What a wild few weeks of weather we have had! Thank you for your flexibility adjusting to virtual conferences this week. If this switch prohibited you from meeting with any teachers, please reach out and we'll make sure to find some time for you to connect!

Enjoy the long weekend, stay warm and Happy Valentine's Day, Pirates! 🧡

• February 17:
• NO SCHOOL- Presidents' Day
• February 18:
• Addams Family Musical Rehearsals, 3-5 pm (PPMS)
• PACE (Board & Digital Gaming), 3-4 PM
• MS Step Practice, 3-4:30 PM
• Science Olympiad, 2:50-3:50 PM
• February 19:
• Addams Family Musical Rehearsals, 3-5 pm (PPMS)
• February 20:
• 7th & 8th Grade Track and Field Informational Meeting during Out to C (school hours)
• Addams Family Musical Rehearsals, 3-5 pm (PPMS)
• PACE (Board & Digital Gaming), 3-4 PM
• MS Step Practice, 3-4:30 PM
• Science Olympiad, 2:50-3:50 PM
• February 21:
• FCA 7:15 AM in the LMC

February 17: NO SCHOOL- Presidents' Day

March 3: First Track & Field Practice/ First Swim Practice

March 15: State Robotics Tournament @ PPMS

March 24-28: NO SCHOOL- Spring Break

The PPMS Robotics teams, Scrappers A and Scrappers B, have had a busy season! They have learned a lot about Vex Robotics throughout the season. They went to 4 tournaments and are looking forward to finding out if they qualified for state. The state tournament for middle school will be hosted at Platte Purchase this year on March 15th. It is free to watch and everyone is invited!

February - Parent Attendance Tips:

Week 1: Monitor Weather and Prepare

• Help your child prepare for winter weather with appropriate clothing and backup plans for getting to school during snow or rain.

Week 2: Address Transportation Challenges

• If transportation issues arise, work with the school or community to find solutions like carpooling or bus programs.

Week 3: Make School a Priority

• Show your child that attending school is a top priority in your family. Avoid scheduling vacations or trips during school days.

Week 4: Stay Positive About School

• Maintain a positive attitude about school at home. Your enthusiasm about education will influence your child’s perception and motivation.

Parents play a vital role in ensuring their children develop a habit of regular school attendance. Consistent attendance is closely linked to academic success, as students who attend regularly are more likely to grasp lessons, complete assignments, and build strong relationships with peers and teachers. Encouraging attendance helps children develop essential life skills, such as responsibility and time management, that extend beyond the classroom. Additionally, when parents prioritize and support attendance, it reinforces the importance of education and sets a positive example for their children. Together, these efforts create a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.

This question will be placed on the April 8, 2025 ballot. If approved by voters, the approximately $62 million 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 attend an Informational Meeting:

Monday, March 3, 2025, 6pm, Platte Purchase Middle School

Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 6pm, Platte County High School

Do any of these belong to you? We have A LOT of coats left behind! Students can check lost and found during school hours. Lost & found is located across from Studio 2 & 3.

Parents can deposit money for meal transactions through Linq Connect. 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.

Parents can still deposit money for meal transactions by sending payment via check or cash to their child's school.

This year, 6th and 7th graders from Platte Purchase Middle School and Platte City Middle School will be participating in a Career Fair on Friday, March 14, 2025. The event will take place at Platte Purchase Middle School from 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.

We would love to partner with parents from both schools to make this a successful and enriching experience for our students. If you’re interested in participating, please complete the 2025 Career Fair Presenter Sign-Up Form.

For any questions about the Career Fair, feel free to reach out to Amanda Griffin, counselor at Platte Purchase Middle School, or Kim Schank, counselor at Platte City Middle School.

8th Grade Parents/Families

The high school counselors visited PPMS last week and spoke to our 8th graders during their Social Studies class. Not only did they discuss 9th grade course options, but they also discussed options available to your student over the course of their high school career.

