Important 4K Start Dates:

To ensure a smooth and manageable beginning for all our 4K students, we will be incorporating a staggered start. 



• Tuesday, September 3, 2024: No 4K students will attend school.

• Wednesday, September 4, 2024: 4K students with last names A - M will start school. (4K students with last names N - Z do not attend.)

• Thursday, September 5, 2024: 4K students with last names N - Z will start school. (4K Students with last names A - M do not attend.)

• Friday, September 6, 2024: All 4K students will attend school together.



School Hours: 

8:35 a.m. - 3:40 p.m.

*Drop Off: 8:20 am - 8:35 am*

School Year Office Hours:

7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.



Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well. We are excited to announce that our school will be introducing the Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum to our students this school year. This innovative program is designed to enhance our literacy instruction and support our students' reading, writing, and language skills.

What is CKLA?

The Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based program that emphasizes both foundational skills and content knowledge. It integrates reading, writing, listening, and speaking into a cohesive learning experience, aiming to build a strong foundation in literacy that will benefit students across all subjects.

Key Features of CKLA:

1. Content-Rich Units: CKLA includes engaging, content-rich units that cover a wide range of topics, from history and science to literature and the arts. This approach helps students build background knowledge and enrich their understanding of the world.
2. Phonics and Word Study: The curriculum incorporates systematic and explicit phonics instruction to develop strong reading and spelling skills. Students will also engage in word study to enhance their vocabulary and comprehension.
3. Integrated Skills Development: CKLA integrates reading, writing, and speaking activities, ensuring that students not only learn to read but also to write and communicate effectively.
4. Assessment and Differentiation: Regular assessments are built into the curriculum to monitor student progress and guide instruction. CKLA also provides differentiated activities to meet the diverse needs of all learners.

What This Means for Your Child:

We believe that CKLA will provide a rich and stimulating learning environment for your child. The curriculum is designed to be engaging and accessible, fostering a love of learning while developing essential literacy skills. Our teachers have received training in CKLA and are enthusiastic about implementing this program to support your child’s academic growth.

How You Can Support Your Child:

1. Engage in Conversations: Ask your child about what they are learning in school. Discuss the topics covered in CKLA units and encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas.
2. Read Together: Make reading a regular part of your routine. Explore books related to the themes of the CKLA units to deepen your child’s understanding and interest.
3. Support Enrichment Assignments: Encourage your child to complete their CKLA-related enrichment assignments and provide a quiet space for them to work.

We Look Forward to a Great Year:

We are confident that CKLA will be a valuable addition to our curriculum and will positively impact your child’s learning experience. We appreciate your support and partnership as we implement this exciting new program.

If you have any questions or would like more information about CKLA, please feel free to contact me.



Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your child’s education.

Sincerely,

Erin Zigler

Director of Curriculum and Instruction

We are thankful to have you be a part of our school community! The world is changing quickly and we want to do everything we can to help students be successful in school and life. We are excited to tell you that we will be using a new program called Character Strong this year. This program teaches skills that will help students be successful in school and in life.

We believe that students should have safe, predictable places to learn where they feel included. Students should have healthy and helpful connections with teachers and classmates. They should also experience learning that will help them tackle challenges inside and outside of school.

Character Strong is more than a set of lessons - it is a partnership between schools and families to create a place where students feel like they belong and learn skills that will help them be the best they can be!

Character Strong has three main goals for students: Be Kind, Be Strong, and Be Well.

● Be Kind: Social skills like listening, friendship, solving conflicts, and leadership.

○ These skills are taught alongside Empathy, Respect, & Cooperation

● Be Strong: Skills that help students focus, stay organized, and set goals.

○ These skills are taught alongside Responsibility, Courage, & Perseverance

● Be Well: Skills that help students handle their emotions and deal with stress.

○ These skills are taught alongside Gratitude, Honesty, & Creativity

This year, you’ll be invited to join the fun! We will send letters home about the skills and strengths being taught each month. Each letter will include some ways to build these skills at home, discussion starters, and fun challenges you can try with your family. The path forward is full of growth! We are excited to partner with you in this work…

● To teach students how to build strong friendships

● To work together to solve problems, big and small

● To grow skills for life

● To become Purposeful People who are Character Strong

If you would like to know more about this new component of our curriculum, please feel free to contact us or your child’s teacher.

With Gratitude,

Jenn Chironis

Star Center School Picture Day is September 10, 2024

Click here for 2024-2025 Picture Day information.



If you have questions about bussing for the school year, please contact Dousman Transport at 262-248-3289.



Star Center's Lighted School House Program will run on Mondays and Wednesdays this year. Watch for more information to be sent home!



The YMCA YBASE program is for students in 4K-5th grade who need care before school, after school, or both. Morning care (AM) is offered beginning at 6:30 a.m. until school starts. Afternoon care (PM) is offered after school until 6:00 p.m. Flexible days, hours, and drop-in options are available. This program is available at Central-Denison and Star Center Elementary Schools in Lake Geneva. Students attending Eastview School would be shuttled to Central-Denison.

