Re-Enrollment: Launches July 1

For Families with Returning Students: Beginning this year, PCR-3 will shift its annual student re-enrollment process to July. This change helps streamline back-to-school preparation and better aligns with other important forms, such as free and reduced-price meal applications, which become available July 1.

Families can expect re-enrollment information and instructions to be emailed to the address we have on file on July 1. If your student will not be returning to PCR-3 for the upcoming school year, please contact the District office (816-858-5420) to let us know.

Y Club Enrollment for 2026-27

The Before and After School Program available to families at PCR-3 is Y Club. Children in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade benefit from homework enrichment, physical activity, and small and large group activities with a focus on building community and youth voice and leadership. Full-time and part-time Y Club is available at each of our elementary buildings, and two pre-K sites, along with Y Club on days when school is out of session for inclement weather, seasonal breaks, and other days off (enrollment permitting). Operating hours are each weekday from 6:30 a.m. until school begins, and again after school until 6:00 p.m. Registration is now open. If you have any questions about the Y Club program, please contact YMCA at (816) 360-3390.

Reserved Football Seats

2026 Platte County Football Reserved Season Tickets will be available for purchase starting June 22 at noon, per the following schedule:

• June 22- 25: Senior fall activity parents (football players, cheerleaders, dancers, band members)
• June 25-28: Non-Senior fall activity parents
• June 28-July 11: General public

For $100 per seat, you'll get admission to our 5 Varsity football home games this season ($25 adult admission value), your own reserved seat for all varsity home games, as well as district and potential state playoff games (MSHSAA ticket purchase still required for playoffs), and a $25 discount on an All Sports Pass (code sent in August).

Proceeds support PCHS PTSA’s After Prom, Senior Scholarships, staff appreciation events, and parent/teacher conference meals.

Join our Team at PCR-3!

Join our team at PCR-3 and be part of a community dedicated to nurturing young minds! We are currently seeking extraordinary educators for the following roles: Special Education Teacher at PCHS, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher at the District Office, Paraprofessional, Lunch Monitor, Custodian, Bus Driver, Bus Aide, and more!

Be a part of our community, our family, our team, and our tradition! Visit the Careers section of our website to explore current openings and submit your application today.

Pirate Pride: PCHS Theatre's Historic Season

For the Pirate Pride portion of the June meeting, the Board recognized Platte County High School's Theatre Program, for a historic and record-breaking season. The program captured the 2026 MSHSAA One-Act State Championship (the first in school history) while Gabriel Miller earned the Best Supporting Actor state honor. PCHS Theatre also received a school-record 16 Blue Star Award nominations for Newsies, and brought home multiple awards including Outstanding Overall Production, and celebrated Charlotte Sweet becoming the first student in PCHS history to win the regional Jimmy Awards competition and advance to the national level in New York.

Extraordinary Educators: Staff Recognition

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 June meeting Brett Poe, District Office Custodian, was recognized as an Extraordinary Educator for his unwavering commitment to maintaining a clean, welcoming, and professional environment for staff, families, and community members. Through his attention to detail, servant leadership, and positive attitude, Brett helps create a safe, respectful environment that reflects the pride and excellence of our District.

2025 Bond Issue Project Update

Newkirk Novak project managers reviewed construction progress of the PCHS Phase 2 project, and Dr. Devin Doll shared an update on the Compass Elementary Parking Improvements.

PCHS Phase 2: Demolition and site work for the new parking lots for PCHS Phase 2 and in front of Paxton Center is underway and will be completed before the school year begins. Next up is installation of the new water and storm utilities. Masonry on the exterior facade of the building has wrapped up and the metal wall panels have been installed around the new library media center. The two-story classroom wing painting is continuing, as well as drywall installation in the media center, mechanical/electrical/plumbing in the art wing, and interior wall framing in the band/vocal wing.


Compass Elementary Parking Improvements: All demolition has been completed of the Compass parking lot expansion project, and new storm boxes and hydrants have been installed. Grading and light pole base installation will begin over the next two weeks, with rock base and asphalt to follow. The lower parking lot of Compass will also have some work completed to improve drainage. During that construction period, a temporary access entrance will be provided for staff and patrons. This project is on schedule to be completed early August.

NWDC Project Update

JE Dunn project managers reviewed construction progress of the Northland Workforce Development Center. Construction continues to make steady progress throughout the building. Inside, crews are installing a significant amount of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure above the ceiling on the second floor. The next phase will include wall framing and in-wall utility rough-ins. This process has also begun on portions of the first floor. On the exterior, building sheathing is now complete, and crews are continuing installation of the girt system and window trim around the building. Spray foam application has also recently begun, providing both a weather barrier and vapor barrier for the structure. Site work remains ongoing as preparations continue for asphalt paving later this summer.

Northland Career Center Building Improvement Plan

The leadership team from Northland Career Center provided the Board with a career center strategic plan update at the June meeting. View the Northland Career Center presentation.

