💬 Do you have parenting questions?
REMINDER - register today to join us for a live, one-hour anonymous Q & A session for Plainwell parents (anyone living within the PCS district) on Monday, April 28 at 5:00 PM. Plainwell Community Schools, in partnership with Clayful, is excited to invite you to a one-hour virtual Q & A session with a small panel of certified coaches and supervisors from Clayful who have worked closely with families and understand the everyday ups and downs of parenting.
It’s a chance to hear from others, ask what’s been on your mind and connect with a community of parents who understand the highs and lows of raising kids today.
Register today by visiting plainwellschools.org/article/2163178.
Our Kindergarten and Young 5 Round-up is next week! Join us for this special event to welcome the 2025-26 Kindergarten and Young 5 students to Plainwell Community Schools. Students/families can: meet the staff, tour the buildings, sign-up for readiness testing and more!
Three Round-up options available:
- Tuesday, April 29 at Starr from 4:30-6:00 PM
- Wednesday, April 30 at Cooper from 4:30-6:00 PM
- Thursday, May 1 at Gilkey from 4:30-6:00 PM
For more information or to begin the enrollment process, please visit: plainwellschools.org/page/kindergarten. For those looking to learn more about preschool at Plainwell, our preschool staff will also be in attendance to share information about their 2025/26 programs. We look forward to welcoming your student to Plainwell Community Schools - GO TROJANS!
Middle School Athlete of the Week - Sydney Wilson! Congratulations to Sydney, who was nominated by her Soccer Coach, Derek Dunn, who stated: “Syd stepped into goal in the second half with no goalie experience and had some saves and faced a PK. Thanks to her, we held off Paw Paw with a 6-2 win!" Way to go, Sydney! 👏🏼
The Middle School and High School Jazz Bands traveled to Hastings to participate in the TAC Jazz Festival. Both ensembles performed at the Barry Community Enrichment Center and received a clinic led by renowned jazz educator Mark Greer. The students delivered outstanding performances and proudly represented our district with true Plainwell Pride. During their lunch break at Kloosterman’s, they also had the opportunity to enjoy a live jazz trio performance, further enriching their musical experience!
It was an amazing day and we are so proud of these PCS musicians!
Cole’s 4th Grade Crew at Starr Elementary had a buzz-worthy visit from Mrs. Amy Bender, a beekeeping hobbyist from B5Ranch in Martin. After reading articles about the challenges facing honeybee populations, students deepened their learning through hands-on insights and thoughtful discussion. 🌍📚🍯
It was a beautiful evening at the Performing Arts Center as the Cooper upper elementary classes performed at their spring concert. The amazing show was all about the ❤️ red, 🤍 white and 💙 blue. Way to go, Koalas! 🐨🇺🇸
Unable to attend? The entire show can be viewed on the Plainwell Performing Arts Facebook page.
Attention PHS students (and families) - You could be one of the 50 Michigan students who’ll win up to $50,000 for tuition through the Ticket to Tuition giveaway! Visit https://tickettotuition.com/ for more information!
The Middle School tennis team kicked off their season last week against Paw Paw on Wednesday and Gull Lake on Thursday. They tied Paw Paw 4-4 and ended 3-5 against Gull Lake. The matches showcased excellent sportsmanship, with athletes demonstrating resilience while embracing opportunities to learn and support each other. We are excited to see all the Trojans accomplish this tennis season - GO TR🎾JANS!
Registration is now open for our upcoming 2025 Youth Golf Lessons at Lake Doster Golf Club. Junior golf is geared for girls and boys who will learn different aspects of the game. It's fun for the novice as well as those who have experience. Each day will focus on something new. Two sessions available! For more information or to register, please visit: plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs (limited to 15 participants per class, no sign-ups at class).
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!
