PCMS Weekly Update

We hope everyone has had a wonderful week and is looking forward to the weekend! During our Out 2 C time on Thursday, we participated in a small community service project where students wrote notes of encouragement for senior citizens in our area. Platte Senior Services, an organization that delivers meals to those in need and provides transportation for events, greatly appreciates these efforts, helping our seniors stay connected and engaged.

This month, students have been taking assessments in several core classes to gather some baseline academic information, which will help us determine our next instructional steps. We know they don’t always love this, however, they’re doing a great job showing us what they know!!

Next week, our calendar and activities will ramp up with all fall sports and PACE in full swing. A quick reminder: there is no school for students on Monday as we will be engaged in staff training.

Check your email for a message from your kiddo about their week and their grades - some good stuff in there to chat with them about!

Enjoy the beautiful 3-day weekend and GO PIRATES!!

Score of the Lost & Found: 14-0 after Week 4 😜!! Frequently lost items seem to be hoodies & lunch boxes!

Mrs. Robertsons design and modeling class invited parents to see the prosthetic designs they created for paralympians using 3D pens. The prosthetic had to relate to the athlete they researched and the sport they play. A big THANK YOU goes out to Wilson family for their continued support of the STEM program and making these types of activities possible for our students.

Mr. Peterson and Mr. Sipes' 8th grade Science classes learned the engineering design process, and how to practice design iteration and learn from success and failure through the egg drop experiment.

When you are sending a check to school with your student for lunch, field trips, etc., please make it out to PCR-3 each time. Thank you!

We had the kickoff of our fall sports with football competing this week!

On Tuesday, the C Team played the first game of the season at Platte Purchase against New Mark Middle School. The Pirates came out HOT and scored their first of five touchdowns in just four plays. Jacek Kwiatkowski threw a touchdown to Ben Ciso. Rowdy Hawk, Brigham Nelson, and Spencer Powers all scored on the ground, and the Pirate Defense added a score of their own. Langston Wilson kicked four Point After Touchdowns and the Pirates won 36-0.

On Thursday, The A and B Team played Liberty North, also at Platte Purchase. The A team came out and battled hard in a very close game. Kade Fowler scored two touchdowns on the ground, and the Defense held the Eagles to only one big play that ended in a score. The A Team won 13-8. The B team played a very talented Eagle team and lost 36-0. There were several flashes of brilliance, Jackson Hickman ran down and made a touchdown saving tackle. Also, Emmett Hughes had a big run on Kickoff Return, and several big plays at running back.

The coaches are all proud of the attitude and effort demonstrated by all players. We are excited to see the players continue to grow and develop. Next week, the C team travels to Antioch Middle School on Tuesday, and the A/B team will play at home versus Excelsior Springs.

Next week Volleyball and Cross Country will join in with their competitions starting!

On Monday, September 16, school will not be in session for our first Professional Learning Community (PLC) day of the 2024-25 school year. PLC days are designed to establish sustained and uninterrupted time for teachers to work together and collaborate to improve student learning and achievement. This time allows educators to examine and respond to the four basic fundamental questions of a Professional Learning Community:

• What is it we want students to learn?
• How will we know when each student has achieved the learning?
• How will we respond when a student is not learning?
• How will we respond when we know a child has mastered the learning?

For more information on PCR-3's Professional Learning Community, visit the PLC page on the District's website.

Parents are encouraged to opt-in for text notification PLC Day reminders by texting "YES" to 67587 (standard text messaging fees apply). All no school and early release days are also listed on the District calendar.

At PCMS, we have a long-standing tradition of welcoming our extended Pirate families to enjoy breakfast with their middle school students. We are happy to announce we will be again hosting our 6th Grade Pastries with Pirates breakfast on Wednesday, Sept 18 at 7am. 6th-grade students are encouraged to invite special family member(s) to join them. This could be grandparents, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or any other significant person in the student's life. We’re looking forward to seeing you on the 18th!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and our District is coming together to show support. On September 30, we encourage all students, staff, and community members to wear gold in honor of those impacted by childhood cancer. Many of our PCR-3 families have been affected by this disease, and by wearing gold, we stand in solidarity with them. Let’s raise awareness and show our support for these brave children and their families as we work towards a future without childhood cancer.

Safety is our District's top priority. PCR-3 has a system of safety and security measures in place, including trained security staff (now at every building following the passage of the Prop C Waiver/Levy Transfer), secure entryways, ongoing monitoring, and partnership with local law enforcement.

