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Newsletter
Weld RE-4 School District announced the recipients of its annual staff awards at the district’s all-staff Convocation event on Monday, Aug. 10.
Dora Kloberdanz was awarded the 2026 Classified Staff Award of Excellence, and Dalton King was the recipient of the 2026 Mr. James Dudley Teacher Recognition Award.
Classified Staff Recognition Award of Excellence
The Classified Staff Recognition Award of Excellence is awarded annually to a Classified staff member who embodies professionalism, hard work, going above and beyond, teamwork, service, excellence, and alignment with the district vision to Engage. Educate. Empower.
Kloberdanz has served as an English Language Development Paraprofessional at Skyview Elementary since 2023. Prior to her role at Skyview, she worked with an area preschool. In her spare time, Kloberdanz’s family founded “From Your Hands to Their Hearts,” a personal mission in which donated supplies are distributed to individuals in need or experiencing homelessness in Fort Collins during the Winter Break.
“As an English Language Development Paraprofessional and interpreter, she is often the very first connection new families make at Skyview,” her nomination stated. “She does far more than translate words — she builds trusting, compassionate relationships, helps families navigate unfamiliar systems with dignity, and treats everyone who walks through the doors like family.”
Mr. James Dudley Teacher Recognition Award
The Mr. James Dudley Teacher Recognition Award is an annual award given to a Certified staff member in recognition of James Dudley, who was a mathematics teacher, coach, and administrator in the Weld RE-4 School District from 1946 to 1980. Dudley had a reputation for excellence, high standards, rigor in his teaching, and compassion for students.
Award recipient King has been an educator in the Weld RE-4 School District since 2010. King currently teaches 5th grade at Grandview Elementary, having previously taught 2nd grade at the school. King earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s in Special Education from Bowling Green State University.
“Dalton is known for meeting each student where they are with empathy, consistency, and patience; he creates a safe classroom environment where students feel encouraged to take risks, learn from mistakes, and grow into confident individuals,” his nomination stated. “Described by colleagues as a steady, optimistic, and deeply inspiring presence who celebrates small victories and never loses sight of each child's potential, he exemplifies what it means to lead with both heart and purpose.”
For more information, email engage@weldre4.org.
As we kick off the new school year, below are a few important updates to help keep you informed and connected.
Attendance App Notification
Over the next few days, you may receive a push notification through Infinite Campus' Campus Parent app indicating that your student in preschool or grades 1st–5th, 7th–8th, or 10th–12th has been marked absent. This is an automated notification sent by Infinite Campus that we are unable to adjust.
Please know that attendance will be marked as exempt for non-transition year students on August 12, and this will have no impact on attendance records for the year. We want to assure you that tomorrow (Wednesday, Aug. 12) is the start of school for transition-year students only — kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade. Thursday, Aug. 13, is the start of school for all other grades.
ParentSquare
ParentSquare is our messaging platform. Through ParentSquare, you will have two-way communication with staff, sign forms / permission slips, sign up for various events, and more. If you haven’t already, we would encourage you to log in via the browser or download the app (App Store | Google Play). Need to adjust your communication preferences? Visit this step-by-step help article.
Auto Notifications
Student safety and parent engagement are important to us and to the educational success of your student. We've worked to ensure a consistent notification experience across the district in several key categories:
You can also set up instant notifications in Campus Parent, including updates to an assignment’s score, grade updates, and attendance updates. After logging in, click the user menu in the top right and then click “Settings and Notification Settings.”
School is almost here. Classes begin August 12 for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th-grade students and August 13 for all other grades.
Here are a few pointers to help get the year started off right:
1. Safety
All visitors must sign in at the front office before entering a school, and everyone is checked through our RAPTOR safety system. Regular volunteers go through a more in-depth background check before their volunteer time begins.
Weld RE-4 staff, along with Windsor High School and Severance High School students, are required to wear an ID card above the waist — on a lanyard or a badge holder clipped to the shirt.
2. School Meals
We will continue participating in the Healthy School Meals for All Program, so every enrolled student gets one free breakfast and one free lunch each day during the 2026 – 2027 school year, at no cost.
À la carte options will still be available for additional purchase through LINQ Connect, and meal menus are posted online.
We also encourage families to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application — it can help qualify your family for reduced or waived class fees.
3. Transportation
Bus service is provided to resident students who live:
Bus riders should have already received details from the Transportation Department. You can also find route information in Infinite Campus under the Transportation tab.
4. Attendance
Attendance makes a real difference in learning, and we need your help keeping kids on track. Please help your child get to school on time, ready to learn.
If you need to excuse an absence, log in to Infinite Campus' Campus Parent portal and select More > Absence Requests. You can also reach the school's front office or attendance line — check your school's website for that number.
