We are thrilled to have recently announced the opening of our new Field House! In conjunction with this, we have secured a temporary grant to enhance community engagement opportunities. However, we need **YOUR** feedback to ensure we are meeting the wants and needs of our community. Please take a moment to fill out our Communities in Motion survey by visiting plainwellschools.org/article/2227369 to assist us in evaluating community needs. Feel free to share it with anyone residing within the Plainwell Community Schools district boundaries or anyone with a student attending PCS through schools of choice, as we want to get as much feedback as possible. Thank you for your continued support of Plainwell Community Schools - GO TROJANS!

Join us this summer for our NEW Summer Kickball program for 9-12 year olds. Program will run on Wednesday evenings from June 18-July 30 (excluding the week of July 4). Each game will be a double-header, for a total of 12 games during the season, with the first game starting at 6:00 PM and the second at 7:00 PM. Weekly games will alternate between Otsego & Plainwell.Cost is $30 per athlete and includes a t-shirt. To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs or scan the QR code.

Registration is open for our upcoming Summer TaeKwonDo program. Join us to improve coordination, gain strength and increase your flexibility while learning self-defense techniques, taught by Mr. Mitch. TaeKwonDo is open to participants 7 and up. Program will run on Monday evenings from June 9-July 28 from 5:30-7:00 PM. Practices will be held at Hicks Gym. Cost is $30 per individual or $55 per family. To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

We are excited to share that registration is now open for the upcoming Boy's Basketball Kids Camp for K-8th graders (based on grade in fall 2025). Camp will be held from July 7-10 at the Plainwell Field House. For additional information, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

The phones and internet at PCS are currently down district wide. We apologize for the inconvenience, building communications will be delayed until the internet has been restored!

It was a great day for the Gilkey Elementary 5th grade students to take their annual bike trip last Friday. Throughout their adventure, they stopped at various places in Plainwell to learn about bicycle safety. A very special thank you to Bob Farris, Plainwell Public Safety, the Gilkey Staff and the many parent volunteers who made this an amazing experience for the Geckos! 🚲

Today was officially the last day of school for the senior class! We are incredibly proud of our Class of 2025 - thank you for your hard work and dedication to your education. To all of our senior students and families with a student in the Class of 2025 - THANK YOU for allowing Plainwell Community Schools to be a part of your educational journey! If you see a senior, please take a moment to wish them well as they prepare for graduation next week! To send off our Class of 2025, earlier today they had a parade through the Middle School and their Elementary buildings. It was fun for our staff and younger Trojans to cheer on our seniors and wish them well as they approach graduation - Trojan Pride!

This is the last week to register for the 2025 Spring Elementary Tennis Camp for students in K-5 grade. All skill levels welcome! Join us to improve your game while learning from the Varsity High School Tennis Coaches and Players! Camp will be held at the PHS Tennis Courts from May 19-22 (rain date is May 27) from 4:00-5:00 PM. Cost is $50 per athlete. Register today by visiting plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs. We look forward to welcoming your athlete to Trojan Tennis!

Attention Middle and High School athletes and marching band students! Plainwell and Otsego High Schools are joining forces to offer FREE physicals for the 2025/26 school year to PMS/PHS/OMS/OHS athletes and marching band students on Wednesday, June 4 at the Plainwell Field House. Doors open at 5:00 PM - physicals begin at 5:30 PM. You must be in line by 7:00 PM in order to receive a physical. Forms are available at plainwellschools.org/page/high-school-athletics and in the athletic office (please bring your completed and signed form with you).

Reminder - Youthball registration closes on May 12! Join us this summer for our Youthball program for PCS students, ages 5-8. With the focus of the program on recreation and to learn the fundamentals of the game, our Summer Youthball program is just the beginning for many of our Trojan baseball and softball players. THREE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE! - T-ball (5 & 6 year olds) - Girls Coach Pitch (7 & 8 year olds) - Boys Coach Pitch (7 & 8 year olds) Please note, coach pitch may be combined into a co-ed team if we don't have the numbers to support both a girls and boys team. Practices begin the week of May 27, with games being held in Plainwell and Otsego from June 10-July 10. Specific dates and times TBD based on registrations and coaches availability. Community Education will communicate the various locations in Plainwell/Otsego for practices and games. Cost is $55 per player. To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs (registration closes 5/12/25). We look forward to a great summer at PCS' Youthball program!

Staff Appreciation Week is underway! Throughout this week, please join us to celebrate the AMAZING PCS staff by saying thank you to your favorite staff member. We are so grateful for their daily dedication to our students and district! To each and every staff member at PCS - THANK YOU for your endless commitment to Today's Learners, Tomorrow's Leaders! Plainwell Pride!

Attention Trojan Football players and families! We are excited to share registration information for our upcoming Summer Football Camps for K-12 graders, as well as information on our Rocket, Flag and Pee Wee Football programs. For program details or for registration information, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs. We look forward to a great football season with the Trojans!

We are excited to share that registration is open for our upcoming Summer Trojan Aquatic Club program. TAC is a competitive swim team for PCS youth ages 6-18. Program will run from June 9-July 28. For more information, practice/meet dates and times or to register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/tac. We look forward to a great summer at the Field House Pool!

Join us TODAY (5/2) for the Help Me Grow Books, Balls, Blocks & Bounce Kids Day Event! The event will be held at Ransom District Library from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Families with 0-5 year old children are invited to join the fun with kids activities, raffles, a bounce house, face painting, a meet and greet with PBS characters and so much more! We look forward to seeing you there!

Plastic donations are still being accepted district-wide for the NexTrex recycling challenge. Please bring plastic that is clean, dry and free of food residue to bins at the front vestibule of the High School, Middle School, Cooper, Gilkey & Starr (outside collection bin available at Starr for after school drop-off) to help support the recycling challenge. For each 1,000 lbs. that are collected, buildings will earn a new NexTrex bench! Thank you Trojan Community for your ongoing support of this recycling challenge!

It was another evening of Kindergarten Round-up fun, as Cooper Elementary welcomed the class of 2038. Incoming young 5 and kindergarten students enjoyed a kindergarten “signing”, an adventure maze through the building, a visit to the book vending machine and a meet-and-greet with the staff. It was a wonderful welcome to the incoming Cooper Koalas! If you missed the event, you can still join us tonight (Thursday, May 1) for Round-up at Gilkey Elementary. Attending families can meet the staff, tour the building, sign-up for readiness testing and more! For more information or to begin the enrollment process at PCS, 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!

Lots of fun was had at Starr Elementary’s Kindergarten Round-up last night as we welcomed the Class of 2038 Rock Starrs! If you were unable to attend, you can still join us for this special event to welcome the 2025/26 Young 5 and Kindergarteners to Plainwell Community Schools. Join us this evening (Wednesday, April 30) at Cooper or tomorrow (Thursday, May 1) at Gilkey. Students/families can: meet the staff, tour the buildings, sign-up for readiness testing and more! 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!

Lighting the Way: A Conversation on Youth Suicide Prevention PCS families - register today for the upcoming TRAILS webinar: Lighting the Way: A Conversation on Youth Suicide Prevention. This free webinar will take place via Zoom on Thursday, May 1 from 4:00-5:30 PM. To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/article/2174047.

During this week, in celebration of Earth Day, Food Service Director Michael Ritsema visited the elementary schools with the Discovery Kitchen. He provided samples of fresh snap peas, along with activity sheets and a "Grow Your Own Snap Peas" kit. These kits contained seed packets with instructions and biodegradable pots, allowing students to cultivate their own vegetables. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in growing healthy food choices.

💬 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.