PPPS Pride & Progress-Winter 2016-17

Paw Paw Public Schools DECEMBER • JANUARY • FEBRUARY
2016-17
PRIDEProgress
&








119 Johnson Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079 (269) 657-8800















































College... Career... Community... Ready!


Cedar Street Early Childhood programs had a
fun and educational fire safety program with the
Paw Paw Fire Department (above)!




PP Staff and volunteer parents
mentor members of the
Middle School Robotics
Club... story on page 10.
P S

Splinters BOARD





from the





A CLEAR AND SHARED FOCUS

By Pat Lynch
PPPS BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE
A clear and shared focus. What does this mean?
One of the responsibilities of your School Board is
to have open, honest, and common goals with you, our
stakeholders. As the saying goes “we are all on the
same side.” I think we can all agree that we are all
united in this effort to put forth our very best efforts
for our kids, our students. After all, we all benefit from
the success of our students whether you are parents of
students, soon to be parents, parents with kids already
out of school, or local citizens with no connection to
the schools other than living in our community. We Hillary Newell, PTO President, face painting at the PTO
are one community with our schools as the center. Fall Sports Event.
This is true just as our churches and businesses are the
centers of our community. We have a common inter- Every day this year in the high school, the
est in having successful students. Successful students announcements end with a reminder, “Forward Every
means personal growth and ongoing improvement in Day.” It is just this mentality we expect and promote
Paw Paw as a community. This is our focus and your in every school in our district. The Board ensures that
schools share this with your community. our areas of focus are truly being implemented by
The Board is constantly striving to keep our focus receiving monthly updates by the Superintendent and
as clear as possible and to share that focus with you. the building Principals, by listening to Board presenta-
Come to a board meeting (you don't have to stay for tions, such as the Annual Report of Student Progress,
the entire thing), contact a board member. Give us and by reaching out to parents and community stake-
your input. It is our hope that you will share your holders to be involved in District School Improvement
thoughts with us whenever possible so we can all feel planning and goal-setting. Our staff members use our
that we are on the same side, the same team, and the website and building Facebook sites to publish GOOD
same page when it comes to our students, our future. NEWS about our students’ accomplishments in both
The PPPS Board worked with stakeholders to comprise academics and extracurricular endeavors.
the district’s Mission, Vision, Global Ends Statement, We realize that we have common problems and
Areas of Focus and Values. This work culminated in issues such as the Redskin issue, finances, student
the use of the logo for Paw Paw Public Schools, “Every safety, or changing government mandates. Your
Graduate: College… Career… Community… Ready!” School Board is constantly working on these and many
We use this vision whenever we are considering Board other concerns. We are always working to balance stu-
policy development. We do believe in emphasizing the dent needs, both in terms of academic work and leisure
Building Blocks of High-Performing Schools and our activities such as sports, arts, and other extracurricu-
“Clear and Shared Focus.” lar activities. All of these activities are necessary to
Our Areas of Focus for Paw Paw Schools are: assure that our students are College… Career…
• Academic and Personal Growth Community Ready! when they
• Building Community leave the Paw Paw PP
• Continuous Improvement Public School system.

2 SPLINTERS FROM THE BOARD www.ppps.org P S

A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT


District PRIDE


By Sonia Lark
SUPERINTENDENT

What a pleasure it was to attend
the PPHS Collage Concert in our
amazing Performing Arts Center in
Collage Concert at the Paw
October! I witnessed the wonderful
Paw Performing Arts Center
vocal and instrumental talents of our
student musicians! At the conclusion of the concert, the PPMS PTO Color Run
students in the PPHS Marching Band surrounded the
auditorium marching and chanting P-R-I-D-E PAW earned Academic All State Honors, showing their talents
PAW! This was a true representation of what I see in our both on the court, AND in the classroom!
schools each day – PRIDE! It shows up in a number of In addition to the staff and students of Paw Paw
ways. Public Schools who show PRIDE in themselves and our
At the elementary buildings, students are eager to school district, we also have a number of District
enter their classrooms each morning and teachers greet Support Organizations who go ALL OUT to help stu-
them with a smile. Students are engaged during the day dents succeed in school and in their extracurricular
and they are active participants in their learning. They activities. I’d like to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to ALL of
are well-cared for by the supporting adults and have a the parents and community members who volunteer so
wealth of opportunities in new facilities. The Early and much of their time and resources to our students and
Later Elementary Schools have utilized computer pro- the improvement of our facilities. If you’ve been able to
grams that assess students’ knowledge in a program attend any of the activities “enhanced” by the donations
called STAR and the teachers are utilizing this data to of these groups, you’ll know how much students and
provide skill instruction at the level necessary for stu- staff appreciate the EXTRAS they provide! Our Paw Paw
dents to succeed. They provide time in the day (PRIME Public Schools Facebook pages are full of pictures show-
TIME) for differentiated instruction in order to close ing a LOT of happy students and families experiencing
learning gaps and utilize well-researched instructional these events that make us all full of PAW PAW PRIDE!
strategies. Mr. Pat Lynch, PPPS School Board Member, wrote
At the Middle School, teachers are developing lesson about the Clear and Shared Focus of our district. PRIDE
plans that utilize the iPads which are now in the hands is a by-product of the efforts of our students, their fam-
of all 7th and 8th grade students. They are focusing on ilies, the community members and our staff as we work
integrating technology for the purpose of improving together to reach our goals. I am encouraged by this
reading, writing and inquiry skills. Our Engage NY sense of PRIDE in the district and in the community as
mathematics curriculum is rigorous and requires high we strive to accomplish our mission of Paw Paw Public
level problem solving. Schools.
The High School students are led by teachers who
facilitate learning for these college, career and commu- MISSION OF PAW PAW PUBLIC SCHOOLS
nity ready individuals. Aside from rigorous academic
studies where teachers are having students set learning Paw Paw Public Schools will provide
goals, there are also fifteen clubs/organizations and every student with the opportunity to maxi-
eighteen sports offered to extend the extracurricular mize his or her learning potential in a spirit
learning opportunities, creating well-rounded students of cooperation and shared purpose among
who are able to contribute pro- students, parents, community, staff and the
PP fall, our Varsity Tennis Team Board of Education.
ductively to our society. Just this

