PIONEER ACADEMY
Knowledge - Challenge - Integrity - Diversity
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
Dear Pioneer Community,
Congratulations to all of our students, faculty, and parents for successfully completing this school year. It sure has been a whirlwind of a year, but I am so proud of each and every one of you. I hope that everyone enjoys their summer break!
My Dear Students,
Life is full of surprises. Life doesn't usually follow the plans you layout for yourself. You will all experience the highs and lows of life, the difficult and the easy, and unfortunately, there may sometimes be times of too many difficulties and just not enough smooth sailing. Your true success will be defined by how you handle both of these times.
Class of 2020, you did partake in a graduation ceremony like no other in the history of the school. It was a historical event.
Congrats, you did it! But remember that the hard work has just begun! I think you will never forget this quote. “No pain, no gain”. We did it. You finally graduated.
That,
The world ahead of you
will not be an easy world…
We all have seen together how a virus has affected our lives.
As the future leaders, you will have to deal with global issues such as climate change, wars, social injustice, poverty, ethnic and religious conflicts, corruption, food, and water security, unemployment.
Always follow your heart. It is up to you to leave a legacy of positive change. As the future world leaders, you were given a strong foundation and using your brain and your heart together, you know how to decide what is right and what is wrong.
This is our country. This is our world. This is our universe. Cherish the beauty, cherish nature and all living creatures in the universe. Above all, love and respect one another and accomplish more than your predecessors.
YOU are the one who should care…and remember that the hope is within YOU and YOU ARE THE HOPE… GOD BLESS YOU…
Owen Akman
Principal
Table of Contents
- Summer Assignments
- Virtual Summer Camp
- College Counseling Corner
- Montessori Events
- Past ES Events
- Past MS Events
- Past HS Events
- 2019-2020 HS Yearbook Publication
- Pioneer Academy Calendar 2020-2021
- Quote of the Week
Summer Assignments
As we at Pioneer Academy are always striving for growth and excellence, we find it essential to practice fundamental skills over the summer months. With that, students are expected to complete a series of summer assignments in the core classes.
These assignments are intended to reinforce concepts learned during the previous year and aimed towards preparing students for a quick and successful transition into the next grade.
To successfully complete these, students and families should go to the school website and they will see the list under the student life section on the Summer Packages tab.
Summer Virtual Camp
College Counseling Corner
SUMMER PLANNING
TAKE AN ONLINE COLLEGE COURSE
Many colleges offer summer programs where high school students can take online courses. Taught by real college professors, these classes offer a challenge for high school students.
https://blog.prepscholar.com/pre-college-summer-programs-for-high-school-students
TAKE A FREE ONLINE CLASS
Sites like EdX and Coursera offer AMAZING FREE ONLINE college courses that are taped or streamed from universities. With thousands of subjects from Robotics to American Poetry, you get to participate in real-time or watch past lectures from professors at most of the prestigious schools like Stanford and Harvard.
https://www.edx.org/school/edx
START YOUR TEST PREP
Summer is a great time to study for the ACT or SAT. Pick up a prep book, take an online prep course, or find a test prep tutor to help you learn and manage your time. Test prep keeps your brain active so you’re in tiptop shape to head back to school in the fall.
https://www.kaptest.com/study/locations/sat/paramus/nj/
https://testprep.rutgers.edu/sat-summer-institute
https://www.princetonreview.com/college/sat-test-prep
https://www.c2educate.com/locations/livingston-nj/
COLLEGE BOARD'S 101 BOOKS
This book list, compiled by the College Board, goes hand in hand with test prep and includes classics, contemporary fiction, short stories, essays, plays, and poems you should read before (or during) college.
http://wcpscollegeandcareer.weebly.com/uploads/7/7/1/1/7711918/college_board_recommended_books.pdf
MAKE VIRTUAL COLLEGE VISITS
Now that you have some free time, plan your college visits! You can visit some campuses virtually on YouTube.
ONLINE RECOVERY COURSES
Students can take online courses to increase their GPA or to accelerate their studies for the next academic year.
https://is.byu.edu/catalog?school=11
GET A JOB (If the state allows during COVID-19)
Colleges are impressed when students have jobs, whether they are working for family income or just for fun. Your work history demonstrates your initiative and responsibility. Take note: you may need a work permit, depending on your age.
BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
Start an online business. We’ve witnessed students becoming entrepreneurs through Amazon and eBay online.
VOLUNTEER IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Colleges would rather see continuity and commitment to a community service activity instead of a bunch of one-offs. Start now, and volunteer two hours a week through your senior year. For example, you could visit residents at nursing homes a few days a week. Or, spend your Saturday mornings feeding animals at the animal shelter. Virtual volunteer opportunities are currently possible.
Montessori Pre-K Events
This past month, Pioneer Montessori was very busy in the Zoom classroom! We love learning our lessons this way since we are home.
In May we had crazy hair day! We also had a Practical Life lesson on tying our shoelaces. In math we are learning the numbers and quantities of numbers up to 40.
