Wiggin Street Parent Update

Dear Wiggin Street Families,

We are looking forward to seeing you tonight at our Spring Fun Festival! Enjoy this update with all the fun happenings this week.

Next week, students in grades 3–5 will continue with the Math Ohio State Tests on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Please help your child be well prepared by ensuring they get plenty of rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time. We also ask that appointments be scheduled outside of testing times whenever possible.

On Friday, April 24, the Village of Gambier will host the 2026 43022 Day Celebration in conjunction with Arbor Day. The event will take place from 3:00–6:00 p.m. at Community Park (117 Meadow Lane) and will include a tree planting, educational activities, a plant swap, and food trucks—celebrating both our community and the environment.

Event Highlights:

Arbor Day proclamation and tree planting beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Tours of the park, including the Trifloria Sculpture, Storybook Trail, and Dog Park
Gardening tips from the community garden group and a plant swap
Free lemonade from “Our 3 Lemons” and food available for purchase from Mr. Bill’s Pizza food truck

The event is free and open to the public. There will be a group walking to Community Park after school if your family would like to join. Please notify the school office if your child will have a change in dismissal plans that day. All students must be accompanied by an adult, and arrangements must be communicated with the school in advance.

Best wishes,
Christy Grandstaff
Principal, Wiggin Street Elementary

We hope to see you at the Fun Festival tonight! Game cards and wristbands will be available for purchase at the event. If you sent in money during the presale, Ms. Waugh and I will have a table set up near the entrance for easy pickup.

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Springer for her dedication in preparing our students for the K–2 Spring Musicals. The performances were truly wonderful, and our students did an amazing job showcasing their talents. We hope everyone who attended enjoyed the show as much as we did!

Mo Helser, Administrative Assistant for the Philander Chase Conservancy, spoke with students about the work of the conservancy and its impact on our community. This year’s award events have been held in collaboration with the Kenyon College Office for Community Partnerships.

Mrs. Helser also introduced Shoshana, a Kenyon student who painted the mural at the Bike Barn. Students had a great time spotting the many critters and insects featured in the artwork, along with three bikers riding along the Kokosing Gap Trail.

Students enjoyed a pizza lunch on the grounds before participating in a hands-on activity, where they created their own painted designs on cookie-sized pieces of wood. The visit concluded with an introduction to the Bike Barn and a demonstration of how to change a bike tire and tube, led by David and Liam.

Students in grades 3–5 will be taking the Ohio State Tests in April. Detailed testing dates are listed below. Please make every effort to schedule appointments around these dates, as it can be challenging to complete all make-up testing when there are multiple absences.

Would you like to better understand the tests and learn how to help your child be successful? Please review this helpful resource from the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce.

Ohio State Test Dates

April 21 – Grades 3–5 Math OST, Part 1
April 22 – Grades 3–5 Math OST, Part 2
April 28 – Grade 5 Science OST, Part 1
April 29 – Grade 5 Science OST, Part 2

How Families Can Help at Home

Support strong routines

Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep, especially before testing days
Provide a healthy breakfast each morning
Arrive at school on time to avoid feeling rushed

Build confidence with simple practice

Encourage daily reading (books, articles, or even directions/recipes)
Have your child explain what they read to build comprehension
Practice basic math facts and problem-solving in real-life situations

Practice test-taking strategies

Remind your child to read directions carefully
Encourage them to take their time and check their work
If they get stuck, skip the question and come back to it later
Use strategies like eliminating wrong answers to make the best choice

Promote a positive mindset

Reassure your child to simply do their best
Remind them that it’s okay if something feels challenging
Encourage effort over perfection

Limit stress

Keep evenings calm and routines consistent during testing weeks
Avoid overscheduling activities on testing days

Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year will begin March 9 for children residing in the Mount Vernon City School District who turn 5 years old on or before August 19, 2026.

Families must complete the online registration starting on March 9 through PowerSchool Enrollment prior to their scheduled registration appointment. Parents/guardians may upload required documents directly into PowerSchool Enrollment or email them to their school secretary before kindergarten screening to help ensure a smooth and efficient process.

Please be prepared to provide the following:

Photo ID of parent/guardian enrolling the student
Child’s original birth certificate
Proof of residency (one of the following):
- Mortgage statement
- Utility bill (gas, electric, or water)
- Lease agreement
- Deed
- Property tax statement
Immunization records
Current custody documentation (if applicable)

In accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3313.67.2 and the Missing Children’s Act, parents/guardians must provide a certified copy of the divorce decree and parenting plan allocating parental rights and responsibilities and/or other legal documents assigning custody or guardianship, if applicable.

Instructions for Kindergarten Registration

Registration dates and times for each elementary building are listed below.

Building Date Time Phone

East April 24 8:00 am - 1:00 pm 740-393-5985

Wiggin Street April 30 8:00 am - 1:00 pm 740-427-4262

Columbia May 1 8:15 am - 12:15 pm 740-393-5975

Dan Emmett May 5 8:00 am - 2:30 pm 740-393-5950

Twin Oak May 6 8:00 am - 1:30 pm 740-393-5970

Twin Oak May 7 8:00 am - 1:30 pm 740-393-5970

Pleasant Street May 12 8:30 am - 2:00 pm 740-393-5990

Pleasant Street May 13 8:30 am - 2:00 pm 740-393-5990

Families with questions about the registration process may contact their home attendance area school or district registrar:

Deb Doup - District Registrar
email: dedoup@mvcsd.us
voice: 740-397-7422 ext. 6000

Mount Vernon City Schools looks forward to welcoming the Class of 2038!

Continuing Open Enrollment is for students who are currently Open Enrolled to Mount Vernon School District and desire to continue open enrollment with the District for the 2025-2026 school year.

Complete your application through the Parent Portal on the District website.
Instructions for Continuing Open Enrollment are located on the Parent Resources Page.
Continuing Open Enrolled opens March 1, students will have until April 15 to complete this process.

If your address has changed since your last application, please update your child's emergency medical form in the Parent Portal on the District website and you will also need to provide proof of residency.
Instructions for Change of Address are also located on the Parent Resource Page.

If you have any questions concerning Continuing Open Enrollment, please contact Jessica Shelton jshelton@mvcsd.us or contact John Frye jfrye@mvcsd.us .

New to the District Open Enrollment opens April 1.

New Open Enrollment Instructions

New Open Enrollment

2026-27 Class Lists and Teacher Requests

Creating class lists is a thoughtful process that involves many factors. Our teachers meet with the next grade level team and other staff members who work closely with students to ensure that classes are balanced. Academic needs, social-emotional needs, and peer dynamics are just a few of the considerations used in this process. This work also continues throughout the summer as we become aware of new enrollments. For these reasons, we believe it is best to wait until August to share final class lists.

If you have an educational reason for requesting a teacher, please submit your request in writing by email to me at cgrandstaff@mvcsd.us no later than May 1, 2026. Also, if you know that your child will not be attending Wiggin Street next year, please let us know as soon as possible.

Community flyers can be found on our district website here. Check them out!

Little Owls camp (1st-5th graders) is going to be two and half hours of learning about the sport of volleyball, playing fun games, and meeting the Kenyon Volleyball team! For more information contact Macey Zinser @ zinser1@kenyon.edu.