The Grant Gazette

#MyChoiceWilloughbyEastlake

Hello Rebel Families!

As we wrap up another great week at Grant, our focus continues to be learning, growth, and getting better every day! From the moment the bell rings until the final bell of the day, our Rebels are engaged in meaningful learning and making the most of every opportunity to grow.

Walk through our hallways, and you will see respectful, responsible, and ready-to-learn students. Step into our classrooms, and you will see students collaborating, sharing ideas, challenging themselves, and working together to improve their learning. We are proud of the effort, perseverance, and positive energy our students bring to school each and every day.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out. We are always happy to help!

2838 Lost Nation Road

Main Office Phone 440-942-5944

24 Hour Attendance Line: 855-612-7207

Transportation Department: 440-975-3736

YMCA Child Care 440-975-3727

Courtney Lausin- Principal- courtney.lausin@weschools.org

Carla Keidel- Assistant Principal- carla.keidel@weschools.org

Teri Menn - Principal's Secretary - teri.menn@weschools.org

Christine Valaitis- Administrative Secretary- christine.valaitis@weschools.org

Diana Zaverl - Family Liaison - Diana.zaverl@weschools.org

Nicole Bowser- School Nurse- nicole.bowser@weschools.org

September 11th- Last Day for Mum Sale

September 17th- Picture Day/ Popcorn day

October 1st- Popcorn Day

October 8th- Rebel Run

October 9th- No School NEOEA Day

October 15th- Popcorn Day

October 16th- No School for students/ End of the first quarter

Grant students, families and staff - Cirino Photography - are once again looking very forward to working with you for the 2026-2027 school year. Please take a moment to review the attached school day portrait links and yearbook ordering link - please register/subscribe to the links that pertain to your student(s). The first scheduled date for all of Grant Elementary School Portraits is Thursday September 17, 2026. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Cirino Photography - they are here and happy to help at cuyla.cirino@gmail.com or 440 953-8200

What an incredible way to kick off our first school-wide celebration of the year! Our youngest Rebels had the opportunity to come together and celebrate what it truly means to BE A REBEL!

A huge THANK YOU to our amazing friends at South High School for joining us and making this celebration so special! We were thrilled to welcome Mr. Suttell, South High School Principal; Mr. Fox, South’s Athletic Director; the South High School Band; and many of South’s fall athletes.

Our Grant Rebels got to experience firsthand the pride, energy, teamwork, and school spirit that comes with being a Rebel. Our South guests shared their time, talents, and enthusiasm while showing our youngest Rebels that being a Rebel means showing up, working together, supporting one another, and being proud of who we are.

The excitement was contagious, and we could not have asked for a better way to celebrate our Grant community! South Rebels, thank you for showing our youngest Rebels what it means to BE A REBEL!

GO REBELS and good luck to the football team tonight!

REBEL RUN SPONSORSHIPS

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! Sponsor registration deadline: September 1st

Please see the flyer for more information or email us at GrantPTO121@gmail.com.

HELP US BUILD SOMETHING NEW!

We got the old playground removed—now it’s time for a new playground to come in!

Every little bit helps. Thank you for supporting our students and our school!

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!

Stay up to date on all of our events, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and other happenings.

Facebook.com/grantpto

http://grantspiritstore.com/

This site will be open year round and available for anyone to place orders to ship or be picked up from their local warehouse. We will be adding house shirts to the options soon!

Today, our Grant Rebels came together to celebrate and honor our local first responders in recognition of Patriot Day.

Our drive-through parade gave our students the opportunity to cheer, wave, and say THANK YOU to the incredible police officers and firefighters who serve our community every day. The excitement on our students’ faces was a wonderful reminder of how much these community heroes mean to our Grant families.

Our students also created special cards filled with messages of appreciation, and many of our generous Grant families donated snacks to show our first responders just how much we appreciate all they do.

It was truly a wonderful day filled with gratitude, pride, and community spirit.

From all of us at Grant Elementary, THANK YOU to our local police officers and firefighters for keeping our community safe, responding when we need you, and always being there to help. We are so grateful for you!

Attendance Line and Early Release

• If your child will be absent from school, please call the school’s attendance line at, 855-612-7207 (24-hour line) by 9:00 AM. If we do not receive a call from you, and your child is absent, we will call you to verify the absence. We will also utilize all emergency contacts. If you still cannot be reached, a home visit may be conducted to verify the safety of the child. This is for the safety of your child.
• If your child needs to be released from school prior to dismissal, please send in a signed note with your child’s name, child’s teacher and the time they will be leaving school early. The office gets these notes first thing in the morning from your child’s teacher. It is very helpful to know ahead of time when a student is leaving. Please note, if your child has an early release, it must be by 2:45 PM. Buses enter the front lot starting at 2:45 PM. When the buses are in the front lot, cars are not permitted there.

