Pioneer Family Times 10/11

“The most valuable possession

you can own is an open heart.

The most powerful weapon

you can be is an instrument of peace.”

– Carlos Santana

Greetings Pioneer Students & Families:

We hope you are enjoying a restful and refreshing early fall break after a fast-paced and exciting start to the school year! Our students and staff have been working hard, and we hope this extended weekend provides everyone with an opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends.

As we prepare to return to school, we invite you to join us for Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4:00-7:00 on Tuesday, 10/13. These conferences are an important opportunity to connect with your student's teachers, celebrate successes, discuss progress, and identify ways to support continued growth and achievement throughout the school year.

Please remember that conferences are in person and by appointment only. To schedule your meetings, please use the SignUpGenius link included in our school updates over the past two weeks. It is also shared below in the Pio Updates section.

If you are not able to schedule a meeting with a teacher, please email that teacher and they will find time to correspond with you in a timely fashion. We do our best to respond within 24-48 hours. CLICK HERE for a staff directory. Lastly, Pioneer will have a second round of conferences in a few weeks, they will be fully virtual, and you will be able to meet with other teachers at that time.

We value the partnership between our families and staff and look forward to continuing to work together to ensure every Pioneer has a successful and rewarding school year. Please enjoy the remainder of your fall break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday, 10/13!

Be Bold! Be Brave! Be Extraordinary! Be a Pioneer!

Be Rested,

Your Pioneer Administration Team

(Ms. Claar, Ms. Roberts, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Wade, and Mr. Smith)

Filipino Americans are the second-largest Asian American group in the nation. The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California.

In 2009, U.S. Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month in the United States. Various states, counties, and cities in the U.S. have established proclamations and resolutions declaring observance of Filipino American History Month. The late Dr. Fred Cordova, along with his wife, FANHS Founder Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, first introduced October as Filipino American History Month in 1992 with a resolution from the FANHS National Board of Trustees.

Across the nation, FANHS Chapters, colleges and universities, museums, and community groups will be commemorating Filipino American History Month with various activities and events to bring awareness of the significant role Filipinos have played in American history.

October 1992 was the first time that Filipino American History Month (FAHM) was celebrated in the United States – a year after FANHS passed a proclamation (spearheaded by Fred Cordova). Since then, FAHM has been celebrated annually all over the country – with initiatives by FANHS chapters, local community nonprofit groups, government organizations, and college student organizations. In 2009, U.S. Congress declared October as FAHM, and in 2015, President Obama celebrated the first FAHM at the White House.

Who Should Attend? Parents, students, teachers, staff, local leaders, community members – everyone who cares about our schools!

Why Attend? Your input is crucial as we begin to set priorities and make decisions that will impact our students and community. This is a chance for you to make your voice heard and contribute to the future of our educational community.

You're welcome to attend either session. We hope you'll join the conversation and help us build the future of AAPS together.

Sessions:

Wednesday, October 14, 6:30-8:00 PM

Pioneer High School Cafeteria, 601 W Stadium Blvd

Thursday, October 15, 6:30-8:00 PM
Huron High School Cafeteria, 2727 Fuller Rd

Questions? Email strategicplan@aaps.k12.mi.us.

On Friday, October 9, seven members of the Pioneer Choirs travelled to the Detroit Opera House to participate in the MSVMA Art Song Intensive. Led by artists from the Detroit Opera, the students performed in masterclasses, received clinics and instruction on their performances, toured the Detroit Opera House, and learned about the opera industry. Congratulations to these amazing student artists!

(L-R) Tara Lee '29, Stephen Gadaire '27, Ryan Lorenz '27, Emilia Menke '28, Ava Taylor '29, Agathe Leroux '28, & Ellie Gaylor '28.