In order to view the courses your student has selected for 9th grade year, please log in to your SchooLinks account. You can also ask your student to log in to his or her SchooLinks account and show you. On Monday, February 10 you should have received an email from your student with instructions on how to set up a guardian account on SchooLinks. Below is a presentation on how to view your student’s 9th grade course requests via SchooLinks. Students need to select 7 credits for the 2025-2026 academic year by Friday, February 28, 2025.

How to View Course Requests on SchooLinks

If you have any questions or need assistance throughout this process, please contact your student’s school counselor, Amanda Griffin

Have a great weekend!

Amanda Griffin

School Counselor, PPMS

NAVIGATE class is designed to support all students in planning for their futures—whether that means enrolling in college, pursuing a trade school, or enlisting in the military. It specifically focuses on students in the academic middle (2.0–3.5 GPA) who are driven, motivated, and eager to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework. Additionally, it provides extra support for students navigating high school while taking demanding classes.

Strong attendance is a key requirement for this program. However, N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. is not an intervention or remedial course—we follow a structured curriculum tailored to student success.

If 8th grade students are interested in applying for this HS course, they can do so by following the link below labeled "NEW! NAVIGATE Website." There they will find an online application link at the top of the home page. Applications are due March 1st, 2025.

For more information, please click on the following links:

• NEW! N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. Website
• NEW! N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. Introduction Presentation
• NEW! N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. Pirate Learning Time Video

Introducing SchooLinks: A New College and Career Readiness Platform for 6th-12th Students

We are very excited to introduce our college and career readiness platform, SchooLinks! All of the SchooLinks features are designed with students in mind to help them become career, college, and life ready. As a guardian, you will have the opportunity to join your student in their career and college exploration process and have conversations with them about their future. You will have access to SchooLinks through your own account.

SchooLinks allows you to:

• View the results of your student’s career interest, strength, and mindset assessments to learn more about their interests and what careers might be right for them

• Check your personalized dashboard for upcoming events as well as important reminders and to-dos for your student

• Complete your own research on colleges, careers, and more to help you have informed conversations with your student

• Compare college costs and explore expected financial aid, scholarships, and out of pocket expenses

For incoming 9th-12th grade students: Counselors are guiding students in using the SchooLinks platform to request courses for the upcoming school year. Final student course requests for the 2025-26 school year will be due in SchooLinks March 8th.

For incoming 6th-8th grade students: Counselors are guiding students to make their 2025-26 course requests through PowerSchool, but are using the other college and career readiness elements of SchooLinks.

Your student will be emailing you with instructions on setting up your SchooLinks guardian account this upcoming Monday.

See this document to learn more about how to create and use your account, and click here for a quick introduction video to the SchooLinks platform.

Who: Any PPMS or PCMS 7th or 8th Grade Middle School Students

What: This is a program for both the advanced competitive swimmer and those who wish to try out

competitive swimming and are thinking about competing when they get to high school.

When: Start Date: Monday, March 3rd. Season will finish on April 25th. After school from 3:15 – 4:45 p.m., Monday-Friday

* NO PLC day practices

* We will NOT practice over Spring Break.

Where: Platte County YMCA

Physicals: All athletes MUST have all forms (physical, insurance, concussion signature, activity

participation form) on file by Monday February 25th. https://plattecountyr3sd-ar.rschooltoday.com/

Transportation: Bus will be provided to Platte County YMCA from both PPMS and Platte City Middle

School. Athletes can change at the YMCA in the locker rooms before practice. Have your rides home planned for 4:50 if they are picking you up from the YMCA. Arrange car-pooling as needed. There will be a bus that can pick up the swimmers after practice @ 4:50 to return to PPMS.

Are you a 7th or 8th grader interested in joining Track & Field? Come to the informational meeting on Thursday, February 20th during Out to C. The meeting will be held in the commons.

