
TRANSPORTATION UPDATE: We are excited to begin the 2022/23 school year on Monday, August 29. Please take a moment to review these updates from our Transportation Department:
1. Bus route information will be shared on Friday, August 26.
2. If you had a bus stop last year and do not have a designated stop listed on the 2022/23 transportation route list, your student can use their same bus stop from last year to be picked-up and dropped off.
3. If you did not have a stop last year, you can still ride the bus. You will need to find a stop closest to you on the first day of school and then we will work on adding your stop to the bus route.
We look forward to another great year at PCS, Go Trojans!


PHS VOLLEYBALL: Congratulations to the PHS Varsity Volleyball team on winning a second place trophy at the Mount Morris Tournament to open the season! Go Trojans!


GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Congratulations to the PHS Girls Cross Country team who took 1st place at the Niles Viking Stampede. Special congratulations to senior Grace Pettit for also being named the race champion! Go Trojans!


BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Congratulations to the Boys CC team who finish in 2nd place this morning at the Niles Invite. Way to go, Trojans!


PCS SAFE IS HIRING: Plainwell Community Schools is now hiring a self-starting individual to work at their before & after school and summer SAFE program. The position is perfect for college students with daytime classes or someone looking for a split schedule.
POSITION DETAILS:
- Be available 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM // 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM (split shift)
- Possess a high School diploma or equivalent
- Morning responsibilities will include planning and implementing activities for children ages K-5th grade before the start of school
- Afternoon responsibilities will include planning and implementing activities for children ages K-5th grade after the end of the school day
- Summer responsibilities will include planning and implementing age specific activities, supervising swimming and water play, attending field trips weekly, etc.
- Desire and skills to make life fun and safe for elementary school children necessary
- Ability to work well with others, take direction when needed, and take the lead when needed
- Must be able to communicate efficiently and effectively with both parents and children. - Additional hours available to those willing to work all student days, 1⁄2 days, non-student days, and snow days.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIRED:
- Willingness to complete 24 hours training per year as required by Childcare Licensing
- CPR certified or willing to become certified upon hire
JOIN OUR AMAZING TEAM BY VISITING:
plainwellschools.org - menu - pcs employment opportunities

MARCHING BAND: The Plainwell High School Marching Band students have been preparing for their season! We are looking forward to seeing all their hard work at their upcoming performances - Go Trojans!


BUILDING OFFICE HOURS: Our Building Offices are open to assist you with your back to school questions, work permit requests or to provide information about PCS. Please see the current hours for each building (normal office hours will resume on August 29):
PLAINWELL HIGH SCHOOL (269-685-9554):
- Open Monday-Friday from 7:00 AM-3:30 PM
PLAINWELL MIDDLE SCHOOL (269-685-5813):
- Open Monday-Friday from 6:30 AM-3:00 PM
COOPER ELEMENTARY (269-349-2674):
- Open Monday-Friday from 7:45 AM-4:15 PM
GILKEY ELEMENTARY (269-685-2424):
- Open Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM -4:00 PM
STARR ELEMENTARY (269-685-5835):
- Open Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM -3:00 PM
RENAISSANCE (269-685-1573):
- Open Tuesday-Thursday from 8:00 AM -2:00 PM
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (269-685-5823):
- Open Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM -4:00 PM
We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Monday, August 29 (half day). Go Trojans!

ATHLETIC TRANSPORTATION SURVEY: Attention families of Middle and High School athletes, please take a moment to complete the following survey to determine the best possible plan to support needs for athletic transportation.
Go Trojans!
https://forms.gle/prm1y8epwkmBaoNY8

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Do you love volleyball? Have you ever considered coaching? We have a great opportunity for you to join PCS as the Middle School Volleyball Coach! For questions or more information, please contact taylor.termeer@plainwellschools.org.


PHS DIVING: Are you interested in joining the PHS Swim & Dive team? The team is currently looking for divers to join their team, no experience is needed. For questions or more information, please contact Lynne Seibert at lynne.seibert@plainwellschools.org. Go Trojans!


FALL TROJAN ATHLETICS: Attention parents/guardians of Fall 2022 athletes, please see the following reminders to all Middle and High School students planning on participating in a fall sport.
- As a rule set by the MHSAA, physicals must to be dated after April 15, 2022.
- To submit required MHSAA and PCS athletic forms, all athletes/parents/guardians must first register online through Big Teams. To access forms and upload your athlete's physical you must register for a Big Teams account by visiting phstrojans.com and clicking the "Online Registration" box located on the right side of the webpage.
- If you already have a Big Teams account, please log-in to your account, update your forms and upload the athlete’s physical.
- If you attended the physicals in June at Otsego, we have your physical which will be uploaded to your account.
- We will not accept paper copies of your physical form.
- If you are still in need of a physical, you can go to WellNow in Plainwell.
- High School Fall Sports begin Monday, August 8 and Middle School Fall Sports begin Monday, August 22.
- If you haven’t registered on Big Teams or do not have a physical, you can attend tryouts but will not be allowed to participate until your account and forms are completed.
If you have any questions, please email your Athletic Director: High School - melissa.preston@plainwellschools.org / Middle School - taylor.termeer@plainwellschools.org.
Thank you and Go Trojans!


SAIL ADVENTURE: Last week, the Summer Adventure in Learning 5-12th grade students took a field trip to the Gilmore Car Museum. They explored and learned about the history of the American automobile. It was a great day and fun adventure for these students!


