Pioneer Press

Dear Pioneer Families,

Now that the school year is in full swing, I’d like to bring a few important reminders and upcoming dates to your attention:

Attendance

Consistent attendance is one of the biggest predictors of student success. Please help your child arrive on time each day and aim for 95% or better attendance. Missing more than one day per month can begin to impact academic performance and overall progress.

Cell Phone Policy

As a reminder, our expectation is “off and away” for cell phones during the school day, from 8:03 AM to 2:40 PM. This helps minimize distractions and ensures students are engaged in learning.

Dress Code & Weather

With the cooler weather settling in, please make sure your student comes prepared with a jacket or hoodie. Staying comfortable helps them stay focused in class.

October Conferences

Conferences are coming soon! Please review the schedule carefully. Students are dismissed at 11:40 every day this week.

Monday, Oct. 20 – Conference preparation for teachers
Tuesday, Oct. 21 & Wednesday, Oct. 22 – Individual scheduled conferences. These meetings are by parent or teacher request. Conferences are required for students with academic or behavior concerns, or with a C- or lower grade.
Thursday, Oct. 23 – Late Night Conferences | “Arena-style” in the gym. Parents/guardians may visit with any teacher on a first-come, first-served basis. Hours: 12:45–3:00 PM, break, then 4:00–7:00 PM.
Friday, Oct. 24 – Early release for students and teachers

Please also remember to check your student’s planners and grades regularly in Skyward.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for partnering with us to help your child thrive at Pioneer Middle School.

Warm regards,
JoAnne Fernandes
Principal, Pioneer Middle School

6th Grade

Students in 6th grade ELA are tracking their daily reading progress. Lots of kids have finished two or more books already this year.

Families, please make sure your 6th grader has a quiet place to read for at least 30 minutes every day, weekends and vacations included. Talk about the books they are reading and remember audiobook count.

If your child doesn’t have a public library card, now is a great time to sign up for one on the Pierce County Library website.

https://mypcls.org/get-started/get-library-card/#toggle-id-1

7th Grade

Students in seventh grade have hit the ground running! They have been getting to know their classmates as well as classroom procedures and routines. All seventh graders will have visited the Pioneer library by the end of this week so they are encouraged to read 20 minutes a day outside of class. Students have also been navigating nonfiction texts-learning about the structures and features used by authors to improve their overall comprehension. Soon they will be putting these skills to use in short, explanatory paragraphs.

8th Grade

8th graders are starting to read the inspiring true story of the 1936 UW crew team, The Boys in the Boat. We'll do a variety of activities and exercises with the book, but the best part is hearing how a bunch of inexperienced rowers took the world of crew by storm, and beat the best in the world to claim the 1936 Olympic gold medal!

Class Act Portraits sent out an email to families this week notifying them that their student’s image gallery is ready to view.

📦Free shipping ends Saturday, September 27th.

If you have not received an email with your link, please contact Class Act Portraits directly at info@classactportraits.com or by phone at 253-569-1627 for assistance.

To keep traffic flowing smoothly and ensure safety, please pull into a parking space when dropping off or picking up your student(s). Students should exit safely from the parked vehicle and walk to school.

🚫 Handicap parking spaces and surrounding areas are strictly reserved—please do not use them for drop-off or pick-up.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe!

Track & Field Team Gear is on Sale!

🛍️ Order Deadline: September 21st

📦 Delivery: Orders will be bundled and delivered to Pioneer Middle School or the Track & Field Team along with a copy of your order form.

✅ No shipping charges

⏳ Delivery Timeline: Please allow 2–3 weeks after the sale ends.

👉 Place your order here: Track & Field Gear Store

Information you can find in Skyward Family Access:

Grades
Bus Route
Lunch account number
Lunch account balance
Locker combination
Other Student ID# (need this to check out books, tardy check-in, request appt. with a counselor, etc.)

Use the link below to access your Skyward Account:

https://www2.crdc.wa-k12.net/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsteilas71/seplog01.w

If you need assistance with your login or password, email us at pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us

Please call the office at 253-583-7205 or by email at pioneermsoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us by 2:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays and by 1:00 pm on ACE days (Wednesdays) to request transportation changes for you student(s). This allows us enough time to communicate the change to your student(s) before the end of the school day. 🚌

Tuesdays:

Starting October 7th

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

Starts September 23rd

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

Game Club - Room A202 with Mr. Milton

Thursdays:

Starting October 2nd

Pokemon Go! Club with Mrs. Elshire

Transportation is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students attending school clubs. Use the link below for route information:

https://www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/who-we-are/departments/bustransportation/after-school-activity-bus#fs-panel-2698

Parents of Trainers,

Mrs. Elshire is excited to announce the return of Pioneer Middle School's Pokemon GO Club! She recently discovered that several students are already playing, and this club will provide a fun and safe way for them to connect with others who play - or to learn how to get started playing.

Club Details:

When: Thursdays, October 2 – May 28
Time: 2:45 – 4:00 p.m.
Meet: Choir Room (E129)
Where: Parks within walking distance of the school
Transportation Options: Active bus at 4:00 p.m., parent pick-up, or students may walk/ride their bike/skateboard home

A ParentSquare message will be sent Monday, September 22, with a required permission form that must be completed before any student may participate.

If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Elshire at kelshire@steilacoom.k12.wa.us.

We look forward to a fun year of adventuring, training, and catching Pokémon together!

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