Pacific Intermediate Newsletter

Dear Pacific Intermediate Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well as we approach the festive season. I am thrilled to share some exciting updates and express our heartfelt gratitude for your incredible support in our recent coin war fundraiser. Thanks to your generosity, we have raised over $3000, which will go a long way in supporting families within our school district. Your commitment to community and compassion is truly commendable.

**Coin War Success: A Collective Triumph**

I am truly humbled by the dedication and enthusiasm demonstrated by our students and families during the coin war. It is heartening to see our school community come together to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Your contributions will undoubtedly make a meaningful difference, and I want to extend my sincere appreciation to each and every one of you.

**Upcoming Events in December: Mark Your Calendars!**

As we step into December, let's look forward to some exciting events that will showcase the incredible talents of our students:

1. **6th Grade Band Concert (12/10):** Join us on December 10th at 1pm at PHS to support our talented 6th-grade musicians at their band concert. It promises to be an evening filled with beautiful melodies and a celebration of our students' musical accomplishments.

2. **PI Choir at PHS Basketball Game (12/19):** On December 19th, our Pacific Intermediate Choir will have the honor of signing the National Anthem at the PHS basketball game. It's an excellent opportunity to cheer on our school and enjoy the talents of our choir members.

3. **Blues Street Team in 5th Grade PE (Week of 12/11):** The week of December 11th brings a special treat for our 5th graders as the Blues Street Team joins us for Physical Education. Get ready for an active and engaging week with these special guests!

**Winter Break Reminder: Full Day on 12/20**

As we anticipate the joy and festivities of the holiday season, please remember that the last day of school before winter break is December 20th. It is a full day of school, so make sure to mark your calendars accordingly. We encourage all students to finish the calendar year strong and enjoy a well-deserved break with family and friends.

Once again, thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to the Pacific Intermediate community. Your generosity during the coin war reflects the true spirit of the holiday season, and I am grateful to be a part of such a caring and compassionate school community.

Wishing you all a joyful and restful holiday season!

Warm regards,

Mr. Agee

Principal, Pacific Intermediate

Mrs. Jackson~ Math & Science

Mrs. Menley~Language Arts, Reading & History

Mrs. Alcorn~Math

Ms. DiBlasi~History & Science

Ms. Shearin~Language Arts & Reading

Mrs. Aubuchon~Math

Mr. Gilcrease~Language Arts & Reading

Mr. Wengler~History & Science

5th grade math will continue the geometry unit by focusing on the attributes that give shapes names and placing shapes into hierarchies. We will end the unit by winter break focusing on the attributes of 3D shapes and understanding the differences between prisms and pyramids. Have a wonderful break!!

We will be finishing up Figurative language and Commas and move into Formatting titles and Author's Point of View. Novel Studies will also begin this month and into early January.

Science: We will begin learning the standards associated with Earth's Systems. Our Mystery Science unit for this standard is called The Watery Planet. Our first mystery will focus on the water cycle, which is mainly a review from elementary school. We will deepen our understanding by analyzing human impact on Earth's freshwater, and ways to protect our natural resource. Students will also focus on reading and creating graphs, which will help preview math concepts!

Studies: Students will spend time learning about the Oregon Trail which will wrap up our unit on Westward Expansion. We will then move on to learning about important inventions and inventors during the American Industrial Revolution from 1760-1860.

Mrs. Boling~English

Mr. Effan~Social Studies

Mrs. Vondera~Science

Mrs. Voss~Math

Mrs. Stumborg~English

Mr. Slaughter~Social Studies

Mrs. Todahl~Science

Mrs. Weil~ Math

Mrs. Carrico

Mr. McMahon

Welcome to Winter!

Winter break is a great time to make sure backpacks, lunch boxes, hoodies and coats get washed so they are nice and clean when we return in January! We are all happy that we have made it to this point! Please make sure you are checking your email to keep up to date with your child's classes. Also, please make sure you are checking Infinite Campus for your child's grades and missing assignments. You should be seeing some type of homework at home. Ask your student to show you their completed work. Pencils and red pens make great stocking stuffers! If you need anything let us know. We hope that you enjoy Holiday Break and we will see you in January!

6th Grade English: Mrs. Boling & Mrs. Stumborg

Students in 6th Grade English are working on the narrative unit, in which they tell a story from their lives that they remember vividly. We will be wrapping up this project in time for winter break. When we return from break, we will be focusing on argumentative writing.

6th Grade Reading: Mrs. Carrico & Mr. McMahon

We will be reading our first novel of the year, Freak the Mighty! This unit will last throughout the month. The students have also been assigned a Trimester 2 book report. They will need to read a fiction book and complete the slideshow by the end of the 2nd Trimester.

6th Grade Math: Mrs. Voss & Mrs. Weil

Math students are busy working with mean, median, mode, range, and interquartile range. Advanced classes are going to be working on finding the volume and surface area of 2D and 3D shapes. Please make sure your child is completing their homework on a nightly basis. Getting homework completed helps them succeed in the classroom.

6th Grade Social Studies: Mr. Effan & Mr. Slaughter

Social Studies will end 2023 by talking about ancient India. From ancient India, the world would get the religion of Hinduism and the Philosophy of Buddhism, which would have long-lasting influences from modern yoga practices to the teachings of modern psychology.

6th Grade Science: Mrs. Todahl & Mrs. Vondera

In science, we just wrapped up the Metric Unit and have started our Sound and Light unit. We will try to wrap up this unit before the break (depending on the weather). Please keep up with our weekly emails and keep checking to make sure your student is completing their work.

Ms. Diamond~5th Grade & Ms. Speicher~ 6th Grade

Hello Families!

Trimester 1 ended on November 9th and report cards were distributed to students on November 17th. Our time together is flying by. We hope you were pleased with your child's performance. If not, Trimester 2 is a brand new opportunity to build on what they are doing right and improve where needed for success. Reaching out to teachers for suggestions and areas of improvement can help them focus on needs to achieve higher grades.

5th and 6th grade students will participate in voluntary character education programs facilitated by Compass Health Network. 6th grade students will be participating in “Changes and Choices” which is a five-day program the week of December 11th. 5th grade will be participating in “Violence Prevention” which is a two-day program December 18th and 19th. The program will take the place of one of their normal daily classes. If you do not want your child to participate in the Compass Health Network programs, parents can opt their child out of the program by returning the non-permission slip which will be coming home soon.

During the holiday season, while spending time with family reflecting on 2023 and hopes for the next year, we hope your family is able to re-emphasize your family values and goals. If we are able to emphasize the importance of education and setting goals, your children will notice! When children are able to set short-term goals such as good grades, making and keeping friendships, as well as engaging in activities that make themselves proud, they will be more inclined to continue reaching their goals. When they set long-term goals, such as graduating high school and a future career, they will learn to overcome obstacles. Having these types of discussions regularly about values, dreams, and hopes emphasizes goal-setting and prioritizing their future success.

Families, we hope you enjoy your break and are able to spend quality time together while celebrating the past year and looking to the future!

Happy Holidays from us to you.

Best,

Ms. Diamond 5th Grade Counselor

Ms. Speicher 6th Grade Counselor

Big smiles school dentist will be visiting December 8th to those students who have previously turned in a dental form. If you would like to complete a form for your child to be able to see the dentist in the future, please contact the school nurse.

Pacific Intermediate

195 N Indian Pride Dr.

Pacific, MO 63069

www.mvr3.k12.mo.us

Phone: 636-271-1425

Fax: 636-271-1465