Click here for some important District Updates as we head into the new school year!
Dear Leonard Elementary Families,
The 2025-26 school year is quickly approaching. I hope you had an eventful summer making memories with family and friends! The Leonard Team is looking forward to sharing another year of learning together at Leonard Elementary with you and your child. The purpose of this message is to keep you informed with the most important/urgent information - please see your email that includes your Leonard Family Handbook for more information.
· Safety: Safety is a priority for us at Leonard Elementary. Please see the handbook for information specific to safety procedures and routines at Leonard.
· Class Placement: Class placements will be emailed by the end of the day Friday, August 15th.
· Bus Information: Bus information will be sent by Monday, August 18th. Routes are still being adjusted. When they are complete, bus information will be available on Powerschool.
· School Start and Dismissal Times: 9:03am – 4:05pm. Students can begin arriving at 8:53am. School personnel will begin supervising students for arrival at 8:53am each day. For student safety, please do not begin dropping students off until school personnel are outside greeting students in the parking lot.
We will have staff available outside and inside the building to ensure students find their classroom safely.
● Parent Drop-Off/Walkers ○ Students can enter into the building from two different locations starting at 8:53 AM.
■ Students in grades K-1 will be dropped off and proceed to the East Entrance Doors (Door #14) (by the kindergarten classrooms)
■ Students in grades 2-5 will be dropped off and proceed to the Main Office Entrance (Door #1)
■ For safety reasons, parents are not allowed to escort their students to class during the first week of school.
. Early Release Times: 9:03am-12:15pm.
· First Days: For student safety, parents and other visitors will not be allowed in the building. We will have staff directing students to their classrooms.
We will begin the 2025-2026 year with only K students with last names A-M attending school on Thursday, August 21, 2025. Only K students with last names N-Z will come to school on Friday, August 22, 2025. All K students will attend on Monday, August 25, 2025.
· Dismissal (more details to come). After the 15th when you receive your child’s class placement, the most important thing is to alert your child’s teacher of how your child will be traveling home; parent pick up, bus, walk.
There are many important dates and upcoming events as we begin the new school year. The most immediate are highlighted below.
· Information Update: It is very important that we have up-to-date information about all students on the first day of school. An email from Oxford Community Schools regarding the information update has been sent to you. This should be completed by August 18th. You will be asked to update phone numbers and provide information that we may need to use to contact you when your child is not feeling well or when we need to dismiss school early.
· August 18th: Leonard Pop in for Popsicles, 1:30pm-3:00pm: Pop in for Popsicles is a PTO sponsored open house event. All Leonard students are invited to stop in at Leonard between 1:30pm and 3:00pm to meet their teacher and see their classroom. Thank you to our PTO for providing popsicles.
· August 21st: First Day of School! All 1st-5th grade students and Kindergarten students last name A-M attend school
School begins at 9:03am. Dismissal is at 4:05pm. It is important that we have clear directions on how each student is going home from school.
· August 22nd All 1st-5th grade students and Kindergarten students with last name N-Z attend school
· August 25th: All students attend school
August 25th: Curriculum Night, 6:30pm-7:30pm: Students and parents are invited to come to Leonard at 6:30pm. Teachers will provide important information regarding the 2025-26 school year.
· No School August 29th and September 1st – Labor Day Weekend
· September 16th: School Picture Day
I am very excited to start the 25-26 school year with you, your children, and the Leonard Team. My email address is below - please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gary van Staveren (Dr. van)
Aug 11-22, 2025 Principal, Leonard Elementary
gary.vanstaveren@oxfordschools.org
Marty Kaye, Leonard Principal will start Monday, August 25, 2025
Dear Elementary Families,
I hope this finds you doing well and ready for a great school year! I know your children are eagerly anticipating the start of school and even more, eagerly waiting to hear who their classroom teacher will be for the 2025-2026 school year!
Many of you have heard from your building principals that you can expect classroom and teacher placement on August 14, 2025. That was our original plan across all five elementary buildings.
