school matters winter 2013

SUPERINTENDENT WAKEFIELD: OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SCHOOLS Page 2

School MattersWINTER 2013

T

Girls were dressed to the nines and smiling for the camera all night!

Ella with her dad, Shane

Shelby with her dad, Dan

he 31st Annual Father/Daughter Valentine Dance was bigger and better than EVER before! Approximately 800 little ladies were accompanied by their dads or special male chaperones. The music kept dancers of all ages hopping on the dance floor while the photo booth was a popular destination for all at some point during the evening. A great time was had by all in attendance...can’t wait for next year!

NEXT UP: Mother/Son Star Wars Griffins Hockey Game in Grand Rapids on March 9th!

AN EVENING WITH THE TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRASaturday, April 20 • 7 p.m. | Plainwell Performing Arts Center

Advanced tickets: $15/students and $20/general public. Day of show: $25Join us for an evening that will take you on a sentimental journey!

For ticket sales and more information, call Bonnie at (269) 685-5823or visit www.plainwellschools.org or plainwellpac.brownpapertickets.com

KINDERGARTEN

ROUNDUP!April 10 • 1 - 7pm

@ Starr Elementary

See page 10

for more info!

2 W W W. P L A I N W E L L S C H O O L S . O R G

The purpose of public schools is to pro-vide both individuals and communities with high quality education for their

children and in doing so, also provides a com-munity social structure centered around the student activities that bring us all together. It’s a key component to the strength of any community and without a robust school sys-tem, many communities in southwest Michi-gan would lack that esprit de corps that helps to define us through a sense of unity and common pur-pose.

Over the past two years, our legislators have proposed many new bills - 722 in fact - regarding public education; some have become law. Sever-al of these laws, while ac-complishing other goals, serve to undermine public education either in terms of staffing, finances or fa-cilities. Many of the bills that did not become law will likely be brought forward again. The long term consequences will not only negatively impact our schools, but our community as a whole. While public education is on the prec-ipice of dramatic change, we need to ensure that these changes are in the best interests of all students.

Public schools are the foundation of a strong democracy, teaching every generation that it is government by the people, for the

people. The responsibility of protecting and supporting public education falls on each of us. It takes time and energy to be an in-formed and engaged citizen - which happens to be one of the primary charges of public education. Did you know that during the 96th Legislative Session (January 2011 - Decem-ber 2012), 942 new laws passed? Of the 942 new laws, 286 were passed during the last two weeks of December in the lame duck session.

Governor Snyder signed all but four of the 286 into law. And one final number, over 40% of the 286 laws passed during the two week lame duck period, were passed on the very last day. This should raise concerns with every citizen in Michigan.

Public education is the backbone of our society and is touted by many to be the key to our State’s future economic success. But we can’t fulfill this role without adequate support at both

the state and local level. At the local level, you have always been staunch supporters of our schools and for that, we are very grateful. That is not the case at the state level and we need to insist that our lawmakers are acting in ways that provide public schools with what is needed to educate all of our students. The de-mands from the State have increased substan-tially while the investment in public schools has decreased substantially. You can’t do more

S U P E R I N T E N D E N T ’ S V I E W P O I N T

by Susan Wakefield, Superintendent

CALENDARof EVENTS

February 21All Students 1/2 Day

February 22NO SCHOOL

March 5Grade 11 Students Only

No K-10, 12

March 13All Students 1/2 Day

End of 2nd Trimester

March 29NO SCHOOL

April 1-5SPRING BREAK

April 18HS P/T Conferences • 4-8 pm

May 27NO SCHOOL

June 7Last Day of School 1/2 Day

End of 3rd Trimester

“

“Public schools are the foundation of a strong democracy, teaching every generation that it is government by the people, for the people.

Our Community,Our Schools

with less. Consequently, districts will be faced with very difficult choices in the coming year.

Every day great things are happening at Plainwell Community Schools and in public schools all across this State. Public education is the key to our future and our actions will de-termine what the future holds. Please become an informed and engaged citizen and hold our legislators accountable. Our kids need us to do this for them and for our community. n

–

W W W. P L A I N W E L L S C H O O L S . O R G 3

F O C U S O N C U R R I C U L U M

by Bob VanDis, Director of Curriculum

During last year’s community/school Dynamic Planning process, the group set four large goal areas to drive our district improvement efforts. One of those goal areas is Quality Personnel. According to the Dynamic Planning group, the driving force behind this goal is that the citizens of Plainwell deserve to have the very best people possible working with their children and running their school

system. They divided Quality Personnel into four sub goals: Hiring, Training, Retention, and Evaluation. Below is a summary of the work we have done in each sub goal so far this school year.

HIRING

This sub goal aims to recruit and select the most talented people for each open posi-

tion. We have revised and published new hir-ing procedures. These procedures now include a research based set of pre-screening questions that help us decide who to bring in for an interview; restructuring our interview com-mittee membership; having clear criteria and questions for these interviews; and, at least for teachers, having the top candidates teach a lesson in front of a full class of students while the committee evaluates their performance. We tried this new procedure for some of our hiring last spring, and we have been extremely pleased with the results.

