An Overview of PWCS

History

Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools have deep roots within the rural communities of Pewamo and Westphalia – covering roughly 75 square miles on the western side of Clinton County, Michigan.

While early education efforts within the present-day school community developed in the late 1800s, the modern district mostly formed via consolidation in 1941 - when the original Pewamo School District consolidated with several small neighboring districts. In 1959, another consolidation took place when Westphalia merged with Pewamo – establishing a combined high school (opening in 1961) and thus forming what is now known as Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools. 

Today, the school district serves these communities - leveraging a strong community and partnerships with local Catholic churches for student transitions. Eight full-time superintendents have overseen district operations since 1961 (William Steinke, Roy Thelen, Steve Barnum, Ron Simon, Jason Mellema, Garth Cooper, Jeffrey Wright, and Jennifer Goodman) – which serves roughly 700 students and employs approximately 80 staff members.

P-W Mission

The Mission of Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools is to equip all students with the knowledge, skills, and motivation that enable them to direct their own lives and to contribute to a changing global community by providing a variety of learning experiences in partnership with the community to meet each student's needs as defined by his or her educational goals.

Vision Statement

The educational environment in Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools will be conducive to a successful learning center for life. We will assure that graduating students obtain an endorsed diploma, be employable, and have the skills necessary to continue their education. We will collaborate with parents, staff, community members, and students to develop strategic plans that define a direction and purpose to enable all of us to be a little more effective every day.

What We Believe

1. Schools must work in conjunction with families and community to successfully educate our children.
2. All children can and want to learn at a high level. Learning should be stimulating and challenging and is a life-long process where everyone learns at different rates and in different ways. It should be stimulating and challenging.
3. If children are to be successful, expectations must be high; quality time must be spent to develop and encourage positive attitudes, positive self-esteem, personal responsibility and compassion.
4. Children need to learn values and personal strategies (fairness, honesty, self-discipline, constructive criticism, listening skills, problem solving techniques, and understanding diversity.)
5. All children should exit the educational system (Pre-K through college) with an employable skill, be a quality producer, and a collaborative contributor.
6. People who actively participate in the decision-making process will be more supportive of the results.
7. Everybody is part of a global society; and, therefore, needs a sense of community which balances self-interest with the interest of others.
8. Children should be able to communicate effectively in a variety of ways, (express themselves creatively, listen, and form intelligent solutions.)
9. P-W Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age sex, marital status, religion, disability or handicap.

PWCS Strategic Plan