PCMS Weekly Update

As we head into the final stretch of the school year (only two clicks on the calendar away!), we’re reminding our Pirates of just how far they’ve come—and how important it is to finish strong. This time of year is all about reflecting on the growth they’ve made, celebrating their progress, and giving their very best as we close out the 4th quarter. Our message is simple and powerful:

• Be proud of your progress—you’ve worked hard and grown so much.

• Give your best effort—this is your time to shine.

• Lift each other up—success is even greater when it’s shared.

• Finish with confidence—you are ready, and you’ve got this!

Thank you for your continued support at home. Let’s work together to make these last weeks the best yet! Have a great weekend and GO PIRATES!!

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

Archery: PCMS had an outstanding performance at the State Tournament, placing 8th in 3D out of 44 teams—just 18 points away from setting a new school record! 🏆🔥

A huge congratulations to our archers who achieved personal best scores in 3D:
🎯William Wolters
🎯 Zoey Miller
🎯 Oliver Gutshall
🎯 Gavin Lister
🎯 Emerson Bowen
🎯 Blake Lopeman
In Bullseye, PCMS placed 15th out of 64 teams, with Gavin Lister achieving a personal best score at State! 👏 Way to go, Platte City Middle School Archers! Keep aiming high!

Robotics: This past week at the National Robotics Championship in Council Bluffs, IA, all four PCMS teams competed against 158 teams from not only the US, but also many other countries throughout the world. As the event was highly competitive, teams ranked about 20th place on average throughout the course of the event. However, headed into the final/elimination rounds, three of our teams were placed 4th, 5th, and 14th place in their respective divisions. Each team made it to the quarter-finals rounds, which is the best our team has done comprehensively at the National championships! Now, we are gearing up to compete at the World Championship in Dallas in May.

Swim: The middle school swim team is off to a great start. Our team is very small this year and almost all are new to the sport of swimming. They have all been working very hard. Our first meet at the Gladstone Community Center went very well against NKC and Raytown. We had some tough competition against two great teams and we learned a LOT!

A few highlights from the meet:

Amelia Trainer came in 18th (first for our team) and Khloe Niehaus (returning swimmer) had her PR in the 50 free.

Amy Guzman had a great swim in the backstroke coming in 5th place.

Corbin Williams and Delayna Noller showed great effort in completing the breast stroke for the very first time.

Noah and Eli Ricapa both swam and finished 3rd and 4th in the 100 IM.

Great sportsmanship by all. Looking forward to our next swim meet at Gladstone Community Center on Wednesday, April 9th against NKC and KCMO. Our next home meet will be Wednesday, April 16th. Hope you can come out and watch.

Track: The track team had their first meet on Thursday. We have not received all the official results yet, but here is what we do know.

Jayden Horn took first in the discus and shot. Broke the school record in shot with a 13.01 m

Kade Fowler took 3rd in discus

Emmett Smith took 1st in Triple Jump and LJ

Haddon Newsome took 1st in the 1600 m and 800 m

4x1 boys placed 2nd

4x2 boys placed 1st

Claire Babcock took first in 1600 m and 800 m

Journey Martin took 4th in the Discus

Addison Linn placed 1st in Triple Jump

4x100 girls team took 3rd

Way to go Track!

The CharacterDare is a heart workout, inviting students and adults to practice kindness, patience, and respect with themselves and others. These school-wide challenges encourage staff and students to put character into action, fostering personal growth and positively impacting school culture.

This Week's CharacterDare is: Digital Connectedness (see below).

Please remind your students that their Chromebook is on loan to them from the district. It is school property and, as such, should be treated with respect.

Also just a reminder that we need students to bring their Chromebooks with them every day that school is in session. Please make sure that they are also charging them every night. Their Chromebooks are essential to their learning experiences here at school. The library has very few loaner Chromebooks to pass out on a daily basis so if your student has an insurance claim filed against their Chromebook, please take care of those claims as soon as possible

Spring Picture proofs will be coming home with your students today! Orders can be made with cash or check payable to RPG. All orders are due back to our office by Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

This question will be placed on the April 8, 2025 ballot. Pending voter approval, this 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 view the video linked below.