P S www.ppps.org FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT 3

Astronomy

Students Take CEDAR STREET CAMPUS
a Trip to the update
Museum
Cedar Street Astron-
omy students enjoyed a
morning of doing science
at the Kalamazoo Valley
Museum and Planetarium Paw Paw Adult Education
on Friday, October 7. The Paw Paw Adult Education program, serving
Students participated in a adults ages 20 and older, is proud to offer High School
lab experiment where Equivalency, Adult Basic Education and Diploma
they created a comet and Completion courses to suit a variety of student learning
watched how it leaves a needs. Our open-entry enrollment policy allows stu-
trail as museum staff dents to start at any time during the school year, and our
launched it into the convenient class times allow you to cater your school
Kalamazoo River. Students touch the comet experience to accommodate even the busiest schedule.
Students also en- they created from water, Even if you’re working full-time or raising a family, Paw
joyed a Planetarium show ammonia, organic matter
and dry ice. Paw Adult Ed is here to support you in getting back on
on Black Holes, and then track with your education.
did a special session on We are located inside Freshwater Church at 600 E.
Constellations. The Muse- dent questions and their Michigan Avenue, room FW2. Call (269) 657-8898
um staff was impressed knowledge of Greek extension 6332 to speak with Leigh Ann Link, or stop by
with the quality of stu- Mythology.
M-F between the hours of 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. We look for-
ward to working with you!
Morning Class: 8-11 a.m., Monday through Friday
Afternoon Class: 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Monday through Thursday
Evening Class: Monday and Wednesday evenings,
5:30-8:30 p.m.











1989 Paw Paw Graduate Gives Back
Dr. Troy Hendrickson is a 1989 graduate of Paw Paw
High School. While visiting family in Paw Paw, Dr.
Hendrickson made a stop at the Cedar Street Campus
and spoke to the Alternative Education students. He These ladies made the commitment to “Drop Back In.”
shared valuable lessons on hope, compassion, leadership You can, too! Pictured, left to right, are students Tammy
and empathy. Dr. Hendrickson is a business consultant Christie, Cordelia Circosta, and Angie Guajardo)
in 50 countries including the US, Australia, the UK and
much of Asia. He is recognized for his expertise in Cedar Street Campus
areas of leadership, communication and conflict resolu-
tion. 657-8831 PP


4 CEDAR STREET UPDATE www.ppps.org P S

Cedar Street Campus Great Start Readiness Program
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Young Fives • Options • Choices








Niki Francomb – Early Childhood
New GSRP Teacher Coordinator/Interventionist
My name is Niki Francomb and I Hi, I am Kristi Burk, I have been with Paw Paw
am excited to be teaching GSRP Public Schools now for 5 years. I graduated in 2001
Preschool at Cedar Street this year, I from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s
completed my bachelor of science in Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. I have three
Education from Western Michigan kids of my own and we reside in the Paw Paw
University, and currently hold a Community. I currently work out of the Cedar Street
Michigan Professional teaching certificate in Elemen- Campus with our Young Fives Program, Great Start
tary and Early Childhood Education. I am currently Readiness Program (GSRP) and the BASE program as
pursuing my learning disabilities endorsement in spe- an Early Childhood Coordinator/Interventionist. I have
cial education from Northern Michigan University. This had several years of experience working with younger
is my first year teaching at Cedar Street for Paw Paw children in a wide array of capacities and I am looking
Public Schools, but this year marks my fifteenth year of forward to what this position brings. I am excited to be
teaching. I have taught a variety of grade levels in the given the opportunity to work with our younger popula-
past including preschool, kindergarten and a multi-age tion on developing age appropriate skills required for
first and second grade. Most recently I taught in Allegan social, emotional and cognitive growth. I am known in
County's Head Start program. My husband and I cur- the school as “Ms. Kristi”. Feel free to say “Hi” when
rently live in Plainwell. We are busy keeping up with our you see me out and about.
seven year old daughter Cailee and five year old son
James; in addition to our two cats (Beamer and
Sebastian). We love to spend out free time in the sum-
mer camping, swimming, and hanging around close to
home at the lake.