We remind parents, staff, and students that school safety is the responsibility of the entire school community. Please follow the principle of "see something, say something." If anyone (student, parent, staff member, community member) sees or hears anything of concern, please contact the District office at (816) 858-5420 so that those concerns can be investigated. You and your child can also easily report tips on bullying, harassment, or any safety issue you're concerned about through our online Safe Schools Alert system. Every tip is immediately logged in the system and our administration is notified so that they can investigate and take appropriate action. Tips may also be submitted anonymously. Each building's website has the Safe Schools icon located within the “quick links” bar on the homepage.

Our teens are in the time of their lives where they’re trying new things, making new friends, and taking risks! During adolescence, youth need adults to guide them towards healthy, safe exploration and away from harmful risks like vaping. The brain is still developing until about age 25, making teens especially vulnerable to nicotine and cannabis addiction. Learn how we can prevent teen vaping, and encourage safe risk taking, at ParentUpKC.com/drug-topics/Vaping, and see the attached fliers below for additional information.

Platte County School District's Homecoming festivities run October 7-12, 2024. This year's theme is "Homecoming 2024: GAME ON." Click here for information on Homecoming activities, including spirit week information, the Homecoming Victory Supper, parade, and football game.

PCHS Student Council is also partnering with Glory Days Threads for an official Homecoming tee. Click here to order yours! The pre-sale will run until September 25. All orders will be delivered to PCR-3 schools on October 9. A portion of the proceeds from every shirt sold will be donated back to PCHS Student Council.

• Homecoming Spirit Week Flier
• Homecoming T-shirt Orders

PTO needs help with running concessions during Volleyball, Wrestling and Basketball this year. They need student and parent volunteers. Consider signing up below.

You can still join the PTO by filling out the following form. The membership is $7.

We’re going to London and Paris in Spring 2026, and you’re invited!

We’re excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Tours, our educational travel partner. We will have an informational meeting on Thursday, September 19th from 6-7 pm at Platte Purchase Middle School. Please be sure to register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity: https://rsvp.eftours.com/g55vydp

When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and we would love to have your student join us on this adventure.

In this info session, we’ll talk about:

• How this opportunity will benefit your student
• What we’ll see and do on our trip
• Everything that’s included in this experience
• How your child can earn academic credit
• How we’re keeping this safe and affordable
• How to enroll on this trip (before it fills up!) during EF’s risk-free enrollment period

There are limited spots on this trip, so we would love to have you attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Thanks,

Daria Opanasenko-Davydova

If you did not register for Chromebook Insurance during Registration, we highly encourage you to do so as this gives you insurance protection. The price for this insurance is $30. However, if you qualified for Free/Reduced Lunch last year, the $30 enrollment fee is waived, but you do still need to register. Click on the link here for more information and to register your Chromebook. Here is a video to walk you through the process. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions. The deadline to register is October 1st.

Sept 16

• No School - PLD Day
• A/B Team Volleyball vs Walden Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 17

• 1st Day of PACE
• Cross Country @ Platte Ridge Park, 4 pm
  
• C Team Football @ Antioch Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 18

• 6th Grade Pastries with Pirates, 7 am
  
• Volleyball @Maple Park Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 19

• Cross Country @ Platte Ridge Park, 4 pm
  
• A/B Team Football vs Excelsior Springs Middle School @ Platte Purchase Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 20

• 8th Grade Band Step Off Night @ PCHS, 7 pm
  

Sept 23

• Cross Country @ East Trails Middle School, 4 pm
  
• Volleyball @ Northgate Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 24

• C-Team Football vs Northgate Middle School @ Platte Purchase Middle School, 5 pm
  

Sept 25

• 6th Grade Field Trip - Swagger Team
• A & B Team Volleyball @ Kearney Junior High School, 4 pm
  
• C Team Volleyball @ Nowlin Middle School, 4 pm
  
• Cross Country @ Heritage Middle School, 4 pm
  

Sept 26

• 6th Grade Field Trip - Navigators Team
• A/B Football @ Park Hill High School, 4 pm
  

Sept 27

• FCA Meeting, 7:10 am
  

Sept 28

• B Team Volleyball Tourney @ Bingham Middle School, 7 am
  
• A Team Volleyball Tourney @ Platte County High School, 9 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.

August's #PiratesRock trait is Pride: a feeling of self respect & worth.

Welcome to Platte City Middle School where we are Building Learners of Tomorrow!

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/