TRAINING

This sub goal aims to give employees the quality, sustainable training and coaching

they need to be highly effective in their jobs. We have continued to improve and expand our already excellent and thorough training and in-class coaching for new teachers during their first five years, as well as continued training for principals in effective instructional leadership and evaluation. This year we have offered our training and coaching for new teachers to any interested veteran teacher with great success. We also have now put procedures in place for peer observations so that teachers can view and learn from the effective practices of their colleagues.

RETENTION

This sub goal aims to support, recognize, and reward people so our quality people stay

motivated and want to continue to work here. Each building has a climate committee that evaluates the regularly administered climate surveys and plans ways to improve their work environment. The most recent results show a marked increase in satisfaction among em-ployees. This fall we revised our procedures for awarding merit pay for performance for teach-ers and administrators. This began last year as required by Michigan law. The new system is more transparent and fair. And while keeping the same total dollar allocation as last year, the new system will provide a larger bonus to our very top performers.

EVALUATION

This sub goal aims to develop a fair

evaluation system that promotes growth and sets a standard of qual-ity that our community expects and deserves. Much work was done

in this area last year as required by a new Mich-igan Law. Over the summer, a group of teacher leaders met with administration to discuss ways to improve the process. Improvements include a clear link between the evaluation

document and the required effectiveness rat-ings of Highly Effective, Effective, Minimally Effective, and Ineffective; a more consistent and fair method for using student growth as a significant component; and linking classroom goals to building goals to district goals in the evaluations of teachers, principals, myself, and the superintendent. Another component of this sub goal is to continue training our prin-cipals to be more effective evaluators. In addi-tion to previous training, principals attended a summer session on giving effective feedback and this winter are taking a 30 hour on-line course on evaluation – a course that includes hundreds of taped classroom vignettes to study, evaluate, and compare their evaluation to the experts. The course includes a final as-sessment of accuracy which, when passed, will attest to a principal’s fairness and accuracy in evaluation as well as bring a more consistent standard across all of our buildings.

These efforts all show that we are doing many things to improve in this area, and

that we value the Dynamic Planning process and that group’s vision that this community deserves to have the very best people possible working with their children and running their school system. n

Dynamic Planning Update: Quality Personnel Goal

If you would like to advertise in Plainwell Community Schools’ School Matters, please contact Bonnie Pfingst at 685-5823 or [email protected] for more information.

SIGN UPTODAY!Sign up to receive our e-newsletter either online at

STAY IN TOUCH WITH PCS!

– CALL FOR ADVERTISERS –

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:PlainwellCommunitySchoolsThePlainwellTrojans

www.plainwellschools.org or by scanning the above QR code. Stay up to date with all the events and latest breaking news from Plainwell Community Schools!

FOLLOW US!@PlnwellSchools


H I G H S C H O O L N E W S

Six PHS Students Named to State Honors Choir

Six Plainwell High School Concert Choir students have been selected for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association’s State Honors Choir. The students that have been named

are (L to R): Luke Woltanski, James Cyr, Ricky LaDuke, Max Tustin, Greyson Steele and Riley Anson. PHS Choir Director, Keith Cahoon, states that this is the first time that only male students have been chosen for state. James Cyr was selected to participate in the SATB Mixed Choir while the others will sing with the TTBB Men’s Chorus. This is the second year in a row that Greyson Steele and Riley Anson have been chosen. The students put in long hours in preparation for the audition which was held at Western Michigan University. The State Hon-ors Choir performed at Grand Rapids’ DeVos Hall on January 19, 2013. n

Plainwell High School presents

“Crazy For You”March 22 • 23 • 24

The musical “Crazy For You” by George Gershwin, will be present-ed by the Plainwell High School

Music Department with three perfor-mances, on March 22, 23 and 24.

Students Max Tustin and Mykayla Lutz will play the lead characters with other supporting roles being played by Greyson Steele, Mitch Monroe, Kyle Veldt, Kyrstin George, and Madison Spratt. With a cast of 50, this musical comedy is set in and between New York City and Dead Rock, Nevada.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23 and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets may be purchased by calling 685-9554 beginning March 4.

“Crazy For You” is directed by PHS Choir Director, Keith Cahoon, with Jon Cramer as assistant director. PHS band students will provide pit accompani-ment with choreography by Colleen Griffin, a senior dance major at WMU.M I D D L E S C H O O L N E W S

PMS Canned Food Drive is a Huge Success!

This year’s Canned Food Drive has been a big success for Plainwell Middle School. PMS students set the school record of 6,274 cans and personal care items this

year! The 6th grade collected a total of 405 cans. The 7th grade really helped out the community by collecting 3,735 cans and 8th grade contributed 2,134 items. Everyone cooperated so well for this important cause. One 8th grade student, Jor-dan Lunarde, even asked his grandma for canned goods for his birthday! Jordan and his homeroom collected over 1,000 cans alone! Thank you to everyone who participated.

