Gilkey Elementary -

We welcome you to join us for the PCS Bond Open House - Information Night. Join us at the Fieldhouse tomorrow (Friday, March 22) from 5:00-7:30 PM to see the new Pool/Gym project, hear about the ongoing bond projects and learn more about the 2024 bond proposal. Superintendent Montange, Board of Education members and Building Administrators will be on-site to answer questions and share details on the 2024 bond proposal. Learn more about the no tax rate increase bond proposal at plainwellschools.org/page/2024-bond.

Gilkey Elementary held their March Student and Staff of the Month ceremony. Each month, Gilkey teachers select one student and a staff member who they felt did an outstanding job throughout the month and the recipients are celebrated at a special award ceremony with their families. In March, those who were selected did an awesome job with encouragement. Way to go, Geckos!

On May 7, 2024, PCS will be pursuing a NO TAX RATE INCREASE bond proposal to continue to improve our facilities and prioritize the educational experiences of our students, families and staff. Did you know that our preschool programs have been at 95% capacity for the past 5+ years? To meet the high demand for early childhood care in our community, the May 7 bond proposal would allow Plainwell to build an Early Childhood Center (ECC). With consolidated resources and a specifically designed space, we could have a strong impact on the future of students and continue to provide programs that support young families. Read more about the proposed ECC and the 2024 bond proposal by visiting plainwellschools.org/page/2024-bond.

“Did somebody say PIE? No, we said PI.” The 5th grade students at Gilkey Elementary celebrated Pi Day today with a special song, activities and lots of delicious pie! What fun for the 5th grade Geckos!

This week, students from Mrs. Hotchkiss’ and Mrs. Bowman’s fourth grade classes at Gilkey Elementary had the opportunity to take a field trip to Lansing. It provided an amazing learning experience for the students as they visited the Michigan Historical Center and Capitol Building. What a great experience for our fourth grade Geckos!

Introducing the Gilkey Live Zone! This fantastic program is all about empowering the 5th grade students at Gilkey Elementary to shine in production and broadcasting. Led by Mr. Boender, Gilkey's interventionist, 25 students have joined the Gilkey Live Zone Crew! They applied for this special opportunity to learn, create and broadcast live morning announcements right here at school! In this program, students learn valuable skills like public speaking, scriptwriting and video production. "It's a chance for our students to be leaders and team players, working together to create engaging content," said Boender. 🦎

Mark your calendar for the PCS Bond Open House - Information Night! Join us at the Fieldhouse on Friday, March 22 to see the Pool/Gym project, hear about the ongoing bond projects and learn more about the 2024 bond proposal. Superintendent Montange and Board of Education members will be on site to answer questions and share details on the 2024 Bond Proposal. Learn more at plainwellschools.org/page/2024-bond.

We are excited to welcome the newest Trojans to Plainwell Community Schools next fall for the 2024/25 school year! Registration is open, for more information about Kindergarten and the Young 5 program at PCS or to begin the enrollment process, please scan the QR code or visit: plainwellschools.org/page/kindergarten. Please mark your calendar for some important upcoming dates for your Kindergarten or Young 5 student. ROUND-UP DATES: - Gilkey: Tuesday, April 30 from 4:30-6:00 pm - Cooper: Wednesday, May 1 from 4:30-6:00 pm - Starr: Thursday, May 2 from 4:30-6:00 pm - PLEASE NOTE: During Round-up, PCS will offer limited Hearing, Vision and Dental screenings. Spots are limited, so please register today! To sign-up, please visit: - Hearing & Vision - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FACAD2AA5FBCF8-48356786-kindergarten#/ - Dental - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FACAD2AA5FBCF8-48350385-kindergarten#/ KINDERGARTEN/YOUNG 5 ACADEMIC SCREENING: - June 11 and 12 (at all three elementary buildings)

We are just two weeks away from the 2024 musical: Mean Girls! There are three showtimes available at the Performing Arts Center: - Friday, March 22 at 7 PM - Saturday, March 23 at 7 PM - Sunday, March 24 at 2 PM Online tickets are available by scanning the QR code or by visiting plainwellschools.ludus.com. Get your tickets today for this amazing show!

We are excited to share the 2024/25 School Year Calendar Highlights with you! Please visit https://5il.co/2g9rq to view the calendar. The full school year printable calendar will be shared with families soon. Have a great weekend and GO TROJANS!

