Leighton Update
December 6th, 2025
Dear Leighton Families,
We hope our Leighton families were refreshed and recharged after a wonderful Thanksgiving break. It was a pleasure having our learners back this past "short" week, and we were immediately productive as we jumped back into our learning routines. As we head into the next two weeks before winter break, the pace here at Leighton will definitely be picking up, and we are dedicated to packing in as much engaging instruction as possible! Please note that the end of the Second Grading Period is fast approaching on Friday, December 19th, so encourage your student to finish the quarter strong.
Beyond academics, we have many wonderful events planned to celebrate the season and our students' talents: our Music Concert is on Monday, December 15th; our annual Holiday Shop runs from December 15th through the 19th; and the Orchestra Concerts are on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, we will wrap up the day on the 19th with our classroom Winterfest parties. We are very much looking forward to these event-filled two weeks here at Leighton and know our students will enjoy every minute before heading off for their winter festivities.
Sincerely,
Spencer Warders
Principal
Leighton Elementary
Winter Weather Reminders
We are in December, the temperatures are dropping and snow is upon us. The following are some reminders for our students with outdoor recess.
- We will be outside for recess if the "feels like" temperature is approximately 17° or higher.
- With the temperature restriction it could mean our early recess (3rd) may be indoor, while our late (5th) is outdoor.
- Please ensure you are keeping an eye on the weather and sending your child in appropriately dressed to be outside during the winter months.
- Boots and snow pants, in addition to a coat, hat and gloves are required for students to be allowed to play in the snow. If they are missing their boots or snow pants on these snowy days, they will only be permitted to play on the blacktop.
- Please label all winter clothing items with your child's first and last name. It makes it so much easier to return items to their owner when that is the case. We donate an enormous amount of clothing each year because we have no way to know who it belongs to. Thank you in advance for your help!
Catapults in Dr. Sweeney's Class
Our 5th-grade scientists and engineers demonstrated incredible innovation and problem-solving skills this week as they completed their catapult project! Students first got to sketch blueprints for their designs before moving on to the hands-on phase of building their creations. The final, and most exciting, step was testing their plans. The students successfully launched items, measuring the distance, to see whose design could launch the farthest.
Aurora Amigos: Spanish Club
Session two of the Aurora Amigos will start after Winter Break. This session is for 4th graders. Look for a Final Forms email next week with the google form to sign up for the opportunity for your child to be in one of the 26 available seats.
Clinic Update
As we head deeper into the winter months, we also enter the peak of cold and flu season. To help us keep all students healthy and learning, we ask that parents please remain vigilant about monitoring your student's symptoms.
A key strategy in preventing the spread of illness is to keep sick children home. Please remember that students must be free of fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication), vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours before they may return to school.
Your support in adhering to these guidelines is greatly appreciated and helps ensure a healthier environment for all Leighton students and families.
Questions? Please contact our Leighton School Nurse Mrs. Harper at eharper@aurora-schools.org
Counselor Corner
The cold weather is upon us and Leighton holiday shop is just around the corner! We know this time of year can bring both excitement and extra challenges for families. To help us best support our students, we’ve attached a Family Support Survey. If your family could use a little extra help, please complete this survey. All information shared will be kept confidential.
Mrs. Nicole Wadkins
(330) 562-2209, option 3
Mrs. Lindsey Ambrosia
(330) 562-6199, ext. 5414
Leighton General Music Performance Reminder
The Leighton Elementary 5th Grade General Music students are proud to present a special concert on Monday, December 15, featuring a lively mix of patriotic selections, Broadway favorites, and festive holiday music. Our students thoughtfully chose each song and offered their own unique flair, with several pieces showcasing featured performers from each class.
Our 5th graders have shown remarkable focus and dedication throughout their rehearsals, and they are excited to share their hard work and musical talents with families and friends.
Please have students arrive at Leighton Elementary by 6:00 p.m. to line up. The performance will begin promptly at 6:15 p.m. We look forward to celebrating an evening of music and student creativity!
Students share their writing on favorite family traditions in Mrs. Samelko's class
Students use mathematical thinking to estimate the weight of items and use a scale measure the mass in Mrs. Goldhamer's class
Students revise their writing on bravery and courage from their reading of Number The Stars in Mrs. Skeels's class
Leighton 2-hour Delay Schedule
Important Upcoming Dates
Dec 13- Winter Music Festival Extravaganza (11-4)
Dec 15 -General Music Concert 6:15 in LES Gym
Dec 15-19 Holiday Shop
Dec 18 -Orchestra Concert at HS 4th grade 6:30/ 5th grade 7:30
Dec 19- Holiday Class Parties
Dec 19 - End of 2nd Grading Period
Dec 22 - Jan 5 - Winter Break
Jan 15th- DQ (Streetsboro) Dine to Donate Night 5pm-8pm
You can track your child's lunch account by setting up your profile. You may also send in cash or a check written out to the Aurora City Schools.
Community Announcements
Reporting A Student Absence
When reporting your child's absence, please call 330-562-2209 and select option 1. You will be prompted to leave a message with the name of your child and the reason for the absence. If you need to talk to our attendance secretary, Mrs. Mariah George, please select 0 and you will be connected during normal school hours.
Leighton Elementary
Jeff Morris - Assistant Principal
Halston Pratt - Building Secretary
hgarzapratt@aurora-schools.org
Mariah George - Attendance Secretary
Email: swarders@aurora-schools.org
Website: aurora-schools.org
Location: 121 Aurora Hudson Road, Aurora, OH, USA
Phone: (330)562-2209