PCS 2022/23 SCHOOL YEAR FOOD SERVICE: We are happy to share our 2022/23 School Year Food Service and Free & Reduced meal information with you. For information on our upcoming Food Service Program please visit https://www.plainwellschools.org/page/food-program-details.
Think your child might qualify for free or reduced lunch? You might be surprised that your child qualifies for (at least) a reduced lunch rate! It takes just a few minutes to apply and can help ensure the district gets the funding it needs for at-risk students. To apply, please visit https://5il.co/1cdlb.
We look forward to welcoming the students back to school on Monday, August 29 (half day). Go Trojans!


LETTER FROM THE DISTRICT: PCS Families - Last night we had a fire at Gilkey Elementary School in the outside men's restroom near the baseball field. Thankfully no one was hurt and the damage was not as bad as it could have been. We are in the process of cleaning/repairs and there will be no long term impact to the school.
Please see the following message from Plainwell Department of Public Safety:
Plainwell - On July 19th at approximately 1958 (7:58pm) hours Plainwell Public Safety was sent to Gilkey Elementary School for a report of a fire. Once on scene, a fire was found in one of the rooms within the school. Firefighters were quickly able to extinguish the fire. The fire and smoke damage was confined to one small area of the school. A preliminary investigation appears to show that the fire was intentionally set and officers will continue to follow up leads on the investigation. Anyone having information regarding the fire is asked to contact Plainwell Department of Public Safety at 269-685-9858 or provide information anonymously through Allegan County Silent Observer at 1-855-SILENT-0 or through the Allegan County Silent Observer webpage. A reward is being offered for information in this case. Plainwell Public Safety was assisted on the fire scene by Gun Plain Township Fire Department and Plainwell EMS.
Kevin Callahan
Public Safety Director
Plainwell Department of Public Safety

PCS SUMMER MEET UP & EAT UP: Have you joined us for our Summer Meet Up & Eat Up?Throughout summer, we are providing FREE Food Service to PCS families! For more information, program details/locations and menus, please visit https://www.plainwellschools.org/page/food-program-details. We look forward to seeing you soon as we Meet Up & Eat Up!

PCS IS HIRING! Plainwell Community Schools is hiring! Now is the time to join our outstanding team where you will support Today's Learners & Tomorrow's Leaders! The following positions are currently available:
COOPER ELEMENTARY OPEN POSITIONS:
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Lunchroom/Playground Supervisor
GILKEY ELEMENTARY OPEN POSITIONS:
- Playground Supervisor
- Intervention Aide
- Special Education Instructional Aide
STARR ELEMENTARY OPEN POSITIONS:
- 5th Grade Teacher
- Lunchroom/Playground Supervisor (2)
PLAINWELL HIGH SCHOOL OPEN POSITIONS:
- Business and Technology Teacher
ATHLETIC OPEN POSITIONS:
- Girls Freshman Volleyball Coach
- Assistant Boys Varsity Basketball Coach
- Assistant Girls Varsity Basketball Coach
DISTRICT OPEN POSITIONS:
- Food Service Associate (Substitute)
- Bus Driver
Ready to learn more? Apply today by visiting plainwellschools.org - Menu - PCS Employment Opportunities.

6-12 SAIL: Our 6-12 Summer Adventure in Learning (SAIL) program kicked off last week, where students are working on credit recovery. Students have been working hard to complete classes. This week, we had our first student complete a class - way to go Jacob! In addition, students have been spending time volunteering for Christian Neighbors. Keep up the great work this summer, Trojans!


FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT: Are you interested in hosting a Foreign Exchange Student? Meet Joaquin, who will be attending PHS in the fall from Spain. For more more information on Joaquin or becoming a host family, please review visit https://5il.co/1dzjs. For questions, please contact kaylyneeichler@gmail.com.

TROJAN ATHLETIC & MILITARY COMMITMENT: Congratulations to Kaylee Wright, PHS 2022 graduate, who recently started bootcamp with the United States Coast Guard Academy where she will be part of their track program. Kaylee was selected for the USCGA for her superior academic achievement and leadership potential. Kaylee accepted the appointment to attend the Coast Guard Academy and was sworn-in as a member of the Class of 2026 on June 27, 2022. “The United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut is an accredited college educating future Coast Guard officers. The smallest of our nation’s five military service academies, the Coast Guard Academy’s Corps of Cadets represents the nation’s best and brightest students, ready to serve and lead their country. Admission to the Coast Guard Academy is highly competitive and fewer than 400 appointments are offered annually from a pool of over 2,000 applicants. Cadets receive a full tuition scholarship and monthly stipend for a five year service commitment to the Coast Guard upon graduation. All graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are guaranteed a position of leadership as a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard.” From all of us at PCS, congratulations and best wishes to Kaylee! Trojan pride!


SUMMER OFFICE HOURS: Do you need assistance this summer? We currently have three buildings open to assist you with your questions, work permit requests or to provide information about PCS. Please see the following hours for each building:
STARR ELEMENTARY (269-685-5835):
- Open Monday-Thursday from 8:00 AM -12:30 PM (through July 28)
- Contact Starr for K-5 Summer School questions, K-5 summer transportation questions, elementary enrollment inquiries and general elementary questions/requests
PLAINWELL HIGH SCHOOL (269-685-9554):
- Open Monday-Thursday from 8:30 AM -12:30 PM (through August 5)
- Contact PHS for 6-12 SAIL questions, 6-12 summer transportation questions, work permits, high school enrollment inquiries and general high school questions/requests
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (269-685-5823):
- Open Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM -4:00 PM
- Contact the Admin Building for PCS enrollment questions and general PCS inquiries/questions
We look forward to assisting you this summer!
