North Point News

THANK YOU to everyone who attended Grizzly Welcome Day! We had 60+ staff members and parents running stations, and over 1,000 students now have their fall school pictures taken for the year! Our staff enjoyed meeting you and are excited to start a new school year with all of you. We are so fortunate to have incredible teachers and support staff who continue to work extremely hard to ensure NPHS is a special place students want to return to day after day! We encourage everyone to get involved and make the most of these 4 short years we have together.

A new school year means new beginnings, new friendships, new challenges, and a clean slate for this to be your BEST year, yet!

PLEASE NOTE: The first week of school (August 24-28) we will release at 2:10 pm each day to help students find their busses and ensure our busses arrive at NPMS on time. If your student is riding a bus, you should be receiving an email from transportation with pick-up and drop-off times and locations this week.

Senior Sunrise for the Class of 2027 will take place on our 1st Day of School! We would love for all seniors to join us before school on August 24 at 6 am on our football field. Donuts and water will be provided. We have Class of 2027 t-shirts ready for seniors to purchase for the event. A portion of the sales will support the senior class. Ordering will remain open until Wednesday, August 19. You will be sent a text with pick-up options to meet up at NPHS parking lot between 8/20-8/22.

Don't miss out on your first senior event of the school year!

Just another reminder in order to view your student's schedule, you must complete all annual online registration forms within Focus. One of these forms is the RUP (Responsible Use Policy). Students will NOT have Chromebook internet permissions until their guardian has accepted and signed the RUP form. Be sure your student has access to their District Chromebook on the first day by completing all of the online registration forms in Focus. Accounts will be deactivated on September 8 for any student who does not have completed forms.

The district is offering an insurance program for your child’s Access Initiative Device (Chromebook). The cost to participate in this program is $20 annually. Chromebook insurance can be purchased online again this year. Please login to the Parent Focus Portal. Then, click on your student's name, "Purchase & Pay" and the options available to you will show up including Technology Chromebook Insurance.

Participation is optional. Coverage takes effect once payment is received, and the Access Initiative device is issued to your child. It is not retroactive. Buying into the program provides coverage only during the current school year, so from the time payment is received through the end of the school year which is June 30. The program fee is non-refundable and does not transfer to the next school year if the insurance is not used.

Please Note: The insurance covers a broken screen and a broken keyboard OR two broken screens OR two broken keyboards.

Our attendance secretary at NPHS is Mrs. Krista Anderson. If you are needing to contact her about an absence, please email attendance.northpoint@wsdr4.org or call her at 636-445-5344 ext. 29223. We have a kiosk outside the attendance office for signing your student in and out of school. You will need to download the Focus App, then login and click on the teal barcode in order to scan your student in and out of school.

Please note that signing your student out during WIN Time (lunch) DOES count against their attendance. We do NOT have an open campus during lunch for students to leave. If you need to sign your student out during this time, please try to contact the attendance office ahead of time as students are not able to use their phones during the school day.

Due to the law on electronic personal communication devices as well as an effort to increase safety and security on campus, we do not allow outside food delivery during the school day. All four high schools are in alignment with this practice and will NOT be accepting DoorDash, Grubhub, etc. If students have food delivered during the school day, the delivery driver will be sent away with the items. Any financial consequences will be the responsibility of the student who ordered the items. The WSD does NOT have an open campus meaning students are not allowed to go get lunch and then come back during this time. If you are signing your student out during WIN Time (lunch), it DOES count against their attendance and impacts the A+ attendance requirement. Please note if parents or guardians bring food or other items to school, students will be called to the office during passing time to pick up their items.

We ask that you arrive early the first week of school. Doors will open at 6:45 am. Please drive cautiously in our lot and be patient with our staff as we work through issues that may arise due to more student drivers and middle school traffic.

The recommended entrance for high school parents and students is West Meyer Road due to the traffic light and ability to avoid bus traffic. Please refer to the map below. Busses will enter campus from North Point Prairie and make a left toward the back of our building (auditorium entrance) for drop-off and pick-up. This route will only be available for our busses. At the four way stop where the busses entered, they will use the very back of our front parking lot to head to North Point Middle School. We want to keep bus traffic separate from parent traffic.

Students who are driving to school must have a parking tag hanging on their rearview mirror to park on our lot. Mr. Kappauff, our parking lot security, will be checking parking tags and monitoring our lot for everyone's safety. Student drivers are welcome to park in the front or side lot (by the football field). Please note the first row in each lot is reserved for staff parking. The back lot (by our auditorium) is for bus drop-off and pick-up only.

If you have not purchased a parking pass and are a licensed driver, please see Mrs. Evans in the main office prior to the start of school to pick up your parking tag. You will need a current driver's license, valid insurance card, and to have completed the following two steps in Focus....

