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

We are excited to share the Plainwell Middle School Students of the Week for April 14-18 and April 21-25. We are proud of your hard work and dedication. Way to go, Trojans! April 14-18 - Brooklyn (8th Grade) - Levi (7th Grade) - Tatum (6th Grade) April 21-25 - Quinn (8th Grade) - Harper (7th Grade) - Kaelyn (6th Grade) Throughout the year, we look forward to continuing to share our outstanding Middle School Students of the Week! Special thanks to our Student of the Week sponsors: Fly Inn, Barbed Wire Cafe and Taqueria San Francisco. We greatly appreciate your support of PCS and our students - Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.

The Rock Starrs spent some time outside today beautifying the grounds at Starr Elementary. What a wonderful way for these 5th grade students to celebrate Earth Day! 🌎

📅 Virtual Parent Q & A – Monday, April 28 at 5:00 Join us for a one-hour, anonymous space to ask, share, and connect. Plainwell Community Schools, in partnership with Clayful, is excited to invite you to a one-hour virtual Q & A session with a small panel from Clayful who have worked closely with families and understand the everyday ups and downs of parenting. Some highlights about the upcoming Q & A session: - WHAT IS CLAYFUL: Clayful is a mental health coaching platform that PCS is currently using that is designed to provide PCS students with mental wellness coaching. - WHO IS ON THE Q & A PANEL? Clayful's certified coaches and supervisors. - WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED? It’s a space to ask questions, hear how others are handling similar parenting challenges and gather practical advice from professionals who have worked closely with families. - DO I NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS TO JOIN? No! There’s no pressure to share, just an open space for learning and connection. Event is open to all families within the PCS district boundaries. Please RSVP by visiting plainwellschools.org/article/2163178. In addition, please be on the lookout for an in-person event in May!

Lending a helping hand! Students in Ms. Pierce's fourth-grade class at Gilkey Elementary have been exploring a reading unit centered around Global Guardians, guided by the Big Idea Question: "What can people do to care for our planet?” In a remarkable response, student Hunter has embraced an inspiring initiative...in honor of Earth Day and as part of Gilkey's annual Earth Week celebration, Hunter has committed to picking up trash around his home and neighboring streets each day after school. Way to go, Hunter, for being a true guardian of the Earth! Keep up the fantastic work! 👏🏼

🚌 It’s National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day and we must take a moment to honor our INCREDIBLE bus drivers. They are the first and last to see many of our students each day, providing them with safe transportation to and from school. A heartfelt shout-out and THANK YOU to our remarkable bus drivers for their unwavering commitment to our district and for keeping our students safe every single day! We greatly appreciate each one of you. Please join us in sharing a 💙 or thank you to our transportation team!

Congratulations to Olivia, Aubrey and Nolan as they are Plainwell Middle Schools' "Book and a Bonus" winners for April. "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 PMS students! Special thanks to Ransom District Library for your ongoing support of PCS and the “Book and a Bonus" program! PLAINWELL PRIDE!

🐰 Happy Easter! 🐰The Middle School LINKS program had so much fun with an egg hunt! Due to the weather on Friday, they decided to hide the eggs between two classrooms instead of going outside. Students enjoyed snacks and mingled after the hunt!

The 3-5 grade students at Cooper Elementary were invited to hear from Cooper parent and nationally recognized speaker, Mr. Chase Mielke. Mr. Mielke spoke with students about the power of words. He shared how the words that we say and the words that we use impact those around us. He also encouraged the Cooper students to find ways to better use their voices. Special thanks to Mr. Mielke for presenting to our students and inspiring them to be their best selves.

It was all about the red, white and blue at Starr Elementary’s 3rd and 4th grade music program! The evening was filled with beautiful performances by the Rock Starrs. Special thanks to the 5th grade choir for joining the performance and to Mrs. Hoekstra for putting together an outstanding show. ❤️🤍💙 Unable to attend? You can view the entire performance by visiting the Plainwell Performing Arts Facebook page.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Raising kids isn’t easy — let’s talk about it. Plainwell Community Schools, in partnership with Clayful, is excited to invite you to a one-hour virtual Q & A session with a small panel who’ve worked closely with families and understand the everyday ups and downs of parenting. Join the virtual Q & A on Monday, April 28 at 5:00 PM.   RSVP via the link shared in your email or at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFtWifpXVkV459N1jccl7DmJ7atz1JScUa1zvCPFqaXd5ETg/viewform. In addition, please be on the lookout for an in-person event in May! Hosted by Plainwell Community Schools in partnership with Clayful.

