KES Family Newsletter
August 2025
Welcome Back!
We are so excited to welcome everyone back to school and hope you had a wonderful summer filled with fun, rest, and special memories. Our KES staff has been hard at work preparing for another amazing year of learning, growth, and connection. We can’t wait to see our students’ smiling faces and watch them shine in the months ahead!
As we kick off the new school year, this newsletter is packed with important back-to-school information, helpful reminders, and exciting updates. Please take a few moments to read through the sections below so you don’t miss anything that will help make this year a great success for your child.
Here’s to a fantastic year ahead. We’re so glad you’re part of the KES family!
Meet Our New Staff!
We are beyond excited to introduce our newest KES staff members. We are excited for the impact they will have on our KES kids!
Hannah Schank-Title Teacher
Moving from her 3rd grade role, Mrs. Schank will now be our Title teacher. She will help facilitate our Fall/Winter/Spring Acadience benchmark assessments and oversee our daily intervention groups across all grade levels.
Maria Siemen-3rd Grade Teacher
Moving from her Young 5's position, Mrs. Siemen will now be teaching 3rd grade along with Mrs. Walker.
Erika Martin-Young 5's Teacher
Miss Martin is a familiar face at KES, and we are so thrilled to have her as our new Young 5's teacher. We know that she will do great work with our Young 5's friends!
Rochelle Jocham-SRC Coordinator
Mrs. Jocham is transitioning from her 1:1 Behavior Support Paraprofessional position to facilitate our newly implemented SRC room this year. She will work through our SRC procedures when students are referred to the SRC and make a plan with them so they can return to class ready to learn.
Tina Trelfa-Building Sub
Mrs. Trelfa will be present in our building each day to sub for any teachers or paraprofessionals who need coverage, and will also support our Title room with interventions when she is available.
Macie Coats-Kitchen Staff
Macie is the newest addition to our fantastic KES Kitchen Crew. She will be learning Karyn Peter's role and taking over for her when Karyn retires later this fall.
Desiree Brideau-Cardinal Center Staff
Desiree will be working with our youngest Cardinals and will be a great addition to our daycare staff!
Autum Taylor-Cardinal Center Staff
Autum is a familiar face returning to our daycare staff. We are thrilled to have her back on our daycare team as well!
-Lisa Rowley-1:1 Behavior Support Paraprofessional
Lisa will be helping support students in our classrooms this year, and will be a wonderful addition to our KES team!
KES Open House (Cardinal Kickoff)
We are excited to welcome everyone back for our Elementary Open House (Cardinal Kickoff)! Our Open House will take place on Thursday, August 21st from 4pm-6pm. This is a great time to meet teachers, visit classrooms, and get ready for a wonderful school year.
What’s Happening:
- Free hot dogs and water for all who attend
- Kona Ice available for purchase in the south cafeteria parking lot
- A warm welcome from staff and a first look at our freshly prepared building
Please Note:
- Parking: Please park in the south parking lot and enter through the cafeteria.
- Food & Drinks: We ask that all food and drinks be enjoyed outside or in the cafeteria. Our custodial and maintenance team has worked hard to make the building shine, and we want to keep it looking great!
- Fundraiser Opportunity: If you’d like to support our Popcorn Friday fundraiser, Kingston Connected will be set up in the cafeteria to accept donations. They will also have additional information about another exciting event: The KES Back-to-School Bash! Make sure to stop by their table for more information!
We can’t wait to see you there—let’s kick off the school year together!
Fall Benchmark Assessments – Helping Every Student Shine!
At KES, we believe every child’s growth is worth celebrating! That’s why each fall, winter, and spring, we take time to check in on how our students are doing through benchmark assessments. These assessments give us valuable information to guide classroom instruction, create the right intervention or enrichment groups, and make sure each student is on the path to success.
This fall, our students will be taking the Acadience, NWEA, and Writing Benchmark Assessments between September 2nd and September 12th. These tools help us see just how much progress our students are making and where we can best support them.
You can help your child do their very best by making sure they’re at school, on time, and well rested during our testing days. With your support, we can ensure every student is ready to shine!
Back to School Bash – Let’s Kick Off the Year in Style!
We’re starting the school year with a celebration you won’t want to miss! Join us for our Back to School Bash, a day filled with laughter, energy, and community spirit. There will be a foam party to splash and play in, fun music to get everyone dancing, free popsicles for all who attend, and even more surprises in store for the whole family.
In addition, there will be food available for purchase, as well as Kingston Spirit Towels available for purchase as a fundraiser for Kingston Connected. Kingston Connected is our parent group that is sponsoring this event for our KES families, and all towel purchases will help us support KES teachers and students in the future. We appreciate your support!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 6th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the south parking lot at KES. Bring your family, your smiles, and your school spirit as we come together to make the first days of school extra special. Let’s make memories, reconnect with friends, and get excited for an amazing year ahead! We can’t wait to see you there!
Food Service News
We would like to give a huge shout out to our amazing food service ladies for the hard work they put into the Summer Meal Program! Their dedication provided high-quality, nutritious meals to our students all summer long, and we are so grateful for their efforts.
We’re looking forward to another delicious year at KES as we continue to offer free breakfast and lunch to every student each school day. Students may still purchase milk separately, and for those with big appetites, an additional serving of the entrée is available each day for a small additional cost.
Families can add money to student meal accounts by making a deposit in the front office at any time.
Here’s to a year full of great food and happy, healthy students!
Quick Links
Upcoming Dates
-8.21.25: KES Open House 4pm-6pm
-8.25.25: First Day of School
-8.26.25: Expectations Day
-8.29.25: No School
-9.1.25: No School (Labor Day)
-9.2.25-9.12.25: Acadience/NWEA/Writing Benchmark Assessments
-9.6.25: Back-to-School Bash at KES Sponsored by Kingston Connected (11am-1pm)
-9.15.25-9.18.25: Cheer Clinic Daily in KES Cafe 3pm-4pm
-9.18.25: 3rd Grade Trip: Project Red
-10.2.25: Decorated Pumpkin Drop-off at Courthouse
-10.2.25: 12:10 Dismissal (KHS Parent Teacher Conference)
-10.17.25: No School (County Wide PD)
-10.23.25: 12:10 Dismissal (KES Parent Teacher Conference)
-11.26.25: 12:10 Dismissal
-11.27.25: No School (Happy Thanksgiving!)
-12.8.25-12.19.25: Acadience/NWEA/Writing Benchmark Assessments
-12.19.25: 12:10 Dismissal (Christmas Break Begins)
-1.5.26: School Resumes
-2.13.26: 12:10 Dismissal
-2.16.26: No School (Presidents' Day)
-3.12.26: March is Reading Month Assembly with Cameron Zvara
-3.13.26: No School (County Wide PD)
-3.27.26: 12:10 Dismissal (Spring Break Begins)
-4.6.26: School Resumes
-5.11.26-5.22.26: Acadience/NWEA/Writing Benchmark Assessments
-5.25.26: No School (Memorial Day)
-6.3.26: 12:10 Dismissal (Last Day of School)
Mr. Campbell
Kingston Elementary: 3644 Ross Street, Kingston, MI 48741
Email: jcampbell@kingstonk12.org
Phone: 989.683.2284
Website: kingstonk12.org