Onsted Community Schools

Good afternoon. This afternoon one of our BOOT safety systems was inadvertently bumped during cleaning. There is no emergency and everyone is safe. Thank you for the rapid response of our law enforcement team.

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FREE PRESCHOOL !! If you have a child who will turn 4 before December 1st complete an interest form now to see if you qualify for FREE PRESCHOOL. We have programs located in Adrian, Blissfield, Britton, Hudson, Madison, Morenci, Onsted, and Tecumseh. Visit LenaweeFreePreschools.org to complete an interest form.

If you know any future wildcats please encourage them to complete this form and call the elementary office if you have any questions 💛💜💛 517-467-7046

FREE PRESCHOOL !! If you have a child who will turn 4 before December 1st complete an interest form now to see if you qualify for FREE PRESCHOOL. We have programs located in Adrian, Blissfield, Britton, Hudson, Madison, Morenci, Onsted, and Tecumseh. Visit LenaweeFreePreschools.org to complete an interest form.

Funky Dawgs food truck will be out in front of the elementary today for the THIRD GRADE END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION. They will be eating from 11:15-12:15, please avoid that time frame if possible.

The regular food truck menu is available after 12:15 for anyone who would like to enjoy a gourmet hot dog to ring in the beginning of summer. He will stay for a bit after 3rd grade if he has customers.

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated, volunteered, jogged, danced, donated, cheered, soaked, and laughed throughout this great event 💛

The 2nd Round Interview for Clara Howitt originally scheduled for May 6th at 6PM in the High School Media Center has been Rescheduled to May 16th at 8:00PM in the HS Media Center. After the interview, the board will deliberate and select our next Superintendent.

The Onsted Community School board plans for the new Superintendent to begin their new role on approximately June 1, 2024.

Today OCS is celebrating National School Nurse Day! We are so grateful to Nurse Nicole and Nurse Jessica for everything they do for students! Thank you Nurse Nicole and Nurse Jessica!

OCS is celebrating our staff all week! We are grateful for all the work our staff does for kids!

OCS is celebrating staff appreciation all week in our buildings! We are so grateful for our caring and wonderful staff and the work they do kids! pride

Monday, May 6th Special BOE Meeting Cancelled

The Special BOE Meeting scheduled for Monday night in the HS Media Center for 2nd round of Superintendent interviews has been canceled and will be rescheduled. The Special Board Meeting for Wednesday, May 8th is still on schedule. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Today OCS celebrates Principals' Day! We are grateful to our administrative team and their dedication to our students and staff!

Onsted Community Schools Announces Superintendent Candidate Site Visits and 2nd Round Interview Schedule

The Onsted Community Schools Board of Education has selected three superintendent candidate finalists to visit Onsted Community Schools and to participate in a 2nd round of interviews.

The site visits will include a tour of the campus as well as meetings with administration of all three buildings, central office staff, the Continuous Improvement Coordinator and the current Superintendent, Steve Head. These visits will take place on May 2nd and 3rd.

Jonathan Royce - May 2nd 9:30am-12:00pm
Charlotte Principal (2021-present)
Clara Howitt - May 3rd 9:30am-12:00pm
Greater Essex County District Superintendent - Ontario, Canada (1994-2024)
Jodi Ferris - May 3rd 12:30pm-3:00pm
Fremont Schools Principal (2019-present)

The 2nd round interviews will take place at Special Board Meetings on May 6th and 8th. They are scheduled for one hour each. Following the interviews, the Board is prepared to select the candidate that will be offered the Superintendent position.

Clara Howitt - May 6th at 6PM in the HIgh School Media Center
Greater Essex County District Superintendent - Ontario, Canada (1994-2024)
Jonathon Royce -May 8th at 6PM in the High School Auditeria
Charlotte Principal (2021-present)
Jodi Ferris -May 8th at 7PM in the High School Auditeria
Fremont Schools Principal (2019-present)

The Onsted Community School board plans for the new Superintendent to begin their new role on approximately June 1, 2024.

OCS is celebrating Administrative Professionals Day! We are so grateful to our amazing team and all they do for our students and staff every day!

The Onsted Community Schools Board of Education has announced the schedule of 1st round interviews for the Superintendent position. The current Superintendent of OCS, Steve Head announced his retirement effective June 30, 2024.

The interviews will take place at a Special Board Meeting in the Onsted High School Auditeria on April 23rd and 24th from 6-9PM each evening. They are scheduled for one hour each. Following the interviews, the Board will determine the candidates that will be invited for second-round interviews as well as a visit to Onsted Community Schools.

