PCE Newsletter
May 2020
PBIS Person of the Year!
First grade teacher and PBIS PCE staff coach, Tiffany Mueller, was recently awarded the PBIS Person of the Year by her peers at Prairie City Elementary. This is an award given annually by the State Department of Education in support of those teachers that are out leading the work to implement safe and positive schools using the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports framework. Tiffany works collaboratively with School Guidance Counselor, Lindsey Houck, to co-coach the leadership teams and support all staff at Prairie City Elementary to ensure proper implementation of the PBIS model. Congratulations, Tiffany! We appreciate your hard work and dedication! As the building principal, I personally thank you for going above and beyond in this leadership role in addition to being a full time first grade teacher.
Enjoy this well-deserved recognition!
Mrs. Ver Helst
Retirement after 22 Years!
Debbie Gathman retires this year after 22 years of service at Prairie City Elementary. Starting as a classroom associate in 1998, she moved to the library in 2001 and has been loving her library classes ever since. While at PCE, she was not just the library associate. She was in charge of the breakfast program every day, she supported the lunchroom routines daily, provided countless hours of student supervision in various roles, made sure that the Monroe shuttle bus students got on the bus daily, she made sure students safely left the playground at dismissal each day, she was an integral part of the PBIS leadership team and would assist with many aspects of the assemblies and PBIS ticket awards and teaching expectations to students. She filled many roles and responsibilities at Prairie City Elementary and always did it with a smile. Debbie and her husband live in Monroe and have had three kids graduate from PCM. She looks forward to spending more time with each of her adult children, their significant others, and their pups. Debbie is also eager to have time to get even more involved at the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines and traveling in her newly found spare time. Congratulations to Debbie! We will greatly miss her at Prairie City Elementary.
Thursday May 14 Student "Farewell for the Summer" PCE Staff Parade
Thursday May 14 the PCE staff are hosting a "farewell for the summer" parade.
This will start from the PCE south lot at 5:30 honking through city streets, then VERY approximate times: 6:15 start Marion's route, 7:00 Karen P. route, and finish strong with Lacey's route starting around 7:45. Please social distance but try to attend! We all miss each other and would love another chance to see some smiles! Rain Date: Thursday May 28-same time.
This will start from the PCE south lot at 5:30 honking through city streets, then VERY approximate times: 6:15 start Marion's route, 7:00 Karen P. route, and finish strong with Lacey's route starting around 7:45. Please social distance but try to attend! We all miss each other and would love another chance to see some smiles! Rain Date: Thursday May 28-same time.
Thursday May 21 6:30 5th grade Awards and Graduation Virtual Ceremony
PCE 5th grade parents, family and friends,
We will be hosting a 5th grade graduation and awards ceremony VIRTUALLY using Zoom with a link to YouTube live. This ceremony of recognition will be held on Thursday evening May 21, 2020 starting at 6:30 pm. Please plan to look for the zoom invite email that will be sent out on Tuesday May 19. Plan to have Internet access and a device so your child can watch as their names are called for awards, recognition and promotion. There will be traditional music played as well. School administration and teachers will be presenting one at a time (using social distancing) from the Middle School auditorium to give the "feel" of a formal ceremony. After this ceremony, arrangements will be made for 5th grade students to pick up all awards, certificates, DARE bags etc. You will receive information about the awards pick up at a later date. Stay tuned! Spread the word to save the date Thursday May 21 at 6:30 pm.
We will be hosting a 5th grade graduation and awards ceremony VIRTUALLY using Zoom with a link to YouTube live. This ceremony of recognition will be held on Thursday evening May 21, 2020 starting at 6:30 pm. Please plan to look for the zoom invite email that will be sent out on Tuesday May 19. Plan to have Internet access and a device so your child can watch as their names are called for awards, recognition and promotion. There will be traditional music played as well. School administration and teachers will be presenting one at a time (using social distancing) from the Middle School auditorium to give the "feel" of a formal ceremony. After this ceremony, arrangements will be made for 5th grade students to pick up all awards, certificates, DARE bags etc. You will receive information about the awards pick up at a later date. Stay tuned! Spread the word to save the date Thursday May 21 at 6:30 pm.