Pioneer School of the Arts

Photos from West Ada School District's post

The last day before Winter Break can be a little hectic, so Mr. Jakious called for reinforcements! Pioneer was fortunate to have TWO principals on December 20.

As “Principal for the Day,” Ms. Buffi …
- Created a Pajama Spirit Day for the school (though she kept things professional with her suit blazer on top of her PJs)
- Kicked off the day with morning announcements
- Read books to some Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms
- Observed multiple teachers and gave them meaningful instructional feedback
- Had a “working lunch” with her co-principal
- Supervised the lunchroom
- Served as crossing guard at the end of the day
- And learned more about what the staff/teachers do to make Pioneer so amazing

Principal Buffi shared that her three favorite things about Pioneer are …

1. Great teachers & staff
2. Arts enrichment
3. Friendly students

(This experience was made possible through the silent auction fundraiser at Carnival which raised funds to provide meaningful support for Pioneer classrooms.)

The “Thunder Paws” rocked Pioneer School of the Arts last night.

This gig was the culmination of a lot of work by our Rock Band members and volunteer teacher leaders. We are so proud of how far they have come together.

A feline friend decorated the pathways around our school with Pioneer Puma Paw-Prints this morning.

(Don’t worry! These are house cat sized “Puma Paws.”)

Chess club continues to be a hit!

After a long hiatus, our first two weeks of the FREE drop-in program (8:30 on Wednesdays) has had record turnout.

We appreciate our parent volunteers who make it possible for our Pumas to stretch their brains and learn this beautiful game together.

From one kind of “Snow Day” to another.

Pioneer students loved playing in the snow with their friends today!

Surveys again illustrate highs and lows of student engagement

Not a surprise that Pioneer scholars are some of the most engaged in the state (see article for more information).

We are very proud of our students who demonstrate their passion for learning every day through their use of their SUPER learner powers, their focus on individual growth, and their positive connections with the school.

This is directly connected to the efforts of our parents and staff to foster curiosity, independence, and motivation in our learners.

Way to go Pioneer!

Surveys again illustrate highs and lows of student engagement On average, just 45.5% of Idaho’s K-12 students reported being engaged at school in 2022. INSIDE: engagement numbers at your school or district for 2022.

Happy Veterans Day!

Classes have decided to take the time to write thank you letters for veterans. There are over 400 letters being sent to veterans who work at the VA.

Some classes have also created boards to honor family members of our students who have served or who are currently serving! A great way to personally connect with Veterans Day and celebrate with each other.

Thank you for your service to ALL VETERANS!

Introducing our brand new Instagram page for Pioneer School of the Arts! Be on the lookout for events, activities and most importantly our amazing students and their work!

The PTA bulletin board is ready for next week’s Red Ribbon spirit week themes! Are you?

(Mr. Jakious especially appreciated the nod to his favorite sports team!)

What’s the only thing that can overshadow having your superintendent serve you a meal?

An actual DRAGON showing up for breakfast!

Thanks to Dr. Bub and Westy for coming to recognize our amazing kitchen staff (Miss Tammy, Miss Jo, Miss Kelsey, and Miss Amy) and the great meals they serve our kids every day.

Carnival received the support of many PTA/staff volunteers as well as the following sponsors.

Thank you to all who made the amazing event possible!

Tonight’s Pioneer Carnival was filled with all kinds of games and experiences, bouncing, art, face painting, food and treats, amazing raffle and silent auction prizes, balloons, and fun with friends and family.

We appreciate the support of all of the families who attended tonight. This event typically DOUBLES the classroom funds teachers receive from PTA as ALL proceeds from Carnival go directly to the classrooms.

A huge thank you to our PTA & staff for all of the volunteer hours that make this event possible.

⚠️⚠️ REMINDER!!! ⚠️⚠️

There is NO SCHOOL tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5 to allow for district wide professional learning / collaboration.

⚠️⚠️ REMINDER!!!! ⚠️⚠️
Sign-ups for Student Device Protection
end Monday, October 3rd.

For more information on how to sign up for the optional $25.00 device protection program, please visit: https://www.westada.org/page/device-protection-program

Are your ready to ROCK?!?!

Pioneer’s 5th grade after-school Rock Band program is off to a great start!

Ms. Crook and Ms. Gourley are generously volunteering their time to make their idea last spring for a FREE after-school rock band class a reality.

Thank you to PTA and parents who have supported other school fundraisers like our Subway lunches, as fundraisers helped pay for some of the instruments essential to this program.

(Pictured is just part of the band as they have split days in order to set a foundation with the specific instrument groups)

Thanks to Pioneer parent, Hannah Jarvis, and our PTA for making our new after-school Dance club possible.

It was hard to tell who was having more fun … the dance teacher or her students … because a great time was had by all!

Our school lunch program is OFFER versus SERVE which means kids get to decide what they eat from the yummy 😋 and healthy options we serve. This helps kids learn a lifelong skill to make healthy choices on their own.

Eating the rainbow 🌈 applies to much more than just candy! Our salad bars are loaded with bright colored fruits 🍉 🍎 🍌 and vegetables 🥕 🥦 which help provide key nutrients to build immune systems, support brain health, and provide an energy boost.

We had a HUGE turnout for Donuts with Grownups this morning!

It was wonderful to have our families on campus and get to see how many supportive adults our kids have in their lives. Pioneer families and our school community are a huge part of what makes our school so special.

