DRE Weekly News September 14, 2026

Kindergarten 98.58%

First Grade 96.38%

Second Grade 97.28%

Third Grade 96.08%

Fourth Grade 98.53%

Fifth Grade 98.26

Perfect Attendance: 376 Students

Overall ADA 97.2%

August 24-September 11, 2026

Day 5: Monday, 9/14

Day 1: Tuesday, 9/15

Day 2: Wednesday, 9/16

Day 3: Thursday, 9/17

Day 4: Friday, 9/18

Kindergarten: 11:10 am

1st Grade: 11:25 am

2nd Grade: 10:50 am

3rd Grade: 12:30 pm

4th Grade: 12:10 pm

5th Grade: 11:50 am

Student lunch periods last 20 minutes, providing additional time for clean-up and transitioning to outdoor recess. We have designated seating for guests, and when you join us for lunch, this time is meant exclusively for you and your child. Please do not bring food or treats for other students. Your child's friends and classmates must stay seated with their assigned class.

September 16

Early Release, Dismissal 1:35 pm

Fall Mum Order Pick Up

Kona Ice Day, Lunch Recess

Community Awareness Week: Scouts Visit During Lunches

September 17

WSD BOE Meeting, 6:30 pm

September 18

Community Awareness Week: Girl Scouts Visit During Lunches

September 25

DRE PTO Family Outdoor Movie Night, Arrival, 6:30 pm, Movie begins at 7 pm

October 2

Kindergarten Field Trip

October 6

LHS & DRE Student Lighthouse visit (at DRE)

October 8

Second Grade Fire Prevention Visit

DRE PTO Booster Fun Run Kick Off

October 10

WSD Homecoming Parade

October 12

Fifth Grade Camp

October 13

Fifth Grade Camp

Festival of Choirs, LHS 6 pm

October 16

End of First Quarter: No school

October 21

Early Release, 1:35 pm

DRE PTO Booster Fun Run

October 23

Fall Costume Parade 2 pm

Fall Harvest Parties 2:20-3:20 pm

October 28

Report Cards Available in Focus

Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-8 pm

October 29

No school

Parent Teacher Conferences, 10 am - 8 pm

October 30-November 3

No school

November 4

School Resumes

Please note that for this school year, WSD is replacing monthly Late Start Mondays with monthly All-District PK-12 Early Release Wednesdays (2 Hr).

• The first monthly All-District PK-12 Early Release (2-hour early dismissal) will be Wednesday, Sept. 16.
• Elementary Early Release Supervision: Paid supervision will be available for preschool and elementary students on early release days, similar to previous Late Start supervision. This is separate from our Chautauqua Program.

This fall, teachers and reading specialists will be conducting reading assessments with all students. These assessments help plan for daily instruction and identify students who might benefit from extra reading support. To complete these assessments, reading specialists may work with students in small groups. Working in a small group for testing is separate from receiving reading intervention services. If assessment results show that your child qualifies for reading intervention, you will be contacted directly. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child's classroom teacher.

Is your student a bus rider? Stopfinder is the WSD transportation app for bus-riding families. It provides families with convenient access to their student’s transportation information and is the district’s primary source for transportation notifications. Read about the Stopfinder app and how it can work for you by turning on notifications, which are not automatically set up, or sharing access to route information with caregivers.

We hope your family can join us for our Family Movie Night, featuring The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

• Arrival begins at 6:30 pm, movie begins at 7 pm
• Free popcorn, candy & soda available for purchase
• Preorder Papa John's Pizza by 9/21, $10 Each (Cheese, Pepperoni, or Sausage)
• Payment Options: Venmo @DRE-PTO or cash sent to DRE Office
• All children must be accompanied by an adult, bring your blankets & chairs for seating

Please join us for Trunk-or-Treat on October 23, 2026, from 6-8 p.m.

• Wear your costumes! (school-appropriate attire please)
• Food Trucks: Casera (Mexican, quesadillas, etc.) Kona Ice, and one more TBD
• Live DJ, TONS of candy, LOTS of fun!!!

To participate, whether you plan to be a Trunk or a Treater, we ask each family to donate at least one large bag of candy or Halloween trinkets as their admission ticket to the event. Please bring your candy/trinkets to the table upon arrival.

Trinkets can be spider rings, stretchy skeletons, pencils, etc. Candy does not have to be peanut-free.

TRUNKERS: We are looking for some FUN families to host a trunk! Please decorate your trunk and bring one bag of candy or trinkets to pass out. We will replenish your candy throughout the night until we run out. 1-2 pieces of candy per child are plenty, as we expect a large turnout. Please consider having a game or a fun way to pass out candy! This makes the event more fun and also helps with the movement of treaters from trunk to trunk. *Please keep trunks school-appropriate & nothing too scary for our little ones!

