September 22, 2023

Enjoy the Ride - Road Trip to Homecoming 2023

Platte County School District's Homecoming festivities run October 9-14, 2023. This year's theme is "Enjoy the Ride - RoadTrip to Homecoming 2023." Click here for the week's spirit days and festivities.

Click here to order a Homecoming t-shirt from PCHS Student Council.

PCHS will host the Victory Supper on Wednesday, October 11, starting at 6pm at Pirate Stadium. The Victory Supper will be a community pep rally with our coaches introducing the fall teams, the crowning of the underclassmen candidates and the Homecoming King, and performances by the Traditions Band, PCHS dance team, PCHS cheerleaders, Super Saturday youth cheerleaders, and alumni cheerleaders. PCHS cheerleading alumni are asked to arrive at 5:30pm for a short practice. Pirate Legacies, our second (or third) generation Pirates with parents who graduated from PCHS, are invited to gather at 5:45pm in the southside stands for a group photo. The Victory Supper event is open to the community and food will be available.

The Homecoming Parade will begin at 3pm on Friday, October 13, and will run on Fourth Street from Thomas Drive to Rising Star Park. Students will be dismissed three hours early that day. Parents and the community are encouraged to arrive by 2:25pm as Fourth Street between Zed Martin and Thomas Drive will be closed to traffic beginning at 2:30pm. Thomas Drive between Siegrist Elementary and Fourth Street will also be closed. If you'd like to participate in the parade, please contact Kyle Perkins for an entry form by October 11. If you have a convertible or Jeep and would be willing to drive Homecoming candidates, please contact Robin Herron.

PLEASE NOTE, AGAIN THIS YEAR: 

• Parade Staging: We will be utilizing the bus loop at the PCHS Phase I Rebuild project for float staging, again this year. Parade entries will receive complete instructions. There will be a shuttle bus to take parade participants and their sponsors back to the main PCR-3 campus.
• Shuttle Bus: The shuttle bus will be parked along Zed Martin Drive. Floats will disband in the Rising Star Park/Splash Pad and will take the path from Rising Star to Zed Martin Drive. We encourage parents to pick up their participants at the PCR-3 main campus.

Immediately following the parade, Connections Bank will be hosting its annual Community Tailgate Party, in the High Pointe Shops Shopping Center parking lot. The community is invited to come see PCHS's Traditions Band, cheerleaders and dance team perform, and enjoy free food and drinks! PLEASE NOTE: The PCHS Band will not be playing on the Courthouse steps.

Homecoming Football Game: The Pirates will take on the Park Hill South Panthers at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 13 at Pirate Stadium. The Homecoming Queen will be crowned at halftime, and the Pride Band will perform after the game.

For PCHS Students Only: PCHS students are encouraged to participate in Homecoming hallway decorations on Sunday, October 8 from 1-6pm and decorate designated class hallways. The PCHS Homecoming Dance is Saturday, October 14 in PCHS's North Gym from 8-11pm. $10 per person.

PCR-3 Community Advisory: Apply by September 25

Platte County School District recognizes the importance of community input to help set the future direction of our schools. We will be kicking off another year of the PCR-3 Community Advisory by gathering volunteers who will have an ongoing role to review the District’s progress toward its Comprehensive Strategic Improvement Plan goals, as well as to provide input regarding the District's general operation and specific issues impacting education activities and programs. Any District resident, employee, or student may participate in the ongoing work of this group.

If interested in serving on this advisory, please complete the application linked below by September 25. The first General Membership meeting will be held October 3.

SAVE THE DATE: Parent/Teacher Conferences - In-Person & Virtual, November 1 & 2

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2. We are offering both in-person and virtual options for conferences. This is a very important time for parents to discuss their student's progress with his/her teachers, as research has shown that parental involvement is one of the most important factors in a student's success in school. Please see the schedule below (buildings and teachers will be communicating specifics for reserving time slots).

