Hastings Area School System

Judge Michael Schipper talked to a group of parents this evening about social media. “Most of the problems I run into happened between 8 p.m. and 2 in the morning. And it’s when they’re in their bedroom by themself.” He covered social media, texting, sexting, drugs that are readily accessible to students, caffeine and other topics. We appreciate his time and insight.

Saxons from across the decades came together on Saturday for the 2025 Hastings High School Alumni Banquet. Alumni enjoyed an evening of fellowship and dinner while hearing from Superintendent Dr. Nick Damico, this year’s Alumnus of the Year, Tammy Pennington (Class of 1977), the 2025 Class Responder, JoDee Gaskill (Class of 2025) and others.

The evening also celebrated the recipients of the Dana Burgess Scholarships: Rachel King, Alan Li, Hayley Rasey, and Preston Meese.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the dedicated organizers whose hard work keeps this cherished tradition alive year after year.

Major kudos to a handful of Saxons who didn’t hesitate to roll up their sleeves and pitch in for our community!

When The Elks needed help cleaning up after another successful Hastings Summerfest, these guys were ready to go. Cayden, Grady, Zack, Kalhi, Cade, and Seth jumped in to take down fences and tents, while also stacking and packing tables, chairs, trash bins, and electrical equipment.

A huge thank-you to these young men—and to all the volunteers who made another great Summerfest possible!

Let's all say 'hey' to Mrs. McWhinney, who will be teaching in a Level 2 resource room at Star Elementary. Welcome to the Saxon family!

Saxon family, please welcome Ryan Cousins to our district! Over the next couple of weeks, we will be highlighting some of the new faces that will be instructing our students this year.

We’re back! To kick off the school year, the high school student council shared encouraging messages across the district, filling sidewalks with positive chalk notes yesterday to welcome students on their first day.

The Class of 2029 was in the house today, on the eve of the first day of school. This year’s Link Crew helped welcome incoming freshmen with a variety of icebreaker games and loads of information on what they can expect in the upcoming school year. Enjoy your high school careers—the years will fly by!

Tomorrow is the first day of the 2025–26 school year! We’re excited to welcome our students back into our buildings and kick off another year of learning and growth.

The year will go by quickly — be sure to keep track of important dates with our school calendar. We’ll see you tomorrow!

School picture days are spread throughout the next couple of months. Make sure you have your student ready to say “Cheese!”

- Hastings High School - August 18
- Hastings Middle School - August 28
- Star Elementary - September 2
- Southeastern Elementary - September 9
- Northeastern Elementary - October 2
- Central Elementary - October 7

Our teachers had an incredible professional development experience this morning, thanks to a powerful session led by Jake Daggett.

With years of experience teaching elementary students and now serving as a Foundational Literacy Director in Milwaukee, Jake brought a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. As a global literacy consultant and prominent voice on social media, Jake shared impactful insights that left our team energized and motivated.

Thank you, Jake, for sharing your passion and expertise with us!

The bell tower at Central Elementary came down this morning...but don’t worry, it’s not gone for good. As part of the ongoing roofing project, the tower has been carefully removed for refurbishment and will be reinstalled once the work is complete. A temporary farewell to a familiar landmark!

Welcome back, teachers and staff! We kicked off the year with a district-wide assembly at the Hastings Performing Arts Center, then headed back to our buildings to prepare for the year ahead. We can’t wait to welcome our students back soon.

The HASS Board of Education will be meeting next week.

Band camp isn’t all work and no play. This morning, they wrapped up the session with a rousing game of tug-of-war. Band is definitely not for the faint of heart!

Today, we hosted the annual Business, Industry, and Education (BIE) Luncheon, an event that brings educators and employers together to explore the most effective ways to connect students with meaningful career opportunities.

This year’s luncheon marked the launch of the Career Consortium of Barry County, a new county-wide initiative focused on strengthening career exploration and support for all students. We’re proud to partner with Barry Intermediate School District, Delton Kellogg Schools, Kellogg Community College, and the Barry County Chamber to build a more connected, supportive pathway from classroom to career.

It's back-to-school for our office personnel. All school offices are now open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and available to assist you.

School’s just around the corner! Students return on August 18, and preschoolers start September 2.

To help everyone get ready, we’re hosting open house events at each school on Wednesday, August 13. It’s a great chance for students to meet staff, tour the building, and get the inside scoop on what to expect this year.

Check out the schedule below and make plans to stop in.

Over the years, the needs of our agricultural education students have grown, which comes with the territory in a rural community like ours. Now, the Agricultural Barn, where much of that hands-on learning happens, is set to grow, too. Earlier this week, the Hastings Area School System Board of Education approved a proposal to add a lean-to onto the existing barn behind the high school. The project will be fully funded by a Section 61 grant designated for CTE agriculture programs. This new addition will expand the barn’s functionality and boost its storage capacity, helping support the next generation of ag students.

Our Coding Camp for students in grades third through fifth concluded this week with an exciting and fun Family Day. Parents and siblings joined us to explore the games and activities our young coders have been working so hard on, from creative projects to interactive challenges. It was a fantastic camp this year, filled with learning, creativity, and fun. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a success!