Pleasant Hill Elementary School
Principal's Message
Launch the media gallery 1 player
On behalf of our entire staff, we would like to welcome you to PHES!
At Pleasant Hill Elementary School, we want to create for every child an authentic learning environment that promotes communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. We foster the growth of the whole child. Staff, families, and the community support and respect one another to create an environment in which students will thrive.
We also have a collective focus and commitment to grow our students as readers and writers! We facilitate and activate the use of Units of Study in all classrooms for reading and writing. The Units of Study incorporates a workshop curriculum with the goal of turning all students into life-long, confident readers and writers. According to Lucy Calkins, "reading and writing workshops are deliberately designed to offer a simple and predictable environment so that [your child's] teacher can focus on the complex work of observing students' progress and teaching into their needs".
In the area of Mathematics, we use Eureka Math Squared as a curriculum in all classrooms. What is Eureka? The Eureka Math Squared curriculum was built around the core principle that students need to know more than just what works when solving a problem—they need to understand why it works. The curriculum goes beyond facts and formulas, teaching students to think about math conceptually. This helps students become not merely literate, but fluent in mathematics.
About Mrs. Taylor
The 2022-2023 school calendar marks my nineteenth year in education and fourth year in the Pleasant Hill R-3 School District. I grew up in the small community of Tipton, Missouri. I graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with my undergrad, my Masters in School Leadership at Baker University, and completed my Education Specialist degree from the University of Central Missouri. My husband, Shane, and I live in Lee's Summit with our two daughters. Aven Grace, our oldest, will be in sixth grade this fall and Hollis Kate will be a second grader!
As a leader you can expect me to be...
Compassionate, energetic, innovative, and positive!
Committed to individual student growth through collaboration and continuous improvement.
Dedicated to building and maintaining trusting relationships with our entire school family.
Every other week, you will receive a newsletter from me electronically called The Crowing Corner. As excited as I am to offer this monthly communication, it is the face-to-face interaction that I value most. I am looking forward to the days when Covid-19 is behind us. For more information on Pleasant Hill Elementary please refer to our Just the Facts flyer at: ES Just the Facts 22-23 or call our front office at: 816-540-2220.
I am so very grateful to be part of this wonderful school community. Together, the PHES Staff and I are committed to providing an amazing school year with your family!
Kayla Taylor, Principal
About Mrs. Pickett
This school year, I am beginning my eighteenth year in education, all of which have been in the Pleasant Hill R-III School District. Prior to becoming a principal, I taught first and second grade at the Primary School. I grew up in the St. Louis area and moved to Harrisonville shortly after graduating from High School. I received my undergrad degree from the University of Central Missouri in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Later, I obtained my Master's and Ed. Specialist Degrees in Educational Leadership. I am currently working on my Ed. Doctorate in Educational Leadership. I love to learn and believe in being a life-long learner. I currently split my time between two buildings in the district, the Elementary School and the Middle School.
My husband, Nathan, and I have three daughters. Julia is an eighth-grader at the Middle School. Ava is a sixth-grader at the Intermediate School. Victoria is a first-grader at the Primary School.
As a leader, you can expect me to be...
Compassionate, energetic, fun, and positive!
Dedicated to student learning and growth.
Constantly working to build positive relationships with students and families.
Monica Pickett, Assistant Principal-Elementary School and Middle School