School is Winding Down
High School Check-In Dates
by Taylor Compton
With less than a few weeks of the 2019-2020 school year, things are starting to wind down. Seniors are officially done with their last day of high school, students are starting to receive some of their last assignments, and summer break is just around the corner. With that all being said, students are officially about ready to check in their laptops and books before receiving them again in the 2020-2021 school year.
Usually, at Pierce High School, computer check-in day would be on the students’ last day of school. Students who did not have to take semester tests would check in their computers on the day before the official last day of school. Students then would be called grade by grade to go clean their computer and charger. Students then would check-in their computers, and eventually get the chance to go clean out their locker, pay their lunch money debt, check-in locks, check-in library books, and whatever else needs to be done before students can go home for summer break. But this year is obviously more than different. This year the computer check-in days will occur at the front entrance and the commons area. This year the check-in will occur at different times and days.
The class of 2020 will have their computer check-in along with any other supplies that need to be turned back into the school on Wednesday, May 13 from 9-3. Seniors who can’t make it on Wednesday can go on Thursday, May 14. The times they may attend on Thursday is 9-11 a.m.
Technology coordinator Treva Dostal comments on the computer check-in by saying, “We have checked in laptops for many years and have processes in place to ensure a smooth transfer from students back to the school. We will be challenged this year with COVID-19 to make sure we all take precautions for social distancing for the safety of students and staff.”
All jr. high students, grades 7 and 8, will be checking in their computers, books, and everything that needs to be turned back into the school on Wednesday, May 20. The times they may do this is 9-12.
The freshmen and sophomores will check in their things on the same day, Wednesday, May 20, only if they are done with their classes for the semester. They may do this 12:45-3:45 p.m.
The junior class will check in their supplies the following day, Thursday, May 21, from 9-11 a.m., but only if they are done with their classes for the semester.
The rest of the students in grades 9-11 who are not done with their classes for the semester will wait a little longer to check in their supplies. They will do this on Tuesday, May 26 at any time between 9:00 and noon.
High school principal Mark Brahmer has to say this about the 2020 computer check-in, “I believe the check-in process will go smoothly. Many of our staff have already volunteered to help, and a handful of our support staff will be working those days. With the plans we've made and the help that will be on hand, I'm confident it will be both productive and efficient.”
Have a safe, healthy rest of your year.
Last Day of School
by Taylor Compton
The 2020 semester is coming to an end. With all the new changes being made in the world, some of the changes include the last day of school at Pierce Public Schools.
In a normal school year at Pierce High School, all 7-12 grade students can earn the opportunity to get out of semester testing if they have a semester average of at 80% in all of their classes. But this semester, all 9-12 grade students can still also earn the opportunity to get out of a day of assignments.
As for the class of 2020, any senior with a 75% semester average in all of their classes will receive their last assignments on Monday, May 4. Those assignments will be due on Wednesday, May 6. But if a senior does not have a 75% semester average in all of their classes, they will receive their last assignments on Wednesday, May 6, and those assignments will be due on Friday, May 8.
As for the rest of the high school, grades 9-11, any student with a 75% semester average in all of their classes will receive their last assignments on Monday, May 18, and those assignments will be due on Wednesday, May 20. But any student that does not have a 75% semester average in all of their classes will receive their last assignments on Wednesday, May 20. Those assignments will be due on Friday, May 22.
High school principal Mark Brahmer comments on the online school system by saying, “Our online learning, for the most part, has gone well. The majority of the senior high students are working hard and staying on top of their assignments. Our instructors have worked very hard to make this process go as smoothly as possible. All of us, students and teachers alike, have learned a lot throughout the entire process.”
Jr. high students, grades 7-8, were not required to do any school work but were highly encouraged to do it. Jr. high students were learning only reviewed work that they had previously been taught in the classroom and are not learning any new material. The only ones who were required to do school work were the 8th graders in Mr. Emory’s Algebra 1 class. But, they will receive their last review work on Wednesday, May 20 and those assignments will be due on Friday, May 22.
The elementary has its own way for their last day of school. Students will be able to pick up their final review packet on Tuesday, May 5. In the packet they receive, there will be three weeks worth of review work. Also in the packet, the review work will be labeled, so that the students will know what they are expected to do each of the last three weeks. The elementary’s last day of school is also on Friday, May 22.
Catching up with elementary principal Trent Suehl, he says that the new system is going well, “Overall, this was definitely not the way that we wanted to end the school year, but I feel that it has gone as well as possible. The packet pick up days have gone very smoothly. Also, I have received a lot of positive feedback from the parents regarding the packets and all that we are doing for the students. I believe most students have been doing a good job on their review packets at home. Still, we can’t wait for things to get back to normal and to have the students back in the building.”
Check in dates for the senior high building will be announced in the coming days.
