Mustang Musings

The 2026–2027 school year is off to a great start, and we are officially rolling! While we are only a few weeks into the school year, it is exciting to see our students already growing, learning, and engaging in opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. Activities and athletics are quickly getting into full swing, bringing energy and excitement to the hallways. There is a lot happening across West Grand, and we are excited for all that this school year has in store!

*Submissions and pictures for this newsletter are sent in by West Grand staff. If there are specific things you want to see or hear about, let Mrs. Bauer know! Reach her at bauere@wgsd.us, on ParentSquare, or 970-724-3217.

We are Grand Today. Greater Tomorrow.

Go Mustangs!

Did you know that the Free & Reduced Application is about MORE than just food? If you qualify, it can qualify you for lower or free fees such as: snack milk, class fees, athletic fees, etc.

Visit EZMeal App to complete this application TODAY! It can also be found on our district website at: www.wgsd.us under Parent Resources: Free and Reduced Lunch: Online Application.

This information and process is extremely confidential.

Currently, all WGSD students receive free breakfast and lunch through the Healthy Meals for All program; however, having this application on file opens up other fee waivers for the school year.

Not only does this help individual students and families, it is very important for our school district.

If you have questions about this form or the benefits to a family or the school, please reach out.

Back 2 School Night was a fun evening starting off our new school year together with food, fellowship, and Mustang Spirit.

A big THANK YOU to the Mountain Parks Electric and Guzman Energy for sponsoring and serving food for all of us. We appreciate their continued support.

We also like to thank all of our community partners and different groups who set up a table that night to connect with our families. We love being able to be together in fellowship and connection, building bridges and strengthening our community connections.

On August 24, 2026, the West Grand Board of Education voted 7-0 to place a NO TAX INCREASE bond measure on the November ballot.

If this bond measure is approved by the local voters, it would meet the required match from the state for the BEST grant to complete safety, security, accessibility, and increase the lifespan of the Jr/Sr High School building.

For more information, including project details, financing, estimated tax impact, and arguments for and against the measure, visit the District website at: www.wgsd.us

The district's goal is to provide factual information so voters can make their own informed decisions.

West Grand Leveled Up!

With the release of the preliminary 2026 school and district performance ratings from the Colorado Department of Education, we have a lot to celebrate!

• ALL West Grand schools are rated at the PERFORMANCE level!
• West Grand School District is rated ACCREDITED PERFORMANCE!

These ratings are based on student results from this spring’s CMAS, PSAT, and SAT assessments and reflect the hard work happening across our district.

And there’s even more to celebrate! West Grand Elementary School improved its performance by nearly 20 percentage points! This significant growth is a testament to the hard work of our students and staff and the continued support of our families and community.

Preliminary ratings are publicly available through the Colorado Department of Education’s Performance Framework Results and Data Dashboards: https://ed.cde.state.co.us/.../performanceframeworks/results and https://ed.cde.state.co.us/accountability/data-tools

We also know that a test score is only one piece of the puzzle. Our students are so much more than a test score, and the success of our schools cannot be measured by a single rating or assessment. We celebrate the growth of the whole child, including academic achievement, relationships, character, activities, athletics, career and college readiness, and the many ways our students contribute to our school and community.

That said, it is still exciting to see these scores improve! These results provide important information about where our students are growing and where we can continue to focus our efforts. We are proud of the progress and will continue working together to help every Mustang reach their full potential.

As a parent of a student at West Grand Elementary School and West Grand Jr/Sr High School, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teacher who instructs your child. This is a requirement for all districts that receive Title I funds.

Please see the attached letter that outlines this process.

By Coach Bryan Klotz

The West Grand Middle School football team has given Mustang fans plenty to cheer about through the first two games of the 2026 season. We opened the season on August 22 with a 60–0 win over Granby, then followed it up a week later with a 42–0 victory over Lake County on August 28. The Lake County game ended with a forfeit in the third quarter.

Quarterback Braxton Bauer has led the Mustang offense, racking up several big completions, 2 touchdown passes, and a few breakout runs that he has taken all the way to the end zone.

Receiver Jace Himmel has been making plays all over the field, scoring a pair of long offensive touchdowns while also taking an interception back for 6 and adding a scoop-and-score on defense.

Tailback Gus Hester has brought plenty of excitement to the Mustang backfield as well. Hester has broken loose for several big runs and has already found the end zone 3 times through the first two games.

