Mountain Bay Mustang Messenger

Happy August, Mountain Bay Families!

I hope all of our students and families had a safe and enjoyable June and July.

A special welcome to our kindergarten class and new families! I'm excited for you to become part of the Mountain Bay family where you'll find a caring and supportive staff, ready to provide a high-quality education for your child.

At D.C. Everest and Mountain Bay, student and staff safety/wellness and student learning continue to be our top priorities. Together with our exceptional staff, I look forward to partnering with our families to support our students this upcoming school year.

Please read through the following newsletter carefully, making notes of important information and dates. The start of school will be here before we know it. I'm looking forward to seeing the smiles of our MIGHTY Mustangs! Until then, enjoy your August and we'll see you soon!

Mr. Schult

Our staff has been busy preparing for another wonderful school year, and we can't wait to welcome our students back to Mountain Bay!

Be sure to watch your mailbox—back-to-school letters and additional information will be mailed on August 7.

Want to find out who your child's teacher is early?
Watch for an email on August 3 with instructions for completing your Annual Update in Infinite Campus. Once your Annual Update has been submitted, you will be able to view your child's teacher assignment beginning August 3.

For students who ride the bus, Lamers Bus Company will mail transportation confirmation letters in mid-August. The letter will include your child’s bus stop location, pick-up and drop-off times, and route number.

If your child did not ride the bus last year but will need transportation this year, please complete a Request for Transportation Form. Daycare transportation arrangements must also be renewed annually by submitting this form. Address changes may be reported using the same form.

If you have questions about transportation, please contact Lamers Bus Company at (715) 298-6110.

Please visit our District website at https://www.dce.k12.wi.us/academics/school-supplies or review the pictures below for a list of school supplies your child will needed for this school year. Please plan to bring your child's school supplies to the Open House on August 19 or send them with your child on the first day of school.

For those that need some additional assistance, we have backpacks and supplies available through the Marathon County Fill A Backpack Program. These items can be picked up from the front office during our Open House or on the first day of school.

We are excited to welcome our Mountain Bay families back for another terrific school year and look forward to see you at our building-wide Open House on Wednesday, August 19, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Our first day of school for the 2026-27 school year will be on Tuesday, August 25. Our school day runs from 8:45 a.m.-3:40 p.m. each day. Students may begin arriving and enter the building at 8:20 a.m. If you are dropping off your child and arrive early, please remain with you child until the doors open and there is supervision available at 8:20 a.m.

Our optional breakfast program also starts at 8:20 a.m. If your child will be eating breakfast at school, please plan to drop them off no later than 8:30 a.m. so they have time to eat before going to class.

Our tardy bell is at 8:45 a.m. All students are expected to be in their classroom and ready to start learning at 8:45 a.m.

Make sure to carefully review our district calendar and plan accordingly. We have several upcoming no school days.

Please see below and visit our website at https://mountainbay.dce.k12.wi.us/quick-links/calendar to review our Academic Calendar for the 2026-27 school year.

Aug 19: Bridge to Kindergarten Transition Program at Mountain Bay 1:00-3:45 p.m.

Our Bridge to Kindergarten Program is designed to help our incoming kindergarten students become familiar with Mountain Bay Elementary, build relationships with staff and students, as well as participate in fun and engaging activities. If you missed registration for the Bridge to Kindergarten Program or have any questions, please call the school office at 715-355-0302 ext. 0.

Aug 19: Kindergarten Parent Orientation Meeting 3:00 p.m.

Attention all kindergarten parents! Please plan to attend our kindergarten parent meeting to learn more about Mountain Bay and what a typical kindergarten day looks like. Our teachers and staff will go over building procedures, busing, lunch accounts, and much more. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have and take an optional guided tour of the building. If possible, it is most beneficial for new kindergarten parents to attend both the parent meeting and the Open House on August 19.

Aug 19: Open House at Mountain Bay 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Please join us for a building-wide Open House on Wednesday, August 19, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

We are excited to welcome students and their families to Mountain Bay for a great year!

