Welcome! 2025-2026 School Year

Welcome to Weston!

It's one of the most exciting times of the year - Back to School! Students fill our hallways with fresh backpacks and supplies and teachers excitedly greet all of the new faces that are ready to learn! I am so excited to be back at Weston for another year as the building principal. I am looking forward to seeing all of your smiling faces soon!

My name is Mrs. Sarah Wood. I enjoy doing things outside like kayaking and bike riding. I also enjoying reading (mostly thrillers and mysteries), cooking, and doing crafts. Mr. Wood and I enjoy taking trips up to the Traverse City and Petoskey areas, attending concerts, exploring new restaurants, and most of all, spending time playing with our puppy Ruby.

I hope everyone had a great summer, is well rested and ready to get back to school. We have been working very hard to get everything ready around Weston and cannot wait to see you!

This year our first day of school is Monday, August 25, 2025. This day will be a half day, so school will be in session from 8:35 AM to 11:45 AM.

Our regular day starts at 8:35 AM and ends at 3:25 PM.

Remember, in order to find out your child's classroom teacher you will need to log into ParentVue and complete the Annual Online Renewal which will have you verify and update your child's profile information. Once completed, you will be able to view your child's teacher beginning Monday, August 11.

If you need assistance setting up your ParentVue account or completing the Online Registration, please call our main office (810) 591-8483 or you can email Kearsley Tech: synergy@kearsleyschools.org.

I encourage you to follow the Weston Elementary Facebook page to remain up to date on Weston happenings.

You will receive your welcome packet, tour the building, and meet your child's teacher at our Open House. Please see below for additional information.

I'm looking forward to a great year!

Sarah Wood
Weston Principal

Meet Weston's Office Staff

Ms. Buckner
Administrative Secretary

Mrs. LeBrasseur
Clerk

Mr. Corkran
Restorative Practices Coordinator

2025-2026 School Year Information

Click the links below each graphic for detailed information.

Kearsley's Back to School Webpage

District Calendar

Looking Forward to Meeting Families at the Open House!

Kindergarten: Tuesday, August 19, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
1st Grade: Tuesday, August 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

At the Open House, you will have the opportunity to:

see your child's classroom,
meet their teacher,
and drop off supplies for the school year.

The Transportation Department will have a table during this time where you can discuss bus arrangements.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:
At the Open House, students will receive transportant tags that zip-tie to their backpacks. These tags MUST be attached for the first day of school, and remain on their backpack for the remainder of the school year. This will help us to ensure that all students quickly get to the appropriate location for transportation home each day.

Upcoming Important Events

Monday, August 11: Technology Help Session
5:00-7:00 p.m. at Kearsley High School
Get help with required Online Renewal completion & staff will be available to answer questions.

Wednesday, August 13: Family Movie Night
Click here for details

Tuesday, August 19: OPEN HOUSE
Kindergarten: 4:00-5:00 p.m.
1st grade: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Monday, August 25: 1st Day of School
It is a 1/2 day, dismissal at 11:45 a.m.

Friday, August 29 & Monday, September 1: No School
Enjoy Labor Day weekend!

Wednesday, September 24: Weston's Picture Day

Student Nutrition

FREE Breakfast & Lunch!

All enrolled Kearsley students are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at NO CHARGE.

Menus are updated monthly, and can be located on the Kearsley Food Service & Nutrition webpage.

If you have questions about school nutrition services you can call (810) 591-5409.

Wellness Policy Updates

Thank you for helping us promote a healthy and focused learning environment!

Outside Food and Beverage

In accordance with our district wellness policy, outside food and beverages - such as fast food, coffee, energy drinks, and other restaurant items - are not allowed at school. Students are welcome to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Celebrating Student Birthdays

Students will have three fun and meaningful options to choose from to celebrate their special day at school:

🎉 Bring in a non-food treat to share (such as stickers, pencils, etc.)

📚 Bring a book for the teacher to read to the class

🏃 Enjoy 15 minutes of extra recess with their class

In accordance with our district wellness policy, food items will no longer be allowed for birthday celebrations.

What You Need to Know About Busing & Parent Drop-Off/Pick-Up

At the Tuesday, August 19th Open House, all students will receive transportation tags that zip-tie to their backpacks. These tags must be attached before the first day of school and should remain on backpacks for the entire school year.

These tags are essential for helping staff ensure each student gets to the correct location for dismissal and transportation home each day. Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe and organized!

BUS RIDERS

Bus routes for Weston students are available on the district's Transportation Department website. Please refer to this resource to find your child’s bus stop and schedule.

A representative from the Transportation Department will be available during Open House to answer any questions. You may also contact them directly at (810) 591-7623.

We encourage as many students as possible to ride the bus each day, as this helps keep the end-of-day car loop running smoothly and safely.

As a reminder, riding the school bus is a privilege. All students are expected to follow bus safety rules—unsafe or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.

