Greenfield-Central’s principals are eager to welcome students back in for the 2025-2026 school year.
Elementary and intermediate schools may feel different this year, as fourth grade was shifted back down to the elementary level. It took plenty of planning, teamwork and momentum to move teachers, curriculum, desks and chairs to Greenfield-Central’s four elementary buildings, while shifting classrooms to make space and keep teaching teams together.
Superintendent Dr. Harold Olin said he’s proud of the principals, teachers and even high school teams that worked hard over the summer to make the change happen.
It’s all for the benefit of the students and families, as the move was an effort to help children learn and grow before moving them to an intermediate building. Studies show that children perform better academically, behaviorally and have better attendance the longer they remain in elementary school settings, Olin said.
“We have every reason to believe this will be the case for Greenfield-Central students as well,” he added.
While elementary schools shifted to accommodate more students, intermediate schools will feel different this year with fewer students and staff. Here’s a look at what to expect at each GC elementary and intermediate school, and how you can learn more by attending an upcoming back-to-school event.
Harris Elementary School
Principal Sarah Greulich is excited for another great year at Harris Elementary School, and has spent the spring and summer preparing for 2025-2026.
Three fourth grade classrooms have been added to Harris, after some shifting of rooms to keep grade-level teachers near each other. Class sizes remain in the normal parameters for elementary schools, generally not exceeding 25 students.
Students can say hello to their teachers and drop off supplies this Monday, July 28. Kindergarten through second grade students may arrive at 5 p.m., while third and fourth graders can come at 5:45 p.m.
“We will also have some supplies available for families if that is helpful to them, and some community groups will set up tables with information to connect with young families from Greenfield-Central,” Greulich said. “There is always so much excitement when our students and families visit for Meet-the-Teacher Night. It is truly a special time, full of anticipation and excitement for both our families and the staff of Harris. Seeing your teacher, classroom, and school is the first step in establishing felt safety. We want our students to know that they are safe and loved at Haris when they arrive on the first day. Having a familiar face for the first day is an important first step in connecting with our families.”
Weston Elementary School
Three fourth grade classes will be at Weston Elementary School this year, and some of the school’s teachers moved throughout the building to accommodate the need for fourth graders returning to the school.
One of the biggest challenges was finding time for all the students’ related arts classes, said Scott Miller, new principal at Weston. Third and fourth graders will have lunch together, a change from last year.
Class sizes remain the same.
“I am extremely excited at the opportunity to be the principal at Weston,” said Miller, who has nearly 30 years of experience in Greenfield-Central faculty, both as teacher and administrator. “Mrs. Welch did a great job at Weston and I am hoping to keep the momentum going in the right direction.”
Students can meet their teachers and bring in supplies on July 28. Kindergarten, first and second grade students can meet their teachers at 5 p.m., while third and fourth graders meet their teachers from 5:45 p.m.
One other change to Weston Elementary School this year is the addition of early childhood education. One Cougar Cubs classroom has been added to the building, in an effort to meet the growing need of preschool education among young families in Greenfield.
Eden Elementary School
At the northernmost school in the district, Principal Joe Bowman says Eden Elementary School is ready for a new year. The building added two fourth-grade classrooms, repurposing two rooms into classrooms by adding technology, furniture, whiteboards and more.
Each class will have about 20 students, maintaining Eden’s small class sizes.
“I am excited to see the challenges it will bring, and also the opportunities our whole school will benefit from with adding fourth grade,” Bowman said. “I am really hoping to use the fourth grade students to mentor the younger students, as well as have a voice in some of the everyday workings of Eden through a student council. I also am thankful to add two more amazing teachers to our staff to learn from and with!”
Back-to-school Night at Eden is from 5-6 p.m. July 28 for all grade levels to come in, bring supplies and meet their teacher.
J.B. Stephens Elementary School
At J.B. Stephens, Principal Amy Sutton has been busy shifting classrooms to welcome five sections of fourth grade this year.
To make room for the shift, J.B. moved first-grade classrooms to the second grade hallway so there’s a hallway dedicated entirely to fourth grade. In all, around eight classrooms were shifted.
The school had to work on getting fourth grade curriculum materials transferred over from the intermediate schools, as well as find desks and larger sized chairs for the fourth grade students.
“There was a lot of shifting and sharing among the schools to be sure we all had the furniture needed,” she added. “Several of my classrooms needed TVs, painted and new marker boards put up as these rooms were not previously used as classrooms.”
Still, class sizes are not affected by the change: they simply rolled up third grade into fourth grade, maintaining 23-25 students per class.
“I am feeling excited for this new opportunity,” Sutton said. “Our fourth graders are J.B. kids, so we all know and love them. Being able to keep our students and families at J.B. one more year is welcomed!”
