Pathfinder Press

Pathfinder Families,

What an incredible first week of school! 🎉 It’s been an absolute blast seeing everyone’s enthusiasm and energy as we kick off this new school year. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each of you for making this week so successful.

Your dedication, hard work, and positive attitudes have set the tone for what promises to be a fantastic year ahead. We’re excited about all the learning, growth, and fun that’s in store.

Here’s to a year filled with great achievements, memorable moments, and continued success!

-Dr. Bohn & Mrs. Miller

Thursday, September 5th will be Fall Picture Day at Pathfinder Elementary! Stay tuned for more communication on how to order your student's photos!

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.

Hey kids and parents! Get ready to groove because this year’s school concerts are just around the corner! From fun songs to awesome performances, we’ve got something for everyone. Make sure to mark your calendars and join us for a musical adventure you won’t want to miss!

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.

• 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.

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.

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).

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.

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).

• September 2- NO SCHOOL. Labor Day.
  
• September 5 - Picture Day.

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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The Platte County R-3 School District has established best practices regarding extremely high or low temperatures as these relate to outdoor and indoor recess. The guidelines are:

• Indoor Recess will be held when the temperature or heat index is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit
• Indoor Recess will be held when the temperature or wind chill is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit

Please defer to your teacher's communication regarding snacks in the classroom. All snacks must be peanut/tree nut free (as they will be eaten in classrooms). Please pack your child something that is minimally disruptive to the learning environment and (ideally) something they can open themselves.

Students may always have a water bottle with them in the classroom. Pathfinder is equipped with several bottle refill stations throughout the building. Please note that sodas, juices, sports drinks, etc. are not permitted. Just water, please!

Pathfinder's doors will open at 8:30 AM on a daily basis, including on the First Day! If your student is a bus rider, they will be escorted into the building via the south doors. If your student is a car rider, please refer to the map below for our car rider drop off procedure. In order to keep all traffic off of 87th Terrace, we need your help in adhering to this traffic flow! Please stay in your car for both drop off and pick up. Staff members will assist your child out of the car and into the building each morning.

If your student is a car rider, please refer to the information map below for our car rider pick up procedure.

• Please do not arrive to Pathfinder prior to 3:35 for car rider pick up. We begin dismissal at 3:43 and the line will begin moving at that time.
• Enter the car rider line by the marquee (green smiley on map below) and follow the orange line
• A staff member will direct cars into one lane in front of Pathfinder. We anticipate that this will limit the traffic that backs up on 87th Terrace.
• Please refrain from entering the Barry traffic flow notated in red below.

Again, if you are picking your child up at the end of the day, please follow our dismissal process. We ask that parents stay in their cars and do not walk up to the front of the building or get out of their car to buckle in their child. There is an area specifically designated for buckling up your child once they are loaded in the car. A visual of our dismissal process for car riders is shown below.

If you have any questions regarding our car rider dismissal call the Pathfinder Elementary office (816) 436-6670.

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.

Family members are critical in supporting the educational environment. Volunteer opportunities will be available at our school. Please watch for communication (building newsletters, teacher newsletter, and PTA communication) to highlight these opportunities.

Electronic communication devices (such as cell phones, personal gaming devices, and smart watches) should remain in backpacks while students are in the school building. If this result in a disruption to the learning environment, electronic communication devices may be taken to the office for a parent or guardian to pick up.

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

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).

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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