Pathfinder Press

Pathfinder Families,

This week has been all about coming together—whether through engaging Parent/Teacher Conferences, the excitement of the Book Fair, or simply sharing in our students' growth and achievements. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm as we work to make each school day meaningful.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

It was wonderful to see everyone at Parent/Teacher Conferences! These meetings are a fantastic way to connect with your child’s teacher, discuss their progress, and explore ways we can work together to support their success. Thank you for being such a valuable partner in your child’s education.

Book Fair Fun
The Book Fair is in full swing and runs through November 5! It’s a perfect opportunity for students to explore new books and find something special to take home.

Upcoming Schedule Reminder
A quick reminder: there is no school on Friday, November 1. Enjoy the long weekend!

-Dr. Bohn & Mrs. Miller

It is that time of year where students have access to costume-like accessories, which can cause a distraction in the classroom. Please remember to adhere to our school dress code. Thank you for your partnership in maintaining the learning environments at Pathfinder.

To help improve students’ breakfast experience and ensure they get to class on time, we’re making a few changes to the morning routine. Starting Monday, November 4th, we’ll try these new procedures for a few weeks, and if they go smoothly, we’ll continue with them for the rest of the school year.

• K-2 Breakfast in the Cafeteria: Kindergarten through 2nd-grade students will continue to have breakfast in the cafeteria.

• 3-5 Breakfast in the Classroom: Students in grades 3-5 will have a grab-and-go breakfast that they can eat in their classrooms.

• Simplified Breakfast Options: All breakfasts will be served in a convenient grab-and-go bag, with classroom-friendly food choices, such as a pancake on a stick that has the syrup inside, to minimize mess.

• K-2 Seating Arrangements: For easier supervision and a comfortable eating space, students in grades K-2 will sit four to a table with seats spaced out.

• Encouraging Quick Conversations: We want to foster a friendly environment where students can visit, but we’re emphasizing that they need to eat and engage in conversation efficiently. This should help them finish breakfast on time and get to class promptly.

Thank you for your support as we implement these changes to create a smoother, more enjoyable start to the school day for all students!

As we work to ensure a smooth and orderly end to each school day, we kindly ask that there be no student checkouts in the office after 3:25 pm beginning Monday, October 28. During this time, teachers are focused on important end-of-day activities, including helping students pack up, reviewing key information, and closing circles in the classroom. Late checkouts have become disruptive to this process and can also interfere with the flow of the car rider line, making dismissal less efficient for everyone. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a smooth and efficient dismissal process!

The Pathfinder Elementary students and staff would like to honor members of our community who have or are currently serving in the US Armed Forces

Each Veteran will be introduced during our school-wide assembly on Friday, November 8th, via a slideshow. Therefore we need a picture of your Veteran either in uniform or with his/her Pathfinder child(ren) for the assembly.

We will also be recognizing our Veterans on Monday, November 11th during our lunch times. Veterans should arrive no later than 11:05, just before our first lunch shift starts, and stay through 1:20, when our last lunch shift ends. Our students will be excited to interact during their lunch time. When your student arrives for lunch, please sit and eat a complimentary lunch with them and then continue your socializing.

If you or someone in your immediate family is an active or retired member of our US Armed Forces and is able to join us in our celebration, please contact Amy Wazac at wazac.amy@pcr3schools.org. Please let us know of plans to attend as well as submit the picture by Wednesday, November 6th.

As always, we look forward to honoring our Veterans!

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. For the 2024-25 school year, PCR-3 will implement Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days for the first five canceled school days. These days will not need to be made up. Any additional canceled school days may be waived, or may need to be made up (added to the academic calendar).

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

Exciting News! The annual Book Fair is back October 30- November 5th! Whether you're a fiction fanatic, a history buff, or just looking for a new favorite read, there’s something for everyone. Explore new releases, find your favorite authors, and grab some amazing deals. Bring your curiosity and leave with a stack of must-reads! 🎉

Each year, Pathfinder Elementary offers a holiday adoption program called the Giving Tree. This program is designed to provide extra support during the holiday season to Pathfinder school families who are experiencing financial hardships. Through the generosity of donors from our community, we are able to support families by providing gifts and clothing to celebrate the holiday season.

If you are interested in applying or donating to this program, please reach out to Ms. Lisle (building social worker) either by phone or email: 816-436-6670, lisle.madisyn@pcr3schools.org.

Our weekly attendance numbers are in, and we’re setting our sights on exceeding the district goal of 90%! Let’s pull together and make sure Pathfinder has the best attendance in the district.

We know you’ve got this, Pirates—let’s show up strong and make it happen!

The District is reviewing its grading and reporting system to ensure alignment from Kindergarten through 12th grade, focusing on mastery of standards and skills at each grade level and course. The goal is to provide continuity in tracking student progress and make academic reporting more accessible to students and families. This fall, the Teaching & Learning Team is seeking feedback from parents, students, and staff on the strengths, concerns, and ideal characteristics of our grading system. This feedback, along with research related to grading and reporting, will inform a plan to refine the K-12 grading process, improving both the elementary Standards-Based Grading and the secondary 95/5 Grading approach. Please complete the short three-question survey below by November 5, 2024.

