Angel miller makes pphs history by competing at individual state wrestling finals.
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bus driver standing on the bus.
SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, FEBRUARY 2024 Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress. “First, thank you to the board for approving the Clay Target Team. I think that it is going to be a huge, positive addition for the high school and the district. Also, the parent-teacher conferences at the high school were outstanding! In other news, the PPHS Varsity Girls Basketball Team, which is fourteen and two, had five players who scored in double digits in a single game. This does not happen often. They are really playing well together, and it is a total team effort. Lastly, as the Varsity Cheer Team makes their State Title run, they need the support of the entire community to help them get there. Please attend and encourage others to come out and support them in the stands at the district, regional and state level.” Brent McNitt “At the Central Office, I would like to give shout-outs to Kara and Rick for getting a nice jump on the budget and shrinking the deficit this year, both big accomplishments. Hopefully, that will continue going forward. Also, there are some great things happening with grant work, which have not yet been received, but hopefully soon we can talk about that. There is a great deal happening behind the scenes to help the district as we go forward.”  Dale Pease “At Paw Paw Middle School, Independence Pro Wrestling made an appearance to support the PPMS Wrestling Team. Way to go PPMS Wrestling Coach Josh Raymond for his backflip off the top rope to finish his opponent! In other news, all grade levels are showing growth in the English Language Arts (ELA) area of the Star Growth Report. Thank you to the entire PPMS staff for their efforts in helping to improve those results. Lastly, the seven-week friendship group was successful in teaching students about friendship, communication, positivity, and other traits that make someone a good friend. These traits are important at any level, but especially during the middle school years.” Ray Martin  “I would like to start by giving a shout-out to the custodial staff at the high school. From basketball on Friday night to Cheer on Saturday, the staff had everything set and ready to go. Additionally, shout-out to Amy Gronda and the band for taking time and showing kindness to my son. Also, shout-out to the early elementary staff for sending texts on snow days encouraging students to play outside or challenging them to read in novel places. At a recent Cheer meet, it was great to see Coach Stefanie Miller, the Cheer Team and varsity parents stand up and cheer for the middle school students. At the later elementary, I have heard wonderful things about Mr. Caleb Shaefer. In his role, he is working with kids to show kindness and empathy. Lastly, the high school play “The Lightning Thief” was a huge hit! The performing arts director and students are focused on bringing home more WAVE performing arts awards this year, which is phenomenal!” Lindsay Clark   “Through a new, innovative partnership called “Little Connections” at Paw Paw Early Elementary, second-grade students and high school students established pen pal relationships. After writing back and forth for six weeks, the high school students visited the EE to meet the younger students in person, which was wonderful! Also at the EE, grade-level teachers participated in “Data Days,” where groups were formed to review winter benchmarking data that revealed areas of deficit and areas for growth. This sparked some great conversation! Tom Baney
Teacher and student building connections paw paw public schools
SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, JANUARY 2024 Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress. “I am in my sixth year coaching the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Girls Basketball Program and would like to give a shout-out to everyone in the district who helps make that happen. We do skills and drills, and we play during half times of the basketball games at the H.S. For the next eight weeks, practice will be at the L.E. and likely some at the M.S. With 66 girls in the program this year, we have seen tremendous growth. Thanks to the principals, coaches, and the Athletic Department for helping to coordinate, and thanks to the varsity players for their assistance. Lastly, shout-out to PPPS Alumni and U of M Football Player Karsen Barnhart for representing Paw Paw so well on the national stage. I would like to wish U of M the best of luck in tonight’s game.” Brent McNitt “At the Central Office, under the core value of success, I would like to highlight a grant that was awarded to PPPS through the Michigan Kids Back on Track 23g Plan for $290,000. With the goal of helping students reach their grade-level academic standards, the grant funds are used for supplemental learning opportunities, such