– Submitted by Marlee Burgess, PMS Student Council Secretary

8th Grader Jordan Lunarde shows off some of the goods he and his homeroom classmates collected!

Plainwell High School Student Named National Merit Finalist

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has announced the names of approximately 15,000 Finalists in

the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Plainwell High School’s Kelsey Ernst is among those selected to compete for some 8,300 scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered this spring. Congratulations, Kelsey!


F O C U S O N T E C H N O L O G Y

by Jeff McNutt, Director of Technology

This past fall Plainwell Community Schools embarked on a new 21st Cen-tury educational journey: the One-to-

One iPad initiative. This initiative provides all high school freshmen with an iPad for use in all of their classes along with productivity software and some textbooks. Fresh-men are allowed to take their iPads home and use them to complete homework, study, and communicate with teachers. At Plainwell Middle School all math classes have a cart of 30 iPads for students to use during the school day. This allows all mid-dle school students the opportunity to use an iPad during their class.

One of the primary goals for the One-to-One iPad program is to pre-pare our students for the 21st cen-tury workplace by developing 21st century skills along with traditional reading, writing, and math skills. 21st century skills are collaboration, communication, creativity, innovation, prob-lem solving, and critical thinking, all skills that are necessary in the workplace. The idea is that not only do students need to master the content of a subject, but they need to take that knowledge and apply it to solve a real-world problem. An example of this type of learn-ing may be having students take on the role of an architect in a geometry class and design a shopping mall. This could include not only

different store sizes, but also walking traffic patterns showing the shortest routes through the mall.

Freshmen have fewer texts to carry this year, as they are using the electronic iBook version of their Biology and World History texts. Not

only do students have fewer texts to carry, but the texts are now multi-media rich. They can see and hear lectures given by prominent scien-tists or historians, see and experience the actual places being studied, have immediate access to various web re-sources, and communicate with re-searchers or students in other parts of the country or world. They can participate in learning projects that require them to work together, share materials electronically, solve a real-world problem by gathering informa-tion, learn about the situation, and generate a potential solution.

iPads in the classroom are slowly causing an evolutionary shift in learning. Teachers no longer have to provide all of the information for students. Along with tradi-tional instruction, teachers can now accom-modate different learning styles and levels of instruction, tailor instruction more to the individual student and create interesting and challenging projects for students to solve. The iPads allow these wonderful and exciting things to happen. n

On March 27, the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (AAESA) will celebrate 50 years of dedication

to improving the quality of life in Allegan County.

The celebration runs from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Educational Service Center building at 310 Thomas Street in Allegan. There will be food, door prizes and special surprises.

This is a county-wide invitation. Hope to see you there!

Join us for AAESA’s50th Anniversary Celebration!

iPad Update: The 21st Century

The mission of the Plainwell Education Foundation (PEF) is to enhance excel-lence in education in Plainwell Commu-nity Schools. The Foundation is intended to provide financial assistance to projects or investment in students or teachers that are characterized as motivational, char-acter-building, improving skills or in gen-eral terms tending to enhance the Plainwell Community Schools and without which as-sistance the activity would not occur.

The Foundation awards four $1,000 schol-arships annually to graduating seniors. They also award approximately $10,000 in grants for teachers and support staff for multiple classrooms for educational tools and/or activities.

To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit the website, www.plainwelleducation-foundation.com. PEF is solely supported through donations and benefits all the stu-dents of PCS, so please, consider making a donation.

If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering for the PEF, please contact PEF President, Lindsay Marshall at 269-998-0109 or [email protected]

– Save the Date –BLUE & WHITE NIGHT

Saturday, March 26:00 p.m.

Only 100 tickets available! For more info, email [email protected]

{ }PlainwellEducationFoundation


C O M M U N I T Y N E W S

Thank a Mentor!

Once again, Plainwell Community Schools’ Mentors enjoyed a deli-cious luncheon, with side dishes provided by our Middle School

Parent Club, on Thursday, January 17 - which was the official “National Thank a Mentor” day. Joanne Coy, Plainwell Middle School Counselor and Stacie Brown of Big Brothers/Big Sisters hosted the luncheon, and began the discussion with the question, “Who Mentored You?” Most everyone has had a mentor in their lifetime, guiding them through some difficult times. Many of our students in Plainwell schools are fortunate to have a mentor through our partnership program with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Our guest speaker for the luncheon was Judge Baillargeon, from the 57th District Court, in Allegan County, whose presentation focused on the value of mentoring in every walk of life.

Our program is site-based, meaning the mentor meetings take place at school during the school day. We presently have 54 matches, district-wide. Relatively new to the program are the High School/Elementary student matches that take place at Starr Elementary. In fact, we are pleased that one of our high school students is “completing the circle” by mentoring a Starr student, while he himself is being mentored by an adult volunteer from the community. That’s inspirational!

We are, of course, always looking for volunteers to join our program, and the process is fairly simple. If you are interested in dedicating an hour per week to help a youngster form connections with a positive role-model, please let us know. You may contact Joanne Coy at 685-5813, ext. 1417 for more information about how to get involved. n

Judge Baillargeon shares stories about the value of mentoring in every walk of life.