Please see the following messages from the PTO:

• PTO Meeting will be held next Wednesday, 4/9 at 6pm at Pizza Shoppe.
• Our PTO Fundraiser will kick off on Monday, 4/7. Please see the email sent out earlier today or the below attachment.
• PTO needs a few volunteers to help out with the Color Battle Fundraiser on April 17th. Please sign up at the link below.

An order form is 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.

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. IF YOU ALREADY DID AN ORDER AND CHOSE THE CASH/CHECK OPTION, please remember to send in the money by APRIL 11th.

The last day to order yearbooks will be APRIL 11th!!

April is the Month of the Military Child. Help us turn Platte County R-3 School District PURPLE on April 11! This is a visual way to show our support and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.

Purple symbolizes all branches of the military, as it is the combination of Army green; Marine red; and Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force blue.

Join us for DRUM! on Friday, April 11, 7pm at PCHS Wilson Auditorium! Percussion students from PCHS, PPMS, and PCMS will present a percussion showcase you don't want to miss! This year's "HEROES AND VILLANS" theme is sure to thrill the audience and leave you ready for a sequel! Tickets are $7, and all of the proceeds go back to the percussion program. **Tickets will be available the night of the show, and general admission will begin at 6:30pm.

Earlier today, we emailed families with UPDATED 2025 MAP Grade Level Assessment Information. The dates for MAP Testing have been revised. Please see below for the new ”at-a-glance” testing schedule for this year. We ask that you make every attempt to ensure your child is present during these testing dates and that he/she is prepared for testing. (Please Note: Students will need to have plug-in earbuds for testing. We have some available for purchase in the office for $1.)

Parents,

It’s time to rally together for a strong attendance push during the month of April! Our current building attendance is at 86.75%, and we are aiming for 90%—a goal that is still well within our reach. I truly believe we can make this happen with your continued partnership and support.

This final stretch is critical. Strong attendance this month ensures our students are present and engaged as we finish covering essential content ahead of the MAP test in May. Every day counts, and every student matters.

Thank you in advance for all you do to support our students and families. Your dedication makes all the difference. Let’s keep showing up, lifting each other up, and pushing toward that 90/90 finish line!

You all are the best!

Here is our current data:

They're creepy and they're kooky... and they're coming to the stage! PCMS & PPMS proudly present The Addams Family Musical! Don't miss this spooktacular middle school production—full of laughs, love, and a little mystery!

• April 16 & 17 | 7 PM
• Wilson Auditorium, PCHS
• Just $5 per ticket, tickets need to be purchased online ahead of time (clink link below)

Tickets can be purchase starting April 14th 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 "PCMS 8th Grade Formal Dance" Form. If you are on a desktop, you will just need to select the "Forms" tab from the Home screen.

While you are filling out the order form online, you will be able to pay the $7 for the dance via debit/credit card.

To purchase tickets at the door, you will need to pay $10 in cash.

• Platte County School District is excited to announce that Summer School will be held June 2-30, 2025 (please note updated dates). All Platte County R-3 students are invited to attend and continue to grow as learners throughout the summer! The purpose of PCR-3’s Summer School Program is to provide an experience that is relevant, rigorous, and engaging, based on individual learner needs, in a safe and caring environment. Click here for more information about Summer School at PCR-3.
  

  
  

  • Parents of existing students currently in grades PreK-7 interested in K-8 Summer School: You can now enroll for 2025 Summer School via the Forms on PowerSchool Parent Portal (via a browser or the app). Please complete by May 16, 2025.
  • Incoming Kindergarten students will be able to complete summer school registration after they complete regular enrollment. Click here for 2025-26 New Student Enrollment. (Kindergarten Kickoffs will be held April 15 and parents will learn how to enroll your kindergartner in Summer School).
  • High School summer school program enrollment will begin April 14, 2025 via Parent Portal.

Click here for details on high school summer school offerings including traditional courses, credit recovery courses, and driver's education. Sign up via Parent Portal starting April 14.

With the Flu and Cold Season hitting our school in full force, we find ourselves running low on tissues. Having tissues in our classrooms will help to slow down the spread of these viruses. If anyone would be willing to send in donations of tissue boxes, we will gladly accept them.

