Great Beginnings Preschool Enrollment Interest - Complete by January 30

Great Beginnings start here! We’re now gathering interest for the 2026-27 Great Beginnings Preschool program for families with incoming 4-year-olds.

Complete the interest form by January 30 to be considered. Enrollment is not first-come, first-served, so all interested families are encouraged to apply. After submitting the form, you’ll receive an email with next steps to schedule screenings.

Future Freshman and High School Expo Night - January 21

PCHS is hosting an Expo for 8-11th grade families in conjunction with their 8th grade student/parent night on January 21.  

• 8th Grade Student/Parent Information Session: 6-7pm, in the auditorium
• Clubs, Activities, and Electives Expo: 7-8pm, in the cafeteria

FUTURE FRESHMEN: We encourage both the student (current 8th graders) and parent(s) to attend, so that all can receive the information about courses offered at Platte County High School. This will greatly assist you and your student in the planning process and in course selection for the 2026-27 school year. If you would like more information, please contact your student's counselor: Kim Schank or Whitney Edman, Platte City Middle School Counselors, or Ashley Koenigsfeld, Platte Purchase Middle School Counselor.

Pirate Hall of Fame Induction - January 28

The Pirate Hall of Fame will induct four new members following the PCHS winter athletic signing ceremony, on January 28, 7pm, in the Pirate Fieldhouse at Platte County High School.

This year's inductees are: William Brown, 1959 PCHS graduate, former teacher, coach, and school board member; Darrick Bruns, former NCC Law Enforcement/CSI Instructor following a 23-year career in law enforcement; Disa Rice, former PCR-3 elementary teacher, now impacting our students and community as a YMCA instructor; and Cacy Williams, 2011 PCHS graduate and softball standout.

Parent/Teacher Conferences, Early Dismissal - Feb. 12

Spring parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for February 12. Students will be dismissed 3 hours early on this day (Great Beginnings Full Day and Afternoon students will be in session on this day). This is a very important time for parents to discuss or see their student's progress, as research has shown that parental involvement is one of the most important factors in a student's success in school. Additional details regarding each building's conferences will come directly from your child's school or classroom teacher.

• Platte Purchase Middle School, Platte City Middle School, Platte County High School, and Northland Career Center: 12:00-6:30pm
• Barry, Compass, Pathfinder, and Siegrist Elementaries; Great Beginnings (at DEC, Barry, and Pathfinder: 1-4pm and 5-7:30pm

Three File for Three Seats on PCR-3 Board of Education

Three candidates have filed for three open positions on the Platte County R-3 Board of Education. Filing closed on December 30. Candidates (listed in filing order) are Tyler Fadler, Sarah Duncan, and Heather Duncan. Mr. Fadler has served on the Board of Education since 2023. Under Missouri state law, when the number of candidates filing equals the number of open positions on a school board, no election is required.

The three will be sworn in as Board members for a three-year term at the Reorganization Meeting on April 16, 2026. Click here for more information on our Board of Education.

Director of Student Services Announced

Tim Leffert will serve as Director of Student Services starting with the 2026-27 school year, following Dr. Chad Sayre's retirement. Mr. Leffert brings more than 15 years of experience in student-centered leadership, systems development, and whole-child support. Most recently Mr. Leffert has served as principal of Piper Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas, and previously served in building leadership roles in both the Topeka and Lawrence Public School systems. Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Washburn University and master’s degrees from both the University of Kansas and Emporia State University. Tim holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in second language acquisition and educational leadership. Mr. Leffert is committed to building systems that ensure every student is supported, connected, and positioned for success.

Pirate Pride: Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Voyage Construction Project

For the Pirate Pride portion of the January meeting, the Board recognized this year's Aspiring Entrepreneur award winners who have demonstrated innovation, philanthropy, and creativity in developing their respective businesses: Jacob Hein, Royal Mobile Detailing; Teagan Hill, Teags FD Treats; Dalton Robertson, Full Count Ranch; and Meilani Seymour, Hidden Gems. This is the third year of the program.

