Teacher and student

Building Connections at PPPS - Four at the Door + One More

February 2, 2024
For Immediate Release Contact: Rick Reo, Superintendent Paw Paw Public Schools 269-415-5200 rick.reo@ppps.org Building Connections at PPPS - Four at the Door + On...
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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 District Shout-Outs!

January 16, 2024
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 mo...
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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

PPPS SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOUT-OUTS!

December 15, 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 s...
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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

Senior Citizens' Holiday Luncheon

December 13, 2023
All Paw Paw area senior citizens age 60 years and older are invited to attend the monthly PPPS Senior Citizens' Luncheons at Paw Paw High School. At Paw Paw Public Schools, we a...
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students and basketball players shaking hands. go red wolves. #packpride. basketball and red wolves logos.

PPHS Basketball Teams Unite with Our Community to Build Success

December 8, 2023
Paw Paw, MI – As ambassadors and role models for Paw Paw Public Schools, the student-athletes and coaches in Paw Paw High School’s basketball program take their jobs seriously...
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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.

COMMUNITY INVITED TO ATTEND FREE HOLIDAY CONCERTS

December 7, 2023
Come celebrate the holiday season with student performances by the award-winning band and music programs of Paw Paw Public Schools! The public is encouraged to attend concerts thr...
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Build together logo. PPPS community connections fall open house.

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...
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Red Wolves Fall to Vikings; Set Up Playoff Showdown!

October 23, 2023
Friday night the Paw Paw Red Wolves traveled to Niles to play the Vikings for the Wolverine Conference Championship. Paw Paw hung tough early, trading first possession touchdowns...
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Bulldogs No Match for the Red Wolves!!!!

October 16, 2023
Friday night saw the Paw Paw Red Wolves trounce all over the Otsego Bulldogs on Senior night, as seven different Red Wolves reached the end zone in their 47-6 victory. Paw Paw w...
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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

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...
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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...
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Homecoming Victory!!!!

October 8, 2023
No amount of rain could keep the Paw Paw faithful away Friday night, and the Red Wolves defense came in hot on a cold homecoming night! When all was said and done, Paw Paw sent ...
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DOWN GO THE EDDIES!!!

October 3, 2023
Your Paw Paw Red Wolves, along with a highly devoted student section traveled to Edwardsburg Friday night with an early share of first place in the Wolverine Conference on the lin...
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Trojans Taken Down By Hungry Red Wolves

September 25, 2023
Friday night saw the Paw Paw Red Wolves Varsity Football team roll up 131 to take on the Plainwell Trojans in some hard-hitting gridiron action. Paw Paw wasted no time taking co...
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Dawgs No Match for the Wolves

September 18, 2023
Friday night the Paw Paw Red Wolves Varsity Football team returned to their patriotic Red White and Blue home crowd after two weeks on the road to take on the Vicksburg Bulldogs. ...
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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...
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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.

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...
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Red Wolves Overpower Sturgis 41-16

September 11, 2023
Friday night your Paw Paw Red Wolves made the trip to Sturgis to take on the Trojans and open up Wolverine Conference play. On Sturgis’s opening possession Nate LaMere got the de...
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Final Score

Red Wolves Don't Need Luck Against Shamrocks

September 5, 2023
Thursday night the Paw Paw Red Wolves varsity football team traveled to Berrien Springs for their second game of the season. Paw Paw’s defense set the tone early, holding firm w...
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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...
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