Longbranch Family Weekly Newsletter
Week of April 26th, 2026
April:
- April 30th-: Student Led Conferences-4pm-7pm- Teachers will Schedule with Families
May:
- May 4th-8th- Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 8th- Popcorn Friday
- State testing: 3rd Grade: May 8th-May 13th. 4th Grade- May 8th-May 14th. 5th Grade- May 8th-May 18th.
- May 15th- 5th Grade VIP 6-8:30pm
- May 21st- Kindergarten Celebration-Night of Play at LBES-5:30-7pm
- May 27th -Fifth Grade Promotion- 6:00pm at Cooper Gym
- May 29th: Students Last School Day
Before School:
During School: Monday Morning Meeting
After School: Golf Club, Book Club, Flying Pig Family Running Club, GOTR
Staff Only:
Before School:
During School:
After School: LB Chorale Concert
Staff Only:
Before School:
During School: LB Chorale Field Trip
After School: GOTR
Staff Only: PLC's
Before School:
During School:
After School: Student Led Conferences 4-7. PTO and Parent SBDM Elections 4-7. Bring an ID.
Staff Only:
Before School:
During School:
After School:
Staff Only:
Bus Driver Appreciation Day
"Bus Driver Appreciation Day is April 28th! Let's show some extra kindness towards our drivers and aides for all that they do. Some ideas include, but are not limited to:
~making a thank you card/note
~giving a verbal thank you with a smile and a fist bump
~sharing a small treat/snack
~drawing a picture for them
~cheer for them when they drop off and/or pick up the kiddos
~invite them to return to Longbranch next school year!
Thank you for helping our drivers and aides feel appreciated and that they are part of the Longbranch team!"
PTO ELECTION BIO'S
Name: Name: Carolyn Wingard
Position: President
Current Children at LBES: 2 daughters in 1st, 2nd, and 4th
Why I want to serve on PTO: I have been so proud to represent Longbranch as PTO president this year. I would love to serve in this role again next year and continue to build into our school, spoil our teachers, and create sweet memories for our students.
My daughters have enjoyed being PTO kids the last 4 years, as I served as Event Coordinator during the first 3. Charlotte is in 4th grade, Lucy is in 2nd, and Violet is in 1st. I have a future Longhorn at home; Eli is 2. My husband, Dave and I love traveling, UK and Penn State sports, our church, and watching our girls play their sports all weekend, every weekend, lol.
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I have loved building relationships with our staff, supporting the PTO board in their roles, and building upon the successes the parents and students provide in our fundraisers. From school supplies to playgrounds, I'm so proud to be a part of it all! The community we have created together is pretty amazing.
Please consider reelecting me as PTO President.
Name: Name: Alex Lytle
Position: Vice President
Current Children at LBES: A son in 4th grade and a daughter in 2nd
Why I want to serve on PTO: I currently have a fourth grader and second grader at Longbranch. I have served on the PTO for five years and am looking forward to hopefully continuing that for a sixth year!
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I think my marketing background has helped in running our events and fundraisers at Longbranch. I'm also very good at wearing inflatable costumes and making myself look like a fool in front of students. =)
Name: Name: Jocelyn Santiago
Position: Communications Coordinator
Current Children at LBES: Twin sons in KIndergarten
Why I want to serve on PTO: I have two children at Longbranch and throughout their first year attending, I have enjoyed volunteering and taking every opportunity to get involved. It is a joy to be part of what goes on with the kids and school in general. I would love to be connected to volunteer opportunities, the school, the faculty and staff, and other parents on a deeper, more consistent level!
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I have good organizational skills, am detail oriented, get along well with many personalities and try to find ways to help and serve others. I communicate effectively and clearly and I love to work on a team!
Name: Alyson Avooske
Position: Treasurer
Current Children at LBES: A son in Kindergarten
Why I want to serve on PTO: I’m looking for ways to get more involved with the school and our community. We moved to Union in August of 2023 from an Indianapolis suburb so knew no one in the area. As we met more friends in our neighborhood and beyond, we heard great things about Longbranch and were excited for Aiden to begin this past fall. Since then, we’ve had an opportunity to engage in the different events at the school and have been impressed by how well they are run! I’m not the most creative person so may not be great at decorating or putting on the events. However, I work in finance so would love to be able to contribute to the overall mission of the PTO by helping manage funds and allow the team to continue making such a positive impact!