Boys grades 1-6th grade are invited to join us for the 2024 Boys Basketball Fundamentals Kids Camp. The camp, which is hosted by the High School Basketball Coaches, will be held on Saturday mornings in the High School Gym as follows: TIMES: - 1st and 2nd grade - 9:00-10:30 AM - 3rd and 4th grade - 11:00 AM-12:30 PM - 5th and 6th grade - 12:30-2:30 PM DATES: - April 13, 2024 - April 20, 2024 - April 27, 2024 - May 4, 2024 The cost is $25 per athlete. To register, please scan the QR code or visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

The Mother/Son Hockey Night is quickly approaching...did you purchase tickets? Deadline to purchase tickets is Monday, March 11 and only 77 tickets remain! We are excited to welcome back the Mother/Son Hockey Night as the Kalamazoo Wings take on the Allen Americans in the 40th Annual Green Ice Game on Saturday, March 16 at 7:00 PM. Mothers and sons will enjoy the game, a $5 concession voucher, a FREE knit hat and a voucher for a FREE game of bowling at Airway Fun Center! Tickets are available for $17/adults, $14/kids (12 and under). Transportation is not available and parking is $5 per car at the event. Interested in tickets? Tickets are purchased through K-Wings and will be picked-up at Wings Event Center. To purchase tickets, please visit https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Plainwellschools. PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are assigned seats, so if you are going with friends or a group, please plan accordingly. Deadline to purchase tickets is March 11, so please purchase your tickets today!

Students from Ms. Pierce’s 4th grade class at Gilkey Elementary took a trip to Lansing where they learned about Michigan’s journey to statehood and more as they explored the Michigan Historical Center, followed by a trip to see our state’s government at work in the Capitol Building. During their visit at the Capitol, they had the opportunity to meet our State Representative, Matt Hall, who invited them to his office and introduced them to the House of Representatives while they were in session. It was a fun-filled, educational experience. The students did an amazing job representing themselves as great Gilkey Gecko LEADers!

On May 7, 2024, PCS will be pursuing a bond proposal to continue to improve our facilities and prioritize the educational experiences of our students, families and staff. Do you have questions about the bond? For example: Q. What is a bond proposal and how can we use bond funds? A. A bond proposal is how a public school district asks its community for authorization to borrow money to pay for capital expenditures like new construction, additions, remodeling, site improvements, athletic facilities, playgrounds, buses, furnishings, equipment, and other capital needs. We have additional bond information, as well as a list of answers to 30+ Frequently Asked Questions at www.plainwellschools.org/page/2024-bond.

Join us for Plainwell’s 2024 Art Hop to stroll through shops in downtown Plainwell and enjoy various artist creations. Plainwell student art will be featured during the event, so please join us in supporting our Trojan artists on Friday, March 8 from 5-7:30 PM. High School and Middle School art will be on display at Design Street. Elementary art will be on display at Ransom District Library.

REMINDER! Registration is still open for the 1-8th grade Girls Basketball Skills Camp. Join us on Saturdays from March 9-23 at Plainwell High School for a skills camp hosted by Coach Stephenson, Staff & PHS players. For more information or to register, please visit https://www.plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

As a reminder, we have two upcoming half days of school: Thursday, February 29 and Friday, March 1 (end of second trimester). Have a great day - GO TROJANS!

There are just a few days left for nominations for the 2024 Outstanding People for Education award! Do you know someone who has made a difference in our district? We are accepting nominations for the award through Friday, March 1. About Outstanding People for Education: The purpose of the Outstanding People for Education award is to honor and recognize people in public education who are excelling in their field and/or making an impact in the quality of education in Allegan County. Examples of whom you might nominate: A teacher or classroom aide; an administrator, secretary or board of education member; a bus driver, custodian, or other school support staff; a social worker, therapist, or consultant; a volunteer or community member who supports education. To submit a nomination for the 2024 Outstanding People for Education award, please scan the QR code or visit https://forms.gle/KTiHQ5s4ZoRqtYwn7.

LET'S GO TROJANS! Join us at the PHS Gym on Thursday, February 29 to support the PHS Cheer team at their State Send Off Performance. The team welcomes families, friends, the community and the rocket cheer program to join them beginning at 7:00 PM as the team performs prior to leaving for their State competition! Following their performance, they will be offering a meet and greet signing event for our youth athletes! Join us to support the Cheer Team - GO TROJANS!

What a fun day at the 2024 Battle of the Books competition on Saturday at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center. There were 26 teams that competed in the morning from Hopkins, Martin, Otsego and Plainwell Elementary Schools to earn a spot in the Grand Battle. In the afternoon eight teams competed in the Grand Battle and the Bookshelf Bandits from Cooper Elementary came home with the trophy. It was a great day of competition and we are so proud of all the participants for their hard work and outstanding teamwork throughout the Battle! Congratulations to the winning team - way to go, Bookshelf Bandits!