Sarah Weston – New GSRP Teacher
My name is Sarah Weston and I am excited to be a
part of Paw Paw schools. I have a degree in Early
Childhood Education from WMU and a Master's degree
from MSU with a focus on literacy and special education. Student of the Month
I have previously taught GSRP in Comstock and
For September, Cedar Street Alternative Education
Lawton, but I'm happy to be teaching in my communi- nominated Shania Munson as the Rotary Student of the
ty at Cedar Street Campus where I am teaching GSRP. I Month. Students who earn this nomination go to the Rotary
have lived in Paw Paw for the last 15 years and my three meeting for lunch the following month, and receive both
kids, Ally, Nick and Carter have all attended Paw Paw recognition, and a $50 award for their hard work. Richard
Schools. When I have free time I help at scouts and at Knowlton, Shania's nominating teacher, said there were
two factors that most influenced his decision. First was
the PAC. I enjoy reading, scrapbook-
Shania's lesson on poet Maya Angelou, where she taught
ing, and spending the class about the works and life of this famous poet.
time with my
Second was with her essay in Senior English, which was not
PP family. only outstanding, but, in his words, the "best essay Shania
has ever written." Congratulations to Shania! Nice work!
P S GREAT START READINESS 5

ELEMENTARYscoop

EARLY






Fun and Learning at the Early Elementary School

I want to take this opportunity to extend a big district as a
thank you to all of our Early Elementary families and classroom
teachers for an amazing start to the school year. It was teacher and
incredible to see how excited the students and teachers Media Techno-
were to start off a new year of school. One of the goals of logy Specialist.
the Early Elementary is to create a fun learning environ- Mrs. Mayne will
ment that inspires and motivates students. Since the be working with teaching teams
beginning of the year there have been several events I to help implement best reading prac-
want to highlight. The Elementary Campus is fortunate Pat Mayne tices. Additionally, she will be coach-
to have a very active and supportive Parent Teacher ing individual teachers and providing support to stu-
Organization (PTO). Our PTO volunteers their time to dents. We are very fortunate to tap into Mrs. Mayne’s
help support our students, teachers, and community by knowledge and talents to support early literacy on the
organizing fundraisers and activities designed to Elementary campus.
enhance our programming for students and provide Many of the Early Elementary teachers use Daily 5
support for teachers in the classroom. The PTO’s largest as a component of reading instruction. This is where
fundraiser for the Early Elementary building is the Paw students are self-directed learners and select from five
Paw Prowl. On a sunny and slightly warm day students reading choices to work on personalized reading goals.
were excited to run and/or walk laps to raise money for During the Daily 5 teachers work on targeted skills in
the school. This year’s Prowl was one of the most suc- small groups and/or one-on-one with students. When
cessful yet, as it raised over eleven thousand dollars for you talk with your children about Daily 5 they will share
our school! In recognition of the top-earning students, with you they engage in these learning choices during
the PTO hosted a VIP lunch with the Principal, and a Daily 5:
private screening of Storks at the Strand Theater in • Read to Self,
downtown Paw Paw. This is just one example of the • Work on Writing,
many things our PTO does to support our school and • Read to Someone,
the Elementary campus. Please consider contacting the • Listen to Reading, and
PTO and volunteering. • Word Work.
Another fun activity at the Early Elementary was Daily 5 enables teachers to choose individualized
Fire Safety Day. The Paw Paw Fire Department spent the goals, assign strategies, monitor progress, and provide
entire day at the Early Elementary teaching our stu- early intervention instruction to meet the needs of every
dents about fire safety. As we head into the holiday student.
months, fire safety is an important topic and we thank We at the Early Elementary are looking forward to a
the Paw Paw Fire Department for teaching our students fantastic year of fun, learning, and tons of exciting read-
about fire safety! ing opportunities. Remember to enjoy reading with
During the 2016/17 school year Paw Paw Early your child at home, allowing them to read to you and
Elementary will be focusing on all things to do with reading to your child daily. Please contact Mrs. Mayne
reading. Reading has often been described as the gate- and/or your child’s classroom teacher should you have
way to learning. Research shows students who are suc- any questions about reading and your child’s progress.
cessful readers at an early age are far more likely to
graduate from High School and are more successful life- Warmly,
long learners. To support our focus on Reading, the dis- Matthew Turner
PRINCIPAL
trict has hired Pat Mayne as our Early Literacy Coach. PAW PAW EARLY
Mrs. Mayne has 27 years of experience working in the ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PP

