Happy Friday!

Parents, is your student struggling to manage it all right now or starting to get in a homework slump? You might find this article insightful: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/well/family/teens-homework-school.html

8th-11th Grade Families - Please join us this coming Monday, March 8 for Virtual Curriculum Night at 7pm (Zoom link here!). During this hour-long presentation, we will walk you through our 2021-22 course offerings and how we're thinking about the year. There will be an opportunity for questions at various points across the hour. We look forward to connecting with you!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. McBride & Mrs. Woods

Keep apprised of all Senior celebration happenings here!

• Class of 2021 Yard Signs: Linked here is an order form for a PCHS Class of 2021 yard sign! Get your order into the PCHS Main Office by March 19.
• Adopt a Senior: Join the PCHS Class of 2021 Facebook group (direct link here) or reach out to Micki Beckwith at mbeckwith@pinckneypirates.org if you'd like to "adopt" a Senior or to make sure your Senior is in the mix for adoption. ;)
• Senior Spotlights: The 2021 Class Council will be coordinating Senior Spotlights on Instagram, and they'd love to feature you! Seniors: Please contact Karsyn Carriveau with a picture of yourself and respond to this google form. https://forms.gle/LuKtjjoCJ1kMw2wX9 Submit responses as soon as possible, and keep an eye out on instagram for your shoutout, or your friends! Follow 2021 Class Council on Insta @phsclasscouncil2021 and Twitter @2021_pchs
• Graduation Date: Sunday, June 6 at Noon.
• Coming Soon: Senior Awards Night details!

• The 2021-22 PCHS Course Guide is live. View all 94 pages of it here.
• Mon-Tues, March 8th & 9th: Students will receive the 2021-22 Course Selection Sheet in their 1st Hour. Students' teachers will describe the next course options in each content area, provide guidance and sign off on student requests. PVA students will join in on this process via Zoom and will have access to a digital version of the sheet.
• Monday, March 8th @ 7pm: Virtual Curriculum Night (Zoom link here!) - PCHS staff will present an overview of programming choices available to PCHS students and will field your questions.
• Wednesday, March 10th: Course Selection Sheets SIGNED BY PARENT/GUARDIAN due to 1st Hour teachers. (PVA students will email these to their counselor instead.)
• Mon-Tues, March 15th & 16th: Counselors will visit 9th-11th Grade ELA classes to support students in the input of their schedules in MiStar. PVA students will receive specific guidance for how to input their scheduling requests from home. MiStar will be open for scheduling next week.
• Week of March 22: Counselors to present at St. Mary's and will visit Pathfinder to support our incoming Freshmen!

Join the PTO! If interested, please contact Tricia Orr at orrphoto@charter.net.

The week of March 8-13, 2021 is National School Social Work Week. We are so thankful to have our Student Family Specialist, Ms. Leslie Madill. School Social Workers are able to light the way, emphasizing the whole child, collaborating with other professionals, linking students and families with needed services, and advocating for our profession. Ms. Madill embodies all of these characteristics and has been such an insightful addition to our PCHS team this year. Please join us in thanking our wonderful social worker!

Student Government is coordinating our 2nd Annual UMatter Week, taking place next week. This initiative is inspired by the UMatter program started by the Friendship Circle in Detroit. UMatter is a program focused on empowering teens to shatter the stigmas surrounding mental health challenges and suicide and to create an atmosphere of inclusion within the school community and beyond. Our student government has adopted this project and made it their own right here at PCHS. Each day has a different focus (see below) and will be animated by tools and resources to support good mental health.

Our National Honor Society's tutoring services are up and running, and students are taking advantage of the opportunity! Tutoring is available in the PCHS media center every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:35 to 3:20 p.m. Students can sign up outside the media center by scanning the QR code on the flyer and completing a short, three-question form. The flyer has also been distributed to each classroom so that students can sign up in class, and it is pictured below!

