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Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year

August 2026

Dear Kratz Families,

The teacher and staff at Kratz Elementary School are excited to welcome you to the 2026-2027 school year! At Kratz, we are committed to helping every student build advocacy skills, reach and expand their potential, and to prepare them to become responsible people, collaborative problem solvers and compassionate members of society. Every student at Kratz belongs, and we want all students to feel connected and safe. 

Kratz is pleased to welcome several new staff members this year. With change comes opportunities to learn from the various experiences these educators bring with them. Throughout the year, we will introduce our new staff through newsletters. Please welcome them to our amazing community! 

To ensure the success of every student, every day, the staff at Kratz builds relationships with students in order to know how they can best learn and succeed. This includes getting to know students' current levels of understanding of different concepts so we can instruct them appropriately to build up their knowledge (at the right level and through the most impactful method). 

We continue to work in a competency-based education (CBE) system, where students can learn grade-level content at the pace that best fits their unique learning characteristics. Families and students can view student learning progress in real time through the use of our learner management system called Empower. 

The impact you have on your child’s success at Kratz is tremendous! It is essential that we partner with you to help our students have a year filled with meaningful learning. You play a significant role in the success of your child’s experiences at school and in their future. Below are some ways to support your child’s learning at home:

  • Ensure your child is at school every day and on time. Their attendance at school leads to academic and social learning and helps them develop positive and successful routines.
  • Read with your child every day and discuss what was read, even if it's for a short time.
  • Talk with your child about different things they are learning and experiencing.
  • Write notes back and forth to share thoughts and feelings.
  • Help your child set academic and nonacademic goals and help them set steps to reach their goals.
  • Help us make connections to community organizations or clubs if you feel the connection would benefit Kratz students.

If you ever have questions or need support or resources for your child, please contact your child’s teacher, the grade level counselor, either administrator or the school office. Our job is to help, and we are grateful for your guidance as the expert on your child!

We know families are excited to learn the class placement for their children. A significant amount of planning and consideration goes into building groups of learners that are balanced to provide every student with an instructional setting that meets their needs. Our staff members are looking forward to working with your children and have started planning around the previously created groups. 

Due to the care and collaboration involved in forming classes, class assignments cannot be changed. Changes make a big impact on the dynamics of multiple classrooms and can have a ripple effect. You will be able to view your child’s placement through PowerSchool before school begins.

We would love for all families to be involved as much as they can in events at Kratz and in Ritenour. The following are important dates to keep in mind as we head toward the new year. Please call the school with any questions you have about these events.

  • Kindergarten Camp: Monday, Aug. 3 – Friday, Aug. 7 (registration required)
  • Ritenour Black & Orange Back-to-School Resource Fair: Saturday, Aug. 15, 8 – 11 a.m. at Ritenour High School, 9100 St. Charles Rock Road
  • Kindergarten Transition Day: Thursday, Aug. 20, 9:15 – 11 a.m. (doors open at 9)
  • Open House and Popsicles with Principals, Grades 1-5: Thursday, Aug. 20, 5-7 p.m.

Kratz is a place of support and learning! There are opportunities to achieve greatness, to develop skills to help us succeed, and to meet new friends. We are excited to welcome our students back. 


Sincerely,

Meghan McNulty, Ed.D.
Principal