Coloma Newsletter

Dear Coloma Families,

We are close to the start of the 2025-2026 school year. I hope that your family had an amazing summer break filled with relaxation, adventure and, hopefully, some learning! Since the new year is upon us, I wanted to take a moment to provide you with resources that may be helpful as students return to our buildings in just a few short days.

As a reminder, our first day of school will be Monday, August 25. It’s important for students to come to school all day, every day, including this first day. Every moment of socialization and in-person instruction helps shape our students into young leaders. Please prioritize arriving on time and showing up this year.

Go Comets!

Dave Ehlers

Superintendent

In June, out of 43 votes, 23 said their favorite place to read is outside. When the weather is nice, reading outside is great way to soak up the summer sun!

Here’s an overview of our district’s academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year so you don’t miss a beat! You can also access it here.

Coloma Community Schools will be implementing a Standard Response Protocol (SRP), developed by the I Love You Guy Foundation, to support school safety. This will be a straightforward procedure for our district to follow in case of emergencies. For more information, check out the informational documents below or on our website here!

Don’t miss out on showing your Comet Pride at our upcoming fall sporting events. Visit the link below to purchase tickets!

https://gofan.co/app/school/MI4170

Rebecca Marske is moving from fifth grade to the Title 1 position at Coloma Elementary. This will be her second year with the district and we’re grateful for her continued support of our students!

Brad Hessler is Coloma High School's new football coach! Coach Hessler is a retired history teacher from Watervliet. He played football at Western Michigan University and has coached football in various schools throughout the country. Coach Hessler also substitute teaches at Coloma JH/HS. We're glad to have him!

Families commit to Coloma for a variety of reasons, including our engaging programs. Our students can participate in K-5th STEM and/or our Fifth Grade Band. Check out the videos below to learn more about why these programs are special and how to get your child involved.

Our Seniors had the opportunity to showcase their creativity by painting their parking spot for their last year at Coloma High School. Check out their progress below!

Coloma Schools offers a virtual alternative program for students

Coloma Community Schools is launching a new alternative virtual program for high school students. Coloma Virtual Pathway is a new flexible online learning option for students in grades 9 through 12.

Coloma Elementary staff hand out free meals, books to support summer learning

Coloma Schools are giving away a free batch of meals and books for families of Coloma Elementary Tuesday. "Pop-Ups in the Parking Lot" is a free program that offers K-5 students and their families an extra means for food security during summer break.

Southwest Michigan schools adopt new policies amid rise in A.I.

A new approach to Artificial Intelligence is coming to schools in southwest Michigan this year. For some, this includes new technology and guidelines. For educators at Coloma Community Schools and St. Joseph Public Schools, AI is not something to avoid.