Wiggin Street Parent Update

Families,

The long-awaited class rosters have arrived! We appreciate your patience and hope the extra time has allowed us to thoughtfully create classes that will best support your student’s success. We also want to extend a warm welcome to all new families joining Wiggin Street!

Kindergarten families—please take note of the group your child has been assigned to and the specific days they are scheduled to attend during the staggered start.

Don’t forget to complete our Summer Reading Log with your child to participate in our Get Soaked in Books! Water Day. Students must turn in their reading log to join in the fun. We’d also love for you to send a summer reading photo of your child to hwaugh@mvcsd.us to be added to our summer reading slide show. Additional details and links to the reading logs can be found below and on our website. Enjoy these final days of summer with a great book!

Class lists are included in this update via Instant Connect and will also be posted on our front doors. Click here if you need to create an Instant Connect account. All communication—including these updates—is sent by email and text through this platform.

School supply lists can be found here. New families—if you have any lingering questions, visit our school website. If you still can’t find what you need, please feel free to email me at cgrandstaff@mvcsd.us.

This Back-to-School Update is filled with important information to help you and your child have a smooth and successful start to the school year. Thank you for trusting us with your children each day. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

I look forward to seeing you all at Open House!

Have a great rest of your summer!

Sincerely,
Christy Grandstaff
Principal, Wiggin Street Elementary

Please click here for the class rosters for this school year.

Make sure you have completed all enrollment forms online including required documents such as the District Authorization form and Student Emergency Medical Form which can be found on the Parent Portal.

In order to assist children in their transition to kindergarten, all elementary schools will be implementing a "staggered start" for just our kindergarten students. Please take note as to the group assigned on the class rosters and the dates they are to attend. Group A will begin on August 19th and Group B on the 20th. The A/B schedule continues through August 28th with all kindergarten students together on the 29th. Kindergarten teachers will meet the students on the front lawn on the first days, and they will walk together to class.

Please provide a change of clothes in a labeled Ziploc baggie in case of accidents. Also, our kindergarten students play on the playground multiple times throughout the day, so they will get dirty. Tennis shoes are needed for gym class.

Resources for Preparing for Kindergarten can be found here.

We are getting ready for an exciting school year! Click here for Wiggin Street's 2025-26 School Supply List.

Please save your student's Brag Tags to add to their new backpack for next school year. There were a few teachers that saved them at the end of last school year and passed them up to the next grade level. Some new tags have been purchased, and the kids love to collect them!

Teachers will be ready to greet students at our Open House on August 14th 6:00-7:30pm. This will be an informal meet and greet and opportunity for students to bring in their supplies. I will be available outside the office and look forward to meeting you, so please stop by to say hello.

Interested in being more involved with our school? Our PTO, Friends of Wiggin Street, will have a table set up at our Open House with sign up sheets for different committees and opportunities for parent volunteers. All are welcome, and also, this is a great way to get the inside scoop! 🍦🍨

We require that all adults attending field trips will need a BCI background check on file. The board will pay for any parent's background check done through the MVCSD district office to go on field trips or to volunteer at the school. The BCI background check will need to be done each school year and needs to be on file in our office. If any parent needs a background check, please go to the district office with your driver's license. Thank you.

Summer Reading Video

Summer Reading Log - Going into KG & Gr. 1

Summer Reading Log - Going into Gr. 2

Summer Reading Log - Going into Gr. 3

Summer Reading Log - Going into Gr. 4 & 5

There have been some changes in our staffing this year. Mrs. Vipperman and Mrs. LaBenne are both on parental leave this year after delivering their babies in May. We will miss them this year, but we are grateful to have Lauren and Rachel as Intervention Specialists this year.

They have shared more about themselves below. Please help me welcome them at the Open House.

Greetings! My name is Lauren Heffelfinger and as an Elmwood Elementary, MVMS, and MNHS graduate, I am excited to join Wiggin Street as an Intervention Specialist for the upcoming year! I live in Mount Vernon with my daughter, Olivia Jane. Olivia Jane is 10 (almost 11!) and attends St. Vincent de Paul School as a soon to be 5th grader. We have a crazy coonhound, Roger, and 10 chickens, most of whom are named after musical theater actresses.

