At PES, our Masked Readers have been keeping students guessing all week! 📚🎭
Staff members recorded videos reading books from the Show Me Readers Award collection. Students watched the videos and tried to guess who the mystery reader was. Today during the afternoon assembly, the masked readers were finally revealed!
Thank you to Ms. Lehenbauer for promoting a love of reading through these award-winning books and our fun cast of characters.
Thank you to our Masked Readers:
📖 Basketball Dreams — Mrs. Deming, The Bull 🐂
📖 Building a Dream — Nurse Morgan, Bumble Bee 🐝
📖 Cooler Than Lemonade — Mrs. Bryant, Hippo 🦛
📖 How This Book Got Red — Mrs. McKeown, Dinosaur 🦖
📖 The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale — Mrs. Powell, Unicorn 🦄
📖 The Mighty McKraken — Mrs. Reis, Chameleon🦎
📖 Seals Are Jerks! — Mrs. Churchwell, Penguin 🐧
📖 The Three Little Guinea Pigs — Mrs. Seago, Zebra 🦓
📖 The World’s Best Class Plant — Mrs. Livesay, Mouse 🐭
📖 We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish — Mrs. Eger, Raccoon 🦝
A fun way to celebrate reading during Read Across America Week! 🧡🖤
Families are invited to stop by tomorrow morning during the Green Eggs & Ham Breakfast as part of our celebration of Read Across America Week! It is a great chance to enjoy breakfast with your Panther and browse for a new favorite book.
We hope to see you there! 📖
Future Panthers, we want to meet YOU next week! 🧡🖤
We are excited to welcome our incoming 2026-2027 Kindergarten Class with Panther Prep at Palmyra Elementary!
📅 March 11 & April 22, 2026
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Palmyra Elementary School
These fun evenings give you and your child the chance to:
✨ Meet our kindergarten teachers
✨ Participate in hands-on learning activities
✨ Practice kindergarten skills
✨ Check out a school supply display
🚌 April 22 will also include a School Bus Ride!
No registration required — just show up one or both nights!
📚 Kindergarten Round-Up: April 13–17
📞 Call 573-769-2191 to sign up
✔️ Children must be 5 years old before August 1
☀️ Summer School: May 26–June 19
🎒 Kindergarten Academy: June 1–5
We can’t wait to meet our newest Panthers and start this exciting journey together! 🐾🧡🖤
Join us for Parents as Teachers Playgroup every Tuesday from 9:00 - 10:15 am! Little learners will explore, create, and build important skills through hands-on activities and play — while parents connect and share ideas.
Interested in learning how PAT can help your family? Want to know more about playgroup or our upcoming Group Connections?
Have a Little Panther who will be 5 years old before August 1st and ready for Kindergarten? 🏫
Contact Kathy Nicholson, nicholsonk@palmyra.k12.mo.us or call 573-769-2191.
Ten of our beloved PES staff members will be dressed in costume and reading one of their favorite books to students. It is sure to be a fun and memorable way to celebrate the joy of reading!
If you think you have figured out who is behind the mask… 🤫 don’t spoil the surprise for your Panthers! 🐾🧡🖤
We are thrilled to announce that Palmyra Elementary is now accepting inquiries for our MOQ-Preschool program for the 2026-2027 school year. This is an additional Pre-K option for our families. The MOQPK program is designed specifically to provide a high-quality early childhood education experience for our community’s youngest learners.
Program Overview: For the upcoming school year, our program is dedicated to eligible 4-year-old students and 3-year-old students who qualify for Free and Reduced lunch. We aim to foster a nurturing environment where children can develop the social, emotional, and academic foundations necessary for a successful transition into Kindergarten.
Funding & Sustainability: This program is funded through the Missouri Quality Prekindergarten (MQPK) Local Agency Grant. Please note that this is a yearly grant; our goal is to continue providing this service to our families as long as funding remains available.
Eligibility and Prioritization: Because we anticipate high interest, and spots are limited, we have established a clear process for enrollment. While we would love to serve every child, admittance will be prioritized based on the following criteria:
Developmental Need: Based on results from the standardized screening process, using the DIAL 4.
Income Status: Students who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch.
Prior enrollment in our ECSE Pre-K program.
Before any student is admitted, all eligible 3 and 4-year-olds must undergo a developmental screening. These screenings are a wonderful way for us to get to know your child’s unique strengths and identify any areas where they may need additional support.
Please scan the QR code in the bottom corner of this letter. It will direct you to a survey to help us better meet our families needs. If you are interested in your child attending, or have any questions, please call Mrs. Augspurg at 573.769.3736. We look forward to partnering with you to give your child a head start on their educational journey!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Augspurg
Scan the QR code on the letter or click the link to complete the survey. https://bit.ly/4rtnAWk
PAT Virtual Pizza Party Fun! 🍕
This week, our amazing Parents as Teachers (PAT) staff hosted a Virtual Pizza Party on the Palmyra Elementary School Facebook page!
Families joined the fun from home, sharing photos of their kiddos enjoying pizza, activities, and special moments together. We loved seeing all the smiles and creativity—thank you to everyone who participated and made the night so memorable! 🍕✨
Don't forget about Playgroup on Tuesday mornings at PES! Little Panthers get to play, snack, dance and sing at our Parents as Teachers Playgroup! Join PAT every Tuesday in the Palmyra Elementary School cafeteria from 9 - 10 am! 🎉
Interested in learning how PAT can help your family? Want to know more about playgroup or our upcoming Group Connections?
