THE PIRATE TREASURE
February 11, 2022
HIGH SCHOOL
IT IS COMPETITION AND FORMAL SEASON AT PTHS
It is that time of year when competitions occur as well as formals that get students ready for the prom and the end of year activities.
UIL Academics is in the middle of competitions and is gearing toward April district meets, while band and choir are in solo and ensemble concerts which send Pine Tree students on to state events.
Cleo Wadley, PTHS principal, has deemed this year Gung Ho and is actively asking administrators, teachers and students to celebrate each other for various accomplishments. In the area of academics, Pine Tree has a lot to be proud of this school year. Students are meeting and exceeding expectations in a lot of areas, counselors say.
Class meetings are planned where students will once again hear important information from not only their assistant principal but from other speakers as well.
On the formal front, Precision and Band have had their formals. Both of these events were well attended and elegant events which honored seniors and gave all members of the organization a night to dress up and celebrate.
This Saturday night is Cheer Buc, which gives football players, trainers, BUCS and cheerleaders their chance to dress up and enjoy an evening together. Choir will have the last formal of the season on February 26 in the Junior High cafeteria.
Students are looking forward to these formals as well as prom, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 2 at Pinecrest Country Club.
In sports, basketball is winding down its season for both boys and girls, while soccer is in the midst of a playoff run on both the boys and girls side. Baseball, softball, track, tennis and golf are kicking off seasons right now which will run through the end of school, and Pine Tree is optimistic on all fronts about successes for these teams.
Before we all know it, the school year will be coming to a close and another year will be complete. But, before that happens, there is an abundance of activities, projects and events which will occur. Enjoy them all, but keep the focus on the finish line in May.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Pine Tree Middle School has had a busy few weeks. Middle School students competed in two UIL competitions where our 6th graders captured first place and our 5th graders captured third place in their competitions. Pine Tree Middle School Texas Math Science Coaches Association (TMSCA) team is still winning medals in several math and science competitions.
Our 5th Grade students were treated to a symphony concert at LeTourneau University this week. They attended the Longview Symphony Orchestra's school day production where they heard multiple scores of music. The musicians discussed various instruments in the symphony.
Students in 5th grade Science classes have built alternative planets as they study more about space and the solar system. Look for these interesting projects on display until the end of February in the PTMS library. Selected projects will be on display at the Pine Tree EXPEDITION on February 17 at Maude Cobb Convention Center.
PARKWAY ELEMENTARY
UIL Champions
Our Parkway Pack UIL students have worked on their UIL events. Many of our students participated in several different types of events including Music Memory, Number Sense, and many more. Our Parkway champions rocked at the UIL meet. We are super proud of them. Our amazing coaches worked so hard to make sure our students were ready to shine bright at the meet. Hard work pays off!
4th Grade Robotics Champions
This fall our 4th grade gifted and talented class participated in the Robotic Design Competition through Region 7. Our students had to complete many challenging tasks to enter the competition. Those tasks had our students involved in activities that required them to brainstorm, collaborate, problem solve, create, design, write, present, and create two different videos.
The Parkway 4th grade GT class won the BEST OVERALL ROBOTIC DESIGN VIDEO AWARD. The award was announced at the Robotic Seminar Thursday February 3, 2022.
This spring, Parkway Elementary will have a group of 4th grade students participate in the robotic challenge portion of the competition on April 20, 2022. Ms. Ray and Ms. McQueary are the robotic sponsors who are helping our students prepare for that exciting event. Great job to our 4th grade robotics team and their wonderful robotic sponsors.
Pirates of the Month for February
1st Grade - Chance Brown
2nd Grade - Bryce Brown
3rd Grade - Kristen Apostol
4th Grade - Bryan Morales
BIRCH ELEMENTARY
UIL Champions
On Friday, January 28th, our Birch First Pirates traveled to Greggton United Methodist Church to compete in our annual UIL competition. Schools came from near and far to challenge our Birch First Pirates in events such as Oral Reading, Music Memory, Chess, and more. The Birch Pirates once again ranked #1 at the UIL meet. Due to the diligent efforts of the coaches and students, Birch is now Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back District UIL champions. We ARE Birch First!
Pirate and Student of the Month
Congratulations to our Students and Pirates of the month for January:
Sydney Lewis, Lucious Dotten (not pictured), Jakaylen Bolton, Presleigh Nono, Liam Clayton, Jennifer Carcamo, Jaylen Barron, and Martha Valadez
Birch First Spring Book Fair
Birch Elementary School will hold their Spring Book Fair on February 14th-17th in the Birch music room. Students will be allowed to shop during their assigned days and during the special events listed below. The book fair schedule will be posted on our campus Facebook page prior to the book fair. Teachers will also share their assigned days with students and parents. Listed below are some important details regarding the spring book fair.
