The Winn Word

Greetings Winn Families!

Happy Sunday! I hope you have had a summer filled with lots of fun family time. The cover picture above is on a recent trip to Marquette. It was fun to get to go camping with our daughters, Emily & Elizabeth as well as our dog daughters, Ruth Barker & Penny!

This week we welcome you to the 2025-2026 school year! We have GROWN! Last year we had 221 students. This year it looks like we will have about 241 students. We are thrilled to have your family as part of our school community and are excited to partner with you in your child’s educational journey. Thank you for sharing your child with us; it is a privilege to watch them grow and learn each day.

At Winn Elementary, we are committed to fostering a nurturing and supportive environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

We will continue to teach the Capturing Kids' Hearts program, a nationally recognized initiative that focuses on building positive relationships and fostering a caring school environment. This program aligns with our commitment to nurturing the whole child—academically, socially, and emotionally. Last year, our entire district was recognized by the "Capturing Kids Hearts" program as a "Rising Star." We look forward to teaching you more about the program as the year continues.

What is Capturing Kids' Hearts? (CKH)

Capturing Kids' Hearts is designed to create strong connections between students, teachers, and staff by promoting trust, respect, and understanding. Through this program, our educators will be equipped with strategies to transform the classroom experience, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and behavior.

What Can You Expect?

• Positive Relationships: Students will engage in daily practices that promote respect, kindness, and effective communication, helping to create a supportive classroom community.
• Leadership Development: The program encourages students to develop leadership skills and to contribute positively to their school environment.
• Increased Engagement: By fostering a safe and loving atmosphere, students are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and successful in their academic endeavors.

As always, our doors are open to you. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have. We look forward to a wonderful year of growth, learning, and partnership. Let’s make this school year one of the best yet!

Warm regards,

Laurie Richards
Principal, Winn Elementary

School Picture Day – What You Need to Know

Guys & Dolls Photography

There is no form to fill out or money exchanged on picture day. You will get to see your

student’s picture online with background choices before you order.

Approx.1-2 weeks AFTER picture day you will receive an email from orderschoolpix.com

with a link to your student’s picture *Please note ordering works best on a desktop or

laptop computer*

If you do not receive an email:

1. check your spam and your promotions tab within your email

2. If it is not there go to www.guysanddollsphotography.com

a) Select School/Sports/Events

b) Select your school or organization

c) Enter your student’s unique passcode for the password (This passcode will be in the

email we send to you. If you do not receive an email, you must contact your school, and

they can give you the information).

d) Enter your email address to order pictures, select BUY PRINTS. Please note there are

separate tabs at the top of the screen for packages, single prints and photo products. All

portrait packages ordered prior to the deadlines will be delivered to the school, unless you

choose to have them mailed to your home. In which case a shipping fee will be applied to

your order.

To avoid price increases you must place your order during the first or second batch sale.

Once the second batch deadline arrives, you will still be able to order pictures. However,

there will be a price increase on prints. All pictures that are ordered after the deadline will

also incur a shipping fee and they will be mailed to the home address you provide when you

place your order.

Please note: Portrait packages ordered after deadlines cannot be picked up at our studio

or delivered to the school.

Any other questions contact Guys and Dolls Photography of Mt. Pleasant

989-772-2167

guysdollsphotography@gmail.com

1. Pull into the park lot traveling towards the front of the building. Please stay in your car. Do not park in the parking lot.
2. SPEED LIMIT IS 5 MPH
3. Please pull into the drive as far as you can. Please pull right behind the person in front of you. Do not stop in front of the door if you keep driving forward. This keeps our line moving :) Thanks!
4. Each spot has a number sign on it. You must be at a number sign to let your child out of the car.
5. At 7:30 am, we will come out of the building to welcome you! Please do not let your child out of the car until 7:30 am
6. Say goodbye to your kiddo and drive SLOW as you exit the drop off area.

1. Get into line for pick up. We begin the line in the Flex Tech parking lot. Please make TWO lines. Someone will be out in the lot helping for the first couple of weeks.
2. At 2:50 PM, we will direct cars to the front of the school. Cars will pull forward and fill in the pick up loop.
3. Take your YELLOW car tag out and put it on the DRIVER's SIDE DASH BOARD.
4. Pull up to the STOP. A staff member will look at your tag and call your child's name. They will tell you what NUMBER spot you should move forward to.
5. A staff member will help your child into the car. You do not need to get out of your car. We will help them get in and get set to go home.
6. Once your child is in the car, pull slowly (5 MPH) through the rest of the lot. Be cautious! Drive slowly and look around for other people and cars.
7. If your child needs to get buckled into their car seat, please pull forward and into a spot in the parking lot. This will help keep our line moving.

At the Open House, each family will receive this helpful pamphlet about Winn Elementary. Here is your sneak peek at the information!

We are so excited to welcome your child to Winn Elementary! This year, we are trying something new to help us create the best possible learning environment for all of our Kindergarteners.

For the first few days of school, all of our Kindergarten students will be working and learning together. Students will not be assigned to a specific teacher right away. Instead, this will give our Kindergarten teachers, time to get to know each child, observe how students work together, and complete some 1:1 assessments, including NWEA. With this information, we’ll be able to create well-balanced classrooms where every child can thrive.

To celebrate this process, we will be hosting a Kindergarten Sorting Picnic on Thursday, August 28th. All Kindergarten families are invited to join us for a pizza lunch with your student. During the picnic, students will take part in a special “sorting activity,” where they will discover which teacher they will have for the school year.

We hope this special event not only makes the classroom placements exciting for students but also provides a wonderful opportunity for families to connect as we begin the year together.

• 8/19 Open House

5:00-6:00 1st-5th grade Open House - Go directly to classrooms when you enter the school

Schedule of Events

5:10-5:30: Classroom Presentation #1

5:35-5:50: Classroom Presentation #2 (Repeat)

5:50-6:00: Check out the building and visit! Make sure to stop by the gym and take some pictures at our photo booth. Meet our Winn Parents Club in the gym to sign up to help!

• 8/19 BlueJay Bash 5:00-7:00 Main Campus
• 8/21 First Day of School
• 8/28 Kindergarten Sorting Picnic - All Kindergarten families invited to our pizza picnic from 11:30-12:30!
• 8/29 No School (Staff/Students)
• 9/1 No School (Staff/Students)
• 9/12 Picture Day

Here is our Winn Elementary Parent and Student Handbook for 2025-2026. It is filled with lots of useful information about our school. Please make sure to read it all so you are aware of all of our school processes.

May 2025–2026 be filled with joy, growth, and many wonderful moments of learning and laughter. We’re excited to start this journey together and wish you a truly great year ahead!

With appreciation and excitement,
The Winn Elementary Staff

Thank you for sharing your child with our family here at Winn. Our motto at Winn is "Everything a Kid Needs." We focus on both academic excellence and creating good humans! I am here to serve you. If you have questions/concerns or need help in any way, please feel free to reach out to me.

Email: lrichards@shepherdschools.net
Location: 418 West Blanchard Road, Shepherd, MI, USA
Phone: (989) 866-2250
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winnelementary