January 10, 2025 - Issue #137 | |
New Year, New Changes at Pierz Healy High School | |
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As we prepare to transition to second semester, we’re making an important change to help students focus and thrive at school, both in their academic and social lives. Beginning January 21, cell phones, smart watches, and ear buds will no longer be able to be accessed by students on campus during the school day. This is already (and always has been) the policy at Pioneer Elementary (PK-6).
Why This Change?
While phones are a great tool for staying connected, research has show that they often:
- Disrupt the focus needed for academic success.
- Decrease levels of social engagement with one another
- Increase risk levels of stress, anxiety, depression, etc. through social media and messaging.
By removing phones during the day, we aim to create a more focused, connected, and engaging learning environment for all students.
Where Will Cell Phones Be Kept?
Students will have several options:
- Leave their cell phones at home.
- Check their phone into a locked cell phone storage box in their 7th hour classroom prior to the start of the school day. Students will be given their phones back when their last period class concludes.
- Students who plan to leave early or arrive late should check their phone into storage in the school office.
- Students who drive are able to leave their cell phones in their vehicles. We recommend all students and staff lock their vehicles.
- Students are not permitted to keep their devices on their person or in their locker.
- All students, including students in study halls, Flex Days, and CIS classes will be held to the same standard of not having phones in school.
Violations
**Phones brought to the office because of a violation will need to be picked up by a parent or guardian.**
Planning
Please make a plan with your student(s) about what they will do with their phone throughout the school day. Talk to your student about letting employers know of this change.
Emergencies
If you need to contact your student, you should call the main office. Students can also use office phones if needed.
We appreciate your support as we make this adjustment to benefit all students. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Together, we can ensure the success of this new policy and make 2025 a year of learning and connection!
More Questions?
If you have more questions or want to learn more about the side effects of smartphones, social media use, etc. on teens, learn more here.
Otherwise, feel free to reach out to us here at school.
Warm regards,
Beth Cooper
10-12 Principal
Corey Egan
7-9 Principal
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Big Brothers Big Sisters, January is Mentor Month | |
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January is a time for new beginnings, fresh starts, and New Year’s resolutions, and it also marks National Mentor Month. At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota, they believe these themes go hand in hand.
For anyone looking to give back this year or try something new, becoming a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) presents a unique opportunity. Through a partnership with the Pierz School District, individuals can make a meaningful impact in the life of a child within their own community.
Pierz is home to one of the school-based programs offered by Big Brothers Big Sisters. In this program, Pierz High School students and local adults are paired with students from Pierz Elementary. Each week, mentors and mentees meet at the elementary school to participate in activities like arts and crafts, reading, and board games—whatever the pair enjoys doing together.
This program offers a special opportunity for adult mentors, both from the Pierz community and beyond, to connect with students in a familiar environment—their own school. Research has shown that having a mentor can significantly boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem. It has also been proven to improve students' academic performance and positively influence their outlook on life and education. By dedicating just 30 minutes a week, mentors can have a profound impact on a child's development.
For those interested in becoming a mentor, the process is simple. Potential mentors can visit the BBBS website or contact Lead School-Based Coordinator Robyn Rieland at 320-258-4512 or via email at Robyn@BigDefenders.org for more information.
This New Year, consider making a resolution that truly makes a difference—by spending just two hours a month helping a young person realize their potential and help transform the lives of kids in the Pierz community.
Thank you for your continued support of our youth!
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STEM is hands-on for seventh graders | |
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Seventh graders in Ms. Welle's STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) courses are exploring a variety of tech topics to help them understand how technology impacts our lives. They’ll learn about online safety, cyberbullying, how to spot fake news, and how to use technology responsibly. They also talk about technology addiction and how to stay balanced.
The semester-long course includes hand-on activities as well. Students take on engineering challenges, create projects with coding and augmented reality, and design in 3D using Tinkercad and have the opportunity to 3D print their designs.
To finish the semester, students will build a truss bridge that can hold 20 pounds, make circuit greeting cards (those cool cards that 'light up') for local assisted living communities, and explore virtual reality with Oculus headsets.
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Happenings at Pioneer Elementary | |
Learning about animals, footprints in media class | |
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This week, kindergartners in Ms. Dalsted and Ms. Pulak's library classes are learning about animal footprints. They read a book together, watched a demonstration, and then got busy making their own model footprints with homemade playdough, popsicles sticks, dowels, and toothpicks...along with their own creativity. Their vocabulary word of the week was 'path', which coincided nicely with this hands-on media project!
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Indoor recess last week, snow this week | |
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Minnesotans are definitely a hardy stock. But last week, our robustness was put to the test and indoor recess was a must for a couple of the most bitter days. On those indoor recess days, students play in the gym or get cozy with cards, board games, chess, and checkers. Here, students teamed up to build the world's tallest MAGNA-TILES® tower! Or something like that.
As a rule, students will go out for recess any time the windchill is -5 degrees or warmer. When the windchill is -6 degrees to -15 degrees, recess may occur, but will be shortened. Snow reminder: students need to have snowpants, boots, coats, hats, and mittens/gloves.
Here's to looking at warmer temperatures in the coming weeks...and SNOW!
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January 17: End of First Semester, No School, Teacher Workshop Day
January 20: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 21: Second Semester Starts
February 11: Preschool open gym
February 24, 5:30pm: Kindergarten Roundup
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Rachel Young will offer a CPR refresher course on January 30 at 3:30. CPR certification will be held on February 3 at 6:00pm. Farmers and Merchants State Bank has graciously offered to pay for Pioneer, Healy and Holy Trinity staff to attend and community members are welcome to register for $35. | |
Community Education uses the same class registration as the Activities Department. Please call if you have any trouble creating your account. Although both activities and community ed use rSchools, you won't be able to check out a varsity sport and a youth camp simultaneously. User experience will be the same making it easier to navigate but they are two different stores requiring separate log-ins. You can create the accounts with the same username and password to keep things simple! A link to both stores will be on the Activities page and the Community Ed page. Lunch payments will still be made with Edutrak. | |
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Join us each Sunday for open pickleball! We rotate courts and players. If you are new, we can set up a court just for beginners to give you a chance to get a feel for play and learn the rules.
Purchase a punch card online for 10 sessions or pay $3 when you arrive.
Use the form to let us know you're coming! Email Sarah if you are new and want a beginner's court.
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