Weston Wildcat Weekly

Just a reminder student drop-off is from 8:20-8:40am. We do not have supervision available before 8:20, so students who walk or ride bikes should not arrive before that time. We have seen an increase in behaviors before school, and arriving during our designated drop off window helps us keep everyone safe. Thank you for your help and support!

October 24th: FCCLA Trunk or Treat in Weston Elementary parking lot 3:00 - 5:00pm

October 27th: Fall Fundraiser pickup 3:45pm - 5:15pm

October 27th: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30pm - 7:30pm

October 29th: NO SCHOOL - P/T conferences 11:30am - 7:30pm

October 30th: NO SCHOOL

November 2nd: NO SCHOOL - PD Day

November 12th - 13th: Vision & Hearing Screening

November 13th: Donuts with Grownups 8:15 - 8:40am

November 20th: Fall Family Night 5:00 - 6:30pm

November 25th - 27th: Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL

December 1st: Winter Music Concerts

• Kindergarten: 5:00pm
• 2nd Grade: 6:00pm
• 4th Grade: 7:00pm

December 3rd: Winter Music Concerts

• 1st Grade: 5:00pm
• 3rd Grade: 6:00pm
• 5th Grade: 7:00pm

December 18th: Vision & Hearing Rescreening

December 23rd - January 1st: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL

January 18th: Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL

January 26th: Baacke/Borntreger & Brandt's classes to Imaginarium

January 27th: Burzinski & Cucchiarelli's classes to Imaginarium

January 28th: BINGO Night 6:00 - 7:00pm

February 16th: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30pm - 7:30pm

February 18th: NO SCHOOL - P/T Conferences 11:30am - 7:30pm

February 19th: NO SCHOOL

February 22nd: PD Day - NO SCHOOL

February 24th - 26th: Doescher to Twin Oaks

March 1st - 3rd: Warren to Twin Oaks

March 3rd - 5th: Andreas to Twin Oaks

March 19th: Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL

March 22nd - March 26th: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL

March 29th: Espeland & Ostrowski's classes to Twin Oaks

March 30th: Bukowski & Kleinschmidt's classes to Twin Oaks

April 23rd: NO SCHOOL

May 25th: 4th grade to Madison

May 31st: Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL

June 3rd: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

The nomination period for the D.C. Everest Advanced Learner Program will run from Monday, January 4th through Friday, February 26th 2027. Parents and teachers are encouraged to nominate students currently in 1st through 4th grade who have demonstrated advanced academic capabilities. Riverside Elementary houses the District's Challenge Program which serves selected students in grades 2nd through 5th. This program is designed with an accelerated and differentiated curriculum. Instruction time will emphasize higher level cognitive skills, problem solving, logic, and creativity. Students qualifying for placement in the program need to acquire academic knowledge quickly, apply knowledge in creative and productive ways, and demonstrate a strong desire to learn.

This year, the district is offering several information sessions about the Advanced Learner Program prior to the nomination period opening in January. Please see the below flyer for a list of upcoming information sessions. The intent of these sessions is to provide an overview of the program, to explain the screening/testing procedures, and to address your questions and concerns. Please use the below QR code to reserve your spot at one of the following information sessions.

As the seasons change, please take a moment to check your child's extra clothes bag and switch out any clothing that no longer fits the weather. We also recommend making sure they have a complete change of clothes available for spills, accidents, or other unexpected messes.

Our lost and found has already become quite large! It is open to parents/families every day after school during pick-up time. Please take a few minutes to look through it, and encourage your student to check as well to make sure none of their belongings are waiting to be claimed.

We know how much kids love their NeeDohs, fidgets, and small toys! While these items are great for use at home, we ask that they stay at home during the school day. This helps us keep everyone safe, as some products may contain latex or other materials that can cause allergic reactions. They can also become a distraction when they are lost, broken, shared, or used in ways that take attention away from learning. The good news is that we have school-approved fidgets available for students who benefit from using one during the school day. Thank you for helping us keep school a safe, focused, and positive place for everyone!

At Weston Elementary, we believe students thrive when expectations are clear and consistent. This fall, we will be rolling out a new Behavior Matrix focused on our hallway, lunchroom, and playground expectations. Students will learn what it looks like to be safe, respectful, and responsible in each setting through explicit teaching, practice, and positive reinforcement. We are excited to help all students succeed and make our school a welcoming place for everyone!

