At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, board members take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Recently, board members were asked to share what they were looking forward to most this spring in the schools.
Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress:
“I'm looking forward to the rites of passage that are coming for everyone – for the students, as well as the teachers and administrators who are retiring. There is something special about spring, when you catch someone’s eye and they realize this chapter is ending for them and the next one is about to begin. For the senior class, I love to see the three phases they go through: ‘it’s cool,’ ‘I’m here,’ and ‘oh no, what’s next?’ Also, I’d like to encourage everyone to attend a softball game this year. We have an exceptionally talented group of girls this season. I’m proud to share that six players on the team will be continuing on to Division 1 athletic scholarships. In a recent MLive article, seven of the top 25 and 11 of the top 50 Kalamazoo-area high school softball players to watch in 2026 were from Paw Paw, which is really special!” Brent McNitt
"With the weather getting nicer, I'm looking forward to the renewed energy of the students and staff." Tom Imus
“I'm excited to be involved in my first school sport with my middle schooler. The tennis coaches and communication with families have been fantastic! It’s been very organized, and the team is really learning a lot! Also, I am looking forward to Water World Day at the elementary campus. It’s one of my favorite days of the school year, and I love the work the staff and volunteers put into making that such a wonderful experience for the students!” Lindsay Clark
“I am glad I have three kids in school, and they are all involved in activities, so they are tired when they get home. Also, I have a son in band, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much they have progressed since the first concert.” Nate Mitchell
"I'd like to give a shout-out to all the custodians for working so hard over spring break to clean all the buildings. I love going into a clean building! I appreciate all they do to keep our schools and campus clean." Mary Beth Sons
“I'm looking forward to the spring high school choir concert! I’d like to give a shout-out to Mr. Wagner, who always takes a moment to recognize the senior class, and I have a senior this year. I’m looking forward to hearing what Mr. Wagner has to say, because he always has such words of encouragement for each of the students as they move forward. This graduating class has had Mr. Wagner as a choir teacher for seven years, which is very impressive.” Maria Bowater