Pioneer Press
May 30, 2025
Principal Fernandes's Message: 8th Grade Promotion
Dear Parents and Guardians of Our 8th Grade Pioneers,
It’s hard to believe we’re already approaching the finish line of another school year—and what an incredible journey it’s been! As we prepare to send our 8th graders off to high school, we’re excited to invite you to celebrate their achievements at our upcoming 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony and Dance.
Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Time: Promotion begins at 4:30 PM
Location: Pioneer Middle School Gym (ceremony) and Cafeteria (dance)
The ceremony will recognize the hard work, growth, and character of our 8th graders. After the final applause, students will head straight to the cafeteria for a celebratory dance—just for them! (No outside guests, please.)
A Few Important Notes:
Dress to Impress (but keep it comfortable):
Think job interview-ready. Students are encouraged to dress neatly and appropriately—no jeans, t-shirts, sweats, or sagging pants. A collared shirt with pants or a modest dress, skirt/blouse, or pant outfit works great. No need for tuxedos or formal gowns; let’s keep it simple, stylish, and school-appropriate.
Guest Guidelines:
To ensure everyone’s safety and comply with fire code, we kindly ask that each student brings no more than three guests. And please, no balloons—they tend to block the view for others trying to catch a glimpse of their graduate!
Schedule for the Day:
11:40 AM – 8th graders are dismissed for the day (buses will run as usual).
4:00 PM – Students return to Pioneer (please arrange transportation).
4:30 PM – Promotion ceremony begins.
Post-ceremony – 8th grade dance kicks off (for Pioneer students only).
7:30 PM – Dance ends—please plan for prompt pickup. (No transportation provided.)
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
We’re so proud of our 8th graders and look forward to celebrating this milestone with them—and with you!
Warmly,
JoAnne Fernandes
Principal
8th promotion will be LIVE!
Use the link below to watch our 8th graders' promotion ceremony:
Science Updates
6th Grade Science -
Mr. Byrd's class has been examining evidence that shows the causes of climate change since 1880. They have found that human activities have been increasing the levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. They have conducted several computer simulations to illustrate what would occur if these levels continue to rise. Next week, they will explore solutions to reduce these gases in the atmosphere and investigate ways to recapture some of the gases that have been released.
Thank you to Mrs. Basinger for filling in for Mrs. Guillen this semester. We appreciate you being in the building and teaching 6th grade Science and 6th grade electives.
7th Grade Science-
In Ms. Pilon’s classes, she conducts hands-on labs during testing. These labs connect to the chemistry unit the students studied in the 2nd semester. Students made ice cream!
8th Grade Science-
We bid farewell to Ms. Ripp as she retires from education! Thanks for all your years with our students and families at Pioneer MS.
8th-grade students took the WCAS (Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science) last week, and everyone survived! We are looking forward to sending them off to high school with strong science knowledge.
We're wrapping up the year with a quick matter, gas laws and chemistry. Kids are learning how to explain Charles's and Boyle's gas laws, Bernoulli's principle and differences in air pressure via hands-on activities and observations. We're also observing chemical reactions. In addition, students are learning about light waves, physical changes, and burning stuff to learn about chemical reactions. We also hatched some Painted Lady Butterflies and released them at the school.
Sports
End of season banquets:
Track & Field - Monday, June 2nd 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm - buses available for students to get home.
Baseball - Tuesday, June 3rd 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm - no buses available to take students home, please make the necessary arrangements for your student.
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School Clubs
Please take note of the dates below:
- Last day of school clubs is June 5th!
- Pokémon Go! Club's last meeting was May 29th.
- There will be NO after school transportation at 4pm on Tuesdays and Thursday after June 5th.
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Tuesdays:
Junior Student to Student (JS2S) Room A115 with Ms. Taylor
Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) - Room C102 with Mrs. Iglesias
Christian Faith Group (CFG) - Room B103 with Mrs. Vaccaro
Math Help - Room B101 with Mr. Martin
***Art Club and Homework Club have been canceled for the rest of the school year***
Thursdays:
Builder's Club in the Library with Mrs. Holyfield
Game Club Room C202 with Mrs. Nixon
*** Mr. Martin's Math Help Club will no longer meet on Thursdays***
***Homework Club has been canceled for the remainder of the school year***
Transportation is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students attending school clubs. Use the link below for route information:
Coming Up!
Thursday, June 5th - Choir Concert - 6:30pm in PIO Gym
Tuesday, June 10th - 8th Grade Promotion - PIO GYM 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, followed by a dance in the cafeteria
Thursday, June 12th - Field Day!
Friday, June 13th - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! - Half day, students released at
11:40 am
Check our district calendar for more information:
https://www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/welcome-center/calendars?cal_date=2025-04-0