DRE Weekly News March 2, 2026

At Discovery Ridge Elementary, we take pride in our students' excellent attendance! Sharing our weekly attendance is important to us, and it will be a regular feature in our Weekly News. We invite you to join us in celebrating the hard work of our students and their families, ensuring that DRE Stars have the opportunity to attend school every day, all day!

Perfect Attendance (Zero Absences)

81 Students

ADA Hourly Attendance

Preschool 92.8%

Kindergarten 95.08%

First Grade 95.47%

Second Grade 95.53%

Third Grade 96.29%

Fourth Grade 95.71%

Fifth Grade 95.25%

August 18-February 28: 95.58% Average Daily Attendance

DRE SIP 25-26 Goal: DRE will improve the proportional attendance rate

from 93.4% to 94.3% by the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

The growth will be 1% per school year, as measured by the Annual Performance Report.

February 27

Final Day, Yearbook Orders

March 2

Severe Weather Preparedness Week Begins

Read Across America Week Begins

1st Grade 'Informances' during regularly scheduled Music Classes, 1:25-2:25

March 4

Statewide Tornado Drill

Folk Dance Night, 6 pm in the DRE Gym

March 6

PTO Music Bingo, 7-10 pm

March 9

Late Start: Student arrival begins at 10:20 am

No PreK Classes In Session

Horizons

March 11

Rescheduled: DRE Kindergarten Registration at Berrey Place 8:30-12:30 pm & 3:15-7:30 pm

March 12

Junior Achievement "JA In a Day"

March 13

1st Grade 'Informances' during regularly scheduled Music Classes, 1:25-2:25

March 19

WSD BOE Meeting, 6:30 pm

March 20

Early Release at 1:35 PM

Kids Heart Challenge Donations Due

March 23-27

No School: Spring Break

March 31

CHADS: Signs of Suicide Community Presentations, 5th Grade

April 2

Spring Picture Day

April 3

Third Quarter Report Cards Published to Focus

Human Growth & Development Presentation, 4th Grade Girls

April 6

No School

April 7

No School: Staff Professional Development Day

Election Day

April 8

Fourth Quarter PTO Meeting, 6 pm

April 10

Human Growth & Development Presentation, 4th Grade Boys

DRE PTO Skate Night, Great Skate 4:30-6:30 pm

April 16

Parents As Teachers Cruising Into Kindergarten, 6 pm

April 17

Human Growth & Development Presentation, 5th Grade Girls

April 20

Late Start: Student arrival begins at 10:20 am

No PreK Classes In Session

Horizons

Preschool: 10:35 am

Kindergarten: 11:10 am

First Grade: 11:25 am

Second Grade: 10:50 am

Third Grade: 12:30 pm

Fourth Grade: 12:10 pm

Fifth Grade: 11:50 am

Monday

Day 4

Tuesday

Day 5

Wednesday

Day 1

Thursday

Day 2

Friday

Day 3

It is time to order your DRE Yearbook! To order, visit this link or scan the QR code on the flyer and type in our school code 16940. Orders close, February 27.

We will celebrate our love for reading all week March 2-6!

Monday, Character Books

Cozy Up with a Good Book! Wear PJ's or Dress like your favorite book character!

Tuesday, Color Books

Reading Makes you Brighter! Wear Bright Colors or your favorite color!

Wednesday, Wear Your Words

Wear Your Words! Wear a shirt with word on it for us to read!

Thursday, Books with Friends

Reading is Better with a Buddy! Bring a book to share with your buddy!

Friday, Food Books

Reading Picnic! Bring a blanket and special snack!

DRE has joined the KHC Lifesavers League. Your student can join the league by clicking the link below, download the Kids Heart Challenge App or scan the QR code. Please make all donations online. Donations are due March 20, 2026.

We have partnered with Sunnyview Farms for our third annual spring flower sale. All growers choice baskets will contain 3 plant flowering combination baskets.

• All baskets are full or part sun
• Each basket incudes a slow-release fertilizer
• Orders accepted through 3/31
• Flowers available for pick up the week of April 20
• $20 each, cash or check payable to DRE

Pre-K Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year will begin in February:

• February 9-13: Currently enrolled and returning Pre-K families and WSD employees.

