The Spartan Family Newsletter

Morning meeting with Mr. Furtney. I would like to invite all of you to enjoy coffee, donuts, and conversation on February 4th at 8 am. I will give a "state of the building" along with future plans. I will also be open to any questions that you might have. We will be done by 9am at the latest. If any parent cannot make it and would like to meet with me another time, please just email me Matt.Furtney@waldronspartans.org

We have secured a great assembly for our students! I am very excited to announce that we have Motivational Speaker, Basketball Jones coming to Waldron on March 3rd!! I have had the opportunity see him before and it was a phenomenal assembly for students.
Here is his website if you'd like to look into him: https://www.jimbasketballjones.com/

We have our 2026 HS "MET GALA" Homecoming on January 23rd, 9pm - 11pm.

We have our MS Dance "Dancing at the Movies" on January 24th, 5pm - 7pm.

I am looking forward to both of these events. I hope to see as many of our students as possible there. If finances are going to be an issue, please email me and we will work something out. Matt.Furtney@waldronspartans.org

I read an article that discussed small moments with your child that can make a big impact in their education and in your relationship with them. I wanted to share them with you.

Here are 5 questions (rooted in positive-psych research and kid-friendly in language) that parents can ask their students to tap into curiosity, confidence, and connection at school.

1. “What are you most excited to learn about this week and why?”
   Sparks curiosity; when kids get excited about what they love, they naturally want to learn more.

   
   

2. “What is one strength you have that can help you handle challenges?”
   Helps kids recognize their inner superpowers, like kindness or perseverance, so they know they’ve got what it takes.

   
   

3. “Who’s someone at school you’d love to connect more with and how can you be a good friend to them?”
   Friendships fuel emotional health. This question nudges kids to think about connection and empathy.

   
   

4. “What does a ‘great day’ at school look like for you?”
   Visualizing a good day helps kids feel more confident and optimistic. It’s like a mental warm-up for success.

   
   

5. “If you start feeling nervous or stressed, what’s something that has helped you feel calm or strong before?”
   Encouraging emotional awareness and giving kids real tools to handle the tough stuff when it shows up is so valuable.

Last month, we held a leadership class with our 6th and 7th grade students. Students learned about prioritizing important things in their lives and not letting the extras (drama, social media, etc) get in the way of what is important to them. This month we will be learning about Empathy and how to practice empathy. Empathy is just like the old saying of walking a mile in someone else's shoes. If you ever have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out.

As I've talked about in earlier newsletters, we are having Character Assemblies for our elementary students. Last week we discussed Following Directions. This month's Character Assembly for our elementary students will be Respect-Respecting each other.

Each class will have a Student of the Month that will receive a certificate and yard sign. I will also be taking a picture with each student and posting them and sending them to you as well.

When: Saturday Feb 14th, 2026
Where: Kissel Building West Unity OH
Time: Doors Open- 5:00 PM
Dinner- 5:30 PM
Drawing Begin- 6:30PM
Cost: $50 Per Ticket- 250 Tickets Sold
PLEASE SEE A BOOSTER MEMBER OR COACH TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Waldron’s Sports – 01/19 thru 01/23

Monday (01/19) – JH Girls Basketball at Pittsford @ 5:30pm.

Tuesday (01/20) – Boys HS Basketball vs Burr Oak @ 6pm

Wednesday (01/21) – Boys HS Basketball at Hillsdale Academy @ 6pm

Thursday (01/22) – JH Girls Basketball vs Hillsdale Academy @ 5:30pm

Friday (01/23) – Boys HS Basketball (Varsity only) vs Tekonsha @ 6:30pm

For this week's staff member highlight, I am happy to highlight Kim Cramer. Kim is our gym, photography, and art teacher. This year marks her tenth year at Waldron both as a teacher and coach. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, hiking with her dog, traveling, reading, and participating in a competitive volleyball. Kim grew up in our neighboring district of Pittsford.

January 19 - No School - Martin Luther King Day

January 23 - Homecoming Dance 9pm-11pm

January 24 - MS Dance 5pm - 7pm

February 13 - Half Day

February 16 - No School - Staff PD

February 26 - Reading Night

March 3 - Basketball Jones Assembly

March 6 - End of 3rd Marking Period

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

May 7 - Half Day - Exams

May 8 - Half Day - Exams

May 1- Last day of school for Seniors

May 17 - Graduation

May 22 - Half Day

May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

June 3 - Half Day- Last day of School

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