Swartz Creek Community Schools

The first day of school is almost here! As we prepare to welcome our Dragons back on Monday, August 31, each of our schools has put together a back-to-school newsletter filled with important information to help families prepare for the new school year.

We encourage you to carefully read through the newsletter for your child’s school, as each contains important building-specific information, dates, reminders, procedures, and other details you’ll want to know before the first day.

Please click your child’s school below to view the newsletter:

Dieck Elementary School
Elms Road Elementary School
Gaines Elementary School
Morrish Elementary School
Syring Elementary School
Swartz Creek Middle School
Swartz Creek High School

Swartz Creek Virtual Learning Center

We know there is a lot of information to take in as a new school year begins, and these newsletters are a great place to start.

We’re looking forward to seeing our Dragons back in our buildings on August 31 and to a great 2026–2027 school year!

Dear Swartz Creek Families,

This is a reminder that transportation requests for the 2026-2027 school year must be completed by Friday, August 21.

If your child will be riding a school bus this school year or attending AM and/or PM Latchkey, please carefully review the Transportation Instructions linked below and complete the required Transportation Change Request form in your PowerSchool/PowerParent account.

Important reminders:

• You must answer “YES” to the question asking if your student needs transportation. If YES is not selected, your child will not be assigned to a bus.

• Complete the form carefully, selecting the appropriate transportation option (AM, PM, or both) and the correct pick-up/drop-off location.

• Transportation requests may take up to 5 business days to be processed and assigned.

The Transportation Instructions also include information about setting up StopFinder, the district’s bus tracking app, as well as transportation instructions for students attending AM and/or PM Latchkey.

Click Here: 2026-2027 Transportation Instructions

Please complete any necessary transportation requests no later than Friday, August 21 to help ensure your child’s transportation is in place for the start of the school year (*only if there are changes from last school year).

Questions?

For questions or assistance with PowerSchool/PowerParent, please contact Nikki Frye at 810-591-2385 or nfrye@swcrk.org.

For all transportation-related questions, please contact John Miehm at 810-591-2113 or jmiehm@swcrk.org.

Thank you for your attention to this important deadline.

Swartz Creek Community Schools

Back-to-school season is here, and we are getting excited to welcome our Dragons back!

The first day of school is Monday, August 31, and it will be a half-day PM schedule for all students:

SCHS: 11:16 AM–2:20 PM
SCMS & VLC: 11:26 AM–2:30 PM
Elementary: 12:30–3:25 PM

As we get closer to the first day, here are a few things families can do now to help make the transition as smooth as possible:

Ease Into the Routine: Start shifting bedtimes and wake-up times now. Getting back into a steady routine can make those first school mornings much easier.

Practice Lunch Skills: For our younger Dragons, practice opening lunch containers, snack packages, and water bottles. Those little skills help build confidence and independence.

Keep School Supplies Simple for Now: General elementary and middle school supply lists are available on our website by grade level. We recommend sticking with the basics for now, such as pencils, notebooks, folders, and highlighters. Save your receipts and wait until Open House or until your child’s teacher shares classroom-specific needs before purchasing too much. High school families should wait until classes begin and teachers share what students will need for each course.

Talk It Through: Talk with your child about what the school day might look like. A little preparation can go a long way toward easing nerves and building excitement.

Label Everything: Backpacks, jackets, water bottles, lunchboxes—if it’s heading to school, putting your child’s name on it can help make sure it finds its way home!

Early 5s & Kindergarten Families: Parents will attend with their child on the first day from 1:00–2:00 PM for a special welcome. More information will be mailed to families with classroom placement letters.

Schedule Pick Up & Open Houses
Several important back-to-school events are coming up, including High School Schedule Pick Up on August 20, Middle School Schedule Pick Up and Open Houses on August 27, and the High School Open House on September 8. See attached graphic for details.

As we get closer to August 31, watch for school-specific communication from your child’s building with additional information you’ll need for a great start to the year, including elementary classroom placement letters.

We can’t wait to fill our classrooms and hallways with Dragons again. Enjoy these last few weeks of summer, and we’ll see you soon!

Go Dragons!

The calendar we shared earlier had an error. The 1/2 day P.M. start time for elementary schools is 12:30 PM.

2026-2027 School Calendar- Updated

It’s here! The 2026-2027 school calendar has officially been approved by the Swartz Creek Community Schools Board of Education.

Whether you’re planning vacations, childcare, or family events, we hope having the calendar now helps you prepare for a great school year.

Please see click the link below for all of the important dates.