Visitors and Student Pick-Up

• All visitors to Grant Elementary School will be required to run their License/State ID through our Raptor Security Kiosk in the vestibule. Please be sure to tell anyone who may be picking up your child to bring their License/State ID, as this is a safety requirement. Visitors will be instructed to come to the main office for a visitor’s pass. If you are picking your child up early for any reason, we will call down to your child’s classroom and he/she can meet you in the vestibule. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation regarding our school’s safety procedures.

FUTURE READY FINANCES

The Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Board of Education has placed a proposed 0.75%

earned income tax on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The outcome will determine whether the

district continues operating two comprehensive high schools or transitions to one.

The proposed 0.75% earned income tax would generate about $14 million a year on a

continuing basis, with roughly $9.6 million for operations and $4.4 million dedicated to

permanent improvements such as buildings, technology, security, and buses. A resident with

$50,000 in active income would pay approximately $375 per year.

An earned income tax is applied to the active income of district residents and does not apply to

passive income, such as Social Security benefits, pensions, capital gains, interest, dividends, or

other investment income.

If the proposed tax is approved, under the district's current plan:

● North and South would continue operating as two comprehensive high schools.

● Other reductions would happen on a more measured timeline.

● We would have more time to evaluate enrollment, building use, and long-term facility

needs.

What happens if the earned income tax levy fails? Beginning in the 28-29 school year, the

Board would need to implement the following cost-savings measures:

● Reduction in district staffing to match new footprint

● Consolidation to one high school and one middle school

Full details are available at www.weschools.org/futurereadyfinances.

Are you looking for activities for your children? Interested in family programs in the community? There are so many options for Willoughby-Eastlake families, such as city departments of recreation, sports teams, scouting, camps and special events in all of our surrounding communities, plus so much more!

Information from approved organizations who host activities for Willoughby-Eastlake youth and the community are posted electronically. Paper flyers from organizations are not sent home with students. To access the flyers, visit the COMMUNITY link on the district and building website pages https://www.weschools.org/families/community-activities

For specific information about the events, you need to contact the sponsoring organization. Flyers are updated periodically during the month so remember to visit often to check for new postings.

Enjoy what our community has to offer!--

SafeArrival!

All absences, whether your child is staying home sick, arriving late, or leaving early, can be reported quickly and easily.

2 Simple Ways to Report an Absence:

• Use the MyPowerHub Parent Portal
  

• Call Toll-Free – 855-612-7207 and follow the prompts

Absences You Can Report: Full-day absences, Late arrivals, Early pick-ups
You can even upload doctor’s notes directly through the app!

Why Families Love SafeArrival:

• Available 24/7 — report absences in advance or on the same day
  
  

• Instant confirmation once your report is submitted
  
  

• Information goes directly into PowerSchool — no need to call the office
  
  

• Still using the old attendance line? It now forwards to SafeArrival automatically
  
  

We’re confident this system will make attendance reporting easier and help keep our school safe and efficient.

To improve efficiency and provide consistent service for the more than 4,000 students who ride a bus every day, our district has streamlined school start and end times and implemented a new transportation routing system.

• Tuesday, August 11th , bus information will be available in PowerSchools parent portal, MyPowerHub.
• On Thursday, August 13th, you will see our bus fleet out in the community completing their annual Simulation Day. Our drivers will perform their morning and afternoon routes before providing feedback that will help us make any final adjustments. Please be patient, as they provide support for over 60 bus routes and 5,000 bus stops.
• Bus route information will continue to be accessible through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. You can also download the BusZoneTracker App. BusZone allows you to track your child’s bus in real time.
• Our Transportation Webpage is the best place to start if you have questions concerning transportation. There, you'll find an FAQ guide, resources, and contact information. If you have a question concerning bus information, please reach out to our transportation department at 440-975-3736. You can also ask questions or leave a comment using our Transportation Feedback Form.
• Families of students who receive specialized transportation as part of their IEP will receive transportation information based on the type of vehicle assigned. If your child is transported by school bus, route information will be available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, as described above. If your child is transported by van, the transportation company will contact you directly with your child's pickup and drop-off times.

