Pioneer Press

Dear Pioneer Families,

As we move into the winter months, we want to partner with families to ensure all students feel safe, respected, and ready to learn at school. Recently, we have seen an increase in students engaging in overly physical behavior—poking, grabbing, roughhousing, and even attempting to de-pants peers. Even "playful" touching such as tag gets out of hand. These behaviors are not acceptable at school, and they create unsafe and uncomfortable situations for other students.

Please take a moment to talk with your child about the importance of keeping their hands to themselves, respecting personal boundaries, and understanding that any behavior involving unwanted physical contact will result in school consequences.

We also ask for your support in reinforcing our expectations around appropriate attire. Students should dress for the colder weather and ensure that undergarments are not visible at any time. This helps maintain a positive learning environment for everyone.

Thank you for your partnership in helping all students feel secure, comfortable, and ready to learn each day at Pioneer.

Mrs. Fernandes

Math @ Pioneer!

It is an important time of year to remind our students of the themes of respect and gratitude—respecting ourselves, others, and our shared learning environment. We’ve been practicing gratitude by trying our best each day and embracing mistakes as chances to grow. Students are also strengthening their visual thinking skills and developing strategies for accurate computation.

6th grade students just finished a unit on multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers. Next, they will continue their understanding of operations with decimals. Students will explore ideas of where this information might be helpful in the real world.

Hi Cap students are beginning to discover how to find the area of two-dimensional figures.

7th graders spent time on mathematical vocabulary that guides them to create and solve algebraic equations. Some students are beginning to learn about solving inequalities. Please remind your mathematician to review concepts they are struggling with using the videos and tools posted in our Google Classrooms.

Algebra students just finished a unit that focused on graphing linear equations. Now, they will begin solving systems of linear equations.

8th grade math students are finishing a unit that focuses on angles and triangles. Next, they will graph the slope of linear equations using an x/y table. Then, they will solve linear equations. Finally, they will draw correlations between the graph and the equation.

Geometry students are wrapping up their unit on parallel and perpendicular lines. Up next, they will learn about transformations.

Pioneer Middle School will be closed on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, from 1:45–2:45 PM so that we can hold an important all-staff meeting, including office staff. During this time, the front office and phone lines will be unavailable.

We appreciate your understanding and support.

Class begin at 8:10 a.m.

If your student arrives at 8:10 a.m. or later, they must check in at the kiosk to receive a pass to class. 🔹 Tardies require a parent/guardian excuse.

Reporting Absences & Tardies:

Don’t forget to excuse your student’s absences and tardies!

✅ Option 1: Call 253-583-7200 and select the attendance option.

• If no one answers, please leave a voicemail—messages are checked frequently.
• No need to call multiple times.

✅ Option 2: Email pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us or send a ParentSquare message to the Pioneer Office.

🚫 Do not email staff directly regarding attendance, tardies or other time-sensitive issues. If the staff member is out, your message may go unseen.

See our school club schedule below:

Tuesdays

• Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) – Room A101 with Mrs. Percefull

• Christian Faith Group (CFG) – Room B103 with Mrs. Vaccaro

Thursdays

• Pokémon Go! Club – Room E129 with Mrs. Elshire

• Game Club – Room A202 with Mr. Milton

• Builder's Club - Cafeteria with Mrs. Holyfield

Transportation:

After-school activity buses are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students attending school clubs. Click here for route information.

December 9th - Band Winter Concert - Pioneer GYM at 6:30pm

December 10th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time

December 16th - Choir Winter Concert - Pioneer GYM at 6:30pm

December 17th - ACE Day - 1:40 pm student release time

December 19th - Student Winter Assembly - Pioneer GYM

December 22nd - January 2th - Winter Break - NO SCHOOL

January 5th - STUDENTS RETURN FROM WINTER BREAK

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