The Pirate Treasure

Our 5th grade Science classes attended an erosion activity outdoors last week with a stream trailer showing the effects of erosion and water among our trees.

Our campus has more than half of our students picking their favorite UIL events this week and we are beginning practices. The schedule is listed below. We are hoping to win first place once again this year. PTMS will begin middle of the year CBAs this week.

Congratulations to our 1st place winners - Branon Godfrey and Kaleb Evans, and our 2nd Place winners Kingston Santos and Shelby Fair. These students won gift cards for their hard work for our school. PTMS Students were awarded a bounce house Blow Out event for supporting our school through this annual fundraiser.

Our Book Fair is underway at Pine Tree Junior High. Ms. Francetta McGowan, PTJH librarian, once again outdid herself with an amazing presentation! During the week of November 27th-December 1st, students and staff are welcome to drop in and find some awesome new books, graphic novels, and comic books to read!

Thirty-five students from our CEER and Robotics classes traveled to Komatsu on Tuesday, November 28th, and toured the company's impressive welding and manufacturing facilities!

It was an awesome experience as we saw Komatsu’s giant front end loader (the largest in the world) in every stage of construction and experienced their huge robotic welding machine.

Our two 8th grade cheerleaders Mya and Lizzie represented PTJH Cheer at the Disney Thanksgiving Parade in Orlando, Florida! They had a great time and did an awesome job! They couldn’t have chosen a better duo to represent PTISD and enjoy this unique opportunity. Great job ladies!

Our Birch First music teacher, Ms. Teresa Meadows, led our fourth grade students in a riveting Veterans Day musical. This fantastic event brought tears to the eyes of every audience member as the patriotic tunes filled the air. Ms. Meadows created a stunning slideshow to provide a display of veterans connected to our Birch First Family for audience members to view. This special day reminded our BFF that our freedom is due to the bravery of these fine men and women.

Our Birch First Book Fair was an unforgettable experience as loved ones were invited to shop with their students each day. Through the Grand Lunch Event, Family Night, We Love Our Teachers Wednesday Lunch Event, and the Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, the families of our BFF attended the book fair in record numbers. It was a delight to see everyone joining together to find beloved literature to enjoy! Because of the generosity of our Pine Tree family, we had a record amount of sales that will now benefit our library program.

At the BFF, we value any opportunity to invite families to attend our campus. This year’s Thanksgiving feasts were no exception. Parents gathered in our campus cafeteria for a time of celebration while dining on a scrumptious meal of savory turkey, creamy mashed potatoes with warm gravy, delightful dressing, and a tasty roll. We would like to thank our phenomenal cafeteria staff for displaying their culinary talents by providing a meal fit for a king!

PACE Elementary students worked in a Google classroom to answer questions from a video about neurons, how they work, and how they help them have a growth mindset. Mrs. Stark does a great job teaching her students how to be PACE STRONG and how to have GRIT!

The Pine Tree PACE Campus participated in a community service project during the Thanksgiving holiday break. The students and staff were able to support the East Texas Food Bank and the Longview Resource Center by shopping with clients and helping to restock the food supplies. Students also created and distributed the PACE ‘Hope Notes’ to clients and included them in food boxes as well.

This experience provided a wonderful opportunity for students to embrace the meaning of gratitude and thankfulness.

Speed Stackup Event

On November 14-16th, our little Pirates participated in our annual Stack Up! Event. This is our 7th year taking part in this fun event. During the event we try to see how many people we can get speed stacking in multiple locations. The goal for the World Speed Stacking Association was to get over 750,000 people from all over the world. Here at the Pack our goal was 600 stackers. Students started off by competing against each other on builders and bulldozers. Next progressed into our speed stacking stations which were timed on their 3-3-3 stack or 3-6-3 stack, team building, jumbo cup relay, and 3 stack relay. Students reached their goal of 600. Notification will be sent by December 1st if we set the Guinness Book of World record for beating last year's goal of 737,863.

Our 3rd graders rocked it on November 9th doing their Thankful/Veterans Day musical program. Our students honored men and women who sacrificed their lives so we can be free. They sang some heartfelt songs along with some fun Thanksgiving songs. Our fearless leaders, along with our 3rd grade teachers, showed off their hip hop skills during the hip hop turkey song. Our 3rd graders made everyone so proud. Mrs. Karling, Parkway Elementary music teacher, sure knows how to put on an amazing show.

Our amazing CEER classes at Parkway Elementary showed our wonderful administrators how thankful they are for them with a Thanksgiving breakfast. Students created the menu and invitations. Dr. Valerie Baxter, PTISD Assistant Superintendent, said, It is the best way to start my Thanksgiving break!”. Students and staff enjoyed this time to celebrate with each other.

CHRISTMAS COMES TO PINE TREE HIGH SCHOOL

Ho Ho Ho! It is Christmas at Pine Tree High School and the end of the first semester is here. It has gone fast with plenty of activity and plenty of success, but now it is time to step back for a week or two, catch a breath and then begin the final push to May and graduation.

Over the first semester, Pine Tree High School has seen a lot of great things. Choir sent a host of people to state, band made state for the first time in years, cross country made state for the first time in many years and football beat undefeated Texas High and made the first round of playoffs. The art programs at PTISD were once again awarded the Texas Art Education Association District of Distinction award for the 2nd year in a row.

There is a lot to be proud of at Pine Tree High School, but the finish line has not yet been crossed. Basketball has started as has powerlifting and soccer, so those sports are either in season or will be shortly. UIL Academics begins its heavy schedule this weekend in Lindale and then, after Christmas, will participate in a bevy of meets to get ready for district, regional and state.

The sounds of the season will ring through the halls of PTHS. Choir has its annual Christmas concert Monday, December 4th at Trinity Episcopal Church at 7:00 p.m. The PTHS Band will have their annual Christmas concert on December 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the PTHS Theatre as students showcase their talent with holiday tunes,

Band, Precision, Cheer and the BUCS will be marching in the Longview Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 7th. Student groups and organizations from PTHS will be participating in a wide variety of holiday charity events before the end of the semester.

American Exchange Project, a free travel program for juniors and seniors, is now signing up students for summer travel. Graduating seniors are the ones who travel to over 50 locations in the United States for free, while those seniors and interested juniors host students from around the United States from June 19 to June 26. During that time, the students involve the visitors in cultural activities of East Texas such as a Texas dinner, tours of the school, the Kilgore College Oil Museum and Rangerette Museum in Kilgore as well as shopping for western wear at Cavenders.

The students exchange information on different cultures and different topics. Students do not pay for anything during this exchange, either home or while traveling, AEP/SWEPCO sponsors this program and the exchange lasts for one week. Seniors travel to a location for a week and get to explore that culture through the hosting of students from that area. See Mr. Greg Collins in Room 612 or Mrs. Heather Hernandez in the Counseling Center for more info.

Have a happy holiday and stay tuned to Pine Tree High School for more exciting news. Students at PTHS are doing wonderful things this year and there is more to come.

Mrs. Hewitt’s friends are celebrating each other by sharing their writing during Writer’s Workshop time. The friends are taught a mini-lesson and choose a topic from the heart map to write about and students are allowed time to celebrate each other by sharing with their partners.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Santa Visits the Primary

December 1

8:30 am -12:30 pm

Big Kahuna Party Bus-Cici's Pizza

December 4

10:30 am -12:30 pm

Gregg County Historical Museum Trip

December 6, 7 and 8