Reminder:
There is no school
April 24th |
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7:40 - 7:55: Students should not arrive prior to 7:40. All students enter through the main doors. Breakfast is served. Students may not enter the building until the bell rings at 7:40.
8:00 am: School begins
2:35 pm: Dismissal for all walkers and parent pickup
2:40 pm: Dismissal for bussers
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April
3 - No school
6 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15pm in the Pinecrest Media Center
10 - Yearbook order deadline
24 - No school: Staff development
27 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15pm in the Pinecrest Media Center
30 - Pinecrest Fun Run 5:30 - 7:30pm
May
4-8 - Teacher Appreciation Week
11 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15pm in the Pinecrest Media Center
14 - Bogo Bookfair / Playground Party
25 - No School
June
1 - PTA Meeting @ 7:15pm in the Pinecrest Media Center
3 - Carnival
4 - Last Day of School
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Students should not arrive at school prior to 7:35. |
Fundraising information will be coming soon!
To make the fun run happen, we need your help! Please consider signing up for a shift below.
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2026-2027 Class Placement
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Class placement forms are now available in the office for families who wish to share specific input regarding their child’s 2026–27 classroom assignment. Please note that requests for specific teachers should not be requested on this form. Completed forms must be returned, to the office, by Friday, April 10. Kindly do not submit this information by phone or email.
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End of Day Transportation Changes
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When there is a change to your child’s normal dismissal plan, please contact the main office at 651-480-7280 by 1:35 pm if possible so we are able to get a message to your child and their teacher before the end of the day. |
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2026-27 kindergarten registration is open. Please register here. |
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March PRIDE Winners
Congratulations to our March PRIDE Winners!
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Join the Pinecrest PTA! Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 7:15 pm in the Pinecrest media center. New members are always welcome!
Visit our Pinecrest Elementary Community Facebook Page for more information!
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The Pinecrest PTA is looking for a Vice President to fill a 2 year term, running the 26/27 and 27/28 school years.
To apply or if you have any questions, please email pinecrestptamn@gmail.com.
Elections will be held during the BOGO/Playground Event on May 14th.
The PTA cannot run without a team of dedicated volunteers and our current board would love some help!
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As we approach the end of the year, Fourth Graders will be working on the staff and absolute pitch names. This unit will prepare them for their music classes at the Middle School. We are super excited to transfer this learning to recorders now in April.
Third Graders have learned a new rhythm, ti-tah-ti, otherwise known as syncopation. We have been reading it and writing it in our music classes. I don’t know if you have heard, but there is a new housing development going on at the end of Music Street! A brand new cul-de-sac is being built LOWER than Grandma Do! Hopefully, we will have some new families moving in this month!
Second Graders have been practicing reading and writing our new house “Re”. In addition, we have discovered a new form of harmony called “partner songs”. Be sure to ask your student about this new vocabulary word.
First Graders have been doing an amazing job of writing their own music using tah, ti-ti and rest, as well as the time signature, bar lines and measures. Big Brother Sol and his little brother Mi just found their houses on Music Street. We are excited to share all of this with you during our music informances on Thursday and Friday, April 16 and April 17.
Kindergarten students have been busy exploring the unique timbres of our various percussion instruments. As the students recognize these sounds, this helps them with phonemic awareness and their reading skills as well. Finally, we have been working on identifying high sounds and low sounds. April will be a busy month as we accomplish learning all of these.
Our Pinecrest Choir continues to meet on Tuesday mornings at 7:15am in the Pinecrest music room, in preparation for their Spring Finale Concert on Monday, May 4 at 6:30pm in the Middle School Auditorium. We hope you all can join us for this spectacular event as the Elementary Choirs from McAuliffe and Kennedy will be participating as well.
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Please mark the following dates on your calendars for our spring music demonstrations and informances.
K-1 informances will be on April 16-17 during your child’s regular music class time in the music room.
