PCHS Updates
August 21, 2026
First Day of School!
We look forward to seeing our students on Monday morning!
10th-12th graders will follow the half day bell schedule below.
Freshman Orientation - Schedule Overview
- 7:00-7:30: 9th graders should arrive no later than 7:15am on Monday to allow time to place cell phone and any other belongings in their locker before reporting to the PCHS Gym to start the day. (It may be easiest for your 9th grader to not bring anything with them on the first day of school, so they can just head to the gym! They do not need anything but their excited selves.)
- 7:30-8:30: Whole group welcome and ice breakers in the PCHS Gym
- 8:30-9:30: Small group breakouts with Link Crew Leaders
- 9:30-10:00: Small group building tours with Link Crew Leaders
- 10:00-10:50: Whole group in the PCHS Auditorium
- 10:50-10:55: Retrieve personal items from lockers and head to busses / pick-up
We look forward to welcoming our 9th graders into a successful and memorable high school experience!
Double-Check Your Schedule on Monday Morning!
With the first day of school on Monday, we ask all students and families to take a few minutes to double-check your student’s schedule in MiStar ON Monday morning.
Our team has been working hard behind the scenes to balance class sizes while also making every effort to ensure students have the courses they need and want. This is especially important this year, as we have welcomed more than 30 new students to PCHS—a wonderful sign of the growth and confidence in our school community, but one that requires us to be especially intentional about class sizes and staffing.
Because of this ongoing work, some schedules may have changed since you last checked. Please review your student’s schedule in MiStar on Monday and encourage your student to do the same.
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work to create schedules that provide students with the best possible learning experience while maintaining balanced and manageable class sizes.
Make sure you're ready to open your locker too! We’re excited to welcome everyone back to PCHS on Monday!
Medications on File?
If your student will need to take medication during the school day or needs to have emergency medication accessible, a parent/guardian must drop this off to the Main Office and complete a medication form so that our team is ready to provide the support necessary. Thank you!
Lunch Assignments - Starting Tuesday, August 25
Schedule Change Requests
Here are the types of schedule change requests Counselors will prioritize:
- You have a hole in your schedule
- You have a class on your schedule you've already taken
- You are missing a graduation requirement
- You were placed in the wrong course level (i.e. Honors ELA 9 vs ELA 9, Pre-Calc vs AP Calc)
If you require a schedule change, you can address this in 1 of 2 ways:
- Email your counselor your request and the rationale for it (Last Names A-Le email arobinson@pinckneypirates.org, Last names Lf-Z email nbraun@pinckneypirates.org)
- During the first week of school, visit the Counseling Office during the class period of the class you need changed AFTER attendance has been taken.
The deadline for schedule changes is Friday, August 28 (the last day of the first week of school).
We will do our best to accommodate changes, but we cannot guarantee that students will get exactly what they want. Sometimes there are schedule conflicts. Some classes fill up and will require waiting until next semester or next school year. Thank you for your understanding and for keeping this in mind when communicating with our very dedicated Counseling Office team.
Reminder: Independent Study Application Process Update
We've revised our independent study application process. The system is now digitized, more robust, and more rigorous. You can view the application form here. Applications must be submitted before the start of the semester.
Miss Registration? - Make-Up Picture Day 8/28
Livingston CTE 2026-2027 Shared Campus Schedule
If your student is enrolled in a CTE program at another location in the county, you can view their start date and weekly schedule below. Additional program information was stapled on your student's schedule upon pick-up at Registration.
Seminar @ PCHS: Where We Live Out Our Character
Every Friday, students spend one hour with their 3rd-hour teacher for Seminar—a dedicated time to build connection, support student success, and strengthen our school community. Seminar teachers serve as a go-to adult for their students, with time built in for personal, academic, and attendance check-ins, college and career guidance, character development, and community-building.