Step 1 - Purchase your parking permit through FOCUS for $30.00 under Purchase & Pay.
Step 2 - Enter the required vehicle information into FOCUS by going to the Child Information menu, then Transportation. Select Student Driver, then complete the following fields...

* Car Make

* Car Model

* Car Year

* Car Color

* License Plate

DO NOT enter permit number as that will be different from prior years.

***Please note you have to be at least 16 years old and your fines must be paid in order to purchase a parking pass.

NEW FAMILIES - Please note that Stopfinder will be the sole source of late bus notifications. You will receive an email invitation with a link to activate the account and create a Stopfinder password. After you receive the email, you should download the Stopfinder App for late bus notifications to receive real-time geo-alerts with ETA. Transportation route information will be made available in Focus to families on August 14. If you need to make changes to your transportation information in Focus (bus rider to a driver OR car rider to a bus rider), please reach out to Mrs. Evans, NPHS Principal Secretary, at 636-445-5344 to make those changes.

RETURNING FAMILIES - If you have a new email address in Focus, please complete the Transportation Assistance Form to request an updated Stopfinder invitation. Transportation information can be viewed when you log into your Focus account.

Read more about Stopfinder here!

All 4 high schools will have a modified block bell schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. This means that 3 days a week, students go to all of their classes, and 2 days a week, students go to half their classes plus an additional block for DEN Time.

New this year...monthly Late Start Mondays will be replaced with monthly All-District Early Release Wednesdays. In addition to the monthly 120-minute All-District Early Release Wednesdays, the District will introduce weekly 68-minute Secondary Early Release Wednesdays on full school weeks. Read the “why” behind this change.

WIN "What I Need" Time is a break in the middle of the day for student choice. We've had so much success that we will continue to offer this valuable support to our students. During this time, students eat lunch, practice time management and self-care as well as meet with teachers, make up tests, participate in clubs/activities, study, complete homework, and take care of their individual needs. NOTE - WIN Time is listed in FOCUS as Power Time.

DEN Time is focused academic intervention time on Wednesdays only. During this time, students are able to visit other teachers for academic purposes, complete homework, check grades, take tests/quizzes, and participate in some career exploration. Students who are in need of additional support to meet their academic goals will receive tiered intervention. NOTE - DEN Time is listed in FOCUS as Student Success Time.

Wentzville School District high school students can now register and pay for fall ACT, ASVAB, Workkeys, Pre-ACT, and PSAT/NMSQT for the 2026-27 school year. Testing will occur between October 16-23. To register, students should log in to Focus School Software and click the purchase option.

***Students who need ACT ACCOMMODATIONS based on an IEP or 504 should register by WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26. All other registrations are due by FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9.

REGISTRATION AFTER THIS DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!***

The WSD covers the ACT fee for ALL JUNIORS in the District, but you must sign-up to receive it. Students are responsible for the cost of other assessments.

Students can register for ASVAB or PSAT/NMSQT and another test as these will be scheduled on different days from ACT and PreACT.

Here's a bit more about each test:

• PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) - Grades 10-11: This test measures your readiness for college, helps you access scholarship opportunities, and provides valuable practice for the SAT. (COST - $18.00)

• Pre-ACT - Grades 9-12: Get familiar with the ACT format and timing, receive a predicted ACT score, and use it to qualify for the A+ Program. (COST - $18.00)

• ACT - Grades 9-12: A widely accepted college entrance exam used by all US colleges and universities for admissions. (COST - $56.25 - Note: FREE for 11th-Grade Students)
• Workkeys - Grades 11-12: Earn a nationally recognized credential that demonstrates your workplace skills. Over 130 employers in St. Charles County recognize or recommend Workkeys. (COST - $39.00)

• ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) - Grades 9-12: This assessment evaluates your academic abilities and skills to help predict success in various career fields. It's a great tool for career exploration, and students interested in the military can choose to share their scores with recruiters. (COST - FREE)

We encourage you to review the student health requirements for the upcoming school year. Please see State of Missouri Required Immunizations for 2026-2027 School Year.

If you are unsure if your child is up-to-date on immunizations, please email our nurse at dianewilmes@wsdr4.org to ensure your child will be able to attend on the first day of school for the 26/27 school year. You can also call your child's pediatrician or family doctor. All updated immunization records need to be turned into the school nurse's office as these do not automatically get sent to us by your doctor.

• Learn More About Required Immunizations

Does your student take over-the-counter or prescription medication? If so, get updated medication orders from their physician that include the name of the student, name of drug, dosage, frequency of administration, route of administration, and the prescriber's name. Drop both the physician orders and medication off at NPHS for our nurse prior to the start of school.

