Pathfinder Press

Hello Pathfinder Families!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended the 4th and 5th-grade concerts! The students gave an incredible performance, and we couldn’t be prouder of their hard work. A special shoutout to Mr. Stuteville for his dedication and talent in bringing it all together—it was truly a memorable evening!

Next week is a short week:

• Thanksgiving Break: November 27–29
• Professional Learning Day: December 2 (no school for students)

We look forward to welcoming students back to school on December 3.

We are so grateful to be part of such an engaged and supportive community. Your involvement makes a difference, and we appreciate each and every one of you. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

-Dr. Bohn and Mrs. Miller

The Girls of Grace Student Leadership team is collecting new and gently used blankets. These blankets will be given to Hillcrest, which helps families who need assistance with housing. We will also be donating some of the blankets to Uplift. Uplift passes out food and hygiene products and clothes to people experiencing homelessness in Kansas City. You can make a difference and show kindness by donating a blanket to helps someone stay warm! Please bring new or gently used blankets to school and put them in the tub in the entryway. Girls of Grace will be collecting them on our next Lead Day, December 6th.

Immediate Opportunity! We’re hiring a Special Education Teacher for the 2nd semester! Perfect for December graduates or retired special educators ready to make a difference. Apply today and join our family! https://bit.ly/PCR-3SpecialEducation

Tag someone you think would be a great fit, or share this post to help us find our next team member!

This year, Pathfinder Elementary is participating in the Giving Tree Program. This has been made possible because of so many generous staff, family, and community members who have been interested in donating to families in need for the holiday season.

If you are interested in "adopting" a family or child for Christmas this year, please utilize the sign up genius link below to sign up. This is an amazing program that was started by the previous social worker here, and I am excited to bring it back this year! If you have any questions, please let me know!

Thank you all in advance for your consideration and generosity!

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!

Come join the community at the Platte City Holiday Lighting Celebration on Wednesday November 27, downtown Platte City, starting at 5:00pm. October and November character/leadership students will be recognized during the event and PCHS's Concert Choir, PCHS Treasures Dance Team, and 4th/5th Grade Barry Elementary Choir will be performing!

See flier for details.

The PCHS Treasures Dance Team is inviting all boys in grades K-5 to invite their mom (grandma, aunt, guardian, etc.) for the 2024 "Holiday Heroes Themed" Mother & Son Bash on December 13! See flier for details and sign up below.

Platte County School District is conducting its annual parent survey to gather feedback on strengths of the district, as well as areas to consider for growth. Your input is valued and will be considered when making future decisions.

If you have not already completed the survey, we ask that you complete the survey by clicking on the link below by December 2. The survey should take approximately fifteen minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Please visit the Winter Weather Information page on the Parents Tab of the District website for information on recess and clothing considerations (there will be no outdoor recess when the wind chill is at 20 degrees or below), cancellations, two-hour delayed starts, how the District will notify families, and Y-Club info.

In the event of school cancellation or delayed start, PCR-3 will get that information out as early as possible through automated phone calls and text messages, the District website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the District Hotline (816-858-2752), and local media. Parents: To opt in to receive texts, please text the word "YES" to 67587.

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). Click here for details on our Inclement Weather Virtual Learning Days.

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.

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).

• November 27-29- No School. Thanksgiving Break.
• December 2- PLD. No School.
• December 7- PTA Santa Breakfast.
• December 11- 2nd & 3rd grade concerts.
• December 20- 3 hour early release.
• December 23- January 6- No School. Winter 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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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!

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!

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).

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. If you choose to eat school lunch, please be prepared to pay $4.05 via cash or check. Unfortunately, we are unable to charge a student's account for an adult lunch. We appreciate your understanding.

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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