2026-27 Tentative Budget Approved

The Board of Education approved the 2026-27 preliminary budget at the June meeting. The budget is a working document that provides the Board and community with insight into the district’s financial planning process, from early development through final adoption. Key highlights of the 2026-27 budget include:

• Estimated revenue across all funds of $86.9 million, representing a 2.5% increase over the FY26 budget; and estimated expenditures across all funds of $87.3 million, representing a 1.0% increase over the FY26 budget.
• A balanced operational budget (Funds 1, 2, and 4) that maintains District reserves at or near the Board’s target of 20%.
• Additional investment across all employee salary schedules and the continuation of 100% Board-paid medical benefits for eligible employees.
• A strong beginning balance of $13.1 million in Debt Service (Fund 3) as the District continues to pay down debt while maintaining healthy reserves.
• Continued investment in capital improvements and technology, including approximately $2.4 million to support facility projects and new devices for students and staff in grades 6-12.
• Funding to support Platte County High School students participating in the Early College Academy through Metropolitan Community College.
• Strategic reductions in selected areas, including supplies and purchased services, to maintain a balanced budget.

The budget will be finalized following the setting of the District’s tax rate in September and the completion of additional financial updates and projections.

Business Services Strategic Plan Update

Brian Noller, Executive Director of Business Services, presented a Strategic Plan Update of the District's Business Services Department. As part of the District's efforts to proactively and responsibly manage District finances to support student success, the team highlighted the following focus areas for the 2026-27 school year:

• Continued improvement of processes to ensure efficiency of funds and time
• Maximizing revenue by seeking additional grant funding and improving current practices
• Maintaining the fund balance in the desired range of 18-22% while building Fund 4 balance
• Improving stakeholder perceptions of the District’s fiscal responsibility
• Developing a Budget Action Plan and using a comprehensive, collaborative process to complete the FY27 Preliminary Budget

Human Resources Strategic Plan Update

The Platte County School District's Human Resources department supports the District's mission by focusing on retaining, recruiting, and developing high-quality staff. Ashley Jones, Executive Director of Human Resources, shared with the Board a Strategic Plan Update outlining Human Resources priorities for the school year. Key takeaways include:

• Retention is strong. The District retained 88.9% of staff overall this year, reflecting ongoing efforts to create exceptional employment experiences.
• The District is growing its own talent. 47% of its student teachers are full-time employees for 2026-27. Grow Your Own scholarships and stipends are further expanding the pipeline. 
• Compensation and benefits are competitive. PCR-3's starting certified salary ranks among the top in the area. A newly launched Wellness Center generated more than $154,000 in savings. Enhanced benefits now include Board-paid life insurance.
• A "Portrait of an Educator" is launching this fall. Developed with community input, this framework will guide how PCR-3 recruits, hires, and recognizes extraordinary educators.

PCYFL Registration

Platte County Youth Football League registration is now open for the 2026 season for incoming Kindergarten through 6th graders! See flier for details and click here to register. Camp will be held July 13-14 at Platte Ridge Park; register for camp here. Visit pcyfl.org for more info.

Platte City Summer Concert Series

Enjoy some music on the Platte County Courthouse lawn in Platte City from 7-9 p.m. on the second Saturday of June, July, and August, sponsored by the Platte City Friends of the Arts. See flier for details.

Platte County Quarterback Club Golf Tourney - Aug 15

The Quarterback Club is hosting its 30th annual Golf Tournament at Shiloh Springs on Saturday, August 15. See flier for details.

• Team Registration
• Sponsorship Form (due by August 7)

NCC Community Ed Summer Camps

Join us for summer camps (Mad Science, Bricks4Kidz, and KC Chess Club) everyday after summer school at Pathfinder and Siegrist! Camps run weekly and have new content each time! Register today, spots fill up fast: northlandcareercenter.asapconnected.com.

Summer Reading Program - Jun 1-Aug 24

Join MCPL's Summer Reading Challenge "Read, Score, Roar!"- a dinosaur theme with a soccer element to feed into the excitement of the upcoming World Cup in Kansas City! By participating, kids, teens and adults can earn prizes for daily reading. Register for the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge here.

All School Reunion - Oct 2-4

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. Visit our Alumni page for additional details.

PCR-3 Summer Athletic Camps

Several athletic camps are available this summer for our students. Please click on the fliers/registration forms linked below. Note that the grade will be the grade your child is entering in the 2026-27 school year. Remaining camps:

• Girls Volleyball (2026-27 Grades 7-8): July 13-14 (Register by May 22)
• Soccer (2026-27 Grades K-8, 9-12): June 22-24 (K-8) and June 22-26 (9-12) (Registration Form)
• Swim (2026-27 Grades 4-8 and 9-12): July 13-16
• Tennis (2026-27 Grades K-3 & 4-5 Introductory and Grades 6-8 Introductory): June 1-2 and July 6 & 8 (K-5 Registration Form); June 1-2 and July 6 & 8 (6-8 Registration Form)

June 1-29: Summer School

June 19: Juneteenth, No Summer School

July 16: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm, (reconvene from closed session which begins at 5:30pm)

August 20: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm, (reconvene from closed session which begins at 5:30pm)

August 25: First Day of 2026-27 School Year

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-wide Pirates ROCK Star business partner for 2025-26: United Fiber.

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.