The Board also recognized staff and students involved in the Voyage program's recent construction unit. Voyage is a transitional program for 18- to 21-year olds with disabilities in the Platte County School District. Young adult learners participated in an immersive Construction unit over the last two months, designed to build real-world career awareness, employability skills, and independence. Students explored the full lifecycle of a construction project by reviewing PCHS Phase 2 design plans, timelines, and site progress, followed by guided visits to Incite Design Studio and Newkirk Novak Construction Partners to experience professional work environments firsthand. Learners engaged with professionals representing multiple construction trades, completed job applications aligned to their interests, and applied their learning through hands-on design, collaboration, and build days. The unit culminated in students working individually and as teams to construct functional projects, including individual book boxes and a joint bookcase for their classroom. View project photo album for additional details.

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 January meeting we recognized the Siegrist 4th Grade Team (Rebecca Anderson, Rebecca Villarreal, Jordan Wittman, Emily Marrs, and Shelby Gallamore) as Extraordinary Educators for their intentional collaboration, data-driven instruction, and shared belief in every learner. Their commitment to knowing their impact and responding to student needs has produced strong, consistent growth and reflects a true culture of innovation and excellence.

2025 Bond Issue Project Update

Newkirk Novak project managers reviewed construction progress of our 2025 Bond Issue projects.

PCHS Phase 2: The project continues to make strong progress on multiple fronts. Steel erection for Phase 2 is complete, marking a major milestone and allowing exterior framing to begin. Inside the building, mechanical and electrical installations are underway, paving the way for interior framing. In the coming weeks, roofing and vapor barrier installation will further enclose the structure, supporting continued interior work as weather conditions change.

NWDC Project Update

JE Dunn project managers reviewed construction progress of the Northland Workforce Development Center.

At the NWDC project site, cast-in-place concrete walls for the east storm shelter and concrete slab-on-grade throughout the building is currently being poured. Rough grading around the project site is finishing up, and structural steel is set to start next week.

2026-27 Academic Calendar Approved

The Board approved the academic calendar for the 2026-27 school year, as suggested by teachers, support staff, and parents on the calendar committee, and taking into consideration feedback during public review. The draft was formulated based on required student hours, adherence to state provisions, teacher contract days, historical parent and staff survey data, parent and staff feedback, as well as consideration of the alignment with other Northland districts. Based on feedback, the draft calendar is fairly similar to this year’s calendar, but pushed back by a week due to state requirements to start school no earlier than 2 weeks before Labor Day. The first day of school is August 25, the last day of school is May 27, and has again included fall parent/teacher conferences to include one separate evening for PreK-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grade, and one full day for all grades.

Teaching & Learning Strategic Plan Update: Student Services

At the January meeting, Dr. Alicia Casey, Executive Director of Student Services, and Dr. Chad Sayre, Director of Student Services, shared a Strategic Plan Update on the District Student Services. Grounded in the District’s commitment to helping every learner thrive in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment, the update highlighted continued work to strengthen student success and well-being through:

• Ongoing implementation of the PCR-3 Behavior Management Framework
• Reviewing and refining the District-wide student attendance strategy
• A Safe and Civil Schools focus on proactive, early behavior interventions
• Strong collaboration with community partners to support students and families
• Alignment with the High Reliability Schools framework to promote a consistent culture of safety, support, and collaboration

Show Choir Preview - Jan. 17

You are invited to the PCHS Show Choir Preview on January 17! The show will feature all 3 PCHS Show Choirs. Limited tickets available:

• Dinner + Performance (starting at 5:30pm in the PCHS Cafeteria) ($25)
• Performance Only (starting at 7pm in Wilson Auditorium) ($10)

Father-Daughter Dance - Jan. 31

The PCHS Treasures Dance Team is inviting all girls in grades preK-5 to invite their dad, uncle, grandpa, mentor, etc. for a night of music, dancing, photos, and more! Sign up by clicking here and see flier for details.

Special Olympics Basketball Showcase - Feb. 5

Join us for a Basketball Showcase featuring the Platte County Special Olympics Team, during halftime of the boys varsity game on February 5! See flier for details.

Parks & Rec Spring Sports

Registration is now open for youth t-ball, baseball, softball, and spring soccer through Platte City Parks and Rec. Visit this page to register.

January 16: Report Cards Go Home

January 19: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February 12: Parent/Teacher Conferences; 3-hour early dismissal

February 13: No School, Professional Learning Day

February 16: No School, Presidents' Day

February 17-20: Pirates ROCK Character Warms the Heart Week

February 19: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm, (reconvene from closed session which begins at 5:30pm)

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.