Thanks to PTA for hosting this event (and to our parents/students who had to be patient as we did our best to get some additional donuts).

The West Ada Ag Expo helps foster appreciation of where our food comes from and the people that produce it.

Our first graders got to take a field trip to the expo today to learn about the basics of agriculture. As you can see, this was a fun and highly engaging way for our students to learn about this essential component of our daily lives.

Shout out to Meridian FFA and West Ada for such a great experience!

Our remarkably dedicated and supportive Safe School Assistant, Mrs. Critser, is carving out time to meet with each of our grades to discuss …

- Behavior Expectations
- Problem Solving & Kelso’s Choices
- How to Get Help and Support at School
- How to Recognize and Stop Bullying
- And More!

Pioneer utilizes Kelso’s Choices to help give students the ability take ownership of small problems and find a solution on their own when appropriate, while also ensuring they know what are big problems that need to be reported to a trusted adult.

Pumathon is back!

Pioneer students started a journey toward their goals in our lunchtime fitness club. Whether it be having fun with friends, completing a certain number of laps each day, finishing a marathon, or being a top runner, this program gives every student (and … yes … even some staff members) an opportunity to be active and experience the pride of achievement.

Thank you to our PTA and parent volunteers who make this program possible!

When you are in the building for tonight’s Open House, we encourage you to head to the South Hallway to check out this remarkable collaborative mural created by our 3rd graders and inspired by the work of contemporary artist Libs Elliot.

Kindergarten Tie Dye night was a great opportunity to create community …

With the whole grade-level who will now have vibrant shirts to wear to school.

With each class who will be identified with a unique color combination.

And with our amazing families who helped their children and our dedicated teachers with these creations after school last night!

Open House Introduction - Pioneer.mp4

Mark Your Calendars …

Pioneer Open House is Tuesday, September 13.

For details check your e-mail. Thanks for watching the important informational video below before you arrive.

Open House Introduction - Pioneer.mp4 This is "Open House Introduction - Pioneer.mp4" by Pioneer Pumas on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Healthy habits start young!

Pioneer students enjoyed the first day of “Salad Bar” with their SCHOOL LUNCH. They were able to choose any fruits/vegetables they enjoy, with some keeping them separate and others opting to create a salad. The salad bar will be a daily fixture for students getting hot lunch at school.

For more information on School Lunch, including menus, lunch account, and free/reduced applications, visit the school nutrition page:

https://www.westada.org/page/school-nutrition

Crosswalk, Speed, Loop & Bus Info

Thank you for being extremely cautious when driving on campus. The safety of our students is our top priority and all our responsibility when it comes to morning and afternoon transitions.

Crosswalk, Speed, Loop & Bus Info Crosswalk, Speed, Loop & Bus Info To Promote Safe Before/After School Transitions at Pioneer

It may be “pre-season”, but PTA’s bulliten board game is already in “mid-season” form!

We can’t wait to “PAC” some kids in the school next week!

Start of Year Pioneer Puma Post

The Start of Year Puma Post is full of important information to help you and your child start this year off right! Check it out here ...

Remember that Newsletters are also posted on our website if you ever want to go back to previous information.

Start of Year Pioneer Puma Post Start of Year Pioneer Puma Post August 15, 2022

Throwback to last year when Pioneer Families rallied to give our campus some TLC.

West Ada saw that success and is encouraging families to stop by their schools district-wide on Saturday from 8am - 12pm for a service opportunity. Maybe you could pull a w**d, plant something, mow a section, or pick up some trash (and maybe even make some friends along the way)!

Thanks in advance to those who can help this year!!!

Note:
- Families are invited to stop by ANYTIME that works in their schedule ... even if not on Saturday.
- The exterior of the building is still in the process of being painted and we are aware that there was graffiti on the building and wallball court. Our painters will be handling those areas.

Pioneer Puma Post

The newest Pioneer Puma Post is out with important information about Transportation Requests, Free & Reduced Lunch, and more.

The next Puma Post will have more Start of School information.

Pioneer Puma Post Pioneer Puma Post August 4, 2022

It was bittersweet celebrating our 5th graders as they move on to great things at middle school and beyond. These amazing students will be missed!

Pioneer enjoyed a return to in-person programs with yesterday’s Kindergarten Promotion Programs!

Our students grew so much this year, highlighting some of the key moments of Kindergarten through song and movement in this program.

So proud of the efforts of our students and teachers all year long!

Our incredible 4th grade team, along with the support of some amazing parents and community organizations, created the first ever Pioneer History Fest!

Fourth graders …
- Learned to lasso
- Panned for GOLD
- Square danced
- Made their own bread and butter
- Visited a trading post
- Played with old-fashioned toys
- Analyzed historical artifacts
- Experienced an incredible taxidermy museum
- Raced in a Pioneer Chores relay
- Learned about Idaho’s gems and minerals (walking away with their own star garnet and geode!)

What an amazing day for our students as they had the opportunity to live and learn our history!

Thanks Education Foundation of West Ada!

We were delighted to catch up with Lindsey Bisbee of Pioneer School of the Arts to hear what an impact an art grant she received in 20/21 has made on her art students.

Receiving this grant means that over 650 student now have access to innovative and exciting building/construction materials. This grant gives her students access to 3-D building materials, which will enhance their intelligence, support their creativity and help make connections to the real world.