However, due to many late or pending enrollments, we are asking for a little more time to carefully consider class lists and try to ensure more balanced classes. Therefore, we will delay sending out class placements until Friday, August 15, 2025. You should receive notice from your home school by the end of the day Friday.
We greatly appreciate their patience as we are working diligently to prepare for our most important stakeholders- your children and our students!
Sincerely,
Anita Qonja-Collins
Anita R. Qonja-Collins
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning
10 N. Washington Street
Oxford, MI 48371
248.969.5096
Leonard Families,
A couple reminders of dates to put on your calendars.
On Monday, August 18th, from 1:30 - 3:00, we will be hosting a popsicle welcome. Just show up, enjoy a popsicle, and staff will be there to greet you in the building!!
On Monday, August 25th, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm, we will be hosting our Curriculum Night. Please join us to meet staff and learn a little bit about all of the wonderful learning opportunities in store for your children this school year.
Dr. Gary van Staveren (Dr. van) will serve as the interim principal August 11-22 at the onset of the 2025-26 school year. Dr. van brings 27 years of dedicated experience in public K12 education with a deep commitment to student learning and supporting our educational community.
He began his career spending eight years as a classroom teacher, teaching middle school mathematics, science, and computers. He then transitioned into building administration, serving 13 years at the elementary and secondary levels — eight of those years specifically as an elementary principal in Royal Oak and Rochester.
Since 2019, Dr. van has served Oxford Community Schools in various central office roles, including Assessment, Grants, and School Improvement Supervisor; Director of Curriculum and Instructional Technology; and currently as Public Information Manager. This diverse experience has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of curriculum development, educational technology integration, and effective school-community communication.
On a personal note, he and his wife Rita and their four children reside in Oxford. Rita is an elementary principal in Romeo Community Schools. Throughout his career, Gary has remained focused on what matters most: ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn and grow while supporting the dedicated staff who make it possible and he is very much looking forward to opening Leonard Elementary to start the 2025-26 school year.
Good Morning!
I am so sorry, but after learning this brand new messaging system just yesterday, it appears I mistakenly emailed what was a short, 4-5 word test message to you. You may have received that test message and the intended message, but just in case, I am re-sending the intended message again. I am very sorry!!!
My name is Marty Kaye, and as I hope you have all heard by now, I will be serving as Interim Principal at Leonard for the 2025-26 school year. I am excited for this opportunity and look forward to meeting the students and families of Leonard Elementary.
I am here to serve you, your children, and your community. I will relentlessly support our teachers to help them educate your children. One of many driving forces behind my passion for being a school administrator is this. There is no greater responsibility one can have than caring for other people's children. Among other obvious reasons we educators love coming to school, I remind myself daily about this important responsibility I choose to take on as I enter school each day.
I have been in education for 30+ years, serving in various roles at every level; elementary, middle school, high school, and even at the college level for 3 years. This will be my fourth experience in an interim role. My prior interim roles have been for six weeks, four months, and most recently one full year like this year. As a result, I am very comfortable entering this position.
Personally, I have lived in the Farmington/Farmington Hills area for almost 30 years. My wife of 27 years is a school social worker. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, exercising, and attending college sporting events (Go Blue!!!!!!).
I have two children. My son is 23 years old and a recent graduate of Michigan State University working in the sports broadcasting field for the University of Michigan and all four Detroit sports teams. My daughter is almost 21 years old and will be a senior at Michigan State University this fall. She is on MSU's Pom Team and is studying Zoology and Environmental Science.
Once again, I am excited to be with you and your children this school year and look forward to meeting all of you at some point.
Marty Kaye
Good Morning!
My name is Marty Kaye, and as I hope you have all heard by now, I will be serving as Interim Principal at Leonard for the 2025-26 school year. I am excited for this opportunity and look forward to meeting the students and families of Leonard Elementary.
