Dear LPS families,

What an amazing week we’ve had so far! I am so excited to share that our Comet family is growing, and we welcomed nearly 20 new kindergarteners to our 25-26 school year at Kindergarten Signing Day today. 

Our new students toured their kindergarten classrooms, completed registration tasks, and met their teachers and other school staff. This is such a special welcome for our youngest Comets, and we are so thankful for the work of many, many hands in making the day welcoming and organized.

Any student turning 5 before December 1, 2025 is eligible to enroll in Kindergarten/Young 5s at Leland. If you know of other families who want to have their students enroll, please encourage them to reach out to our registrar, Hanna Schaub, at hschaub@lelandschool.com. We’d love to meet them!

We also are accepting Applications for School of Choice students. Any families who live outside the Leland district can reach out to Hanna with more details on our process and available slots. Share the news for friends hoping to join our community!

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In other news, in order to increase access for all families, we have shifted our test-out dates to include a date before the end of the school year. If your student is hoping to test out of a course to earn HS credit, please check out the flier below and follow those listed steps to sign up for a test-out date. 

Test-Out Dates: Wednesday, May 28 and Tuesday, July 22.

As usual, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions: sfehrenbach@lelandschool.com or (231) 256-3802. 

Shelagh Fehrenbach, K-12 Principal

sfehrenbach@lelandschool.com

Earth Day! LPS students K-12 pitched in to clean up the school grounds, the village of Leland, and Van's beach this Earth Day.

MS Outdoor Ed Conservation Field Trip Students had a hands on learning day in the Traverse City Forest Management Unit outside of Empire. Activities included archery lessons and the planting of lowbush blueberry, American hazelnut, and witch hazel to improve wildlife habitat.

Student Athletes Sign for College Sports Secondary students gathered in the PAC to celebrate Leland Seniors Abby Hicks and Colby Connor as they made their official commitments to play college sports. Abby signed to play volleyball at North Central Michigan College. Colby signed to play soccer at Kalamazoo College.

Congratulations to both on this exciting next chapter!

Students Honored for Volunteer Work LPS Seniors Abby Hicks, Colby Connor, and Juliette Hyde were honored at a board meeting for their volunteer work with Blessings in a Backpack.

Student Honored for Leadership LPS Freshman Carter Suttmann was honored at a board meeting for his leadership encouraging his community to be overflowing with energy, committed to our teams and so much fun at athletic events.

Lamarr Womble MS and HS students heard from speaker Lamarr Womble, who brought energy, authenticity, and a powerful message about mental health, passion, and leadership.

3rd Grade Swim Lessons The third graders have taken two water safety lessons at the YMCA. The first lesson was on pool safety and the second lesson included the motto, "Throw, Don't Go".  This saying means that you never go in the water to save a drowning person. First, you get someone to call 911 and then find anything you can to throw in the water that floats (swim vest, cooler, empty pop bottle, life ring, pool noodle) to help the swimmer. Students will continue to attend for three more Monday lessons. 

- Mrs. Klein

Important Dates

Friday, April 25th - Día del Niño, 3:30-6pm, LPS Cafe

Updated Time* Friday, April 25th - MS Spring Dance, 6-8pm - LPS Upper Elementary

Saturday, April 26th - Leelanau County Prom, 8 - 11pm - Leelanau Sands Casino

Saturday, May 3rd - LEF Kentucky Derby Fundraiser, 5 - 9pm - Old Art Building

New* Sunday, May 4th - LIFT Ice Cream Social (MS Families) 1-3pm - Old Art Building

Monday, May 5th- Monthly PTO Meeting(Annual Elections Meeting), 6pm - HS Library

Wednesday, May 7th - Half Day for Students/Teacher PD

New* Friday, May 9th - World Learning Club Enchilada Dinner, 5-7pm - LPS Cafe

Monday, May 26th - No School, Memorial Day

Wednesday, May 28th - Test-Out Date #1

Sunday, June 1st - Graduation at 3:00pm, doors open at 2:45 pm

Wednesday, June 11th - Approximate Last Day of School

Wait Until 8th | Supporting Healthy Choices in Our School Community

LPS encourages all parents to consider joining the Wait Until 8th pledge. This initiative empowers families to delay saying yes to smartphones until at least 8th grade. We invite you to read more about the impact of smartphones on children at waituntil8th.org and use the QR code to pledge to join other LPS families in making this thoughtful commitment.