• 9:55 Fire Drill
• 4:00-7:00 Parent Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, 10/14: COLLEGE WEAR WEDNESDAYS

• 1:00 ALICE Drill (Details will be shared on Wednesday)

Friday, 10/16: PIONEER PRIDE

• 10/20: All Hollows Band Concert

• 10/21: Club Fair & AAEA/Department Meetings
• 10/22: PSAT Make-Up
• 10/27: SAEBRS Survey

• 11/3: No School for Students & Staff (Election Day)

• 11/4: School Pictures (Make Up) & Curriculum Design District PL

• 11/5 AMC Math Competition

• 11/10: Coffee w/ the Principals

• 11/12-11/15: PTG Presents: Hadestown

• 11/17: 8th Grade Parent Night
• 11/25-11/27: No School for Students & Staff (Late Fall Break)

To access our full building calendar, please visit the Pioneer School Site and click on the CALENDAR link.

To view all Pioneer athletic events please click on the schedule below:

Pioneer Athletics Events

Pioneer Athletics Page

Follow Pioneer Athletics on X @AAPioneerSports

To the Parents/Guardians of Pioneer High School Students,

As part of our continuing efforts to support student well-being, Pioneer High School will administer a brief, universal screening of social, emotional & behavioral well-being to all students. Below, you will find more information about the screener, including how the information will be used. Please take a moment to review this information. If you do not want your student to participate, you may use the link provided to opt out.

Sincerely,

Desmond Smith

Principal, Pioneer High School

Ann Arbor Public Schools

STUDENT WELL-BEING SCREENER DISCLOSURE

Pioneer staff care deeply about our students and want to make sure they have the support they need to be successful in school. As part of this effort, Pioneer High School will administer a brief self-report screener to all students. Students will answer questions about their social, emotional, and behavioral experiences at school.

We will use the mySAEBRS (Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener), a research-validated screening measure. Information from the screener helps us better understand the needs of our student population and identify students who may benefit from additional support. The information can also help us plan supports at the school, classroom, and individual levels.

The screener will be administered at Pioneer High School on October 27, 2026, and again on a date to be determined in the spring.

A member of the Pioneer screening team may follow up with a student if their responses indicate that additional support may be helpful. A student's screening results do not mean that a student has a mental health or behavioral disorder, and the screener is not used to diagnose a mental health condition.

If you would like additional information about the screener or the student supports available at Pioneer High School, please contact Dr. Emily Sportsman, School Psychologist, at sportsman@aaps.k12.mi.us, or your student's school counselor.

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

Results of this screener will only be reviewed by district mental health professionals and shared with appropriate staff and/or parents on a need to know basis. The screener is not being used to provide a diagnosis or to treat any mental health conditions, but rather as a guide to determine the current behavioral well-being of our student population.

OPT OUT

If you have no objection to the screener, no further action is necessary, and your student will participate.

If you would prefer that your student NOT participate in this screening during this school year, please complete this form by Friday, 10/23/26. If you have multiple students at Pioneer, please complete the survey for each student.

Consent for Opt Out

Help us celebrate our amazing Pioneer Teachers and Staff! Purchase an Achatz pie to donate to our Teacher and Staff Appreciation Drawing. Every pie you buy earns $5 for Pioneer Orchestras and increases the chances of our staff winning a delicious treat!

How It Works:

CLICK HERE to purchase an Achatz pie through the Pioneer Orchestra Parents Society Pie Sale Oct 7-21. Staff will enter their names in an electronic survey for a chance to win. On October 22nd, we’ll draw winners based on the number of pies donated! Winning pies will be delivered by POPS or picked up by you on November 13.

This is a wonderful opportunity to express gratitude for the hard work our teachers and staff do every day while at the same time supporting our orchestras!

For questions, contact POPS pie sale rep Jennifer Corey at jencorey22@gmail.com.

Thank you for your generous pie donation! Let's show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them!

We are excited to announce our 1st set of Parent Teacher Conferences. You have the opportunity to BRIEFLY meet with teachers to discuss your child's academic and/or social progress. There will not be enough slots for everyone this first time, but we will be hosting another night of conferences in the near future. Details on the next opportunity to meet with teachers is coming next week.

