Starr Elementary ended the year with their annual Starr Strut. During the course of their fundraising, they unlocked different prizes as a school including Hat and Sunglasses Day, Duckett Bucket Day, Kona Ice, Outdoor Picnic Lunch, Water Recess and a Glow Dance Party. Individual prize winners got to enjoy a special trip to M-89 Cinema to see Super Mario Galaxy, have a Culver's picnic lunch with Mrs. Luckett and more! Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Carrier's classes both enjoyed a special movie day with popcorn and candy for being the top-earning classes for their grade levels. With massive support from their school community, they were able to raise over $23,000 to support Starr Parents Association which directly benefits Starr students and Staff. Way to go, Rock Starrs! ⭐️

Although we said goodbye to the school year and welcomed summer break earlier this month, we still think it would be fun to relive and reflect on the joyous events and celebrations that marked the end of the 2025/26 school year. In the coming week, we will share some highlights - from special events, to celebrations, to conclusions and new beginnings - we are excited to revisit the moments that made the end of the school year so special. 🐨 To start things off, let’s look back at a fun memory from Cooper. During the final week of school, students participated in their annual Fire Truck Cool Off! A special shout-out to the Cooper Township Fire Department for making this event so enjoyable for the Koalas each year. Everyone had a fantastic time, filled with laughter and smiles!

We are excited to share that registration is open for the 2026/27 SAFE program. The School Age Fun & Enrichment (SAFE) Program is a self-funded, licensed child care program for K-5 students. Supervised by a caring and attentive staff, SAFE child care provides before and after school care at all three elementary buildings. Some highlights of the program include: 🕕 Before & after school care from 6:30 AM until the start of school & end of school until 6:00 PM 🏫 Located inside Cooper, Gilkey & Starr Elementary Schools 📅 Available on most no school days, snow days & half days 🌐 For more information or to register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/safe

⚾️ Trojan Shoutout! ⚾️ Congratulations to Andrew Hampton, a Senior from the Class of 2026, for being named to the Division 2 All-State Team for baseball! This remarkable accomplishment marks his selection in consecutive years. PLAINWELL PRIDE!

🗓️ 2026/27 PCS VACATION PLANNER 🗓️ As you begin to look at your schedules for next school year, we wanted to share our new vacation planner document. We encourage you to take advantage of the breaks listed to plan vacations, wellness check-ups, and appointments that promote regular attendance for your student. Be sure to check-in with your student's school building at the start of school for state-mandated testing windows and other important dates. Please scan the QR code or visit https://aptg.co/6MSCvT to view the document.

Congratulations to Payton, Mia and Lilly as they are Plainwell Middle Schools' "Book and a Bonus" winners for May 2026. "Book and a Bonus" is a monthly reading incentive program for MS students that is supported by Ransom District Library. Keep up the great reading this summer, PMS students! Special thanks to Ransom District Library for your ongoing support of PCS and the “Book and a Bonus" program! PLAINWELL PRIDE!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 from Renaissance High School and Adult Education! Recently, we celebrated their graduation at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center, which was a memorable evening to honor the 42 graduates from Alternative and Adult Education. Your accomplishments at Plainwell Community Schools are truly outstanding! Congratulations RHS Class of 2026, we are proud of you 🎓 PLAINWELL PRIDE! 🎓

During last week's Board meeting, we celebrated the 2026 retirements! It was a wonderful opportunity to recognize these exceptional staff members for their dedication to Today’s Learners and Tomorrow’s Leaders. We are truly grateful for your hard work, commitment and unwavering support of PCS and our students! Congratulations and best wishes to these outstanding staff members on their retirement: Teaching Staff 💙 Laura Adams – Cooper Elementary 💙 Keven Badalamente – High School 💙 Kristen Fillar – Starr Elementary 💙 Anastasia Harnden – Middle School 💙 Karen Miller – Starr Elementary Support Staff 💙 Gail Chappell – Starr Elementary 💙 Julie Jackson – Starr Elementary 💙 Rose Sapletal – Middle School

Registration is open for the Summer Soccer Youth Camp. Students in Pre-K-7th grade (based on grade for 2026/27 school year) are invited to join us to learn from the PHS Men’s Soccer Coaching Staff and Soccer Players. Camp will be held at Gilkey Elementary from July 27-30 with two sessions available: ⚽ K-1st Grade from 6:00-7:00 PM - Cost is $50 per athlete and includes a camp t-shirt ⚽ 2nd-7th Grade Camp from 6:00-8:00 PM - Cost is $60 per athlete and includes a camp t-shirt To register, scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

We are happy to announce that we will provide FREE Food Service to PCS families this summer! Two options are available: 🍎 Daily Onsite Breakfast and Lunch at Plainwell High School and Starr Elementary OR 🍎 7-Day Meal Box Pick-up For more information, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/food-program-details.

