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!

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.

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.

Some hallways at Hastings Middle School were buzzing yesterday — literally! A few of the students attending Elementary Coding Camp spent the morning flying drones through the halls while others dove deeper into learning the basics of coding. A great mix of hands-on fun and future-ready skills!

Some elementary ELL students are diving into a two-week food camp at the CERC! 🍽️📚 They're not only exploring the kitchen and creating delicious food but also reading stories connected to the foods they prepare, blending literacy with hands-on learning in a flavorful way! 👩‍🍳

Tears, jubilation, hugs…even some silly string and popsicles. Students throughout the district celebrated their last day of school in all kinds of ways. We want to thank all the students, teachers, parents, and staff who made this school year such a success. Now go enjoy your summer. You’ve earned it!

Students at Star Elementary are sliding into the summer. They beat the heat in the coolest way possible today with their Slip-n-Slide party!

🏃‍♂️🌟 The competition was fierce at Star Elementary's Field Day! From tug-of-war to jumbo bowling, our young athletes gave it their all. So much talent, energy, and school spirit on display!

This morning, parents, staff, and students came together at Star Elementary to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our students. From small trophies to certificates, recognition was given across all grade levels and in a variety of categories. A great way to start the day! 🌟

Today, we hope that everyone has the opportunity to pause, remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Their dedication to protecting our freedoms will never be forgotten. At Hastings Area School System, we are deeply grateful for the heroes who have served and those who continue to serve. Thank you.

Our awesome fifth graders just took home their own copies of the annual “My Future Me” book, hot off the press from J-Ad Graphics. This special keepsake is packed with letters from students in schools across the county, written to their future selves. Inside holds big dreams, bold advice, and some heartwarming and hilarious predictions.

Our district is excited to launch a mobile app designed to keep students, parents, and community members informed and connected right from their phones. Since most families rely on mobile devices as their primary source of communication, we partnered with a developer to create a custom app just for Hastings. With the Hastings Area School System app, you can read the latest announcements, access staff contact information, view upcoming events and find important documents and resources. The app is free to download and available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. It’s everything HASS...in your pocket. 📱 Download for Android: https://aptg.co/4JBs7B 📱 Download for iPhone: https://aptg.co/bVKmlk

The fifth graders got a sneak peek at middle school life today. They spent the morning touring the building, checking out classrooms, and getting the inside scoop on what to expect next year. Big thanks to the middle school staff for welcoming our soon-to-be sixth graders and helping them feel right at home.

Today, our third graders traded the classroom for the barnyard at Ag Awareness Day at the Barry County Fairgrounds! 🐄🌽 Hosted by several local organizations, this hands-on event gave students a closer look at the many parts of the agriculture industry, which is a vital part of life in Barry County. It was a day filled with learning, discovery, and lots of fun!

Today, Tech Ninjas from all four elementary buildings visited the CTE department at the high school. Students visited Engineering Design, Culinary Arts, Agriculture, Construction Trades, Welding, Business, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Marketing classes. High School students shared their expertise and students enjoyed learning about their future opportunities, trying a few new things, and making candy sushi! Big thanks to our students and staff in HHS CTE for hosting the ninjas for their culminating experiece after a year of hard work!

Congratulations to our April Young Citizenship Award recipients! Presented by the Hastings Kiwanis Club, this special honor recognizes students who consistently lead by example through kindness, integrity, and outstanding character in their daily lives. Let’s celebrate these inspiring young leaders!

We celebrated teachers and staff at Star School with the Lola Lee’s coffee truck! Thank you, Lola Lee’s!

Happy Principal's Day to Mrs. Smelker! Thank you for everything you do!

Star Elementary students dazzled last night at their spring concert. There are more fun elementary musicals/concerts on the way, including: - April 29 (tonight): Central Elementary - April 30: Northeastern Elementary - May 1: Southeastern Elementary All concerts start at 6:30 p.m. and are held at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Break a leg, guys!