Have a Little Panther who will be 5 years old before August 1st and ready for Kindergarten? 🏫
Contact Kathy Nicholson, nicholsonk@palmyra.k12.mo.us or call 573-769-2191.
In observance of Presidents' Day, school will not be in session on Monday, February 16, 2026. 📚
The next scheduled breaks from school are March 19th and 20th, followed by April 2nd, 3rd, & 6th.
A huge thank you to PES 3rd grade student, Brooklyn for providing this happy Panther graphic! Like all of us, Brooklyn's Panther is ready to enjoy the sunshine and a nice long weekend! 🐾🧡🖤
Ms. Kroeger’s class enjoyed a surprise show and tell when her brother, Jacob— a pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization—stopped by to visit, answer questions, and share about baseball before heading to spring training in Florida.
To top it off, each student received a signed baseball and sent Mr. Jacob off with plenty of cheers and good-luck wishes for a winning season ahead. 👏✨
#PantherPrideInTheClassroom @ Palmyra Elementary School
Palmyra Missouri FFA chapter's annual Valentine’s Carnation Sale is happening now! 🌸💘
It is not to late to order your students, staff, and teachers a special Valentine.
Carnations delivered to everyone at all schools and available for after school pick up:
https://pffa-valentines-day-carnation-sale.cheddarup.com
Contact Mrs. Haeberlin at haeberlina@palmyra.k12.mo.us with any questions or to arrange cash payment.
Parent & Community Presentation: Stop Trafficking Project 📢
Palmyra R-1 School District invites parents, guardians, and community members to attend an important Stop Trafficking community presentation focused on online safety, digital exploitation, and human trafficking prevention. Information has been emailed to families regarding this program on January 16 and January 30.
This presentation for adults will address:
Online dangers facing today’s students, including social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps.
How traffickers and predators use the internet to groom, manipulate, and exploit youth.
Warning signs of online grooming and unsafe digital interactions.
Practical steps families can take to protect students online.
How to start open, age-appropriate conversations with children about internet safety.
The Stop Trafficking Project emphasizes education, awareness, and prevention, helping students and adults recognize risky online behaviors and know when—and how—to seek help.
📍 Location: Palmyra Middle School Gymnasium
📅 Date: February 4, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
👨👩👧👦 Audience: Parents, guardians, and community members.
(Students will attend their specific grade level assembly the next day, Thursday, February 5th.)
🎓 Purpose: Online safety awareness, prevention, and student protection
We respect that families may have different preferences regarding participation. If you do not wish for your child to attend the BeAlert student assembly, or if you would like to opt out of the survey only, please send a signed note to your child's office by Thursday, February 5, 2026.
In a world where students are constantly connected, understanding online risks is essential. We appreciate our families and community partnering with us to help keep our students safe—both online and offline.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Palmyra R-1 School District office.
We are excited to welcome students back to school tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th!
🚌 Bus routes will run as normal. 🚌
🧡🖤 A huge thank-you to PES 1st grade student, Andi for providing this stylishly dressed Panther graphic! Bundle up and dress warm like Andi's Panther! 🐾❄️
❄️ No School – Tuesday, January 27th ❄️
• This will be SNOW DAY.
🖤🧡 A huge thank-you to PES 2nd grade student, Luke for providing our snow day graphic! Four super scenes of snow day activities! 🐾❄️
Stay warm and safe, Panthers! 🧡🖤
* Winter Weather Planning information was emailed to all families on Thursday, January 22nd. If you did not receive the email or a text/call from Mr. Harper, please contact your student's school office to verify your email address and cell phone number in Infinite Campus.
Palmyra R-1 School District Update 📢
❄️ No School – Monday, January 26th ❄️
• This will be AMI Day #1 — students should follow AMI instructions provided by their teachers. (Specific grade level details included in text from Mr. Harper. )
🖤🧡 A huge thank-you to Jolene for submitting the first high school entry in our Snow Day Announcement Challenge—your Panther and snowman drawing is absolutely PAWMAZING! 🐾❄️
Stay warm and safe, Panthers! 🧡🖤
* Winter Weather Planning information was emailed to all families on Thursday, January 22nd. If you did not receive the email or today's text and call from Mr. Harper, please contact your student's school office to verify your email address and cell phone number in Infinite Campus.
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there will be no school on Monday, January 19, 2026. The next scheduled day school will be closed is for Presidents Day on Monday, February 16th.
See you Tuesday Panthers!
Calling all young scientists in Grades 1–4! Get ready to explore, experiment, and discover at the PES Science Fair on March 26th 🧠🔬
📄 Sign-up forms are coming home this week and are due back by January 30th.
📍 Additional copies are available in the office.
❓ Questions? Contact Mrs. Gard or Ms. Knoche.
We look forward to seeing our Panthers creativity and curiosity on display! 🌟
The 4th Grade Science Club held their first meeting after school Wednesday, and students jumped right into learning by designing and testing marble roller coasters! 🎢⚙️
With nearly 40 students signed up, we are excited to see all the curiosity, creativity, and hands-on science. Science Club will meet every Wednesday from 3:30–4:30 p.m. 👩🔬👨🔬
📸 Mrs. Keim