• Wednesday, November 1, 3:30-7:30pm and Thursday, November 2, 3:30-7:00pm: Platte City Middle School, Platte Purchase Middle School Platte County High School, Northland Career Center
• Wednesday, November 1, 4:30-8:30pm and Thursday, November 2, 4:30-8:00pm: Great Beginnings, Barry Elementary, Compass Elementary, Pathfinder Elementary, Siegrist Elementary

Pirate Pride: Foreign Exchange Students & Community Bike Ride

For the Pirate Pride portion of the September meeting, the Board of Education welcomed three foreign exchange students at Platte County High School for this year and recognized our host families: Carmen Cavallo, from Italy, residing with Patrick and Stephanie Thompson; Fabian Risager, from Denmark, residing with Dave and Kristi Whitmer; and Maria Teresa Morillas, from Spain, residing with the Letherman family.

The Board also recognized Sara Stapleton, Tyler Crawford, and the District's BikeWalkKC program for its upcoming Community Bike Day on October 7. This is an extension of the District's parks and recreation grant received to fund the bike program across all PCR-3 elementaries. The community is invited to enjoy the bike trail starting at PCMS at 8am and continuing throughout the campus. See flier for details.

SCHIVIR Me Timbers Staff Recognition

Each month, PCR-3 recognizes staff members who are living our vision, mission, and values, by presenting the "SCHIVIR Me Timbers" award. SCHIVIR is an acronym for our values: Student Focus, Collaboration, High Expectations, Integrity, Visionary Leadership, Innovation, and Results Orientation.

At the September board meeting, SCHIVIR recipients for August and September were recognized. The 2023 Summer School Administration team of Tyler Crawford, Valerie Stambersky, Amber Panich, Britton Johnson, Ashley Schultz, Madeline Sheldahl, Blake Seifert, and Michelle Howren were recognized for their student focus and visionary leadership in executing a successful summer school program. Administrative Assistants from Pathfinder Elementary, Valerie Gillilan, Sharilynn Hercey, and Amanda Morgan, were also recognized for their collaboration and high expectations as a new office team during a time of major change.

Tax Rate Remains Unchanged

After holding a public hearing at the September meeting, the Board of Education voted to set the 2023 property tax rate at $5.0193, remaining unchanged since the 2018-19 school year. The Board voted to levy to the operating ceiling for both the general operating levy as well as the capital projects levy and adjust the debt service levy as necessary to maintain the same levy as tax year 2022. PCR-3's total levy remains one of the lowest in the metropolitan area. Tax rates are set in accordance with state law using state auditor calculations to provide budgeted revenue based on assessed personal and real property as determined by the County Assessor's Office.

Platte County Wrestling Club Open Gyms & Registration

Platte County Wrestling Club (for boys and girls ages 5-14) registration opens September 1. Want to give wrestling a try? Attend an open gym, Sundays from 1-2:30pm. See flier for details and click here to register.

PCHS Cheer Super Saturday - Sept. 23

PCHS Cheerleading is sponsoring their 37th annual “Super Saturday" cheer clinic on Saturday, September 23 for preK to 8th grade. No need to pre-register, just show up that day! See flier for details.

Bike Day - Oct. 7

Join the Community for a Bike Day around the PCR-3 campus on Saturday, October 7, 8am! All families and community members welcome. There are 40 big kid bikes and helmet to borrow on a first come first serve basis; bringing your own bike is highly encouraged. Park in front of Platte City Middle School; the trail will start in the back parking lot. See flier for details.

PCHS Dance Team Mini Clinic - Oct. 10

The PCHS Treasures Dance Team is inviting all Pirates in grades PreK-5 to join them for a dance clinic on October 10, then a performance during pregame of the Homecoming game on October 13. Sign up by clicking here and see flier for details.

Flu Shot Clinics in October

Platte County Health Department is hosting several FREE drive-thru and walk-in Flu Shot clinics at various locations and dates throughout the month of October. See flier for details.

YMCA Trunk N Treat - Oct. 27

Join the community for a "haunted good time" at Platte City YMCA's Trunk N Treat - October 27 from 4:30-6:30pm. See flier for details.

October 9-13: Homecoming Spirit Week

October 13: Homecoming, 3-hour early dismissal

October 19: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm, (reconvene from closed session which begins at 5:30pm)

October 20: Professional Learning Day, No School

October 20: End of First Quarter

October 27: Report Cards Go Home

November 1 & 2: Parent/Teacher Conferences

November 3: No School

November 6: Professional Learning Day, No School