Pioneer Press
May 22, 2026
COLOR RUN - PLEASE DONATE!
Use the QR code below to donate!
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
Science Highlights!
6th grade
6th graders finished up an engineering unit to design ramps to roll a marble as far as possible and turning their science tables into a 30 second timer. Now they are exploring how the genetic traits we have depend on genes we get from our parents by studying a fictional family of spiders that have different silk flexibility. Ask your student why real-life scientists are studying spider silk!
7th grade
7th grade is finishing the Evolutionary History unit and currently researching an evolutionary tree! To finish out the year, our classes has been getting a fun first look at chemistry — just enough to start thinking like scientists before they hit the ground running next year. The curiosity has been contagious and we can't wait to see where they take it!
8th grade
The 8th grade classes just finished the WCAS (Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science) this week. All classes have been studying Light Waves and the Electromagnetic Spectrum to see why Australia has the highest amount of skin cancer in the world. As we finish the year and get students ready for high school, we will be doing STEM projects around the Pika (a cute rodent) and how climate change affects their habitat.
Have a great summer, Scientists!
Big Thank you from ASB to Donors!
Pioneer ASB would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to our amazing t-shirt sponsors for helping provide a Color Run shirt for every student!
Your generosity and support helped make this event possible and ensured that all students could participate and show their school spirit together.
We truly appreciate your partnership and commitment to our students and school community — we couldn’t have done it without you!
School Clubs
Here are the club schedule updates with the last meeting dates noted:
Tuesdays
- Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) — Last meeting: Tuesday, May 26
- Christian Faith Group (CFG) — Suspended for the rest of the school year
Thursdays
- Pokémon Go! Club — Last meeting: Thursday, May 28
- Game Club — Last meeting: Thursday, May 28
Transportation:
After-school activity buses are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students attending school clubs. Click here for route information.
Sports Schedule
Fall Sports Registration now OPEN
Bus Passes & Transportation Changes
🚍 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!
May 25th - NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
May 26th - Last day of: GSA Club
May 28th - Last day of: Pokemon Go Club, and Game Club
May 29th - Color Run Event
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/