Ryan Cunningham - April 23rd at 6PM
Former Ovid-Elsie Superintendent (2010-2022)

Patrick Dillon - April 23rd at 7PM
Napoleon High School Principal (2008-present)

Jodi Ferris - April 23rd at 8PM
Fremont Schools Principal (2019-present)

Clara Howitt - April 24th at 6PM
Greater Essex County District Superintendent - Ontario, Canada (1994-2024)

Jonathon Royce - April 24th at 7PM
Charlotte Principal (2021-present)

David Raleigh - April 24th at 8PM
Current Superintendent Larue County Ky (2018- present)

The Onsted Community School board plans for the new Superintendent to begin their new role on approximately June 1, 2024.

Congratulations to Kristina Dennis, OES 3rd grade teacher on being selected as the MDE Region 8 Teacher of the Year! Below is the press release from MDE today.

Michigan’s Regional Teachers of the Year Named for 2024-25
April 4, 2024

LANSING – Ten Michigan educators have a new title in addition to the many roles they play in their schools – 2024-25 Regional Teacher of the Year.

Each of these outstanding educators also will be a finalist for 2024-25 Michigan Teacher of the Year.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) organizes the Teacher of the Year program to honor and elevate the voices of teachers. Honorees will have the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge as they work with stakeholders to strengthen Michigan’s public schools for students and educators.

“The Regional Teachers of the Year play key roles in their schools and communities, and in our statewide effort to improve our schools,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “They offer insights into the needs of our 1.4 million school children and educators across the state. We are grateful for their leadership and dedication to the teaching profession and look forward to working with them during the next school year.”

The 2024-25 Regional Teachers of the Year are:

Region 1: Michael Powers, a social studies teacher at Manistique Middle/High School in Manistique Area Schools.

Region 2: Molly Dunham, a third-grade teacher at Kingsley Elementary School in Kingsley Area School

Region 3: Kristen Ritter, a mathematics teacher at Greenville High School in Greenville Public Schools.

Region 4: Laura Baker, an English teacher at Shepherd High School in Shepherd Public Schools.

Region 5: Sasha Wakefield, a mathematics teacher at Clio High School in Clio Area Schools.

Region 6: Cassandra Eberhardt, a social studies teacher at Williamston Middle School in Williamston Community Schools.

Region 7: Melissa Frost, a science teacher at Buchanan High School in Buchanan Community Schools.

Region 8: Kristina Dennis, a third-grade teacher at Onsted Elementary School in Onsted Community Schools.

Region 9: Kelley Cusmano, an English Language Arts teacher at Rochester High School in Rochester Community Schools.

Region 10: Calvin Nellum, a science teacher at Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences.

The Regional Teachers of the Year were selected following a multi-part, competitive application process that began with being nominated for Michigan Teacher of the Year. Students, staff, and community members from across the state submitted nominations. A map of the 10 Regional Teacher of the Year regions can be found on the MDE website.

The 2024-25 honorees were chosen for their dedication to the teaching profession, as evidenced by their commitment to their students and track record of service in the teaching profession.

Together, the Regional Teachers of the Year make up the Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council. The council’s mission is to bring teacher voices to a wider audience, including direct work with MDE to provide input on proposed policies and initiatives, and help to share valuable information and resources with their colleagues in their respective regions.

The next step in the process is for each Regional Teacher of the Year is to interview with a panel of statewide education stakeholders, with one person selected as the 2024-25 Michigan Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year has a seat at the State Board of Education table as a non-voting member, attends several national conferences with fellow state teachers of the year from other U.S. states and territories to represent the experiences of Michigan’s teachers and students, and will be Michigan’s candidate for National Teacher of the Year.

Program expenses for Michigan’s teacher of the year program are covered through a generous partnership with the Meemic Foundation.

“As a proud sponsor of the Michigan Teacher of the Year program, The Meemic Foundation would like to offer our congratulations to the 2024-25 class of Michigan Regional Teachers of the Year,” said Pam Harlin, director of the Meemic Foundation. “We wish them all the best as they begin this tremendous adventure to unite and share their vast experiences from their regions to support the continuous pursuit of excellence in Michigan education. All of us at Meemic could not be prouder to have each of them representing Michigan education.”

OCS celebrates National School Librarian Day today. We are grateful for the media specialists in our buildings and how they all help to spark the joy of reading with students!

Onsted Community Schools Invites Candidates to Interview for Superintendent Position

At the Special OCS Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, April 2nd, Onsted Community School board members selected six candidates to invite to interview for the Superintendent Position. These were selected from a pool of 19 well-qualified applicants that were presented to the board. Dr. Randy Liepa with Michigan Leadership Institute is the consultant assisting with the Superintendent search process.

Superintendent Head announced his retirement at the December 18th Board of Education meeting with an effective date of June 30, 2024.

