Paw Paw Public School District

BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, NOVEMBER 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. “In my 19 years being around Paw Paw Schools, I don’t recall a high school band being as decorated as this one, and we have had some great bands over the years. This year’s band is really something special! Secondly, at the High School, I appreciate the opportunity to substitute in the Digital Photography Class. It has been a great experience, and I appreciate the support from Superintendent Reo and High School Principal Tammy Southworth. In my time at the High School, which ends on Friday, I have seen kids step up and become leaders in modeling positive behaviors. It is evident that the CharacterStrong program is working! Lastly, the Digital Photography Class had an assignment to take senior pictures of Barbies, so I created a hard-copy yearbook that showcases their work over the trimester.” Brent McNitt “At the Later Elementary, about 90 kids participated in the running club! It has now ended but it was a tremendous success! Also, kudos to the cast and crew of the LE musical “Disney’s 101 Dalmatians” and a special shout-out to Director Sue Goodenough, Music Director Sydney Brown, and Choreographer Sophia Marie Loudin for their great work! This weekend in St. Joseph, two teams from the Later Elementary’s Robotics Team will be competing. Best of luck to them, and I’d like to give a shout-out to Marissa Neidlinger for her work there. Lastly, I was able to attend the Annual Leadership Conference of the MASB (Michigan Association of School Boards) with Superintendent Reo and Board Trustee Nate Mitchell. I learned a lot, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to Alisa Clark, assistant to the superintendent, for handling the details involved with the conference registration!” Lindsay Clark “I was able to enjoy the Veterans Day festivities at the Middle School. I’m thankful to Middle School Principal Jerry McDaniel, the entire PPMS staff, and the PPPS district for their welcoming support of Veterans. Thank you to The Lions Club members who came to the schools to do the vision screenings last month and thank you for the support that allows that to happen. The Middle School PTO sponsored a Fall Festival that resulted in the donation of over 400 non-perishable food items for the Lions Club food baskets. Community and Kindness were demonstrated all at once!” Ray Martin “Congratulations to the Early and Later Elementary students who won the PPPS Transportation Department’s “School Bus Safety Week” poster contest! Thank you to Alisa Clark for her help in making the arrangements for the MASB’s Annual Leadership Conference. I learned a great deal, and it was a beneficial to learn from other districts.” Nate Mitchell “At the Early Elementary, the staff jumped right into the implementation of Character Strong! There were some behavior and discipline issues, so Behavior Management Specialist Jessie Reagan and her team worked hard to put the P.R.I.D.E. expectations at the forefront of student behaviors. By using P.R.I.D.E. tickets as positive behavior incentives, students can earn things like erasers, stuffed animals, or coupons for experiences, such as sitting with a friend at lunch or being the principal for a few hours. With the implementation of this program, there have been noticeable improvements in student behavior throughout the building.” Tom Baney

School District Shout-Outs!

November 17, 2023

BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, NOVEMBER 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 ...

PAW PAW HIGH SCHOOL’S “PAY IT FORWARD” CLASS BUILDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

November 9, 2023

For Immediate Release Contact: Rick Reo, Superintendent 269-415-5200 rick.reo@ppps.org Paw Paw, MI – In the 2010 movie “Pay it Forward” a teacher gives stud...

craftsman demonstrating leveler to 3 students

“SCHOOLS TO TOOLS” PRESENTS SKILLED TRADES TO PPHS STUDENTS

November 2, 2023

For Immediate Release Contact: Tammy Southworth, Principal Paw Paw High School 269-415-4600 tammy.southworth@ppps.org Paw Paw, MI – From 7:35 a.m. to 2:3...

PPPS Community Connections Open House

October 26, 2023

Paw Paw, MI - With so many exciting things happening at Paw Paw Public Schools, we thought this would be a perfect time to share some exciting district updates with students, s...

“THE PRESIDENT’S OWN” US MARINE BAND MEMBER PERFORMS FOR PPPS BAND STUDENTS

October 26, 2023

Paw Paw, MI – On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Paw Paw High School and Paw Paw Middle School band students had the rare opportunity to attend a live performance by one of “The Pre...

Parent Info Session (virtual) on CharacterStrong

October 18, 2023

Wednesday, October 25, all PPPS families are invited to attend an online parent chat program at 6 PM via Zoom (LINK: Parent Chat for 10/25/23 @ 6 PM ). During the program parti...

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

SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOUT-OUTS!

October 13, 2023

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 tak...

film crew shooting video with elementary teachers

PPPS STRATEGIC PLAN FEATURED IN NEW PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS

October 13, 2023

News R elease Contact: Rick Reo, Superintendent 269-415-5200 | rick.reo@ppps.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Paw Paw, MI – The Paw Paw Public Schools (PPPS) Strat...

On behalf of the Board of Education we are pleased to provide these quick summaries of our meetings for review. Full minutes will continue to be posted on the PPPS site once approved by the Board. PPPS Board of Education - Board Meeting Summary October 9, 2023 Regular Business Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm Adjournment at 9:17 pm Board Members Present: Baney Clark Martin McNitt Mitchell Vick Board Members Absent: Pease Public Participation: None Board Approvals Regular Meeting Minutes 9/11/23 Special Meeting Minutes 9/26/23 Financial Reports and Monthly Bills $1500.00 Donation from Lounsbury to HS Robotics Altria Settlement Resolution Snow Removal & Salt Bid 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 awarded to Lounsbury Excavating Neola Policy Update - First Reading po6320 Early Childhood Bids, Final Phase Red Arrow Soccer League LOA for Part-Time Teacher Benefits Contract Addendum for LE Principal, J. Davison International Educational Trip to Italy Personnel Arrivals Jacob Zent - HS Digital Media Teacher Amy Oetjens- eSports Coach Kristin Smith - SADD Advisor Larry Gilbert - MS 6th Boys Basketball Coach Departures None Presentations Pay-It-Forward HS Class - Cari Houston & students Board Discussion 10 Minute Team Builder Strategic Plan Video Pride & Progress Citizens of the Month : September 2023 Nayeli Gutierrez - 6th Grade Corinne Kessen - 7th Grade San Juanita Vargas - 8th Grade Next Regular Meeting November 13, 2023, 7pm, Cedar Street Campus A pre-meeting Meet & Greet with refreshments will begin at 6:30pm and all are invited. "The Secret of change is to focus all your energy, not fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

