Pacific Intermediate

Dear Pacific Intermediate Families,

As spring brings vibrant colors to our campus, I'm excited for the busy and productive month of April!

This month, we're focusing on both academic excellence and building resilience as we finish the school year strong. The big event for us this month is MAP testing:

MAP Testing:

• Dates: We're proud of our students' hard work! MAP testing will take place from the week of April 28th to the week of May 5th.

• Fifth-grade students will test throughout both weeks.

• Sixth-grade students will primarily test during the week of May 5th.

• Testing occurs in the morning, we especially ask parent help in getting our students to school on time during testing (Reminder school starts at 7:30!)

Test Preparation: Beyond Academics

• For successful testing, physical and mental well-being are crucial.

• Sleep: Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night, especially in the days leading up to the tests, for optimal brain function.

• Nutrition: A nutritious breakfast provides energy and focus. Avoid sugary foods to prevent energy crashes. Additionally, water throughout the day can help with focus and keeping your brain at its best.

• Free Breakfast: Remember, breakfast is free for all Pacific Intermediate students this year!

Summer School:

Regular summer school enrollment has closed at this time. You may still register for summer school, however, students will be placed on a wait list. Students who have received three or more failing grades (F's) across all trimesters may be required to attend.

I'm truly grateful to be part of the Pacific Intermediate community. Together, we're creating a supportive and enriching environment where students can succeed.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Matt Agee

Principal, Pacific Intermediate

Mr. Crabtree~Math

Mr. Gilcrease~Language Arts & Reading

Mr. Wengler~History & Science

Mrs. Alcorn~Math

Ms. DiBlasi~History & Science

Mrs. Tandy~Language Arts & Reading

Mrs. Jackson~ Math & Science

Mrs. Menley~Language Arts, Reading & History

Spring is here, and we are diving into an exciting and important month in math class! As we move through April, our students will be wrapping up our fractions unit by modeling how to divide fractions. Mastering this skill is crucial, as it helps lay the foundation for our next big focus: decimals!

Our decimals unit will begin with understanding place value, specifically where the tenths, hundredths, and thousandths are located. From there, we will work on reading, writing, comparing, and ordering decimals before moving into addition and subtraction with decimals. This unit will require attention to detail and consistent practice to ensure students build confidence and accuracy.

To prepare for our upcoming unit on multiplying and dividing decimals, students will continue to practice multiplication and division nightly. Additionally, we will be doing a spiral review of key math concepts learned throughout the year to ensure readiness for MAP testing at the end of April.

Now more than ever, it is essential for students to complete and turn in their homework. Independent practice plays a critical role in their success, reinforcing what we learn in class and helping them build the skills needed for more advanced math topics. Please encourage your child to stay on top of their assignments and reach out if they need any extra support.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child’s education.

Students have been working on interpreting poetry, figurative language, and writing their own poems. Ask your student what their favorite poem is so far. Students have also been learning about different poetic devices like rhyme scheme and form. Our next unit will be about the adventures of Don Quixote. With MAP testing approaching students have been working on commas, parts of speech, and analogies, and learning new affixes and root words.

History:

Students will focus on the Great Depression and then begin our World War II unit. We will learn about the causes and effects of the Great Depression and the resilience of the American people during this period.

Science:

5th grade scientists are reviewing 3rd and 4th grade science concepts in preparation for the coming MAP Science test at the end of this month. We will be reviewing the following: animal/plant adaptations, how environments have changed over time and how it impacts wildlife, and human body structures and systems.

We are currently experiencing a high volume of overdue library materials. We ask for your collaboration in reviewing your email for any notifications concerning your student's account and in encouraging the timely return of these items.

Spring Reading Challenge!!

Mrs. Boling~English

Mr. Effan~Social Studies

Ms. Griffin~Science

Mrs. Voss~Math

Ms. Stumborg~English

Mr. Slaughter~Social Studies

Mrs. Todahl~Science

Mrs. Weil~ Math

Mr. McMahon and Mrs. Meyers

Ms. Shearin

6th Grade English: Mrs. Boling & Mrs. Stumborg

Currently, we are working on our unit of research. Students have chosen their topics, and will complete research in books and online. We will focus on choosing good sources, creating research questions, and choosing the best way to showcase the information students find.