as summer school and additional academic assistance for students at risk of falling behind their peers. Great work by Business Director Kara Corniel and her team for obtaining this grant! It means more money for the district, and we are also helping students. The funds are good through September 2025.” Dale Pease “I’d like to give a shout-out to MS Principal McDaniel for clearing the sidewalk of snow and spreading salt for the safety of the kids as they headed outdoors after school. Demonstrating our core value of success, I was happy to see the STAR Growth Report, which showed good growth in all grades in the middle school from fall to winter of 2023. In alignment with our core value of kindness, the middle school has a Kindness Campaign Challenge. Students are encouraged to remove a tab from the Kindness display in the middle school and perform the act of kindness written on the tab.”  Ray Martin  “The Later Elementary hosted the Holiday Shop for all the elementary students to get some awesome gifts! I volunteered at this event, and I would like to give a big shout-out to the Elementary PTO parent volunteers for making it such a success. Under the core value of kindness, the Lions Club said the elementary schools did a great job collecting donations for their food drives. I love that our kids are focused on kindness and that our district has made kindness one of our core values. It is also great to see the teachers and administrators focusing on CharacterStrong in their lessens and newsletters.” Lindsay Clark   “I was invited to the Transportation Department’s Holiday Potluck. Thank you, that was fun! We have a great group of people there who are really dedicated to Paw Paw. It was nice to hear their stories, and I pledged to help spread the word that we need more bus drivers and subs. Along with Superintendent Reo and Ray Martin, I also attended the Senior Citizens Luncheon. It was great to see the H.S. Pay it Forward class helping and taking time to visit with the senior citizens. Also, everyone enjoyed the sing-along with the elementary students. Thank you for inviting me!”  Nate Mitchell  “The Cedar Street Campus is still collecting items, such as hats, gloves, boots, coats, and more, for their Pop-up Store, where everything is free to help those in need during school hours through the end of the school year. They are still seeking donations. For more information, email: beckah.chartier@ppps.org.” Jon Vick  “I was proud to learn that my granddaughter, a Paw Paw Varsity Girls Basketball player, was asked to help with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Girls Basketball Program. The young girls really enjoyed having her there, and my granddaughter was honored to have been asked to help.” Tom Baney
SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, DECEMBER 2023 Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress. “I’d like to give a shout-out to our bands. They recently hosted the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) All-Star Bands, which was a big win! Also, kudos to the PEP Band and the student section at Friday’s basketball game. They all sounded great! I attended the last Senior Citizens Luncheon. If possible, I encourage you to attend one of the luncheons. I’d also like to recognize the PPHS Students of the Month: Abigail Goodwin in September, Billy Webster in October, and Molly Goodwin in November. On another note, the digital photography class worked with the yearbook staff to inform seniors, who still need photos taken, that we have student photographers who can help, allowing as many seniors as possible to have photos in the yearbook. Lastly, we have both a boys and a girls wrestling team at the High School this year!” Brent McNitt “At the Central Office, I heard we had a good financial audit, which is great news! Nice work by the whole team to make that a success. It’s also great to see all the Strategic Plan work that is coming out of the Central Office in the areas of goals and objectives to not only implement the plan, but also to improve upon it. For the Transportation Department, it was awesome to see their Dr. Suess “Whoville” Christmas Theme on display in the Christmas Parade. Nice teamwork there!”  Dale Pease “At the Middle School, under the Core Value of Integrity, 17 students on the Robotics Team competed and placed 8th and 11th overall in a regional competition, which represented a lot of sacrifice and teamwork. The previous placement was close to 30th, so this showed amazing growth and improvement! In the area of Kindness at the MS, the new Friendship Lunch Group, made up of 13 students from all grades, is a seven-week program designed to create, nurture, and enhance friendships. Lastly, kudos to MS Band Director Kevin Cort on a successful day of Solo and Ensemble, another fantastic way to bring other schools into our district, to be an example, and to show off our Core Values.”  