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

Eighth Grade US History classes are working on answering the question: Was it destiny for the US to expand after it became a country? Students will be learning about each physical addition the US made as well as key figures and events surrounding them to explore if it was destiny or not. Students will also be exploring what destiny means to them as well as what it has meant to the US.

Ms. Joslin's U.S. History classes are finishing up a unit on the Framing of the Constitution. Students learned about the history and creation of the Constitution and the U. S. Government. Students will then choose a constitutional issue to research and write their C.B.A. (Classroom Based Assessment) on.

Seventh graders in Mr. Blanchard’s class returned from their "virtual road trip" across Washington State. The students chose 14 historic sites to visit, and learned facts about the sites, calculated the distance, time, and expenses of their road trip. Although they may be weary from their “travels”, they can help you plan your next trip. Students are researching Washington events that impacted history. They have been learning about Washington’s statehood, the establishment of Steilacoom, different treaties, the Great Seattle Fire, and many students’ favorite, the Pig War. They created and presented their projects to demonstrate their understanding of the topics they specifically researched.

CBA (Classroom Based Assessment) research is in full swing for Ms. Sullivan's Historians! They are addressing the question, "What were the causes of conflict (disagreement) that led to the need for treaties between Indigenous Tribes and the United States government?" Students are simultaneously learning the importance of credible sources, effective search terms, and relevant evidence. Ask your student about the CRAAP test for credible sources! Stay tuned to see some creative projects that display students' knowledge!

In sixth grade social studies students wrapped up their studies on ancient Egypt and are now studying ancient Greece. Currently, students are learning about the geography of ancient Greece compared to that of Egypt. They are indeed very different. In addition, students are learning about different types of governments that they will be able to apply when they learn about the various types of governments used to rule people throughout Greek history. Coming up over the next couple of weeks, students will also learn about Greek philosophers, famous politicians, and some of the more famous battles fought between the Greeks and their enemy, the Persians.

Prior to the end of our unit on Egypt, Ms. Martin’s class had the opportunity to recreate an ancient Egyptian temple, using evidence from the past to influence their designs. The pictures below show some of the work!

Mrs. Martin's class had the opportunity to recreate an ancient Egyptian temple, using evidence from the past to influence their designs. The pictures below show their amazing work!

Pioneer Soccer Program Wraps Up Historic Season!

The Pioneer Soccer program capped off an outstanding season filled with success, growth, and teamwork across all levels. This year proved to be one of the most impressive in recent program history.

Both our Varsity and JV teams finished the season undefeated, showcasing consistency and high level play from start to finish. Across all four Pioneer teams, the program recorded just one loss the entire season, an incredible accomplishment that reflects the dedication and effort of our student athletes.

Leading the way, our Varsity team delivered a dominant performance, outscoring opponents 56 to 1 while securing their fourth consecutive undefeated season. Their commitment, discipline, and teamwork set the tone for the entire program.

We would also like to recognize Madden Ford for an exceptional three year Varsity career. Over her middle school tenure, Madden helped lead the team to a perfect 28 to 0 record while the team outscored opponents 189 to 7. Her consistency, leadership, and impact have been a major part of this program’s success.

Madden finished her middle school career with 42 goals and 38 assists, contributing to 42% of all goals scored during her time in the program, an incredible achievement and testament to her influence on the field.

For our 8th graders transitioning to high school soccer, additional information about summer workouts and training opportunities will be shared later this year when high school coaches visit and connect with our athletes.

Congratulations to all of our players and thank you to the families and community members who supported Pioneer Soccer this season!

-Coach Haller

Season 4 (Spring) Sports: Girls Volleyball and Co-Ed Cross Country

Registration Dates:
March 17 - April 13

Register Here

Sports Physical REQUIRED to try out!

Blank Sports Physical

Tryout Schedule:
April 13 - 17 (Monday - Friday)
2:45 - 4:45 p.m.

Mandatory Study Hall:
April 15 (Wednesday) before tryouts - 17 (Monday - Friday)
1:40 - 2:45 p.m.

To participate in tryouts, all potential athletes must:

• Be fully registered in FinalForms (including all required forms and signatures)

• Have a current sports physical uploaded in FinalForms

Tryout attendance expectations:

• Athletes are expected to attend all 5 days of tryouts

• Cuts may occur throughout the process, athletes not selected for the team will be notified as decisions are made

Show us your A-game, hustle, positive attitude, and teamwork! We're excited to see what you can do!

There will be no clubs on Tuesday, March 31st and Thursday, April 2nd.

Clubs will resume after spring break on Tuesday, April 14th.

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

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

April 15th - ACE DAY - 1:40 pm student release time

April 20th - 24th - Month of the Military Child District-Wide Spirit Week

April 23rd - Band MRMEA - Large group contest - Orting MS

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