CAR RIDERS

Here’s what you need to know about using our car loop for drop-off and pick-up:

Morning Drop-Off starts at 8:25 a.m. Staff will be out at the loop each morning to begin dismissing students from cars beginning at 8:25 a.m.
Afternoon Pick-Up begins at 3:25 p.m.

All car drop-offs and pick-ups happen in the loop behind the building. Only bus riders will use the front doors.

Car Loop Tag Info
At Open House, you’ll receive a special number card for your student. Please:

Display it on the driver-side visor at pick-up time. This number should be displayed the whole time you are in the pick up line.
Use a rubber band to help keep it secure and easy to see.

If you don’t have your number card, you’ll need to show a photo ID. You may be asked more than once, by more than one staff member - safety is our top priority!

A Few Friendly Reminders:

Please stay in your vehicle at all times during drop-off and pick-up. Our staff will help your child in and out of the car.
Be sure to follow all directions from our staff - we’re here to help and keep everyone safe.

We truly appreciate your patience and support
in helping us keep the process
smooth, safe, and speedy for all Weston families!

Early Pick-Up & Late Drop-Off Process

We understand that things come up! If your child is arriving late or needs to leave early, please follow these important steps to help us keep everyone safe and organized:

Late Arrival

If your child arrives after the start of the school day, please walk them to the front door and check them in with school staff. For safety, students should not enter the building alone.

Early Pick-Up:

If you need to pick your child up early, please call the Weston office at (810) 591-8483 before 2:30 p.m.
Transportation changes must also be made before 2:30 p.m. No changes can be made after that time.
Early pick-ups must happen before 3:00 p.m. at the front entrance.
After 3:00 p.m., we are in full dismissal mode and can no longer release students early.

We appreciate your help in keeping our end-of-day routines smooth and safe for all students!

Connecting & Communicating with Weston

Attendance

Did you know that missing just 10% of the school year—for any reason, including excused, unexcused absences, or suspensions—can have a serious impact on a student’s success? It can make it harder for children to:

Learn to read by 3rd grade
Stay on track in middle school
Graduate from high school on time

At Weston, our policy is that students should attend school at least 90% of the time and arrive on time each day.

If your child needs to be absent, please call the school at (810) 591-8483 to report the absence.

To have the absence counted as medical, a doctor’s note must be provided.

Let’s work together to build strong attendance habits for a successful school year!

Need to Meet with a Staff Member?

Volunteering at Weston Elementary

Weston truly values the support of our parent volunteers! Throughout the school year, there will be opportunities to help with both school-wide and classroom events.

If you're interested in volunteering, please take a moment to complete Weston's Volunteer Interest Survey. This helps us learn more about how you'd like to be involved.

Please note:

Expressing interest does not guarantee participation in every event - we do our best to rotate volunteers so all families have the opportunity to be involved.
As events approach, we’ll contact interested parents until all volunteer spots are filled.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:
ALL volunteers must complete a background check. Visit the KCS Volunteer Page to learn more and access the form.

Please allow up to 4 business days for processing.

Background checks must also be updated again during the second half of the school year.

Thank you for being part of the Weston community—
we couldn’t do it without you!

Getting Ready for the Start of School

1. Review & Update Your Child’s School Account

Update your child’s emergency contacts, health information & verify your contact info is correct through the annual Online Renewal process. This is required every school year and typically takes 10-15 minutes to complete.

Once your child’s account is updated, and processed by Kearsley staff, you will be able to view your child’s teacher assignment or class schedule.

If you need assistance setting up your ParentVue account or completing the Online Registration, please call our main office (810) 591-8483 or you can email Kearsley Tech: synergy@kearsleyschools.org.

2. Complete the federal Educational Benefits form

3. Attend "Back to School" Events

4. Download My Ride K-12 App & Set Up Your Account

Did you know Kearsley buses travel over 1,000 miles per day? We want every trip to be a safe one for our Hornets!

We are excited to introduce “My Ride K-12.” Using this one-of-a-kind mobile app, you will have access to your student's bus number, driver's name, bus stops and pick up & drop off times. In addition, on the app, you will be able to see the approximate location of the bus on the route. Kearsley’s transportation department can send notifications, through the phone app, of changes that may impact on your student's route.

5. Pack Changes of Clothes

6. Secure Transportation Tag to Child's Backpack

7. Check Out These Helpful Tips for a Great Start to the School Year!

This website has helpful information to support your child as they head back to school - https://www.pbs.org/parents/back-to-school

You’ll find practical tips and ideas on topics like:

A back-to-school checklist
Creating smooth daily routines
Getting ready for the first day
Easing anxiety about returning to school
Lunchbox and after-school snack ideas
Fun after-school activities

It’s a great resource for making the transition into the school year a little easier—and a lot more fun—for both you and your child!

Building Bridges Breaking Barriers graphic

WELCOME! 2025-2026 School Year