Pioneer Trail Elementary
August 2019 Parent Newsletter
PRINCIPAL'S NOTE
Dear Pioneer Trail Families,
Welcome to the 2019/2020 school year! We expect our students to be and do their personal best in and out of the classroom and to respect our school, the staff members, and fellow classmates. In fact, you will often hear us encouraging all of our students to become safe, respectful, and responsible learners.
Our theme this year is “Reading Makes Us Bright!”. Learning is a true adventure that can take us anywhere we want to go! Being able to be strong readers and learners opens up all kinds of possibilities! Our staff is very excited about promoting our students and taking learning to a whole new adventure and level this year! As the mission statement of Pioneer Trail states, we are here to create a community where all members work to their maximum potential, display positive character, and engage in a high-quality learning experience.
As always, I am extremely proud of our school and will have high expectations for each of my staff members and students this school year. I want to encourage you to become involved in your child’s educational experience. Let them know that their success at school, both academically and behaviorally, are of high value to you. We want every child to feel success and to be successful. We will work with you to make that happen, but we also want to know that you will do everything from your end to support and shape that road to success as well. Working together, we can make this year a very productive and enjoyable one!
Sincerely,
Scott Salmons
Principal
Meet the Administration: Scott Salmons and Jesse Oswald
This coming school year will be my 27th year in education! I have attended Westminster College, Lincoln University, and the University of Missouri-Columbia. I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education, a Masters degree in Elementary Administration, and an Educational Specialist degree in the area of Leadership and Policy Analysis. Throughout my career, I have worked for Jefferson City Public Schools, South Callaway R-II Schools, and Southern Boone County R-I Schools. I have been very fortunate to have met and worked with so many amazing people along the way that have helped me grow in so many ways!
When I am not at work, I am Dad to three sons...Hayden (24), Jake (22), and Sam (20). Raising those three has definitely been the best and (at times) hardest job I have ever had! Parents, just know, I get it! I completely understand that as parents, we really just want the best for our kids. I promise to always try my best to keep that in mind when I am working with or making decisions about your child when he/she is in our care.
My favorite part of the job is working with kids, and knowing that I can help their teachers make learning the best possible experience for them! I believe in working hard to establish a safe and predictable environment for students to come each day, and building a climate of trust and positive relationships. I also believe that we are all in this together, and we all need to make sure we are doing our part in the big picture!
I am excited to be at Pioneer Trail and to start a new adventure with you this year. I can't wait to see all of you whether you are new or returning to Pioneer Trail. We have a lot to be proud of, and I know that working together, we will have an awesome year! Please feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions or concerns. My school email is: scott.salmons@jcschools.us, and my phone number is 573-632-3400.
My name is Jesse Oswald and I am the Administrative Intern at Pioneer Trail. I have lived in mid-Missouri my whole life. I am entering my 11th year in education and previously have worked for the Boonville School District and the Prairie Home School District. I spent six years as a PE/Health teacher for all grade levels and am entering my fifth year as an assistant principal at the K-5 level. I have also coached baseball, track and field, volleyball, and both boys and girls basketball at different times.
I played four years of college basketball and I graduated from Central Methodist University in Fayette in 2008. In 2016, I graduated from Columbia College with a Masters in Educational Leadership. In 2018, I graduated from Arkansas State University with a Specialist in Educational Leadership.
In my free time I love doing anything with my boys Miles (6) and Marshall (4) (my M&M's) and/or my girlfriend Spenser. We enjoy anything sports related, especially basketball, but also enjoy to go on long bike rides, walks, and hours in the park or at the pool. They have also all taken on my love of anything Mario, especially Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch! I love anything Missouri Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Boston Celtcis. I'm also a big Star Wars and Marvel movie nerd.
I moved to Jefferson City in August of 2019 and am excited to be a part of the Jefferson City School District and the Jefferson City community. One of the things that attracted me to the district was the idea of being Stronger Together and I recognize that in both the schools and the community. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you whether you are new to the school district (like me!) or you have been here for years. I am extremely proud to be here and look forward to an awesome school year. I look forward to doing my part in making Jefferson City Public Schools the premier school district in the state of Missouri!
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Tuesday, August 27 - First Day of School - Building Opens at 7:00 AM - School Starts at 7:45 AM
- Monday, September 2 - No School - Labor Day
- Thursday, September 5 - Fifth Grade Parent Meeting for Football/Softball Players - 6:00 - 7:00 PM
- Monday, September 9 - PTO Meeting - 6:30 PM in Pioneer Trail Library
- Monday, September 16 - PTO Fundraiser Kickoff
- Tuesday, September 17 - Title I Annual Meeting - 3:15 PM
- Wednesday, September 18 - Two Hour Early Dismissal - begin dismissing at 12:35 PM - No Boys and Girls Club
- Thursday, September 19 - Papa John Pizza Night - buy pizza(s) and help our school
- Wednesday, September 25 - Mid-terms sent home with students having concerns - no news is good news!
- Friday, September 27 - Monthly Awards Assembly (Parents will be notified if their student(s) is receiving a form of recognition).
KIDAccount Dismissal
In order to increase the safety and security of the students at Pioneer Trail, we will begin implementing the KIDaccount student dismissal system. The purpose of this system is to safely and accurately release students to authorized adults, while improving the efficiency of the parent pick up line.
While we have the same traffic flow pattern already in place, we will be instituting a scan card system to organize and track the dismissal of students. As you enter the car pick up line, a staff member will scan the card and select the name of the adult picking up the student from the list that you have previously authorized to pick up your child. This process places the student names in order arrival, and signals the staff member in the gym to release your student to proceed to the pick up zone, where he/she will be officially dismissed by the staff members on duty. If you do not have your card, you will have to report to the office - no exceptions.
Each family will be issued two KIDaccount scan cards for free, and additional cards can be purchased for $2 each through the school office.
Our staff members look forward to working with you to effectivley implement the new parent pick up process. Thank you for understanding that each student’s safety is extremely important to us, and we want to do everything possible to ensure the safety of your child, as you have entrusted such precious cargo with us. As with all new things, there will be unfamiliar scenarios and initial delays, but in the long run, this system will increase the safety of our students and create a more efficient pick up process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office at 573-632-3400.
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
Difference Makers are those who go above and beyond to serve our students, staff, and schools. We need your help in identifying those individuals, teams, or groups who have made a difference in our district. Please use the button below to share your Difference Maker's story. We are specifically looking for Difference Makers tied to the JCPS organizational pillars: Learning, Partnerships, and Stewardship.
While we will thank all who are nominated, some will be recognized monthly at the Board of Education meeting.
HELPFUL HINTS FROM THE OFFICE
- To ensure the safety of our students, we will always follow the set routine for your child to go home from Pioneer Trail unless we have a note or phone call from you. Please call no later than 1:45 pm.
- If your child will be absent, please notify the office as soon as possible at 632-3400.
- When dropping your child off in the morning, please remain in your vehicle. If you need to exit your vehicle, please pull into a parking space so that the flow of traffic is not disrupted.
- If you are dropping your child off after 7:45, please walk them inside and sign them in.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!