Pioneer Post

Attention PSPA Community, we need your help! As Pine Springs continues to grow and improve it's Project-Based Learning (PBL) curricula, our teachers want to know what kinds of careers and expertise are out there in our community. The best way to make learning meaningful and authentic for students is to connect it to real world problems and careers. We know that our community members have a lot of insight and experience to share which can elevate the work we do in the classroom! If you would like to be one of our subject experts, please fill out the form below so that we can start building a database of community resources. Feel free to share the form with friends and family!

https://bit.ly/3sjOFBU

Late Check Ins

When checking a student in late, parents must escort their student to the main office and sign them in for the day. A note from a physician can be provided at that time or you may email it to:

Ecoomer@pinespringsprep.org - Elementary

Smarsico@pinespringsprep.org - Middle School

Without a note from a physician, the tardy/early checkout will be unexcused.

Early Check Outs

Early pick up must be done before 2pm at the Elementary School. Please make sure the person picking up your child is listed and also brings a photo ID

Early pick up must be done before 2:30pm at the Middle School. Please make sure the person picking up your child is listed and also brings a photo ID.

Please make sure to complete your background check before volunteering in any classroom or school wide event. You will not be allowed to volunteer or chaperone field trips if you don't have a cleared background. Background checks need to be updated annually. There is required $19.45 background check fee that is required to process all background checks.

When the background check has been cleared and a Key Fob is purchased we will send it home with your student. Your Key Fob will be ready for use the next time you come in to Volunteer. You will scan the Fob as you come into the front office, and scan it out when you leave the premises. You will not need to purchase a Key Fob every year, however you will need to update your Background Check each year in order to use it.

We are excited to say all new students have been loaded into e~Funds. Please visit our e~Funds website: https://payments.efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/56319/ for all payments this year. Here you will find links to pay for technology, forgotten school lunches, extra carpool tags, field trips, and more! Pine Springs doesn't accept cash or checks so all payments should be made through this site.

If your child is new, but was previously attending a NC public school you will use the same student number they had at their previous school to register them (their number stays the same through their tenure in NC public schools). If your child has never attended a NC public school and you need their student UID number, or Parent Powerschool letter please fill out this Google Form and we will send that info home with your child this week. Thank you for your patience!

World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10, 2023.

“Creating Hope Through Action” is the triennial theme for the World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021-2023. This theme serves as a powerful call to action and reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and that through our actions we can encourage hope and strengthen prevention. To learn more please visit the World Health Organization's website

Save the date! The NJHS will host a blood donation drive with The Blood Connection Friday, October 13th. Sign up to follow soon!

8th grade parents: Mrs. Breslin will host a "coffee talk" in October to discuss your student's preparation for high school. Don't worry if you can't make it- she'll share the info via Class Dojo as well. Stay tuned for details!

McKinney-Vento Info:

Tanya Breslin

School Counselor

McKinney- Vento School Liaison

TBreslin@pinespringsprep.org

NC Homeless Education Program
Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator
PO Box 5367
Greensboro, N.C. 27435
Phone: (336) 315-7491
Toll-free: (800) 659-3204

Please read in its entirety!!! Very important information regarding State of NC immunization and health assessment requirements:

State of NC Health Assessment and Vaccination records are still needed for many kindergarten students, new students and 7th grade students. Please be on the lookout for an email from your School Nurse (please do not contact the school nurse if you do not receive an email). If you do not receive an email, then your students' records are complete.

It is required that all new Kindergarteners and new students have a State of NC Health Assessment submitted to the school prior to the first day. Also, all Kindergarteners, new students and 7th graders must submit the most recent immunization records (please see above link). Seventh graders need immunization records including Meningococcal and Tdap which are usually administered during their 6th grade year. These records must be submitted no later than 9/22/23 or the student will not be allowed to return to school 09/25/23 per the State of NC.

