Gilkey Elementary -

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.

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!

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).

📅 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!

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 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.

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!

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).

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.

We are excited to offer swim lessons this spring at PCS! Whether you are looking for a beginner lesson or you are looking to improve your swimming capabilities, Plainwell Community Schools' Swim Lessons will help you learn or grow. Cost is $60 per student, per session. Register today! To register, please visit plainwellschools.org/page/youth-programs.

As a reminder, our Spring Break is from April 3-11. We wish our students, staff and families a wonderful break! We look forward to welcoming the PCS students back to school on Monday, April 14. Have a great Spring Break and GO TROJANS!

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Help Me Grow Books, Balls, Blocks & Bounce Kids Day Event on Friday, May 2. 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!

RESTORED! The phones and internet have been restored district wide.

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

New bench = ✔️! Throughout the year, buildings in the district have partnered with NexTrex to recycle plastic. For each 1,000 lbs. that are collected, buildings earn a new NexTrex bench and we are excited to share that we have earned our second new bench, which will be delivered to Gilkey Elementary! THANK YOU to our community for your support in achieving this goal! Donations will still be accepted, in hopes that we can earn enough for one more bench this year! Please bring plastic grocery bags that are clean, dry and free of food residue to bins at the front vestibule of the High School, Middle School, Plainwell Corners, PCS Administration Building, Renaissance High School, Cooper, Gilkey & Starr to help support the recycling challenge. Thank you Trojan Community for your ongoing support of this recycling challenge!

Recently, Gilkey Elementary held their March Student and Staff of the Month ceremony. Each month, Gilkey teachers select students and staff 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, students and staff were selected for their positivity. Way to go, Geckos!

Due to a power outage, Gilkey Elementary and the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) buildings are closed today (Monday, March 31). All other buildings will be open as normally scheduled.

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 teams. 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. 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!