6 EARLY ELEMENTARY SCOOP P S

What’s all the Fuss About

Reading Fluency?’
....and how you can help

When we discuss a child’s reading progress
with parents, we often talk about the fact that we
are working to improve “fluency”. Although we
often measure fluency by counting how many
words are read correctly in a minute, fluency
refers to reading with appropriate speed, accuracy
and proper expression. Fluent reading sounds
natural like someone is telling a story. Research
tells us that a child’s fluency in the early grades Daily 5 in action
has a direct correlation to reading success in the
later grades, so we spend a lot of time working to
improve it. Doing timed readings where we • PROVIDE SUPPORT WITH DECODING (SOUNDING
count words per minute allows us to show OUT)- If your child stumbles over a word and must
progress in rate and accuracy, although it doesn’t figure it out, always draw attention to the letters
measure the ability to use appropriate phrasing and the sounds they make. Even if a word does-
and expression. Sometimes measuring fluency n’t follow the most common letter/sound rules,
this way puts an artificial emphasis on reading as there will be parts of it that do. Covering part of
fast as you can. the word allows a child to focus on smaller
The most important thing you can do at home “chunks” that are easier to recognize and can help
to help your child’s reading progress is to dedicate them figure it out.
some time each day reading to your child and pro- • ECHO READ - One way you can model fluen-
viding support while your child reads to you. By cy and help support your child as they read new
letting your child hear you reading aloud, you are text is to echo read it with them. You read a page
demonstrating the fluency we want them to strive or a paragraph while your child points and follows
for. along. Then your child echo reads it back to you.
The more actively you participate when your This is a great way to help build appropriate
child is reading aloud to you, the greater the ben- expression while reading.
efits will be. Here are some other things you can • REREAD - When your child has worked his or
do to support your child during reading: her way through a passage, the first time through
• HELP YOUR CHILD CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOOKS - is often slow and choppy. After the work of figur-
We often call these “good fit books” or “just right” ing out the words is complete, have your child
books. Reading a book that is too easy will do lit- read it again to put it all together. Also, revisit
tle to help your child grow as a reader. Similarly, books that have already been read numerous
reading a book that is too difficult is so labor times. Each time the book is read again, children
intensive that no mental energy can be dedicated have more exposure to words that were once chal-
to understanding the meaning of the text. lenging and fluency and comprehension are im-
Encourage your child to choose books in which proved.
they can read most of the words accurately and MAKE IT FUN! - Finally, we want reading to be
books that are interesting to them. enjoyable for you and your child. Whatever you
can do to make it a positive experience will impact
PP PAW PAW EARLY (Continued on page 14...)

ELEMENTARY
P S 657-8810 EARLY ELEMENTARY SCOOP 7

LATER
ELEMENTARYbulletin





Paw Paw Later Elementary

Proudly Presented…


The Arts are alive at Paw Paw
Later Elementary! PAW PAW LATER
A cast of 38 third - fifth graders ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
took to the stage on Thursday,
October 27th to a full house in this the 3rd annual some third year veter- 657-8820
Later Elementary Musical. The students and their ans who have really developed a
parents worked hard for over six weeks to go from love for the theater. This production was also an
a first read into a spectacular production. The stu- opportunity for 8 middle school students to try
dents were under the direction of Ms. Sue their hand in the art of organizing the backstage
Goodenough and Mrs. Jane Crawford, both ladies area, while managing the sound, props, lights, and
worked together to bring out the best in each stu- curtains. This production was truly a labor of love
dent performer while an amazing group of parents and the sun certainly did come out...tomorrow.
worked hard to put together outstanding costumes We are very fortunate to have a wonderful group
and an eye catching set. of staff and parents that help to introduce theater,
For most students, this was their first experi- Performing Arts, and Visual Arts to our students on
ence on stage and they would say it was a great time the elementary campus. Miss Cari Miller and Mrs.
and that they can’t wait to do it again. We also have (Continued on page 9...)































PP




8 LATER ELEMENTARY BULLETIN www.ppps.org P S

(Continued from page 8.) of these skills help to contribute to a much more
Mary Rogers have worked diligently to build elec- well rounded school experience for our students.
tive classes in music and art that help foster a love The staff at Paw Paw Later Elementary will con-
for the arts in our students early on. Staff and par- tinue to work with our families and volunteers to
ents like Ms. Goodenough and Mrs. Crawford provide unique opportunities and experiences that
enhance our classroom curriculum by putting in allow our students to demonstrate to their teach-
countless hours outside of school to create produc- ers, friends, and families that their pride is hard to
tions like Annie that reflect the outstanding talent hide!
and skills of our students for all
to see.
There was a study conducted
by UCLA in 2008 that pointed out
the benefits academically to stu-
dents that were involved in the
arts. The research indicated that
students involved in the arts per-
formed better in the classroom.
Students are able to benefit from
working cooperatively, building
self esteem in themselves, devel-
oping public speaking skills, and
increased social development. All


PP Elementary
Fire Safety
Day
P S www.ppps.org LATER ELEMENTARY BULLETIN 9

MIDDLE SCHOOL

REPORT





Middle School Robotics Club


Joining the ever-growing list of clubs at Paw
Paw Middle School this year is the Robotics Club.
This club follows the structure and goals of
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of
Science and Technology). FIRST has four levels
of competition ranging from early elementary
through high school. The middle school divi-
sion is called First Tech Challenge (FTC).
Founded by Dean Kamen, the mission of FIRST
is to inspire young people to be science and tech-
nology leaders, by engaging them in exciting
Mentor-based programs that build science, engi-
neering, and technology skills, that inspire inno-
vation, and that foster well-rounded life capabil-
ities including self-confidence, communication,
and leadership (www.firstinspires.org).
Led by a group of parents and staff, students
were challenged to build a robot, using a kit of
parts, to perform specific game tasks. Students
OK2SAY watched the game video, determined what parts
of the game they wanted their robot to be able to
Our 6th graders benefited from a great presen- do, brainstormed and problem solved together,
tation provided through OK2SAY. OK2SAY is the and have been working together to build a robot
student safety program that allows students to that can compete in December at the competi-
confidentially report tips on potential harm or tion in Coloma. What a great way to incorporate
criminal activities directed at school students, science, math, critical thinking skills, and collab-
school employees, and schools. Michigan’s oration into a fun and engaging project!
Attorney General’s office developed a presentation For more information about FTC, visit
to teach middle school students about OK2SAY in www.firstinspires.org. You can also check out
conjunction with the Michigan Cyber Safety the game video by searing Velocity Vortex on
Initiative. It was an eye-opening and discussion- Google.
evoking presentation that touched on bullying, PAW PAW
peer abuse, suicide, assault, and gun violence. MIDDLE SCHOOL
The goal was to empower students -- especially Have a SAFE 657-8870
bystanders -- to do the right thing. We are fortu- and happy winter break:
nate to have such a great resource to have avail- Dec. 19, 2016 -
able to us in Paw Paw, Michigan as well as a great Jan. 1, 2017!
student body who do desire to do the right thing. Classes resume Jan. 2. PP