Meet Your Teacher night at J.B. is 5 p.m. this Friday, July 25 for kindergarteners; 5 p.m. July 28 for first and second graders; and 5:30 p.m. July 28 for third and fourth graders .
Additionally, Back to School Nights are coming up in August, a chance for parents to come in and learn about grading policies, classroom expectations, school procedures and more.
“My hope is for parents to leave with a better understanding of our school, their child’s teacher, and have any questions answered,” Sutton said.
Maxwell Intermediate School
At Greenfield-Central’s northern intermediate school, MIS will feel a bit different this year with fewer students and staff members. Still, Principal Lisa Leliaert said they are committed to maintaining all of the clubs and activities of the past– and possibly adding even more.
“We are excited to focus on the developmental needs of students in fifth and sixth grades, and continue to grow their love of learning,” she added.
This year, each grade level will have six homerooms rather than seven from last year; there will be an average of 25 students per class. The school will maintain the same areas for fifth and sixth grade as last year.
“While I will certainly miss having the fourth graders in our building and the opportunity to get to know a new class of students this year, I am excited that I already know the fifth graders and sixth graders,” Leliaert said. “Those students understand our expectations here at MIS, so we can hit the ground running and focus on their academic, social and emotional learning this year.”
Fifth grade Back to School Night is 5:30 p.m. July 28, while sixth grade Back to School Night is 5:30 p.m. July 29.
“This year we will follow a slightly different format for these events by hosting short, 20-minute presentations about what to expect at each grade level, including academics, grading, club/activity opportunities,” she said. “Each family will have the opportunity to meet teachers and learn much more about their child’s experience at school and how they can support that learning at home.”
Greenfield Intermediate School
At GIS, what was once fourth grade classrooms are empty and fifth grade classrooms were all moved upstairs.
“The building looks pretty much the same, outside of two fifth grade classes going upstairs,” Curtis said. “As a district we are going to utilize a digital hallway pass system 5-12. That is the biggest thing students will notice that is different this year. We are still offering all of the same clubs and activities for students.”
Similar to MIS, at GIS the fifth and sixth grade classes were reduced from seven sections to six. This year there will be 23-26 students per class, up slightly from last year.
“Typically each grade level is kept pretty separate so students won’t feel the absence of fourth grade students until we come together as a school. I think the staff will feel the absence more,” Curtis said. “It is always exciting to meet new students at the start of the school year. This year we won’t have that, however it is equally exciting to watch our current students grow.”
To staff, the new school year may seem like something is missing, not having fourth grader teachers or students in the building. But the overall smaller numbers means that the staff that help with school events or clubs can work with smaller groups and provide more one-on-one attention.
The Greenfield-Central administrators and school board are considering eventually combining both intermediate schools into one building.
“As a building we are shifting our focus to combining with MIS in the coming years and becoming one building,” Curtis added. “The administrative teams are working to create opportunities for staff to come together and share professional and personal experiences to start to build a positive and engaging culture for students.”
This year’s Back-to-School Bash is from 6:30-7:30 p.m. July 28. Students and families can come and drop off their supplies, get their schedule and locker combinations, and learn more about school clubs and athletics. The party will also feature food trucks, a DJ, inflatables and more; Harris and Weston students are welcome to join in the fun.
Parents can spend more time with teachers at upcoming events in August: meet-the-teacher night is Aug. 8 for fifth graders, and Aug. 12 for sixth graders. Parents will be able to visit each classroom and hear more from their teachers– something parents asked for last year so they can learn more about what their child’s day is like.
Time for change
Parents will also notice subtle time changes in the school day this year. Some school start times were changed to help the school’s transportation department run double routes to cut down the time required to supervise students outside of the instructional day. Eden and Harris moved up school start times; Weston moved back the start time; and GIS moved up its start time by 15 minutes to align with Harris Elementary.
It’s a time of change, but Superintendent Olin is hopeful the change will prove beneficial for fourth graders and their families.
Fifth and sixth grade teams were reduced for the upcoming school year because of the expected reduced funding from the state due to property tax reform, Olin added.
“We made this change because the cohorts are smaller than they were in previous years,” Olin said. “Class sizes will range from 24-26 students. These adjustments were made through attrition– we did not replace a few teaching positions due to resignations. That being said, our class sizes are in line with state averages for these grade levels.”
Olin said he’s grateful for all of the principals, maintenance and custodial teams that did a great job of making the move for fourth grade teachers.
“A number of our high school teams assisted with the move as well,” Olin said. “With all of these ‘hands on deck,’ the movement was fairly seamless over the summer. As a result, we will be ready for all students, pre-k through fourth grade, in our elementary schools on July 30.”
By Maribeth Vaughn
It’s a time of change, but Superintendent Olin is hopeful the change will prove beneficial for fourth graders and their families.