I am here to serve you, your children, and your community. I will relentlessly support our teachers to help them educate your children. One of many driving forces behind my passion for being a school administrator is this. There is no greater responsibility one can have than caring for other people's children. Among other obvious reasons we educators love coming to school, I remind myself daily about this important responsibility I choose to take on as I enter school each day.
I have been in education for 30+ years, serving in various roles at every level; elementary, middle school, high school, and even at the college level for 3 years. This will be my fourth experience in an interim role. My prior interim roles have been for six weeks, four months, and most recently one full year similar to this year. As a result, I am very comfortable entering this position.
Personally, I have lived in the Farmington/Farmington Hills area for almost 30 years. My wife of 27 years is a school social worker. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, exercising, and attending college sporting events (Go Blue!!!!!!).
I have two children. My son is 23 years old and a recent graduate of Michigan State University working in the sports broadcasting field for the University of Michigan and all four Detroit sports teams. My daughter is almost 21 years old and will be a senior at Michigan State University this fall. She is on MSU's Pom Team and is studying Zoology and Environmental Science.
Once again, I am excited to be with you and your children this school year and look forward to meeting all of you at some point.
Marty Kaye
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news with our community! Thanks to the generosity of a private donor, Oxford High School will soon have a brand-new football field! We’re excited about the positive impact this gift will have for students across multiple activities.
This incredible gift will cover the full cost of the field replacement, which means no district funds will be used for this project. The new turf will proudly remain our signature Wildcat blue, and this donation reflects a shared commitment to enhancing student experiences whenever possible without additional cost to our taxpayers.
Construction will begin right away. Our Athletic Director, Tony DeMare, is coordinating closely with coaches to ensure that practices and scheduling remain uninterrupted throughout the process. We are hopeful that the new field will be ready in time for our first home football game on August 29, but there is a chance the work may not be completed by then. If a location change is necessary, we’ll communicate those details with families as soon as possible.
We’re incredibly grateful for this generous investment in our students, our programs, and our district. Thank you for your continued support; we can’t wait to see our Wildcats take the field this fall!
Superintendent Dr. Milligan has shared the following message:
Dear Leonard Elementary Community,
As many of you may have heard, Mr. McDevitt, our principal at Leonard Elementary, has announced his retirement, effective at the end of this month. After 31 years of outstanding service to Oxford Community Schools, he is ready to begin a well-earned new chapter. We are deeply grateful for the care, leadership, and commitment he has shown to our students, staff, and families over the years. His impact will be felt for many years to come.
Please know that we are moving quickly and thoughtfully to identify strong leadership for Leonard Elementary. Our top priority is to ensure a smooth and successful start to the school year for everyone in the building.
Thank you for your continued support and for all you do to make our schools such special places. We’ll keep you informed as we move through this transition.
With gratitude,
Dr. Tonya Milligan
Superintendent
Oxford Community Schools
248-969-5002 (office)
Dear Leonard Elementary Families and Community,
After 31 years of service to this district and community, I am announcing my retirement at the end of this month. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your principal and to partner with you in the education and care of our children.
Leonard Elementary has always felt like family to me. Over the years, I have been privileged not only to work with exceptional staff and students, but also to watch my own children grow as part of this wonderful school community. Your support, involvement, and commitment to our students have continually inspired me and contributed to the vibrant, caring atmosphere that makes Leonard such a special place.
I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me and for the many memories we have created together. As I step into this next chapter, I do so with great pride in all we have accomplished and with excitement for the future of Leonard Elementary.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives and for making my career so meaningful.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Paul McDevitt
Principal, Leonard Elementary
Dear Families and Staff,
We want to let you know that there will be fire alarm testing at Oxford Elementary School on Thursday, July 17, and Friday, July 18, beginning between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. each day.
These are only tests, and no evacuation will be required. However, the alarms will sound throughout the building as part of the routine system checks.
If you or your child will be at Oxford Elementary for breakfast or attending the OELC Summer Camp on either of those days, please be prepared for the brief noise and activity during the testing period.
Sincerely,
Oxford Community Schools