If your child is doing well in a particular class, and you have no concerns, you do not need to sign up for a conference with that teacher. We encourage you to sign up for a conference slot only with a teacher if your student is struggling and/or you have concerns about the class.

If you are not able to sign up to meet with a teacher that you need to speak with, please email them and they will correspond with you within 24-48 hours. Our teacher are extremely dedicated to the success of every student and would love to partner with you. Click on the links below to sign up for conferences based on the teachers' last names. The sign up is now open and will close on Sunday, 10/11.

• A - C Teacher Conference Links

• D - G Teacher Conference Links

• H - L Teacher Conference Links

• M - R Teacher Conference Links

• S - Z Teacher Conference Links

Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Tuesday October 13th from 4pm-7pm. To help us prepare, families who would like translation support during parent teacher conferences should fill out this Google form by Thursday October 8th. This service is available to all families at Pioneer. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Nicole Macko at mackon@aaps.k12.mi.us

The Pioneer Math Department is once again hosting the AMC Math Competition. The competition will take place during 1st and 2nd hour (8:00-10:00am) in the Cafeteria Annex on Thursday November 5th. Interested competitors should signup through your math teacher or see Mr. O'Connell in room C325. The deadline to register is October 16th, cost is $5.

Do you have a GPA of 3.6 or higher? If so, consider applying to National Honor Society! It's a great way to get involved in the school and community, AND looks good on a college application.

Deadline is 3pm on 10/30. Applications can be turned in to Ms. Bender via email or in room C-119.

https://tinyurl.com/pionhsapplication

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is preparing to launch the new Youth Employment Permit Portal, a centralized online system that will modernize the state’s youth employment permit process and make it more convenient and accessible for minors, families and employers. Local school districts and nonpublic schools will no longer issue youth employment permits.

Beginning Oct. 2, employers and minors will use the new portal to complete the youth employment permit process through one statewide system. To help employers, schools, families and other stakeholders prepare for the transition, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity will host a Youth Employment Permit Portal webinar on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 2–3:30 p.m. ET. For additional information and updates, visit Michigan.gov/YouthEmployment.

Remember that it is courtesy to give your recommendation writers at least a 2-3 week notice before your applications are due. The deadline to request recommendations from counselors and guarantee they are completed by November 1st, is Thursday October 15th. Please be sure to communicate with your counselor AND add their email address in CommonApp.

SENIORS: The Counseling Department will be hosting Lunch Help Sessions during the month of October for college applications. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in October, seniors can "Drop In" to the counseling office to ask questions and receive assistance on applications during early lunch. There will also be a table of counselors available in the lunchroom on Thursdays to help provide assistance and answer questions!

Pioneer Student Council is having a GoFan fundraiser to support events and activities for the Class of 2027 throughout the school year. The fundraiser will provide an opportunity for parents and families to make voluntary donations that will go toward creating meaningful and memorable experiences for our graduating class. Funds raised will help support events such as Senior Sunrise, Senior Sunset, Prom, and other senior activities planned throughout the year. By keeping the fundraiser open for the duration of the school year, families will have the flexibility to contribute when they are able, while allowing Student Council to build funding that can support a variety of class events. Our goal is to make these experiences as enjoyable and inclusive as possible for the Class of 2027, and we greatly appreciate the support of our Pioneer families.

Pioneer is kickstarting a recycling program and needs your help! We are organizing a Green Team consisting of students from all graduating classes. Any student interested in joining Green Team should contact Ms. Bender via email at benderm@aaps.k12.mi.us or in Room C-119.

Dear AAPS Students and Families,

The Ann Arbor Public Schools is pleased to offer 29 different Advanced Placement (AP) Exams this spring. All students in grades 9–12 are eligible to register. If your student is not interested in taking an AP Exam this year, no action is needed and you may disregard this message.