In the summer you will find us at Hiawatha Pool, Cedar Point, Ariel Foundation Park, or camping and hiking around the state. During the school year I spend my time reading, working out, or at Pilates at Roots Down downtown. Olivia Jane participates in Volleyball, Basketball, Track, Theater, and Jazz which fills out the rest of our “free” time. I serve on the Recreation Board for the City of Mount Vernon and have served in various roles in a number of philanthropic groups or for different arts related activities in and around Mount Vernon.

I have had a number of opportunities to educate all ages in my different career opportunities. I have taught Pre-K through college students as a public school educator and as the Director of Esther Jetter Preschool at MVNU. I provided adult and community education while serving as the Coordinator for Prevention Education at the Freedom Center and as an Americorps VISTA at Knox County Head Start. I have worked in intervention classrooms at the Knox ESC Preschool and the Learning Center and tutored for years, most recently with a focus on reading and dyslexia tutoring. I am currently finishing up my time as a K-5 Character Education and LIbrary Sciences teacher at Mount Gilead Schools where I partnered with classroom teachers to provide extension and intervention lessons through creative arts and STEM during the Library specials rotation. Intervention is near and dear to my heart as Olivia Jane has some learning differences, including dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD, and we know first hand how having the right interventions can be so positive and life-changing.

I look forward to meeting everyone in the fall!

Hello! My name is Rachel Horn. I wanted to share a little bit about me. I have been married to my husband Ben for seven years. I have been Intervention Specialist for several age levels and have been a High School, Middle School and Preschool Intervention Specialist as well as a Preschool Teacher at Head Start. I enjoy walking, camping, and spending time with family and friends. I look forward to this school year and working at Wiggin Street!

Below you will see the route to enter our drive for pick up and drop off of your children. Please know that students should not be dropped off earlier than 8:40 am. for the students' safety.

For pick up, please do not arrive until 3:30. There is no stopping, standing, or parking on E. Brooklyn St. allowed, and you will be ticketed. Also, our school is an Idle-free zone. So, please protect our children and the community by turning off your engine.

Children need to be picked up by 3:45. We appreciate your cooperation and efforts to help this process run smoothly. Thank you!

Bus numbers, pickup and dropoff times can be found in the parent portal the week of 8/11. Please be at your bus pickup locations 5 minutes early. All buses have WiFi access. If you have further questions, please contact the bus garage at 740-392-5995 ext. 6700.

Our doors open at 8:40, so students should not be dropped off prior to that time for safety due to supervision. Attendance is taken at 9:00, and your child's success in school depends on them being prompt, so they are ready for morning routines which can reduce student anxiety. If they are tardy for some reason, you will need to come into the office to sign them in. If they are ill and need to be absent, please call the office. A note of explanation is needed in the office upon returning to school including medical excuses if applicable.

You can send a note with your child to the office in the morning if there is a change in their pick up routine. Sometimes changes are necessary during the school day for pick up. If you have a change in the way your child needs to go home, it is preferred that you send an email to your child's teacher and Alicia, our secretary, at ahiggins@mvcsd.us. Phone calls must be made to the office before 2:00 pm if needed, so the change can be communicated.

As a district we are 1:1 on Chromebooks, and students in grades 2-5 receive a touchscreen Chromebook to be used in class. K-1 students regularly use iPads and/or Chromebooks that are assigned to students and kept in the classroom.

The MVCSD Student Electronic Device Handbook can also be found on the district website, but I've linked it here for convenience. Please read carefully to understand that "a Student Electronic Device or any of its accessories that are lost (whereabouts unknown) or damaged is the responsibility of the student and parent involved in the loss of property.

There is an option to purchase insurance on devices kept at school, and more information can be found here: OPT IN Student Electronic Device Insurance Flyer (These will be sent home at the start of the school year.) The cost is $39 without a charger and $46 per device with a charger (K-12). Accidents happen, so I highly encourage the purchase of insurance to save you from paying for the cost of a replacement screen or Chromebook with a replacement cost of $260-$368.

Parents' Guide: Keeping Children Safe Online

Acceptable Usage Policy

Mount Vernon City Schools Announces Free Meals for All Students

The Board of Education of Mount Vernon City Schools is excited to announce that all students will receive FREE breakfast and lunch for the 2025-2026 school year. Student academic fees will also be waived for the 2025-2026 school year. There will be no need to complete Free & Reduced Lunch forms at this time.