6th Grade Math: Mrs. Voss & Mrs. Weil

Math will graphing points in Coordinate planes and learning about Mean, Median, Mode and Interquartile Range before we start MAP review late April. Advanced math will continue with the 7th-grade skills and will cover Expressions and Percents before we start MAP review in late April. Your child may use a calculator in class, so please make sure they have one.

6th Grade Reading: Mrs. Meyers & Mr. McMahon

We are reading our second novel of the year, The Unwanteds. The students are really enjoying this work of fiction. We are analyzing the learning standards of theme, plot, conflict, point of view, and citing evidence. We are also discussing dystopian societies, creativity, and individualism.

6th Grade Science: Mrs. Todahl & Ms. Griffin

We are currently studying Earth's Structure, exploring rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

6th Grade Social Studies: Mr. Effan & Mr. Slaughter

Social Studies will discover classical Greek and Roman Civilizations over the next two months. The knowledge and politics of Greece and Rome directly impact how our democracy works in the United States. Students will understand the connection between classical civilizations' history and our own society's history.

6th Grade Odyssey: Ms. Shearin

Odyssey students will be finishing up their Planetary science projects right before Easter break and begin their Gaming unit in the second half of April. Our gaming unit will take us to the end of the year.

Hello families!

We are hopeful you had a lovely Spring Break. We are nearing the end of the year and wow it has gone by fast! Everyone seems to be very tired this time of year and definitely ready for summer, however please encourage your students to keep doing their best to finish strong. If they are struggling or have D’s/F’s, please contact their teacher to discuss ways that he or she may improve their grade.

Both of our 5th and 6th graders have been making progress for next year with course registration. Riverbend now has all the information needed for the 6th graders and will be completing their schedules soon. Riverbend tours are coming up and our students are so excited to see what next year has in store for them at a new building. During the tour students will get to meet with current 7th graders, hear about different locations in the building, and eat lunch. It will be a fun day! For our 5th graders, schedules are actively being created! 5th grade students interested in band will be trying out instruments on April 8th. We had such an interest in choir for next year, but unfortunately we are no longer able to offer the course at PI. The students interested will be able to take their second request.

Last month students in both grades had the opportunity to participate in the Children’s Advocacy Center program called “Body Safety.” This program helps students gain appropriate responses in an effort to help prevent them from becoming a victim of abuse.

This month we will be hosting the CHADS Coalition for Mental Health to present to both our 5th and 6th grade students. The 5th grade presentation is “Empathy and Emotion Management” to help students understand different emotions, and how to process them in healthy ways. This presentation is April 22nd for all 5th graders and will take the place of one of their normal classes. The 6th grade presentation is called “Signs of Suicide" (SOS) and will be offered to all students on April 1st. This is an evidence based program to help students recognize the symptoms of depression or warning signs of suicide in themselves or others, and it teaches appropriate actions they can take to get help. Please note, both of these programs are recommended by the district, but they are voluntary. Parents can opt-out their students if they choose by returning the opt-out form to school.

We will be starting MAP testing the week of April 28th for all 5th graders, and the week of May 5th for all 6th graders. Special education students could be tested earlier based on student needs. Your assistance in helping your child get enough sleep, eat breakfast and arrive at school on time is greatly appreciated. MAP Scores are important to your child and to the district. We want our students to do their best.

All the best,

Ms. Ally Speicher

5th Grade Counselor

636-271-1425 x3509

aspeicher@mvr3.k12.mo.us

Ms. Jeanne Diamond

6th Grade Counselor

636-271-1425 x 3504

jdiamond@mvr3.k12.mo.us

Pacific Intermediate

195 N Indian Pride Dr.

Pacific, MO 63069

www.mvr3.k12.mo.us

Phone: 636-271-1425

Fax: 636-271-1465