Pioneer Press
April 24, 2026
A Message from Principal Fernandes
Student Services Highlights!
Learning Lab News – Growing Skills and Confidence!
Our Learning Lab classes have been hard at work building important academic skills and developing confidence across subjects. It’s been exciting to see the progress students are making each day!
In ELA Learning Lab, students have been focusing on developing a strong growth mindset—learning how to embrace challenges, persist through difficult tasks, and recognize that effort leads to improvement. Alongside this, students are strengthening their literacy skills by studying prefixes and suffixes, helping them break down and understand new vocabulary. In writing, students are practicing paragraph construction with a focus on clearly expressing ideas and citing evidence to support their thinking. These skills are essential for success across all subject areas.
In Learning Lab Math, students are tackling some key concepts that build a strong foundation for future math success. They are working on long division, improving accuracy and understanding of multi-step processes. Students are also learning to multiply with decimal numbers, a skill that requires careful attention to place value. Additionally, they are practicing simplifying expressions, helping them build early algebraic thinking and problem-solving skills.
We also want to give a special shout-out to our 6th graders, who recently returned from 6th-grade camp! Students had a fantastic time participating in outdoor activities and challenges that helped them build teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. These experiences not only created lasting memories but also strengthened the sense of community among our students.
We’re proud of the hard work happening in Learning Lab and look forward to seeing continued growth throughout the year!
Free Vaccine Clinic
Will your child start 7th grade in the fall? Free vaccine opportunity!
Make sure they are ready with their vaccines. On May 7th, students have the opportunity to get their vaccines during the school day.
Vaccines are free, regardless of insurance status. Save your family time by taking advantage of this convenient opportunity. Registered nurses from Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will be onsite providing:
- Tdap – is required for school by 7th grade and prevents tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough.
- HPV – is recommended for kids 9-11 years old and prevents certain types of cancer.
- Meningococcal ACWY – is recommended for kids at 11 years old and prevents brain and spinal cord infections.
To participate:
Please fill out and return both of the following forms:
- Consent form
- Vaccine section flyer – indicate which vaccines you would like your child to receive
Hard copies are being sent home with students on Friday, 4/24.
Return both forms to Mrs. Marcey in the health room by May 6th.
ASB Fundraiser - Mariners Game
School Clubs
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.
School Sports
Wednesday – Study Hall:
All student athletes and sport managers are required to attend study hall in the cafeteria on Wednesdays from 1:40 – 2:45 PM.
*Students may not leave campus during study hall *
Students will report to practice immediately following study hall dismissal.
Game Day Schedules
Please use the link below for updated sports schedules:
Sports Game Schedules
After-School Transportation
Please use the link below for bus routes:
After School Transportation - Routes
Girls' Volleyball Fundraiser
Cross Country Fundraiser
Buy a Yearbook Today!
Transportation Changes & Bus Passes
🚍 After-School Transportation Changes 🚍
If you need to change your student's after-school transportation plan, please contact the main office by the times listed below:
1:45 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
12:45 p.m. on ACE days (Wednesdays)
These deadlines allow us adequate time to notify your student before dismissal.
Contact the office:
📞 253-583-7205
📧 pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
Please note:
Transportation changes requested after the deadline cannot be guaranteed to reach your student before the end of the school day.
Bus passes will not be issued to students at the end of the day.
🚫 Please do not email individual staff members regarding attendance, tardies, or other time-sensitive matters. If a staff member is out, your message may go unseen.
Buy your Pioneer Spirit Gear today!
Coming Up!
April 29th - ACE Day- 1:40pm student dismissal
April 30th - Static display presented by JBLM's Explosive Disposal Battalion and Band MRMEA - large group contest - Orting MS and
May 1st - ASB Color Run Fundraiser begins
May 4th - May 8th - Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6th - ACE Day - 1:40pm student dismissal
May 12th - State testing - ELA CAT/PT Part 1
May 13th - WCAS testing - 8th grade only
May 14th - State testing - ELA/PT Part 2
May 19th - State testing - MATH CAT
May 20th - State testing - MATH PT
May 21st - DAY OF CHAMPIONS @ SHS
May 22nd - NO SCHOOL - Snow make up day
For more information: https://pio.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/