10 MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORT www.ppps.org P S

New Social Studies Teacher,
Alex George
Hello, my name is
Alex George and am
excited to be teaching
7th Grade Social Studies
this year at Paw Paw
Middle School! I have
served as both an intern
teacher and substitute
teacher in the building
over the past year and a
half with this being my Strategy Club
first full time teaching The students of Paw Paw Middle School are very
position. I graduated excited this year to be introducing the “Strategy Club” as
from Allegan High School before moving to an after school activity. Previously the “Chess Club”, stu-
Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan University. dents had expressed interest in expanding the club to
There, I pursued my degree in History/Social include more games such as “Magic the Gathering”,
“Settlers of Catan”, “Risk” and other various card and
Studies and participated in activities such as the
board games. The club encourages students to think out-
Bronco Marching Band and Student Programing. side of the box and make logical and strategical deci-
I look forward to a great school year, in the 7th sions all the while playing games! Currently the club
Grade we will be learning about the History of the meets every Thursday in Mr. George’s room (704) imme-
Eastern Hemisphere which includes some of my diately following school and goes until 3:30pm. Any stu-
dent with any skill level or game is welcome to join.
favorite periods in history. We begin our studies with
the Stone Age and cover the rise and fall of ancient
civilizations, including the Egyptians, Greeks and New to Middle School,
Romans. Outside of the classroom, I am the teacher teacher Karen Lorenz
liaison for the local chapter of the “Leo’s Club” as Ms. Karen Lorenz is coming
well as host the “Strategy Club” for students to play to the Middle School after
games after school. I am already so appreciative of spending 25 previous years in
both the Middle School and Paw Paw communities Paw Paw at both the Early
for being so welcoming and cannot wait to see what Elementary and the Later
the future holds. Elementary. She has a degree
in Language Arts from Hope
Daily Homework Help! College and a Master's degree
from Western Michigan University. Ms. Lorenz
Homework help is available daily after school lives in Kalamazoo and has three grown daughters.
with Mrs. Covey in room 604. If your student is Stephanie teaches in Texas, Katie teaches and coach-
struggling in a particular subject or needs some help es softball in Missouri, and Jennifer lives in
organizing, Mrs Covey provides after school support Kalamazoo while earning Master's Degree from
from 2:30-3:15. Students work on a variety of sub- WMU in Social Work. Ms. Lorenz is excited to be
jects, organize school work and set academic goals. making the move to Paw Paw Middle School and
Students can ride the late bus as long as they having a new challenge in her career. Her classes
sign up the day before. Contact Mrs. Covey at ekcov- include two English Language Arts blocks, 6th and
[email protected] or ext. 6764 8th grade, and two Current Events specials. She has
if you have any questions.
found the staff to be extremely helpful and welcom-
ing. Ms. Lorenz says that one of the best things
PP about making this move is seeing her former 5th
grade students again in class.
P S MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORT 11

HIGH SCHOOLHEADLINES




What is the High School Key Club? AN ART EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE ART ROOM:
No, Key Club does not members to the Service A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
make keys. Leadership Conference to
Instead we make a dif- hone their skills in giv- Art Prize 2016
ference in the community ing-of-themselves, to I’ve always been intrigued by big cities and the
we live in and in the ringing a bell to raise art scene. On October 5, Paw Paw High School Art
future of our members money at Christmas time. Portfolio students spent the day outside of the studio
and the people we help. And here’s the amaz- and traveled to Grand Rapids to attend Art Prize. Art
Key Club exists to provide ing part... Prize is an annual international art competition in
a place for the future lead- Key Club is made up Grand Rapids that is the most attended art competi-
ers of our community to of students in OUR tion on the planet. This year over 380,000 votes were
get involved with and COMMUNITY, help- cast and over $500k were given to winning artists.
help others; this is ac- ing OUR COMMUNI- Having never traveled to a big city before, I was
complished through a TY, learning how they can beyond excited to experience a new place along with
variety of projects and make a difference in the some amazing artwork. Meeting at the high school
activities. Everything world around us all. before the break of dawn, we set out for our artistic
from raising funds for the These are students who adventure. Our first destination was the Grand
local SPCA, to sending are driven, committed Rapids Meijer parking lot where we waited for the
and give us hope for the transit -- my first experience with public transporta-
future. Every college
PPPS - 657-8800 tion. Riding “The Rapid” throughout Grand Rapids
application, and even job was a great way to get around, even though the stop-
High School applications. too, ask for
657-8840 volunteer experience; Key ping and starting made my stomach a little uneasy.
Middle School Club members are a One by one, we exited the bus and began explor-
657-8870 bright example of how the ing the artwork. Immediately, we were greeted by a
Later Elementary simple task of giving of dragon sculpture on the street that moved when you
657-8820 oneself can make a differ- moved, eye catching photography that hung on
Early Elementary ence in the individual’s storefront windows, a huge wet canvas that was being
657-8810 life, the community, as created by the artist, and a big vending machine
Community Ed well as, the future for holding hundreds of plastic eggs with little hand
657-8831 every one of us. painted prizes within.
Strolling through the city sidewalks, meandering
throughout the impressive art museum, and stop-
Paw Paw Public Schools
ping by little cafes, we moved with the crowds of peo-
STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE ple who also had an appetite for the kaleidoscope of
art in the city. Unfortunately, one day was not
The Paw Paw Board of Education complies with all federal laws
and regulations prohibiting discrimination and with all require- enough time to see all of the art at Art Prize, and we
ments and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education. It is only skimmed the surface. Street performers enter-
the policy of the Paw Paw Board of Education that no person on tained our group, as we waited for The Rapid to pick
the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, sex,
marital status, disability, or political beliefs shall be discriminated us up and bring us back to our car. The ride back to
against,excluded from participation in,denied the benefits of,or Paw Paw gave us time to reflect together about the
otherwise be subjected to, discrimination in any program or feast for the eyes during our day outside of the class-
activity to which it is responsible or for which it receives financial
assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. This institution room.
is an equal opportunity provider.Questions should be directed to
Barb Khaja, Assistant Superintendent of Business & Operations, Emily Salman
119 Johnson Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079, 657-8800. SENIOR PP