Ray Martin  “I want to congratulate the supervisors in their new positions. I also want to recognize PPPS staff and others who are not PPPS employees, for going out of their way to help fix things when they break down. I was excited to learn that the custodial department is now fully staffed! When I met with Transportation Director Angela Vasquez recently, she was interviewing someone for a bus driver position, so hopefully that comes through. If anyone knows of someone who might be interested in a driver or substitute driver position, please have them reach out to angela.vasquez@ppps.org.  On another note, thank you to the band for a great performance! Lastly, I met with Food Service Director Korrie Perkins, and she was nice enough to walk me through her vision of the new addition to the High School Cafeteria. It’s going to be nice!” Nate Mitchell   “At the Early Elementary, students and staff are participating in several exciting holiday events and community initiatives throughout the month of December: the Lions Club Christmas Basket Program, a hot chocolate sale, the Senior Citizens Luncheon, Listen to Reading at the EE, a dental screening and a Holiday Drive-Through event on Tuesday, December 19th from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Families are invited to drive through the bus loop, wave to EE staff, and grab a sweet treat for the holidays!” Tom Baney  “The Cedar Street Campus is doing their first pop-up shop for charitable donations, which I think is a great idea! They will be offering socks, winter jackets, among other items that will help families get through the winter. The shop is open to those in need, and they can come by to pick up anything they might need or want. To learn more, please contact Cedar Street Director Beckah Chartier at beckah.chartier@ppps.org.” Jon Vick
build together logo. Senior Citizens Luncheon at Paw Paw High School. doors open at 1:15 , lunch at 1:30  p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15. holiday menu: sliced ham, green bean casserole, au gratin potatoes, cheesecase
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students and basketball players shaking hands. go red wolves. #packpride. basketball and red wolves logos.
Celebrate the Season! 12/7 at 7 pm, 8th – 12 grade holiday band concert. 12/11 at 6:30 pm, 3rd grade holiday concert, 12/12 at 6:30 pm. – 4th grade holiday concert, 12/13 at 7 pm HS choir concert, 12/14 at 6:30 pm, 5th grade holiday concert. Location: Paw Paw Perf. Arts Center at PPHS . build together Paw Paw Public Schools logo.
high schools students with teacher
Build together logo. PPPS community connections fall open house.
musician on stage. student watching
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SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, OCTOBER 2023 Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress. “At the High School, I experienced spirit week first-hand, and it was great to see so much participation! Also at the High School, there’s been a real effort to change how students are greeted by making sure all staff stand outside their doors in the morning. It has transformed that building into a much nicer place! Lastly, a community member who attended our last board meeting and participated in our CharacterStrong workshop, came up to me three days later and said, ‘It (the workshop) changed her life.’ She went on to say that she had never been able to remember names, but after doing that exercise, she remembered everyone’s name. She thought it was such a great idea that she took what we did and recreated in at the Senior Center, a great example of the positive impact the school board meetings can have on the community.” Brent McNitt “At the Early Elementary, to recognize classes exhibiting P.R.I.D.E. (Personality responsibility, Respect, I am a learner, Demonstrating safe behavior, and Excellence) behaviors in school, the specials teachers came up with an idea to give out a “Rufus Award” and a “Rosy Award” to two classes each week that are showing progress in these areas. To present the awards, Leah Barnes and Jesey Davis delivered stuffed animals to the winning classes, and the classes cheered for one another!” Tom Baney “I had a chance to meet with Beckah Chartier at the Cedar Street Campus, and I gained some valuable insight into the Alternative Education and the Early Childhood Education Programs.” Jon Vick “I attended the Early Elementary Prowl, a PTO fundraising event. It was great to see so many parent volunteers, and it was so well organized! At the Later Elementary, 18 students were recognized at a CharacterStrong assembly, where they talked about respect. They also introduced the next value, which is responsibility. Thanks to Jeremy Davison for his leadership in this area. Disney’s 101 Dalmatians is also coming up at the Later Elementary. Lastly, it was great to hear so many positive comments from parents when the PPHS football players opened the doors for the younger players on Homecoming Day.” Lindsay Clark “There has been a noticeable shift toward a culture of kindness at