August 3rd,  2026

Eric Leopold - Principal

This is Eric’s 8th school year as a principal in Grand Ledge. Before that, he served as an administrator/principal and teacher for several schools in Florida. Eric was born and raised in Michigan and has Bachelor's degrees from Northern Michigan University and Master's degrees from National Louis University and the University of South Florida.

Scott Millbrook - Assistant Principal

This will be Mr. Millbrook's 6th year in GLPS after working as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for five years at Lakewood Middle School. Prior to that, he was the Dean of Students at Grand Ledge High School, as well as a classroom and physical education teacher at Potterville Elementary. Scott earned his Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Western Michigan University and his Master's degree at Michigan State University.

Hayes Preview Day will take place Monday, August 17th, 2026 from 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm & 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. This optional event allows students to pick up their schedules, tour the school, and practice opening their lockers. This is an extra opportunity for students new to Hayes to familiarize themselves with the school. 

Picture Day is scheduled for August 17th during Hayes Preview Day
Photographers will be available from 12:00–3:00 PM and again from 4:00–7:00 PM. SchoolPictures.com will take your student's photo, give you an order form or a QR code to scan and you can preview your students photo before you order pictures/yearbooks. The photo packages will be mailed directly to your house after you order. 

We encourage all students to have their photo taken—even if you do not plan to purchase a package—so they can be included in the yearbook.

More information on pictures, including the signup link will be sent next week. If you cannot make it to picture day on August 17th we will have picture retakes during the school day on September 28th, 2026. 

Main Office Hours: The Main Office will be open for phone calls on Monday, August 10th, 2026. Office hours are generally 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m (time may vary).  

Open House will be Wednesday August 19th from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm. This will be an opportunity for your child to see their schedules and familiarize themselves with our school and staff prior to the first day of school. Families can also drop off medications during this time.

School begins on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. School start time is normal but students will be dismissed at 10:45am for a half day. 

School Hours are as follows: Full day 7:40 am - 2:25 pm. Half day 7:40 am - 10:45 am. We ask that students arrive at school after 7:20 am as we do not have supervision until that time. The doors will remain locked until 7:20 am.

Class Schedules: Schedules, including homeroom information and Enrichment classes will be available in PowerSchool on August 17th. Schedule changes will not be possible except for significant extenuating circumstances. 

Summary of the Day: All students are on a teaching team of 2, 3, or 4 teachers, depending on their grade level and homeroom assignment. All students have Math, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies classes. All 5th grade students also have Art, Music, Technology, and Physical Education as Specials spaced across 9 week quarters. 6th Grade students have Specials unless their Band or Choir class is held during the Specials time slot. All students have Enrichment classes at the end of the school day. Some 6th graders have Band or Choir as their Enrichment.

If you plan to volunteer or need to be in the building for an extended period (including field trips or field days), you must complete a volunteer application. This is a required step for all volunteers. 

Please note: the background check takes a few days to process, so submit your application in advance based on your volunteer plans. 

If your student will be moving to a different school next year, be sure to select both their current school and the school they’ll be attending.
For example: If your child is currently in 4th grade at Wacousta and will attend Hayes next year, select Wacousta and Hayes on the application. This ensures you’ll be cleared to volunteer at both locations when needed. Applications are valid for one calendar year. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to get more involved at your student’s school—or how to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at Hayes and Beagle—the PTO is a great place to start. There is no cost to join, and attending a meeting is an easy way to hear updates, share ideas, and learn how fundraising supports programs and opportunities for students and staff. We’re also looking for volunteers, whether you can help once or several times during the year; we would love to have you involved. Come check it out and see how you can be part of supporting our school community.

To stay current on updates and meetings, click here.