12 HIGH SCHOOL HEADLINES P S

Homecoming 2016

One of the highlights of this past month was def-
initely Homecoming week. All throughout the first
week of October, high school students showed their
Paw Paw pride by sporting all kinds of crazy outfits
ranging from superhero costumes to business pro-
Hot Shotz Photography/Matthew Day
fessional wear. On that Friday, excitement filled the
gym during the pep assembly as the cheerleaders well. Seniors Taylor Antles and Maddy Walker took
put on an impressive performance, Mr. Mitchell led home the titles of Homecoming King and Queen.
the famous “Red/White” chant, and both students However, the football team was not as fortunate.
and staff had a ball participating in the homecoming Although there were some notable plays and dra-
games. matic moments, the Redskin football team ended
Following the assembly, the winner of the the night with a loss.
Ruckus Cup was too close call, which meant all eyes Still, that did not stop many students from
were on the parade to see each class’ float. Although enjoying the rest of their night. After the game, a
all of the superhero-themed floats looked snazzy, it bunch of people stopped by the all new Homecom-
was revealed at halftime of the football game that the ing After Party to have some free food, listen to great
junior class had taken first place in the float compe- music, and play some awesome games.
tition. This victory solidified the status of the Class All in all, Homecoming 2016 was a great time for
of 2018 as Ruckus Cup champions. high school students full of all sorts of cool activities
There were some more winners on the night as and fun times.





















PP


P S www.ppps.org HIGH SCHOOL HEADLINES 13

MORE FROM THE LATER ELEMENTARY 2016-17 WINTER

Title Services provided at the SPORTS SCHEDULES
Elementary Campus
Paw Paw Public Schools provide Title services to Boys Varsity Basketball
those students who are most at risk of not meeting DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME
state academic standards. Services are determined 11/26 Sat. HOME vs Alumni 7:30
based on the results of district assessments. Title 12/06 Tue. Away vs Mattawan 7:15
teachers provide additional services and activities to 12/08 Thur. Away vs Vicksburg 7:15
those students who qualify. Using this data, teach- 12/13 Tue. HOME vs Edwardsburg 7:15
Away vs Plainwell
7:15
12/16
Fri.
ers determine what strategies and interventions are 12/22 Thur. HOME vs Portage Central 7:15
appropriate to meet student’s needs. 12/27 Tue. Away vs Benton Harbor TBA
The following teachers providing assistance with 12/28 Wed. Away vs Benton Harbor TBA
reading are Lynn Serbenski, Sue Jackson, Pat Mayne 1/6 Fri. Away vs South Haven 7:15
and Chelsea Embury. Derek Vanderburg and Kris 1/10 Tue. HOME vs Sturgis 7:15
1/13 Fri. HOME vs Allegan (Hall of Fame) 7:15
Koehne provide math interventions.
1/20 Fri. Away vs Otsego 7:15
1/24 Tue. HOME vs Dowagiac 7:15
READING FLUENCY 1/27 Fri. HOME vs Plainwell 7:15
(Continued from page 7.) 2/03 Fri. HOME vs South Haven (Snowfest) 7:15
your child’s attitude toward reading. 2/07 Tue. Away vs Three Rivers 7:15
2/10 Fri. Away vs Allegan 7:15
We appreciate all of the work you do at home 2/14 Tue. HOME vs Comstock 7:15
to help us build successful readers. 2/17 Fri. HOME vs Otsego 7:15
If you want more advice about how to read 2/24 Fri. Away vs Dowagiac 7:15
3/02 Thur. North vs South (Away) TBA
with your child at home, talk to the classroom
teacher or contact the early literacy coach, Pat Boys Freshman and JV Basketball
Mayne ([email protected]). Date Day Opponent Time
Thank you, FR JV
12/06 Tue. Away vs Mattawan 4:15 5:45
Pat Mayne 12/08 Fri. Away vs Vicksburg4:15 5:45
LITERACY COACH 12/13 Tue. HOME vs Edwardsburg 4:15 5:45
12/15 Thur. HOME vs Plainwell 5:00 6:15
MORE FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL 12/21 Wed. Away vs Portage Central 4:15 5:45
12/27 Tue. Away vs Benton Harbor TBA TBA
12/28 Wed. Away vs Benton Harbor TBA TBA
PSAT 8/9 Offered to 8th Graders 1/5 Thur. HOME vs South Haven 5:00 6:15
for the First Time at PPMS 1/10 Tue. HOME vs Sturgis 4:15 5:45
1/12 Thur. Away vs Allegan 5:00 6:15
This fall at PPMS we offered 8th graders a chance 1/19 Thur. HOME vs Otsego 5:00 6:15
1/24 Tue. HOME vs Dowagiac 4:15 5:45
to experience the PSAT. This preliminary
1/26 Thur. Away vs Plainwell 5:00 6:15
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is 2/2 Thur. Away vs South Haven 5:00 6:15
designed specifically for 8th and 9th graders and 2/7 Tue. Away vs Three Rivers 4:15 5:45
helps grow students’ confidence in the SAT format. 2/9 Thur. HOME vs Allegan 5:00 6:15
The PSAT score will not be part of any student’s 2/13 Mon. Away vs Comstock 5:00 6:15
transcript or permanent record, but the scores will 2/16 Thur. Away vs Otsego 5:00 6:15
2/24 Fri. Away vs Dowagiac 4:15 5:45
be helpful for educators as they see how many stu-
3/2 Thur. North vs South (Away) 5:00 6:15
dents are on track for college and career training
and as they find what students may be ready for www.ppps .org
more challenging course work. This is another BE SURE TO CHECK OUR
great way Paw Paw is ensuring our students are col- WEBSITE FOR ANY
lege, career, and community ready! PP
SCHEDULE CHANGES

