PCMS Weekly Update

We are now in full swing with our fall activities! Our football, volleyball, cross country, and cheer teams are all practicing and getting ready for their first competitions which are the first 2-weeks of September.

Parents, please note the middle school cell phone expectations for this school year. Our focus is on student learning, support, and connections. To minimize disruption to the learning environment, phones should not be used during class times (from bell to bell). Cell phones may only be used before or after school, or during passing periods after arriving in class and before the bell rings. Additionally, to prioritize conversations and being present with our classmates over technology, phones will continue to not be allowed during lunch. There will be times however, for technology at lunch as an incentive for positive behavior, but to start the year, we are engaging with each other IRL (In Real Life).

We have communicated these expectations t our students this week and explained the reasoning behind these expectations:

• We are a place where we connect face-to-face, in-person.

• We are a place that sees others, talks to others, and we are with others.

• When we do use our phones, we use them for good (no pictures/videos, don’t speak badly of others).

Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27. If you would like to order pictures, you may bring your order on picture day payable with cash or check made out to Reed Photography. You may also order online. (These images are also used for ID purposes and yearbook pictures).

Please note the following info:

• Color backgrounds are not available to purchase online

• Add-ons are only available by purchase of a portrait package

• If you have more than one student at this school, you will need to complete each child's order with payment info

Click here for online ordering information.

As a reminder, students are allowed to have water bottles with them throughout the day. We have several water bottle filling stations located throughout the school that students can use all day. We do ask that their bottles have a sealed lid to help contain spills and messes. One thing that we are asking your help with this year is not having students bring in the QT, Sonic, Starbucks, energy drinks, etc. into school in the mornings. If they do bring that into school, they will be asked to take it to the cafeteria to finish and not to their classrooms. We appreciate your help with this!

If your child participated in PCR-3's Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) testing or End-of-Course (EOC) testing in the Spring of 2024, assessment results are now available.

2023-24 Students in Grades 3-11 (now in Grades 4-12): Hard copy results will be coming home with your child next Friday, August 30.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) publishes a Guide to Interpreting Results that provides additional details about the content of the Individual Student Reports. Please see the guide linked here: MAP Grade-Level Assessment Spring 2023-24 Guide.

Please keep in mind these assessments are only one piece of information your child’s teacher looks at to determine how your child is performing. The Platte County R-3 School District uses multiple methods to frequently monitor student achievement and provide a more complete picture of your student’s progress towards grade level proficiency on the Missouri Learning Standards. If you have questions about how your child is performing in school, please contact your child’s teacher.

K-12 Payment Center is now Linq Connect, where parents can deposit money for meal transactions. Parents can access Linq Connect through this link or when signing in to PowerSchool Parent Portal. In addition to allowing for better and faster service to students during meal times at school, the online portion of this system allows guardians to set up scheduled meal deposits or deposits to accounts when falling below a certain amount. A transaction fee will be applied based on the amount of funds added. The Fees are 3.95% of the transaction total with a $2.85 minimum to be paid by the parent/cardholder.

To set up your student's account, you'll need their student ID number, which can be found on your Parent Portal. Parents can still deposit money for meal transactions by sending payment via check or cash to their child's school.

On Friday, August 30, we kick off our 19th year of our Pirates ROCK character education program! To celebrate, wear your orange and black on Friday, join the community from 5-6:30pm at Price Chopper in Platte City for a tailgate, and enjoy free popcorn at the first home football game! See attached flier for details.

8th Grade Band will be learning the basics of marching band and performing with the PCHS Traditions Marching Band on the September 20th Home Football Game. 8th Grade Band students will receive a free Platte County Band t-shirt to wear for the event. Please complete the following Google Form with your student's name and t-shirt size by Tuesday, August 20th. T-shirts will be distributed to students during the week of September 16th.

Step Off T-Shirt Form: https://forms.gle/Aff1rbRJRRa8Csdg9

PTO welcomes back all Pirates to the 24-25 school year! We’ve got an amazing PTO that supports our students and teachers here at PCMS. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to join. Joining does not mean that you are required to donate anything, volunteer, or plan a school event. Joining simply means that you are supporting our PCMS school community. The PCMS PTO does so much for our school, such as:

• Sponsors our grade level field trips

• Items for teacher appreciation throughout the school year

• Provides treats and items for recognizing our students

• Coordinates fun student events

• And much more!

You can join by filling out the following form or scanning the QR code. The membership is $7. Pirate Spirit Wear will be available here.

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.

Starting this fall, all tickets for PCR-3 athletic events will be digital. Fans will purchase tickets online through GoFan or by presenting a card or mobile payment option at the ticket gate. All major credit cards are accepted, along with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Prices remain the same; a regular season game is $5 for adults and $3 for students. PCHS students and fans aged 55 and older are admitted free with a valid ID. Click here for a link to purchase all sports passes and individual tickets.

Platte County School District is reaching out to our parents and community members to gather feedback that will inform the development of our updated Strategic Plan for 2025-30. Please complete the short five-question survey linked below by September 15. Thank you for your feedback!

Aug 27

• Fall Picture Day
• 7th & 8th Grade Back to School Night, 6 pm
  

Sept 2

• NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

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 Self Confidence: having a positive belief in yourself.

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/