East Lansing Public Schools

As our staff return tomorrow, Thursday, August 20 and Friday, August 21 for two days of professional learning, we're excited to begin another school year of learning, growth, and connection. These days are filled with collaboration, preparation, and planning, all with one goal in mind: creating the very best experience for our students.

We can't wait to welcome students back to our classrooms on Monday, August 24. Here's to a wonderful 2026-27 school year! 💙

District ELL teacher Julie Bungard and her daughter, Elizabeth, spent a day exploring Belle Isle and Detroit this summer! They visited the Belle Isle Nature Center, hiked to the Graffiti Bridge and enjoyed some shopping while taking in the beautiful architecture throughout the city.

One of the highlights of their trip was a visit to Pewabic Pottery, one of Detroit’s oldest pottery makers. Pewabic’s iconic tiles can be found in landmarks across the country, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and the Smithsonian.

What an amazing way to enjoy some of the history, art and beauty Michigan has to offer! 💙

Our ELHS tennis team started their season in a very special way last week. With Coach Cody serving as the director of the Capital City Tennis Classic, the players were able to watch some incredible tennis and grow their skills with some on-court training from ELHS alum Harry B. Jadun, who is also an MSU All-American and BIG 10 Champion as head coach. They were joined by professional tennis players, including Okemos native and four-time MSU All-American Ozan Baris.

The ELHS Math Department is proud to celebrate an incredible accomplishment by four of our students! 🏊‍♂️🌊

Math Department teachers Mrs. Sayers and Mr. Jakob had the incredible opportunity to watch their sons, Colin (rising 12th grader) and Miles (Holt High School, Class of 2027), take on the arduous 8.2-mile swim around Mackinac Island.

They were joined by Fynn Robertson (rising 11th grader), Colin Fitzgerald (Class of 2027), and Jonah Robertson (Class of 2027).

This was Colin’s third time completing the swim, along with Jonah and Colin Fitzgerald, while it was Fynn and Miles’ first time taking on this incredible challenge. What an accomplishment for all of them! 💪🏊‍♂️

After completing the 8.2-mile journey, a few of the boys, along with Mrs. Sayers, ran into two Brits, Josh and Jace, who quickly became part of the fun with their great sense of humor and friendly personalities. Even Maureen Rojowski (ELHS Class of 2026) joined in on the celebration!

Congratulations to all of these amazing young athletes for their determination, perseverance, and willingness to take on such a challenging adventure! What a memorable day!

The Laskos family checked a Michigan classic off their summer bucket list with their first visit to Mackinac Island, and they're hoping it's the first of many!

Xander, an incoming first grader at Red Cedar Elementary, Kennedy, an incoming fifth grader at Donley Elementary, and Norah, an incoming middle school student, enjoyed the adventure alongside their mom, Meghan, a building aide at Red Cedar.

Thank you, Laskos family, for sharing your summer memories with the ELPS community! We hope your family had a wonderful break, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back for another great school year.

Congratulations to rising MacDonald Middle School students Camden Pilgram, Reza Farzam, Terry Buchanan, and Kian Farzam on a successful summer with the Trojan Athletic Track & Field program!

After a season of hard work and dedication, the team earned a first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay at the Grand Ledge track meet in July. What a great way to wrap up elementary school and head into a new chapter this fall.

Thank you for sharing this exciting accomplishment with the ELPS community! We wish all four of you the best as you begin sixth grade at MacDonald Middle School.

Donley teacher Mrs. Granger recently took a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with her family and friends, and it was an adventure to remember! They explored the Great Smoky Mountains and even saw lots of bears along the way!

ELPS is hiring! We're looking for talented, caring individuals to fill a variety of positions across the district. Several positions have upcoming application deadlines:

📅 Physical Education Teacher: August 11 (today)
📅 Spanish Teacher: August 11 (today)
📅 6th Grade Math Teacher: August 14
📅 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher: August 14
📅 Lunch Monitor: August 17

Additional positions are also available and will remain open until filled. View all current openings, full job descriptions and application information at bit.ly/elpsjobs.

Congratulations to Miles Polischuk, who competed at the National Championships of Indoor Free Flight in Pontiac this July, setting two Youth Junior national records in the A6 and F1N categories and earning the title of Youth Junior Grand National Champion! 🏆

Miles first became interested in Indoor Free Flight through his participation in Science Olympiad. A special thank you goes to Brian Turnbull, who has spent countless hours coaching and mentoring Miles and other Science Olympiad students and helped prepare him for this national competition.

What an incredible accomplishment. Congratulations, Miles!

This summer, Jessica Clements, administrative assistant at Red Cedar Elementary, made the most of her break by spending time with family, friends, and fellow ELPS staff.

Her adventures included a week in South Carolina with Ms. Johnson, a Fourth of July weekend with Mrs. Beckman from Donley Elementary, and visits to both Holland and Muskegon along the shores of Lake Michigan, where she even had the fun surprise of running into an ELPS student.

Communities are built through shared experiences, and this summer you gave us so many to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who shared your adventures, milestones, and meaningful moments with the ELPS community. We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer, and we can't wait to begin another great school year together.