Again this school year, you can see your student's lunch account as well as make online payments through Focus. Check updated meal prices and add funds to your student’s meal account in the Focus Portal. You are always welcome to bring in cash or a check made out to NPHS and place it in the black lockbox in our main lobby, as well.

Need assistance? Applications for free & reduced-price meals are available on the website or at any school office. In an effort to assist families, the USDA has increased the income guidelines used to determine eligibility. You can view the income guidelines here and if you believe your family would qualify for this program, please fill out an application.

Applications can be returned by the following methods:

• Returned to your child's school
• Scan & email - marysanzottera@wsdr4.org
• Fax - 636-327-3961
• Mail - Child Nutrition Services, 101 Support Service Dr., Wentzville, MO 63385

Do you have additional questions or need assistance filling out the application? If so, please call 636-327-3858 x 21330.

All 9th-grade families are required to submit proof of residency for the 2026-2027 school year. Forms can be uploaded in Focus and are due by Friday, October 16 at 11:59 PM. If you have not produced the necessary documents to prove residency, your student will be dropped.

Click HERE for a list of required documents.

We will contact you if we need additional information. Please note these take time for processing and we will get back to you ASAP, if needed.

If you need to contact a member of our administration team, please note the breakdown by student last name below...

Mr. Andrew Elemendorf, andrewelmendorf@wsdr4.org - Asst. Principal for Last Names A-E

Mr. Jason Clow, jasonclow@wsdr4.org - Asst. Principal for Last Names F-K

Dr. Danny Bethmann, danielbethmann@wsdr4.org - Asst. Principal for Last Names L-R

Mrs. Amanda Mack, amandamack@wsdr4.org - Asst. Principal for Last Names S-Z

Mr. Brett Kolons, brettkolons@wsdr4.org - Activities Director

From left to right...Mr. Kolons, Mr. Elmendorf, Mrs. Mack, Dr. Shelmire, Mr. Clow, & Dr. Bethmann

If you need to contact your student's counselor, please note the breakdown by student last name below...

Mrs. Kristy VanRonzelen, kristinavanronzelen@wsdr4.org - Counselor for Last Names A-E

Mrs. Missy Pardo, melissapardo@wsdr4.org - Counselor for Last Names F-K

Mr. Kurt Laughman, konradlaughman@wsdr4.org - Counselor for Last Names L-R

Dr. Lacey Lukowski, laceylukowski@wsdr4.org - Counselor for Last Names S-Z

Ms. Heather Hanvy, heatherhanvy@wsdr4.org - Educational Support Counselor (ESC)

From left to right...Mr. Laughman, Mrs. VanRonzelen, Mrs. Pardo, & Dr. Lukowski

Due to the State Law in Missouri (Senate Bill 68), signed by Governor Mike Kehoe, students are prohibited from using or displaying personal electronic communication devices, including cell phones, during the entire school day. Students are required to keep their cell phones on silent and out of sight from the first bell to the last. This policy extends to other smart devices such as smartwatches and wireless headphones if they are used for communication or can access content similar to a cell phone.

This statewide initiative reflects a growing consensus on the importance of creating focused, distraction-free learning environments for all students. Research consistently shows that excessive cell phone use can impede learning, contribute to classroom management challenges, and impact student mental health and social development. We encourage you to remind your child of this policy and reinforce its importance. We appreciate your partnership in supporting our efforts to create the best possible educational experience for our students.

Consequences for Violations:

To ensure a consistent and effective learning environment, there are clear consequences for violating the cell phone policy. Our disciplinary actions will escalate with repeated offenses.

The Student Usage of Electronic Personal Communications Devices policy is available for review on the District website. The code of conduct reflecting these changes can be reviewed at the following link: 2026-2027 Student Misconduct & Disciplinary Consequences.

Please refer to Policy 2651: Student Dress for the full policy regarding dress code. Listed below are some of the highlights...

Students shall observe modes of dress and standards of personal grooming that align with the educational environment and necessary to maintain an orderly and safe atmosphere for all students. Apparel is expected to conform to reasonable student standards of modesty, and as such, no excessive or inappropriate areas of skin or under garments may be exposed. No apparel or grooming is permitted that has the potential to incite conflict and violence, including, but not limited to gang-related messages, hate/bias symbols, sexually explicit, vulgar, violent messages, or advocating illegal activities. Further, no clothing or personal grooming that disrupts, or can be forecasted to disrupt, the educational environment is permitted.

Please note that blankets will NOT be allowed at NPHS for safety and hygienic reasons.

For the safety of all students, staff, and visitors, electric bikes, motorbikes, scooters, and similar non-licensed motorized vehicles may no longer be ridden on school property.

