FROM: Jean Butler 

DATE: August 27, 2025 

                                  PreK-5 ELEMENTARY REPORT 

The 2025-26 school year is underway, and all of the students I saw around town over the last few  weeks expressed that they were excited to go back to school. One dad told me he would be glad to clear his house out of kids! Every fall we receive lots of donations of school supplies, backpacks, and winter  coats from community members, churches, and other local organizations. It is wonderful that so many  people and groups want to support the children in their communities as they go back to school.  

We were able to offer the fifth year of our three-week Camp Carrabec Summer School Program for  PreK-5 students from the three elementary schools in July. Without COVID relief funds, we weren’t  sure we could offer the program this year, but with the support of Mr. Campbell and the School Board,  we were able to find some funding to run the program, which has always been popular with students  and parents. This year during budget season, we will include some funds in the budget so that we can  offer the program again next summer. It is a good way to help students to retain the skills in reading  and math that they learned during the school year and also build some new skills.  

It was an amazing summer in terms of the amount of work done at both of my schools by the district’s  maintenance and custodial crews as well as some outside contractors. All of the carpeting has been  removed from Solon, and the stained glass window (which was leaking) in the kindergarten room has  been replaced. The only carpets we have now at Garret Schenck are new ones in the library, on the  stage, and in the entryway. The overhang leading up to the door has been rebuilt as well. My staff and I  are very appreciative of the efforts of Chris Roux and his team and the support of the School Board and citizens of the district in approving these upgrades through the budget process. My schools look great!  

We held Kindergarten Open Houses and Preschool Open Houses last week to welcome students to  kindergarten and preschool. The students were very excited about starting the new school year. Whole school Open Houses will take place at Solon and Garret Schenck later in September. 

We expect to get monthly deliveries of food items from the Good Shepherd Food Bank again this year  at our schools on the first Tuesday of each month. Our secretaries and social workers are able to make  up food boxes for needy families as well as to provide healthy snacks for students to enjoy during the  school day.  

Lakewood Theater is offering a fall musical comedy production for elementary school students from  the area schools again this year. The actors are veterans of the Lakewood stage who call themselves the  Lakewood Jesters. K-5 students from both Garret Schenck and Solon will be able to attend their  production of “Sleeping Beauty” in mid-September with admission fees paid by our PTO’s. 

This year Garret Schenck celebrates its 100th birthday, as the school opened in the fall of 1925. We plan to use this theme throughout the school year to teach our students the history of their school and its  place in the community of Anson. Fifth grade teacher Angela Larlee will work with her students to  research Garret Schenck to find out who he was and why their school is named after him. We will work with the Anson Historical Society in hopes they will share pictures and information they have about the history of our school. Students will learn what life was like in 1925, and each class will decide on a  “gift” they can give to their school (such as planting a tree or bush on the grounds). The school’s 100th birthday will be the theme for our Fall Open House later this month. Happy 100th Birthday, Garret  Schenck!