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I hold a Masters degree in Health Services Administration and currently work as a Business Director at Cincinnati Children’s. In my position, I manage nearly $20M in budgets for the two Divisions I support so I am very familiar with managing money and expenses. My role also requires a high level of organizational skills so keeping track of important documents is another area I’m comfortable with. Additionally, as a Director, I am a people leader so I have a lot of experience fostering interpersonal relationships.
Name: Misha Smith
Position: Event Coordinator
Current Children at LBES: A son in 4th grade and a son in 1st grade
Why I want to serve on PTO: Hello, my name is Misha Smith. My husband, Bryant and I have been married for 14 years. We have 2 boys, a current 4th grader and 1st grader. As a Boone County Schools graduate, I am proud to be raising Longhorns. I currently work in the school district as a registered nurse. Our family enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and being involved in our church. If I am not hanging out with my boys, you can find me in my garden or reading while snuggled up with my Boston Terrier.
I have been your co event coordinator for the past two years. Hosting events including Trunk or Treat, Breakfast with Santa, and Family Dance. I have enjoyed volunteering within the school and meeting other parents. I want to continue my time on the PTO board to further my involvement at Longbranch and continue to give back to our school. This will allow me to show our boys that we value their education and their future. I look forward to building more memories with my family at Longbranch.What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I have volunteered for many Longbranch events through PTO during the last five years. I am excited to continue to work with our PTO to bring events and activities to our children through our school. As a nurse for the last 17 years, I have become detail oriented, flexible, and developed strong listening skills. I enjoy the opportunity to collaborate with other parents to serve our school and continue to create memorable events with our Longhorns!
Name: Sarah Bazydlo
Position: Event Coordinator
Current Children at LBES: A son in 1st grade
Why I want to serve on PTO: I’m Sarah Bazydlo mom of three boys Jack (7) Grant (5) and Dean (2). As a newer family to the area and the school, I am excited for the opportunity to get more involved and build connections within the community. I was previously a teacher, which gave me a strong appreciation for the partnership between families and the schools. I enjoy organizing and collaborating, and I am passionate about creating a positive, welcoming environment for all students and families.
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I bring a strong combination of creativity, organization and teamwork that would help me be successful as an event coordinator. I previously worked at a theatre planning events for donors, where I gained experience managing details, coordinating logistics and creating engaging experiences. As a visual manager at J.Crew, I led a team while designing and executing displays strengthening my ability to delegate tasks and bring a vision to life. My background as a teacher and mom gives me a great understanding of what engages and excites children and families. I truly enjoy planning events, being creative, and adding thoughtful details to the parties I plan. It would be an absolute honor to help create fun and memorable events for our school and community.
Name: Name: Kristan Northrup
Position: Hospitality Coordinator
Current Children at LBES: 2nd grade daughter and 4th grade daughter
Why I want to serve on PTO: Hello there! I am Kristan Northrup and I am running for hospitality coordinator. I have been married to my husband, Eric, for 16 years. We have three beautiful girls and two girl pups. (My husband is very outnumbered!) I was a cosmetologist for over 10 years but currently am a stay at home momma and absolutely cherish and love every single day of it! As a family we love to be involved in our church, go on adventures, travel, hike and play board games! We will have a 5th grader and 3rd grader this upcoming school year! We have had the absolute best experience at Longbranch and I have grown to appreciate the teachers and staff more than ever. What the teachers do for our children day in and day out is incredible. The way they give their time, attention, affection, energy and personal resources for our kids to thrive is such a blessing to us as parents. I feel really passionate about coming alongside our teachers and administration and pouring that same energy, love and gratitude back into them. They deserve it!
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: For most of my adult life I have served people with intention in some capacity. Whether it was my clients through work, volunteering for non profits or involved in church ministry. I am very passionate about coming along side people, building them up, encouraging them and serving them. Supporting our staff with meals, encouraging notes, surprise goodies and pushing around a happy cart for our teachers are things I get very excited about!
I have had a first hand look at how amazing our PTO and parent volunteers have been over these past few years. They are doing incredible work and I would love the opportunity to continue to volunteer in this position and invest even more deeply into our staff at Longbranch in this capacity!Name: Name: Amanda Gruelle
Position: Fundraiser Coordinator
Current Children at LBES: A son in Kindergarten and a daughter in 5th grade
Why I want to serve on PTO: My name is Amanda Gruelle and I am the current fundraising coordinator of the PTO! I am a stay at home mom to my two beautiful children! My daughter, Clara, is in the 5th grade and will be attending Ballyshannon next year. My son, Gus, is in kindergarten! My husband, Aaron, is the fire chief of union and we both have been born and raised in Boone county! We have strong roots to this particular community! For the past 6 years I have watched kids from my home, a few are now Longbranch students! And I have served in the children’s ministry at church the past 10 years! Bottom line, I love kids and being involved in enriching their lives!