PHS Grad BeginsPeace Corps Service

Natalie Murray, 27, of Ann Arbor, has

been accepted into the Peace Corps and will depart for Panama on February 19 to be-gin training as a con-servation volunteer.

Murray is the daughter of Katy Peterson and Paul Mur-ray and a 2004 graduate of Plainwell High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the Univer-sity of California, Santa Barbara in 2009.

After Murray is sworn into service and assigned to a community, she will work on sustainable, community-driven devel-opment projects that make a difference for the people of Panama and provide Murray with leadership and cross-cultural skills she can use throughout her career.

Murray joins 316 Michigan residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 6,866 Michigan residents have served since the agency was created by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. n

Hands 2 Hands, a community outreach program, has one simple goal - to put weekend meals into the hands of our

own elementary students here in Plainwell. Since October of 2011, they’ve grown and have recently added an online pres-ence (www.h2h4kids.org). How can you help? Volunteer to help assemble food bags or make a tax-deductible donation that al-lows Hands 2 Hands to purchase food items. Visit their website at www.h2h4kids.org for more information. n

HANDS HANDS2continuing on with good deeds

Contents of the food bag

All packed and ready to deliver


C O M M U N I T Y N E W S

Cooper & Gilkey Elementary Students Will “Read the Most from Coast to Coast!”

Cooper and Gilkey Elementary students are preparing to take part in “Read the Most from Coast to Coast” on Friday, March 1. “Read the Most from Coast to Coast,” a national reading event

that began last school year, challenges students to join together to break the record for the number of Accelerated Reader Quizzes taken in one day. The record they will attempt to top, set last school year, is 3,581,992 quizzes!

Students read a book at the appropriate level and then take a quiz on a computer. The quiz as-sesses general comprehension of the book. Accelerated Reader scores the quiz, monitors results, generates reports, and provides a platform to manage individual reading practice. “Read The Most From Coast To Coast” enables students to take part in a shared reading adventure, and, at the same time, show the world they understood what they have read.

On March 1, educators, parents and other interested community members will be able to see the progress toward the national goal tracked in real time at http://www.renlearn.com/readthemost. n

Henry shows off an instrument of his own invention and design, a “Bandolin!” It is a banjo with the tuning of a mandolin. The bandolin he is playing he built and donated to Gilkey Elementary’s Music classes. Henry is surrounded by his many other projects.

Volunteer Spotlight:Henry Fitzpatrick, Music Man

Allegan County kidsare trying more than

just alcohol at age 12.TalkSooner.org

Where do teens find prescription drugs?Friends and the family medicine cabinet are the major sources of these drugs. Where should you look to make sure prescription drugs are not readily available?At home: A teen may scout out their own home at first when they are looking to get high from prescription or over the counter (OTC) drugs.With Friends: Talk with the parents in other house-holds your teen has access to about safeguarding medications.With Relatives: Grandparents may be another source of prescription drugs for teens. Teens report that taking drugs from friends or relatives without asking is easier than purchasing them illegally or taking them from home.

Suggestions for safeguarding your home and educating your teens include:• Monitoring quantities and controlling access to

your medications as well as to your teen’s medi-cations and OTC products you keep on hand.

• Set clear rules for teens about drug use, includ-ing not sharing medicine and always following the medical provider’s advice and dosages.

• Be a good role model by also following these rules with your own medication.

• Properly conceal and dispose of old or un-needed medicines. www.talksooner.org has a list of locations that will take all medications and over the counter products for proper disposal (proper disposal also keeps them from nega-tively impacting environmental sources).

If you know someone that may be abusing prescription or OTC drugs, treatment is available. For a complete list of treatment options, please

visit: www.lakeshoreca.org

WHO: Henry Fitzpatrick, Music Man, age 89

WHY: He loves helping and comes up with a solution to any problem!Henry - Plainwell Community Schools appreciates you and all that you do for Mrs. Vick and our students!

WHAT: Henry is a master tool & die maker, as well as a woodworker. Over the past year, he has been helping Gilkey Elementary Music teacher, Tammie Vick, by building and repairing musical instruments.Henry has built cabinetry to hold the class’ recorders and built a rolling cart that looks like a sleigh and holds all of the boomwhackers. His next project is a new set of stairs for the stage!


Get ready for thePlainwell High School

2013 Grad BashProviding a safe, fun event for the se-niors following graduation, Plainwell’s 2013 Grad Bash will certainly be a day to remember! In addition to the fund-raising that has taken place, Grad Bash volunteers will continue to sell raffle tickets at all home basketball games. 1st prize is a $500 gift card to Meijer, 2nd prize is a ski pass to Timber Ridge for the 2013-14 season, and 3rd prize is a cordless drill from Home Depot. Tickets are $5 per ticket or 5/$20. Seniors that still owe the $100 fee can submit it to 2013 Grad Bash, P.O. Box 64, Plainwell, MI 49080 or place it in the “Grad Bash” box on the counter in the High School office. Please note that no student will be denied admittance to Grad Bash due to the inability to pay. Please contact Linda Veldt at (269) 743-9553 or speak to a counselor in the guidance office.