5. Communication
ParentSquare is our messaging platform for every school and activity in the district. It's where you'll message staff, sign forms and permission slips, sign up for events, and stay in the loop all year with important news.
Download the app from the App Store or Google Play, or sign in through your browser.
Text messages parents receive from Weld RE-4 schools through ParentSquare — our messaging platform — will now come from regular 10-digit phone numbers. This will make it easier to see who is messaging. For example, a message from a teacher will come from a different phone number than a message from the school office.
What’s Changing?
Previously, most texts came from a 5-digit number. Parents will now start receiving texts from different, regular 10-digit phone numbers for:
Messages from the district, digests, and alerts will still come from the 5-digit number.
What Should You Do?
When parents receive a message from one of these new 10-digit numbers, we recommend they save it to their contacts. Here are some suggestions:
We understand that receiving messages from unknown numbers can raise security concerns. Please be assured that these ParentSquare messages will never ask you to provide sensitive personal information, such as passwords or financial data, via text.
Read more about this change and some helpful tips: Changes to ParentSquare Text Messages.
New to ParentSquare?
Download the app (App Store | Google Play) or sign in via your browser to get started. View the Getting Started Guide or ParentSquare Tips for Parents & Guardians for support. Parents who need to adjust their communication preferences can follow this step-by-step help article.
Weld RE-4 School District parent Emily Wilson was awarded the Colorado Association of School Resource Officers’ Parent Who Cares Award at the 2026 CASRO Conference in June.
The Parent Who Cares Award is presented to a parent of a student who exemplifies outstanding service and regard for their school and / or community through their commitments, volunteerism, or dedication.
The award nomination submission stated, “Emily is dedicated to caring for the students, staff, and surrounding community of Grandview Elementary. She serves others with a kind heart and gives her time to support staff in many ways at our school. She cares about teacher's ability to care for themselves and the overall wellness of our school. She includes the entire community in personal events to build an even stronger community for our students, school, and Windsor as a whole.
“If there is one thing I could say about Emily, it is that she cares and she shows her caring spirit through a variety of small (sweet notes for staff and completing projects for teachers) and big (providing dinner for teachers and leading big fundraising projects) [ actions ]. She recruits her whole family to support Grandview and we are blessed to have her.”
We're less than a month away from kicking off a brand new school year, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome students back. Here's everything you need to know to start getting ready.
First Day of School
We have something special planned for students making a big leap this year. Students entering kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade will kick off the year on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with a special experience just for them. Students in 1st through 5th, 7th through 8th, and 10th through 12th grades will join the fun on Thursday, Aug. 13. Our youngest learners in preschool will start their adventure on Thursday, Aug. 20.
For specific start times, check out your school's website. You can also view our online calendar and printable calendar to keep all the important dates handy.
School Supplies
Did your family order a supply kit through Impacks? Great news — pickup details are on the way and will land in your inbox closer to the start of school.
Prefer to shop for supplies yourself? You can view the school supply list to purchase on your own, as well (visit your school’s website >> About >> School Supplies).
Classroom Assignments
Mark your calendar — classroom assignments will be ready to view on Thursday, Aug. 6. We can't wait for students to meet their new teachers and classmates.
Meals will be provided at no cost to all of our students through the Healthy School Meals for All program.
All Weld RE-4 families are still encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application. The application process provides important data that allows us to receive full access to federal funds that support our schools’ nutrition programs.
Here are some of the benefits that qualifying families may receive:
Children may qualify if they:
Families only need to fill out one application per household. Even if an application was completed in previous years, families will need to complete the application every school year.
Paper applications are available at all schools and the District Office (1020 Main Street, Windsor, Colo.). For more information, please contact Nutrition Services Director Ali Wendlandt at 970-686-8018, or view these frequently asked questions.
Jennifer Castor has been named the new Grandview Elementary principal for the 2026 - 2027 school year.
Mrs. Castor brings extensive leadership experience to her new role, having served as the Beattie Elementary School assistant principal since 2023. Prior to her role in the Poudre School District, Mrs. Castor was the Professional Development Collaborator at Colorado State University, a literacy interventionist and 2nd-grade teacher at O’Dea Core Knowledge Elementary in Poudre School District, and a 3rd and 4th-grade teacher at Cameron Elementary School in District 6.
“I’m confident that Mrs. Castor will continue the legacy of excellence for which Grandview Elementary is well known,” said Superintendent Michelle Scallon. “She is a strong instructional leader with an emphasis on building relationships and collaborating with colleagues, students, and parents. Most importantly, she has demonstrated her ability to create inclusive and supportive learning environments where students are empowered to grow as learners.”
Mrs. Castor will officially start her new role on July 7, 2026.