We are happy to announce that we are again partnering with Miles of Smiles to host in school dental services for students in the Platte County R-3 School District.

Miles of Smiles is a full service dental program that provides FREE comprehensive dental care to those who qualify. Whether you have insurance or not, qualifying children receive comprehensive dental services at no cost. You might be surprised at how flexible the income guidelines actually are. For example, if your annual family income is below $62,000 for a family of 4, your child will qualify for services.

If your child participates in the program, their dental care will be provided on site, in the school, by a Missouri licensed dentist and dental team. These services include, but are not limited to, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, crowns, pulpotomies, and extractions. Miles of Smiles also offers follow-up appointments year-round at their office, Monday through Friday.

The dental clinic will be in our district from May 5th to May 20th. Your student could be seen at any time during that time frame.

For more information about Miles of Smiles and to take advantage of this opportunity, please complete the online registration form below.

The deadline to sign up is May 2, 2025!

If you need a paper copy sent home with your student, please call or email me, and I will be happy to do that for you.

Open to current 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students.

Cheer clinics: 5:30- 7:00 pm, PCHS North gym, May 5-7

Cheer Tryouts: Starting at 3:30pm, PCHS North gym, May 8

The Board approved the following make up day plan to address our 10 inclement weather days to date this school year:

• January 7, 8, 9, and 10, and February 5, 2025 - Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days (do not need to be made up)
• February 12, 2025 - To be made up on Monday, April 14, 2025 (previously a no school day)
• February 13, 2025 - To be made up on Tuesday, May 27, 2025
• February 18, 2025 - To be made up on Wednesday, May 28, 2025
• February 19, 2025 - To be made up on Thursday, May 29, 2025, a 3-hour early release
• February 20, 2025 - The Board has waived this day. With this waived day, PCR-3 would still be at the 169-day calendar required to receive full salary funding from the state.

Please note, with this plan, May 23 will now be a full school day. With this make up plan, we are also shifting Summer School Dates to June 2-30, 2025.

You're invited to our Community Advisory Meeting on April 21 from 6:00-8:00 PM, starting in the PCHS Cafeteria! All families are welcome to explore a showcase of Real-World Learning experiences across our district, at all grade levels. (You do not have to be a Community Advisory member to attend.)

Students will be stationed throughout the Cafeteria and classroom wing of the PCHS Phase 1 rebuild, sharing their projects and experiences. Families and Community Advisory members can visit with students, learn about their work, and provide feedback. Some stations will offer items for purchase, so be sure to bring your wallet! 💵💳

We look forward to seeing you there!

Get ready for the "Greatest Show" of Character! The Pirates ROCK End-of-Year Celebration and Sharpen the Saw Challenge Course will be at Barry-Platte Park on Friday, May 2. Course is open from 5-7pm, with the character recognition ceremony at 6pm. Pre-register here and see flier for details.

👕 Want a $10 Pirates ROCK race day t-shirt?
👉Complete registration/order by April 16!

Apr 8

• Track Meet @ Kearney High School, 4 pm
  

Apr 9

• Swim Meet @ North Kansas City, 3 pm
  

Apr 10

• Track Meet @ Home (PCHS), 4 pm
  

Apr 15

• Track Meet @ Paul Kinder Middle School, 4 pm
  

Apr 16

• Swim Meet @ Platte City YMCA, 4 pm
  
• Track Meet @ Kearney High School - 7th Grade Only, 4 pm
  
• The Adams Family Musical Performance @ PCHS Wilson Auditorium, 7 pm
  

Apr 17

• Track Meet @ South Valley Middle School, 4 pm
• The Adams Family Musical Performance @ PCHS Wilson Auditorium, 7 pm

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.

April's #PiratesROCK trait is PERSEVERANCE: giving your best effort regardless of obstacles & rejection.

Leader in Me Connections to PERSEVERANCE:

• 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 4: Think win-win - Find ways where everyone can win.
• Habit 6: Synergize - Work together to do better.

Character Strong Connections to PERSEVERANCE:

• Self-Management, Commitment

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/