Splinters from the Board-October

October 12, 2023

On behalf of the Board of Education we are pleased to provide these quick summaries of our meetings for review. Full minutes will continue to be posted on the PPPS site once appro...

art students and teachers with mural backdrop at paw paw middle schools

SCA unveils student created mural at Paw Paw Public Schools

September 19, 2023

Art has the unique ability to create a platform for children to express themselves freely while connecting with others on a deeper level. Throughout the summer of 2023, the Saugat...

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

School District Shout-Outs!

September 18, 2023

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 o...

CharacterStrong Parent Chat Promo for Sept.

CharacterStrong Parent Chat this Wednesday, September 20 @ 6 PM

September 17, 2023

This Wednesday, September 20, all PPPS families are invited to attend an online parent chat program at 6 PM via Zoom (LINK: Parent Chat for 9/20/23 @ 6 PM ). During the program p...

Splinters from the Board-September

September 15, 2023

On behalf of the Board of Education we are pleased to provide these quick summaries of our meetings for review. Full minutes will continue to be posted on the PPPS site once appro...

Beaumont Health Donates AEDs to PPHS

September 14, 2023

For Immediate Release: Contact: Tammy Southworth, Principal Paw Paw High School tammy.southworth@ppps.org, 269-415-5600 Beaumont Health Donates Two New AEDs to Paw Paw High...

Community Connections.

September 6, 2023

Thank you to the amazing team at Arbor Financial Credit Union for today's generous school supply donation! The Caring Committee at Arbor Financial Credit Union has a 25 year histo...

SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, AUGUST 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. “First, thank you to Curriculum Director Corey Harbaugh for inviting me to walk over to see the new wall mural at the middle school. If you have not seen it, I would encourage everyone to do so. It is a positive addition to the south side of school. Today, I attended the active shooter training for the district, which was interesting. The I.S.D. safety specialists led many hands-on exercises and demonstrated other scenarios to keep safety top-of-mind if something were to happen. Lastly, while I was in the high school for the safety training, I was impressed to see so many staff members there before school started taking time to get their classrooms ready to receive our kids.” Brent McNitt “In the building updates, I really like that Superintendent Rick Reo and Early Elementary Principal Leah Barnes are connecting everything to our five Core Values. At the Elementary, under the Core Value of Community, they hosted a popsicle and playground event! Under the Core Value of Success, all the great work being done to add staff is exciting. Lastly, under Innovation, kudos to the staff for all the work that was done with Kindergarten and Young 5’s Jumpstart.” Dale Pease “I had a chance to speak to Cedar Street Director Beckah Chartier and Early Childhood Education Director Mindy Brennan, and I found out there are some really great things happening at the Cedar Street Campus! Beckah is working with her staff to make sure all the positions are filled. Thank you for that update. After talking with the ECE Director, I was happy to learn that nearly all the kids leaving the 4-year-old preschool classroom were meeting many of the kindergarten standards. I was also excited to hear that most of the ECE staff will be returning. One more shout-out to Principal Leah Barnes and her team for their work with Kindergarten and Young 5’s Jumpstart. It was a great event and made an excellent first impression with our new families.” Lindsay Clark “I’m happy to actually be able see some of the bond projects have started. I am also excited for the rest yet to come. Our summer Meet Up and Eat Up meals program provided almost 1600 breakfast and over 2500 lunch meals in June! Thank you to all the staff who helped make that program so successful. Lastly, kudos to the behind-the-scenes work of the Technology Department as they prep the classrooms and Chromebooks for a successful start to the upcoming school year.” Ray Martin

School District Shout-Outs!

August 30, 2023

SCHOOL BOARD SHOUT-OUTS, AUGUST 2023 Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education At the end of each regular Board of Education Meeting, the board members each take a m...

It's More Than The Form!

August 30, 2023

Please take a few minutes to complete the Education Benefits Form. The Education Benefits Form collects household information needed to ensure the schools receives state and feder...

Splinters from the Board-August

August 18, 2023

On behalf of the Board of Education we are pleased to provide these quick summaries of our meetings for review. Full minutes will continue to be posted on the PPPS site once appro...

Parent Chat: Introducing CharacterStrong

August 8, 2023

On August 16 at 6 PM, Paw Paw Public Schools will host an online Parent Chat program for all parents and guardians to introduce CharacterStrong, a program that will be implemented ...

Paw Paw Public Schools Kindergarten and Young 5’s Jump Start. 8:30 a.m. – student check-in. 9-11 a.m.: Jump Start Programs for students. 9 a.m. – Presentation for families. Paw Paw Early Elementary, 512 North St. 269-415-5300. Crafts, storytime, snack time, play time. Make friends, recess, scavenger hunt, school bus tours. Red wolf pup logos and paw prints.

Kindergarten and Young 5’s Jump Start Event Kicks Off 2023-2024 School Year

July 18, 2023

For Immediate Release: Contact: Leah Barnes, Paw Paw Early Elementary Principal leah.barnes@ppps.org , 269-415-5300 The Kindergarten and Young 5’s teachers and st...