Pioneer PAWPrints Newsletter
September 2021
Campus News
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th/5th Grade
Dear 4/5 parents,
We have had a fabulous first week of school, and we are looking forward to what the next month has in store for us! Now that we are familiar with our classroom rules, procedures, and expectations, we can comfortably move forward with our curriculum.
In reading we will be starting with our Wonders curriculum. We will be working on vocabulary, spelling, reading fluency, and comprehension for the first unit. We will have weekly spelling tests, and the spelling lists will go home in mail folders every Monday. We will practice the words several times in class throughout the week, but please make sure that you are setting aside time to help your child study each week so that they can be successful.
In math we are spending our first few weeks focusing on place value and how to multiply or divide numbers (5th grade uses decimals) by 10, 100, or 1000. They will use the computer program Zearn to learn the concepts in a hands-on way, then complete a worksheet to double check that they fully understand what they just learned.
I will be utilizing Class Dojo constantly throughout the year to track behavior within the classroom. The students are constantly trying to earn “Dojo points” with positive behavior choices, but sometimes mistakes happen and they lose a point to two. All of the Dojo points given and taken throughout the day contribute to the daily percentage, which I use to decide if the class gets a tally at the end of the day. 50 tallys earns them a Dojo party! Please make sure that you are connected to our class on Class Dojo so that you can see your child’s daily progress.
I have a feeling that it will be an AMAZING year. We have a great class that loves to learn. If you have any questions throughout the year, please feel free to call or email me, or message me on Class Dojo.
Mrs. Rau
6th-8th Grade
Hello everyone! My name is Mr. Williams and I am very excited to be the new 6th-8th grade teacher at Pioneer School! I have greatly enjoyed getting to know your kids as we have started this new school year!
We are a small class, but it has been a great opportunity to get a lot of 1-1 time with the students and get to know them personally in a short period of time. They are already working together very well!
We are already jumping right into our curriculum. The students are working very hard as we are studying a variety of subjects such as English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and our various electives. More importantly, we have had many opportunities to learn together about how to become better individuals. I know these students are at a pivotal point in their development, so we are placing a high priority on teaching them important concepts such as how to respect themselves and others, learning from mistakes, and recognizing the importance of effort when it comes to measuring success. I believe these are the skills and principles they need to learn the most as they grow and develop.
I am grateful to be a part of these students’ lives as they continue to grow and develop both inside and outside the classroom. I know we are going to have a fantastic year as we learn and grow together!
Please feel free to contact me at any time. We will keep in contact via Remind and I can always be contacted via email at williams@pioneerschool.us. Thank you!
Mr. Williams
Library
Welcome Back to School!
September is upon us and school has started! I want to take a moment and introduce myself. My name is Mrs. Burns and I’m so excited to be jumping into my 22nd year of teaching and taking on a new position at Pioneer School. I am now the new Librarian, Special Education, and Title teacher and I will be teaching PE and music as well.
To help your child get the most out of his/her stories, here are some questions you can ask at home about books they are reading:
Will you catch me up on the story?
What's happened so far?
What do you think will happen next?
If the book was a TV show, which actors would you cast in it?
Where is the book set?
If the main character in that story lived next door, would you guys be friends?
What does the place look like in your head as you read?
Would you want to visit there?
What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
Who was your favorite character? Why?
Would you have ended the book differently?
Did it end the way you thought it would?
If you could change one thing in the book, what would you change?
(Source: Lexile.com: How to Discuss a Book with Your Child)
I am looking forward to another year with all of our new and returning families. I can’t wait to see how much the returning children have grown and hear about all the exciting things they have done over the summer. I am also thrilled to be welcoming all of the families and children who are new to the school this year! I am anxious to meet you all!
Mrs. Burns
Superintendent's Message
Our 2021-2022 school year is off to an awesome start! Laughter and learning are filling the halls and classrooms and we cannot be more excited to be back on campus running a somewhat normal schedule! Relationships are being formed and you can actually feel the enthusiasm of our campus amidst these uncertain times.
Classroom expectations, routines, and procedures are being developed with each passing day. Expectations, procedures, and routines are incredibly important within each classroom and across campus, as they form the foundation for a smooth-running learning environment in which students are comfortable, secure, and most importantly this year, safe!