Important- Students packing their lunch, but need to purchase a milk, will need to pay the milk price of $0.50.

Online School Forms: Every year parents must update several district forms. We make this process easy and convenient through our online |Parent Portal| If this link doesn't take you immediately to the ‘OneView’ login screen, you can find it on the district website under the ‘For Families’ drop-down menu. Please update the Student Emergency Medical Form and the District Authorization forms and select the ‘Save & Submit’ button at the bottom of the form.

Policy Objective

The primary goal of this policy is to strengthen Mount Vernon City Schools' focus on learning by minimizing distractions caused by cell phones. By limiting cell phone use during school hours, we aim to support an environment where students can fully engage with their classmates, teachers, and instructional activities.

Research Support

Extensive research highlights the negative impact of cell phone use on student performance and mental health. Studies have shown that cell phones can distract students from classroom instruction, leading to smaller learning gains and lower test scores. Additionally, increased cell phone use has been associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders in children. Cyberbullying, facilitated by instant messaging and social media platforms, exacerbates these issues, contributing to anxiety and depression. Furthermore, constant access to cell phones reduces essential face-to-face interactions, which are crucial for developing social skills. Our structured cell phone policy aims to mitigate these risks, creating a safer and more focused learning environment.

Applicability and Grade-Level Policies

This policy applies to students' cell phone use on school property during school hours, tailored to students' age and maturity levels through grade-level bands.

• Elementary School (Grades K-5):

• Policy: Cell phones are prohibited from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

• Rationale: Encourages focus on learning and social interactions without distractions.

Emergency Communication

We understand parents' concerns regarding constant contact in emergencies. The district has protocols to notify students if parents call the office quickly. Students can use the office phone to contact parents in case of a school emergency. An emergency is defined as any situation where a student's immediate safety, health, or well-being is at risk and requires urgent communication or action.

Cell Phone Storage

Students must keep their cell phones in a secure place, such as a locker, closed backpack, or a secured cell phone pouch provided by the district, at all times when cell phone use is prohibited. The secured cell phone pouch is the property of MVCSD; students will be responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged pouches.

Progressive Discipline for Policy Violations

• First Offense:

• Action: Student receives a warning.

• Contact: Family is notified.

• Procedure: The phone is placed in a secured pouch until the end of the day.

• Second Offense:

• Action: Lunch detention.

• Contact: Family is notified.

• Procedure: The phone is placed in a secured pouch until the end of the day.

• Third Offense:

• Action: Loss of cell phone privilege during school.

• Contact: Family is notified.

• Procedure: Phone stays at home or checked in at the office.

Further violations may result in increased disciplinary action, including suspension or referral to law enforcement.

Policy Review and Modifications

The cell phone policies will be reviewed regularly to ensure they meet the needs of students, parents, and the educational environment. The district reserves the right to modify these policies based on new research, feedback, and changing circumstances.

This policy is designed to create a focused learning environment while addressing the communication needs of parents and students. We are confident that this will enhance the educational experience for all Mount Vernon City Schools students.

Visitors to our building are required to sign in at the office.

Click here for the 2025-26 Mount Vernon City School District Yearly Calendar

August

1 Wiggin Street office opens

6 Class Lists are shared

13-15;18Teacher/Staff District In-Service

14 Wiggin Street Spirit Wear Sale Begins

14 Elementary Open House; 6-7:30

19 First Day of School

19-28 Stagger Start for Kindergarten (A/B) See schedule above.

22 Summer Reading Logs Due

26 Fall Mumkin Sale Begins

29 First day of ALL Kindergarten

September

1 Labor Day (No School)

1 Wiggin Street Spirit Wear Sale Concludes

Christy Grandstaff

Email: cgrandstaff@mvcsd.us
Website: https://www.mt-vernon.k12.oh.us/wigginstreetelementary_home.aspx
Location: 207 Wiggin St, Gambier, OH, USA
Phone: 740-427-4262
Facebook: facebook.com/wigginstreet
Twitter: @wiggin_street

Email: cgrandstaff@mvcsd.us
Website: mvcsd.us
Location: 207 Wiggin St, Gambier, OH, USA
Phone: 740-427-4262
Facebook: facebook.com/wigginstreet
Twitter: @wiggin_street