2026-2027 School Calendar

Morrish Elementary School Proposal
In its ongoing commitment to total community transparency, Swartz Creek Community Schools is sharing an update regarding the receipt of a $40 million purchase agreement proposal for Morrish Elementary, delivered by MegaSite representatives. In strict compliance with open meeting laws and public transparency requirements, the sealed envelope was formally opened during the full, public session of our recent board meeting so that all board members and community constituents could witness the initial presentation firsthand. Given the significant public interest and history surrounding this site, the Administrative action has been taken to immediately forward this to our legal counsel at Thrun Law Firm for a complete and rigorous evaluation.

Protecting our community
The board will make no decisions regarding this property until our attorneys provide a comprehensive report and public hearings are held to ensure community voices are fully heard. Specific dates for these public hearings will be provided at a later time, "as we are dedicated" to keeping the public fully informed of everything going on with this process. This evaluation ensures that the community's assets, legal rights, and tax dollars are fully protected every step of the way.

Sincerely,
Chuck Melki
Board President, Swartz Creek Community Schools Board of Education

The Swartz Creek Education Association and Swartz Creek Community Schools are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement through the collective bargaining process.

Throughout negotiations, both parties worked collaboratively and in good faith, remaining focused on our shared commitment to supporting students, staff, and the continued success of our schools. Through open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to work together, we were able to find common ground on issues important to our educators and our district.

While collective bargaining can involve challenging conversations, this process demonstrated the strength of the partnership between the Association and the District and our shared dedication to the Swartz Creek community.

We appreciate the professionalism, dedication, and partnership shown throughout this process. This tentative agreement reflects the positive working relationship between the Association and the District and our collective commitment to moving forward together.

We are also pleased to share that, pending final ratification and approval, the first day of school for students is scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2026. Additional details, including the full 2026-2027 school calendar, will be shared following the appropriate ratification and approval processes.

Together, we remain committed to providing an exceptional educational experience for every student while fostering a supportive environment for our staff and families.

Dear Swartz Creek Community Schools Staff, Families, and Community Members,

As we prepare for tomorrow’s final day of the 2025-2026 school year, I want to take a moment to thank our students, families, staff, and community for making my first month as superintendent of Swartz Creek Community Schools such a positive and welcoming experience.

Over the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit our schools, meet staff and families, and participate in many memorable events, including the Virtual Learning Center and Swartz Creek High School graduation ceremonies, as well as Senior Honors Night. It has been inspiring to see the pride, support, and strong sense of community that make Swartz Creek such a special place.

While summer break is just around the corner for our students, there will still be a great deal of work happening throughout the district in the months ahead. Thanks to the continued support of our community through the 2024 Bond Proposal, several exciting projects are scheduled for Summer 2026.

This summer’s bond work includes:
• New furniture, ceilings, lighting, and roofing replacements at the middle school and high school
• Renovated media centers and restrooms at the middle school and high school
• Dieck Elementary improvements, including new parking, drop-off loops, and playground equipment
• New classroom flooring as well as choir and band room upgrades at the middle school

In addition to bond projects, many of our staff members will continue working throughout the summer, preparing classrooms and buildings, supporting summer programs, maintaining facilities, updating technology, and planning for another successful school year.

As we close out the 2025-2026 school year, I want to sincerely thank the entire Swartz Creek community for your partnership, support, and commitment to our students. I look forward to continuing to build relationships and celebrating the great things happening across our district in the year ahead.

I hope all of our students, staff, and families have a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer break.

Sincerely,
Ken Janczarek
Superintendent
Swartz Creek Community Schools

Dear SCCS Families,

Each year, we take a moment to recognize the exceptional work our staff does for our students. To celebrate their dedication, we are awarding SCCS Teacher of the Year (TOY) and SCCS Support Person of the Year (SPOY) this spring, and we need your help in the nomination process.

We encourage you to nominate any staff member who has made a positive impact on you or your child:
Teacher of the Year (TOY): Nominate a teacher who has made a lasting impression.
Support Person of the Year (SPOY): This can include bus drivers, custodians, educational aides, SSPs, cooks, secretaries, maintenance staff, or any other non-teaching employee.

To submit your nominations, please use the following forms:
SCCS Teacher of the Year Nomination Form
SCCS Support Person of the Year Nomination Form

The nomination deadline is Friday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m. Selection committees will meet shortly afterward to review the nominations and determine the winners.
We look forward to honoring these outstanding individuals at our Professional Development Day on May 29.

Thank you for taking the time to recognize our amazing staff members!

Best regards,
Wayne Wright
Interim Superintendent
Swartz Creek Community Schools