2027 AP Exam Registration

Registration for May 2027 AP Exams is open September 1 through October 30, 2026. If your student plans to take an AP Exam, please review the registration information and complete all required steps by the October 30 deadline.

AAPS AP Testing Information

The AP Testing webpage includes information about:

• Registration procedures

• Exam fees and payment

• Registration deadlines

• Exam dates and times

• Self-study and online course registration

• Reduced-price exams

• Testing procedures and supports

AP Exam Location

All AP exams administered by AAPS will take place on the official College Board exam date at:

Eastern Michigan University – Student Center
900 Oakwood St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197

AAPS does not provide transportation to the AP exam site. Families are responsible for arranging transportation.

Do I Need to Take an AP Exam?

Taking an AP exam is not required. However, most students enrolled in AP courses choose to take the exam at the end of their course of study. Students who are self-studying or taking an AP course through A2 Virtual+ may also register to take an AP exam. Reduced-price exams are available for eligible students. AP exams provide students with the opportunity to earn scores that may qualify for college credit or advanced placement, depending on the policies of the receiving college or university.

Questions?

Please contact the AAPS AP Coordinator:

Anthony Lauer

AAPS AP Coordinator
lauera@aaps.k12.mi.us

When emailing, please include your student's name, student ID number, AP course(s), and school of attendance so we can best assist you.

Thank you for supporting your student in exploring these valuable academic opportunities.

The Learning Center is a safe space to complete work and get help if needed. They meet in the Cafeteria Mon-Fri during 7th Hour from 3pm-4pm. We have Tutors (Teacher and NHS Tutors) available everyday.

For questions about the Pioneer Learning Center, please contact Mr. Dresch: dreschd@aaps.k12.mi.us

The doors to Pioneer will be open at 7:20am. Please plan to drop your student off by 7:45 so they can find their way to class on time. It can easily take a student up to 10 minutes to get from the student parking lot to their first class. FREE Breakfast is served at 7:40 in the cafeteria. Doors to the school are secured at 8:00 and all students entering after that time must sign in at the welcome desk.

Every student must sign in after 8:00 at the welcome desk no matter what.

DROP OFF LOCATIONS:

• CLOCKTOWER (Stadium Dr.): This is a single lane drop off location and backs up quickly after 7:40 so please plan accordingly:

• For the safety of our students, please use the Zipper Merge method when you arrive to the first cone and use patience. This will require you to quickly drop off, then keep going. If you want more time to connect with your child or for them to retrieve their items out of the backseat or trunk, please pull up to the area beyond the cones, pull over, and pause there. The Clocktower drop off location does not get busy until after 7:45. If you arrive between 7:20-7:45 the coast is clear. The flag pole entrance is also a great place for dropping off students. Please plan your commute accordingly. Doors officially open to the building at 7:20am.

• FLAGPOLE ENTRANCE (Main St.): Best location to drop off on side of building near student lot

• BUS LOOP (7th Street): Please do not drop off students on 7th Street or in the Bus Loop. It poses a safety risk. This entrance is dedicated to walkers, cyclists, and bus riders.

We will run weekly attendance reports to monitor and we will be in contact with each student and parent as we go through the process. Each week the attendance we monitor will reset, so students do not get penalized in a cumulative manner.

Below are a sample of the incentives:

• FREE and/or discounted Homecoming and Prom tickets

• Front of the line passes for cookies & cafeteria

• Gift cards from various restaurants and businesses

• Prime Parking spots

Below is the progressive discipline process:

• 5 Tardies / 5 UNVerified Absences in a week:
• 1st: Lunch Detention
• 2nd: After School Detention (ASD)
• 3rd: Social Suspension
• 4th: Parent Meeting (In Person)

Senior Mailing: Reviewed Transcripts and Letter

Seniors should have received a mailing home from their counselor which contained a reviewed transcript and letter noting their remaining requirements needed for graduation. If a senior failed to receive this mailing, then they should email their counselor to touch base about remaining credits. It is the responsibility of each senior student to make sure that they enroll (and remain enrolled) in the needed classes for graduation.

