The Pirate Treasure
September 16, 2022
HOMECOMING 2022
PRIMARY
This is Mrs. Hennessy’s class! In our class we enjoy doing Daily 5. We are improving and strengthening our literacy skills every day! We love to read, and solve problems and take brain breaks in between. We love being together doing Daily 5.
CLASSROOM HIGHLIGHT - CARTER
This is Mrs. Carter’s class! They love to sing, dance, and have fun while they learn! They always work hard during Reader’s Workshop to become Rockstar Readers! They love STEAM time and learning the letter of the week!
NEW SHADE COVERS AT PT PRIMARY
Our Primary playgrounds have new shade covers for our play areas. This keeps our Primary Pirates cool while they learn and play!
BIRCH ELEMENTARY
High School Pep Rally
Several Birch First Pirates were chosen to attend the Pine Tree High School Pep Rally recently. These students represent hard work and respect each and every day. Their positive attitudes help make our Birch First campus spectacular.
Pirates of the Month
The Birch Elementary Pirates of the Month are amazing students who give 110% in the classroom and show kindness to those around them. Our September Pirates of the Month are:
Esteban Anders, 1st Grade (Danapas)
Rylie Barnes, 2nd Grade (Dentley)
Armando Kalukini, 3rd Grade (Kuhn)
Sadie Melton, 4th Grade (Lehenbauer)
Birch First Library
The students of Birch Elementary are busy visiting the library, reading amazing new books, and earning Accelerated Reader points daily. Readers are leaders at Birch Elementary School!
Birch Elementary Supports Uvalde ISD
The Birch First Family recently showed support for the Uvalde ISD community by wearing maroon on Uvalde ISD’s first day back to school. Our thoughts and prayers are with this district as they continue in the 2022-2023 school year.
Grandparents Week
At Birch, we love the many grandparents that play a significant role in the lives of our little Pirates. This week, grandparents were invited to attend breakfast with their grandchild. We are blessed to have awesome Birch First Grandparents!
September Pirates of the Month
Esteban Anders, 1st Grade
Rylie Barnes, 2nd GradeAmando Kalukini, 3rd Grade
Sadie Melton, 4th Grade
PARKWAY ELEMENTARY
Rock Painting
Parkway students turned a truckload of rocks into a beautiful display in the front of our school. Students picked their three colors and painted their rocks for our very first “Only One You” art installation. They painted their rocks in Art class. These rocks are just like our students, One of a Kind. They did such an amazing job filling in this beautiful heart shape.
Bottled Boat
Mrs. Morrow’s student, Alexzander V. built a boat at home out of a shampoo bottle, rubber bands, and marbles. He brought it to school to test during our ‘Sink or Float’ science lesson. Students were able to observe the boat and then make a hypothesis on whether it would sink or float. We were able to test the hypothesis in class and it DID float! Way to go Alexzander!
Drizzle
CEER students in Mrs. Morgan's 4th grade class have begun working on their summer reading projects based on the book Drizzle. Students decide what they want to do for their project presentations and will work in small groups to complete them. On September 30th the CEER class will present their completed projects in the classroom. We cannot wait to see their finished projects.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Middle School student’s started the 2022-2023 school year at The BEST school ever. This campus is filled with super smart students and wonderful teachers. We ended our first week with a dance! Many students found friends and enjoyed the evening with their new classmates. Students lined up to be the next perfect pitch to dunk Mr. White or Mr. Mosley in the dunk tank while at the dance. The D.J played our favorite tunes while our Middle School PTA assisted with a snack bar. We are grateful for their help in all our activities.
This year on the middle school campus we are known as the GoldMedalCrew! #GMC. Our administrators are watching for students who show Pride, Respect or Hope while working in class or helping other students in the building. If caught being a #Gold Medal Crew member, students will win a ticket and be able to purchase items at our campus store, or add to a drawing for larger items like a Nintendo switch.
The keyboarding challenge is on and the gauntlet has been laid by Ms. Newman. She is racing students on their keyboarding skills from time to time. This 5th grader has topped her score with his skills. Now can you try to beat these two champions? He won a #GMC ticket to purchase something at the school store. Students practice keyboarding skills at home using the links from WIN time teachers. Mrs.Toliver shares a Gold Medal Crew ticket with a student in the lunchroom.
HIGH SCHOOL
It is Homecoming week at Pine Tree High School - yes, that is right. School has been in session for four weeks and it is already time for Homecoming.
Friday night at 7 p.m., the new king and queen will be crowned. Four senior boys and four senior girls are nominated. Distinguished alums will also be recognized at this game against Jacksonville.
With Homecoming comes different dress up days and events. Students have been having fun all week dressing in different outfits, and Friday will be Spirit Day to proudly wear blue and gold.
School kicked off quickly with football, volleyball and tennis holding events just after the first day of classes. UIL Academics is already having events as well, and the Debate team has been in several meets in East Texas.
Senior pictures have been taken for the Class of 2023. Proofs will be seen on Tuesday, September 20 when the underclassmen - juniors, sophomores and freshmen take their school pictures.
Football ends non district games Friday with district competition set to begin September 23rd. Volleyball is in district, and tennis has about five more matches before the fall season is over.
Theatre is getting ready for the first of four productions - the first play will premiere in November while band is preparing for marching competition next month.
Classes are busy for students. Teachers are making a real effort to teach bell to bell this year and give the students maximum attention so they will excel in not only their classes but on exams they take related to those classes.
Pine Tree welcomes a new assistant principal this year, Jade Lee. Dr. Cleo Wadley returns as principal and Caci Brinkley, Justin Linnstaedter and Beeper Kraus return as assistant principals. Angel Rocha and Stephen Rockwell are also assisting with attendance and student services for the high school.
It is only two months until Thanksgiving Break so there is a lot to get done and a lot to accomplish before we have another vacation and get some well deserved rest.
But, for now, Homecoming is here. Welcome back alums and we hope to see you at the game Friday night.
EXCEL
The 2022-2023 school year has brought some changes to the ExCEL program and staff. We welcomed two new teachers to the ExCEL team. ExCEL is no longer in the 700 hall but has relocated to the 900 hall.
Please help in welcoming Coach Breann Clinton to the ExCEL team and Pine Tree. Coach Clinton is the freshman volleyball coach, assistant junior high basketball coach and assistant softball coach this year. She is also the science teacher this year for ExCEL. This is her first year at PT but her fourth year as a teacher and coach. She began her teaching and coaching career at Beckville ISD and is now excited to be at PTISD. Coach Clinton says she is looking forward to a successful school year.
Also, new to Team ExCel is Coach Mary Tampke. Coach Tampke is the head tennis coach and is entering her 8th year of teaching and coaching and her 5th year at PT. She will be teaching History this year for ExCEL and we are glad to have her!
We have accepted 20 new students into the program this school year. We are off to a great start.
PACE/ABU
The Pine Tree PACE Alternative Campus has kicked the year off with amazing PACE SWAG! The students are Showing Up, Working Hard, and Acting Right! Go, Pirates! The Elementary students in both programs are putting in time to take care of the PACE Garden. It is so exciting to see the results of a team effort! One of our elementary students, Kemorian Evers, proudly shows sweet potatoes grown in the garden!
Another wonderful experience taking place at the PACE Campus is the on-going collaboration of the Backpack Food Project within our district. Working with the Pine Tree Nutrition Department, campus counselors and our PTISD Volunteer Coordinator Donna Pruitt, the PACE students and staff ensure that an average of 85 food bags are assembled and delivered to K-12 students for weekend purposes. The students also write Hope Notes to include in the bags to encourage other students.