Superintendent’s Message

  It is hard to believe, but another school year has come and gone at Pioneer. We just said goodbye to 92 eighth grade students who will be moving to high school next year. We anticipate welcoming 75 new kindergarten students when school begins in September. We continue to see growth in our school district, with more families moving into the district from neighboring communities.

     While summer is a time for staff and students to take some time away from school, the district office staff will be busy closing the books on this current school year and planning for the upcoming school year. We have a number of projects occurring on our campus this year. We are replacing our 4-inch water mainline to ensure consistent water flow and pressure for both schools. The elementary school will be getting replacement windows that are energy efficient and will help control the climate in our classrooms. The elementary school will be adding a new play structure with a grant they received during the school year. This will give us two play structures for our elementary students to use during recess.

     We say “goodbye” to two of our longest serving employees at the end of the school year. Deneen Phelan is retiring as an elementary teacher after serving the Pioneer School District for 33 years. Teri Christensen, currently a para educator in our preschool program is also retiring after 28 years of service to the district. We wish them both the best of luck in retirement. Their experience will be sorely missed as their contributions to the district have had a positive impact on hundreds of students over the years. Amy Ferrell, our elementary music teacher, is leaving to work in the Longview School District. We wish nothing but the best for Amy.

     We also will be saying “goodbye” to two of our para educators. Braden Bursch and Laurie Williams will be moving on to new experiences. We thank them for their work with the staff and students at Pioneer.

  With the departure of these staff members, it also gives us the opportunity to bring in new staff to add to an already caring and nurturing array of teachers and support staff in our schools. As we hire these new staff at Pioneer, we will be introducing them to you when the school year begins in September.

     In closing, thanks to all of our parents, guardians, and community members for your continuing support of our schools. We are so thankful to partner with you in providing an outstanding educational experience for each and every student that comes through our doors. We will continue to strive in making Pioneer a great place for our students to learn, grow, and achieve. Have a great summer and we will