14 WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES www.ppps.org P S

Girls Varsity Basketball Sporting Event Pass Information
Adult, student, and family passes are available at the high school
DATE OPPONENT TIME
office. Senior citizen passes are available to Paw Paw School District resi-
11/26 HOME vs Alumni 6:00
11/29 HOME vs Lakeshore 7:15 dents at the Community Education Cedar Street office only.
Adult Pass: $55 Student Pass: $35
12/02 HOME vs Dowagiac 7:15 Family Pass: $110 (two adults) + $10 per child 1st grade and over
12/06 HOME vs Mattawan 7:15
Senior Citizen (62+) Pass: Free
12/09 HOME vs Vicksburg 7:15 Season passes are good for all home middle school and high school ath-
12/13 Away vs Edwardsburg 7:15
letic events for the entire school year.
12/16 Away vs Plainwell 6:00
12/20 Away vs Benton Harbor TBA
12/22 HOME vs Portage Central 6:00 Bowling
1/6 Away vs South Haven 6:00
DATE OPPONENT PLACE TIME
1/10 HOME vs Allegan (Hall of Fame) 6:00 12/7 Away vs Vicksburg Continental Lanes 4:00
1/20 Away vs Otsego 6:00
12/15 HOME vs Sturgis Rainbow Lanes 4:30
1/24 Away vs Dowagiac 7:15 1/4 Away vs Plainwell Pinz Lanes 6:00
1/27 HOME vs Plainwell 6:00
1/11 Away vs Otsego Snowden’s Sunset Lanes 5:30
2/3 HOME South Haven (Snowfest) 6:00 1/19 HOME vs Three Rivers Rainbow Lanes 4:30
2/7 HOME vs Three Rivers 7:15
1/23 Away vs South Haven Lakeside Lanes 4:30
2/10 Away vs Allegan 6:00
2/14 HOME vs Comstock 6:00 2/2 HOME vs Allegan Rainbow Lanes 4:30
(week of 2/13) Conf. Championships @ Plainwell (Pinz Lanes) TBA
2/17 HOME vs Otsego 6:00
2/23 South at North (HOME) 7:15 2/24-25 MHSAA Regionals TBA TBA
3/3-4 MHSAA State Meet TBA TBA
Girls Freshman and JV Basketball
DATE OPPONENT TIME FR JV Competitive Cheer
11/29 HOME vs Lakeshore 4:15 5:45 Date Event Location JV / VAR
12/2 HOME vs Dowagiac N/A 5:45 12/2 Scrimmage Portage Northern 6 p.m./6 p.m.
12/6 HOME vs Mattawan 4:15 5:45 12/7 Wolverine Conference #1 Plainwell n/a/6 p.m.
12/9 HOME vs Vicksburg 4:15 5:45 12/10 CCCAM Scholarship Invite Otsego 10 a.m./1p.m.
12/13 Away vs Edwardsburg 4:15 5:45
12/17 Big Reds Invite #1 Paw Paw 10/10 a.m.
12/15 Away vs Plainwell 5:00 6:15 1/7 Comstock Park Invite Comstock Park n/a/1 p.m.
12/21 HOME vs Portage Central 5:00 6:15
1/11 Wolverine Conf. Sub Varsity Sturgis 6 p.m./n/a
12/27 Away vs Plainwell (Tourn) TBA N/A 1/14 Blue Devil Invite Gull Lake 11 a.m./1 p.m.
12/28 Away vs Plainwell (Tourn) TBA N/A
1/18 Wolverine Conference #2 Vicksburg n/a/6 p.m.
1/6 Away vs South Haven N/A 4:15
1/10 Away vs Sturgis 4:15 5:45 1/21 Big Reds Invite #2 Paw Paw 10/10 a.m.
1/25 Wolverine Conference #3 Three Rivers n/a/6 p.m.
1/13 HOME vs Allegan N/A 4:15
1/19 Away vs Otsego 5:00 6:15 1/28 LMCCOA Scholarship Invite East Kentwood n/a/1 p.m.
1/24 Away vs Dowagiac N/A 5:45 1/28 Bulldog Classic Otsego 9 a.m./n/a
1/26 HOME vs Plainwell 5:00 6:15 1/30 Lawton Think Pink Invite Lawton 6 p.m./n/a
2/2 HOME vs South Haven 5:00 6:15 2/1 Wolverine Conf. Finals Edwardsburg 5/5 p.m.
2/7 HOME vs Three Rivers 4:15 5:45 2/3 Huskie Invite Portage Northern 6/6 p.m.
2/10 Away vs Allegan N/A 4:15 2/11 PR Cheer Tournament Delta Plex n/a/10 a.m.
2/13 HOME vs Comstock 5:00 6:15 2/18 MHSAA Districts Otsego n/a/5 p.m.
2/16 HOME vs Otsego 5:00 6:15 2/25 MHSAA Regional Rockford n/a/6 p.m.
2/23 South at North (HOME) 4:15 5:45 3/4 MHSAA State Finals Delta Plex n/a/6 p.m.
Wrestling
PLAY Date Opponent Time Date Opponent Time
12/07 Away vs Vicksburg/ 5:30 1/18 HOME vs Plainwell/ 5:30
WITH Three Rivers @ Vicksburg South Haven /Vicksburg
12/10 Away vs Delton 10:00 a.m. 1/21 Away vs Belleville 9:00 a.m.
PAW PAW 12/14 Away vs Three Rivers/ 5:30 1/25 Away vs South Haven 5:30
Away vs K. Central
10:00 a.m.
South Haven/Sturgis @ Three Rivers
1/28
12/17 Away vs Gull Lake 9:30 a.m. 2/4 Conf. Meet @ Otsego TBA
PRIDE! 12/29 Away vs Comstock 9:30 a.m. 2/8 or 2/9 Team Districts TBA
1/4 Away vs Dowagiac/ 5:30 2/11 Individual Districts TBA
Edwardsburg/South Haven @ Dowagiac 2/15 Team Regionals TBA
PP 1/11 Away vs South Haven 5:30 2/24-2/25 Team State TBA
Individual Regionals
2/18
TBA
Away vs Bangor
10:00 a.m.
1/7
TBA
Individuals @ Mendon
1/14
9:00 a.m.
3/2-3/4 Individual State
P S www.ppps.org WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES 15