NHS sponsored its annual blood drive on Tuesday, March 2 in partnership with the Red Cross and comprehensive safety measures. Here are the numbers:

65 Presenting Donors

46 Units of Blood!

Thank you to the many students and staff who signed up and donated on Tuesday! This is such a valuable contribution anytime, but especially right now. Job well done to the NHS team!

Find your dream college virtually. Join in on a live online event that connects you to top universities and colleges from the US and around the world! Attendees will be able to chat live with representatives from universities, colleges, and trade schools throughout the state of Michigan and around the nation. Ask questions, download information, and seek out the best opportunities for you! Register for free here: https://semca.educationconnectlive.com/

CTE Programs Available in the County:

Link to Graphics Design- Brighton HS

Link to Early Childhood Ed- Brighton HS

Link to Health Occupations- Brighton HS

Link to Early CHildhood Ed- Howell HS

Link to Firefighter Program- Howell HS

Link to CAD- Howell HS with teacher message

Link to AgriScience- Fowlerville HS

Link to Aviation- Crosswinds Aviation

Link to Cosmetology- Brighton Institute of Cosmetology

Link to EMT- Livingston EMS

Link to the Energy Program- Hartland HS

Link to the Cyber Security/Computer Networking Program- Pinckney HS

Early College

LINK to Overview Video

March 8th @ 7pm: Virtual Curriculum Night (Zoom link here!)

March 10th @ 7pm: PCHS Band, Orchestra, & Choir Concert at Jane Tasch Theater

March 19: End of 3rd Marking Period

March 29-April 2: Spring Break!

April 26: Livingston County Dept of Public Health 9th Grade Vision Screening

May 14: Prom! (Rain Date: May 15)

May 20-23: Act2 Spring Musical, "Spelling Bee"

May 25: Seniors' Last Day of School!

May 31: No School - Memorial Day

*REVISED DATE* June 6 @ Noon: GRADUATION @ Pirate Stadium!!

June 11: Last Day of School

Fans - It is a beautiful thing that our athletes are back in action. This continues to be possible only if we all continue to adhere to safety guidelines. Thank you for holding yourself and those around you accountable to proper mask-wearing so that our students can continue to learn and play!

Preparations are underway for the upcoming state testing sessions. Please see specific dates below. Virtual students will need to come into school for these testing sessions (with some potential caveats for AP exams). The Department of Education announced earlier this week that standardized testing is still required this year but with some flexibilities. The Michigan Department of Education is currently revising its plans in accordance with the new federal guidance. We will continue to inform you of any updates here.

• Tuesday, April 13: 11th Grade SAT with Essay, 9th Grade PSAT 9 (Remote Learning Day for 10th & 12th Grades)
• Wednesday, April 14: 11th Grade ACT WorkKeys, 10th Grade PSAT 10 (Remote Learning Day for 9th & 12th Grades)
• Tuesday, April 20: 11th Grade M-STEP Science & Social Studies (Regular School Day for 9th, 10th, and 12th Grades)
• April 27 & 28: Make-Up Testing Days
• Weeks of May 3 and May 10: Advanced Placement (AP) Exams (Potential additional administrations with digital at-home options. More information soon.)

Near the end of 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended nationwide waivers for specific requirements to help schools continue to provide meals to children during the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Originally expiring on December 31, 2020, these USDA waivers allow for meals to be provided FREE to all students, regardless of how learning is planned (remote, hybrid, or in-person) under the extended summer food service program (E-SFSP). These program flexibilities are now available through June 30, 2021.

Did you know next week is National School Breakfast Week?! A well-nourished child who starts the day with breakfast is more likely to be at school, a better learner, and willing to participate in the classroom. Take advantage of breakfast at school! Served between 7:00-7:30am at PCHS.

Parents/Guardians, thank you for making a point of touching upon these items with your student(s)!

• PCHS is a closed campus. Only those approved to leave the building (i.e. for CTE, Dual Enrollment, Co-Op, sign-out) may exit the building during school hours through the North or South entrances or the Athletic doors. 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.
• 4 students to a lunch table, maximum!
• Please send your student to school with their own mask, if possible.

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