✨ The Greatest School on Earth!
Pathfinder Families,
Thank you for sharing your students with us. We are so grateful for the stories, smiles, and relationships we have formed with these kiddos! We sincerely hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving break with students. Don't forget to celebrate the little things and hope you can make some memories over this break. Rest up and enjoy the time with family, friends, and loved ones. Engage in conversation or shared learning with your student, maybe ask them to teach you something they learned this week! We will not be sending out a Pathfinder Press next week, so keep this edition for reference.
This newsletter is full of important information about upcoming events at Pathfinder. Please enjoy your weekend with those that you love!
-Dr. Bohn & Mrs. Miller
🏅 Leadership Social
⚓ Treasure Chest Support
The PCR-3 Treasure Chest is also providing groceries to assist families who qualify for Free or Reduced Meal Plans. Qualifying families will receive a weekly form via email to fill out or call 816-858-7001 weekly, so we can appropriately plan for resources. Once approved, families can receive additional food on Wednesdays from 4-6pm at the Treasure Chest site (in the north parking lot of PCHS).
💬 A Message from Dr. Bohn
Pathfinder families,
As you all are aware, my husband and I are expecting our first baby on or around December 1st! When Baby Bohn gets here, I will be on maternity leave, but wanted to communicate with you the plan for supporting our building in my absence. I am so pleased to announce Mrs. Christine VanDenover as the long-term substitute principal that will be stepping in during my maternity leave! Christine and her husband are moving to Kansas City as we speak from California, and she has a wealth of experience in education that I feel confident will support Pathfinder families, students, and staff in my absence. Mrs. VanDenover will be attending the PTA Meeting on Monday, November 13th at Pathfinder Elementary at 4:30 PM and we encourage you to stop by and meet her! Please read the following message from Mrs. VanDenover below and reach out to me with any questions. Thank you!
Most Sincerely,
Dr. Anna Bohn
📝 Meet Mrs. Christine VanDenover (Long-Term Substitute Principal)
Hello, my name is Christine VanDenover and I am very excited to be included as a member of the Pathfinder Elementary team! I have worked in education for over twenty years. Many of those years I worked as a classroom teacher. I have taught every grade level from Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade. The last 15 months I have been a part of the district level cabinet as the director of Human Resources. I was responsible for all hiring practices, worker’s compensation claims, new teacher induction programs and credentialing, classified employee orientation, and supporting site administrators in the evaluation of staff. When I am not taking on new work challenges, I am always looking for something new to learn. I have a large collection of audible titles that include murder mysteries, historical fiction, and educational leadership! I also love crafting, baking, traveling and spending time with my family. I am a servant leader at heart and I am looking forward to serving the Pathfinder community as a part of this team. I can't wait to meet you all!
🏴☠️ Pirates ROCK Character Trait: CITIZENSHIP (November)
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.
November's #PiratesROCK trait is CITIZENSHIP: providing service and duty to your community.
Leader in Me connections to CITIZENSHIP:
- Habit 1: Be Proactive - You are in charge of you.
- Habit 4: Think Win-Win - Find ways where everyone can win.
- Habit 6: Synergize - Work together to do better.
Character Strong connections to CITIZENSHIP:
- Social Awareness
- Commitment
- Selflessness
🎯 Leadership Notebooks
If you can believe it, we are at mid-quarter of second quarter! Students will be highlighting their "My Self" and their "My Celebrations" sections. They have been working so hard and are excited to show you what they know about being leaders. Please review the notebooks and be sure those are returned to school on Monday.
🛣️ December 9th Highway 92 Recruiting Event at T-Shotz
There’s a place for you in education! Three exceptional school districts along the Highway 92 corridor are coming together for a special recruitment event, and we want YOU to be a part of it! Platte County, Smithville, and Kearney School District are all actively seeking passionate individuals to join our teams. We’re accepting applications for teaching openings for the upcoming school year. Paraprofessional, substitute, custodian, and maintenance roles are available now.
Connect with representatives, learn about their unique cultures, and explore the wonderful opportunities that await you. Take your first step towards shaping the future of our students.
🧡 PTA Updates!
Pathfinder and Barry Families,
Get ready for a festive treat! Our annual Santa Pancake Breakfast is just around the corner, and we invite you to kick off the holiday season with a morning of joy, laughter, and delicious treats.
Date: December 2nd Time: 8:00-10:30 Location: Barry Elementary School Cafeteria
Tickets: $5 in advance or $6 at the door
What's in store for you: Pictures with Santa Claus Fluffy Pancakes Savory Sausage Refreshing Orange Juice
Join us in spreading holiday cheer by crafting heartfelt cards for your teachers. Sign, share warm wishes, and express gratitude as we create a memorable moment together. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, enjoy a delightful breakfast, and capture those special moments with Santa. Hope to see you there!
💬 WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK: Please Complete the Parent Survey by Dec. 3
Platte County School District is conducting its parent survey to gather feedback on strengths of the District, as well as areas to consider for growth. Your input is important and will be considered when making future decisions.
Instead of a full parent survey conducted once in the fall of each year, we will be dividing our survey into cycles and asking for your feedback more often.
- For this first cycle, you'll start with up to 20 quick parent survey questions regarding your student's academics, special services, and sense of belonging.
- Then you'll be asked to share feedback (thoughts) on these specific topics (academics, special services, and sense of belonging). The next cycle will focus on other topics.
You can complete the survey by clicking on the link below or using the QR code starting October 30th. Thank you in advance for your feedback!
🙋🏽 Volunteers Wanted!
Below we are including some information about the district-wide volunteer program that is available for all stakeholders to apply for. Prior to Thanksgiving Break, it is our goal to get you some information about Pathfinder's Volunteer Opportunities specifically!
The goal of the Platte County School District volunteer program is to assist schools in providing the best possible education for each student. Volunteer services are utilized to accomplish the following objectives:
- Relieve teachers and support personnel of some of the non-instructional tasks
- Provide teachers with more time to work with students
- Enrich the curriculum and children's learning opportunities
- Provide individual attention to those children who need more one-on-one assistance than the classroom teacher is able to provide
- Promote a school-home-community partnership for quality education
❄️ Winter Weather Information
Click here for information on school cancellations/modifications due to inclement weather, how the District will notify parents, as well as information on recess, Y Club, and Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days. As a reminder, PCR-3 will implement traditional inclement weather days (no school and no virtual learning), until we reach a threshold that would push the school year past Memorial Day. We will make those days up per our academic calendar, and if we go past our planned make up days for inclement weather, we will implement our Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days.
🗓️ 2023-24 Parent Calendar
📱 Text Notifications
A district communication medium is our School Messenger system that we use for phone calls and text notifications. As with any school district, PCR-3 must often contact hundreds of parents quickly for sudden changes in schedules due to emergencies, cancellation, or just important announcements.
If you have provided a cell phone number, parents can opt in to receive text alerts and messages. Simply text "YES" to 67587 (standard text messaging fees apply). New families should have received an opt-in text this week.
💬 Keep in Contact with Us!
You can always pick up the phone and give us a call anytime. The school number is 816.436.6670. If you have a specific question for administration, please email us at bohna@platteco.k12.mo.us (Dr. Anna Bohn, Principal) or millere@platteco.k12.mo.us (Mrs. Emily Miller, Assistant Principal).
