoming 9th-12th grade students: Counselors are guiding students in using the SchooLinks platform to request courses for the upcoming school year. Final student course requests for the 2025-26 school year will be due in SchooLinks February 28, 2025.

For incoming 6th-8th grade students: Counselors are guiding students to make their 2025-26 course requests through PowerSchool, but are using the other college and career readiness elements of SchooLinks.

This Monday, February 10th, your student will email you with instructions on setting up your SchooLinks guardian account. See this document to learn more about how to create and use your account, and click here for a quick introduction video to the SchooLinks platform.

PCMS will conduct our upcoming PARENT-TEACHER conferences both in-person (at PCMS) and virtually via Google Meets on Thursday, February 13th. The purpose of these particular conferences is primarily to meet with families of students who need extra support, either academically or behaviorally. Teachers have begun reaching out to families where they feel a conference is necessary. Additionally, if you would like to schedule a conference with any of your child's teachers please click the link below. Special Note: Time slots are limited since these conferences only run one day.

Counselor conferences: Parents are welcome to sign up for a conference with their student's school counselor if needed. We are encouraging any 8th grade parents/students with questions regarding 9th grade course requests to sign up for a conference. (See graphic below for 9th Grade Enrollment Timeline.)

February 10-14 is our Pirates ROCK "Character Warms the Heart" week, when we warm up with our good character and great leadership with fun spirit week activities! This year we are teaming up with PCHS FBLA to collect items (art supplies, stuffed animals, books, games, etc.) for Happy Disciples, a student-run non-profit that provides care packages to children fighting cancer. Participate in our spirit days and send in any donations to our schools! The class, PLT, or Advisory in each school with the most donated items will receive a donut party!

On Thursday, we'll either be making our own hand-made notes for cancer patients, or using this form to create a digital note.

Reminder: Friday, February 14 there is no school for our Professional Learning Day. See flier for details on our spirit days and come cheer on our Pirates and participate in the activities at the Home Basketball games on February 11!

Join us for a PTO meeting next Wednesday, February 12th at Pizza Shoppe at 6 pm. All are invited to attend!!

Who: Any PPMS or PCMS 7th or 8th Grade Middle School Students

What: This is a program for both the advanced competitive swimmer and those who wish to try out competitive swimming and are thinking about competing when they get to high school.

When: Start Date: Monday March 3rd. Season will finish on April 25th.

• Practices after school from 3:15–4:45 p.m., Monday-Friday
• We will NOT practice over Spring Break.

Where: Platte County YMCA

Physicals: All athletes MUST have all forms (physical, insurance, concussion signature, activity participation form) on file by Monday February 25th.

Transportation: Bus will be provided to Platte County YMCA from both PPMS and Platte City Middle School. Athletes can change at the YMCA in the locker rooms before practice. Have your rides home planned for 4:50 if they are picking you up from the YMCA. Arrange car-pooling as needed. There will be a bus that can pick up the swimmers after practice @ 4:50 to return to PPMS.

Other General Information:

• Students CAN participate in other activities (theater and Band) during the swim season.
• Athletes MUST have 14 practices before they are allowed to compete (Mandated by MSHSAA)
• Grades: The athlete must have no more than one failing grade for the quarter just prior to the sport or activity.

Supplies: Click the Link below

• Need ALL Black suit: BOYS GIRLS
• Pirate swim cap (will have these for purchase at the pool)
• Competition goggles (Preferably these: Speedo Goggles Vanquisher – PLEASE NOTHING LIKE THIS!!!!)
• Water bottle, towel.

We are partnering with the Platte County Health Department to host an in-school vaccine clinic on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. This clinic is specifically designed for incoming 8th graders, providing a hassle-free way to ensure your child's vaccines are up-to-date.

The in-school clinic is available to Vaccine for Children (VFC) eligible incoming 8th graders (current 7th grade students) including those who are uninsured, underinsured, covered by Medicaid, or identified as Alaskan Native/American Indian. Additionally, children covered by the following insurance plans are eligible: Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Cigna.

To take advantage of this opportunity, please complete the online registration form below.

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.

Parents/Guradians,

I hope you all are doing well and ready for the SuperBowl. Personally, I am very thankful for ALL of you. As you know, I have been working with our student population at PCMS to improve our attendance at PCMS and every minute counts. To date, here are the strategies that we have deployed to increase attendance:

1. Attendance drawings at lunch for free Ala-Carte

2. Weekly attendance tracking by teams resulting in a STAR if higher than 95%

3. STAR team parties when they reach 25 STARS which tracks attendance

4. Celebration and Recognition of student attendance growth (kids receive candy and a high five)

Due to our collective efforts, currently Our School Based Weighted Score percentile is: 88.52 (highest secondary school, 2nd place out of entire district). If you know me at all, you know I want to be first and the kids are really getting into the competition. Thanks for all you do at home...keep encouraging your student to be at school as every minute counts. We are bound and determined to be in first by the end of the month of February. Go Pirates!

Here is our current data:

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

Feb 8

• Platte County Robotics Tournament @ PCHS
  
• Archery 7th Annual Whitetail Warriors (3D) Tournament @ Smithville High School
  

Feb 13

• Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences - 3-hour Early Dismissal

Feb 14

• Professional Learning Day - No School
  
• Archery PC Shootout (3D) Invitational, 5 pm
  

Feb 15

• Archery PC Shootout (3D) Invitational, 8 am
  

Feb 17

• President's Day - No School

Feb 20

• Student Informational Swim Team Meeting
  

Feb 21

• FCA Meeting, 7:10 am
• Archery 3rd Annual NCS 3D Qualifier @ Northland Christian School, 5 pm
  

Feb 22

• Archery 3rd Annual NCS 3D Qualifier @ Northland Christian School, 8 am
  

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.

February's #PiratesROCK trait is SELF CONTROL: displaying your emotions & behaviors in a positive way.

Leader in Me Connections to SELF CONTROL:

• Habit 1: Be Proactive - You are in charge of you.
• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind - Know what you want before you do it.
• Habit 3: Put First Things First - Do the important things first.
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood - Listen first, then talk.
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw - Take care of yourself.

CharacterStrong Connections to SELF CONTROL:

• Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making, Patience, Respect, Forgiveness

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/