Plainwell Community Schools - Today's Learners Tomorrow's Leaders

Last week, the entire district was filled with holiday cheer. At Starr Elementary, students had a week filled with special dress-up days, classroom celebrations, and various holiday games and crafts. To add to the excitement, they received a special visit from “Lucky the Elf” and “The Grinch,” who brought a lot of holiday spirit before the Winter Holiday Break. We 💙 seeing all the joy and smiles the holiday season brings to our students.

Last week, the PHS students and staff were welcomed by a group of special carolers to share some holiday joy. A number of choir students performed to kick-off the last day of school before their winter holiday break. 🎄

We wrapped up our holiday performances at the 2025 PHS Winter Musicale Concert. The evening was filled with outstanding performances by the PHS Choir and Band departments, creating a wonderfully festive and beautiful evening at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center! If you were unable to attend or if you would like to view the performance again, visit the Plainwell Performing Arts Center Facebook page where you will find the full concert featured.

‼️ NEW PCS PARKING ENFORCEMENT GUIDELINES ‼️ To ensure the safety and accessibility for our students, staff and visitors, please make note of these NEW Parking Enforcement Guidelines from Plainwell Community Schools. When visiting any PCS property, all visitors must comply with these parking rules and guidelines, which will be effective immediately. To review the PCS Parking Enforcement Guidelines, please scan the QR code or visit https://5il.co/3syfn.

It was another successful year for the Plainwell Volunteer Christmas Project! Thanks to the support from our amazing community, the PVCP was able to support 201 families = 842 people, which is their biggest year ever! Special thanks to the organizers and 143 volunteers, including community members and many students, who spent their first day of winter holiday break helping sort and prep items for delivery. Also, thank you to all that donated to this project, each donation is an important part in making this such a success each year. Thank you to everyone for their support of the 2025 Plainwell Volunteer Christmas Project, you have impacted many lives during this holiday season!

It was an incredible evening at the 2025 Shop with a Hero event held at Meijer in Plainwell. For the 13th consecutive year, we had the opportunity to provide Meijer gift cards to over 100 students during our Shop with a Hero event. This occasion was truly special for the PCS students and the local heroes who assisted them in their holiday shopping. THANKS & APPRECIATION: We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our anonymous donor, whose generosity creates this wonderful opportunity for our students each year, impacting countless lives. We also appreciate the local heroes, volunteers and the fantastic gift wrappers for contributing to such a memorable experience for our Middle School students. Additionally, we extend our appreciation to Plainwell Meijer, who generously donates wrapping supplies and snacks for the attendees and gift wrappers throughout the evening. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who makes this night extraordinarily special each year!

Students and staff at Renaissance High School spent the week before Winter Holiday Break participating in different holiday traditions from both modern and ancient times. Some of the traditions included: a visit from the Yule Goat, a mischievous game from the Queen of Misrule, a gingerbread house competition, and a pancake breakfast. It was a fun week and a great way to send everyone off to break!

A Conference WIN for the Trojans last night at home against Vicksburg! The Boys Varsity Basketball team won 44-38. Go Tr🏀jans! 📸 Heather Unser Groner

OH WHAT FUN! The students at Gilkey Elementary were thrilled to welcome a special guest: "Buddy the Elf." "Buddy" greeted everyone in the morning, spreading smiles, laughter and an abundance of joy. Throughout the day, students spotted him strolling through the halls and caught him in the lunchroom (probably looking for maple syrup). “Buddy” brought lots of smiles to the Geckos' faces before sending them off to their Winter Holiday Break!

In the spirit of the season, the PHS Multicultural Club enjoyed an amazing outing to Frederik Meijer Gardens and the German Christkindl Markt in Grand Rapids! Students explored stunning Christmas tree displays and learned about holiday traditions from around the world. They also toured the German Christmas village, sampling delicious foods and browsing unique artisan gifts. It was a wonderful way to experience new cultures, celebrate the season and make memories together!

The Lifelong Learners (L3) had a joyful holiday gathering in the lobby of the Plainwell Performing Arts Center yesterday at their 2025 Holiday Brunch. During the event, they enjoyed a festive brunch filled with seasonal treats, warm company and fun holiday inspired prizes. It was a wonderful morning with our community senior citizens and retirees, which filled everyone's hearts with holiday spirit! We look forward to sharing our 2026 L3 events with you soon! If you would like to learn more about the program, which is open to Otsego and Plainwell community senior citizens and retirees, please contact Anne at 269-685-5823.

