Allyson Smith, Principal at Wacousta Elementary
August 21, 2026
Important Upcoming Dates:
August 25: First Day of School - Half Day (dismissal at 12:10)
September 4 and 7: No School - Labor Day Weekend
October 7: Student Count Day
October 9: No School - Staff Professional Development
We’re almost ready, Wacousta! It was so great seeing so many of you at Open House and watching our building come alive again. Our staff has been working hard to get classrooms ready, plan for a great start, and prepare for all the learning and growing ahead. We are excited to welcome everyone back on Tuesday and get this new school year started! There is something special about the energy that comes with a fresh start. We’re looking forward to dreaming big, taking small steps, and making the 2026–2027 school year a great one together. See you soon, Comets!
Every Day Pick Up
If your student will be picked up by you every day after school for their transportation home, please use this link to let us know. Knowing this information makes the end-of-day procedures go more smoothly and efficiently. The link to complete your response will close on Sunday at midnight.
Transportation:
Please be sure to download the "Stop Finder" app. This is a great tool for keeping track of your students' bus transportation each day. If you haven’t heard from the Transportation Department, please call them at 517-925-5300. Expect the buses returning students home on the first few days of school to run late.
Arrival and Dismissal Times:
Student Drop Off Starts: School doors open at 8:40 A.M.
School Starts: Students need to be in their seats at 8:55 A.M.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 8:40 - 8:55 A.M.
Late Arrival: After 8:55 a.m., parents must come into the office and sign in their student
Dismissal: Students are dismissed at 3:55 P.M.
Half Day Dismissal: On half days, school dismisses at 12:10 P.M.
Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures
Please note that drop-off and pick-up procedures have changed slightly. Please review the map and directions below to ensure a safe and efficient drop-off.
A Message from the Art Room
We often get into messes in our art studio, as it should be, and parents may not want those messes on students' clothing items. If you are concerned about your child getting paint or other art materials on their clothing, please send an old shirt or paint smock to keep in their locker for art days. It will be their responsibility to put it on before they come to art. I will be communicating this with their classroom teachers so they are aware students need to grab their paint shirt from their locker before they head down to the studio. Thank you for your support of our Wacousta Art Studio and Welcome Back!
-Mrs. Parsons
2026 - 2027 District School Year Calendar:
The District calendar can be found on the Grand Ledge Public Schools homepage at: www.glcomets.net
Supply Lists:
School supplies are not required. The school will be providing all of the necessary supplies. Generic supply lists are available on the Wacousta Elementary page of the District Website should you want to purchase anything, but your classroom teacher will be purchasing classroom supplies for students. If you need assistance with any items such as backpacks, coats, or shoes, please contact the school office.
Lunch Menu:
Please check out the monthly lunch menu at grandledge.nutrislice.com. The website includes breakfast and lunch menus for all district buildings. You can check for nutritional information, filter allergens, and translate the menu into 50+ languages! We currently provide free breakfast and lunch.
Adventure Club:
Provides a fee-based, before- and after-school care for students. If you have questions, please follow this link: https://www.glcomets.net/ourdistrict/adventureclub/
Attendance and Truancy:
We know that children learn best when they are healthy, happy, and present at school each day. While we understand that illnesses, family emergencies, and other unavoidable circumstances arise, regular attendance plays a vital role in a child's academic success, social development, and sense of belonging within our school community. By working together to prioritize consistent attendance whenever possible, we can help every student build the strong habits and foundation they need to thrive. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the district attendance policy found below, on the district website, and in the student handbook.
In order to help provide support for students and families, GLPS closely monitors explained and unexplained absences. We also work with families to ensure that as many absences as possible are documented, because undocumented absences can trigger truancy considerations.
Documented Absence (AD) - Absence that includes a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.) to explain the absence. Absences are only considered documented for the days identified in the note. For example, if a doctor excuses a student for Monday and Tuesday, but the student is absent on Wednesday and Thursday as well, only Monday and Tuesday’s absences are considered documented. Any absence that does not include a note from a professional is considered undocumented.
Explained Absence (AE) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian calls the office or sends a note to alert the school their child will not be in attendance but does not include a note from a professional (ie. doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.). This is important because explained absences are necessary for schools to meet pupil accounting requirements.
Unexplained Absence (AU) - Undocumented absence in which a parent/guardian does not call the office to alert the school that their child will not be in attendance.
◼️A student's school will send a letter after 6 full-day undocumented absences and after 10 full-day undocumented absences in a school year, providing you with notice of the absences and outlining steps to help your child attend school regularly.
◼️A student's school will communicate with families if the student has undocumented absences on more than 10% of the first 30 days.
◼️Ten (10) or more days of undocumented absences in a school year can be sent to court. However, GLPS will make every effort to work with you and your student before it gets to that point.
Please note that school-related absences, such as field trips or athletic events, are not factored into any truancy-related processes.
This is the district attendance policy as a standalone document. The district attendance policy is embedded in the board-approved student handbooks, which can be found here on our Family & Student Resources webpage. The standalone document was first shared by Superintendent Bill Barnes on September 13, 2024.
Lunch Helpers Needed
We are looking for parent volunteers to help during lunch times. Your support makes a big difference by assisting students, creating a positive lunchroom environment, and lending an extra set of hands to our staff. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here. We would love to have you join us! *Please note that you must complete the district "Volunteer Application" process to work with students. The application can be completed on the district website under the Family & Student Resources tab. It could take up to a week to be cleared as a volunteer.
Questions or Concerns:
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our amazing office team, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Nichols. When emailing, we ask that you include both of them so we can ensure your message is received even if one of them is out of the office. If you call and we're unable to answer, please leave us a voicemail, and we'll return your call as soon as we can. We're always happy to help and look forward to partnering with you throughout the school year!
Office: 517-925-5940
Mrs. Johnson: johnsont@glcomets.net
Mrs. Nichols: nicholsd@glcomets.net
Thank you for entrusting us with your child each day.
Allyson Smith, Principal
Wacousta Elementary School
9325 Herbison Rd., Eagle, MI 48822 (517) 925-5940 FAX (517) 925-5970