The Open House is a great opportunity to:

• See your child's classroom and meet his or her teacher
• Drop off school supplies
• Deposit money into your child's lunch account
• Complete a free and reduced lunch application (if applicable)
• Drop off any necessary medications and required paperwork to our health assistant
• Pick up a placard number from the office for picking up your student after school (if applicable)

Aug 19: School Board Meeting - 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Aug 25: First Day of School

Our first day of school for the 2026-27 school year will be Tuesday, August 25. Our school day runs from 8:45 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. each day. Students may begin arriving at 8:20 a.m. Please do not drop off your student any earlier than this, as the front doors are locked and there is not adult supervision prior to 8:20 a.m. Students are expected to be in their classrooms and ready to start the day when the tardy bell rings at 8:45 a.m.

Aug 31 & Sept 1: Vision and Hearing Screenings

The Marathon County Health Department will be conducting Vision and Hearing Screenings for all Mountain Bay Elementary students in grades K, 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Please note, 2nd and 4th grade students are not screened unless there is a concern. If you do not want your child screened for any reason, please contact our health assistant, Theresa Howland, at 715-355-0302 ext. 5823.

Sept 4: No School

Sept 7: Labor Day - No School

Sept 10: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

All parents and staff are welcome to join us at our first PTO of the new school year. Meetings are typically held on the second Monday of each month in the Multi-Purpose Room at Mountain Bay. Please join us to stay informed about upcoming events and to see how you can get involved at your child's school.

Sept 15: Picture Day

All students will have their picture taken for our student records system. Picture ordering information will come later once the picture proofs are ready.

Sept 16: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Oct 2: Vision and Hearing Re-Screening Day

Oct 2: D.C. Everest Homecoming

Parade at 5:00 p.m. followed by game at 7:00 p.m. DCE vs. SPASH

Oct 5: No School for Students - Teacher Workday

Oct 6: Packer Outreach Event for 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Students

Please make sure to complete your child's waiver or they will not be able to participate.

Oct 7: National Walk to School Day

National Walk to School Day is an annual event that involves communities from across the country. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Today, thousands of schools across America—from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico—participate every October.

Weather permitting, Mountain Bay Elementary will join in on the fun and host a Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 7.

Who: Students and Staff at Mountain Bay Elementary - Parents are welcome to join too!

What: Walk the Mountain Bay Trail to School
Where: Saint Agnes Church on Schofield Ave.
When: Drop students off at 8:00 a.m.

Why: The first Wednesday of October marks National Walk to School Day, an annual event that encourages students, parents, and communities to experience the simple joy and numerous benefits of walking to school. Walking to school enables children to incorporate the regular physical activity they need each day while also forming healthy habits that can last a lifetime.

If your child would like to participate, please drop them off by Saint Agnes Church and the Mountain Bay Trail at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7. Our staff will meet students there and walk with them to school. Please reach out with any questions.

Oct 8: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct 9: PTO's MIGHTY Mustang Glow Run

This is such a fun event and is also our PTO's primary fundraiser of the year. This will be our third annual Glow Run. Many of our students describe it as, "The best day ever!" The funds raised help to pay for additional supplies for each classroom, field trips for all grade levels, and much more. The Glow Run will be during school hours with each grade level participating at different times throughout the day. All students will get to participate in the Glow Run regardless of whether or not you choose to do any fundraising. Please watch for more information as we get closer to this event!

Oct 9: Monster Bash at the D.C. Everest Middle School

Save the date! More information coming soon!

Oct 22: Mountain Bay's PTO Trunk or Treat Event 4:30-6:00 p.m.

We are looking for volunteers to set up creative and fun trunks! If you are interested in participating, please contact the PTO at PTOMountainbay1999@gmail.com. Volunteers are needed to decorate their trunks and hand out candy or prizes during the event. If you’d like to decorate a trunk but can’t provide your own candy, the PTO will gladly supply it for you. Please reach out if you’d like more information on how to get involved!

Oct 22: Picture Retake Day

Please contact your child's teacher if you would like your child to have picture retakes done.

Oct 27: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Oct 28: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Oct 29: No School for Students - Parent/Teacher Conferences 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Oct 30: No School

Nov 2: No School

Nov 12: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Nov 16-20: Scholastic Book Fair

Nov 18: School Board Meeting - 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Nov 25-Nov 27: No School due to Thanksgiving Break

Dec 10 & 11: Holly Jolly Donuts in December 8:00 a.m.