8:20 am - Students May Arrive at School

8:20 - 8:40 am - School Breakfast Served

8:40 am - Students report to their classrooms

8:45 am - Classes begin/Tardy Bell/Daily Announcements

11:25 - 11:45 1st Grade Lunch

11:35 - 11:55 Kindergarten Lunch

12:00 - 12:15 2nd Grade Lunch

12:10 - 12:25 3rd Grade Lunch

12:30 - 12:45 4th Grade Lunch

12:40 - 12:55 5th Grade Lunch

3:40 pm - Student Dismissal

*Students are welcome to stay in the lunchroom up to 45 minutes within their lunch/recess window

Weston Elementary doors open to students at 8:20 am.

There is NO supervision for students before 8:20.

The safety of our students is an absolute top priority. Drop-off at the beginning of the day (and pick up at the end) are key moments when safety is a priority. Your awareness of, and cooperation with, these procedures are essential to us making drop-off a safe and smooth experience for all involved. Morning drop off is between 8:20am-8:40am. The right lane is for drop-off; the left lane is for exiting. Drop-off happens only at areas with curb and sidewalk. Please use the entire sidewalk area, not just the area directly in front of the main entrance. Once safely loaded/unloaded, please signal and merge to the left lane to exit the lot. The left lane is to be used to exit after you have dropped off/picked up your student. Please see the map below for a picture of the drop-off/pick up area.

For pick up, we ask that families park their vehicles, enter the multipurpose room through door 12, where you will check your student out on an iPad with a designated number and will then wait for your child to be released from their classroom. Once united with your student you will leave through the side doors of the multipurpose room. As a result, ALL students will get dropped off and picked up on the Sternberg side of the building. Camp Phillips will no longer be used for either purpose. Our goal in doing this is to speed up the pick up process for parents, eliminate the traffic congestion on Sternberg and Camp Phillips and make it a safer process for our students overall.

We would like to kindly remind everyone that handicap parking spaces are designated for individuals with disabilities and must be used accordingly. These spaces are limited and should not be used by anyone who does not have the proper permit displayed.

If you or someone in your family requires access to these spaces, please ensure that the appropriate permit is visible at all times. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping these spaces available for those who truly need them.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

Please be sure to review our handbook for additional valuable information. Our handbook can be found on the Weston Elementary website by clicking here.

Here are the breakfast, lunch and milk prices for the 2026-27 school year. Find menus online under Quick Links! https://weston.dce.k12.wi.us/

Breakfast

Meal: $1.70

Milk: $0.50

Lunch

Meal: $2.50

Milk: $0.50

We accept cash or check payments in person at the school office. D. C. Everest School Nutrition also uses an online payment service, MySchoolBucks, which allows families to add money to their student's meal account using a credit/debit card or electronic check. After creating an account with MySchoolBucks, you will be able to view recent purchases, check balances, and set up low balance alerts. To register go to www.myschoolbucks.com.

Applications for free and reduced meals are sent home to each household and are also available on the D. C. Everest website. If you think your family might qualify for this, fill out an application. A new application does need to be filled out every school year. Only one application is needed per household and are able to be submitted throughout the school year.

It is the policy of the district to keep our classrooms safe from possible allergen foods. For that reason, we ask that snacks that students eat or treats that are brought to school do not contain nuts. A student can consume nut products in the cafeteria during their lunch time; however, classroom treats that are brought in can not contain any nut products.

Students are allowed to bring in birthday treats this year as long as they are purchased from a store and have the ingredient label visible. The treat cannot contain nuts. Any questions, please ask your students teacher or the office.

While we understand that birthdays are a special day, flowers and balloons also should not be brought in. They cause distraction and could potentially contain allergens.

To help us maintain accurate attendance records please remember to call the school office when your student is absent or arriving late. You can report absences or late arrivals by calling (715) 359-4181 and leaving a message on the attendance line or talking to the office staff directly. If we do not receive the appropriate communication, your student will be marked unexcused for the day.

If your child is absent for multiple days or has a medical issue, please provide any necessary documentation to the school as well.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL - The purpose of the medication procedure is to keep your student safe and provide him/her with the medication ordered. District staff will not give any medication - prescription and/or Over The Counter (OTC) - to any student unless the following criteria is met:

1. School Medication Consent Forms are available in the main office, health room, or online. A new medication consent form must be completed each school year or when the dose of the medication is changed and/or discontinued.

• Over The Counter (OTC) Medications
• Parent/Guardian signature is required for OTC medications.
• A physician's signature is required if the dose needed of the OTC medication is more than the recommendations listed on the label, or if the medication is not FDA approved.
• Prescription Medications
• Parent/Guardian and physician signature are required for all prescription medications.

