Support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Wear Gold on September 25

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and our District is coming together to show support. On September 25, we encourage all students, staff, and community members to wear gold in honor of those impacted by childhood cancer. Many of our PCR-3 families have been affected by this disease, and by wearing gold, we stand in solidarity with them. Let’s raise awareness and show our support for these brave children and their families as we work towards a future without childhood cancer.

Student Device Insurance - Enroll by Oct. 1

Families who wish to participate in device insurance must enroll by October 1 through your PowerSchool Parent Portal account.

• Enrollment Cost: $30 per student device
• Free/Reduced Meal Students: $0 enrollment cost
• How to Enroll: Log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account and complete the Insurance Form under "Forms." Via the PowerSchool app, go to "More," then "Forms." The $30 enrollment fee will be collected within the form.

Insurance can significantly reduce the cost of repairs or replacement. With insurance, the cost for a standard repair is $40, while lost or stolen devices have a $100 replacement fee. Without insurance, families are responsible for the increased repair or full replacement costs. Visit the One-to-One Learning page of our website for additional Student Device FAQs and responsibilities.

SAVE THE DATE(s): Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are coming up in October! This is a very important time for parents to discuss their student's progress with teachers, as research has shown that parental involvement is one of the most important factors in a student's success in school. Please see the schedule below (buildings and teachers will be communicating specifics for reserving time slots).

• October 14: PCHS Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7pm
• October 21: Middle Schools Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7pm
• October 28: PreK-5th Grade Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:30-8pm
• October 29: No School; All Schools Parent/Teacher Conferences 
• 7:30am-3pm (6th-12th grades)
• 8:30am-4pm (PreK-5th Grades)

All-School Reunion: Ticket Sales End Today, September 18

Pirate Alumni: Mark your calendars for October 2-4, 2026 as we celebrate an All-School Reunion Weekend! Plans are underway for a meaningful weekend tied to Homecoming, giving Pirates from every class the chance to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate memories. The reunion event will be at the Platte County Fairgrounds on October 3. Ticket sales ($45/person) for the reunion event close TODAY, September 18: Purchase Online.

Visit our Alumni Page for full weekend details including Homecoming Festivities, School Tours & "Chalk Talks," Decade Gatherings, and our Alumni Worship Service. 

Bus Drivers Needed - Apply Today!

Every PCR-3 employee is an extraordinary educator, and our bus drivers are no exception. If you're relational and empathetic, responsive, and believe in every learner, we want you on our team helping students thrive with confidence and resilience every day. Five positions available. Apply Today!

Pirate Pride: PCHS Welcomes Exchange Students

For the Pirate Pride portion of the September meeting, the Board of Education welcomed two international exchange students at Platte County High School for this year and recognized our host families: Rita Arcaro from Italy, residing with the Leonard family, and Nika Bendler from Germany, residing with the Hurst family. 

Extraordinary Educators

Each month, PCR-3 will recognize staff members who are bringing our Strategic Plan to life by exemplifying one or more of the following strategies: providing meaningful experiences; creating safe, respectful environments; fostering a culture of innovation and excellence; and building collaborative community partnerships.

At the September meeting, we recognized the following groups. The PCMS Apple Innovation Team (Chloe Tietjens, Monica Jaynes, Deborah Kerley, Ashley Robertson, Theresa Robertson and Jess Chiddix) is fostering a culture of innovation and excellence by leading staff learning to integrate new Apple tools into their classrooms. They are making an impact as students use technology to collaborate, create, problem-solve, and deepen their learning. The Professional Development Committeee (Sara Price, Courtney Shaw, Ashley Schultz, Darcy Gilpin, Kendall Anderson, Rebecca Anderson and Bridget Klingele) helps strengthen professional learning across the District, while our summer school administrators (Emily Courtney, Justina Holt, Spencer Smith, Sarah Majors, Mindy Wheeler, Emily Miller, Allison Page, Mike Powers, Bradley Brown, Matt Messick, Mandi Tolen and Morgan Scheib) create meaningful learning opportunities for students during the summer. Their leadership and collaboration help extend meaningful learning beyond the traditional school year.

2025 Bond Issue Project Update

Project managers from Newkirk Novak reviewed construction progress of our 2025 Bond Projects.

