PIONEER ACADEMY
Knowledge - Challenge - Integrity - Diversity
September 2021
Principal's Corner
Dear Students, Faculty, and Parents,
I hope everyone had a great first month of school and is looking forward to the rest of the year as much as I am! I commend all of our students and faculty members for their hard work. A big thank you also goes to our very kind and supportive parent body.
PARENTS
Thank you for your attendance and participation at “Back to School Night.” It is always a pleasure to spend time with the families of our students. Hopefully, you walked away with a clear understanding of the outstanding education your child will experience this year. We can’t wait to see you all for parent-teacher conferences in October.
RANKING
We are delighted to announce that our school has been ranked 1st place among all K-12 private schools in Passaic County!
CLUBS AND ALMA ACCOUNT
Kindly note that all clubs officially are starting the first week of October. As you know, every child has a different schedule, and, depending on the club selection and day, your child may be dismissed at 3:00 PM or 3:45 PM.
IMPORTANT: Please check your child’s schedule to see if he or she has a club from Monday through Thursday. Every student must have supervision. If your child is not assigned a club on any day, the dismissal/pick-up time is promptly between 3:00-3:10 PM. If a student has a club, the dismissal/pick-up time is between 3:45 PM-4:00 PM.
If you have not activated your ALMA account, then please do so now. An email link was already sent to you. Kindly check your email to activate it.
SAFETY & SPEED LIMIT ON CAMPUS
All students are expected to arrive and be dismissed safely. Your child’s well-being is our priority. As a general reminder, please ensure to follow the general school guidelines regarding the traffic on premises. Everyone, please remember that the speed limit is 15 MPH. As a preventative measure, we would like everyone to be safe. We understand that sometimes you can be in a hurry, but the main goal is to keep you and your students safe while on campus. Speed limit signs are posted along the driveway when you come onto the campus. Please adhere to this not only for your safety but the safety of your student(s) and other families and their students. Pedestrians have the right-of-way at all intersections, including intersections with no crosswalk markings.
Students should be dropped off promptly. Parents who would like to have subsequent conversations or see an administrator must park their vehicle and come inside the building. Be considerate of other drivers and students. The pick-up and drop-off lanes are used specifically for that purpose. Be vigilant and always drive with caution to ensure everyone's safety. As always, we act in a preventive manner vs. reactive.
ATTENDANCE
On behalf of the entire Pioneer team, here’s to a year filled with learning! As we continue with our campaign on the importance of daily school attendance, I’ll close with an encouragement that we see your student ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!
I would also like to leave you with a positive note by sharing a story with you that took place at an actual school about a task assigned to students.
INSPIRATIONAL STORY
One balloon was given to every student, who had to inflate it, write their name, and throw it in the hallway. The teachers then mixed all the balloons.
The students were given 5 minutes to find their balloons. Despite a hectic search, no one discovered their balloon. At that point, the teachers told the students to take the first balloon they found and hand it to the person whose name was written.
Within 5 minutes, everyone had their balloon. The teachers said to the students: ′′These balloons are like happiness. We will never find it if everyone is looking for their own. But if we care about other people's happiness... we'll find ours too."
The moral of the story is to care for one another and help one another. That way, we will all receive some happiness at the end.
Credits to @Jennifer Holtz Gaegler for this story.
We had an awesome first month, and I am excited about all of the positive things this year will hold. Thank you, as always, for your continued cooperation!
Have a great weekend!
Principal
Quote of the Month
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS
On Friday, September 24, a Club Fair was held in the cafeteria. Students had the opportunity to learn about different after-school club opportunities from student club leaders and teacher advisors. 26 clubs were represented at the fair, ranging from Model United Nations, to Chess Club, to Table Tennis Club, and much more!
After-school clubs start soon!
Club selection forms went out this week.
Week of October 4 - All after-school clubs begin meeting regularly.
Back to School Nights
Thanks to all parents who attended!
Elementary School
News
Upcoming Events
Honestly Blue: This is to celebrate our theme for character education class, which is honesty. The students will have a dress down day on Friday, September 24th.
Fall Spirit Week: Pioneer Academy elementary students will have a dress down week during the MAP testing week. We like to do spirit week to help students not to be stressed out during the testing time from September 27 - Oct 1, 2021.
Middle School
News
Social Studies
Mr. Benevenga’s eighth graders were assigned a famous inventor from the Industrial Age. Students did a fantastic job creating an informative slideshow in which they became the inventor. Inventors included Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Jan Matzeliger, & the Wright Brothers.
Pictured at right is JT dressed up as Orville Wright.
Science
Mrs. Vickery’s class was challenged to create a table with only 10 sheets of paper and 2 meters of tape. The table had to be at least 15 centimeters tall, and hold as many books as possible. Students had an exciting time testing their tables, and utilizing the engineering design process.
Testing
Middle school students completed their Fall NWEA MAP testing this past week. Students’ individual results will be shared with the parents very soon!
Eighth graders will also be taking the PSAT 8/9 test on October 13. Mr. Yurttaser will reach out with more information.
Character Education
Mrs. Seker’s fifth-grade class performed illustrative scenarios about self-awareness and understanding others people's feelings.
Upcoming Events
Middle School Trivia Contest
On October 1, middle school students will compete in a three-round teacher trivia contest with the winner earning a recess period for his or her class. Questions will be related to academia, pop culture, and Pioneer’s middle school staff.
Fall Festival
On October 15, middle school students will enjoy an afternoon of games, sports, drawing contests, food, and music. Check your emails in the upcoming weeks for further details.
Spirit Week
During the last week of October, middle school students will participate in our annual Spirit Week! Each day will have a dedicated theme, such as sports gear or professional attire. Teachers will record participation and the class with the highest participation rate will win a to be determined prize.
