Pinedale Elementary School (Rapid City, SD)

10/06/2026

SEPTEMBER SNAPSHOTS! Enjoy these 10 photos highlighting some of the fun, learning, and special moments from September at Pinedale. 📸

☀️ Lunch in the courtyard - a favorite in September
📚 Our teachers learning and growing together at a recent staff meeting
🦎 A few critters making an appearance on campus
🚸 Spinami safety - a big focus this first month of school
🎨 A sidewalk chalk note left behind in the Zen Zone
🧡 Orange Shirt Day
🖍️ Student coloring pages on Mr. Shane's door
🎃 And our first batch of Spooktacular Behavior pumpkin winners

🐾🩵

10/06/2026

🎃 Trunk or Treat - WE NEED TRUNKS! 👻🍬

Mark your calendars, Panther families! 🐾 Pinedale PTA’s Trunk or Treat is happening Saturday, October 17 from 2–4 PM in the Pinedale Teacher Parking Lot!

But first... We need trunks!!

Want to join the fun? Decorate your trunk, bring your Halloween spirit, and help us create an afternoon of treats and memories for our Pinedale Panthers! 🧡💜 Trunk setup begins at 1 PM.

👉 Sign up to host a trunk here:

🔗 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA5AD29A4F4C07-66187599-panther?fbclid=IwY2xjawUx_itleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMVluck5RbEFNcWNKcFc0YjhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeYhIepp84-qj9gSHpJJT0eLE0G4YZ_R7NnMR90Bu51zAHth-TRUQzAMcHRDM_aem_pS9NBl7kj1NBjJU37genpw #/

🍭 Want to help but don’t want to host a trunk?

We’ll gladly take candy donations! Donations can be dropped off at the Pinedale school office.

Costumes + candy + decorated trunks + our Panther community = one FUN afternoon! 🎃👻🍬

🎃 TRUNK OR TREAT IS COMING TO PINEDALE! 👻🍬

Mark your calendars, Panther families! 🐾 Pinedale PTA’s Trunk or Treat is happening Saturday, October 17 from 2–4 PM in the Pinedale Teacher Parking Lot!

But first... We need trunks!!

Want to join the fun? Decorate your trunk, bring your Halloween spirit, and help us create an afternoon of treats and memories for our Pinedale Panthers! 🧡💜 Trunk setup begins at 1 PM.

👉 Sign up to host a trunk here:
🔗 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA5AD29A4F4C07-66187599-panther

🍭 Want to help but don’t want to host a trunk?
We’ll gladly take candy donations! Donations can be dropped off at the Pinedale school office.

Costumes + candy + decorated trunks + our Panther community = one FUN afternoon! 🎃👻🍬

10/03/2026

NATIONAL CUSTODIAN DAY! 🦸‍♂️✨

Yesterday we celebrated the hardworking custodial, maintenance, and facilities staff who work behind the scenes to keep our school buildings clean, safe, and welcoming every day!

A HUGE shout-out to our very own superhero, Mr. Shane!

We are so fortunate to have him at Pinedale. His hard work, care, and dedication make such a difference in our school community. We are thankful for Mr. Shane today and every day!

10/01/2026

EARLY RELEASE FRIDAY

Don't forget that tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd, is a District Early Release Day.

Pinedale students will be released at 12:50 PM.

Thank you!

09/30/2026

🚫 TOYS, SQUISHIES & SIMILAR ITEMS!

We are asking for your help in reminding students to leave squishies, gel-filled toys, water-bead toys, stuffies, toy-like keychains, and similar items at home.

While these items can be fun, they have created some challenges in our school setting – even when kept in backpacks. Concerns seen in schools nationwide include items breaking open, students putting them in their mouths, trading them, and items becoming lost or stolen. With nearly 400 students in our building, these situations can create frequent distractions and safety concerns for students and staff.

Please help us by talking with your child about this expectation. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to reduce distractions and keep our Panthers focused and engaged in learning!

09/29/2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our WIN groups are up and running! WIN stands for "What I Need." This is a dedicated time each day when teachers provide targeted math and reading instruction based on the individual needs of students.

To help determine those needs, all Pinedale students are screened three times each year in reading and math. Kindergarten and first grade students are assessed using Acadience, while students in second through fifth grade take the NWEA MAP Assessment. The results of these assessments were sent home in your child's Friday Folder.

Teachers who provide instruction during WIN include classroom teachers, Intervention Specialists, Literacy Specialists, Special Education teachers, and paraprofessionals. Together, they work to ensure every student receives the support and instruction they need to grow.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your child's classroom teacher.

Sincerely,
Pinedale Staff

09/24/2026

PUMPKIN DELIVERY! We have THREE big shout-outs:

🍂 Thank you so much to Scott Henrikson (again this year!) for his generous donation of pumpkins.

🚚 Thank you to Matt’s Melons here in Rapid City for delivering to Pinedale this morning.

💪 And a final shout-out to Mrs. Campbell’s 5th graders for jumping in and helping unload.

These pumpkins will be raffled off as prizes for students throughout October as part of our “Spooktacular Behavior” incentive. Be on the lookout as they begin to come home in the next few weeks! 🎃

09/22/2026

Pinedale Picture Day!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 23rd is Pinedale's Picture Day! Student pictures will be taken in the morning in the gym.

If you haven't already ordered, you can visit https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry and use code 0541PMA for Pinedale. Orders will arrive in 4-6 weeks and come home in Friday Folders after we receive them.

Picture Re-Take Day will be on Friday, November 6th.

09/21/2026

Panther PTA Newsletter for September!

Catch up on highlights, meet the PTA Board, and see what events are coming up and how you can help!

09/21/2026

Culver's Night is tomorrow! Click on Panther PTA 's Facebook post to learn more!

Tuesday September 22, 2026 5:00-8:00 PM A portion of all sales between 5-8 pm will be donated to the PTA so we can continue to do awesome things for the staff, students and families at Pinedale! Volunteers are needed to help deliver food to guests, wipe tables, clear trays, etc. Kids can help and ar...