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Thursday, April 16
12:20 Matzek
12:48 Baldwin
1:20 Voge
1:48 Miller
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Friday, April 17
12:20 Belgarde
12:48 Leontovich
1:20 Senske
1:48 Pyle
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Grade 4 Music Demonstration Friday, May 15 8:25 am in the Pinecrest Gym.
Grade 3 Music Demonstration Friday, May 15 9:25 am in the Pinecrest Gym.
Grade 2 Music Demonstration Friday, May 15 10:25 am in the Pinecrest Gym.
Our Pinecrest Choir will continue our Tuesday morning rehearsals. We will be combining with the Kennedy and McAullife choirs for an evening concert on Monday, May 4th at 6:30pm in the Hastings Middle School Auditorium.
April Fine Arts Happenings Around the District
April 9-10 Middle School Play HMS Auditorium 7:00pm
April 11 Night At the Jazz Club Hastings Arts Center 6 & 8:30pm
April 23 Middle School Jazz Night HMS Gymnasium 7:00pm
May 4 District Wide El. Choir Concert HMS Auditorium 7:00pm
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I can tell these artists at Pinecrest Elementary had a relaxing spring break because they are back and creating AWESOME art!! Second, third, and fourth graders have been continuing to learn about the elements of art. They have LINE, SHAPE, and COLOR under their belts and are currently working on their VALUE projects!! Kindergarten and first grade artists are creating art inspired by SPRING while reviewing line, shape, and color in their art!!
Fourth grade artists took a look at LAVA LAMPS while reviewing different color schemes such as analogous colors! They then learned about how VALUE is the lightness or darkness of a color. We took a look at artworks and how paintings or drawings become really interesting and realistic when the artist uses value in their art. Fourth graders used value to shade in their lava lamps and they are looking SO realistic!!
In third grade we have been working hard on our Tom Schulten Inspired CITYSCAPES! We took time to observe the artwork and style of the artist Tom Schulten. We also learned about value– learning about vocab terms such as hue, tint, and shade. Third grade artists have been doing an awesome job creating different tints with paint as we paint in our grid-style cityscapes. This project is still in progress and is so close to being finished!
Second grade artists are creating POP ART MILKSHAKES! They got to spend plenty of time designing, drawing, and coloring their milkshakes and all of the flavors and toppings that might go on top! These milkshakes came with a twist though- the inside of the cup is a VALUE SCALE! They practiced using a black colored pencil to create super dark values and gradually got lighter and lighter until the top was white!
In first grade we have been working on our SPRING ART with bees and flowers!! Perfect for the spring time weather that keeps popping in and out! We started off with some process art which the kiddos LOVED! They used green paint and marbles to create our backgrounds and folded white paper to create the 3-dimensional flowers! We then added a bee drawing and painted flowers on top to really bring everything together!!
Kindergarten artists were also inspired by spring as they work on their SYMMETRY BUTTERFLIES! They are still working on finishing all of the amazing details on their butterflies but their flower field backgrounds definitely bring joy to my heart!! They all turned out so wonderful!! Once finished with the butterflies, kindergarteners will be gluing their butterfly onto the background to really make it feel like spring inspired art!!
Take a look at some examples of the projects all these awesome artists have been working on!
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March was a blast in STEM class! Students across all grade levels had a great time programming our DASH robots to move and complete the Olympic slalom challenge. This was the last challenge for our Olympics series and we wrapped up just before spring break. This hands-on experience helped build early coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and confidence with technology.
Upon returning from spring break, each grade began a new unit of study. From exploring sponges to testing model tarpuls, students are off to a fantastic start on the new projects. We are looking forward to seeing their ideas grow as they continue to approach challenges using the Engineering Design Process: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test and Improve!
Kindergarten
Kindergarten began March with the Olympic slalom challenge. Students used two different applications, Path and Go, to program a DASH robot to go through all the gates successfully. Once students were able to complete three gates, they were able to challenge themselves by adding more gates to their course.