What skills and talents do you bring to the position: I have been the fundraising coordinator for the past 4 years. In that time, my team and I have raised enough money to purchase and install two playgrounds , the most recent being completed right now! And of course, all of the other fun activities at the school that you see and some you don’t! I enjoy being a part of this group, we have worked so well together to make this school better. Having a kindergarten student , I have many more years here at Longbranch and would love to continue to make it the best place to be!
SBDM Parent Elections
Name: Melinda Earsing
Students at LBES: 5th grade daughter and Kindergarten son next year
SBDM Bio: I will have one child entering fifth grade and another entering kindergarten at LBES next year. I have served as a parent representative on the LBES Site-Based Decision Making Council for three years, most recently during the 2025–2026 school year. With a professional background in public education as a former Boone County Schools employee and my current role as the Upper Elementary School principal in Gallatin County, I am committed to supporting effective decision-making. I seek to continue serving on the SBDM Council to be a positive, collaborative partner with my children’s school and the LBES community.
Name: Antoine Smith-Rouse (Minority Representative)
Student at LBES: 5th grade and kindergarten daughter and 1st grade son next year.
SBDM Bio: I am an engaged and dedicated parent at Longbranch Elementary, currently serving as the Minority Parent Representative on the School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council. As a father of multiple children—many of whom attend Boone County Schools and have unique learning needs—I bring a deeply personal and informed perspective to this role.
School Counselor Corner
Dear Families,
We are always here if you need anything, please feel free to reach out. Just as a reminder as we finish the year and begin working on scheduling for next school year. We do not take teacher request. We work diligently as a school team to take each student's needs into consideration when making classrooms. We appreciate your support.
Longbranch School Counselors
Olivia Ballou- Olivia.ballou@boone.kyschools.us
Dayne Dargo- Dayne.dargo@boone.kyschools.us
Fifth Grade VIP NIght-May 15th
Fifth Grade VIP is a celebration to allow our 5th graders to have fun and fellowship as a whole grade level. If you'd like to chaperone during 5th Grade VIP, please see the link below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdC1MrjqV25nM4c4d4CHmO7IEAWqdRkDYzFUryPUyl4YyQBgA/viewform
Longhorn Blankets
You may have seen the sweet Longbranch blankets that some lucky Long Run raffle winners won, well we now have those for sale!
They're cool and cozy!
LBES Spirit wear
Repeated Information Below
Sign up for Kroger Rewards for Longbranch Elementary
Help Longbranch ear money for our school! Parents/family members/community can sign up and select Longbranch for Kroger community awards. Here is how to do it!
Using the Kroger App
1.Download the App: Get the Kroger app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
2. Log In: Sign in to your Kroger account or create a new one.
3. Access Rewards: Click the menu icon (three bars) in the upper left or right corner of the screen and select "Rewards".
4. Choose Community Rewards: Tap on "Kroger Community Rewards".
5. Enroll Your Organization: Use the search bar to find and select the organization you wish to support. Longbranch Elementary PTO
OR
1. Go to the Website
Open your web browser and go to www.krogercommunityrewards.com.
2. Sign In:
Click "Sign In" and enter your email address and password to log in to your digital Kroger account.
3. Find Community Rewards:
Click on "Enroll Now" or "Edit" in the "Community Rewards" section of your account page.
4. Search for an Organization:
Enter the name or code for the organization you want to support in the search box and click "Search". Longbranch Elementary PTO
5. Select and Enroll:
Click the circle to highlight the correct organization, then click "Enroll" to complete the process.
Click the Box's Below to Read Information
ALL Things Transportation
DAILY Transportation Changes
With over 983 students officially, we are looking at ways to stream line procedures for our front office staff and teachers. We can no longer accepts phone calls to the office, emails, and app messages. This will streamline the process for families as well.
OCCASIONAL PICK-UPS: If your child is not a permanent pick-up and their transportation is changing for ONE day only, please complete the following form to let us know NOT to put your child on the bus. You will also get a numbered car tag to use.
Fill out the occasional pick-up google form. The form can be found on the LBES website under the
Parent tab under transportation and Daily Pick Up.
https://forms.gle/sQ5uJDy8mW3fUqDr5
The form will turn off at 2:45 p.m. and you will no longer be able to do parent pick-up. We will accommodate only for EMERGENCIES