Track & Field practice start date will be Monday, March 3rd. Practices will be from 3-4:30 pm. Track & Field gear/merchandise will be available starting sometime in February.

Pirate Activities Online Registration 2024/25

In order to participate in athletics and activities at Platte County High School, Platte Purchase Middle School or Platte City Middle School, students must be registered in the activity registration system (sometimes referred to as rSchool). Click HERE to start a new registration or to update your existing registration.

IF YOU ARE COMPLETING THE ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME:

Students registering for the first time must create an account, fill out all necessary information including insurance provider and policy number and upload page 5 of the NEW MSHSAA Physical.

The ONLY page that must be uploaded into the PCR3 Activity Registration site is Page 5 (the page with the date of the physical and doctor’s signature). We do not accept paper physicals.

High School students select the HS form, Middle School students select the MS Form.

Please register for ALL sports/activities your child plans to participate in during 2024/25. This does not obligate you in any way but saves time in the next season.

If you submit but need to add another sport/activity select the drop down arrow next to the word "Register" inside a blue box towards the left of the page.Then click "Register (student name) and it should let you add another sport.

There is a Registration Tutorial with step by step directions to help you get started. Once you have created an account, you will need to check for an email to activate it prior to logging in. Families with multiple kids do NOT need multiple accounts, you will simply add another registration to your existing account.

Online Registration NOT required for Bass Fishing, Archery, Robotics, Speech and Debate, FBLA, FCCLA or any activity where MSHSAA doesn't require a physical.

IF YOU ARE A RETURNING STUDENT WHO REGISTERED LAST YEAR:

ALL Returning students must re-register for all sports/activities each year.

Follow these directions carefully:

• Log into your existing registration
• Click "register" then select your student and register them for the sports/activities they plan to participate in this school year.
• All of your information should be there, you will just have to select their grade
• Click "next" on each page until you get to the end when you click "submit."

Please register for any sport/activity your child plans to participate in during 2024/25. This does not obligate you in any way but saves time in the next season.

• If you submit but need to add another sport/activity select the drop down arrow next to the word "Register" inside a blue box towards the left of the page.Then click "Register (student name) and it should let you add another sport.

There is a Registration Tutorial with step by step directions to help you get started. Once you have created an account, you will need to check for an email to activate it prior to logging in. Families with multiple kids do NOT need multiple accounts, you will simply add another registration to your existing account.

Online Registration NOT required for Bass Fishing, Archery, Robotics, Speech and Debate, FBLA, FCCLA or any activity where MSHSAA doesn't require a physical.

The Platte County Health Department is partnering with Platte County R3 to offer required immunizations for students entering 8th-grade for the 2025-2026 school year. They will also provide recommended vaccines, should you choose. Health department staff will be at PPMS on Wednesday, March 12th, around 1 p.m. to administer vaccines to students who have signed up and qualify.

This clinic is ONLY for current 7th-grade students entering 8th-grade for the 2025-2026 school year.

Please review the attached letters from the health department for detailed information on eligibility for the vaccine clinic. If you decide to enroll your student in this free immunization program, please complete the online Consent and Registration Form by scanning the QR code or clicking the link below. The deadline to sign up is February 26th.

https://form.jotform.com/233395031889162

All incoming 8th-grade students must receive a Tdap booster (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) and a Meningococcal (Meningitis) vaccine before they can receive their back-to-school schedules. In accordance with Missouri state law, students who are not up to date on their immunizations will be unable to attend school.

Do you dream about your child having the opportunity to travel the world? This is their chance! Come to our informational meeting on Wednesday, February 26th at 6:30PM to learn more about an upcoming 2027 trip to Europe. We will be visiting Switzerland, Italy, France, and Spain. Make sure you RSVP to the meeting here. If you are interested and can not attend the meeting, please RSVP so I can send you all of the details.

