Coloma Newsletter

Dear Coloma Families,

We have already reached the end of the first month of school! Time really does fly when you’re having fun. It’s been a pleasure to get to know our new students and their families and see growth from those who are returning. As I walk the halls, I am encouraged and joyful to see the bright, happy faces of our students learning and making friends. On that note, I want to continue to encourage all students to come to school all day, every day, so that we may witness further growth.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll see what each school has been up to since the start of the year, as well as updates from across the district.

Thank you and go Comets!

Dave Ehlers

Superintendent

What would your favorite fall activity be in school?

Voting ends in 18 days

Votes are anonymous but results are public

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In August, out of 52 votes, 20 said they implemented earlier bedtimes to prepare their child for the school year.

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

See below for each school's parent-teacher conference date!

October 21: High School from 4 - 7 pm and Intermediate from 5 - 8 PM

October 22: Junior High from 4 - 7 pm and Elementary from 5 - 8 pm

October 23: Intermediate and Elementary from 1-4 PM and 5 - 8 PM

Junior High and High School from 4 - 7 pm

Some of our wonderful staff members received Mini-Acorn grant awards from the Berrien Community Foundation to use towards their classroom and improving student development. Check out our winners and what they plan to do with their awards. Congratulations, everyone!

Valerie Krieger - Fourth Grade, Coloma Intermediate

Mrs. Krieger plans to use her grant to purchase practice supplies for the Coloma Intermediate Science Olympiad. This program is designed to help students learn and love STEM subjects such as science, engineering and health at Coloma Intermediate. This program encourages students to compete in events that test many scientific disciplines and take place throughout the school year.

Deanne-Adele Sanchez - First Grade, Coloma Elementary

Ms. Sanchez will use the "Building Bridges for Literacy" grant she received to fund phonics materials (letter tiles and word games), math manipulatives (counting bears and blocks), flexible seating options (wobble cushions and bean bags), new books for our classroom library, and STEM supplies. The idea is to create hands-on stations that address different learning styles and make learning more engaging. Students will rotate through the centers, giving them variety and movement while reinforcing key skills.

Brittni Jackson - Fourth Grade, Coloma Intermediate

In her classroom, they use a group work strategy called Thinking Classrooms. This strategy has students working in randomized groups of 3 at whiteboards placed around the classroom. They work together to solve problems and collaboratively think of new ways to find the answer. With the Mini Acorn Grant, Mrs. Jackson will be able to purchase enough whiteboards for her groups of three to work at vertical spaces, which is a crucial element of this strategy.

Heather Lopez - Young Fives, Coloma Elementary

Ms. Lopez plans to use her grant to fund the purchase of a chicken egg incubator and a "Red-Barn" style brooder to create an engaging, hands-on agricultural science program for students. The goal is to teach students about life cycles, responsibility, food systems and sustainability through the experience of hatching and raising chicks in a safe and educational environment.

Brittany Brethauer - Third Grade, Coloma Elementary

Mrs. Brethauer plans to use her grant to fund all STEM-related materials for the 3rd graders. She will be purchasing hands-on items such as magnets, Keva planks, Strawbees and other manipulatives that will allow students to think critically, problem solve and create. Third graders learn about engineering, force and motion. We do not have much for them to experiment with for these science standards, but this grant will give them many opportunities to learn kinetically.

Gregory Shaffer - School Counselor, Coloma High

Mr. Shaffer plans to use his grant towards establishing the Dignity Program, a student-centered initiative aimed at promoting health, self-respect and equitable access to basic hygiene items for all students. The program will provide essential toiletries in student restrooms so that students can discreetly select the items they need, preserving their dignity and reducing barriers.

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

Staff with "First Day of School" Signs

Coloma High School’s English and Math departments welcomed the new school year with a fun photo series. Staff were photographed holding “My First Day of School” signs - similar to the signs young students often hold while taking photos on their first day. These signs included queries that staff members answered, such as, “I’m excited to learn…,” “I am really good at…,” “My favorite color is…,” and “When I grow up I want to be.” This was a great and playful way to ring in the new school year. Thank you, Principal Fisher, for capturing this!

Peer Mentoring Program

Coloma Junior High is the home of the peer mentoring program, where 8th-grade students can become mentors for incoming 6th-grade students. Transitioning to a new school isn’t always easy, and the peer mentoring program eases this process. From helping them find their classrooms and lockers to being a listening ear, the peer mentors are there to help. We thank Kim Kubatzke and Shannon Chaput for leading this program and all of our current and former mentors for their contributions!

Staff Spirit Day Prank

During the second week of school, Coloma Intermediate School staff hosted an “underground spirit week,” where they participated in a different dress-up theme each day of the week - all without the students knowing beforehand. Underground spirit days included:

Monday: Closed for Labor Day

Tuesday: Blackout Day

Wednesday: Hawaiian Day

Thursday: Anything But A Cup Day

Friday: Flannel Day

The students were confused at first, but slowly started to catch on, making for a great (and fun) way to support student engagement.

Mrs. Brethauer's Award from Honor Credit Union

Third-grade teacher, Ms. Brethauer, is among the recipients of Honor Credit Union’s 16th Annual Teacher Awards! She received a $500 grant in the form of an Amazon gift card, which she plans to use to purchase more STEM materials for her students, as well as update her classroom’s library. She was one of 40 teachers across Michigan to win this award this year.

Congratulations, Ms. Brethauer!

Teacher Spotlight

We are shining our staff spotlight on Ms. Sherice Singer, fifth-grade teacher at Coloma Intermediate! From culinary arts to the classroom, Ms. Singer’s journey is inspiring! A proud mom of two, she earned her Master’s in Elementary Education and now shares her passion for learning with our students. She also coaches middle school robotics and fosters curiosity, resilience and a love of learning. We’re so glad you’re part of our team, Ms. Singer!

Student Spotlight

We are spotlighting Drake Kazee, one of our kindergarten rockstars! Just a few weeks into school and he is already reading 60 high-frequency words in ONE minute! What an incredible start to the school year. Way to shine, Drake!

Families commit to Coloma for a variety of reasons, including our engaging programs. Our students can participate in the CTE and Tutoring programs. Check out the videos below to learn more about why these programs are special and how to get your child involved.

View Here

How we create an engaging learning environment

Read Superintendent Ehlers' column in the Tri-City Record for the month of September, where he discusses how the district keeps the students engaged in learning.

Committed to Coloma. Enroll your child at Coloma Community Schools!

Coloma Newsletter