Please join your child for a morning donut and some quality time together before school at 8:00 a.m. on either Thursday, December 10 or Friday, December 11. If possible, we ask families with last names starting with the letters A-L attend on Thursday, December 10, and families with last names starting with M-Z attend on Friday, December 11. For families with different last names, please select which date works best for you.

Dec 15: Winter Programs

Dec 23-Jan 1: No School due to Winter Break - Classes resume on Monday, January 4

Jan 14: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Jan 13: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Jan 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School for Students - Teacher Workday

Feb 11: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Feb 16: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30 p.m.

Feb 17: School Board Meeting - 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Feb 18: No School for Students - Parent/Teacher Conferences 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Feb 19: No School

Feb 22: No School

Mar 11: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Mar 12: Mountain Bay PTO Family Event 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Mark your calendars! More details will come as the event date approaches.

Mar 17: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Mar 19: No School for Students - Teacher Workday

Mar 22-26 : No School for Students – Spring Break

Apr 8: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Apr 15 & 16: Spring into the Day with Donuts 8:00 a.m.

Please join your child for a morning donut and some quality time together before school at 8:00 a.m. on either Thursday, April 15 or Friday, April 16. If possible, we ask families with last names starting with the letters A-L attend on Thursday, April 15, and families with last names starting with M-Z attend on Friday, April 16. For families with different last names, please select which date works best for you.

Apr 21: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

Apr 23: No School

May 13: PTO Meeting 6:00-7:00 p.m.

May 19: School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m.

The Board meets at the D.C. Everest Administration Building, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476. Please click here to visit the District website for further information.

May 21: 5th Grade Track Meet at Stiehm Stadium 9:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. - Please note this event historically has occurred one week later in our school calendar; however, it has been scheduled a week sooner to allow time for a rain date if necessary.

May 24: 3rd & 4th Grade Track and Field Day 1:00-3:30 p.m.

May 26: 1st & 2nd Grade Track and Field Day 1:00-3:30 p.m.

May 26: Graduation Day for Seniors

May 31: No school – Memorial Day

June 3: Last day for students

Each family is assigned a pick up number to help expedite our dismissal process. If you are new to Mountain Bay or need a replacement placard number, please contact the front office to have one issued to you.

Your child's safety is our number one concern. Please make sure to drive slowly and carefully at all times through our parking lot areas. It is also imperative that you do not park your vehicle and leave it unattended at the front curb or in the bus loop during drop off or dismissal times. Please be patient and courteous as we have approximately 150 students that are picked up each day.

The Marathon County Health Department will be conducting Vision and Hearing Screenings on August 31 and September 1 for all Mountain Bay Elementary students in kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade. Please note, 2nd and 4th grade students are not screened unless there is a concern. If you do not want your child screened for any reason, please contact our health assistant, Theresa Howland, at 715-355-0302 ext. 5823.

If you see or hear something that could affect the safety of our students or school, please let us know. Concerns may include bullying, threats, planned fights, students in crisis, weapons, or other urgent situations. Reports are confidential.

Report a concern by emailing speakup@dce.k12.wi.us or by calling or texting 715-907-7007. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school a safe place for everyone.

D.C. Everest administrators and staff have been proactively working with law enforcement, first responders and our Superintendent’s Office in Wisconsin to update our Comprehensive School Safety Plans and put into place effective drills that will help prepare us for incidents, emergencies or disasters that may occur at school or within the community. Below is important safety information we encourage you to review prior to the start of the school year.

Talk to Your Student About Safety

It is crucial for parents/guardians to be aware of the safety protocols at their child’s school. Engaging in conversations with your child(ren) about safety drills taking place at school is vital to helping them prepare for emergencies that may take place at school or elsewhere. By helping your student understand the District safety protocols (found below), you can help reduce fear and build a student’s trust in the systems we have in place. Open dialogues between parents, teachers, support staff and students strengthen our processes and emergency response plans. Below are the District safety protocols to review with your student.

Be Alert

“If you see something, say something!” This proactive approach is encouraged among students, parents and staff to ensure safety concerns are reported immediately to school administrators or appropriate first responders, especially if there is a potential for imminent danger.

Drills and Preparedness

All schools will continue to conduct regular fire, lockdown and safety drills as required by state law — including unannounced drills to evaluate readiness. Our first drills will occur within the first two weeks of school.