Special Events
A GRAND Lunch Event: February 14th- GRANDparents and other “GRAND” people are invited to eat lunch and shop at our book fair with their child. (Lunch will be $4.50 for visitors.)
Family Night- February 15th- Families are invited to shop at the book fair from 4:30-6:00 p.m.
“We Love Our Teachers”-February 16th-Parents are invited to eat lunch with their child and shop with their students to purchase a book for their teacher’s classroom library. (Lunch will be $4.50 for visitors.)
PTA Valentine Sweetheart Giveaway
Beginning Monday, February 14th, Birch Elementary will begin taking nominations for our Sweetheart giveaway. Staff members and students are able to nominate students who have shown courtesy and respect, displayed gratitude, or been a friend to their peers.
If it is in your heart to donate items for the sweethearts of Birch, donations may be dropped off at the front office. Drawings will be held during lunches on Wednesday, February 16th!
PACE
Project ETCADA : Youth Prevention Education: Vaping and Juuling
Knowledge is power! Intervention for Prevention!
The afterschool launch session for Project ETCADA: Youth Prevention Education was Wednesday, February 9, 2022. This is an empowering service offered to the students, parents & guardians of our district to provide information on vaping, marijuana, and alcohol. This partnership is a collaboration with East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ETCADA) and the Pine Tree PACE Alternative Campus.
The attending group included students grades 6 to 12th, three parent-guardians, and four PACE staff participants. We appreciate Mr. Larry Lee and ETCADA for this intentional work.
#PACESTRONG #PACESWAG #PACEProjects
ExCEL
ExCEL High School celebrates our Student of the Month for January, Natalie Hunt. We recognize Natalie for her progress in the classroom, her notable consideration towards others, as well as her positive attitude and determination.
Natalie's sister, Stephany, is a 2021 PT graduate. We have had the pleasure of having Natalie this school year. Natalie wanted to attend ExCEL for the quieter, smaller campus environment. Even though she transferred to ExCEL, Natalie continues to pursue two of her interests at the main campus.
She enjoys cooking and is in the Culinary Arts program. She also enjoys art and is in her fourth year of Art at the main campus. One of her fellow classmates says that she is "very artistic and puts off an artistic vibe."
After high school, Natalie plans to attend college. Interestingly enough, when asked what she plans to pursue, it was nothing related to her passions of cooking or art. Natalie wants to be an airline mechanic!
Natalie said, "Most guys can work on cars to an extent. I want to go above that and learn how to fix a plane!"
It's that kind of ambition that will help Natalie be the success we know she can be.
JUNIOR HIGH
PTJH hosted the District 15-5A UIL Academic meet on February 5th, and by all accounts, it was a roaring success! Faculty and staff from PTJH, PTMS, and across the district worked together to run an efficient contest and to provide a wonderful, highly complimented, hospitality room for visitors from Hallsville, Marshall, Mount Pleasant, Sulphur Springs, and Texarkana ISDs.
The hard work of the UIL Team coaches and students was rewarded when they captured the UIL District Academic Championship, winning the overall Sweepstakes total and placing first in every grade level! PTJH and PTMS combined to score 1,201 points, with Sulphur Springs in second with 826, and Hallsville in third with 768. Congratulations to all involved on an incredible accomplishment!
Thirty-seven members of the PTJH Choir participated in a Solo and Ensemble contest on January 31st. The members of the Lady Pirate ladies ensemble received a Superior rating and will be performing at EXPEDITION 2022. Twenty-six members of the choir received medals for Superior ratings on theirs solo performances.
The PTJH Pirates and Lady Pirates wrapped up a successful campaign on the hardwood, with solid performances against Marshall in the final basketball games of the season. Our coaches and athletes have turned their focus to Track and Field, with meets coming just around the corner.
A big shoutout to our Pirates of the Month for January:
7th grade
Maria Siri and Clark Medin
8th grade
Mia Cervantes and Trenton Fowler.
All of these students excel in the classroom and in extracurricular activities! #PTJHRocks
ATHLETICS
PINE TREE ISD
Email: info@ptisd.org
Website: www.ptisd.org
Location: 1701 Pine Tree Road, Longview, TX, USA
Phone: 903-295-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/PTISD
Twitter: @PTISD