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

Congratulations to the PHS Boys Swim and Dive team who had a big week of competition! On Tuesday, they beat Allegan and last night they defeated Otsego! It has been several years since Plainwell Swim and Dive defeated Otsego and last night's meet was very competitive with the final result of Plainwell 99-Otsego 86. Some highlights include: - Sam Harper set a new pool record for the 500 free - Hiro Nguyen and Grady Nugent had great swims in the 50 free and 100 back - Davis Nooney and Nolan Lindsey finished 1-2 in the breaststroke - Other great swims by Ben Sparks, Logan Mollitor, Austin Susens, Parker Montange, Henry Cox and Joseph Hoffman - Divers Brandon Courtney, Aidan Ranger and Phillip Mathis took 2-4 The team is currently undefeated in the league - way to go, Trojans! PLAINWELL PRIDE!

This morning we had a water main break at PHS. Thanks to the support from the City of Plainwell, we are working to get this quickly repaired. Thank you to this amazing crew, which includes several PCS parents and our wrestling coach! We 💙 our community - PLAINWELL PRIDE!

As a reminder, there is a scheduled no school day for students tomorrow (Friday, February 2). Have a great weekend and GO TROJANS!

PCS KINDERGARTEN/YOUNG 5 ENROLLMENT IS OPEN! We are excited to welcome the newest Trojans to Plainwell Community Schools next fall for the 2024/25 school year! 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. Next, please mark your calendar for some important upcoming dates for your Kindergarten or Young 5 student: KINDERGARTEN/YOUNG 5 ROUND-UP: - 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 KINDERGARTEN/YOUNG 5 ACADEMIC SCREENING: - June 11 and 12 (at all three elementary buildings)

We are just over a week away from the 2024 Daughter Dance - register today! Pre-registration is still open through midnight on Friday, February 9. Join us for an evening of fun for PCS K-6th grade daughters. Event includes a formal photo, DJ, selfie station, refreshments, raffle and a flower. Bypass the registration line at the event and register today by scanning the QR code. We look forward to a wonderful evening at the 2024 Daughter Dance!

Congratulations to our December Starr Elementary Students of the Month! Each month, Starr teachers select students and staff who they felt did an outstanding job throughout the month. In December, the students who were selected did an awesome job being capable and confident/following expectations. Way to go, Rock Starrs!

Congratulations to PHS Senior, Larissa Meyers, on signing her letter of intent for the Cheer and Stunt Team at Central Michigan University! We are incredibly proud of Larissa's athletic achievements while at PHS and wish her all the best next year at CMU. From all of us at PCS, congratulations and best wishes to Larissa! TROJAN PRIDE!

January is School Board Recognition month and before the month ends, we would like to take a moment to thank our Board of Education for their dedication to our school district. They work tirelessly to provide the best for our staff, students and families; including their hard work with the ongoing bond projects. Thank you to Andrea Barrows, Julli Bennett, Jill Dunham, Rex Hall, Jr., Mike Hopson, Anthony McNeel and Shannon Zabaldo for representing PCS so well - you are greatly appreciated! Recently, the Board members and administrators had the opportunity to do a walk through to see the progress on the fieldhouse (pool and gymnasium). The project is well underway and is estimated to be completed in Fall 2024. We are looking forward to many great competitions and community programs at the new facility, so many great things are ahead at PCS!

We are excited to share the Plainwell Middle School Students of the Week! We are proud of your hard work and dedication. Way to go, Trojans! - Abigail (8th Grade): Abigail has a positive attitude and works well with others. She handles the responsibility of her Algebra class with maturity and determination. She is a self-managing student and seeks clarification as needed. - Edy (7th Grade): Edy has been doing an incredible job in class. He is always willing to help out when a classmate or adult needs help. His confidence in the material has grown this year and he always participates. He is easy-going and students feel comfortable working with him. His kindness and positive attitude are appreciated! - Alayna (6th Grade): Alayna brings a cloud of positivity and happiness with her every time she comes into the room. She works very hard to understand the content and helps her peers whenever she can. She has added so much to the culture in our classroom! Throughout the year, we look forward to continuing to share our outstanding Middle School Students of the Week! GO TROJANS! Special thanks to our Student of the Month sponsors: Fly Inn, Mayor's Joint, Barbed Wire Cafe and Taqueria San Francisco. We greatly appreciate your support of PCS and our students - Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders!

Congratulations to PHS Senior, Jillian Comer, on signing her letter of intent for the Cheerleading Spirit Squad at Alma College! We are incredibly proud of Jillian's athletic achievements while at PHS and wish her all the best next year at Alma. From all of us at PCS, congratulations and best wishes to Jillian! TROJAN PRIDE!

Do you know someone who has made a difference in our district? We are now accepting nominations for the 2024 Outstanding People for Education Award. 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.

