Pioneer Press
November 7th, 2025
Message from Principal Fernandes
Family Reminders for November
As we move deeper into the fall season, I want to offer a few quick reminders to help keep our school days running smoothly:
Cell Phones:
Please remind your student that our Digital Detox expectations remain in place from 8:03–2:40. Phones should stay off and away during the school day. Taking, filming, or pretending to take photos or videos of others without their permission is not acceptable and may be considered harassment. Thank you for supporting a safe, distraction-free environment.
Bus Behavior:
We’ve had many positive reports from our bus drivers, and we appreciate students who are following expectations each day. Please encourage your student to remain seated, keep hands and feet to themselves, use respectful language, and follow the driver’s directions the first time. Safe bus behavior helps all students start and end their day well.
Thank you for your partnership and support in keeping Pioneer a safe and welcoming place for all Pirates!
Mrs. Fernandes
Social Studies Update
Social Studies 6
Students have closed out our unit on Ancient Egypt and are now studying Ancient Greece. So far, we have begun to become familiar with the different city-states of Ancient Greece by doing some mapping assignments. We’ve also had a chance to examine a variety of different forms of government, some of which were practiced in Greece. In the upcoming weeks, students will have a chance to learn about Sparta and Athens, two of the more powerful cities of that time. Students will also learn about Greek philosophers along with a host of other topics all related to Greece. As always, students will get to show their knowledge in a variety of ways, creating posters, reading and answering questions, and presenting their knowledge to the class on different topics.
Social Studies 7
Students are finishing our unit on Europe in the Middle Ages. Students should be able to explain how the feudal system worked and how chivalry impacted a knight's relationship with his adversaries. We also studied the Crusades and the Magna Carta's impact. Next, students will be learning about the Middle Ages of Asia. We will be discovering the impact the Mongols, China, and Japan had on Asia and the world. Students will identify geographical sites, explain the impact of China’s dynasties, and compare and contrast feudalism in Japan with feudalism in Europe.
8th Grade History
Mrs. Percefull’s and Mr. Beaulieu’s eighth grade history classes are wrapping up their colonies unit with research on and a mock Salem Witch Trial. After researching individuals who were in the trials, students created scripts for themselves and held the Witch Trials on Halloween!
Ms. Joslin's U.S. History class is wrapping up learning about The Columbian Exchange with an argumentative essay. Next up, students will be divided into separate "colonies," where teams of students face problems typical of life in 17th-century America and try to ensure the success of their settlements.
Resources for Families Affected by the Government Shutdown
Resources Including Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits for Families Affected by the Government Shutdown
Due to the federal government shutdown, households of furloughed employees may be eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits. A furlough is a unique situation where households may not have information on the duration of the furlough or the ultimate impact on the household income. While free or reduced-price meal eligibility is intended to reflect actual annual income, applications may reflect the current household situation. Families whose household income has been impacted by the government shutdown are encouraged to apply for free/reduced-price meal benefits for their student(s). Information on completing the application form can be found on the district's website here. Should the economic hardship due to the furlough be remedied, families whose applications were approved should terminate or update their free/reduced price status. Please reach out to studentnutrition@steilacoom.k12.wa.us if you have questions or need additional assistance.
Additional food resources:
Please also feel free to visit the district's website which shares additional community resources for food, clothing, health care, mental & behavioral health, as well as other resources.
Pioneer MS Food Drive
Transportation Changes & Bus Passes
If you need to make a change to your student’s after-school transportation, please contact the main office by 1:45 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and by 12:45 p.m. on ACE days (Wednesdays).
You can reach us:
Phone: 253-583-7205
Email: pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
These deadlines ensure we have enough time to communicate the change to your student before dismissal.
Please note:
Transportation changes requested by parents/guardians after the deadline cannot be guaranteed to reach your student before the end of the school day.
Bus passes will NOT be issued to students at the end of the day.
School Clubs
Tuesdays
Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) – Room A101 with Mrs. Percefull
Christian Faith Group (CFG) – Room B103 with Mrs. Vaccaro
Thursdays
Pokémon Go! Club – Room E129 with Mrs. Elshire
Game Club – Room A202 with Mr. Milton
Builder's Club - Cafeteria with Mrs. Holyfield
Transportation:
After-school activity buses are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students attending school clubs. Click here for route information.
School Sports
Season 2 Sports
Girls Basketball · Boys Soccer · Co-Ed Wrestling
Due to the Veterans Day holiday, sports tryouts will be held November 12–14.
👉 Register your student today:
https://steilacoomhist-wa.finalforms.com/
Registration closes November 12.
No late registrations will be accepted.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Tryouts for the Dance Team are coming up!
📅 Practice Schedule –November & December
💻 Register your student:
https://steilacoomhist-wa.finalforms.com/
Coming Up!
November 10th - Veterans Day Assembly - Pioneer Gym from 8:15 am - 9:15 am
November 11th - Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL
November 12th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time
November 19th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time
November 26th - Half day - 11:40 am student release time
November 27th - Day after Thanksgiving - NO SCHOOL
See our website for more information: https://pio.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/
Helpful Information from the Main Office
Dropping Off Your Student in the Parking Lot To keep traffic flowing smoothly and ensure everyone’s safety, please do not drop your student off in the parking lot without first parking in a space. Students should only exit safely from a parked vehicle and walk to school. 🚫 Handicap parking spaces and surrounding areas are strictly reserved—please do not use them for drop-off or pick-up. Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe! __________________________________________________________________________________ 🌐 Skyward Family Access Families can find a variety of important information in Skyward Family Access, including: Grades Bus route information Lunch account number and balance Locker combination Student ID numbers (used to check out library books, sign in when tardy, request counselor appointments, and more) Use the link below to access your Skyward account: If you need help with your login or password, please email us at pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us. __________________________________________________________________________________ 🕒 Pioneer Main Office Hours Our office is open Monday–Friday, 7:40 AM to 3:30 PM. If you contact us after business hours, please leave a voicemail or send us an email. Our contact information is below: 📞 Call 253-583-7200 and leave a voicemail Voicemails and emails are checked the following school day. If a return call is needed, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible—there’s no need to leave multiple messages.
👉 Skyward Family Access
✉️ Email pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