Students who arrive on campus using one of these vehicles should dismount when they reach school grounds and walk it to the designated parking area. Riding any non-licensed motorized vehicle on campus is not permitted.

This change is being implemented to help ensure a safe environment for everyone during arrival, dismissal, throughout the school day, and after school hours. Please take a moment to review this expectation with your child. Thank you for your partnership and support. As a reminder, all students are expected to follow school policies while on school property.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW...North Point High School CLASS OF 2027 will graduate at the Family Arena in St. Charles on Sunday, June 6 at 12:30 PM!

We are excited to celebrate our seniors and look forward to seeing everyone there! All are welcome! The St. Charles Family Arena has a large seating capacity, so there is no need for tickets or guest limits. Seating is all first come, first served.

Celebrate and honor your senior with a NPHS Class of 2027 yard sign or banner! Ordering will remain open until this Sunday, August 16. You will be responsible for picking up your sign by August 21 from FastSigns. Please email kelsie.ehlers@fastsigns.com or call Kelsie Ehlers at 636-614-0358 to order now!

***Please note that we will offer ordering for signs/banners again in the spring for families that prefer to wait until closer to graduation.

Senior Parents/Guardians - We would love for you to join us at our first Grad Night Committee Meeting of the year! It will be held in the NPHS library on Thursday, August 20 at 6 pm.

Also, please take a quick minute to complete our NPHS Grad Night 2027 Communication & Volunteer Sign-Up Form OR scan the QR code below. This form will ensure you receive updates throughout the school year from our Grad Night Committee as well as volunteer opportunities, if interested. In order to make Grad Night a success, there are many events taking place throughout the school year where your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! The committee can't wait to work with you to make this the best year, yet!

If you have any questions, please reach out at nphsgradnight@gmail.com.

Our staff at North Point High School invites you to attend our Open House on Wednesday, September 2 from 5-7 pm. It is in-person and an open format for parents to come and go at all four high schools in our district. You will have the opportunity to walk through your student's schedule and meet our teachers, counselors, and principals. We look forward to meeting you and can't wait to support your student(s) this school year! Please bring your student's schedule which can be found in the Focus Portal.

***Please note this is not the time for individual conferences; stay tuned for more information about Parent Teacher Conferences in an upcoming newsletter.

The WSD plans to host the 16th Annual Back to School Fair for district families on Saturday, August 15, from 8-11 am at Liberty High School. The event is intended to get school supplies in the hands of WSD students who need them the most.

The event is FREE for district families and will feature dozens of vendors, free school supplies, games and fun activities for children. At last year's event, we distributed over $8,600 worth of school supplies to WSD students. In addition, MOChip will be on hand to provide free child identification kits.

For more information, click here 16th Annual Back to School Fair.

In case you missed it, last week our district sent out a WSD Back to School Checklist. Please check it out for information on Early Release Wednesdays, Free & Reduced Lunch Application, Required Immunizations, etc. It is filled with important back to school information!

In coordination with neighboring St. Charles County districts, WSD is implementing new bag guidelines to help enhance safety and security at ticketed high school athletic events.

Beginning in August 2026, guests will be asked to follow the District’s New Clear Bag Guidelines.

Here are some important upcoming dates for you to save...

• August 15 - Back to School Fair at Liberty High from 8 - 11 am
• August 24 - First Day of School (7:20 am - 2:20 pm)
• September 2 - Open House from 5 - 7 pm
• September 7 - No School PK-12, Labor Day
• September 14 - NPHS Picture Retake Day (Grades 9 - 12)
• October 9 - Homecoming Football Game at 7 pm
• October 10 - Homecoming Parade
• October 10 - Homecoming Dance from 7 - 10 pm at NPHS
• October 16 - END OF 1ST QUARTER - Early Release Grades 6-12 (NPHS released at 12:20 pm)
• October 28 - Parent-Teacher Conferences 6th-12th Grade (3:30 pm - 7 pm)
• October 29 - No School PK-12 / Parent-Teacher Conferences (10 am - 8 pm)
• October 30-November 3 - No School PK-12 (Fall Break)

Here is the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar listing all the Early Release Wednesdays, as well.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for ALL the latest updates!

Dr. Shelmire - north_point_grizzlies (Instagram)

Mr. Kolons - @NP_Grizzly_AD (Twitter) and np_grizzly_ad (Instagram)

Dr. Bethmann - nphs_bethmann (Instagram)

Mr. Elmendorf - @Elmendorf_NP_AP (Twitter)

Email: amandashelmire@wsdr4.org
Website: wentzville.k12.mo.us/northpoint
Location: 2255 West Meyer Road, Wentzville, MO, USA
Phone: 636-445-5344