The Plainwell Robotics Club held its first VEX IQ Tournament on Saturday, January 27. VEX IQ is a robotics program especially designed for elementary school students. Twenty-seven teams from western and southern Michigan participated, including nine teams from Plainwell's three Elementary Schools. Some highlights from the event include: - Cooper Elementary Team "KoalaBots" placed 13th after the Qualifying Round and placed 2nd in the Final Round, earning the Teamwork 2nd Place Award and an invitation to participate in the State Championship Tournament in Monroe, Michigan in March. "KoalaBots" team members are Parker, Lucille, Carter and Charlee, they are coached by John Morse. - Cooper Team "No Nellow" placed 4th after the Qualifying Round, placed 4th in the Final Round and were presented with the Amaze Award, which is given to a team with a consistently high-performing and competitive robot. "No Nellow" team members are Harper, Nevin and Keagen, they are coached by Kate and Matt Bates. - Cooper Team "Cobras" placed 8th after the Qualifying Round, placed 8th in the Final Round and were presented with the Create Award, given for creative engineering design solutions for one or more of the game challenges. "Cobras" team members are Alex, Noah and Micah, they are coached by Kevin DeKryger. - Starr Elementary Team “Megabyte” placed 16th in the Qualifying round, placed 3rd in the Final Round and were presented with the Inspire Award for their passion for the competition and their positivity during the event. "Megabyte" team members are Bradley and Kaden, they are coached by Shannon Ryan. Congratulations to all of these teams - PLAINWELL PRIDE!

On Saturday, the Plainwell Varsity Cheer Team placed first with a score of 752.5 at the LMCCOA Scholarship Meet in Byron Center. This was a tough competition against the top schools in the region. Congratulations to the team on a great finish. Special recognition goes out to senior member Zoey Bennett who received a LMCCOA scholarship - an amazing accomplishment! The team is ranked 6th in the state for division 2 for both highest and average scores - their intent is to make state for the first time since 2003. Their next district competition is on Friday, February 16 at 6:00 pm at Gull Lake High School - GO TROJANS! 💙

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 scan the QR code or 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. Tickets are available through March 11, so please purchase your tickets today!

Congratulations to the Boys Swim and Dive team who had one of their best meets of the season last night defeating South Haven 107-63. The team had a total of 24 best times & diving scores! The divers swept the event with Brandon Courtney winning, Aidan Ranger second place and Phil Mathis third. Great swims by Ford Stevens, Parker Montange, Logan Mollitor, Brandon Courtney, Phil Mathis, Austin Susens, Davis Nooney, Alex Steele, Ben Sparks, Sam Harper, Grady Nugent, Henry Cox, Joseph Hoffman, Nolan Lindsey and the rest of the team. Way to go, Trojans!

Mr. Herbert’s Tinkering class at Plainwell Middle School made marble roller coasters. It was a fun, creative and educational project.

Do you have a student starting 6th grade at Plainwell Middle School next fall? Current 5th grade parents, please mark your calendar to join us for our upcoming 6th Grade Parent/Guardian Orientation on Tuesday, February 13 at 5:30 PM at the Plainwell Middle School Cafeteria. Parents/Guardians (only) are invited to join us to learn about schedules, counseling, athletics, electives and more! Have questions? Please contact Lynne Seibert at lynne.seibert@plainwellschools.org.

It’s Snowcoming Week! Throughout the district, our buildings are celebrating with various dress up days. At Cooper Elementary, they had fun with dress like a teacher day. Way to go, Koalas!

We are excited to share the Plainwell Middle School Students of the Week! We are proud of your hard work and dedication. Way to go, Trojans! Diego (8th Grade): Diego is a kind and hard working student. He brings joy to every class period. He is energetic and loves to learn. He is a great role model and positive person to be around. He comes to school everyday with a positive attitude and displays Plainwell PRIDE in all he does. Julian (7th Grade): Julian is a hard worker in the classroom. He always comes prepared and ready to learn and give his best effort. He participates in class and is always willing to help another student out when needed. Julian is always willing to learn more and does a great job of advocating for himself when he needs help. He is a great role model for other students in the classroom as he is always modeling appropriate behavior. His hard work and determination is appreciated. Gabrielle (6th Grade): Gabby is a great addition to the classroom. She is thoughtful of others and always willing to help anyone when it is needed. Gabby works hard in the classroom on her assignments and is always prepared and ready to give her best effort. Gabby loves to participate in class discussions and always has a positive attitude while doing it. Throughout the year, we look forward to continuing to share our outstanding Middle School Students of the Week! GO TROJANS! Special thanks to our Student of the Month sponsors: Fly Inn, Mayor's Joint, Barbed Wire Cafe and Taqueria San Francisco. We greatly appreciate your support of PCS and our students - Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders!

Join us as the Otsego Jazz Ensemble plays a free concert with Plainwell Jazz Band on Tuesday, January 30 at 7PM at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center. The Otsego Jazz Ensemble (OJE) with Kalamazoo vocalist Lana Hoffman will bring their hi-powered mix of jazz, rock, pop, latin and standards to the Plainwell Performing Arts Center for a FREE concert on Tuesday, January 30th at 7pm. The 18-piece band is fresh off a highly acclaimed performance at the Kalamazoo New Years Festival. The group formed in 1986, rehearsing in Otsego, a central meeting point for musicians who drive to weekly rehearsals from Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Holland. OJE will be sharing the stage with the PHS Jazz Band, under the direction of David Hepinstall. PHS will start the program. OJE will play a set, and will be inviting some members of the PHS band to “sit in." Both bands will combine on stage for a final number, Duke Ellington’s "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore."