The Spartan Family Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I was looking for some information for a parent and ran across this website. It is packed with great articles for parents and a resource to help parents do the best job they can to raise their children. Some of the articles include:
Anger and violence

Teen issues

Technology use

Communication
Discipline issues
Etc.

https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/

Throughout the school year, there are appreciation days for everyone who works in a school. Unfortunately, those days aren't always the same and people get confused. So, I like to do a School Staff Appreciation Week during the National Teacher Appreciation Week. This week is May 4-8. It's a great week to have your student let their favorite staff member know how much they appreciate them.

We are very fortunate to have such a great and caring staff that goes above and beyond everyday for our awesome students!!

We are very excited to announce the 2026 Prom. The theme is Midnight Masquerade.

It will be held at the Pioneer Community Center

April 11, 2026

7-11pm

We are excited to announce that the weight room will now be open daily for MS/HS students from 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm.

All participating students must remain in the weight room for the duration of their workout; wandering the building will not allowed. A staff supervisor will be on-site at all times. Please ensure your student will have a ride home, as after-workout transportation will not be provided.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Our original school calendar has April 6th as a day off school or possible make up day. As of now, we are still waiting on the state to see if they are going to allow us more forgiveness days. From what I have heard, we could find out at the end of March. That time frame doesn't give us much time to make the decision to have school or not on April 6th. So, I wanted all of you to know that we might have to make that decision one week before. I hope to have an announcement to all of you on March 30th if we are or are not going to need to attend school that day.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we try to navigate through this.

I am excited to announce that there will be some new signs downtown Waldron this summer. Please be on the lookout for these signs. We will also be handing out yard signs out to spread Waldron Pride throughout the community. Be on the lookout!!

Mr. Usher is looking for any possible musical instruments that you might not have a need for. While we are looking for any and all instruments, we currently don't have any saxophones. The district is working on getting our music program back to something our students can be proud of and any assistance you could provide would be wonderful!!

As we hopefully start having warmer days, I'd like to remind all of you about the Student Handbook Dress Code. If you would like to view it, the link is below. Please know that all students and staff are required to abide by the dress code set forth by the district. While some parents might not like it or agree with it, it is in our code of conduct and must be followed. If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding the dress code, please let me know.
It is never the intention to embarrass or humiliate any students about their attire. We will always provide an alternative clothing item before asking a parent to bring something up.

This link takes you to the student code of conduct and you will see the dress code on pages 30 and 31.

Waldron Dress Code

The class of 2029 presents the Family Spring Formal! Take a look at the flier and get all of the details!

For many parents, the annual parent-teacher conference can feel like a high-stakes performance review or just another "to-do" on a busy week. However, in the context of that "Spring Fever" I just discussed, these meetings are actually a very powerful tool for keeping your child on track.

Think of a conference not as a report card delivery, but as a strategy session between two people who want the same thing: for your child to succeed.

Why These 15 Minutes Actually Matter

1. You See the "Social" Student. At home, you see the son or daughter who forgets to put their shoes away. At school, they are a classmate, a friend, and a student. A teacher can tell you how your child handles frustration, how they collaborate in a group, and where they stand in the social hierarchy. This "bird’s-eye view" helps you understand their emotional development in a way you can't see at the dinner table.

2. Bridging the "Communication Gap". Kids are notoriously "economical" with the truth when they’re tired.

• The Kid Version: "I don't have any homework."

• The Teacher Version: "We have a three-week project due Friday that hasn't been started."

  Conferences allow you to sync your calendars and expectations so your child stays accountable.

3. Early Warning Systems. If a child is struggling with a specific concept (like long division or reading comprehension), the gap between them and the rest of the class widens quickly. A conference is the time to catch these "potholes" before they turn into "sinkholes." It’s much easier to fix a small misunderstanding in March than to play catch-up over the entire summer.

4. It Builds the "Village". When your child knows that you and the teacher are talking, it creates a "perimeter of care." They realize that their support system is unified. This often leads to an immediate uptick in effort because they know "Mom and Mr. Henderson are on the same page."

How to Make the Most of the Meeting

Since these meetings are usually short, go in with a "Game Plan" to get the best information:

Instead of Asking...Try Asking...

"How are their grades?""What are my child's biggest strengths and weaknesses right now?"

"Are they behaving?""How do they handle it when they find a task difficult or frustrating?"

"Do they have friends?""Who do they usually sit with, and how do they interact with their peers?"

"What can I do?""What is one specific thing we can practice at home for 10 minutes a day?"

Please see the attached fliers regarding a few opportunities for students to explore some exciting career options after high school. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Crist. kristan.crist@waldronspartans.org

If you know of anyone looking for an AMAZING kindergarten class next school year, please share this information. We have great things going on here at Waldron and this upcoming KG class is the start of something even better for all of us.

Breakfast & Lunch are both free to ALL students.

Served in the cafeteria.

Breakfast 7:40 - 8:05

Lunch H.S. 11:10 - 11:40

M.S. 11:40 - 12:10

Elem. 12:10 - 12:40

Waldron’s Sports events

Spring Sports begins -

HS Track - Monday, March 9th at 5pm

Softball - Monday, March 9th at 3:30pm

Baseball - Wednesday, March 11th at 3:15pm

Every practice will be outside unless otherwise stated.

March 19 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

March 20 - Half Day

March 23-27 - No School - Spring Break

April 3 - No School - Good Friday

April 6 - No School - Possible weather make up day

April 14 - 9th - 12th Grade Domestic Violence Assembly with Domestic Harmony.

April 30 - Music Concert

May 1- Last day of school for Seniors

May 7 - Half Day - Exams

May 8 - Half Day - Exams

May 14 - Senior Night

May 17 - Graduation

May 22 - Half Day

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

June 3 - Half Day- Last day of School

For this week's staff member highlight, I am happy to highlight Mr. Mike Granger. This is Coach Granger's 7th year here at Waldron. He serves as our secondary math teacher, athletic director, and coach. In his free time, he enjoys working out, watching tv (especially sports and police shows), and traveling to Myrtle Beach to see his daughter. He also enjoys his pets, he had a dog (Rocky) and cat (Paulie). Coach Granger went to Albion High School where he participated in football, wrestling, and baseball. He went to college at Olivet where he played baseball. He has maintained his role in sports by being an MHSAA official for over 30 years.
Thank you for all that you do Mr. Granger!!

As of now, we aren't exactly sure how many days we will need to make up from all of the days that we had to take off this year. The State gives us 6 and we can apply for an additional 3, which we have applied already. Due to so many Michigan schools being in the same situation as us, we are hopeful that the state will give us a few more. Once we know what we need to do for any possible make up days, I will let you know.

All of our students, 4th grade and attended a virtual OK2Say presentation. I've heard a lot of positive responses from students. I hope that they came home and discussed it with you. For those who were able to attend our parent presentation, thank you and I hope that you got a lot out of it. Below are several way to contact them if you ever need to.

OK2SAY is a 24/7 confidential safety tipline for reporting threats against students or schools. Contact them by phone at 855-565-2729, text at 652729, email at okaytosay@mi.gov, the OK2SAY app, or via their website.

Waldron Senior Night has been scheduled in the Multi-Purpose room for Thursday May 14th at 7pm.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Waldron Boosters, please let me know and I will put you in contact with them. They are a great group of people who do a lot of work for our school and students.

If you are late dropping off your student, after 8am, please be sure to drop them off at the front door. All other doors will be locked at 8am and with it getting so cold out, we can't have any students standing at the door waiting for someone to come let them in. Thank you for help with this.

Our elementary students are still going outside for recess, please ensure that they are bringing appropriate clothing for the cold temperatures. If you need any hats, gloves, coats for your child please contact Mr. Furtney

We are so glad to have you visit and hope you feel welcomed in our building! To best ensure the safety of our students and staff and maintain the daily flow, we have a couple of important requests for visitors:

When you arrive, please use the front doors to check in and sign out at the main office.

Please do not leave your vehicle unattended in the front bus loop during the busy morning drop-off or afternoon dismissal times. We need to keep this lane clear for our buses to maneuver safely and efficiently.

Your cooperation with these small matters is greatly appreciated!

The class of 2027 advisor is in need of some additional volunteers. There are many opportunities to support your students. The money raised goes towards their Prom, graduation, and senior trip. Even if your student doesn't plan on attending the senior trip, they could definitely use the help to raise funds for prom and graduation. If you are interested, please contact their class advisor, Diane Evers. Phone - (517)260-2291. Email - gypsy.snickers@gmail.com