Eureka Newsletter
The Eureka Elementary Orbit
Important Dates
Aug. 18 - Kindergarten Kickoff, 9-11 am
Aug. 26 - Open House 4:30-6:30
Aug. 31 - First Day of School for Students!
Sept. 4 - No School
Sept. 7 - No School
Sept. 28 - School Picture Day
October 16 - No School
October 19 - No School for students/PD for teachers
Nov. 23 - Early Release at 1:35
Nov. 24 - Early Release at 1:35
Nov. 25-27 - No School, Happy Thanksgiving!
Letter From the Principal
Greetings Eureka Families,
Welcome back! We are thrilled to kick off another great year at Eureka Elementary! I hope your summer has been filled with fun, relaxation, and special moments with family and friends. As we get ready to begin the 2026–2027 school year, I am excited to welcome back our returning families and extend a heartfelt welcome to those who are joining our school community for the first time.
First, I want to share a staffing update with you. As our school year plans finalized this past week, we experienced a quick shift in our third-grade. While our plans changed, we could not be more excited to welcome Ms. Taylor Stinson as our new third-grade teacher! Ms. Stinson is a recent Michigan State University graduate who completed a year-long teaching internship in third grade at Riley Elementary this past school year. We are thrilled to keep her talent in our district, and she is incredibly excited to join our school community!
We are also welcoming Mrs. Spangler as our new librarian, who will also be supporting students through math and reading intervention. Mrs. Spangler brings several years of valuable experience in our district, coming to us most recently from Gateway. Additionally, we are excited to officially start the year with Mrs. Thomas on our support staff, who joined us at the end of last school year, and we are delighted to welcome Ms. Elsea back to our building in a support staff role as well!
Our staff has been busy preparing classrooms, planning engaging learning experiences, and getting everything ready for a successful year. We are so eager to welcome our students back and begin a year filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and memorable experiences. Together, we will continue to build a supportive and caring school community where every child feels valued, encouraged, and inspired to do their best.
We are grateful for the trust you place in us and appreciate the opportunity to partner with you in your child's education. Working together, we can help every student learn, grow, and thrive. If you ever have questions, concerns, or simply want to connect, please know that we are always here to help.
We look forward to a wonderful year filled with learning, laughter, new experiences, and lasting memories. Thank you for being an important part of our school family!
Warm regards,
Tanya Klont
Kindergarten Kickoff
We are thrilled to have your child join us for the 2026-2027 Academic year! This next year promises to be an exciting and enriching year of learning, growth, and fun-filled experiences. We will be hosting a Kindergarten Kickoff event for all of our registered Kindergarten students on Tuesday, August 18, from 9:00-11:00 am.
Please use this link to sign up for our kickoff: https://signup.com/go/JGtKVmS
Please read the attached letter for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!
Eureka Elementary Open House
Mark your calendar for Eureka Elementary’s Open House on August 26th from 4:30-6:30 PM!
Come meet your child’s teacher, tour the classroom and school, and learn more about the exciting year ahead. We look forward to seeing all of you there!
School Supplies for the 26/27 School year
Drop Off/Pick Up Procedure
8:55 A.M.- Students May Arrive
9:10 A.M.- School Day Begins
4:07 P.M. - Dismissal
Drop Off:
Drop off is done in the front loop.
Please stay in your vehicle. Staff members will be there to direct and help your child out of the car and lead them to the sidewalk where they will then enter the building.
Children will get out on the passenger side for safety.
Please do NOT drop off students in the parking lot, for safety reasons, use the drop off line.
Pick Up:
Pick up is done in the same front loop.
Please have the student(s) name tag displayed in your front window, stay in your vehicle and watch for staff to direct you.
Please pull as far forward as you can when picking up
A staff member will bring your child to your vehicle. They will get in on the passenger side of the vehicle.
If your child will not be riding the bus or is going home with a friend, you must send a note to the school or call the school by 3:30 P.M. unless we have a written note from a parent or a phone call, we will always send students home in their normal manner.
If your child is going to an alternate drop off from their normal bus ride, BOTH parents (the child who is going someplace different, and the parent of the child that is accepting them on that day), MUST send in a note. The bus garage will not drop students off at the alternate spot without notes from both parents.
We kindly remind you to stop by the office to:
sign-in/sign-out your child whenever he/she is late or leaving early.
check in and receive a visitor pass for your visit to the classroom, when speaking with the teacher and/or bringing something to a classroom.
Prescription Medication Form
If students need to take medicine at school, please fill out this form before the start of school and submit it to the front office.
Busing Questions?
Contact the bus garage with any questions regarding busing or the BusRight App.
Mr. Rob Gleeson - Transportation Director
(989) 227-4057
Mrs. Kendra Thelen - Transportation Office Manager
(989) 227-5332
Food Service
We Encourage You to Fill Out the Education Benefit Form! Why?
While we participate in Michigan School Meals which provides free meals to all students, we still need to track which students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
You may qualify for discounts on:
Pay to play or Pay to Participate
Programs that provide food support
Programs that provide field trip support
Programs that provide school supplies or assist with school fees
Programs that provide holiday support
Potential household support for cable and internet
Education Benefit applications help our school district qualify for more grants that will benefit all students academically.
Over 30 Million students participate in the National School Lunch Program every school day. Over 50% received Free Meals!
We know this is a lot of information to process. For your convenience, feel free to print
*** New Simplified Application ***
Strictly Confidential!
St. Johns Public Schools Free and Reduced-price meal are strictly confidential!
Family finance is a very personal matter and your application is handled with confidentiality and respect.
Students receiving meal benefits are not identified in the service line.
All students use the same service line and the computer screen does not indicate which students are free and reduced-price.
Submit new applications for the upcoming school year starting July 1st. This needs to be done every year.
Eureka Handbook
Tanya Klont, Principal
Eureka Elementary