C O M M U N I T Y E D U C AT I O N & R E C R E A T I O N

It was with great enthusiasm that I returned from Winter Break to begin the interim position of Community Recre-

ation Director. I would like to thank Jason Herbert for his years of service and wish him the best of luck as he pursues other interests.

I am excited to have the opportunity to continue the pro-grams that are currently in place and look forward to commu-nity input for exploring new ideas. It is my hope that we can work together to further develop and broaden our community education programs.

Our 2012-13 Hoopsters season is underway with 16 teams from Plainwell taking to the court to compete against teams

from Otsego and Martin. The 25+ coaches and assistants are practicing throughout the week to prepare the teams for their Saturday games. Over 135 kids are involved in this popular program.

In addition to the already advertised programs, the Community Recreation Department will be offering Hunter Safety and Boating Safety later on in the school year. Please be sure to visit our Community Recreation webpage for current or upcoming programs and registration information. n

– Bob Farris

Plainwell Community Education& Recreation

Gift CertificatesAVAILABLE NOW!

Sponsored by Plainwell Community Schools and Gun Plain Township

A Gift for

Program

From

Date

Plainwell Community Education & Recreation

4 2 2 A C O R N S T R E E T • P L A I N W E L L , M I C H I G A N • 6 8 5 - 9 5 3 1

A Gift for

Program

From

Date



A Gift for

Program

From

Date



Contact the Community Education Office today at 685-9531

A Note from the Recreation Directorn̂ew!

One registration form per participant, please.

Name __________________________________________________________ Township _____________

Address _________________________________________CIty____________________ Zip __________

Child’s Age___________________________ Grade Entering___________________________________

Parents Name__________________________________________Phone__________________________

Email _________________________________________________________________________________

Activity_________________________________________Session #______________Time___________



Master Card/Visa _______________________________________________ Exp. Date ___/___/___Please make checks payable to Plainwell Community Education. Mail registration form or stop by: Plainwell Community Education, 422 Acorn St., Plainwell, MI 49080 (269) 685-9531 Fax registration to (269) 685-1564.Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed Friday.

REGISTER ONLINE:4 Go to plainwellschools.org4 Click on “Our District”4 Go to the Community Education page4 Click on the “RevTrak” link to register and pay online

If you are unable to register online, forms are available at the Community Education office.


C O M M U N I T Y E D U C AT I O N & R E C R E A T I O N Sponsored by Plainwell Community Schools and Gun Plain Township

ADULTrecreationYOUTH recreation SENIORS inaction

CONTACTS:Diane Slater, Community Ed & Rec. .........................................................................................685-9531Bob Farris, Int. Recreation Director ..........................................................................................685-9531Bonnie Pfingst, Seniors in Action .............................................................................................685-5823John Dubois, Pool Information .................................................................................................685-2425Tammy Glupker, Director .........................................................................................................685-1573

BASKETBALL SKILLS CAMPK - 6th GradeThis program is open to students K-6th grade. Each Saturday, the same pool of players will be divided up differently. Phone call reminders will not be made. Please attend the practice on March 3 at the assigned time for your grade level.Date: March 3 - April 20, 2013 • Saturdays(No camp on March 30 & April 6 due to Spring Break)Time: 9:00 to 10:30 am • K, 1, 2, & 3 Grade 11:00 am to 1:00 pm • 4, 5, 6th GradeLocation: Plainwell Middle SchoolCost: $52/$37, Gun Plain Twp. residents onlyInstructors: Coaches Klein, Rieman and staffYou must preregister, NO signups at camp.Registration deadline is February 25, 2013.

TAE KWON DOAges 7 to 107

Tae Kwon Do is a 200-year-old martial art and it is the national sport of Korea. It is a dynamic form of self-defense and an ex-cellent means of physical fitness for men, women and children of all ages. This form of martial art includes physical techniques,

mental discipline and a deep philosophy.Improve coordination, gain strength, and increase your flexibility while learning self-defense techniques from an ancient Korean martial art form. Tae Kwon Do is appropri-ate for kids and adults of all shapes, sizes, and fitness lev-els. Come by yourself, with a friend, or bring the whole fam-ily for fun and fitness. Class is open to all, age 7 and older.Date: April 8 - June 17, 2013 • Mondays(No class on May 27, Memorial Day)Time: 5:00 - 7:00 pmLocation: Plainwell Middle School CafeteriaCost: $42/individual, $67/familyInstructor: Huong TranAll registrations are done online or by stopping by your school or the Community Ed. office. NO signups at the gym. Registration deadline is March 25, 2013.