Basic College Application Information Sheet

Seniors will need to refer to this as they begin completing their college applications. Click Here

Concerns about a discipline or academic problem and its resolution should first be expressed or questioned at the point where the problem occurred. A discipline or academic problem involving a student in a particular class should be brought to the attention of the teacher of that class. If this step does not bring satisfaction, consult the student's counselor, advisor, or principal.

Closed Campus Notice:

During school hours, students are not allowed to leave the building or campus without explicit permission. Students may not access their vehicles during the school day without prior approval from an administrator. Unauthorized departures from the building will result in disciplinary action, and repeated violations may lead to the loss of parking privileges at Pioneer High School. Exceptions to this policy include students participating in homebuilding programs, those enrolled in dual enrollment courses, and those in cosmetology programs.

Food Delivery During the School Day:

Food delivery services are prohibited by Pioneer High School. This is to better ensure the security of the school as well as to minimize disruptions to the school day. Students are NOT allowed to leave the building for any reason without permission from a parent/caretaker. Students found leaving school will be sent back to class and disciplined appropriately.

Vehicles on Campus:
Vehicles parked on school property are under the jurisdiction of the school. The school reserves the right to search any vehicle, if reasonable suspicion exists to do so. Students have full responsibility for the security of their vehicles and will make certain they are locked and that keys are not given to others. Students will be held responsible for any prohibited objects or substances, such as alcohol, drugs, and weapons, that are found in their cars and will be subject to disciplinary action. Searches of vehicles, as well as general searches of school property, may be conducted at any time if there is reasonable suspicion to do so, with or without the presence of the student. If the vehicle subject to search is locked, the student shall be asked to unlock the vehicle. If the student refuses, we will contact the student’s parent(s). If parent(s) also refuse to permit the vehicle to be searched, we may contact local law enforcement officials and turn the matter over to them.

Electronic Devices Policy:

All Pioneer students will have a district provided MacBook. Students will be required to use and bring their fully charged district MacBook to school and class daily. The district has also developed and adopted a policy for personal electronic devices and it will be shared in the near future.

Ann Arbor Community Resources

If you've ever wondered where you can send a parent or student to get help, you're not alone.

AAPS has several tools to help you guide families to resources (food, basic needs, emergency services) in their time of need.

Where to find help:

• Accessing community resources in 3 easy steps (video)
• Where to find help: Community resources overview for staff
• AAPS Community Resources Webpage, a2schools.org/communityresources

AAPS Family Technology Assistance - Students & Families - Technology Virtual Help Desk

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Call: 734-997-1222

Open a ticket: family_techsupport@aaps.k12.mi.us

Schedule an In-Person Appointment: call the Student & Family Help Desk

RAHS @ PIONEER

RAHS at Pioneer is a mental health site that is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 4 pm year-round which sees students in-person and virtually.

Pioneer Main Office: Naidy Cioletti - 734-994-2120

Attendance Office: Marnetta Patty

Call the Class Office or Main Office for early dismissals

9th & 11th Grades:734-994-2120

10th & 12th Grades:734-994-2120

Main Office: 734-994-2120

Records Office Site: Brenda Martinez -734-994-2120

Counseling Office: Monifa Henry 734-994-2120

Building Administration:

Eve Claar: Athletics Director/Assistant Principal

Maureen Murrett (Office Professional): 734-994-2120

Athletics Website

Keith Wade: Dean of All Students

Stephanie Roberts: Class Principal - Grades (9th & 11th)

Banu Bostanci(Office Professional) 734-994-2120

Tracey Stevenson: Class Principal - Grades (10th & 12th)

Claudia Barillas (Office Professional) 734-994-2120

Tracy Bond (Office Professional): 734-994-2120