The PCS band program is hosting their annual flower sale through May 1. To purchase, please visit https://form.jotform.com/251037570274050. Thank you for your support of the PCS Band programs!

Registration is open to join the STATE FINALIST PHS Cheer Team for their upcoming 1st-7th grade cheer clinics. Practice cheerleading techniques, tumbling and stunting with our high school athletes and coaches. Clinic will be held on Wednesday evenings from May 7-28. The 1st-4th grade clinic will be held from 5:00-6:00 PM and the 5th-7th grade clinic will be held from 6:00-7:00 PM. Improve your skills and feel the excitement! Cost is $55 per athlete. To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs. We look forward to welcoming you to the PCS Cheer Program!

Trojans making a difference! Mrs. Johnson and 29 dedicated PHS students volunteered for three hours, collecting more than 60 bags of trash along 131. Thank you to these students for their hard work and commitment to making a difference in our community.

LIFELONG LEARNERS 📅 MARK YOUR CALENDARS! We are excited to share three upcoming Spring Lifelong Learners events! 🎶 The Joshua Tree Concert (open to the public): Join us at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center on April 29 from 1:00-3:00 PM for a FREE concert featuring The Joshua Tree. All are welcome to enjoy an afternoon filled with the smooth sounds of The Joshua Tree. 🎉 Cinco de BINGO! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Lifelong Learners group on May 6 from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. Enjoy a FREE Fiesta Luncheon, followed by BINGO with Joe Gross at the Ransom District Library. ⚾ Join us for food and fun at a Growlers Baseball Game on May 28. Transportation leaves PCS at 9:30 AM, with the game beginning at 11:05 AM. Cost is $10 per person - game entry, food and transportation included. RSVP to Anne at (269) 685-5823 ext. 1009.

Registration is still open for the upcoming PCS Summer Volleyball Camps! Two opportunities are available for the Trojans: - PLAINWELL VOLLEYBALL CAMP: PHS students, as well as 1st-6th graders are invited to join us for a Summer Volleyball Camp. Camp will be held from June 9-12 at the Plainwell Field House with three times available: High School from 8:00-10:00 AM, 1st-3rd grade from 10:30-11:30 AM and 4th-6th grade from 12:00-1:30 PM. Cost is $50 per athlete. To register, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs (register by May 16 to guarantee a t-shirt). - 7TH & 8TH GRADE SKILLS CAMP: 7th & 8th grade students are invited to join us for a Summer Volleyball Skills Camp. Camp will be held every Tuesday from July 8-August 5 from 6:00-7:30 PM at the Plainwell Field House. Cost is $50 per athlete. To register, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs (register by June 6 to guarantee a t-shirt).

We are excited to offer a NEW Parent & Tot Swim Class for ages 2-5. The 30 minute class will focus on water acclimation and water safety. During the class, the participating adult MUST be in the water with the child and instructor at all times. Two sessions available: - Session I: Saturday mornings (11:15-11:45 AM) from May 17-June 14 - Session II: Saturday mornings (11:15-11:45 AM) from June 21-July 26 (excluding July 5) Classes are limited to 10 participants, so register today! To register, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/swim-lessons.

🥎 TONIGHT! 🥎 Join us this evening (Wednesday, April 16) at PHS for Plainwell Softball’s annual Soup with Sluggers event from 5:30-7:30 PM. Come enjoy a variety of soups, salads and desserts while supporting the PHS Softball team. All donations accepted.

Plainwell Middle School kicked off their soccer season with an impressive 6-2 victory over Paw Paw! The team demonstrated great knowledge of the game, showcased excellent chemistry and displayed outstanding defense that contributed significantly to securing the win. It was a fantastic start to the season!

Recently, MLive published an article highlighting standout high school softball players in the Kalamazoo area for this season. Among those featured was Madison Seibert, a senior shortstop entering her fourth year on the varsity team at PHS. In 2024, Madison achieved an impressive .488 batting average, with 14 RBIs, 29 runs scored and a .945 fielding percentage. As she steps into her senior year, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Trojan Softball Program. Alongside Madison, Sophia Barth, Sophie Munch and Samantha McDaniel received honorable mention recognition in the article. Wishing the PHS Softball team a fantastic season – GO TROJANS!

Register today to join us at PCS on Saturday, May 3 for a Boater Safety program through Allegan County! The class will be held at the Plainwell Middle School from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. REGISTER TODAY! All registrations must be submitted through the DNR website at michigan.storefront.kalkomey.com/em/programs/9. There is no cost and while there is no minimum age, anyone under 10 must have a parent or guardian with them.