Dear Westergard Families

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year at Westergard Elementary! We are so excited to open our doors and welcome your children back to school. The first day of school for 1st–5th grade students is Monday, August 11th, 2025.  Our Pre-K and Kinder students will begin on Monday, August 18^th, 2025.

As a reminder, student drop-off will take place between 8:40 AM and 8:55 AM in the Kiss and Go Loop. After being dropped off, K-2 students will head down the ramp and onto the D Hall playground, 3-5 students will stay on the intermediate playground to begin their day. Our school day officially begins at 9:00 AM and concludes at 3:00 PM.

Back to School Nights are scheduled for August 26^th (K-1), August 27^th (2-3) and August 28^th (4-5) from 5:00pm-6:00pm here at Westergard.  From 5:00pm -5:15pm we will have everyone meet in the lunchroom.   This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and learn more about the upcoming school year.

One of the most important values we uphold at Westergard is how we treat one another. This belief shapes everything we do.  Westergard’s three non-negotiables continue to guide us this year:

1.     Respect for All – Every person within our school community — families, students, and staff — deserves to be treated with kindness, care, and respect.

2.     Communication and Engagement – Open, honest, and timely communication between school and home is essential to building trust and ensuring student success.

3.     Always Striving to Do What Is Best for Our Students – The well-being, safety, and success of every child remains our top priority in every decision we make.

These commitments lead us into this year’s school-wide theme:
"Rooted in Kindness, Growing in Success."

This summer, our staff has been hard at work preparing to create a supportive, empowering, and positive environment where all students can thrive. We know that the partnership between home and school is vital to this mission. As we begin this new year together, we ask that you take time this weekend to talk with your child about your own family’s expectations and goals for this school year — helping them start with a sense of purpose, responsibility, and excitement.

We are truly looking forward to working alongside you to help each of our students grow — academically, socially, and emotionally — in a place where kindness is the foundation and success is nurtured every day.

This year, Westergard Elementary will be using ClassDojo as a primary tool for classroom communication and family engagement. If you’ve previously used the app and are already connected to

Westergard, please be on the lookout for an invite link from your child’s new teacher—these will be sent out shortly after the school year begins. If you’re new to ClassDojo, we encourage you to download the free app on your mobile device or access it online. It’s an easy and effective way to stay informed about classroom updates, school events, and your child’s learning throughout the year.

Teacher assignments will be released on Friday, August 8th, and will be available through Infinite Campus. If you need assistance logging in or accessing your account, please don’t hesitate to contact our front office at 775-746-5800. We’re happy to help!

Here’s to a fantastic school year full of learning, connection, and growth!

Warmly,

Mr. Stern
Principal
Westergard Elementary School