For more details, hours of care, options, and pricing, please click below:

Lake Geneva Schools (Badger and Joint #1) is excited to continue offering students FREE Breakfast for the 2024 - 2025 School Year! We are extremely happy to provide this service to our school community and encourage all students to participate!

Elementary Pricing

Breakfast: FREE

Lunch: $2.75

Milk Pricing - All Grades - $0.50 per carton

Snack Milk: $55 per year

We encourage you to complete the Application for Free

and Reduced Lunch.

Food Service Questions? Contact:

Jaclyn Sanders

jaclyn.sanders@badger.k12.wi.us

Phone: 262-348-1015

We are once again asking that children bring their own individual snacks and water bottles. Students are welcome to bring store-bought birthday treats and special event snacks. We do have fill stations at the drinking fountains throughout the building so students can refill their water bottles. No worries if your child does not have a water bottle, as the drinking fountains will be accessible, as needed.



One of the biggest ways you can help your child succeed this school year is to make sure your child gets to school on time (between 8:20-8:35 a.m.) each and every day. The evidence is clear: children with good attendance are more likely to be successful in school. High attendance rates are linked to high student achievement. Every day counts, and missing school even 10% of the time has a significant negative impact on reading and math achievement as children progress through school. We want to ask for your commitment to making sure your child attends school every day possible this year.

When your child does have to be absent from school, we ask that you communicate with us about the absence. When your child will be absent, you have two communication options:

Call or email Mrs. Aronson in the main office at 262-348-7000 to speak with her and/or leave a message by 9:00 AM each day.

You may log in to PowerSchool to record the reason for your child’s absence. Please see the directions linked here.

We also ask that you let us know about pre-planned absences, including vacations and doctor appointments, ahead of time. When missing school for an appointment, it is always encouraged that you get documentation of your visit to provide to the school as verification. When leaving for an extended vacation (3 or more days), we also ask that you complete the Planned Absence Request Form. This form can also be obtained from Mrs. Aronson in the office.

Lastly, please also note that, as a school, we are required to track student attendance and support families with any attendance issues or concerns. Our highest priority is to have students at school, and we are willing to help in any way we can. As a parent, it is important to understand the current State of Wisconsin attendance laws stated below:  

A parent or guardian may only excuse their child/children for 10 days during the school year, including doctor visits. After these 10 days, an absence can only be excused if the school is provided with a note from a doctor, dentist, court, etc. The same guidelines apply to excessive tardies.

Once a student has been absent for 7 days (excused or unexcused), parents/guardians will receive a letter noting the absences as well as procedures for the next steps to improve attendance.

Thank you in advance for your commitment and support to your child’s attendance this school year.

MORNING DROP-OFF INFORMATION:

Just a reminder that you may NOT drop off before 8:20 A.M. There is no student supervision before that time. We encourage all families to use our drop off zone located in the back of Star Center. SEE MAP ABOVE

PICK-UP INFORMATION:

If you are picking up your child at the end of the day, a parent or guardian needs to call the office at 262-348-7000 before 2:30 P.M. or send a note with the student to let us know. Please use the pick-up zone located in the back of Star Center. SEE MAP ABOVE

BUS CHANGE INFORMATION:

If your child's normal bus routine changes, we require a note or a phone call by a parent or guardian to the school, 262-348-7000, to make that change. Please do so before 2:30 p.m. Please call the school, not the bus company.

Whom do I contact with a question or suggestion? 

Lake Geneva Schools’ communication protocols help promote direct, open, and respectful interactions so that we quickly and efficiently resolve problems and concerns. The communication protocol starts with the staff member closest to the situation, as that person usually has the most information. However, at times, additional personnel are required to resolve specific concerns.

Click here for more information and to view the Lake Geneva Schools Communication Matrix.



If you have information regarding bullying, harassment, or other non-emergency school safety concerns and would like to report this information, please click here to learn more, fill out a school-specific reporting form to the best of your knowledge, and submit it.

Click here to check out the 2024-2025 Academic Calendar.



Share your first day of school photos with us!

Email your student's first day photos to us at photos@badger.k12.wi.us & we'll be sharing them throughout the first week on our district social media.

Main Office: (262) 348-7000

Community Backpack

The Lake Geneva Schools Community Backpack is your online bulletin for youth-related community activities and educational opportunities. 

Learn More

Share News With Us

Share your news, event summaries, photos and/or give us a "head's up" on your upcoming events so we can promote your successes. 

Email photos@badger.k12.wi.us

Our Website

Please visit our website frequently for district-wide

and school specific announcements, and important information. 

lakegenevaschools.com

Star Center Elementary School

(262) 348-7000

www.lakegenevaschools.com

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