Pioneer Press
May29th
A Message from Principal Fernandes
Dear Parents/Guardians of 8th Grade Students,
It’s hard to believe that the school year is almost over. With the school year ending comes an exciting time with the 8th-grade promotion.
The 8th-grade promotion ceremony and dance will be held at Pioneer on Tuesday, June 9th, 2026, starting at 4:30 pm. The promotion ceremony will be in the gym with the dance following in the cafeteria. The dress code for the promotion ceremony requires 8th graders to dress as if they were going on a job interview. Students may wear a nice pair of pants and a dress shirt with a collar – no jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts or sagging pants. Sport jackets and ties are nice but not required. Students may wear a nice skirt and blouse, dress or pants outfit – no shorts, short skirts or too revealing dresses, please. This is not a formal occasion, so we ask that students not wear tuxedos or formal attire.
We know that families are eager to celebrate 8th-grade promotion, but we must ask that you keep parent/family attendance to a minimum so that we abide by fire code. We ask that each 8th grader have four (4) or fewer guests attend so that we do not exceed code limits. Also, please do not bring balloons to promotion as it blocks the view of others.
8th Grade Promotion & Dance Schedule:
11:40 AM 8th-grade students dismissed (bus transportation provided home)
4:00 PM Students return to school (no transportation provided)
4:30 PM Promotion ceremony begins/8th-grade dance begins immediately after the ceremony/Dance is for Pioneer students only — no outside guests allowed
7:30 PM Dance concludes (please arrange prompt pickup; no transportation provided)
Sincerely,
JoAnne Fernandes
Principal
Elective Highlights!
Foreign language class
As the year is drawing to a close, students are working diligently. I encourage students to work together as I believe that when we work together, we learn better. It also helps to develop a more cohesive group, which also supports the development of trust which reduces the risk when speaking
in a secondary language.
The students also continue with their exploration of Hispanic and German culture through the Communities Project – Comunidades in Spanish and Gemeinschaft in German. Some are reading children’s book Der Kleiner Eisbär – The Little Polar Bear, as well as favorites like El Pez Arco Iris – The Rainbow Fish.
Medical Detectives
Students in Medical Detectives have finished their unit on the brain and nervous system. They are beginning their final project, which will use all of the skills they have learned throughout the semester to track and diagnose an outbreak of a neurotoxin. Once students have a diagnosis, they will use laboratory tests to confirm their diagnosis, and create a public health message.
Physical Education
As we move toward the end of the school year, our PE program will also begin annual fitness testing. These assessments help students track their personal growth in areas such as cardiovascular endurance, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness. Our focus is always on individual improvement, effort, and building healthy lifelong habits rather than competition with others.
We encourage students to continue getting good sleep, staying hydrated, eating healthy meals, and remaining active outside of school as we finish the year strong. Thank you for your continued support of our PE program!
Band
Our Symphonic Band traveled to Orting Middle School on 4/30 to perform at the Mountain Region Large Group Festival, receiving the first 1 (Superior) Rating in Pioneer History! The band was adjudicated by three judges, and then Mark Burch from the Puyallup School District worked with the Band providing individual and immediate feedback, in a clinic format. The students had a wonderful
performance that demonstrated their months of hard work and dedication.
In May, every student in the 6th and 7th grade auditioned for next year's symphonic band. Every student gave a great audition that showed their tremendous progress over the year!
All three bands are preparing for their final concert on June 8th, with each group performing a song based on a popular movie tune. We are so excited to show how much we have improved over the year!
The Art Classroom
As the school year comes to a close, our art students are finishing with creativity and imagination! Sixth grade artists have been exploring the Element of Art: Shape by creating meaningful paper collages inspired by personal memories and experiences. Students are learning how artists can use simple shapes to tell powerful stories and express emotions.
Meanwhile, seventh and eighth grade students are putting their observation and drawing skills to the test through grid enlargement projects. Using the grid method, students are carefully enlarging detailed images of butterflies or vans while focusing on proportion, accuracy, and craftsmanship. It has been exciting to watch these large-scale artworks come to life!
I am so proud of the creativity, perseverance, and growth our students have shown throughout the year. Thank you for supporting the arts at our school!
Choir
The Choirs have been preparing for the final concert of the year. Please come join us on Thursday, June 4th at 6:30 pm!
Scholastic Book Fair is Coming!!
Scholastic Book Fair is Coming!
Get ready, readers—the Scholastic Book Fair is back at Pioneer Middle School! From May 29th, the library will be transformed into a mini bookstore full of exciting titles for every kind of reader.
Hours:
Friday May 29th–Thursday June 4th: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This is a great opportunity for students and families to discover new books and build their home libraries. Even better, every purchase helps support our school library.
We’re especially excited to share that we’ll have the newest Wings of fire books available—a favorite we know students can’t wait to get their hands on!
Easy Shopping with eWalletSkip the cash—parents can set up a secure, cash-free eWallet for their student to shop the fair. It’s simple, safe, and gives kids the fun of choosing their own books.
Shop Online Too!
If you can’t make it in person, you can also shop the fair online! All orders ship directly to your home, and online sales still benefit our library.
Visit our book fair homepage to set up eWallet, shop online, and learn more:
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/pioneermiddleschool1
Mark your calendars and come join us in the Pioneer Library.
June Lunch Menu
Last Call for Yearbooks!
School Clubs
Today, Friday, May 29th, is the final meeting day for all school clubs for the 2025–2026 school year.
Please note that after today, there will be no more 4:00 p.m. activity buses.
Thank you to all of our students, advisors, and families for a fantastic year of club activities and involvement.
School Sports
Transportation Changes & Bus Passes
🚍 After-School Transportation Changes 🚍
If you need to change your student's after-school transportation plan, please contact the main office by the times listed below:
1:45 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
12:45 p.m. on ACE days (Wednesdays)
These deadlines allow us adequate time to notify your student before dismissal.
Contact the office:
📞 253-583-7205
Please note:
Transportation changes requested 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.
🚫 Please do not email individual staff members regarding attendance, tardies, or other time-sensitive matters. If a staff member is out, your message may go unseen.
Coming Up!
June 4th - Choir Concert @ 6:30 pm - PIO GYM
June 8th - Band Concert @ 6:30 pm - PIO GYM
June 9th - 8th Grade Promotion @ 4:30 pm PIO Gym followed by dance in cafeteria
June 11th - Field Day - more info to come
June 12th - Last day of school - half day - 11:40 student release time
For more information: https://pio.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/