High School
News
SAT Achievement
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) program launch
Counseling Corner
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- otherwise known as the FAFSA -- is a form completed by students and families to determine what, if any, need-based financial aid they qualify for through the federal government.
When Does the FAFSA Open?
The form is required to be completed each year. For those applying as first-year students for the 2022-23 school year, the FAFSA will be open October 1, 2021.
Is Early Application right for you?
About 450 colleges offer early admission plans. Under these plans, students can apply to colleges early, well before the usual deadline and get a decision early.
Some students who apply under these plans have a better chance of getting in than they would through the regular admission process. Colleges benefit from the plans as well because they get students who really want to attend that college to commit early.
How to Decide If Applying Early Is Right for You
Applying early can be a good idea if you’re sure about which college you want to attend. That means you’ve researched its programs and, if possible, visited its campus.
But think twice about applying early if:
You want to compare admission and financial aid offers from several colleges.
You’d benefit from having another year of high school work to show colleges.
Early Admission Options
There are three main types of early admission plans. All three plans usually require you to apply in October or November. All the plans give you an early decision; you’ll know in December or January if you’ve been accepted.
1. Early decision plans:
You can apply to only one early decision college. If the college accepts you and offers you enough financial aid, you must go to that college. That’s why these plans are referred to as “binding.”
Some colleges have two early deadlines, called early decision deadline I and early decision deadline II. They both work the same way, but the second deadline gives you more time to decide whether to apply early.
Although you may apply to additional colleges through the regular admission process, you must withdraw all other applications if you’re accepted by this college.
2. Early action plans:
You can apply to more than one early action college. If you're accepted, you can say yes right away or wait until spring to decide. You can also decline the offer.
3. Single-choice early action plans:
You can apply early to only one college. Otherwise, these plans work the same as other early action plans. You can still apply to other colleges through the regular admission process. You don't have to give your final answer to the early application college until spring.
life coaching
START FEELING BETTER NOW
This year high school students will have a coaching service available to them. Our life coach will listen, encourage and coach students through whatever challenge they may be facing to reach the outcomes they want.
LET’S TALK
Let’s Talk, now offered in person. It’s a program that Pioneer provides to our high schoolers to access confidential one-on-one coaching. Services are available five days a week during the school year.
We believe students can learn to give and receive feedback, develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others, and practice new behaviors in a safe, non-threatening environment.
A Message from the Nurse's Office
YOU NEED MORE FIBER IN YOUR SYSTEM
You’ve heard it before: You need to eat more fiber. Whether you heard it from your doctor or your mother, they’re probably right. The average American isn’t getting enough fiber. After all, fiber is usually found in whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, which you won’t find in fast food menus and most prepackaged foods.
What’s fiber? Because insoluble fiber is bulky, it helps move your food through your digestive tract. Which helps with constipation or irregular stools. For the greatest health benefits, you should aim to eat a variety of high-fiber foods that include both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Benefits of eating more fiber
Sure, you’ve been told to eat more fiber. It’s healthy, after all. But do you know the benefits of including enough fiber in your diet on a daily basis? Here are the benefits of a diet rich in fiber:
Fiber keeps you regular. If you’ve experienced problems with constipation or irregular (watery) stools, adding more fiber to your diet can help bulk up your stool. Whether your stools are coming out too easily, or not at all, fiber can help.
Fiber helps keep your bowels healthy. Eating more fiber may help reduce your risk of developing hemorrhoids and may even prevent colorectal cancer.
Fiber can protect against breast cancer. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found a significantly lower breast cancer risk for women who had a higher intake of fiber during adolescence and early adulthood.
Fiber lowers your cholesterol. Soluble fiber can help to lower your cholesterol levels, mainly your “bad” cholesterol levels. Fiber can also help your heart health and improve your blood pressure.
Fiber helps you stay full longer. When you eat whole foods that contain good amounts of fiber, you’ll feel satisfied for longer. Which means you’ll eat less in the long run and still feel full. Plus, calorie for calorie, you’ll be eating less when you fill up on whole foods like fresh produce or whole grains than if you fill up on other foods. This means when you start including more fiber into your diet, you might also see the numbers on the scale go down.
Fiber helps to control your blood sugar levels. This is good news if you’re a diabetic. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar. Eating adequate amounts of fiber qcan also help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
How much fiber do you need? You’re committed to eating more fiber. But how much do you need? The American Diabetic Association recommends healthy adult women eat at least 25 grams of fiber daily and healthy adult men at least 38 grams. Unfortunately, if you’re anything like the average American, you’re only getting about 15 grams of fiber daily, which leaves room for improvement.
Tips for eating more fiber
Eating more fiber doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, you just need to be more aware of your dietary intake and concentrate on eating more whole foods. Try these tips:
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Choose whole-grain options whenever possible. Swap out white breads for whole-grain breads, white rice for brown rice, and whole-grain flours for white flours in your baking.
Eat more legumes. Add beans, lentils, or peas to your favorite meals to add a little extra flavor and a lot of fiber.
Choose high-fiber breakfast items. Breakfast is an easy way to add more fiber to your day. Just opt for high-fiber breakfast cereals, oatmeal, or whole grain toast instead of your usual sugary cereal or white bagel.
Include fiber in every snack. Fresh fruits and vegetables or whole-grain crackers make a fast and easy snack.
Drink water. Fiber works best with water, so stay hydrated for the best results.
Add more fiber slowly into your diet. Adding a lot of fiber to your diet too quickly can cause gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. Instead, increase your fiber intake slowly over a few weeks.