As we begin the 2026-27 school year, I do so with gratitude for our incredible staff, students and community. Their dedication to our school district and each other continues to inspire me. Educating our children is one of the MOST important tasks we must do well in life and our employees are giving it their all.
Thanks to our community supporting our zero increase bond in 2024, our septic system was replaced in 2025 and many HVAC, electrical, painting, carpet, doors, bathrooms and gym floors have all been upgraded in some way this summer. At the high school, we’ll be down to the wire to get everything done before school starts! Some of the changes you’ll see, but many are things you won’t see like HVAC and electrical upgrades.
Our safety programming is also increasing this year thanks to a large grant secured by our amazing School Resource Officer, Shane Helmer. Speaking of safety, we’re moving the pick up and drop off to the front of the MS / HS building so you’ll see new signs and hear more about that before school starts. As always, please go slow and use extreme caution when driving on our campus locations. August 26 is our open house and school starts on August 31. We pushed it back a little this year due to all of the construction.
Parents and community members, we need you to volunteer for Booster Club activities such as concession stand workers and ticket takers, we need parents on Parent Group Committees, we need parents or community members to serve in paid positions as substitute teachers or support staff subs (food service, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers). If you can help in any of these ways, please reach out to our schools. We’re doing great work here at PRAS and we can’t do it as well without your support.
Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. I would love to meet and chat with you. I have open office hours at 5 pm before every board meeting or by appointment. We're looking forward to a fabulous 2026-27 school year here at Pine River Area Schools. Thank you for your support. Go BUCKS!
Sincerely,
Superintendent Michelle Gill
Attention Bucks Students & Families! 💚
In accordance with a new Michigan State Law, Pine River Area Schools will be updating our policy regarding student electronic devices for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year. To help maintain a safe, distraction-free environment focused on learning, please review the state-mandated expectations below:
🔒 General Expectation (K-12):
All student electronic devices must be powered off and stored in lockers during the instructional school day.
🚌 School Bus Use:
Electronic devices are permitted on the bus before and after school. Please remind students to be respectful of others while using them.
🏫 High School Students (Grades 8–12):
High school students may use their cell phones during their scheduled lunch time only.
🚫 Elementary & Middle School Students (Grades K–7):
Elementary and Middle School students remain 100% electronic-free for the entire school day (including lunch).
🕒 After School:
Devices may be turned on and used as normal once the school day has ended.
❓ What counts as an electronic device?
This includes cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, AirPods/earbuds, handheld gaming units, or any device capable of recording, transmitting, or connecting to the internet.
💡 How Parents & Guardians Can Help:
Please talk with your student about these expectations before school starts. If you want to ensure your child's device is not confiscated, encourage them to keep it turned off and put away in their locker—or leave it safely at home!
We deeply appreciate your partnership and support as we transition to these state-required guidelines. Our goal is fewer distractions and more focused learning for every Buck! 🦌
Have questions? Our school offices reopen on August 17th. Enjoy the rest of your summer! ☀️
#PineRiverBucks #BuckPride #FocusedLearning #PRAS
Chromebook Pickup
Wednesday August 19,
4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Middle School Gym
Grades 9 - 12
Cost: $25.00 per student
Additionally, the Middle and High Schools will have a change in parent pick up and drop off. For 26-27, these will occur in the front of both schools. Only buses will pick up and drop off in the back of the schools. Traffic in and out of the parking area will also be one way. More info to come soon.
So many people are helping us this summer with construction and preparations for the coming school year!
We're excited to welcome back our staff and students later this month!
Here is some important information from Pine River Area Schools!
Next week is election Tuesday and as Superintendent of Pine River Area Schools, I wanted to let you know how much we value our School Resource Officer (SRO), Shane Helmer. The SRO program is provided through the millage on your ballot. This is not a school millage but our students and staff benefit greatly from having a SRO in our buildings every day. Here are some of the great things about our School Resoure Officer:
Exceptional Attention to Detail: Officer Helmer demonstrates extraordinary skills, care and precision when navigating sensitive and critical situations. His thorough approach ensures matters are handled discreetly, professionally, and effectively.
Strong Community & Student Engagement: Officer Helmer has cultivated outstanding relationships across the Pine River Area Schools District. His ability to connect authentically with both community members, staff and especially students fosters an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
High Visibility & Presence: As a constant and reassuring presence, Officer Helmer regularly attends school events and extracurriculars. His active participation underscores his commitment to supporting our students while safeguarding the District as a whole.
Dependability & Accessibility: Officer Helmer offers invaluable peace of mind to our administration and staff. Whenever support is needed, he responds promptly, selflessly, and with a steadfast willingness to assist. He is an integral part of our everyday decisions and administrative team.
Grants: Officer Helmer regularly seeks grant funding to upgrade safety measures at Pine River Area Schools. Last school year, he secured a grant for just over $400,000 through the Federal School Violence Prevention Program to provide an emergency notification system for all staff, a new system to monitor all who enter our schools, new radios for staff and new radios for our buses.
Training: Officer Helmer not only provides safety training to our PRAS staff, but he is also a trainer for first responders and officers across the state.
The Pine River Area Schools District is exceptionally fortunate to have Officer Helmer as our School Resource Officer. His dedication, proactive safety efforts, and personal commitment to our school culture make him an indispensable asset to our team and a highly valued member of our PRAS family. We hope our regional School Resource Officer program can continue indefinitely!
With PRide,
Superintendent Michelle Gill
