First of all, WELCOME to the Class of 2027 students and families! We look forward to meeting you soon! Moving forward, you can expect a newsletter of this sort every Friday. We aim for consistency and strive to keep our community connected to all of the great and important things happening here at PCHS.

Please join us in welcoming our new Assistant Principal, Mr. Frank McMurray, to the PCHS Admin team! "Mr. Mac" joins us after many years in administration, first in Dexter, then Kansas City, and most recently Bay City, MI. He is already proving to be a fantastic addition to our team and is looking forward to meeting all of you! Below this note, you will find images of the PCHS Admin Team and some of our respective leadership responsibilities here at PCHS.

We are planning away to ensure the 23-24 school year is a positive and enriching experience for our students and staff! Scroll down for details about registration, the first day of school, Livingston CTE start dates and locations, weekly bell schedules, the PCHS Pirate Closet, how to follow us on social media, how to purchase Pirate gear, local opportunities, and more!

Go Pirates!

Mrs. Julia McBride, Principal

Mr. Frank McMurray, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Sandy Buczek, Dean of Academic Support

Step 1: Back-to-School Pre-Registration Opens Friday, August 11 in MiStar Parent Connect

Every year, families must complete the online back-to-school pre-registration process in MiStar ParentConnect. This ensures we have your most up-to-date contact information and affirms your intent to return. The online back-to-school registration link will be available starting Friday, August 11 in ParentConnect. You MUST complete this online pre-registration step before your student can proceed with in-person registration on August 16 or 17.

Step 2: Registration Days @ PCHS

• 11th & 12th Grade: Wednesday, August 16 from 9am-Noon (NHS & Red Cross hosting a Blood Drive 9am-2pm in the Gym too!)
• 9th & 10th Grade: Thursday, August 17 from 9am-Noon

While many steps in the registration process can happen online via MiStar Parent Connect (including PTO donation, class t-shirt orders, etc), students are expected to report during their scheduled registration day in order to have their school picture taken, receive their student ID for the year, purchase and receive a parking permit (if applicable), pick up their schedule and possibly a laptop if new to PCS. Parents are welcome and encouraged to accompany students. We are hopeful that the amazing bond work going on in the building will be at a place that allows for family exploration of the building, including practicing opening lockers and following class schedules.

In next Friday's newsletter, we will provide a registration checklist that ensures you've covered every base!

Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!

Drive Details:
Site: Pinckney High School
Address: 10255 Dexter-Pinckney Road, Pinckney, MI, 48169
Room Name: Gym
Date: Wed Aug 16, 2023
Time: 09:00 AM - 02:00 PM

Click here to make an appointment

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!

Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App on the App Store, Google Play or text BLOODAPP to 90999. Schedule appointments, view your blood type and results of your mini-physical, and track your donations.

Please note: 9th graders WILL NOT follow the schedule below on the first day of school! Instead, they will engage in a freshmen orientation experience led by our Link Crew Leaders. What is Link Crew? Similar to WEB Leaders at Pathfinder, Link Crew is a high school orientation and transition program where upperclassmen are trained to support our 9th graders' into and through a successful first year here at PCHS. We know that students are much more likely to graduate on time if they start strong in 9th grade. Orientation will begin at 7:30am in the PCHS Gym!

If you'd like to learn more about Link Crew and its purpose, there is a great video here: https://www.boomerangproject.com/transition-programs/link-crew

Additional information about each program, if applicable, will be available during the August 16 and 17 registration days.

*Please note that if your student is taking the Auto, Robotics & Automation Tech, or Advanced Welding block here at PCHS, they will not be virtual on Fridays. This is only for those traveling to us from out-of-district as a result of our early release Friday schedule.

Work Permits: Work permits can be picked up in the PCHS Main Office during our summer hours (9am-2pm). If outside of PCHS summer hours, please visit the District Office behind Pathfinder. Work permits must be filled out by the employer first before a school district administrator can sign off on them.

Technology: If you have a tech issue over the summer, you must fill out a helpdesk ticket at helpdesk.pinckneypirates.org. Our IT Team is located at the District Office behind Pathfinder.

• Media Center (soon to be The Pirate Union) renovation
• Drinking fountain replacements with filling stations
• New sinks and hand dryers in the bathrooms
• New pool locker rooms and pool improvements
• Updated weight room/fitness center, including new equipment
• New roof, and more!