The first 15–20 minutes of each Seminar are dedicated to the Positivity Project (P2). Our Leadership students work in partnership with school and district staff to create engaging, student-centered P2 experiences connected to our monthly Pirate Character Strength. Rather than simply learning about traits like Enthusiasm, Prudence, Gratitude, Kindness, and Perseverance, students are challenged to notice, practice, and live out these strengths in our school community.
Together, Seminar and P2 help us put our vision into action: Connected. Empowered. Prepared. We use Seminar to make sure every student is known and supported by an adult, while P2 gives us a shared language and common purpose for how we want to treat one another and contribute to our community.
Every week, this newsletter will include an update on what we did during Seminar, and each month, the newsletter will include a family resource to support conversations at home about our monthly Pirate Character Strength. Thanks for joining us in this important work!
PCHS Building-Wide Expectations
Save the Date: PCHS Open House - September 2
View all the details in the link below.
PCHS PTO Happenings
26-27 School Year PTO Welcome Letter
Want to Donate to Supports the PTO's Efforts? Venmo @PCHSPTO
Next Meeting: The PCHS PTO meets every third Tuesday at 6pm in the Pirate Union. Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 15. Join us! Reach out to Mrs. McBride with interest, or just show up!
Previous Meeting Minutes: 8/18/26
Upcoming Activities:
- Senior Parking Spot Painting Collaboration w/ Student Government
26-27 PTO Board:
- President: Amanda Winningham
- VP: Mandie Morgan
- Secretary: Bill Wearne
- Treasurer: Nicole Watson
- Event Coordinator: Michelle Neuman
1st NHS Blood Drive of the Year!
PCHS Weekly Bell Schedule
Important Dates
- August 24: First Day of 2026-27 School Year! Half Day, 7:30-10:55am
- August 28: Make-Up Picture Day (if you missed registration)
- August 31: NHS & Red Cross Blood Drive (8:30am-1:15pm)
- September 2: PCHS Open House (6:00-6:30 - Optional Reproductive Health & Financial Aid Presentations, 6:30-8:00 Open House)
- September 4-7: No School - Labor Day Weekend
- September 18: Homecoming Parade & Football Game
- September 19: Homecoming Dance
- September 21: NHS Induction
- September 25: Progress Report 1 of 6
- October 5-9: Pinck Week
- October 6: Picture Retake Day
- October 7: Powderpuff Football Game
- October 13: NMSQT Test (optional, pre-reg required)
- October 27: Band-O-Rama
- October 29: Orchestra & Choir Concert
- October 30: Progress Report 2 of 6
- November 3: No School - Election Day
- November 5-6: Half Days & Parent-Teacher Conferences
- November 13, 14, 20, 21, & 22: Noises Off - Act 2 Fall Play
- November 19: NHS & Red Cross Blood Drive
- November 25-27: Thanksgiving Break
- December 1: Choir Holiday Concert
- December 3: Orchestra Concert
- December 4: Progress Report 3 of 6
- December 8: Holiday Extravaganza Concert
- December 14: Academic Awards Night
- December 16-18: Semester 1 Exams
- December 18: Half Day
- December 19-January 3: Winter Break
- January 18: No School - MLK Jr. Day
- January 22: Winterfest Basketball Games
- January 23: Winterfest Dance
- February 5: Progress Report 4 of 6
- February 12-15: Mid-Winter Break
- February 20: PCS Music Spaghetti Dinner
- February 23: 8th Grade Parent Presentation
- February 25: FAFSA / Financial Aid Night & Course Exploration Night
- March 12: Progress Report 5 of 6
- March 12, 13, 19, 20, & 21: Grease - Act 2 Spring Musical
- March 19: Prospective Student Shadow Day
- March 20: Livingston County Parent Summit
- March 26-April 4: Spring Break
- April 14: SAT & PSAT 9 (No School for 10th and 12th)
- April 15: PSAT 10 & 11th WIN Work Readiness (No School for 9th, Virtual Day for 12th)
- April 20: 11th MSTEP Social Studies (during school)
- April 27: 11th MSTEP Science (during school)
- April 28: Senior Scholar Dinner
- April 30: Class of 2027 Decision Day (during lunch)
- April 30: Progress Report 6 of 6
- May 1: Prom
- May 3-14: AP Testing
- May 4: Choir Concert
- May 6: Orchestra Concert
- May 12-14: Senior Exams
- May 12: Band Concert
- May 14: Seniors' Last Day of School
- May 26: Senior Awards Night
- May 27: Senior Graduation Rehearsal, Clap-Out, & BBQ
- May 31: No School - Memorial Day
- June 2-4: Semester 2 Exams
- June 2: PCHS Graduation @ 7pm Pirate Stadium (Rain Date: June 3 @ 7pm, Plan C: June 3 @ 7pm, PCHS Gym)
- June 4: Last Day of School - Half Day
Class of 2027 Event Calendar
Please review the end of the school year dates and plan accordingly! With the last week of school coinciding with Memorial Weekend, the traditional timing of some of our Senior events, including graduation, have been adjusted. We are excited to try an evening graduation ceremony! But we also want to be sure you have ample time to prepare and schedule accordingly, especially with this year's commencement falling on a week night.
