Pioneer Press

October 10th, 2024

Great Washington Shake Out Drill

Great Washington ShakeOut Drill:

October 17th at 10:17 AM

Our school will be participating in the Great Washington ShakeOut on October 17th at 10:17 AM, an important statewide earthquake drill.

The purpose of this drill is to help students, staff, and families practice how to stay safe during an earthquake. Washington is earthquake-prone, so it's critical to be prepared and know what to do. During the drill, everyone will practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" — the recommended action during an earthquake.

Families are encouraged to use this time to talk with their children about earthquake safety at home. Consider reviewing your home emergency plan, identifying safe spots in each room, and checking emergency supplies like water, food, and medications.

For coastal areas, tsunami warning sirens will sound as part of this drill. Please remember, this is only a test. The sirens will use the actual wailing sound, not the typical chimes.

Preparedness starts with practice! Learn more at https://www.shakeout.org/washington/.

UNITY DAY

Join Us for Unity Day!

We are excited to announce that our school will celebrate Unity Day on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. This national event promotes kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.

Unity Day is part of National Bullying Prevention Month, and it’s a special day where students, staff, and families come together to stand against bullying.

We encourage you to talk to your children about the importance of kindness.

Together, we can unite for a better, more inclusive future!

Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope this message finds you well! As we continue to enhance our students' learning experience, we are asking for your support in providing your student with a pair of corded headphones to use at school. These will be used during various classroom activities that require sound, such as listening to instructional videos, interactive lessons, and assessments.

Please note that Bluetooth headphones are not permitted due to compatibility issues with our devices, so it’s important that the headphones have a cord.

Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or need assistance in securing headphones for your child, please feel free to reach out to us.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' success!

Warm regards,

Mrs. Fernandes
Principal

This Week in Social Studies

Mrs. Percefull's 8th grade US History classes will be finishing their Colony Simulations this month and looking at how the Plymouth and Jamestown colonies got started. Students will be describing and explaining the experience of explorers and indigenous people during the colonization era.

Ms. Joslin’s 8th Grade U.S. History classes researched an Indigenous Culture, and created slideshow presentations. Groups are presenting their slideshows this week and sharing what they have learned with their classmates. Two presentations are attached as examples.

7th grade Historians are comfortably in the swing of things,and are beginning to grapple with our content in Social Studies! Students built a working background knowledge of Medieval times in Europe, and will be determining what an effective leader looks like by analyzing Charlemagne and his impact on Medieval Europe.

In Mr. Madsen's 6th grade Social Studies we have been learning about ancient Egypt. We first examined how the Nile River was important to the Egyptians. Then we examined some of the social classes found within Egypt. Our last assignment that we’ve been working on centers around the pharaohs. Students had the opportunity to choose a pharaoh to do some research on. They took notes as they read and then created a “tomb wall” that visually reflects all the information they learned from their reading. Each person or group then shared their “tomb wall” with the class by explaining what they learned to the class and by showing their wall. There were many great “tomb walls” created. Below are a couple examples of the work students did.

Conference Week

During conference week, October 21st—25th, students will be released at 11:40 a.m.

Conference Schedule for Pioneer MS:

Tuesday, Oct. 22nd

Teachers will conference with parents who request a one-on-one conference.

Wednesday, Oct. 23rd

Teachers will conference with parents who request a one-on-one conference.

Thursday, Oct. 24th

Teachers will hold "arena style" conferences in the gym. Teachers will sit at a table and parents/guardians can meet with whomever they choose to discuss their student. This is on a wait-for-the-teacher basis; no appointment is required. Hours will be 12:45 pm - 3:00 pm with a 1-hr break for teachers, and 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Scholastic Book Fair

We're having a BOOK FAIR!

October 21st - October 25th

Pioneer MS Library

**All purchases through the Book Fair benefit our school. Thank you for supporting our library!

We need your help!

Pioneer ASB Students would like to honor Veterans in our community.

If you would like to have your veteran recognized in our Veterans Day Assembly slideshow, please email Mrs. Marrero at: amarrero@steilacoom.k12.wa.us with the following information:

Veteran's name & rank
Branch and years of service
Name & relation to pioneer student or staff member

WE NEED MORE PHOTOS!

Photos are due no later than October 31st.

Dance Team Tryout Information

Thursday, October 10, 2024: Interest meeting during all lunches and the below information will be handed out (a ParentSquare will also be sent out)

Friday, November 1, 2024: Deadline to have a parent/guardian sign the consent form (electronic signature) and complete the online registration (MUST HAVE A SPORTS PHYSICAL turned in to Mrs. Plumb in the main office or uploaded in INTOUCH before trying out)

BEFORE YOU CAN TRYOUT:

1. Have a parent/guardian sign the consent form attached below.

2. Complete the online registration: https://wa-steilacoom.intouchreceipting.com/signin

Click here: InTouch Link

3. Have a current sports physical turned in to Mrs. Plumb (Athletic Secretary) or uploaded through InTouch Sports Registration (link above). You may also email the sports physical to eplumb@steilacoom.k12.wa.us.

Questions on how to register, call Mrs. Plumb at 253-583-7204..

Due to the limited number of spots available on the dance team, cuts will need to be made.

You can find the consent form on the ParentSquare post Mrs. Plumb sent out Thursday, Oct. 10th

Coming Up!

October 11th - NO SCHOOL for students

October 16th - ACE Day, 1-hour early release (1:40 pm)

October 21st - October 25th - 1/2 Day release for all students (11:40 am)

1st social of the school year is scheduled for:

November 15th from 2:45 pm to 4:45 pm.

*Students must have a signed permission slip to purchase a ticket*

Cost is $5.00 for ASB card holders and $7 for students without an ASB card

Paper permission slips are available at the Attendance and Main Office.

Sports Schedule

Sports Schedule for the week of:

October 14th - 18th

Fastpitch Varsity

TUESDAY 10/15 Lochburn @ Pioneer