August/September Newsletter

Dear Pioneer Families,

The 2024-25 school year is off to an awesome start. We strive each day to ensure every Pioneer student feels a sense of belonging in our school. Students have mastered their new schedules, opening lockers and getting to all of their classes on time.

Our 500 students have done a fantastic job of bringing two essential items to school every day:

1. Student ID badge

2. School planner

One area Pioneer needs to improve is ATTENDANCE! We need the help of every family to achieve pre-pandemic attendance rates. In order for everyone to see the urgency of the problem, I’ve included the data below:

Please be a part of the solution by striving to have your child at school every day unless they are sick. Each time a student misses class, it has an impact on the teacher and other students’ learning. Here is a link to the 2024-2025 student calendar to assist in making plans. Our goal is to have at least 80% of Pioneer students having fewer than two absences per month.

There are several new faces at Pioneer. Please welcome:

• Jake Orndorff, Assistant Principal

• McKenna Krippaehne, 7th Grade Core

• Katie Smeltzer, Special Education Teacher

• Kelly Rossi, Psychologist

• Sam Morton, Physical Therapist

• Craig Anderson, Special Education ParaEducator

• Maegan Barker, Special Education ParaEducator

• Rosy Garcia, MultiLanguage Learner ParaEducator

• Alexis Ramirez, MultiLanguage Learner ParaEducator

• Jessica Detriech, Nutrition Services

• Luis Perez-Cano, Mariachi ParaEducator

It’s an honor to serve alongside all 80 staff members at Pioneer. We’re looking forward to a great year!

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Estephan
Principal

We are looking for a Special Education ParaEducator to join our team. Click for more information and please share this job with anyone you would love to have working in your child’s school!

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‘Bear Necessities’ School Store

We need 2 parent volunteers to work in our school store every day from 3:25-4:00pm. This is a great way to support your child’s school. All proceeds from the store provide enrichment to Pioneer students by funding activities, teacher grants, 8th grade end of year celebration, Family Fun Night in March, and much more! Please sign up here. (Training will be provided.)

music students in band and orchestra have books & supplies that students are responsible for purchasing. Financial assistance is available by contacting our school counselors. Here is the link to books & supplies.

Mrs. Karissa Harle, 8th-grade counselor. I also work with 7th-grade students with last names (K-Z).

As school counselors, our goal is to support the academic success and social growth of all students. We understand that your studentʼs academic success involves much more than Reading, Writing, and Math. We work in partnership with students, parents, teachers, and resources in the community who can be helpful in providing solutions. There are many factors that go into determining the success of a student. If you have any concerns regarding the success of your student, please donʼt hesitate to contact one of us. We look forward to working with you and your students this year.

I wanted to provide some friendly reminders in preparation for our school year:

Please do not send your child to school if they are sick. Your child needs to stay home when they have any of the following:

Fever of 100.0°F or higher. Your child must be fever free for 24
hours, without the use of medication, before returning to
school.

Sore throat with fever, swollen glands, stomach ache or rash,
especially if exposed to someone with strep throat. If your child
has been diagnosed with a strep infection, please ask your
health care provider when they can return to school.

Vomiting or diarrhea: may not return to school until a full 24
hours free of vomiting and/or diarrhea.

If your child has a moist, productive cough, chest congestion,
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

They may return to school when they are:
Fever free for 24 hours without the use of any fever reducing medicine, such as Tylenol or Motrin.
Free of vomiting for 24 hours without the use of medication.
Free of diarrhea for 24 hours without the use of medication.
Free of rash, or a release from a doctor that rash is not
contagious.

If your student needs to take medication while at school, a provider will need to complete a form in order for us to give this medication to the school. Please use our website or come by the office to pick up this form and drop off the medication at school.

Thank you,

Katy Boreson, MSN, RN

School Nurse

Email: boreson.katy@wenatcheeschools.org

Here are the sports seasons for the year.

Instructions of what is needed for sports clearance, and QR code to the registration page. Remember to register your students with plenty of time, so they are ready for practice on day one.