Also, we are now entering the cold and flu season. If you have a student who has a fever (without fever reducing medication), has had vomiting or diarrhea, within the last 24 hours or is having symptoms and not feeling well enough to participate and focus in the classroom, please keep them home. They may return to school when they are feeling well enough to return, have been fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications), and no vomiting or diarrhea.

Please reach out to lbrothers@pinespringsprep.org (MS) or jdriscoll@pinespringsprep.org (ES) with any questions or concerns.

Final Tech Call: Parents, If you've chosen the $25 PSPA Technology Fee (PTF), please finalize payment via e-FUNDS using this link: https://bit.ly/e-FUNDs TechA (deadline 9.8.23.) New to PSPA? Get help here: https://bit.ly/eFUNDS_Set_Up . Let's wrap this up, Pioneers!

There has been some confusion surrounding spirit wear attire and dress down attire. Below you will find a description of both:

Spirit Wear Days: Are celebrated the FIRST Friday of every school month. On this Friday students are encouraged to wear PSPA t-shirts, sweatshirts, or hoodies that they have purchased through our PSPA PTO. On the bottom students can wear school appropriate (the definition of what PSPA considers appropriate is not too tight and not too short) shorts, skirts or pants of their choice (however, pj bottoms and leggings are not acceptable). They do not need to be school uniform shorts. They could be jeans or athletic shorts, for example.

Dress Down Days: Are recognized on the THIRD Friday of every school month. Students are allowed to dress down into school appropriate clothing of their choice. This does NOT include articles of clothing such as pjs, short skirts, tight pants, spaghetti straps, open-toed shoes, or bare midriff shirts.

School Uniforms: Can be purchased through our exclusive vendor Land's End. Just a reminder bottoms can be purchased anywhere. Articles of clothing that have a logo must be purchased through Land's End. In addition, certain items like jumpers for young girls have only been approved for the younger grades like K-2nd. We are unable at this time to add additional items to our Land's End approved list.

Land’s End School Code for PSPA: 900185760

With colder weather creeping in PLEASE label your children's coats, jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters. Any articles of clothing with names on them are returned to the student. Without a name though it usually remains unclaimed and eventually winds up donated. Please cross through old names and use a permanent marker to label your children's outwear ASAP. Thank you!

Do you feel like you missed a message via text or email? You aren't sure where to reference it? Refer back to all important messages via our website.

https://pinespringsprep.org/school-updates/

Middle School- Please make sure to choose your child's HOMEROOM teacher for lunch

Monday: Pizza Hut

Tuesday: Jersey Boy's

Wednesday: Zaxby's

Thursday: Mookie's NY Deli

Friday: Moe's

Elementary School

Monday: Jersey Boy's
Tuesday: Mookie's NY Deli
Wednesday: Zaxby's
Thursday: Pizza Hut
Friday: Moe's

We are very excited to welcome boys soccer this year! Good luck to all our teams, players and coaches going into this fall season.

Please remember all home events that are held in our middle school gym have a fee for attendance. $5 for adults, $3 for students, children under 5 are free. Be on the lookout for our new and improved Athletics website.

Order Athletics Wear - https://psathletics.itemorder.com/shop/home/

Get ready for Basketball at the Strong Center Back to School Basketball League - Home - The Strong Center (dannystrong.org)

#Fillthetrophycase starts now!

• 9/1- Spirt Wear Day (see the pictures above for acceptable attire)
• 9/4- NO SCHOOL- Labor Day
• 9/8- 6th Grade Lock In (7-9PM)
• 9/13- Spirit Night @ Snoballs 2-8PM
• 9/13- Girl Scouts Interest Meeting 6PM (not sponsored by PSPA)
• 9/15- Dress Down Day (see the pictures above for acceptable attire)
• 9/22- Mid Term for Quarter 1
• 9/22- 8th Grade Lock In (7-9PM)
• 9/29- 7th Grade Lock In (7-9PM)
• 10/6- Spirit Wear Day
• 10/13- NJHS Blood Donation Drive
• 10/19-10/22- Fall Break (No School)
• 10/23- Teacher Workday (No School for students)
• 10/27- End of Quarter 1