Just as last year, we are taking our new protocols, policies, and mitigation strategies very seriously. Student and staff safety is our number one goal and in order to accomplish this while keeping our doors open during this pandemic, we MUST adhere to strict guidelines where illness is concerned. As a reminder, if your student is going to be absent, you MUST notify the office - even if you've already told the teacher.
As you know, information regarding COVID-19 changes quickly and regularly as our experts learn more about this virus. So too must we be ready to "PIVOT"! Below is flow the chart of COVID-19 guidelines that will help you determine when to keep your student(s) home or when they will be sent home from school. Please read over this information carefully! We need your help keeping our campus open for mask optional, in-person instruction!
Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions/concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Schnitzmeier
Principal/Superintendent, Pioneer School
Email: schnitzmeier@pioneerschool.us
Phone: (406) 373-5357
If I'm Sick, When Do I Stay Home or Go Home From School?
Nurse Karen's News
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Welcome back to the start of another school year. We hope you and your family had an enjoyable and healthy summer break.
The fall months ahead are not only a time for students to resume their studies they are also a time when colds, flu, and other communicable diseases are at their peak. RiverStone Health would like to partner with you to minimize the spread of common childhood illnesses and missed school days.
Here are some steps you can take to ensure your child stays healthy and learning-ready this season:
1. Keep immunizations up-to-date. All states require immunizations prior to entry into school with additional vaccines required during the school age years. Vaccination against childhood diseases is one of the greatest public health achievements of the last half century. Vaccines protect your child and the school community from serious, preventable diseases. RiverStone Health Immunization Clinic No appointment necessary
Monday and Friday 1 pm - 4:30 pm OR Wednesday 11 - 6:30 pm
2. Encourage hand-washing at home. Unwashed hands are a major source of disease transmission; scrubbing hands with soap and water before eating and after use of bathroom facilities is an important way to avoid exposure to many respiratory and stomach illnesses.
3. Teach your child good health habits. Even very young children can be taught to “cough or sneeze in your sleeve!”
4. Please keep your sick child home. While mild illnesses are not completely preventable when children (and their “germs”) share the same building, children with fever or signs of moderate illness should not come to school. Not only are they infectious to others but they also need the care and supervision that only a parent can provide. See attached form: Illness Policy
5. Although lunchtime in the cafeteria is a chance for students to socialize with friends, it can also be an opportunity for viruses and bacteria to pass from one child to another. Discourage your child from sharing their food, beverages, and eating utensils with others.
6. Finally, while lice are not considered a “disease,” they are a nuisance that affects up to 12 million school-aged children each year. Lice don’t hop or fly but are spread by direct head-to-head contact or by using an infested brush, hat, or hair accessory. You may want to check your child’s head periodically for lice or nits and help him/her understand that some things are not to be shared, even with a sibling or best friend.
I am committed to maintaining a healthy school environment for all students. Our wellness and illness policies not only conform to accepted national standards but are designed to promote the health and well-being of all members of our school community.
If you have any questions about health issues or policies, please call me at 247-3367.
Thank you
Karen Graf MSN, RN-BC, APHN
Pioneer School Nurse
Monthly Calendar
School Picture Day
Panther PTA News
We hope that your school year is off to another FANTASTIC start. We are very excited that our school was able to start this school year off with a little "normalcy", although we realize that many things are still up in the air. The PTA plans to charge forward and team with the teachers and administration to plan our monthly community events. We hope that we will be able to host as many as possible this year! We will keep our school community posted on dates and times as we begin working out the details on each of these.
As far as fundraising efforts, we are excited to announce that we again are selling Blue Books this year! This is one of our largest fundraising events and we appreciate all of your help to sell as many of these as possible!
Do you ever wonder where the funds that are raised through the PTA go? PTA teams with the school and teachers to purchase a menagerie of items such as classroom supplies, curriculum, and student supplies. We help fund field trips and necessary items for our monthly community events. We purchase new equipment such as the water bottle filling drinking fountain in the brick building. We help offer a twice-monthly hot lunch and pizza every Friday. All of this is just a small idea of what we do, and we can't wait to continue to find ways to better support our little school.
