PES Family,
As we approach the end of another fantastic school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all we've accomplished and share some exciting updates and reminders as we head into summer.
End-of-Year Awards May 21st
We are so proud of our students and all their hard work this year! Our End-of-Year Awards Ceremonies will be held May 21st. We look forward to celebrating the growth, achievements, and character of our learners. We are proud of each and every one of them. Invitations and details will be sent home soon—please keep an eye out!
Field Day Fun May 22nd
Get ready for one of our favorite days of the year—Field Day! This year's event promises to be full of energy, teamwork, and lots of laughter. Students will rotate through games and activities designed to celebrate fitness, friendship, and fun. Be sure your child comes dressed for action: comfy clothes, sneakers, sunscreen, and a water bottle are a must. We can’t wait to see their smiles in action! Don't forget, I will be grilling hot dogs!
Summer School Opportunity
For students who could benefit from extra support or enrichment, our Summer School Program will be running May 27th-June 23rd. This is a great opportunity to reinforce skills in reading and math while keeping brains engaged during the break. Invitations will be sent to eligible students, but if you have questions or are interested, feel free to contact the main office for more information.
Have a Safe and Joyful Summer!
As we close out the school year, we encourage all our families to take time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the joys of summer. Read together, explore nature, play outside, and make memories! Your children have worked so hard this year, and they deserve a fun and restful break.
Before joining the Pioneer team, Mrs. Schmaltz taught 12 years at Columbia Elementary School in Logansport. Now, she’s come full circle—teaching 5th grade in the very community where she grew up. “I love the small town and close community,” she shares. "It’s been so special returning to my homeschool to teach. The parent support has been wonderful, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my students and their families.”
Her classroom is a place where students are inspired to love learning and to believe in their ability to overcome challenges. She encourages them to set goals and work hard to achieve them—a reflection of the positive mindset she instills every day.
One of her favorite memories from this year involved a creative twist on a classic story. While reading Charlotte’s Web, her class built ferris wheels—a hands-on activity that brought the story to life. “They did a great job following directions, and their projects looked amazing!” she said.
Mrs. Nethercutt has been a part of the Pioneer Elementary library team since January 2014 working with students from Pre-K to 6th grade. While Pioneer is the only school where she has taught at, she says it feels like home.
She absolutely loves the students and staff at Pioneer and feels incredibly grateful to be part of such a supportive and caring community. “Pioneer is very blessed to have such wonderful community support,” she often says. Her main goal for her students is to help them develop a love and passion for reading.
One of her favorite teaching memories is when students accidentally call her by the wrong name. Her favorite mix-up to date: being called “Mrs. Buttercup”.
This year's Battle of the Books competition took place on April 16th and 17th. There were 7 schools that competed. Each team had to read 5 books to prepare. PES was undefeated in the double elimination battle, and took home 1st place!
Team members included Benjamin Webber, Marlee Mittica, Amethyst Hoch, Rae Kitchell, Mason Vianco, Cooper Myers, Madelyn Shidler, and Everly Reeser. They were coached by Mrs. Zech and Mrs. Martindale.
Great job Panthers!
The Math Bowl team competed on April 15th. The Panthers had an amazing 2nd place finish! The team was made made up of only 5th and 6th grades, while the winning team had 5th and 6th graders. During the competition, the focus was geometry and measurement.
Team members included Jude Gilsinger, Hugo Cooper, Ryar Roth, Leo Schwarz, Jadlyn Black, Ben Webber, Caden Caudle, Marlee Mittica, Summer Franklin, Everly Reeser, Lydia Cottrell, and Madelyn Shidler. They were coached by Kylie Schmaltz.
We are so proud of our Panthers!
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