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 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