Find information attached and application for next year's WLC trip to Finland Eligible students are 2025-26 school year grades 10-12.  Priority will be given to students who have not participated previously in a WLC trip.  

Application window closes Friday May 2. Considerations include 2 page essay signed by legal guardian, behavior history including log entries, academic performance and current standing, attendance including tardies and detention. Decisions will be made before the end of the year. 

The program will be limited to about 6 students. Chaperones include Joanna Aldridge, Heather Lowe, Shawn Stowe.

The topic of study will be mental health and wellbeing.  The LPS travel dates will be November 9-19, Fall 2025 (with student hosting in the spring probably April).   

See me anytime for more information.  

-Mr. Peschel

Correction - the dance timing will be 6-8pm not 6-9pm.  Please update your rides with the correct timing.  

Visit this link for the test-out form, or pick up a form in the Counseling Office.

Prom 2025 Leelanau County Prom is coming up soon! It will be held at the Leelanau Sands Casino from 8 -11pm. See Mrs. Zywicki for tickets.

Mark your calendar to be sure you watch our Leland students participating in this years show.

Friday, April 25th

Varsity Track @ Onekama Invite - 2:00pm

MS Baseball (LLSM Co-op) @ Glen Lake - 4:15pm

Click Here to see the full LPS Sports Schedule

Northern Michigan Brass Band concert: Sunday, May 4 at 3:00.

NMiBB is a 30-piece, British-style brass band with the prescribed instrumentation of 1 Eb

cornet, 9 Bb cornets, 1 flugelhorn, 3 horns, 2 baritones, 3 trombones, 2 euphoniums, 2 Eb basses,

2 Bb basses and percussion. They present a varied program that has something for everyone,

ranging from classical transcriptions and traditional marches to contemporary, jazz, and pop

pieces. This concert is free to all students. 

Cousin Curtiss in Concert

Saturday, May 10

7-9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

$25 OAB Members | $30 Non-Members

Cousin Curtiss brings a fiery dynamic rarely seen by a solo act and now partnered up with the equally enigmatic and soulfully driven electric guitar prowess of Harrison B, these two road warriors are on a mission to electrify audiences everywhere with their two-man full-band sound.

https://www.oldartbuilding.com/events/cousin-curtiss/

The Belle of Amherst: A One-Woman Play

Saturday, May 10, 7-9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

$20 OAB Members | $25 Non-Members

Bringing poetry to life, Sara Hartley performs as Emily Dickinson in William Luce’s classic play, making use of Dickinson's work, diaries, and letters to recollect her encounters with the significant people in her life. Playgoers will be treated to tea or coffee along with a tasting of Emily Dickinson's Black Cake.

https://www.oldartbuilding.com/events/the-belle-of-amherst/

Jon Muq in Concert

Wednesday, June 18, 7-9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

$30 OAB Members | $35 Non-Members

Jon Muq, a singer-songwriter born in Uganda and now living in Austin, Texas, draws from African as well as western musical trends and traditions. Featured on the PBS News Hour, Muq devises songs as small gifts, designed to settle into everyday life and provoke reflection and resilience.

https://www.oldartbuilding.com/events/jon-muq/

Six Mile Strings in Concert

Saturday, June 28, 7-8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)

$25 OAB Members | $30 Non-Members

Visiting from Detroit, Yuri Popowcyz, Natalie Frakes, Alycia Wilder, and Tom Sullivan are a string quartet of friends who focus on performing classical and contemporary works. This will be the ensemble’s third concert at the OAB, which they describe as offering “a unique kind of magic that brings the audience closer, both physically and emotionally.”

https://www.oldartbuilding.com/events/six-mile-strings-3/

The Learning in the Arts Mentorship Program (LAMP) at the Glen Arbor Arts Center is a hands-on, paid mentorship for individuals ages 16–22 who want to explore arts education, administration, and creative leadership. Participants will gain real-world experience, connect with local artists and arts professionals, and receive a $500 stipend upon completion.

Application Deadline: May 4, 2025
More details & application: https://glenarborart.org/lamp/