Pioneer Press

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we approach the spring semester, we would like to inform you about the upcoming Smarter Balanced Assessments for Math and English Language Arts (ELA), as well as the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science for our middle school students. These assessments are an important part of tracking your child’s academic progress and ensuring we continue to meet their educational needs.

Test Dates:

• Smarter Balanced Assessments (Math and ELA): May 12, 14, 19, and 20

• Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science: May 13 (8th grade only)

Attendance is Critical: Please plan ahead to ensure your child is present for testing. Absences during these dates can impact your child’s ability to participate and complete the tests. We ask that you avoid scheduling appointments or other activities that could interfere with testing.

Testing is Required: Participation in state testing is required for all students. If, for any reason, you wish to refuse testing for your child, we require a meeting with an administrator prior to April 3. Please note that refusal requests will not be accepted without a prior meeting, and no refusals will be granted after the cut-off date.

How You Can Help: To support your child’s success, please encourage them to:

• Get plenty of rest the night before each test.

• Have a healthy breakfast to start the day energized.

• Approach the tests with confidence and a positive mindset.

We appreciate your support in ensuring your child is prepared and present for these important assessments. If you have any questions, or if you need to schedule a refusal meeting, please contact the school before the April 3 deadline.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support!

Pioneer Admin Team

Special Education Department Spotlight: Celebrating Student Growth

Our students continue to show determination, responsibility, and resilience as they work hard to succeed in their general education classes. Each day, they are strengthening both their academic skills and their confidence as learners.

Reading and Writing

In ELA, students have been actively building foundational and higher-level reading skills. They explored phonics patterns in “Kite Cat” and “Cry Baby,” focusing on how specific spelling rules impact word reading and spelling accuracy. By practicing these patterns, students are improving their decoding skills and becoming more confident readers.

Beyond decoding, students have been stretching their thinking through inferencing—using clues from the text along with their own background knowledge to draw logical conclusions. They are also strengthening close-reading habits by returning to passages to locate text evidence that supports their answers. Rather than guessing, students are learning to prove their thinking. These activities are helping them read more independently and think like careful, analytical readers.

Math in Focus

In math, students have been working hard to deepen their understanding of equations and how they relate to real-world problem solving. They’ve practiced solving one- and two-step equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. As they build fluency with number operations, they’re learning to check their work and explain their reasoning—key skills for building math confidence and accuracy.

Students have also been using visual models like number lines, bar models, and algebra tiles to better understand how equations work. These tools help make abstract concepts more concrete and support all types of learners. Whether solving for a missing value or interpreting a word problem, students are becoming more comfortable thinking critically and approaching problems step-by-step.

Advocacy and Participation

Across all content areas, students are taking greater ownership of their learning. Many are advocating for themselves by asking clarifying questions, requesting accommodations when needed, and communicating directly with teachers about what helps them succeed. This growth in self-advocacy reflects increasing independence and maturity.

With the support of paraeducators and teachers, students are breaking assignments into manageable steps, working through challenges with persistence, and staying engaged in grade-level content. Staff collaborates to ensure that work is thoughtfully modified while maintaining high expectations, allowing students to participate meaningfully alongside their peers.

We are especially proud of the confidence students are showing when presenting their work. Whether sharing a project, explaining their reasoning, or participating in group discussions, students are stepping forward and using their voices. These moments highlight not just academic progress, but growth in courage and self-belief.

Our students’ effort, perseverance, and willingness to keep growing continue to inspire us. With the right support and their own hard work, they are proving that progress happens every day.

Dear 6th Grade Families,

As we prepare for Outdoor Education Week at YMCA Camp Colman, please take a moment to complete the registration form and submit payment as soon as possible.

Register your student:
https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/69340664?school_id=5427

Submit payment:
https://wa-steilacoom.intouchreceipting.com/signin

We are still in need of chaperones for both sessions. If you are available to help, we would greatly appreciate your support! Please use the link below to sign up.

Sign up to chaperone:
https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/68750675

Reminders:

• Return the completed YMCA Liability Form to your student’s ELA teacher.

• Submit medical authorization paperwork if your child will need medication while at camp.

Thank you for helping us get everything completed on time so we can make this a great experience for our students!

Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Haller or Mrs. Gidley if you have any questions.

agidley@steilacoom.k12.wa.us

khaller@steilacoom.k12.wa.us

🚍 Bus Zone Safety Reminder 🚍

To keep our bus zone safe and accessible, this area must remain clear at all times. Parking or playing in the bus zone creates serious safety concerns and may prevent buses from entering or exiting safely.

Visitors attending athletic events are asked to park in the lot adjacent to the basketball hoops or in the main parking lot at the front of the building.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe environment for all students, staff, and families!

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:
👉 Skyward Family Access

If you need help with your login or password, please email us at pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us.

To help keep traffic moving smoothly and ensure everyone's safety, we kindly ask that families park in a designated parking space before dropping off or picking up their student. Students should exit safely from a parked vehicle and then walk to school.

Please also remember that handicap parking spaces and the surrounding areas are reserved for individuals who need them. We ask that these spaces not be used for drop-off or pick-up.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping keep our school community safe! 🚸

See our school club schedule below:

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.

Girls' Soccer & Boys' Basketball Practice Schedule
Monday – Friday from 2:45 to 4:45 PM (Except on game days)

Wednesday – Study Hall
All student athletes and sport managers are required to attend study hall in the cafeteria on Wednesdays from 1:40 – 2:45 PM.

Students will report to practice immediately following study hall dismissal.

🚫 Students may not leave campus during study hall. 🚫

Game Day Schedules
Please use the link below for updated sports schedules:
Sports Game Schedules

After-School Transportation
Please use the link below for bus routes:
After School Transportation - Routes

March 11th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time

March 12th - March Social - 2:45 pm - 4:30 pm - more information to come

March 13th - Teacher Professional Development - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

March 18th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time

March 25th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time

April 1st - 30th - Volunteer Appreciation Month

April 1st - 3rd - Spring Conferences - student 11:40 am release time - more information to come

April 6th - April 10th - NO SCHOOL - Spring Break

See our website for more information: https://pio.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/