We even had lunch together on Zoom because we miss each other so much.
Have a great summer and we will see you soon!
Past Elementary School Events
Welcome, Spring! Spring is considered a time of change and growth. We all have been challenged to change and grow as we adjust to our new normal of cyber education. Through it all, our elementary team has been providing enriching lessons and activities to keep our youngest learners engaged.
The elementary students participated in a spirit week where they took pictures of themselves in their PJ’s, reading their favorite book, working out, and doing something kind. We finished the week with a virtual Friday field trip.
We kicked off our 10 Day Countdown by showing our coolest sunglasses. Our students’ futures are so bright they need shades!
Chalk Artwork
Virtual Field Day
On June 2, the students had their Virtual Field Day. The students competed in a variety of fun games such as bottle flip, paper plane cornhole, and shoe balance challenge just to name a few.
Smithsonian National Zoo
On June 3, the students Zoomed in to a virtual tour of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The tour took us to see cheetahs, American bison, giant pandas, Asian elephants, tamarins, gorillas, orangutans, Komodo dragons, lions, and tigers. Each animal exhibit had interactive facts and video clips. We even were able to see some live cams of the animals.
Kindergarten Graduation
Your Future Is So Bright You Need Shades
During the last few days of school the students will be sharing their favorite recipes, dancing their best TikTok moves, enjoying a movie in their pj’s, and eating popcorn with their class. Of course the 10 Day Countdown would not be complete without our Move Up Day! The students will get to visit their new teacher via Zoom.
This school year has been an incredible journey and the elementary team would like to thank the parents for your kindness, love, and support throughout this pandemic. We cannot wait to be in the classroom again with our students where we belong, but until then we will be just a Zoom away!
Past Middle School Events
Cultural Day
A few days ago the middle school students presented their Cultural Day tourist videos. Students took the video assignment and ran with it! The middle school students’ videos were extremely creative and educational! Congratulations to the winning countries: fifth grade--Brazil; sixth grade--Japan; seventh grade--Kenya; and eighth grade--Greece.
MS Math Competition Teams
Middle School Graduation
Past High School Events
Senior Week
Our academic year has come to an end, and despite all the turmoil of a global pandemic and amidst all the social unrest, Pioneer was still able to celebrate its most accomplished students, the graduating class of 2020! To give them a proper send-off, the high school student government organized a 2020 Senior Week. It all started with senior teacher advisors personally delivering “gradbags” to each graduate from Northern New Jersey all the way to the Jersey Shore! The gradbag included this year’s amazing yearbook, a car decorating kit, all the information for finalizing their school year, a fantastic lawn sign for each student, and finally, a graduation ceremony invitation of course! Throughout the week our graduates submitted photos of themselves preparing for the big day, and students from other classes left messages for our seniors on Flipgrid. You can watch these awesome messages here: https://admin.flipgrid.com/manage/grids/4746851/topics/13618646.
On Thursday our graduates decorated their cars in preparation for their drive-In ceremony. FInally Friday arrived, and all the graduates prepared for the ceremony while teachers decorated the parking lot and prepared a true drive-in experience including designated parking spots and a professional LED screen. The ceremony was a success with speeches from our board members and a message from the Mayor of Wayne. NBA star Enes Kanter delivered a keynote speech and senior Mualla Katircioglu addressed her class as this year's valedictorian. Mualla will be attending New York University this fall. We wish her and all our graduates all the best of luck! They deserve all the amazing things that life can offer! Farewell Seniors, we will miss you!
2019-2020 High School Yearbook Publication
The Pioneer Academy Yearbook Team is proud to present this year’s special edition yearbook dedicated to the class of 2020. The Yearbook Club would like to thank the sponsors and everyone involved that helped make the 2020 yearbook such a huge success! The Yearbook Club is in charge of production, organization, and distribution of the yearbook. The Club staff editors and photographers take pictures, design pages, choose themes and write descriptions for the yearbook. These students not only create the yearbook content but also manage the budget, advertisement, marketing and sales. In addition, club members maintain a presence at school activities and sporting events, as well as contact coaches and advisors to gather content for the yearbook. Much of the coverage is on sports, clubs, performances, although this year included the challenge of social distancing and remote learning. The Yearbook Staff consists of our faculty advisors, Ms. Lee and Ms. Hughes, Chief Editor, Anthony V. and a team of student staff that are highly dedicated, committed, creative, organized and enthusiastic individuals who are willing to work as part of our team. Each year, the Yearbook Staff produces the books through Treering Corp., which is partnered with Trees for the Future, which plants trees in honor of our purchases. We have planted over 163 trees in countries that have been devastated by deforestation and global climate change. Thank you Pioneer Academy Yearbook Team for a great year and capturing all of the wonderful memories for years to come! If you were unable to pre-order the 2020 yearbook but would like to purchase one, please go to the link below to register and order one : https://www.treering.com/validate?PassCode=1015197613263578