THE 11TH ANNUAL MOTHER/SON EVENTPlainwell Community Education will be sponsoring a trip to Grand Rapids to watch a Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game. It’s STAR WARS night and you can have your photo taken with your favorite STAR WARS character (bring your camera)! Your ticket will get you into the game, a $5 food voucher, a surprise on the bus and an entry to win a raffle prize. If you have any questions, please contact Diane at 685-9531.Who: K-6th grade boys and their mom, grandma or other special lady.When: March 9, 2013. Game starts at 7:00 pmMeet at 4:45 pm at the bus garage on Starr Rd., buses will leave promptly at 5:15 pm. The buses will drop off/pick up outside the arena. Return to Plainwell before 11:00 pmLocation: Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton, GRCost: $22/person, $44/for two, $15/ea. add’l son

ZUMBA® - Ladies OnlyAmy Baker is authorized to teach all of the following Zumba courses: Basic Zumba, Zumba Toning, Zum-

batomic for Kids, Zumba Gold and Aqua Zumba. She has an amazing personal testimony of weight loss and life change. Now she makes it her mission to help others get in shape and lose weight. Zumba fitness classes are for ages 13 and older. Amy would like to remind participants that your hour of Zumba is an hour for you. No childcare is provided, therefore young children should not attend. For more in-formation, email [email protected], visit facebook.com/zumbawithamybaker or call (269) 271-5045.Dates: April 8 - June 3, 2013 • MondaysTime: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.Location: Plainwell Middle School Cafeteria

Dates: April 7 - June 2, 2013 • SundaysTime: 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.Location: Hicks Gym, 311 Hicks Street

Cost: Any 10 classes for $50, 20 classes for $80Walk-in participation available anytime - $5.Please come early to your first class to register.

AQUA ZUMBA Ladies OnlyAmy Baker is authorized to teach all of the follow-ing Zumba courses: Basic Zumba, Zumba Toning, Zum-

batomic for Kids, Zumba Gold and Aqua Zumba. She has an amazing personal testimony of weight loss and life change. Now she makes it her mission to help others get in shape and lose weight. Known as the “Zumba Pool Party,” Aqua Zumba gives new meaning to the idea of an invigorating workout. Splashing, stretching, twisting, shouting & laugh-ing are encouraged in the Zumba pool! This course inte-grates the traditional Zumba formula and philosophy with aqua fitness disciplines. It’s a safe, challenging, low-impact workout that provides cardio conditioning and body ton-ing. Zumba fitness classes are for ages 13 and older. Amy would like to remind participants that your hour of Zumba is an hour for you. No childcare is provided, therefore young children should not attend. For more information, email [email protected], visit facebook.com/zumbawithamybaker or call (269) 271-5045.Dates: April 7 - June 2, 2013 • Sundays April 10 - June 5, 2013 • WednesdaysTime: 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.Location: Plainwell Middle School PoolCost: Any 10 classes for $50, 20 classes for $80Walk-in participation available anytime - $5.Please come early to your first class to register.

INDOOR WALKINGIf the Plainwell Community Schools are closed for any rea-son, Indoor Walking will be cancelled that day. Class will be on time if the school system has a delay. This program runs through May 31, 2013.Dates: Adults Only • Mondays, Wednesdays & FridaysTime: 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.Dates: Families • Tuesdays & ThursdaysTime: 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.Location: Hicks Gym, 311 Hicks St.Cost: FREE

EUCHRE - Singles or DoublesDates: TuesdaysTime: 6:45 p.m.Location: Plainwell Community Center, 798 Bridge St.Cost: Donations appreciated.

ENHANCED FITNESS CLASSClasses are offered through Borgess-Pipp Hospital and will be offered three mornings a week at Hicks Gym. The class-es are on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. To register or for more information, please contact Kathy Russell at 685-0791.Dates: Mondays, Wednesdays & FridaysTime: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.Location: Hicks Gym, 311 Hicks St.

GOLDEN AGE PASSESIf you are 62 years of age or older, you are eligible for a Golden Age Pass Card. This card entitles you to FREE ad-mission to any home Wolverine Conference athletic event or lap swimming at Plainwell Community Schools’ pool, located in the Middle School off Starr Road. To obtain your card, please stop by either the Community Education office, located at 422 Acorn St. between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday or the Athletic Of-fice located in the back section of the High School. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to support our district athletes?

ANNUAL SPRING FLINGJoin us for our Annual Hawaiian-themed Spring Fling! This year it will be held at Starr Elementary, located at 601 School Drive. This FREE event is one you won’t want to miss with a delicious breakfast provided by Plainwell Com-munity Schools. Join us in welcoming back the snowbirds!Date: Tuesday, April 23Time: 8:00 a.m.Please RSVP to Bonnie at 685-5823 or email [email protected]


E A R LY C H I L D H O O D N E W S

Great Parents, Great Start at Plainwell Schools!

Great Parents, Great Start is an early childhood program that is seek-ing families with children ages 0-5. The focus of the program is to

support the partnership between families and schools. Studies demon-strate that the effects of early childhood development begins with the first three years of life, which can shape every year after.

