February/March Newsletter

Dear Pioneer Families,

As we hit the midpoint of the school year, we want to ensure every student has the best chance at success. Being in class every day is the best way to stay on track! To add some excitement to the month of February, we are hosting a Grade-Level Attendance Challenge. The Homeroom at each grade with the best attendance record for February will celebrate with a Class Party.

The Goal: 18 days of school, 18 days of learning. Thank you for your partnership in making school attendance a top priority!

Families will not be receiving semester report cards in the postal mail. Students’ semester grades can be accessed through Family Access in Skyward beginning February 5.

Finally, our PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is planning a beloved Pioneer tradition, Family Fun Night! Please ‘save the date’ for Friday, March 13 at 6:00pm. The PTO will be serving dinner, hosting a cake walk, having a gift basket raffle, student entertainment, a book fair in our library, and much more. We would love to have all Pioneer families join us!

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Estephan

Pioneer Principal

Testing Update - February through March

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We will continue testing our English learner students with the ACCESS for ELLs assessment in February and March, as stated in our last newsletter.

We will also be giving the i-Ready assessment in March. This test assesses reading and math. Each topic takes about a week of testing time.

i-Ready is an online program that will help us determine your student’s strengths and areas for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your student where they are and provides us with data to inform instruction. This is the second i-Ready assessment this year which will assess growth since the beginning of the year.

To help prepare your student for these assessments, encourage them to:

· Get a good night’s sleep and eat a full breakfast the day of the assessment.

· Try their best on each question and try not to rush.

· Try not to worry about questions to which they do not know the answers.

· Be respectful of other students who take longer to finish.

If you have any questions about i-Ready or ACCESS for ELLs, please do not hesitate to contact me or the school. You can also learn more about i-Ready by visiting i-ReadyCentral.com/FamilyCenter and more about ACCESS for ELLs by visiting What is WIDA ACCESS.

As always, thank you for your continued support and for being a partner in your student’s learning! It is much appreciated.

Edie Schumacher

Assessment Coordinator, Pioneer Middle School

The purpose of the counseling program at Pioneer is to create a positive environment that challenges students to grow socially, academically, and personally.

Ms. Kelli Ottley, 6th-grade counselor. I also work with 7th-grade students with the last names (A-J).

ottley.k@wenatcheeschools.org

Ms. Karissa Harle, 8th-grade counselor. I also work with 7th-grade students with last names (K-Z).

harle.karissa@wenatcheeschools.org

We are excited to announce a major milestone in your student's educational journey. To help our 8th graders prepare for their transition to high school, counselors from Wenatchee High School will be visiting Pioneer Middle School very soon!

Important Date

• When: Thursday, March 26th

• Where: Pioneer Middle School (during the school day)

• What: Freshman Course Registration & Scheduling

What to Expect

WHS counselors will work directly with our 8th-grade students to walk them through the registration process. This is a vital opportunity for students to:

• Learn about graduation requirements.

• Explore elective options and career pathways.

• Ask specific questions about the high school experience.

• Draft and submit their freshman year schedules.

How You Can Help

Before March 26th, we encourage you to sit down with your student and discuss their interests and goals for next year. Having a general idea of the classes they are excited about will make the registration process much smoother.

Note: Please ensure your student is in attendance on this day, as getting their schedule set early helps ensure the best selection of classes.

We look forward to seeing our Bears take this next big step toward becoming Panthers! If you have any questions, please contact the Pioneer Middle School counseling office.

February is National Dental Health Month! Let's make dental health part of the daily routine! Here are some reminders for good dental health:

• Encourage your child to brush their teeth at least twice a day

• Floss regularly

• Visit the dentist regularly for routine checkups and cleaning

• Don’t forget to change your toothbrush regularly

We are excited to share that Columbia Valley Community Health will be visiting our school on March 5th to provide medical services for our families. The clinic will offer:

• Well-Child Checks (Routine physicals)

• Sports Physicals (Get ready for the next season!)