The candidates that were selected are as follows:

Ryan Cunningham - former Ovid-Elsie Superintendent (2010-2022)

David Raleigh - current Superintendent Larue County Ky (2018- present)

Jodi Ferris - Fremont Schools Principal (2019-present)

Jonathon Royce - Charlotte Principal (2021-present)

Patrick Dillon - Napoleon High School Principal (2008-present)

Clara Howitt - Greater Essex County District Superintendent - Ontario, Canada (1994-2024)


The dates for the initial interviews will be announced once they are coordinated and confirmed with the Board of Education.

The second round of interviews as well as site visits will be scheduled following the initial interviews.

The Onsted Community School board plans for the new Superintendent to begin their new role on approximately June 1, 2024.

Today, OCS celebrates National Paraprofessional Day! We are so thankful for the dedication and care our paraprofessionals show our students every single day!

OCS Parent/Teacher conferences are on Thursday, March 14th, 2024. Conferences will run from 12-3 and 4-7 pm in all three buildings.

OCS will have a half-day of school with an 11:10 am dismissal on Thursday, March 14th, and Friday, March 15th, 2024.

Go Cats!

A huge thank you to our amazing team!

🎉 Let's celebrate Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day at Onsted Community Schools! 🎉
Today, we want to take a moment to express our immense gratitude to the hardworking individuals who keep our school running smoothly every single day. Their dedication, attention to detail, and tireless efforts often go unnoticed, but their impact is felt in every corner of our school. Whether battling the elements to clear snow from the sidewalks or swiftly responding to unexpected repairs, our maintenance team goes above and beyond to create a safe and welcoming environment for our students, staff, and community.
So, let's give a huge round of applause to our amazing maintenance team at OCS! Thank you for everything you do to make our school a better place. Your hard work and commitment do not go unnoticed, and we appreciate you more than words can express.
Thank you, Shane Rumsey, Justin Fisher, and Supervisor Jeff Kelly!
💪🔧🏫

Friday kicks off reading month💛 Let’s have some fun wildcats💜

Your input is appreciated by the OCS Board of Education as they work to seek the next leader of Onsted Community Schools. Please join one of the in-person community forums today.

Live sessions will be held at the following times and locations:
● 1:30-2:30 PM – OCS Board of Education Conference Room for any OCS Community members and staff
● 3:15-4:15 PM – High School Auditeria for OCS staff members (reserved for staff only)
● 6:30-7:30 PM – High School Auditeria open for any OCS Community members

Go Cats!

Good morning-

The Onsted Community Schools Board of Education would like your input on what Onsted community stakeholders would like to see in our new superintendent.

The OCS Board of Education will consider all community feedback as we review applicants and determine which candidates will be the best fit for Onsted. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey. This information will remain anonymous and will be consolidated with all survey information received.

The survey will close on March 8th at 3:00 PM.

Superintendent Search Community Survey We pride ourselves on close relationships within our community inside and outside our schools. We would like your input on what Onsted community stakeholders would like to see in our new superintendent. The OCS Board of Education will consider all community feedback as we review applicants and deter...

OCS is celebrating National Bus Driver Appreciation Day! We are grateful for our amazing drivers and the care they show our students every day!

Announcement from our Board of Education to Staff and Community:
As previously announced, Onsted Community Schools Superintendent Steve Head is retiring June 30th, 2024, so we’re actively seeking the right leader to serve as our next superintendent.

We pride ourselves on relationships within our community inside and outside our schools. We would like your input on what Onsted community stakeholders would like to see in our new superintendent. The OCS Board of Education will consider all community feedback as we review applicants and determine which candidates will be the best fit for Onsted.

We will be offering both in-person and electronic opportunities for the community to provide feedback led by Dr. Randy Liepa, our search consultant, and sponsored by the OCS Board of Education.

Live sessions will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at the following times and locations:
1:30-2:30 PM – OCS Board of Education Conference Room for any OCS Community members
3:15-4:15 PM – High School Auditeria for OCS staff members (staff are welcome to attend any session but this session is reserved for staff members only)
6:30-7:30 PM – High School Auditeria open for any OCS Community members

A detailed timeline and more information on the Superintendent search is available on the OCS website at https://www.onstedschools.us/superintendent-search.

Please look for the electronic survey that will be posted on the school website and social media as well as sent via messenger in the coming days.

We hope to receive as much feedback as possible to assure the candidate we select best suits the Onsted Community’s needs.
Thank you and Go Cats,

The Onsted Community School Board

OCS is celebrating our amazing counselors and specialists this week for the support they provide the students at OCS!

Please support Onsted Elementary 5th grade students at our Kiwanis Scholarship Basket Event tonight at Homecoming at Onsted High School in the gym area. We have baskets available for many interests: fly fishing, games, Kiwanis flag/mixed nuts, coffee, Disney, camping and more!