Great Parents, Great Start will provide monthly playgroups for op-portunities for your child to interact with other children, learn develop-ment skills, and have fun! We also provide home visits with you and your family to provide the best possible early childhood education. The

Great Parents, Great Start program helps parents become their child’s most effective teacher.As your early childhood education coordinator, I will be working with families within the

district to advocate early childhood programs and services. Please contact me for information on how Plainwell Community Schools can help your child grow, learn, and prepare for school. Let’s have a Great Start together!

– Karen Rikkers, Early Childhood Education Coordinator 269-685-5823, ext. 1023 [email protected]

KindergartenROUNDUP!Plainwell Community Schools

Wednesday, April 10, 20131:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Starr Elementary School601 School Drive

Open House • Drop-in Anytime

Please call any of these schools for more information

Brad Wyant, Principal • Cooper Elementary • (269) 349-2674Martha Hymer, Principal • Gilkey Elementary • (269) 685-2424Laurie Lanphear, Principal • Starr Elementary • (269) 685-5835

Packets may be picked up at any school prior to April 10th.

Ready for Kindergarten?

REMINDER: Kindergarten entry age will gradually change to require children to be 5 years

old by September 1, rather than the currentcut off date of December 1.

For the 2013-14 School Year:A child who resides in a public school district

providing kindergarten may enroll if the child isat least 5 years of age on November 1, 2013.

For the 2014-15 School Year:A child who resides in a public school district providing kindergarten may enroll if the child is at least 5 years of age on October 1, 2014.

For the 2015-16 School Year:A child who resides in a public school district

providing kindergarten may enroll if the child is at least 5 years of age on September 1, 2015.

STATE OF MICHIGAN: ACT. NO. 198 Effective 06/26/2012

REGISTER TODAY!3 & 4 Year Olds

by November 1, 2013

Locations in Allegan,Fennville, Hopkins, Martin,

Otsego, Plainwell & Wayland school districts.

ENROLLING FOR FALL 2013!

Please call 269.673,2161 for a placement form

or visit alleganaesa.org/earlyed

Free Preschool2013-14


E A R LY C H I L D H O O D N E W S

SAFE and Plainwell Corners Preschool

It may be chilly but it is time to dream about summer fun! The Plainwell Community School’s Plainwell Corners and the school age SAFE programs are currently registering children for the

following self funded programs:

Plainwell Corners Summer Camp: Designed for children between 3 years old and completing Kindergarten. Located at the Early Childhood Education Center. Special guests, games, crafts and other fun activities.

Plainwell SAFE Summer Fun Camp: Designed for children who are completing 1st grade through 5th grade in 2012-2013. Field trips, swimming, games, crafts and loads of other fun activities!

Plainwell Corners Preschool & Daycare: Prepares your child for success! A Preschool offering a developmentally appropriate and fun curriculum de-signed for toilet-trained children who are three or four years old. Plainwell Corners is now a licensed year around program open Mondays - Fridays from 6:30 am until 6 pm at the Early Childhood Education Center at 307

E. Plainwell Street (next to Hicks Gym) for a $135 weekly rate or $37 daily rate. Now offering a half day rate. Half-day sessions for 3-year olds are offered on M & W for $125/monthly. Half-day sessions for 4-year olds are offered on T, Th & F for $180/monthly.

SAFE: A licensed before and after school program providing a place to make friends and enjoy recreational activities, available for children from all three Plainwell Elementary schools. Open weekdays from 6:30 am until 6 pm. Cooper SAFE will be held at Cooper. Gilkey and Starr SAFE will be at their own school sites in the morning and are combined at Starrin the afternoon. Rates are posted online.

Preschoolers Learn Kindergarten Readiness Skills

Preparing preschoolers for kindergarten is the focus of the Plainwell School Readiness Program (PSRP). Students attend four days a week either in the morning or the after-

noon at Starr Elementary. A typical day includes time in small groups, whole group, and in center-choice activities. Developing literacy skills is an important part of the program. Math, science, music, and “specials” such as PE, library, and art are also worked into the program each week. Developing social and emotional skills are as equally important as the academic skills. The children are given time each day to explore a variety of learn-ing centers throughout the classroom. There are many opportunities to discover and enjoy hands on activities. This choice time encourages the preschoolers to learn how to problem-solve, share and work together. The kindergarten teachers love getting School Readiness Students! Registration begins on March 1 for children that will be 4 years of age by November 1. Please call 269-673-2161 or visit alleganaesa.org/earlyed.

Jacob Evans builds the letter “A.”

Check us out on the Plainwell Schools website and click the Parents section. www.plainwellschools.org or call 269.685.3103 for more information.

We qualify for childcare tax credits, accept DHS payments and we are approved for Flex reimbursement.

PLAINWELL HIGH SCHOOL 2013 SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULE

THE PLAINWELL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICTIS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

** ECRWSS **Postal Customer

The public is invited to attend all Board of Education meetings. Business meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and workshop meetings are held on the first Monday, beginning 6:30 p.m. in the Administration Building which is located off Gladys St. between Starr Elementary and Plainwell Middle School.