the Middle School. CharacterStrong and a further distance from COVID isolation is being partially credited, along with staff training on restorative practices and community circles. Our Core Values are at work! Also at the Middle School, the WMU Men’s Basketball Team came to visit a for an all-school assembly. They shared how our Core Values have a connection to their Core Values. Students participated in some ball handling competitions and were thrilled to see the WMU players put up some impressive dunks!” Ray Martin  “Thank you to the Maintenance Department for fixing the forklift and saving money for the district. I’d also like to recognize Custodian’s Day, which was October 2. I know that can be a thankless job, but I appreciate our custodians for all they do! The Transportation Department held Bus Driver Awareness Training and discussed different scenarios and challenging situations that can take place on buses. For School Bus Safety Week, the Transportation Department will be hosting a poster contest in the schools. Winners from each grade level will be announced, presented with a certificate, and choose a book from the vending machine.” Nate Mitchell
 film crew shooting video with elementary teachers
SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS  Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education September 2023 At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a moment to share some of the great things they see in the district while serving on the Board. Here are this month's points of Pride & Progress. “At the High School, the staff have been unbelievably welcoming and helpful! In the Photography and Digital Arts Class, where I’ve been helping, it was great to see the old PCs replaced with new laptops. It allows students to move around, which is important in the creative arts. The kids are already excited to see some of their work featured on social media. Lastly, I appreciate everyone who watches and helps with the football broadcasts. It is a true team effort to make those happen, but it’s worth it!” Brent McNitt “Since it’s September 11th, I’d like to show my appreciation to our first responders, school resource officers and veterans. We take that seriously in our district, and there is great work being done in our schools to recognize these groups. At the Central Office, I appreciate the detailed financial reports from Kara Corniel. It was great to see the innovative investments being made in technology that will benefit our students. From a community standpoint, it was great to see so many PPPS students and staff involved in the Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival, and I enjoyed seeing the social media posts of everyone having so much fun!” Dale Pease “At the Early Elementary, I met with Principal Leah Barnes, and there’s no question in my mind that she is right where she belongs!  She and her team are involved in a project involving the Core Value of Innovation. EE administrators, teachers and staff are developing enrichment opportunities by listening to feedback from a parent survey. The EE team would like to offer more diverse experiences for students who may need more of a challenge in their daily learning. A select number of students will receive innovative enrichment opportunities four days a week.” Tom Baney “At the Later Elementary, Mr. Davison reported that they had a successful “Back-to-School Night.” Every family received an envelope, and some students received a golden ticket that could be redeemed for a free book in their new book vending machine. Also, the rollout of CharacterStrong has been going very well! Today I was able to participate in a 9/11 ceremony that involved the Cub Scouts and many of our local first responders. It was great for the kids to get to see the leadership in our community.” Lindsay Clark “I’m so proud of Paw Paw Middle School Student Brynn Cummings and her top five semifinalist placement on “America’s Got Talent.” It was also great to hear that members of the Red Wolves Band volunteered to help clean up the grounds prior to school starting. As Superintendent Reo indicated, this is the epitome of the Core Value of Community that we are hoping to instill in our students during their time at PPPS. Thank you, Paw Paw Band!” Ray Martin “I’d like to give a shout-out to our Maintenance Department for their great work maintaining approximately 50 acres of athletic and event fields. They also take care of over two miles of grass trimming and three miles on the cross-country trail. Also, the custodial crew did a great job over the summer deep cleaning our schools. I appreciate their hard work!” Nate Mitchell
CharacterStrong Parent Chat Promo for Sept.
Community Partners. We will foster connections among our schools and the community. PPHS Principal Tammy Southworth, PPPS Nurse Cathy Lancaster, Beaumont Student Heart Check Manager, Jennifer Shea, and PPPS Maintenance Director Tom Imus. Build together logo. United with our community to build success.