Our meetings happen once monthly and you can attend both in-person or via Zoom. If we have a meeting that is Zoom only, we will make sure it's announced. We encourage EVERYONE to join us and find out how to better support our school and PTA!
Have a wonderful September!
Alyssa Kreiger - President
Trevor Krieger - Vice President
Melissa Schnitzmeier - Treasurer/Secretary
Transportation News
Bus rules
Pioneer Elementary believes that our drivers’ first and foremost responsibility is to safely transport our children to and from school. Excessive horseplay, etc. could result in injuries on the bus and seriously interfere with the safe transportation of the children. The bus is equipped with seatbelts, students will be expected to wear seatbelts. Masks are required to be worn at all times.
These behavior problems cannot and will not be tolerated.
Students must be ready at stop 5 minutes before expected arrival of bus.
The Driver will stop, blow horn, and proceed with the route if the child is not at his/her stop.
Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching the bus.
Upon entering the bus, go at once to your assigned seat, sit down, and remain seated until arrival at your destination.
Keep feet, books, packages, equipment or other objects out of the aisles at all times by placing articles on your lap, sit facing the front of the bus.
Voice levels should be at a 0-1. Shouting is prohibited.
Keep arms, hands, head, and all parts of the body inside the bus at all times—never out of the window.
Report bus damage to the driver.
Follow posted rules.
Unacceptable Behaviors include (but are not limited to):
Spitting
Screaming, screeching and/or causing disruption with high pitched voice.
Use of profanity or any other inappropriate language.
Use of tobacco products, drugs or alcohol.
Use of emergency exit door except for an emergency.
Throwing objects or debris on the floor, out of the bus, or at peers.
Scuffling, playing or fighting.
Lighting matches or lighters.
Items Prohibited on the bus include (but are not limited to):
Trading Cards (Baseball, Pokemon, etc)
I-Pods, etc. Pioneer School will not be responsible for loss, theft or damage to these items should you choose to bring them on the bus or to school.
Cell phones. Please see cell phone policy on page 6.
Gameboys, and other video games. Exceptions may be made for all day field trips and is subject to the approval of the teacher.
The driver is in charge of the students and the bus. He/she will assign seats and apply disciplinary measure as required.
In inclement weather, when there is a strong possibility the buses cannot get through, listen to radio stations: KCTR 102.9, KGHL-FM 98.5, Y-93 93.3, or KRKX 94.1 FM, for notification of school closure.
When crossing in front of the bus, students must not run; they are to look both directions and wait for the driver to signal. All traffic should stop for a school bus loading or unloading children, but children should not trust traffic to do so.
Students should always cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus.
Students may not board or depart the bus at stops other than their own. Exceptions may be granted by written permission or phone call to the office of parent/guardians of all students involved.
Safety rules posted in the bus are discussed with students on the first day of school and with each new student the first day he/she rides the bus.
Students riding the bus in the morning will ride home in the afternoon unless they are picked up at the school by their parent/guardian. If someone other than a parent/guardian is to pick up the student, a note must be supplied to the school stating the name of the person who will transport the student.
Parents of children that are not registered students of Pioneer School may be asked to sign a waiver before they are allowed to ride a Pioneer School Bus.
STUDENT BUS DISCIPLINE
If discipline is necessary, the procedure is:
Warning by the driver.
A Bus Refocus Slip (Bus Ticket) will be written and sent home to the parents.
A Bus Refocus Slip (Bus Ticket) will be written and notice will be sent to parents. Student will be transported by parents for 5 School Days and will be assigned a seat up front for the remainder of the year.
Upon the 3rd offense, parents will be notified and a Bus Refocus Slip (Bus Ticket) will be issued. The Administrator will suspend the student for the remainder of the year.
* Flagrant Offense: In cases of students displaying “extreme” behavior, students may be removed from the bus for the year. (Even if it is their FIRST OFFENSE).
Note: If a student loses bus privileges, they may not be permitted to ride the bus for any reason, including field trips, for the remainder of the year.
GETTING OFF AT A DIFFERENT STOP
The driver is responsible for a student from loading point to the designed stop. At no time will the driver allow a student to ride a different bus or get off at a different location UNLESS the appropriate paperwork is on file in the office to include a signed note by the parent of the rider and the parent of new stop.