Run, Hide, Fight (Take Action)

We use the Run, Hide, Fight (Take Action) protocol, a nationally recommended strategy endorsed by the Department of Homeland Security:

• Run – Get away from danger if safe to do so.

• Hide – Stay out of sight and remain quiet.

• Fight (Take Action) – As a last resort, attempt to stop the threat if your life is in immediate danger.
  
  

Emergency Procedures

• Fire – Evacuate and wait for clearance to return.

• Lockdown – Secure your location based on the threat.

• Shelter in Place – Remain indoors during outside hazards.

• Reunification – If students must be relocated, families will receive instructions via School Messenger, our website and social media.

For your safety and the safety of students, staff and first responders, please:

● DO NOT REPORT TO THE SCHOOL — procedures are in place to safely and efficiently reunite students with parents/guardians.

● Ensure you have persons authorized to pick up your student(s) LISTED ON YOUR STUDENT’S EMERGENCY CARD in Infinite Campus (you can find more information linked HERE). No student will be released to any other adult, if not listed on the current emergency card.

● Have your photo ID with you at the reunification site; it will be required at the time of pickup​.

Communication During an Emergency

During an emergency at a D.C. Everest school, communication is distributed through the School Messenger all-call system, the district websites and our social media channels. To ensure you receive timely alerts, please update your emergency contact information. Please visit the DCE Safety and Security webpage to update your contact information in Infinite Campus.

Parents are advised to:

• Remain at home/work and monitor our communication channels (website, social media, email, texts) for updated information.

• Avoid sending repeated texts or phone calls to students’ personal cell phones; doing so may alert intruders to your child’s location and may tie up the cellular systems, potentially delaying a safe and effective response.

• Refrain from proceeding to the site of the emergency — doing so may block roads and prevent first responders from responding in a timely manner; only proceed to the site if advised to do so by the District or law enforcement

• Avoid posting unverified information to your social media channels — this can lead to mass confusion and misinformation.

For any concerns or questions, please contact our building principal, Matt Schult.

• “Visitor” is typically a parent/guardian/family support person attending a school event, sporting event, theater production, class choir, or school family event OR is a parent/guardian dropping off/picking up their child from school.

• Visitors attending school events shall report their presence and sign in at the school office, using Visitor Aware (bring your ID), if the visit occurs during the instructional day; but may not be required to sign in if the event or activity is after the instructional day.

• Visitors dropping off/picking up their child from school outside normal drop/pickup times will press the call button located near the center of the front doors to enter the building and drop off/pick up their child in the office lobby area.

DCE EVERGREEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM utilizing Volunteer Tracker

Every day, D.C. Everest volunteers make a huge impact on the educational experience of our students. Volunteers are welcome and greatly appreciated. Whether you are interested in a one-time, one-hour project or an ongoing opportunity, we will find something that fits your schedule, talents, and desires.

We continually strive to build a culture of civic engagement across our K-12 curriculum and strengthen connections district-wide through meaningful engagement. With safety as a top priority, all school sites across the D.C. Everest Area School District and Greenheck Turner Community Center utilize an automated volunteer management program called Volunteer Tracker to manage volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Tracker allows us to manage our volunteer program across the district, track and recognize the volunteer contributions of community members, send reminders to our volunteers/staff, and conduct criminal background screenings.

Please note, all field trip chaperones must complete an application through the Volunteer Tracker System and have a background check completed prior to accompanying our students on any field trips. We encourage all our parents to visit the website listed below and complete the volunteer application at the beginning of the school year. Everything will then be ready for you to assist with various events and field trips that occur throughout the school year.

For in-depth information related to district volunteer opportunities and/or protocols, please visit the DCE Volunteer page https://www.dce.k12.wi.us/community/dce-evergreen-volunteers

The D.C. Everest School District continues to create academic and social-emotional support systems linked directly to the assessed needs of our students. This system, known as the Everest System of Supports (E.S.S.), provides all students with timely and targeted instruction and intervention based upon the data-driven results of universal screening tools.

The primary purpose of universal screening is to help all students be successful. By identifying students who are in need of more specialized academic or behavioral interventions, we can provide assistance and preventative measures as early as possible. Likewise, by identifying students with higher reasoning skills and talent potential, we can provide them with opportunities to participate in the Gifted and Talented Magnet program or other enrichment opportunities appropriate for the individual student. In addition to universal screening tools, specific grade levels participate in annual assessments required by the state of Wisconsin.