• It is very important that the school is aware of your child’s daily dismissal plan. Please communicate with the teacher or front office, if there will be changes to their dismissal for the day. Please try to communicate any changes before 2:15.

• Our Grant School hours are 8:15 AM.– 3:00 PM. First bell to enter the building is 8:05 AM. During inclement weather, students will be allowed to wait indoors. Buses will arrive between 8:05-8:15 AM for morning drop-off,

• To help ensure a safe and efficient dismissal process, families are encouraged to arrive at or near the designated dismissal time. Arriving significantly before dismissal can create traffic congestion around the school and does not expedite student pickup.

School safety is our top priority.

*Please remember when picking up your child during the school day, you will scan your ID in our vestibule (picture to the right). You will remain in the vestibule until your child is released to you.

*When visiting the school, you will scan your ID in our vestibule and then be granted access to our office area.

In the event of a viable school threat, we would activate our blue illuminating lights at our main entrance which would indicate that no visitor or students should enter the building. We will conduct safety drills throughout the school year for students and staff.

All entrances are locked throughout the school day.

Attention Grant Families:

Please make sure you are NOT pulling into parking spots and waiting for your child. It is important for all parents to follow the flow of the pick up line to ensure safety for all students.

As the map outlines, the route is as follows:

• turning right on Reeves Rd. or left onto Gale Rd.

• then turning onto Hurricane Rd.

• and then turning into the school drop-off/pick-up area

Gale Rd. is much wider than Hurricane Rd., so this allows our emergency vehicles to pass through much easier than blocking Hurricane. As the hydrants are on the right side of the road, if your vehicle is in front of a fire hydrant, you will need to move accordingly in an emergency situation so the fire department can access the hydrants. Finally, please remember that when moving up, do NOT block our neighbors’ driveways as this presents a safety hazard for them.

If there are any questions you may email our District Resource Officer Liaison, Chuck Popik at

South.SRO@weschools.org

Parents/Visitors Must Present Identification:

To ensure safety and security, and for the sake of consistency, ALL parents/family members who are coming into the building to pick up a student or visit a classroom must show proper state-issued photo identification.

Student Cell Phones, Smart Watches, and Earbuds:

Student cell phones must be turned off and stored in student backpacks. Students may not have their cell phones in their pockets (pants, sweatshirts, jackets etc). Some bus drivers allow kids to use their phones on the bus, but they should not be walking in or out of school with them in their hands/pockets.

• Offense #1 - Staff Member reminds the student to turn the phone off and put it in their backpack (notify classroom teacher for tracking purposes).

• Classroom teacher discretion whether to notify parents or not.

• Offense #2 - Staff Member takes the student’s phone and keeps it in their possession (or gives it to the classroom teacher to keep in their possession) until the end of the school day.

• Classroom teacher will notify parents of the 2nd offense and warn about the consequences of a third offense.

• Offense #3 - Staff Member notifies the classroom teacher and brings the student’s cell phone to the office.

• Principal or Assistant Principal calls home and informs parents that the phone will remain in the office until picked up by the parent.

Smart watches may only be used to tell time. If students are using them for communication or gaming purposes, they will follow the same rules above stated for cell phones.

Students are not allowed to have their personal headphones (airpods, earbuds) during class time (unless approved by teacher for use), recess, or during ENCORE classes. Unauthorized use of these items will result in the above stated processes for cell phones and smart watches.

Student Toys/Balls/Electronics:

Students should not bring their own toys, balls, or electronics to school and may not bring them out to recess. If they do bring them to school (for before/after school use), this is at their own risk, and they need to be kept in the student backpack. The school is NOT responsible for lost or stolen items.

Student Hoodies/Hats:

Students may wear hoodies inside the school, but they must keep their hoods down at all times. Having hoods up makes it difficult to identify students and their actions, and often leads to academic disengagement. Hats are not permitted inside the school unless it is a designated “hat day”.

Birthdays/Invitations:

Students may not pass out birthday invitations. If the family is having a party and wants to invite the entire class, the parent may contact the teacher and request for the teacher to pass the invitations out to all students in the class. NO FOOD BIRTHDAY TREATS MAY BE SENT IN TO SCHOOL THROUGH THE STUDENT OR DROPPED OFF IN THE OFFICE. We will contact the family to pick these up. Thank you for your cooperation!

Lunch:

Outside Food Deliveries are Prohibited (Uber Eats, GrubHub, etc). If a student forgets a lunch, and the family can’t drop one off prior to the student lunch period, we will provide them with a school lunch.