News and Announcements

Thornapple Kellogg Schools will send 10 Odyssey of the Mind teams to the state finals including five middle school teams. TK OM coordinator Robin Walters said she believes this is record number of teams advancing to the state for the district. Last year, TK advanced eight teams to the State Finals and three to the World Finals. This year's teams advancing included one team from Lee Elementary, three teams from Page Elementary, five teams from the middle school and two teams from the high school.

TKMS 8th graders Kate Baldry and Cameron Phillips won the middle school spelling bee honors and will represent the school at the regional spelling bee. Baldry won the competition on the word "Auf Wiedersehen." Other grade-level winners at the TKMS spelling bee were Colton (Cash) Rabley in first place for 7th grade with Shelby Robinett as runner-up; Cole Novak in first place for 6th grade with Kennedy Kimmel and Mason Beard as runners-up.

As part of a health and nutrition lesson, middle school teacher Melissa Thaler wanted to give her 8th-grade students a real-life experience in learning where their food comes from and how it's produced.

After learning about the importance of Veterans Day, Thornapple Kellogg 8th-grade students raised funds to donate to three local organizations. Footprints purchased by the students carry the names of family members, loved ones and friends who are either veterans or currently serving. The footprints line the hallway so as students make their way down the main corridor they are literally "walking in the footsteps of heroes."

After hearing real-life war stories from Vietnam, Thornapple Kellogg Middle School students will launch their own effort to honor and remember all veterans.

TKMS students will perform "Oklahoma!" Nov. 14 and 15. The show starts at 7 each night in the high school auditorium. There is no cost to attend, but donations are greatly appreciated to help continue and maintain our middle school theater program. Many students are involved in this production directed by Laura Nikkel and Laura Oprea.

Winter in West Michigan is not a matter of "if" it comes - it's "when" it comes. That means the work of Classmates Care is never ending. This year, the organization was named the recipient of $4,000 raised by the annual Thornapple Financial Center and Money Concepts golf event. Each year the company selects a charity or organization to receive their donation.

Thornapple Kellogg Middle School recently honored the September students of the month. Pictured in front from left are Drake Holzhausen, Jordan Rowley, Lucy VanDemark, Ailana Leos, Abigail Dumond, Willow Tuffs, Josalyn Cramer, Zoe Boyd (second row) Israel Mendez-Torres, Corbin Clements, Cole Novak, Will Nathan, Blake Hardy, Kendra Coe, Cecelia Essenberg, Zoey Ziny, Erin Chinavare, Emma Dykhouse, Maliah Westmaas, Whitney Ruger (third row) John Wieringa, Grayson Stahle, Haden Bovee, Hope Clements, Hayden Chatman, Anna Niemi and Wyatt Barnes. Not available for the photo was Alexandra Segoviano. Pictured separately is Andrew Swift with TKMS Principal Kelli Arnold-Wegner.

THANK YOU TK community for your generous support of the TKMS Fitness Palooza. Your support raised nearly $13,000 for our middle school classes. Funds will be used for things like special events, speakers and activities. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this event another great success.

The Thornapple Kellogg middle and high school students gathered at the Middleville 9-11 Patriot Day ceremony were called "heroes," but challenged with two important tasks - to never forget the 9-11 events and to honor the victims by doing selfless acts of service to others.