PCHS Phase 2: In the 2-story classroom wing, concrete polishing is taking place, carpet is being installed, and final paint and casework is completed. In the Media Center, wood-looking acoustical ceilings are being installed along with decorative wood wall panels. A back-illuminated Pirate signage will be installed in the next month. In the Art and Band wing, painting is nearly finished, wall tile has been completed, and wood floor, casework, and acoustical ceilings have been installed. On the exterior, metal wall panel column wraps are finishing up and exterior sidewalk is working its way to the north end of the project to wrap up site work. SAVE THE DATE: Ribbon Cutting/Open House set for the evening of December 3.

NWDC Project Update

Project managers from JE Dunn reviewed construction progress of the Northland Workforce Development Center. Construction continues to move forward at the Northland Workforce Development Center. Roofing is nearly complete, with the exception of the Childcare Center, while site concrete and earthwork continue in preparation for asphalt on the east half of the site later this month. Inside, drywall and painting are underway, along with installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. In the coming weeks, crews will begin installing classroom ceiling grid and restroom tile on the second level.

Tax Rate Remains Unchanged

Following a public hearing at its September Board of Education meeting, the Board voted to set the 2026 property tax rate at $4.9793 per $100 of assessed valuation, unchanged from the previous school year. This decision reflects PCR-3’s continued commitment to responsible financial stewardship, long-range planning, and maximizing the value of every taxpayer dollar.

The Board approved the operating ceiling for both the general operating and capital projects levies, and set the debt-service levy at $1.1319 (28.5 cents below the calculated ceiling). This rate is designed to provide some support to taxpayers while still generating the revenue needed to successfully pay the District’s debt. As a result, PCR-3’s total levy remains at $4.9793, exactly the same as tax year 2025.Tax rates are established in accordance with state law using State Auditor calculations, which provide the revenue needed for the district’s budget based on local real- and personal-property assessments.

College & Career Readiness Strategic Plan Update

At the September meeting, Dr. Aaron Duff, Director of College & Career Readiness, celebrated the District's Real-World Learning successes and presented a strategic plan update on the District’s College and Career Readiness goals for the upcoming school year.

Key takeaways include:

• Utilizing our comprehensive College & Career Readiness Continuum that provides essential grade-level experiences, incorporates student interest surveys, and establishes career awareness and exposure.
• Expanding career-connected learning through real-world experiences with community partners, including guest speakers, client-connected projects, career fairs, job shadowing, and internships.
• Developing models to support monitoring and tracking of Market Value Assets (MVAs). MVAs are industry-valued and recognized skills that create a more seamless transition from school to postsecondary pathways. MVAs include internships, client-connected projects, college credits, entrepreneurial experiences, and industry-recognized credentials.

Art in the Park - Sept. 19

Art in the Park is this Saturday at Platte Ridge Park! See flier and their event page for details!

Platte City Fall Festival - Sept. 24

Platte City's Fall Festival is coming to Main Street on Thursday, September 24. Enjoy an evening filled with food, vendors, and tons of fun! Community performances will begin at 5:30 PM. Additional event details.

PCHS Treasures Dance Clinic - Oct. 6

Calling all Pirate Dancers K-5th grade! The PCHS Treasures Dance Team is hosting a Mini Treasures Clinic on October 6. Participants are then invited to perform on October 9 at Pirate Stadium! See Registration and additional details.

PCHD Flu Shot Clinics - Oct. 7 & 8

The Platte County Health Department is offering two FREE drive-thru flu shot clinics on Wednesday, October 7 from 4-6pm and Thursday, October 8 from 8:30-11am at their location: 7925 NW 110th Street.

September 21: No School, Professional Learning Day

September 30: Powder Puff Game, 6pm, Pirate Stadium

October 2: Homecoming, 3-hour early dismissal; Parade 3pm; Game 7pm

October 14: High School Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 15: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm, (reconvene from closed session which begins at 5:30pm)

October 16: End of 1st Quarter, 3-hour early dismissal

October 21: Middle School Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 23: Report Cards Go Home

October 28: PreK-5th Grade Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 29: No School, All Schools Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 30: No School

November 2: No School, Professional Learning Day

Thank you to our Pirates ROCK Stars!

Thank you to all our Pirates ROCK Star business partners who support character education in our schools including our District-level Pirates ROCK Star, Pro Carwash. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please contact Laura Hulett.

The mission of the Platte County School District is to ensure our learners thrive in an ever-changing world with confidence and resilience, prepared to pursue their unique futures.