Published by the Plainwell Board of Education, Plainwell, Michigan 49080

www.plainwellschools.org

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICES • 685-5823Susan Wakefield .....................................................SuperintendentBob Van Dis ............................Director of Curriculum & InstructionMelissa Gelbaugh .............................................Director of Finance Jeff McNutt ................................................. Director of Technology Greg Smith ...................... Director of Operations & Transportation

Board of EducationAmy Blades ......................................................................... PresidentKim Shafer ................................................................... Vice PresidentJennifer Loftus ..................................................................... Treasurer Christine VanDenBerg .........................................................SecretaryKevin Blue ...............................................................................TrusteeScott Corbin ............................................................................TrusteeJohn Artz .................................................................................Trustee

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPlainwell, Michigan

Permit No. 37Plainwell Community Schools600 School DrivePlainwell, MI 49080-1595

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE ATHLETIC OFFICE AT 269.685.2096

VARSITY BASEBALLMAR. 27 Gobles Single AAPR. 9 Wayland DH H 12 Otsego DH A 16 Coloma DH H 17 Gull Lake DH A 19 Allegan DH H 23 Three Rivers DH A 26 Vicksburg DH H 30 Rain Date MAY 3 Paw Paw DH A 7 Comstock DH H 15 Galesburg Single A 17 Conference TBD 18 Conference TBD 28 Hastings or Pre-District TBD 31 Districts TBD

JV BASEBALLMAR. 27 Gobles Single HAPR. 9 Mattawan DH A 12 Otsego DH H 16 Coloma DH A 17 Gull Lake DH H 19 Allegan DH A 23 Three Rivers DH H 26 Vicksburg DH A 30 Rain Date HMAY 3 Paw Paw DH H 7 Comstock DH A 15 Galesburg Single H 22 Delton A

BOYS GOLFAPR. 11 Paw Paw Jamboree A 13 Kalamazoo Christian Invite A 15 Vicksburg Jamboree A 18 Greater Kalamazoo Invite @ Stonehenge North A

BOYS GOLF cont. 19 Comstock JV Invite A 24 Plainwell Jamboree H 26 Middleville Thornapple- Kellogg Invite A 30 Allegan Jamboree AMAY 2 Gull Lake Invite A 10 Comstock Jamboree A 15 South Haven Invite A 16 Otsego Jamboree A 18 Hamilton Invite A 20 Dowagiac Jamboree A 23 Otsego Jamboree A 30 Districts @ Lake Doster HJUNE 1 MHSAA State Finals A

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCERMAR. 21 Marshall Scrimmage A 23 Plainwell Invite H 27 Caledonia AAPR. 10 Portage Central H 12 Gull Lake A 15 Coloma H 17 Three Rivers A 19 BC Lakeview A 24 Otsego A 26 Forest Hills Northern HMAY 1 Allegan H 3 Mattawan A 6 Vicksburg H 8 Paw Paw A 10 Portage Northern H 13 Comstock H 20 Conference Semi-Finals TBD 22 Conference Finals TBD 28 Districts TBD

GIRLS JV SOCCERMAR. 27 Caledonia AAPR. 10 Portage Central H 12 Gull Lake A 15 Coloma H 17 Three Rivers A 19 BC Lakeview A 24 Otsego A 26 Forest Hills Northern HMAY 1 Allegan H 3 Mattawan A 6 Vicksburg H 8 Paw Paw A 10 Portage Northern H 13 Comstock H 20 Conference Semi-Finals TBD 22 Conference Finals TBD

TRACK & FIELDAPR. 9 Otsego H 16 Allegan A 19 Otsego Relays A 23 Vicksburg A 26 Edwardsburg Relays A 30 Paw Paw HMAY 7 Comstock A 10 Allegan Invitational A 14 Rain Date 17-18 Regionals TBD 21 Conference Meet @ Otsego AJUNE 1 MHSAA Finals A

VARSITY SOFTBALLMAR. 27 Gobles Single AAPR. 12 Otsego DH A 16 Coloma DH H 17 Gull Lake DH A 19 Allegan DH H 23 Three Rivers DH A 26 Vicksburg DH HMAY 3 Paw Paw DH A 4 Don Knight Memorial Tournament @ Otsego A 7 Comstock DH H 15 Galesburg DH A 18 Conference Tournament TBD 28 Hastings or Pre-District TBD 28 Pre-District TBD 31 Districts A

GIRLS TENNISAPR. 10 Coloma H 13 Plainwell Quad H 15 Otsego A 17 Allegan H 20 Greater Kalamazoo Tourn. A @ Portage Central 22 GK Tournament A 22 Vicksburg H 24 Paw Paw A 29 Comstock HMAY 3 Middleville - Varsity A 3 Thornapple Kellogg - JV H 6 League Crossover A 10 Conference Finals @ Paw Paw A

Most varsity events start at 4:00JV conference match sites depend on

team size and court availability

*Schedules are subject to changes due to weather and/or school conflicts.

school matters winter 2013

Documents

general public

new laws

schools page

high quality education

new bills

s c h o o

lame duck session

dance floor