St. Charles Community Schools

Reminder

Attention high school students who attend SCC (Saginaw Career Complex). Starting Tuesday, September 3rd, our bus will begin transporting SCC students. The bus will leave the MS/HS parking lot at 6:20 am. Please arrive by 6:15 am so the bus can leave on time.

Cristy Escamilla, St. Charles Community Schools Health Resource Advocate, would like to share a family event offered to our students. The flyer below provides information for the FREE walk/run event called The Turtle Race. The Turtle Race is held at the Saginaw Children's Zoo—how fun is that!! NOTE: It is important to note that you MUST register before the day of the walk to receive all the fun, free things on the flyer. If you have any questions, you can reach out to Cristy at escamillac@stccs.org

An invitation to our district from Katie Mielens the Education & Museum Services Manager at Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens. "I am Katie, the Education Manager at Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens. As you may know, we have a great program called Arts for All, and we are partnered with the Saginaw ISD. With the program, students can sign up to be members for free and make the arts accessible to them and their families. I want to invite students from St. Charles Community Schools to the museum on Thursday, September 12, anytime after school until 7:00 pm. All St. Charles K-12 students and their families can come to the museum for free, get signed up for Arts for All, do a scavenger hunt, and get a notebook and pencil. Of course, all your staff and faculty could also come for free that day. Attached is some information about Arts for All and an official invitation to see us." Thank you! Katie Mielens Education & Museum Services Manager

Mrs. Cristy Escamilla is joining the district as our HRA (Health Resource Advocate). Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. “Hello, my name is Cristy Escamilla. I am the New HRA (Health Resource Advocate) at St. Charles Community Schools. I have been a Nurse for ten years!! I love spending time with my family. I have four wonderful kids and a granddaughter. I truly love to stay busy and believe that every encounter has a teachable moment. I’m excited to help support you all on your BWELL healthy Journey. “ Attached is the newsletter with the QR code (bottom left) that will need to be scanned again to restart this year’s entries. Remember, there are tons of chances to win some cool prizes by showing up and logging your information.

Are you and your family looking for an exciting event tomorrow night? Check out the flyer below, as Saginaw ISD has invited our community.

Today was the BIG DAY for St. Charles Community Schools. Welcome back to the first day of the 2024-2025 school year! It's such a great feeling to have our hallways full of students and staff today. Make it a great day, bulldogs!!!

Do you have questions regarding the drop off/pick up process? Morning drop offs are at the front of the MS/HS building for MS/HS students, and elementary drop off is at the front of the elementary building. Please click the link below for pick up procedures at the end of the school day. **Keep in mind this video was composed last school year, however we are using the same process this year. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR19sHAK8YpojWs50K4zh193H97fPIld3xiMFy-p1ZtYvrGXA6M5DyIGsDQ_aem_0jZ4T_RgqzG3aQEoQPPwYA&si=KrOZjsqZP_vhMSVD&v=phYEelUX1eI

We look forward to seeing our students' smiling faces on the first day of the 2024-2025 school year! Let's make it a great year, Bulldogs!

Attention elementary families!! Below are the breakfast and lunch menus for the first few days of school.

Mrs. Stacey Nelson is joining the middle/high school as our front office secretary. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. “Hello, Bulldog families! I am Stacey Nelson, and I will be the front office secretary for the middle/high school building. I started subbing for St. Charles Community Schools in 2013 in the MS/HS offices and library. In 2018, I was hired full-time as a special education paraprofessional. In past years, I also spent time coaching middle school cheerleading from 2010 to 2012. Additionally, I served as an Assistant Cheer Coach for Sideline and Competitive Cheer until 2019. I am excited to start the school year and see all the students. It is going to be a great year”! - Stacey Nelson

Mrs. Tina LaFrance is joining the middle school as our new science and history teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. “Hello! I am Tina Lafrance, and I will be the new middle school science and history teacher. You might have already seen me working within the St. Charles school district as I have been substitute teaching in grades K through 12 for the past four years. When I started substitute teaching four years ago, I fell in love with teaching, the students, and the staff of St. Charles Community Schools, which prompted my journey of furthering my education toward a teaching degree. I grew up in St. Charles and reside in St. Charles with my husband and our four sons, Joseph, Travis, Tyler, and Troy. We love camping and the beach when we aren’t busy with work, school, and sports. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and crocheting. I have also been active in the St. Charles Middle and High School Bulldog Parent group and secretary for the St. Charles Youth Football Association for the past four years. I am excited that I have already worked with most middle school students through substitute teaching, and I’m beyond thrilled to teach this fantastic group of students. I hope they look forward to this year as much as I do”. - Tina LaFrance

Ms. Lindsey Webb is joining the elementary school as our new four-year-old preschool teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. “Hello! I am Lindsey Webb, and I will be a new preschool teacher for St. Charles Community Schools this year. I have been with the district for three years, working in the childcare center, being an assistant teacher for the preschool programs, and now being the lead teacher of the four-year-old tuition preschool. I have been riding horses for over 15 years and own two beautiful horses, Waldo and Delilah. I enjoy coloring, going to the barn, or doing activities with friends and family in my spare time. I love working with preschoolers because every day is exciting, and I love watching them grow throughout the school year.” - Lindsey Webb

