Coloma Newsletter

Dear families,

As the holiday season unfolds, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. No matter how you celebrate, this time of year is about coming together, spreading kindness, and embracing the spirit of giving. I hope your holiday season is filled with joy, warmth, and meaningful moments with family and friends.

I’m continually reminded of how fortunate we are to be part of such a supportive and caring community. Our students inspire us every day with their curiosity, kindness, and drive to succeed. Their growth would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible teachers and staff, whose passion for education and compassion for our students shine through in all they do.

To our Coloma families, thank you for your unwavering support. Whether through volunteering, attending events, or simply encouraging your child’s learning, your involvement strengthens the bond between home and school and makes a lasting impact.

As the holiday break approaches, I encourage everyone to take time to relax, recharge, and enjoy this special season. Stay warm, stay safe, and know how much we appreciate every member of our school community. We look forward to continuing our shared journey in the new year.

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season!

Sincerely,

November's poll winner was mashed potatoes with 41%.

Let’s hear it for Joe, this month’s Athlete of the Month! Joe Clayton is a Coloma High School sophomore who plays varsity football and is a varsity wrestler. He is just as impressive in the classroom, holding a 3.55 GPA. Way to go, Joe!

Coloma High School Holiday Concerts Spread Cheer and Joy

December was a month full of festive music at Coloma Community Schools, with students showcasing their talents in a series of holiday performances.

On Thursday, December 12, the Coloma High School Jazz Band and Concert Band held their Holiday Concert, marking the return of the High School Jazz Band after a four-year hiatus. Both groups delivered exceptional performances, blending traditional holiday tunes with fresh, engaging pieces.

The Jazz Band featured multiple student soloists, adding a personal touch to each piece. Highlights included performances of Marshmallow World, featuring Cullin Hannan, Isaac Perez, and others, as well as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, with solos by Cullin Hannan and Charles Gagliardo. The Concert Band dazzled the audience with selections like Sleigh Ride, by Leroy Anderson and Russian Christmas Music, by Alfred Reed and featuring standout solos by Isaac Perez and Cheyann Witherspoon.

The concert concluded with a spirited Christmas Sing-a-long, featuring the High School Choir under the direction of Choir Director Greg Prather, encouraging audience participation and bringing the holiday spirit to life.

The Jazz Band also spread holiday cheer beyond the concert hall, performing for students at the Elementary and Intermediate schools on Friday, December 13.

Earlier in the month, on December 6, the Coloma High School Choir showcased their exceptional talent during a special performance at the North Berrien Historical Society. Directed by Greg Prather, the choir performed a selection of festive songs that highlighted the season's joy and their vocal excellence.

Family, friends, and community members gathered to enjoy the musical event in the warm, nostalgic setting of the historical society. The performance underscored the dedication and hard work of the students, while emphasizing the vital role of music education within Coloma Community Schools.

Coloma Community Schools is proud of all its student musicians and extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported these festive events, making this holiday season truly memorable through the power of music!

Coloma High School Choir Performing at North Berrien Historical Society

Soloists performing at the Coloma High School Holiday Concert

Coloma Junior High is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our Robotics Team this year. The team participated in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), a prestigious robotics competition where students design, build, and program robots to complete specific tasks and challenges. This program not only hones STEM skills like problem-solving and engineering but also emphasizes creativity, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Under the guidance of advisors Mrs. Kim Kubatzke and Mr. Steve Mammel, the team worked tirelessly to create an innovative robot affectionately named Bart. Their dedication was on full display at the Big Rapids FTC Qualifier the weekend of December 7th. The team earned the 1st Place Design Award, recognizing Bart’s impressive functionality and intelligent design. Additionally, they received the coveted Inspire Award, which celebrates teams that excel in all aspects of the competition, including technical skill, collaboration, and community impact.

The Inspire Award not only highlights the students' dedication but also their outstanding sportsmanship. Judges were particularly impressed with how our students supported other teams during and after the competition, showcasing true Comet Pride. As a result of their success, the team qualified for the State Championship Competition, held the weekend of December 14th in Muskegon.

Our talented Robotics Team consists of 7th graders Jack Selvidge, Irelynn Reinhardt, Sullivan Brookshire, Kailan Brown, and 6th grader Landen Baryo. These students have put in weeks of hard work, collaborating to build a robot capable of performing complex tasks such as navigating mazes and scoring points in competitive games. Their efforts have set an inspiring example of innovation and perseverance for our school community.

We are immensely proud of our team’s accomplishments and can’t wait to see what they achieve next. Go Comets Robotics!

Coloma Robotics team with their medals

Coloma's 2024 robot

Coloma Intermediate Celebrates Comet Reward Party Success

Coloma Intermediate's recent Comet Reward Party was an incredible success! It was an exciting and fun-filled event where we got to celebrate our amazing students who earned their spot at the party by having no missing assignments and no referrals!

The party was a fantastic way to recognize the hard work, responsibility and positive behavior of our Comets. We had games, treats and plenty of fun as students mingled and celebrated their accomplishments. It's always so inspiring to see how committed our students are to doing their best in and out of the classroom.

As we head into January, let’s keep up the great work, Comets! We can't wait to see even more students earning their spots at next month’s reward party. Keep up the fantastic effort!

Coloma Intermediate students marking their bingo sheets

Coloma Intermediate staff drawing the bingo numbers

Students playing bingo at Coloma Intermediate Rewards Party

Holiday Parties and Holiday Shop at Coloma Elementary School

The holiday season is upon us with fun-filled celebrations at Coloma Elementary. Holiday parties have been scheduled throughout the week to make for a much more relaxed and enjoyable time for everyone. Rather than squeezing all the festivities into one busy hour, we've made sure there's plenty of time for students to enjoy their parties at different points during the week.

The teachers and grade-level teams have been given the freedom to decide how they want to celebrate and when. Some classes enjoyed a holiday movie with snacks (perhaps a cozy Polar Express session), while others dove into holiday crafts and games. Every room was decorated differently, and that’s what makes these parties so special. It's a fun surprise to see how each class celebrates.

In addition to the parties, we’ve wrapped up the much-loved PTO Holiday Shop. This yearly tradition gives students the chance to shop for gifts for their family members. Each student receives an envelope to bring home, where parents can list the names of family members (and even pets) they want to shop for. The school provides them with an envelope to send the money in and write the name of the designated gift recipient. Then, the kids get to pick out up to 10 items from the PTO Holiday Shop, which is stocked with all sorts of goodies. There were gifts for everyone: ornaments, Christmas decor, pet presents, etc. It’s always a joy to see the thoughtful gifts students pick out.

The PTO did a fantastic job of organizing the Holiday Shop—it's always a highlight of the season. The kids love being involved in the holiday spirit and showing their love for their families through these special gifts.

Hey Friends,

I couldn’t help but notice some of you shopping at the PTO Holiday Shop this week... and it got me thinking... did anyone happen to check out the pet aisle? You know, maybe for a certain hard-working therapy dog in training... like me?

Just kidding! I hope you all had an amazing time picking out special gifts for your friends and families. Being here to help you feel calm, happy, and ready to learn is the best gift ever—but I wouldn’t say no to a squeaky toy... you know, for “stress relief training.”

Love,
Mavis

Our amazing parents are nominating teachers who go above and beyond for their students! Stay tuned as we share their heartfelt shout outs and celebrate the incredible educators who make a difference every day. If you have a teacher you would like to nominate, please use this link to share a submission.