Tight End Madison Stone Vining has become another important piece of the Mustang attack. She has hauled in a couple of two-point conversions and has shown that she isn't afraid of contact on the other side of the ball.

Defensively, Stone Vining has delivered a number of big tackles and has quickly earned a reputation as someone opposing ball carriers have to account for.

Up front, our Guards Bentley Ori-Chamberlin and Kaiden Horner working with Trey Carlisle at Center, have been like 3 “blocks of granite” Their work in the trenches doesn't always show up in the stat book, but it has opened running lanes, protected the quarterback, and helped make many of West Grand's big plays possible.

Fullback Chris Norman has also been doing the kind of work coaches love to see. Norman has run the football hard when called upon and has been a powerful blocker out of the backfield, helping clear the way for his teammates.

Two shutouts and 102 points in two games will certainly get people's attention, but this team is trying to build something that goes beyond the scoreboard.

Our emphasis has been on playing fast, playing together, doing your job, and competing the right way. Every kid on the roster has a role, and the team knows that their success comes from teammates doing the little things for one another -whether they get their name in the newspaper or not.

It has been a fun August for West Grand football, but nobody in the Mustang locker room is interested in being satisfied after a few games.

Stay humble. Keep getting better.

We are just getting started.

Photo: Sebastian Amaya and Gus Hester sweep the locker room after a muddy practice.

Did you know that you can watch all of the WGHS Mustang varsity HOME games via the NFHS network whether you are in Kremmling or not?

Visit: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/west-grand-high-school-kremmling-co to set up your account and subscription today.

*Please note, WGHS does not receive proceeds from subscriptions as this is a NFHS platform.

We had a great evening as our District Accountability Committee (DAC) hosted Community Connections Night last week. We had a great lineup of speakers ready to connect with families and community members.

THANK YOU to all of our presenters for providing great resources.

It has been exciting to see our music and theater programs reinvigorated here at West Grand! We are especially proud of the successful formation of the pep band and choir performances on the sidelines of our volleyball and football games. We look forward to seeing our students continue to share their talents and showcase our music department at more events throughout the year.

Our new CTE Course, Foundations to Production and Design, is also exploring exciting pathways in sound, music, and production. Students have already created two original pieces of music and are putting their creative skills to work. Next week, they will present their Shark Tank projects.

It is exciting to see these programs growing and our students finding new ways to create, perform, and shine!

Mrs. Vance, Elementary counselor, led our 6th graders in some team building activities to start the year off right and establish a great learning environment with these challenges:

1. "Seeing Spots" using non-verbal communication
2. Marshmallow Challenge exhibiting leadership traits

Potential items you might check out on the website include:

• Calendars (see next post for example) -- Google calendar of events and year long school calendar
• Handbooks
• Alma information and "How Tos"
• ParentSquare information & "How Tos"
• District Strategic Plan
• Student Centered Accountability Program (SCAP) -- improvement planning
• Board of Education Information -- including agendas and minutes
• WGSD Policies
• Employment Information -- come be a part of the West Grand team!

As mentioned above, if you go on the District Website, you can go to "Calendar: Events" and it will take you to the K6 and Jr/Sr High School Public Events Google Calendars. You can choose to see one or both buildings. This is the best way to stay up-to-date regarding events and schedules as they often change.

ParentSquare is an application that we have used for several years now communicating as the entire district, separate buildings, each classroom, and with individuals.

You can set up your account to go directly to an email, a phone number text, or the app (free download).

The "Week at a Glance" is sent out each Sunday afternoon via ParentSquare. It gives you an update of events happening during the week, note from building principals, and other pertinent information for the upcoming week as well as resources and general information.

We received positive feedback from this last year and are continuing to share it. Make sure you are signed up for ParentSquare so you don't miss out!

WGSD has a Facebook page where we post information, highlight classrooms and students, and share highlights via social media. Follow us: District Page

The West Grand Booster Club also does a great job sharing pictures and athletic updates every week on Facebook. If you are a Mustang fan, following their page is a great way to have athletic updates from all of Mustang sports: Booster Club Page

Here are the numbers and administrator emails for each office:

1. District Office
1. 970-724-3217
2. Superintendent Bauer, bauere@wgsd.us
2. Elementary Office
1. 970-724-1000
2. Principal Winter, winterb@wgsd.us
3. Jr/Sr High Office
1. 970-724-3425
2. Principal Stuart, stuartj@wgsd.us