Panthers News

Greetings Pioneer Community!

It is crazy to think we are already in the month of November; school is flying by! This month is often a month of reflecting on our lives with gratitude. At Pioneer, our Panther Promise is recited on the announcements and the word gratitude is embedded within it. Here is our Panther Promise…Pioneer Panthers are positively respectful, responsible, safe, and always grateful. We directly teach students what those words mean. At the end of the announcements each morning the staff member recording the video announcement shares what they are grateful for and encourages students to also think about this. It can seem like such a small thing to consider what you are grateful for, but it can have a large impact of mental health and let’s be honest we all want to be mentally healthy. In an article from Harvard Medical School, they note that in studies sharing gratitude has shown to have some of the most positive effects on happiness out of many interventions tested in the field. Being grateful causes us to think about what we have instead what we do not and when our brain focuses on the positive, we naturally feel happier. Here are a few ways you can cultivate gratitude at home…

• Write down as a family what each of you are grateful for or just talk out loud about it at a family meal
• Write a thank you note to someone
• Keep a personal journal or have your kids start one
• No time to write it out then just think about things you are grateful for….You might find these small things make a great difference in your life as well as your children’s.

Have a great November!

Hello Pioneer Families!

With a few months of school under our belt, everyone seems to be in the groove of things. I am grateful to be part of the Panther family and be part of your child’s life every week. As the school counselor, I support students in their academic and social/emotional development. Here are some of the things your student may be learning in counselor this month:

• Active Listening
• Feelings in others
• Peer Pressure

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 701.323.1833 or ramona_westergren@bismarckschools.org

Please watch video attached if you haven't already. The P.O.P.S program will start the first part of January and continue to the end of April. Please print (Click link)and get back your background check if you are interested before January. If you don't have a printer and need a background check please stop by the office or let the office know, we can send one home with your child.

POPs Parent Video.mp4

Last month, Pacesetters continued to assist our Pioneer in their service

projects of recycling, working with students in the learning center, helping

Miss Julie and being responsible in promoting recycling in our school.

Several projects ended in October, including promoting Red Ribbon

Week and raising money for Coins for a Cause and the Imagination Library.

They also are assisting Mrs. Morrell twice a week with our morning

announcements.

Things that they are planning during the next few months include, the

Pioneer Christmas Tree with new socks, gloves, and scarves and the Open

Your Heart Food Drive.

A friendly reminder that the Pacesetter’s t-shirt order forms are due on

November 14th. Please return your order forms and money to Mrs. Erhardt or

Mrs. Baker.

Pacesetters working and collaborating with Miss Julie on Wednesday

mornings.

I can be safe by keeping my body in control.

Due to a new BPS policy, any parent, guardian or adult that is wanting to volunteer needs to submit a volunteer form to that school. Attached below you will find a copy of the form that needs to be filled out or pick a form up in the office. Please return to office so that we can get them approved.

Friday, Nov 8-no school

Monday, Nov 11-no school

Tues, Nov 12- picture retakes

Thurs, Nov. 14 - Kindergarten Sips @ Legacy

Friday, Nov 22 - 3rd Grade Parent Involvement

Wed., Nov 27th - Gratitude Walk

Thurs, Nov 28-No school (Thanksgiving)

Fri, Nov 29- No school

Monday, Dec. 2nd - 2nd Grade Music Program @6:00Pm

- 3rd Grade Music Program @ 7:00pm

Pioneer Website: https://www.bismarckschools.org/pioneer.

Pioneer Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bpspioneerpanthers

Pioneer PTO meets the 2nd Thursday of Month starting at 6:00 pm. The next PTO meeting will be Thursday, November 2nd in the cafeteria. All parents are welcome to join.

When you are picking your child up or dropping them off during school hours please make sure you are bringing them into the office and signing them in and out. We are not going to be able to send them out to you anymore when they are sick you will need to come sign them out. If your student is tardy/late you must come in with them to sign them in, please do not just drop them off. If they need to ring the buzzer, they are late and need to be signed in, doors lock in the morning at 8:35.

November 27th - AM ESP ONLY, No PM ESP. Your child/ren will need to be picked up at the end of the school day at 3:05pm.

Clothing for Outdoor Recesses

Just a reminder as the weather is changing that students should come to school dressed appropriately to be outside during the weather expected that day. BPS Elementary Schools have jointly developed a guideline which states that outdoor recess will not normally occur when the wind chill drops below -10 degrees Fahrenheit (based on the National Weather Service website).

Feels like Temperature = What the students must wear:

Lower than 40 F = Coats, hat, gloves, long pants

40 F to 49 F = Long sleeves or coats, long pants

50 F or higher = Short sleeves, long sleeves

Please help your child dress for the changing weather so we can all stay warm on those chilly days.