Reminders:

• All tickets for PCR-3 athletic events are now digital. Fans will purchase tickets online through GoFan (click here) or by presenting a card or mobile payment option at the ticket gate. Fans unable to make the game, can watch a live stream on our PCR-3 Activities YouTube Channel.
• All middle school and elementary age students must be accompanied by a supervising adult to attend PCHS athletic events. Middle school students are not allowed to be dropped off. If they do not have a supervising adult, they will not be allowed to attend.

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.

Nov. 15th: PTA Fall Party (Change!)This school year, PTA Fall Parties will take place on Friday, November 15th in the Pathfinder Gym. The party will be Fall themed and classes will rotate through those stations throughout the day. Volunteer sign-ups will become available a little bit closer to the party date!

The Platte City Downtown Association sponsors the Firehouse Market from 10am-2pm inside the Central Platte Fire Department in Platte City on the third Saturday, monthly. In November, the market is hosting a toiletries drive to benefit the Treasure Chest. See flier for details.

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).

• October 30- November 6- Book Fair
• November 1- No School.
• November 11- Veteran's Day Celebration
• November 12- PTA Chipotle Fundraiser
• November 15- Fall Parties
• November 20- Concerts
• 4th Grade Concert 6 PM.
• 5th Grade Concert 7 PM.
• November 21- Skate Night 6 PM.
• November 27-29- No School. Thanksgiving Break.

Click on the image below to access a printable Parent Calendar that includes all of our important dates, our Specials rotation, and upcoming events! We will continue to include this in subsequent issues of the Pathfinder Press at the bottom of each edition.

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Starting Tuesday, September 3, lunch visitors are welcome in the cafeteria. Please refer to the chart below to find your child's lunch time. Make sure to register using the link provided. We kindly ask visitors to arrive a few minutes before the scheduled lunch time and bring a government-issued ID. Visitors will be capped per grade level so please use the sign-up to ensure that there is space available.

In the next few days, you’ll notice some changes to the car rider dismissal line. Parents will continue to enter through the first entrance, but the line will now split into two lanes in the back before merging back into a single line for pick-up. Check out the graphic below for details.

Starting this fall, all tickets for PCR-3 athletic events will be digital. Fans will purchase tickets online through GoFan or by presenting a card or mobile payment option at the ticket gate. All major credit cards are accepted, along with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Prices remain the same; a regular season game is $5 for adults and $3 for students. PCHS students and fans aged 55 and older are admitted free with a valid ID. Click here for a link to purchase all sports passes and individual tickets.

All transportation changes need to be made by calling the office at 816-436-6670. We will not take your child's word for any transportation change. All changes need to be made prior to 3:00 PM each day.

K-12 Payment Center is now Linq Connect, where parents can deposit money for meal transactions. 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. Please be advised that 2023-24 balances will carry over to 24-25.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.

To set up your student's account, you'll need their student ID number, which can be found on your Parent Portal. Parents can still deposit money for meal transactions by sending payment via check or cash to their child's school.

The Platte County Health Department distributes food every 2nd Thursday of the month from 1-2:30 pm.

The Before and After School Program available to families in the Platte County R-3 School District is Y Club. With Y Club before and after school, children in kindergarten through 5th grade will benefit from homework enrichment, physical activity, and small and large group activities with a focus on building community, youth voice, and leadership. Full-time and part-time Y Club is available at each of our elementary buildings (Barry, Compass, Pathfinder, and Siegrist), along with Y Club on days when school is out of session for inclement weather, seasonal breaks, and other days off (enrollment permitting). Operating hours are each weekday from 6:30 a.m. until school begins, and again after school until 6:00 p.m. Registration is now open.

If you have any questions about the Y Club program, please contact YMCA at (816) 360-3390.

We want families to stay connected to all Pathfinder information. In addition, we invite you to visit our social media and platforms below.

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Visit our Website

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 bohn.anna@pcr3schools.org (Dr. Anna Bohn, Principal) or miller.emily@pcr3schools.org (Mrs. Emily Miller, Assistant Principal).

• If you haven't already, please sign up for the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Parent Portal allows parents access to class schedules, attendance, homework, grades, and will have links to meal payments and fees.
  
• Parents should receive their initial Parent Portal Access ID and Password (for each student) during registration or by calling your child's school." to "New families should receive their Parent Portal Access ID and Password (for each student) at back to school nights or by calling your child's school. If any returning families have not set up Parent Portal, please contact the school.
  
• Click here to create an account and login.
  
• Students will be able to login to Student Portal using their school email address and password.
  
• Click here for a Guide to Parent Portal.

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).

Email: bohn.anna@pcr3schools.org
Website: https://pathfinder.plattecountyschooldistrict.com/
Location: 1951 NW 87th Terrace, KCMO, MO, United States
Phone: 816-436-6670
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pathfinderelementary/
Twitter: @pathfinderelem

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