Pirate Athletics & Community Ed
Get your tickets to any and all games here!
https://gofan.co/app/school/MI10053
Follow along for all athletic tryouts, registration, schedules, and updates at:
Looking for Pirate Athletics gear?
https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/michigan/pinckney/pinckney-high-school
Looking for Pinckney Community Education programs?
Make sure you're ready to cheer on our Pirates in ways that honor our shared spectator expectations across the SEC!
Counselors' College & Career Corner
Counseling Office: (810) 225.5603
Counseling Website: https://www.pinckneypirates.org/o/pchs (Select the Counseling drop-down menu.)
Counseling Secretary
Mrs. Leah Barkoff
810.225.5603, fax 810.225.5610
School Counselors
Ms. Amy Robinson MA, LLPC, SCL
School Counselor (Last Names: A-Le)
arobinson@pinckneypirates.org
Ms. Nicole Braun MA, SCL
School Counselor (Last Names: Lf-Z)
nbraun@pinckneypirates.org
PCHS Mental Health Specialists
Ms. Lynn Watkins, MA, LPC, SCL, NCC
Social/Emotional Mental Health Specialist
lwatkins@pinckneypirates.org
810.225.5607
Learn more about Ms. Watkins and 31n mental health services provided through LESA here.
Mrs. Sandra Parker
Social Worker Project SUCCESS Counselor, Youth-Led Prevention Facilitator, and Community Outreach Coordinator
sparker@pinckneypirates.org
810.225.6534
PCHS on Social Media
Follow us on:
- Instagram at @pinckneyhighschool
- Facebook at Pinckney Community High School.
Managerial Reminders
- Full-Day Schedule: 7:30am-2:30pm
- Half-Day Schedule: 7:30am-10:55am
- Friday Early Release Schedule: 7:30am-1:09pm
- Building Hours: 7:00am-3:00pm (Need to pick up your child's cell phone? Must arrive by 3pm!)
- PCHS is a closed campus. Only those approved to leave the building (i.e. for CTE, Dual Enrollment, Co-Op) may exit the building during school hours, and only through the South entrance. This is in service of ensuring all students are safely where they should be!
- If running late to school, students need to park in the Main Entrance lot (South side) in order to sign in at the Main Office. The North doors will be locked after 7:45am.
- Students are required to have a parking pass if parking in the PCHS lot during the school day. Make sure you've paid for your pass in the Main Office!
- PCS 26-27 Secondary Student Handbook
- PCS Transportation Code of Conduct
- Have a tech issue? Submit a helpdesk ticket at: helpdesk.pinckneypirates.org
Attendance Hotline: 810-225-5510 / hs-attendance@pinckneypirates.org
Pinckney Community High School
Email: jmcbride@pinckneypirates.org
Website: www.pinckneypirates.org
Location: 10255 Dexter-Pinckney Road, Pinckney, MI, USA
Phone: 8102255500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pinckneyhigh
Twitter: @PinckneyHigh