Leighton Update

Dear Leighton Families,

As we wrapped up the third quarter this past Friday, it has been wonderful to see how hard our students have been working to master their curriculum and meet their academic standards. It is truly hard to believe that the fourth quarter of the 2025-2026 school year begins this Monday! The final quarter is always a whirlwind of important milestones, year-end events and well-deserved fun. The end of the school year will be here before we all know it. As a reminder to our families, final grades for the third quarter will be officially posted this Friday afternoon. We look forward to a strong finish to the year with all of our Leighton students!

A reminder that the last day of school before Spring Break is this coming Friday, March 20th. School is NOT in session for Spring Break from Monday, March 23rd through Friday March 27th. School will resume on Monday, March 30th.

Sincerely,

Spencer Warders

Principal

Leighton Elementary

You can still order online using the provided instructions on the form or QR code. The online order due date is open until March 16th. Physical payments are no longer being accepted. Please be advised that Leighton does not purchase “extra yearbooks” and the only way to guarantee you will have a yearbook for this school year is to purchase one now during this window. Again, the online window closes on Monday, March 16th.

Please take a moment to reference the schedule again of the Ohio State Test assessments. The schedule shows which days our building is testing and for what grades and homerooms for 3rd grade. These assessments give valuable data and information for our school. If you know your child will be absent for these dates, please contact our school counselor, Mrs. Wadkins, at nwadkins@aurora-schools.org

English Language Arts OST Part 1 and 2

April 15th: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Grabfelder, Yusko, Parker, Yaeger and Bindus)

April 16th: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Grabfelder, Yusko, Parker, Yaeger and Bindus)

April 21: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Heffernan, Leone, Mastri, Goldhamer and McNally), 4th and 5th

April 22: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Heffernan, Leone, Mastri, Goldhamer and McNally), 4th and 5th

Math OST Part 1 and 2

April 29: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Heffernan, Leone, Mastri, Goldhamer and McNally)

April 30: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Heffernan, Leone, Mastri, Goldhamer and McNally)

May 5: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Grabfelder, Yusko, Parker, Yaeger and Bindus), 4th and 5th

May 6: 3rd (1/2 Homerooms Grabfelder, Yusko, Parker, Yaeger and Bindus), 4th and 5th

Science OST Part 1 and 2

April 29: 5th Grade

April 30: 5th Grade

This past week, we were thrilled to celebrate our quarter 3 Greenman Bus Award winners! These standout students were nominated by our bus drivers for consistently demonstrating positive behavior and being leaders on their commutes. To honor their efforts, we called them down to the lobby for a special announcement and well-deserved rewards from the front office. We had over 60 students recognized this quarter—a phenomenal achievement that truly shows our school expectations in action!

Out of 75 talented participants in our Leighton "24 Club," eight elite mathematicians advanced to represent us at the Portage County Competition! Competing against students from 11 different school districts, our 4th and 5th-grade teams showed incredible focus and skill. We are thrilled to announce that Rishil Siriparapu took 1st place overall among all 5th graders in the county, and Thanish Devarapalli finished in the prestigious Top 8! Along with several first-place table ribbons, our students proved that Leighton’s math game is stronger than ever. Huge congratulations to our competitors and their advisor, Mrs. Martin, for such a phenomenal showing!

Our 4th grade team consisted of David Meckael, Jordan Anderson, Maddie Sanford, and Vishank Polsani.

Our 5th grade team consisted of Connor Palma, Parker Sanford, Rishil Siriparapu, and Thanish Devarapalli.

Our students have been busy imagining, creating, and refining their skills in the art room! From new techniques to bold creative projects, it has been a phenomenal quarter of growth. Check out the latest update from Mrs. Girbino to see how your child has been expressing their creativity this year.

To prepare for the future Aurora City Schools’ facility needs, the district has been examining facility master plan options. Over the next 12 weeks, our Superintendent, Dr. Paul Milcetich, will be providing videos and facts about the Aurora City Schools Essential Plan, which will be a bond issue planned for the November ballot. Below are buttons for the current videos and website resources available to stay informed on this important plan.

March 20th: Last day of school before Spring Break

March 23-27: Spring Break

April 3: No School (Good Friday)

April 6: No School

April 30: 2nd to 3rd grade parent orientation 6:00 pm

May 1: No School

May 2: LES AOA Solo Competition At Leighton 9:00 AM

May 12: LES Band Concert at HS 7:00 pm

May 13: 5th to 6th Parent Orientation at Harmon 7:00 pm

May 20 LES Orchestra Concert at HS 4th 4:30 5th 5:30

May 26: LES Field Day

May 27: LES Field Day Rain Date

May 28: 5th grade Clap Out 1:15

You can track your child's lunch account by setting up your profile. You may also send in cash or a check written out to the Aurora City Schools.

When reporting your child's absence, please call 330-562-2209 and select option 1. You will be prompted to leave a message with the name of your child and the reason for the absence. If you need to talk to our attendance secretary, Mrs. Mariah George, please select 0 and you will be connected during normal school hours.

Spencer Warders - Principal

swarders@aurora-schools.org

Jeff Morris - Assistant Principal

jamorris@aurora-schools.org

Halston Pratt - Building Secretary

hgarzapratt@aurora-schools.org

Mariah George - Attendance Secretary

mgeorge@aurora-schools.org

Email: swarders@aurora-schools.org

Website: aurora-schools.org
Location: 121 Aurora Hudson Road, Aurora, OH, USA
Phone: (330)562-2209