Ms. Shelby Grunas is joining the elementary school as our new GSRP lead preschool teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. “Hello! My name is Shelby Grunas, and I am the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) lead preschool teacher for the 2024-2025 school year. I have worked in the St. Charles school district for three years as a paraprofessional, lunch/recess monitor, substitute teacher, and childcare worker. I graduated from Delta College with my associate's degree in Child Development and am currently working towards my bachelor's in Elementary Education at Concordia University. I love working in the St. Charles school district, and I am so excited to teach for my first year in the same elementary school where I once was a student many years ago. Some things I like to do in my free time are reading, attending concerts, camping, going to the beach, and spending time with my family and friends. This school year will be one to remember, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to introduce my tiny students to their first educational experience for the first time. Go bulldogs!” -Shelby Grunas

Mrs. Hall is joining the elementary school as our new second-grade teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. "Hello, Bulldog Family!!! I am so excited to join your second-grade team this year and be a part of your community. I moved with my family to Michigan just over a year ago. We love how everyone in this community is so kind and treats each other like one big family. I have seven years of teaching experience in the elementary field and over ten years altogether working experience with children ages three and older. In my past years as a teacher, I have learned so much from many different experiences with my students. Some of the skills I have picked up along the way include: flexibility, communication skills, a knowledge of different curriculum, and a passion to inspire my students. I enjoy taking on challenges and building strong relationships along the way. I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music at California State University of Fullerton and my Multiple Subject Credential at California State University of Long Beach. In 2021, I received my Master's in Educational Technology. I have been married to my husband for 14 years. I am a mother of two: my 9-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. My favorite hobbies are hiking, gardening, swimming, reading, and singing. My passion is inspiring children and helping them attain their goals. I look forward to being a part of your bulldog family." -Michelle Hall

Mrs. Petz is joining the district as our new Mental Health Practitioner. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. "Hello! I am Kayla Petz. I am from Saginaw and live there with my husband and three daughters. I'm a Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC) with an MA in Professional and School Counseling. My role as MHP includes providing education and support for students, staff, and families on the topics of mental health and social-emotional learning. I will be providing classroom support and meeting with students and families, and I am looking forward to getting to know lots of new people this year!" -Kayla Petz

Ms. Tretyak is joining the Elementary School Team as a new Resource Room teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. "Hello! I am Emily Tretyak, and I couldn't be more thrilled to join St. Charles Elementary School as the new Resource Room Teacher! I grew up in Highland, MI, and graduated with honors from Lakeland High School. During the last ten years, I have lived and worked with both neurotypical and neurodivergent children all over the state, including cities such as Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Midland, and the metro Detroit area. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education from Saginaw Valley State University. I am also beginning to pursue my Master's Degree in Special Education. Over the years, I have worked in daycares, schools, and family homes as a substitute teacher, nanny, tutor, homeschool teacher, and Associate GSRP Teacher. Thanks to my degree programs, I have also had ample experience working in various schools, grade levels, and types of classrooms. This has given me significant experience teaching and working with children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. I am passionate about teaching and helping young minds learn best, especially those who may learn differently than others. I am so happy to do that here in St. Charles!" - Emily Tretyak

Mrs. Stephens is joining the Elementary School Team as a new Art teacher. Please join us in welcoming her to St. Charles Community Schools. "Hello. I am Ashlee Stephens, and this is my 11th year of teaching elementary art. I graduated from Eastern Michigan University and lived in different parts of the state before settling in the Saginaw area four years ago. I enjoy spending most of my time with my husband, Ryan, and my three children, Louis, Nora, and Hattie. We are a very busy and active family with sports, friends, and our dog, Hopper. I'm looking forward to creating in the art room with students! I like to expose students to all different artists and media, allowing them to take some creative liberties to figure out what they enjoy most! It is going to be a fun and exciting year. Let'sgo, Bulldogs!" -Ashlee Stephens

On Tuesday, August 20th, all the staff of St. Charles Community Schools gathered to kick off the 2024-2025 school year. The morning started with a wonderful "welcome back to school" breakfast provided by our food service department. Angie Lewis, the President of the Board of Education, addressed the staff, and Mr. Matthew Wicke was announced as the Excellence in Education Award recipient—Congratulations, Mr. Wicke! The staff also received their "years of service pins." Superintendent Mark Benson thanked the custodial staff for their hard work cleaning and enhancing our buildings and grounds over the summer. He also delivered a heartfelt speech, acknowledging the staff's commitment and dedication to our district and its students. The following staff members were recognized for their years of service with the district: 5 years of service- Nancy Spaeth-Foreman, Shana Lisik, and Tiffeni Dorey 10 years of service- Matthew Wicke 20 years of service- Colleen Bishop, Joe Cribbs, Janee Gerding, Jennifer Prince, and Sharon Pumford 25 years of service- Maryann Goschka and Sandy Hart 30 years of service- Diane Koch, Nicole Blower, and Roger Henninger 50 years of service- Victor Brcik (not pictured)

Today is BULLDOG DAY! We look forward to welcoming our bulldog families to the start of the 2024-2025 school year.