Universal Screening Tools:

• The universal screening tool aimswebPlus includes assessments (grades K-5) for math and reading to help determine where students might have gaps in knowledge and skills and need assistance. The assessments are administered in fall, winter, and spring. In the area of literacy for grades K-3, aimswebPlus is the universal screening tool required in Wisconsin as a comprehensive assessment of young children's knowledge of literacy foundational skills that are predictive of future reading success.

• aimswebPlus universal reading screening data will also be used to determine which students would benefit from continuing in the screening process through use of informal, diagnostic, individually administered assessment tools in the areas of phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, and spelling. This will help us identify students who display risk factors associated with dyslexia/related difficulties. The results from these assessments are not intended or designed to diagnose dyslexia; their purpose is to identify children who are experiencing reading difficulties that may require extra support and ensure that support is targeted to each student’s areas of need.

• The 7 Mindsets Insights Assessment helps measure student perceptions across the seven mindsets—Everything is Possible, Passion First, We Are Connected, 100% Accountable, Attitude of Gratitude, Live to Give, and The Time is Now—with results highlighting growth areas for individual students, classes, and our building. The assessment is administered two to three times per year.

Wisconsin State Assessment System:

• In spring, the Wisconsin Forward Exam will be administered to all students in grades 3-5. The Wisconsin Forward Exam is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in order to be college and career ready.

• Students in grades 3-5 will take the English language arts (ELA) and math portions of the exam.

• Students in grade 4 will also be tested in science and social studies.

Thank you for supporting the D.C. Everest School District’s efforts to build a system of student supports linked directly to data. This initiative will ensure each of our students has the opportunity to receive the assistance they need to achieve academic and social-emotional success. Please do not hesitate to contact your building principal if you would like to discuss any of the assessment processes or the options of opting your child out of a specific assessment/survey.

As part of its Directory Data Notice, and in compliance with specific federal Acts and state Statutes, the D.C. Everest Area School Board is required to define specific student information as “directory information.” At D.C. Everest, directory information includes:

• Student name
• Student photograph(s)
• Officially-recognized sports and activities the student participates in
• Student height and weight, if a member of an athletic team
• Graduation date
• Degrees and awards received

If families prefer the above-noted student information not be shared, they must inform the District — in writing— which of the directory information items they refuse to permit the District to designate as “Directory Data” for their student. For example, if a parent/guardian decides photos of their student should not be released, then the student’s photo will not appear in the yearbook, in team photos, in photos shared on social media and with the media, etc. The Board defines “personally identifiable information” in its Directory Data Notice. (For a complete list of the “personally identifiable information” data, view the DCE Directory Data Notice online.)

The District is required to release specific personally identifiable information - the name, address, and telephone listing of secondary school students - upon request by military recruiters or institutions of higher education without prior written parental/guardian consent unless parents request in writing that their student’s name, address and telephone number not be released to military recruiters or institutions of higher education without prior written parental consent. This specific request must be submitted to the Student Services Secretary.

The above-noted written requests should be submitted to the student’s school secretary at the elementary level and the Student Services secretary at the secondary level.

The complete D.C. Everest Directory Data Notice is available online.

Email: mschult@dce.k12.wi.us
Website: https://mountainbay.dce.k12.wi.us/
Location: 8602 Schofield Avenue, Weston, WI, USA
Phone: (715)355-0302
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DC-Everest-Mountain-Bay-Elementary-822129127822143/
Twitter: @DCEverestSchool

Phone (715)355-0302

Press 0 for the main office

Press 1 for attendance

Fax (715)355-0307

Lamer's Bus Company (715)298-6110

School Hours 8:45 a.m - 3:40 p.m.

Students can begin arriving at 8:20 a.m.

Office Staff

Matthew Schult - Principal - Ext. 5822

Jocelyn Barwick - Administrative Assistant to the Principal - Ext. 5821

Theresa Howland - Health Assistant - Ext. 5823

Dawn Schueller - School Counselor - Ext. 5826

Taylor Parde - School Psychologist - Ext. 5889

Teressa Kampmeyer - School Social Worker - Ext. 2309

Melissa Low - Student Support Teacher - Ext. 5828