The PHS Baseball team has concluded their season, and it's time to give some special shout-outs to our Trojans! The team wrapped up their season with a record of 19-14-1, and the following athletes deserve a round of applause 👏👏 for their outstanding achievements this season! Academic All-Region: ⚾️ Ian Wheatley ⚾️ Luke Filkins Academic All-State: ⚾️ Andrew Hampton Wolverine Conference Awards: ⚾️ Honorable Mention: Landon Nienhuis ⚾️ Honorable Mention: CJ Laninga ⚾️ 2nd Team: Luke Filkins ⚾️ 1st Team: Andrew Hampton MHSBCA All-District: ⚾️ 1st Team: Luke Filkins ⚾️ 1st Team: Andrew Hampton 📣 NEW SCHOOL RECORD 📣
Andrew Hampton has set a new school record for Career Batting Average, achieving an impressive .488 over four years on Varsity. This remarkable performance ties him for 33rd in MHSAA history. 👏 Additionally, Andrew is tied for the second most Stolen Bases in a game in MHSAA history with 7. With a total of 111 Career Stolen Bases, he finishes 26th in MHSAA history. Congratulations to these athletes and the entire Trojan baseball team on a your accomplishments this season! 📸 Courtesy of Amy Dull

Congratulations to Salim Sumaila Dadzie on being selected to participate in the Matt Boersma Senior All-Star Game, presented by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association! On July 18, Salim will join many of Michigan’s top senior soccer players in East Lansing, representing Plainwell Soccer, Plainwell High School, and our community on one of the state’s premier stages. Throughout his time at Plainwell, Salim has been an exceptional representative of the program, and this selection is a well-deserved recognition of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance he has shown throughout his high school career. We are incredibly proud of all that Salim has accomplished and look forward to watching him compete alongside some of the best senior players in Michigan this summer. Congratulations, Salim! ⚽️💙

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER! Wishing our students, staff and families a wonderful Summer Break! Have a great summer, Trojans!

The Multicultural Club had the opportunity to visit Detroit for their end-of-the-year trip, allowing students to experience culture and diversity firsthand. Highlights from the trip include touring the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, enjoying lunch at Eastern Market, seeing the Spirit of Detroit statue, riding the Detroit People Mover and traveling through Belle Isle Park. The day concluded with a group discussion about their experiences in Detroit over dinner at a local restaurant. This trip provided a meaningful experience that broadened students’ cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity.

Congratulations to the PHS track athletes that earned the opportunity to compete at the State Finals last weekend! From their send off to the competition, we are proud of these Trojans for their State Final achievements: Sawyer Lilly, Loehn Luckett, Evi Coutu, Nyra Cross, Delainey Poel, Hailey Newcomb and Mai Nguyen! 📣 NEW SCHOOL RECORD 📣 A standout moment from the competition was the 4x100 relay team consisting of Nyra Cross, Delainey Poel, Evangeline Coutu and Hailey Newcomb, who set a new school record by running the fastest 4x100 in school history at 50.66 seconds. This impressive record had stood for 17 years until these athletes came along to break it. Congratulations to everyone involved, and a special thank you to all the parents and supporters who came out to support the Trojans and celebrate their trip to the State Finals! 📸 Courtesy of Heather Unser Groner

As a friendly reminder, we have a half day of school tomorrow, Wednesday, June 3, as well as on Thursday, June 4, which is the final day of the 2025/26 school year. Half Day Dismissal Times: 📚 PHS - 10:45 AM 🚌 PMS - 10:45 AM 📝 RHS - 11:30 AM 🦎 Gilkey - 11:45 AM 🐨 Cooper - 11:50 AM ⭐️ Starr - 11:55 AM

The Middle School has a new wall mural, thanks to a group of student artists. The new artwork was designed and created by the 2026 yearbook winner, Mari Caro. To help Mari complete the project, she had several talented helpers - Lacy Keedle, Maliaa (Mali) Ware, Kinslee McComis, Natalie Barnheart and Hayden Corbin. We are incredibly grateful to these Trojan artists for sharing their time and talents in completing this artwork for the Middle School - PLAINWELL PRIDE!

At Cooper Elementary, a dedicated group of students serve as Peer Mediators. These young leaders demonstrate exceptional leadership both in and out of the classroom, assisting during recess and throughout the school day. To honor their commitment and hard work, the Peer Mediators concluded the year with an ice cream party and a trip to the Growlers baseball game as a token of appreciation. This remarkable group of Koalas has truly exemplified leadership, and we are grateful for their willingness to support others throughout the school year!

🌳 Attention Incoming 6th Graders and Families! 🌳 Check-out this amazing opportunity from the Kalamazoo Nature Center for a FREE household membership for all incoming 6th graders in Kalamazoo, Portage, Parchment and Plainwell Schools for the 2026-27 school year! Sign-up now through August 7 by visiting https://naturecenter.org/trailblazers/. 

Plainwell Middle School recently held a talent show that showcased the incredible skills of their 6th-8th grade students. The show, held at the Performing Arts Center, featured a variety of performances, including singing, music, tumbling and comedy, to an audience of peers and teachers. It was a fantastic event, showcasing the remarkable talents of the Trojans. You can view highlights from the talent show on the Plainwell Performing Arts Facebook page.