Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Dear Pirate Nation,

Today, I had the privilege of witnessing a special moment at the election polls: the celebration of a first-time voter. They rang a bell, and everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to cheer for her, wholeheartedly applauding her first step into civic responsibility. Regardless of how they were voting, every person in that room came together to celebrate this young citizen’s milestone, reminding us all of the extraordinary opportunity we have to participate in our country’s democratic process. Moments like these highlight the significance of living in a nation where each of us has a voice and a vote. It’s not only a right but a profound privilege, one we can cherish as we educate our children about the importance of democracy, civil discourse, and engaged citizenship. #BELIEVETHEHYPE in the power of our voices and in the bright future we are building together.

This commitment to civic involvement is beautifully reflected in our Portrait of a Graduate competencies, particularly Social, Global, and Cross-Cultural Skills. As a community, we have the chance to teach our students about these competencies through our actions and attitudes, showing them how to navigate differences with respect and understanding. Regardless of which candidate wins or loses, our response to these moments can model for our children the values we hold dear—respect, resilience, and the belief in coming together to strengthen our community. Thank you for your ongoing dedication to helping shape the citizens of tomorrow; let’s all take this moment to reinforce the ideals of empathy, kindness, and responsibility as we move forward.

Proud to be a Pirate,

Dr. Jessica Dain

Superintendent, Piper USD 203

We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Brad Eikenbary, DDS, Piper Family Dentistry, for generously offering free dental screenings to Piper students once again this year! His continued support helps ensure our students have access to essential dental care, contributing to their overall health and well-being. Thank you, Dr. Eikenbary, for making a difference in our school community! Please see schedule below, and look out for communications from your building principals regarding further details.

• November 8: Piper Prairie Elementary and Onward
  
• November 15: Piper Creek Elementary and Piper Early Childhood Center
  
• November 22: Piper Middle School
  
• February 7: Piper High School
  

We are pleased to announce that our new communication service regarding student attendance is now in effect. This service will notify you when your child has an unexcused absence from school, enhancing our partnership in supporting your child’s education.

This system is essential for keeping you informed about your child’s attendance, allowing for timely follow-up on any unexplained absences. Please note that notifications will only be triggered for unexcused absences; other attendance records will not prompt a call.

We believe this enhancement will significantly improve our communication and help maintain a consistent line of support between home and school. Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering your child’s educational experience.

It is great to see the enthusiasm and excitement the Piper community has for supporting our students’ athletics and activities. Attending these events is a great way to come together to show school and community spirit. We thank you for your support of our students, coaches, and activity supervisors.

As our district has continued to grow over the past several years, so have crowds at district events. The larger crowds make supervision of unsupervised youth even more difficult. We have had a few concerning issues where student safety has been compromised.

In an effort to provide a safe, positive, and fun fan experience, parental supervision of middle school and elementary school students will be required at ALL district functions for the 2024-25 school year (unless otherwise noted by the building principal or other administrator). Middle school and elementary school students MUST attend games with a parent, guardian, or trusted adult. Unsupervised students will not be permitted to enter the events.

For football games, as per last year, the expectation is that young people sit in the stands with their parent or guardian or on the hill with staff supervision. Students will be able to access concessions and restroom facilities without supervision but will be directed back to their seats to enjoy the game.

The November Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, November 11, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room. Community stakeholders who wish to address the Board of Education should complete the following form (linked below) and send the completed form to the Board Clerk, Kim Buckner, at kim.buckner@piperschools.us no later than end of day on Monday, November 4.

Access Board Docs (Agendas and Corresponding Reports)

Reminder that patrons can access agendas and corresponding reports via the website prior to or after each Board of Education meeting. For access, click here, where you will find agendas and reports from previous Board meetings.

Parents as Teachers is a free and voluntary home visiting program that is evidence-based and focuses on early childhood development. Research has shown that children who have participated in Parents as Teachers score higher on kindergarten readiness tests, are better problem solvers, and are more advanced in language and social development.

Program Services

Home Visits: Parent Educators share age-appropriate child development information, address parenting concerns and engage the family in parent-child activities.

Group Connections: Group Connections provide opportunities to connect with other families in Piper.

Screenings: Annual developmental, health, vision and hearing screenings provided for early identification of delays that could interfere with learning.

Resource Network: Parent Educators help families identify and connect with needed resources and overcome barriers to accessing services.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: All children are enrolled free of charge in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and receive an age-appropriate book mailed to their home each month.

Follow this link to enroll, or contact me for more information. https://tinyurl.com/5a4hhy9r

Nicole McDaniel

Parent Educator

816.805.2461

nicole.mcdaniel@greenbush.org

A colleague said, "Emma is an incredible human being. She is the type of teacher who brings grace and kindness to any classroom. She creates an environment that allows her students to grow and flourish in ways they may not have believed possible. She is always looking for innovative ways to encourage her students to interact with the material, and pushes her fellow educator to innovate and grow themselves. She is always a bright light when things seem dim. I am fortunate to call her a colleague and a friend. You're amazing Emma!"

A parent said, "Emma Golden is a remarkable young educator whose dedication to parent communication, student motivation and differentiated instruction make her a member of the #HYPESQUAD. She understands the importance of creating a partnership between home and school to support student success and does so by maintaining open and effective communication. Ms. Golden's exceptional ability to engage, educate and encourage students creates a positive and motivational learning environment as well as a nurturing atmosphere where all students feel valued and respected. She adapts her teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles and abilities ensuring all students can be successful. She really, truly believes in them and they know it. Emma Golden is.....golden. She emcopasses everything freshmen students need from an educator during the most challenging transition of their educational journey. I'm fortunate my son got a Golden Ticket!"