🎄Winter Holiday Break has arrived!🎄As a friendly reminder, our break will run from December 19-January 2. We wish the Trojan community a wonderful holiday break and look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Monday, January 5. From all of us at PCS, Happy Holidays!

🎄 Registration is still open, but limited - register today! 🎄 Are you looking for a great activity to kick-off the Winter Holiday Break? Register your student for a fun afternoon at the Field House pool on Friday, December 19 from 1:30-3:30 PM. Join the High School Swim Team's FUNdraiser to enjoy festive activities including: open swim, a Christmas movie on the big screen, a holiday craft, cornhole, spike ball, cookie decorating, snacks and games. This drop-off event is open to ages 8+. Cost is $25 per participant (if multiple members from the same family are attending, the price is reduced to $20 per person). Register today by scanning the QR code or by visiting https://plainwell.revtrak.net/high-school/hs-athletics/#/v/swim-mas-splash-bash.

Join us tonight (Thursday, December 18) to kick-off Winter Holiday Break at the 2025 Winter Musicale Concert beginning at 7:00 PM! Tickets are still available for the annual PHS Band and Choir Holiday Concert at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center. General admission tickets are $8 per person (children 5 and under are free). To purchase tickets, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.ludus.com. You can also stop by the box office, which will open one hour before the show. We look forward to a wonderful concert featuring music by the PHS Choirs, Bands, Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Band!

There was so much 🎄holiday fun🎄 at Cooper Elementary this week. From special dress up days, to holiday celebrations, to lots of fun and games, the students were excited to show their holiday cheer before break.

On Tuesday, several students from Starr Elementary had the joy of welcoming special guests from Centre Meadows in Portage. These visitors brought holiday gift bags for 80 students, each thoughtfully handmade and filled with school supplies, personal care items, handmade winter gear and special treats. The festive visit was filled with smiles, joy and gratitude from the students as they opened their gift bags and enjoyed their holiday treats. Special thanks to "Grandma Rosie" and her friends for bringing so much holiday joy to these Rock Starr students.

Are you looking for a festive way to kick-off Winter Holiday Break? Tickets are still available for the 2025 Winter Musicale Concert! Join us at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center for this annual PHS Band and Choir Holiday Concert tomorrow (Thursday, December 18) at 7 PM. General admission tickets are $8 per person (children 5 and under are free). To purchase tickets, please visit plainwellschools.ludus.com. We look forward to a wonderful concert featuring music by the PHS Choirs, Bands, Percussion Ensemble & Jazz Band!

During Thanksgiving Break, the PHS Band and Choir students took an exciting trip to Orlando. There, they had the chance to explore both Disney World and Universal Studios, where both programs participated in a workshop experience and had the opportunity to showcase their talents in a performance. Highlights from their workshops and performances include:  🎺 The Band students had the incredible opportunity to participate in a workshop at Universal Studios. They went behind the scenes and recorded a backtrack for a scene from "Despicable Me". Additionally, the students were able to voice the beloved characters as voice actors and create sound effects. For their performance, they took part in a marching parade down Main Street at Magic Kingdom. 🎤 The Choir program's workshop involved recording two scenes from "Tangled," including both music and vocals. For their performance, they showcased their talent on the Mainstage at Universal, right in front of the Hard Rock Cafe! This trip provided the Trojans with an unforgettable opportunity filled with unique experiences, amazing memories and perfect weather! 

The Cooper staff had a delightful surprise when Mrs. Keorkunian (principal) arrived with a hot cocoa cart. The team enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies while receiving an individual “thank you” and heartfelt gratitude from their building principal. This thoughtful gesture beautifully highlighted how much Mrs. Keorkunian values the incredible staff at Cooper.

Congratulations to PHS Senior, Luke Filkins, on signing his letter of intent to play baseball at Alma College! We are incredibly proud of Luke's athletic achievements while at PHS and wish him all the best next year. From all of us at PCS, congratulations and best wishes!