Currently, students are exploring the properties of sponges through a series of experiments. Students are observing the difference between natural and manmade sponges as well as testing which sponges float, which sponges weigh more, and which sponges can hold more water. We are ending with a fun matching game where students will try to match the sponge to its paint print. Once we finish our testing with sponges, we will move onto our next unit: Sun Hats.
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First Grade
Like Kindergarten, first graders spent the first part of March working on the Olympic slalom challenge using both the Path and Go applications. After spring break, first grade started their current unit, Building Bridges. In this unit, students are trying to help a boy named Javier build a new bridge so he can get to the fort he built. In order to help Javier, first grade is learning about the different types of bridges and testing them to check for strength and stability. First grade is also learning about what civil engineers do and all the things they have to consider when they are building a structure. After we have developed a bridge to help Javier, students will begin working on our next area of study: Building Shelters.
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Second Grade
Second graders finished the STEM Winter Olympics by programming a DASH robot to complete a slalom course that they set up. Once they were successful at programming the robot to go through three gates, they were challenged with adding more gates and adjusting their program. Second grade used two different applications to program the DASH robots, Blockly and Path. Blockly, a more complicated program, is similar to the Scratch Jr. program that second graders previously used. This background knowledge gave them a head start with coding on this application and the students picked it up quickly.
At present, second graders are designing and testing their own safe car. Each student has completed the basic frame for their car and have been given a choice of several different materials to add to make their car safer. Once they have finished a plan for their car, they will create and test it. Students will evaluate how effective their car is at keeping a passenger safe. We will finish up this unit by improving our cars. Once we complete our safe cars, second graders will begin working on their next unit: Sail Car. In this unit, students will design a sail that can effectively harness power from wind to move their car.
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Third Grade
Third grade worked hard on their Olympic slalom challenge. They designed and set up their own courses, then programmed the DASH robot to complete them. This required creativity, problem-solving and perseverance as the students tested and improved their programs. They programmed the DASH robot to complete their slalom course using two applications, Blockly and Path. With Blockly, students practiced block-based coding to control their robot’s movements, while Path allowed them to map out precise routes for DASH to follow.
Right now, third graders are designing a rescue shuttle for firefighters to use when helping people in a water rescue. A successful rescue shuttle will be able to travel to the target area quickly, carrying the rope to the person in need. Students got to see how water rescues are currently done with a rope that has a weight on the end, combined with specific throws the firefighters have practiced. We will be completing the design and development of our rescue shuttle by testing several parameters utilizing a straw rocket. Once we have tested the impacts of weight placement, number of fins, launch angle and launch force, students will combine all they have learned to build a rescue shuttle that will make it to the target in three tries or less. Following rescue shuttles, third graders will develop and investigate wind turbine designs to determine the design that can produce the most power at a certain wind speed.
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Fourth Grade
Fourth grade had a lot of fun programming the DASH robot to complete their slalom courses. Students programmed the robot to navigate their course using the Blockly and Path applications. With Blockly, students created block-based code to control movements, while Path allowed them to draw and map out routes for DASH to follow. Both applications gave students an opportunity to practice their problem-solving skills, while also developing their perseverance, as they tested and improved their code.
Fourth graders are currently trying to help solve a problem in Nepal. There is a village with homes on one side of the Karnali River, and a clinic and school on the other side of the river. Students are working on finding the best location to place a tarpul for the village to use to cross the river. In order to select the best place for the tarpul, students are investigating erosion and soil strength, as well as soil compaction. Students will be scored on the site they select based on the level of erosion that occurs at their site, the strength of the soil, and the convenience to the village. For example, students have the option to compact the soil where they build their tarpul, but their score will be negatively affected because of the time and resources involved in compaction. Students, like real-world engineers, will have to weigh the benefit against the cost and make decisions about the location they choose.
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Order your Spirit Wear! Can be customized to our school! |
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