PPPS EVERY GRADUATE: NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
.org
College...
PAID
Career...
PAW PAW, MICHIGAN
PERMIT NO. 88
Community Ready!
POSTAL PATRON
Students’ visits teach them about

the law and their community

In support of our social studies curriculum, the
Early Elementary second grade classes visited the Van
Buren County Courthouse in Paw Paw as well as the
Paw Paw Police Department. In class, our students
have been learning about the purpose, structure and
functions of local government as well as the role of the
individual citizen in a democratic community.
Visits to the courthouse and police station gave our
students multiple opportunities to engage with local
government officials and to apply classroom learning
to real-world situations. For example, while touring
the police station, students learned how our local law The elementary campus held its annual Halloween
enforcement officers support our laws and community. parade on Friday morning, October 28th. Once again,
Students were able to tour the facility, sit inside the we were very fortunate to have the cooperation of moth-
squad cars and look at the fire trucks as well. er nature with providing a beautiful fall day with plenty of
At the courthouse, students learned the history of sunshine for our students and guests. Our parade was
the building as well as its importance to our commu- extremely well attended by parents and family members
and the students had a wonderful time showing off their
nity. We learned about how the building has changed creativity through a wide range of costumes. Everyone
since it was first constructed. Students also partici- had a very enjoyable time celebrating Halloween on
pated in a mock trial led by Judge Dufon, where class- Friday morning, October 28th. Thank you for helping to
es were able to experience first-hand how laws can be make this such a successful Halloween celebration!
created, enforced and amended to suit the needs of a Mr. Davison and Mr. Turner
community.
Our school appreciates the time and energy gener- Title Services provided at the
ously given to our students by Frank Hardester, Judge
Dufon, Officer Carlsen and Detective Rottman whose Elementary Campus
efforts made lasting learning experiences for our stu- Paw Paw Public Schools provide Title services to
dents. those students who are most at risk of not meeting
Amy Koehn state academic standards. Services are determined
GRADE 2 TEACHER based on the results of district assessments.Title teach-
PAW PAW EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ers provide additional services and activities to those
students who qualify. Using this data, teachers deter-
mine what strategies and interventions are appropriate
PAW PAW to meet student’s needs. The following teachers pro-
viding assistance with reading are Lynn Serbenski, Sue
PRIDE Jackson, Pat Mayne and Chelsea Embury. Derek
Vanderburg and Kris Koehne
PP
provide math interventions.



16 MORE FROM THE ELEMENTARY CAMPUS P S