Please see information below about Northland Career Center's Winter and Spring Community Education Courses. The link to the registration website is https://northlandcareercenter.asapconnected.com/

Message from Platte County Prevention Coalition: 5 Urgent Reasons to Keep Kids Marijuana-Free

Whether you know it as marijuana, THC, cannabis, or weed, one fact is clear: No amount of marijuana use is safe for youth. Because young people’s brains are still developing into their mid-20s, they are much more vulnerable to the harmful effects of marijuana. Not only is today’s marijuana stronger than ever before, but it's more addictive than ever before. Marijuana use harms teen mental health and school performance, and makes driving even more dangerous for our kids. Here are 5 urgent reasons to keep our kids marjuana-free:

1. Marijuana today is stronger than ever before. The average potency of THC is marijuana flower in 1995 was just 3.96% compared to 15.34% in 2021. That’s an almost 400% increase in just the last 25 years!

2. Marijuana, like other drugs, can be addictive. About 1 in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted, but if they start before age 18, the risk of addiction rises to 1 in 6.

3. Marijuana use harms teen mental health. Depression and anxiety are more common in teen marijuana users than in their non-using peers.

4. Marijuana use negatively impacts school performance. Students who use marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school compared to their peers who don’t use. The effects of marijuana use can include things like difficulty thinking, worsened problem-solving, memory and learning issues, and difficulty maintaining attention. All important skills for succeeding in school.

5. Marijuana use makes driving dangerous. Marijuana negatively affects the skills needed for safe driving - especially for inexperienced teen drivers - like alertness, concentration, judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Marijuana use is thought to roughly double a driver’s chances of being in a crash.

We can prevent youth marijuana use by caring about their developing brains, connecting, communicating, and paying careful attention to our kids and teens. To protect young minds, visit ParentUpKC.com/drug-topics/Marijuana for free tips and resources to help prevent youth marijuana use.

The PCR-3 Treasure Chest is a stocked resource center providing food, milk, and toiletries for PCR-3 students and families in need. Qualifying families will receive a weekly form via email to sign up or can call 816-858-7001 for assistance.

Families will receive an email with approval to come to the Treasure Chest on Wednesdays from 4-6pm at the new Treasure Chest site (south side of Paxton building).

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.

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.

We invite families to join us in these challenges and look forward to the positive impact they will have on everyone.

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.

Platte Purchase Middle School is seeking a second (or third) business partner to support our Pirates ROCK character education program! Your $500/year sponsorship includes:

• Participation in monthly character recognition events
• Logo and link in building parent and staff e-newsletters
• Logo and link on Pirates ROCK webpage
• Partnership status for flier/community event promotion on Community Events webpage and social media
• 18” x 24” poster displayed in building front office/entrance and additional poster and window cling offered for business to display
• Exclusive event table at annual staff Convocation in August
• Invitation to participate in other school-wide events

For more information or to sign up for this important program, contact Laura Hulett, Dr. Jessica Hoffecker, or Dr. Jeff Adams.

The following business partner contributes goods, services, and financial support toward supporting students and staff at our school! Thank you!

Tradition Home Group:(816) 857-5700

https://livelovekchomes.com/

Farmers Insurance Alisha Elliott Agency: (816) 841-9494

https://agents.farmers.com/mo/kansas-city/alisha-elliott/

Email: hoffecker.jessica@pcr3schools.org
Location: Platte Purchase Middle School

9400 N. Platte Purchase Dr., Kansas City, MO 64155
Phone: 816-436-1433 x. 3401
Twitter: @PlattePurchase

Facebook: www.facebook.com/plattepurchasemiddleschool

Instagram: @plattepurchase

Email: adams.jeff@pcr3schools.org
Location:Location: Platte Purchase Middle School

9400 N. Platte Purchase Dr., Kansas City, MO 64155
Phone: 816-436-1433 x. 3402
Twitter: @PlattePurchase

Facebook: www.facebook.com/plattepurchasemiddleschool

Instagram: @plattepurchase