• Vaccinations

Walk-ins are more than welcome! However, if you prefer to schedule a specific time for your student, please contact Michelle Martinez, the School-Based Health Services Coordinator, at 509-881-7147.

Katy Boreson, MSN, RN

School Nurse

Pioneer Middle School

Wenatchee Jazz Workshop is coming up in February! Come check out our Pioneer students perform with six jazz professionals from around the country.

Take a look at upcoming performances for our music students!

To register your student for sports, please click the FinalForms link here: FINALFORMS

Grade Checks:

Important: Changes to Athletic Eligibility Grade Checks

We are updating our grade check process to ensure consistency across all middle schools and to align with the high school system.

What does this change mean?

Two times a season, Ms. Harle will identify all athletes currently failing a class (earning an F).

• If your student is failing a class, they will get a slip from the office to pick up a Grade Check form.

  • The Grade Check form is now kept in the office.

  • The student only needs the form signed by the specific teacher(s) whose class they are failing.

• Eligibility Rule: To participate in sports, your student must have a D grade or better in all classes.

How to Get Cleared to Play:

To regain eligibility, your student must:

1. Bring their failing grade up to a D or higher by completing missing work.

2. Get the teacher to sign the Grade Check form, confirming the D grade or better.

3. Turn the signed form in to Ms. Harle (or the designated staff member) for final clearance.

4. If your student is failing any classes, you will be notified through Final Forms from Ms. Harle. She will update the status as it changes.

Reading has so many benefits. It is a great way to "travel" the world as being a stress reliever. Please encourage your child to set aside a
reading time every day.

Pioneer's annual book fair will be here March 9-13. This year we will be open during our Family
Fun Night on March 13. Please plan on stocking up your family library with some awesome books
from the book fair.

Need help finding books? We are here for you!
Sandra Lancaster and Christina Spencer
Pioneer Middle School Librarians
lancaster.s@wenatcheeschools.org

6th Grade: Todd Tollefsrud, Kristin Harvey, Winter Sanchez Palma, Leyton Weiler, Jonas Adame, Pedro Gomez, Nicolas Rojas Montoya, Reylin Brito, Josiha Vazquez, Navina Cano, Ivan Cervantes, Lyla Dobson

7th Grade: Nicolas Cuevas Ramirez, Sophia Amezcua Arias, Viktor Dejesus, Mackenzie Driesen, Trevor Gates, Joel Morales, Josefina Cibrian, Zachary Chambers, Nathaniel Arquette, Jordahn Hernandez Gutierrez, Jayceon Avalos Cruz, Angely Palestino, Jace Hendrix, Emma Echevarria, Sawyer Obanion

8th Grade: Matthew Mendoza Perez, George Sandoval Hillaire, Brody Goodwin, Ophelia Booth, Alexis Brown, Coralin Fitzgerald, Milo Tucker, Edgar Herrera Arreola, Gabriel Bergstrom, Aubree Pulliam, Jeanette Rios Campos, Mimi Lemus Vasquez, Eva Lima, Jatzel Olivares, Jehieli Sandoval Penaloza, Willy Silva Canchola, Gary McMath, Kyra Phippen, Kyla Best Sullivan, Jaissy Rocha Amaya

6th Grade: Amelia Adams, Sonja Behrens, Sophia Chirinos, Axel Contreras Hernandez, Timothy Dillman

7th Grade: Esteban Arredondo Hernandez, Jayda Avila, Olympia Burson, Arely Cuevas Galarza, Shona Eppich Talbot, Genesis Mora, Aleah Mora Sanchez, Denver Offill, Nevaeh Reyes, Benjamin Rivera, Ulises Rodriguez, Cain Swindell, Emiliano Vazquez, Miguel Zepeda Maldonado, Angelique Zuniga Navarro.

8th Grade: Lesley Avila, Lilia Eaton, Leilany Garcia, Henry Hamilton, Teagan Hanson, Makenna Holt Hernandez, Fabian Jimenez Ayala, Robert Lamoreux, Jayden Leyva, Jimena Mariscal, Nickelos Miller