2. Medication Bottles and Labeling

• Prescription Medications must be in the original labeled pharmacy bottle. The label must clearly state:
• Student's full name
• Name of medication
• Time to give medication and dose needed
• Physician's name
• Date medication was dispensed
• OTC Medications must be in the original container or single dose unit package. Write your student's name on the container

Staff cannot give any medication sent in a plastic bag or envelope.

3. Handling and Storage of Medication at School: Medications are stored in the original labeled pharmacy container and in a locked cabinet.

• During the school year, parent/guardian is called to pick up all unused, discontinued, or outdated medications
• At the end of the school year, parent/guardian must pick up all medications.

Any unclaimed medications will be disposed of at the end of the school year.

4. Special Considerations

• Emergency Medications: Students are allowed to self-carry emergency medications with physician's authorization. Emergency medications must be labeled as outline above. Parent/guardian must complete the appropriate form even if your student self-carries the medication. All students who receive an emergency medication will be taken by ambulance to the nearest emergency room. Parent/guardian will be notified.

5. General Safety Considerations

• Bring your student's medication to the health office.
• Send only limited quantities of medication to school.
• No medication will be given to your student without your written consent.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS - The Wisconsin state immunization requirement for 2026-27 school year are listed below. Students need the listed vaccinations by the first day of school.

1. Immunization Waivers

• Parent/Guardians do have the option to decline any and/or all immunizations based on personal, religious, and/or health reasons. If you choose not to immunize your child, check the appropriate waiver (Step 4) and sign the form. Immunization waiver forms are available online.
• Please contact your student's doctor or local health department to determine if your student needs additional immunizations. Schedule appointments to receive the immunizations needed or sign a waiver indicating what vaccine(s) you do not want your student to receive. Report the dates of the immunizations to the school health assistant.

Please contact Weston Elementary School Health Office at 715-359-4181 ext 5623 if you have further questions or concerns.

To ensure your student's comfort throughout the day and prevent any inconveniences for you, please send them to school with a change of clothes. This will help in case of accidents, weather changes, or outdoor activities.

If you are interested in joining our PTO, please let Kelly Ziegelbauer know. PTO meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month in the IMC at 4:00 pm.

We welcome back our community partners for School Based Counseling Services MARATHON COUNTY SCHOOL-BASED COUNSELING CONSORTIUM are licensed treatment professionals from the community provide on-site (at school) confidential counseling for students concerning adolescent life, post-traumatic stress, family systems, emotional regulation, anxiety, social engagement, substance abuse, behavioral disorders, depression, grief and loss, or mood disorders. This on-site service allows students to receive professional counseling without having to leave school or having a parent/guardian miss work to transport the child to appointments. For referral- Please complete THIS form - one form per child. You will receive a response to your request. This is NOT a crisis line and will not receive immediate response. For immediate crisis response please contact 911; 988- National Crisis Hotline (Call or Text) ; 741741- National Text Crisis Line ; 1-800-799-0122 - Health Care Center (Wausau) 1-715-845-4326 - Health Care Center (Wausau)

For purposes of understanding: A “visitor” means an unpaid person who attends a district sponsored event or activity. As part of D.C. Everest Board Policy 8410 school safety plan, all doors to the school are locked during the school day. Visitors will need to press a call button located near the center of the front doors to enter the building. All visitors are required to register in the school office.

• “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 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.

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 volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Tracker allows us to manage our volunteer program across the district, track and recognize the volunteer contribuition of community members, send reminders to our volunteer/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 your 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

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 your building principal.

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 that 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 screen 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.

• 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).

Please click here to view annual notices from the District.

Email: kziegelbauer@dce.k12.wi.us

Website: https://weston.dce.k12.wi.us/

Location: 5200 Camp Phillips Road, Weston, WI 54476

Phone: 715-359-4181

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063717784973

Phone (715)359-4181

Press 0 for the main office

Press 1 for attendance

Fax (715)355-3726

Lamers Bus Company (715)298-6110

Office Staff

Kelly Ziegelbauer - Principal ext 5622

Melinda Cartledge - Dean of Students ext 5620

Alex Sinkula - Administrative Assistant to the Principal ext 5621

Ashley Crawford - Health Assistant ext 5623

Aubree Brux - School Counselor ext 5626

Amanda DeCaire-Denk - School Psychologist ext 5625

Lisa Morgan - School Social Worker ext 5610