Seminar has 3 key objectives:

1. Student well-being
2. Student academic success
3. A healthy school climate

We will share a more concrete calendar of activities as the school year gets going, but during this hour, you can anticipate students engaging in the following:

• 1:1 check-ins with their Seminar teacher (also their 3rd hour teacher) whose role is to be their Seminar students' go-to adult advisor at PCHS.
• Club meetings
• Assemblies
• College & career planning (also known as Educational Development Planning or EDPs) via a tool called Xello
• Work time, retakes, make-up work
• College & career guidance led by the PCHS Counseling Office
• Team building, fun competitions, and celebrations

This weekly structure supports the pursuit of our vision of every student feeling connected to one another and the school, empowered to lead, and prepared to thrive in the path of their choosing. We take great care each year to refine the Seminar experience based on student and staff feedback and look forward to making this meaningful time spent!

• Cell phones are to be off & away during class.
• Backpacks are to be in lockers during the school day.

See the images below for our rationale for these policies and the consequences for not adhering to them.

After our first year of enforcing these updated policies, we experienced...

• a decrease in behavior referrals
• an increase in student engagement in class, per teacher feedback
• some positive feedback from students that a more predictable environment helped them to just focus on learning and feel ok shutting off from social media
• increased socialization at lockers during passing time
• an increase in our student pass rate in each course each semester

Thank you for having a conversation with your student(s) in advance of the school year to prepare them to successfully live up to these policies, including discussing "the why" behind them. The more research that comes out, the more affirmed we are in our stance on limiting cell phone use. We want our students to connect positively with one another and their learning. We want to contribute positively to their mental health. Setting clear boundaries when it comes to phones helps us to do this.

• Friday, August 11: Pre-Registration Opens in Parent Connect
• Wednesday, August 16 from 9am - Noon: 11th/12th Registration (Blood Drive 9am-2pm)
• Thursday, August 17 from 9am - Noon: 9th/10th Registration
• Monday, August 28: First Day of 2023-24 School Year - 1/2 Day - 7:30-10:55am (Freshmen Orientation Day!)
• Friday, September 1: No School
• Monday, September 4: No School - Labor Day
• Wednesday, September 13 from 6:30-8:00pm: PCHS Open House ("drop-in" format to meet teachers, see classrooms, and learn about courses your student is taking)
• Thursday, September 14 at 7pm: National Honor Society Induction
• Friday, September 29: Homecoming Parade & Football Game vs. Ypsi
• Saturday, September 30: Homecoming Dance
• Wednesday, October 11: Powderpuff Football Game

District-Wide Calendars: https://www.pinckneypirates.org/page/calendars

Get your tickets to any and all games here! Season passes can also be purchased here.

https://gofan.co/app/school/MI10053

Follow along for all athletic tryout, registration, and updates at https://pinckneypiratesathletics.com/

Looking for Pirate Athletics gear?

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/michigan/pinckney/pinckney-high-school

If you have any questions please let your counselor know:

Ms. Amy Robinson (Last names A-Le) - arobinson@pinckneypirates.org

Ms. Nicole Braun (Last names Lf- Z) - nbraun@pinckneypirates.org

The Pirate Closet, coordinated by the PCHS Counseling Team accepts donations of and offers gently used clothing in a range of sizes for teenagers and/or food items such as canned goods, dry goods, and things that store well. Deodorant, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, and toothbrushes are also welcome and accessible. All donations should be brought to the Counseling Office as soon as registration days and running across the school year. Any student or PCHS family in need can visit the Counseling Office to seek access to the Pirate Closet or email your student's counselor directly.

Requests will be kept confidential. We are committed to continually improving and expanding upon the ways we support our students and their ability to be successful.

Pinckney Community Schools!

https://pinckneypirates.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

If you know someone who would thrive in a small learning community environment focused on student connection, empowerment, and preparedness for life beyond high school, send them our way! In particular, here at PCHS we are currently looking for a Special Ed Aide.

If you don't already, follow us on:

• Twitter at @PinckneyHigh
• Instagram at @pinckneyhighschool
• Facebook at Pinckney Community High School.

• Full-Day Schedule: 7:30am-2:30pm
• Half-Day Schedule: 7:30am-10:55am
• Friday Early Release Schedule: 7:30am-1:09pm
• PCHS is a closed campus. Only those approved to leave the building (i.e. for CTE, Dual Enrollment, Co-Op) may exit the building during school hours, and only through the South entrance. This is in service of ensuring all students are safely where they should be!
• If running late to school, students need to park in the Main Entrance lot (South side) in order to sign in at the Main Office. The North doors will be locked after 7:45am.
• Students are required to have a parking pass if parking in the PCHS lot during the school day. Make sure you've paid for your pass in the Main Office!
• PCS Transportation Code of Conduct

• Attendance Hotline: 810-225-5510 / hs-attendance@pinckneypirates.org