The back parking lot by the playground will open at 5:00 p.m. strictly for families that are hosting a trunk to help set up for the event. The parking lot will close at 5:55 p.m. to keep our students safe, no exceptions. The parking lot will reopen at 8:00 p.m. for dismissal. The front lot will be open for guests to come and go.

TREATERS: We are asking each family to bring a large bag of candy or Halloween trinkets as their admission ticket. This will help replenish the families hosting trunks.

Please park in the upper parking lot area, as the back parking lot by the playground will be closed to keep our students safe during the event. No one will be admitted before 6:00 p.m.

Wear your Costumes! (school-appropriate attire, please)

Questions? Contact, Mrs. Sarah Gerson

Whether you’re a first-time member or a returning volunteer, your time, energy, and ideas are incredibly valuable. Together, we help make DRE a vibrant and welcoming place for all of our children to grow and thrive.

Here’s what to expect as a new member:

• Quarterly Meetings: Stay informed and share your voice. Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4 at 6 pm in the library.
• Volunteer Opportunities: From classroom support to school events, there’s something for everyone. We’ll send out sign-ups and information.
• Community Connection: PTO is a great way to meet other families, build relationships, and have fun while making a difference.

Be on the lookout for our PTO event updates. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to get involved right away.

PTO Board Members: Mindy Meinert, Kari McDonnell, Victoria Dailey

The turkey trot is a one mile race for third-seventh grade students. Look for the form in your student's folder.

When: Wednesday October 21, 2026 (October 22nd is the rain date)

Where: Holt High School - 600 Campus Drive, Wentzville, MO 63385

Entry Fee: Includes a t-shirt - $10 cash / check- Wentzville/Lake St Louis Optimist Club / Paypal: paypal.me/wlsloc

Times:

Third Grade Girls, 5 pm

Third Grade Boys, 5:15 pm

Fourth Grade Girls, 5:30 pm

Fourth Grade Boys, 5:45 pm

Fourth Grade Girls, 6 pm

Fifth Grade Boys, 6:15 pm

Questions: edwardjurotich@wsdr4.org, or janelmathison@wsdr4.org

Forms: Turn into Mr. Sevier or Mrs. Mathison at DRE

• Enrollment

• Wentzville Schools Focus Login

• Canvas Learning Management System

• 2026-27 Student Academic Calendar

• Start and End Times Schedule

Dear Discovery Ridge Elementary Family,

Throughout the academic year, the Wentzville School District partners with community agencies that specialize in providing students, families, and educators with preventive education. Agency presenters are credentialed, coordinated through the District, and under the supervision of building administrators. Presentation topics are targeted toward specific grade levels. All students will participate in each program unless you choose to opt your child out of the lesson(s). If you are interested in opting your student(s) out of the presentation(s), please click the appropriate link(s) below.

Kindergarten Opt-Out Form

First Grade Opt-Out Form

Second Grade Opt-Out Form

Third Grade Opt-Out Form

Fourth Grade Opt-Out Form

Fifth Grade Opt-Out Form

If you have additional questions, please reach out directly to your student’s guidance counselor.

Thank you,

Mrs. Kelly Stratman, Principal

Mr. Ben Tracy, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Stacy Browning, Guidance Counselor (Grades 2-4)

Mrs. Jane Douglas, Guidance Counselor (Grades K-1, 5)

Mrs. Sarah Holcomb, Education Support Counselor

Each new school year brings opportunities for academic growth and growth in all areas of development. Although children must be knowledgeable when they graduate, they must also be healthy, engaged, responsible, and caring people.

We’re grateful you’re here at our school and we’re excited to partner with you and your child. As a Leader in Me School, we believe that every member of your family has greatness and we can’t wait to learn and grow from you! Leader in Me (LiM) is an evidence-based, comprehensive school-improvement model—developed in partnership with educators and FranklinCovey—that empowers students with the leadership and life skills they need to thrive in a global community.

Our school has chosen to operate through a uniquely different lens. Leader in Me is about empowering your child to reach their full potential while ultimately finding their voice. As a school, the staff in this building have made five core commitments to your child. We call these our Core Paradigms. In these paradigms you will find the belief and way we view all students. At this school we see that:

• Everyone is a leader.
• Everyone has genius.
• Change starts with me.
• We empower students to lead their own learning.
• Educators and families partner to develop the whole person.

Not only do these paradigms apply to your student, they apply to all of us!

Leader in Me provides our school with the vision and language to lead the school in a way that addresses all areas of development. As each child discovers and develops their unique gifts and talents, they are given opportunities to lead.

As leaders, they become active, engaged partners in their own education, and their self-confidence, responsibility, and initiative grows. The children quickly understand the benefits of different gifts and talents; they learn to listen to new ideas, work together to achieve results, and motivate one another to be the best.

We hope your school enjoys sharing these new opportunities. Together, we will see each child grow throughout the year.

Mrs. Kelly J. Stratman, Principal

Mr. Ben Tracy, Assistant Principal