• February 23: All Wentzville School District residents.

To enroll in our tuition-based preschool program, students must be 3 years old by July 31st of the year they are starting preschool.

In past years, families could choose their Early Childhood location. This year, your child’s Early Childhood site will be determined by your home address. Your address falls within an elementary school attendance boundary, and that boundary determines which Early Childhood location your child will attend. If you are unsure which elementary school serves your address, you can find it using the District’s interactive boundary map.

Early Childhood Locations by Elementary School Boundary:

• Barfield: Boone Trail, Crossroads, Discovery Ridge, Duello, Green Tree, Prairie View

• Samuelson: Heritage, Journey, Lake View, Peine Ridge, Stone Creek, Wabash

For more information or to register, please visit the District Website.

This year, WSD elementary summer school intervention will be held June 2-25 and will be invitation only. Families of students who qualify will be sent an invitation on February 20, and enrollment will be open February 23-March 11. Keep an eye out for program invitations later this month and learn more on the Summer School offerings webpage.

All children who will turn five before August 1, 2026, are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year. Our building's registration date is March 11, 2026. Complete the pre-screening and register for our kindergarten enrollment event at our building.

Who in your child’s day still needs a WOW Factor Award from you? The WSD is 28% of the way toward its goal of getting 2,600 WOW Factor Awards this school year. Help us show staff they matter and get to 100%!

Please consider partnering with our school by joining PTO! Our Parent Teacher Organization supports our school community in many ways, made possible by YOU! Each family membership is $10 annually.

Dear Discovery Ridge Elementary Families:

Throughout the duration of the academic year, the Wentzville School District partners with community agencies that specialize in providing students, families, and educators with preventative education. Agency presenters are credentialed, coordinated through the District, and under the supervision of building administrators. Presentation topics are targeted toward specific grade levels. All students will participate in each program unless you choose to opt your child out of the lesson(s). If you are interested in opting your student(s) out of the presentation(s), please click the appropriate link(s) below.

Kindergarten Opt-Out Form

First Grade Opt-Out Form

Second Grade Opt-Out Form

Third Grade Opt-Out Form

Fourth Grade Opt-Out Form

Fifth Grade Opt-Out Form

If you have additional questions, please reach out directly to your student’s guidance counselor.

Thank you,

Mrs. Kelly Stratman, Principal

Mr. Ben Tracy, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Stacy Browning, 1-3 Counselor

Mrs. Jane Douglas, K, 4-5 Counselor

Mrs. Sarah Holcomb, Education Support Counselor

Each new school year brings opportunities for academic growth and growth in all areas of development. Although children must be knowledgeable when they graduate, they must also be healthy, engaged, responsible, and caring people.

We’re grateful you’re here at our school and we’re excited to partner with you and your child. As a Leader in Me School, we believe that every member of your family has greatness and we can’t wait to learn and grow from you! Leader in Me (LiM) is an evidence-based, comprehensive school-improvement model—developed in partnership with educators and FranklinCovey—that empowers students with the leadership and life skills they need to thrive in a global community.

Our school has chosen to operate through a uniquely different lens. Leader in Me is about empowering your child to reach their full potential while ultimately finding their voice. As a school, the staff in this building have made five core commitments to your child. We call these our Core Paradigms. In these paradigms you will find the belief and way we view all students. At this school we see that:

• Everyone is a leader.
• Everyone has genius.
• Change starts with me.
• We empower students to lead their own learning.
• Educators and families partner to develop the whole person.

Not only do these paradigms apply to your student, they apply to all of us!

Leader in Me provides our school with the vision and language to lead the school in a way that addresses all areas of development. As each child discovers and develops their unique gifts and talents, they are given opportunities to lead.

As leaders, they become active, engaged partners in their own education, and their self-confidence, responsibility, and initiative grows. The children quickly understand the benefits of different gifts and talents; they learn to listen to new ideas, work together to achieve results, and motivate one another to be the best.

We hope your school enjoys sharing these new opportunities. Together, we will see each child grow throughout the year.

Mrs. Kelly J. Stratman, Principal

Mr. Ben Tracy, Assistant Principal