TONTOGANY—Otsego Local Schools, which serves Weston, will send a community-wide strategic planning survey on Friday, Nov. 13, and is asking families, staff, students and community members to weigh in, according to the superintendent's November newsletter. Nov. 13 is also the deadline to volunteer for the district's Strategic Planning Committee.


Strategic Plan


The survey will ask what the district is doing well, where it can improve and what its priorities should be. Committee members will meet several times from January to March 2027 to review the results, identify common themes and help outline the plan, the district said. The sign-up link is in the November Superintendent's Update.


Ways to Help


  • Hygiene drive, Nov. 9–13: The district is collecting soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and other essentials at the junior high and high school offices. Donations benefit Knights Have Your Back, the Brown Bag Pantry and the Otsego Food Pantry.
  • Ohio State vs. Michigan food drive, Nov. 16–20: Otsego Elementary families can bring non-perishable food labeled for their team, OSU or Michigan, and leave it outside classroom doors to be collected each morning. The food goes to the Knights Have Your Back program.
  • Angel Tree: Family sign-ups closed Nov. 6, and the program now needs volunteers to adopt a student and buy gifts. The district posted a donor sign-up form on Facebook and said it is for gift donors only.
  • Christmas Box: Families in need can apply for a Christmas box assembled by local churches by returning the form to any Otsego school office by 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11. Families can request a copy from Mary Gase at mgase@otsegoknights.org. Pickup is Dec. 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church in Grand Rapids.


Fall Sports Wrap


  • Football: The Knights beat Van Wert 63–27 at home Oct. 30 in the first round of the Division IV playoffs, a season-high point total, then lost 38–0 at Clear Fork in the regional quarterfinal Nov. 6 to finish 8–4, the Sentinel-Tribune reported (Oct. 20 coverage).
  • Girls soccer: In first-year coach Megan Rutherford's first season, Otsego finished 12–5, the program's first double-digit win total, before a 3–2 double-overtime loss to Bryan in a sectional semifinal Oct. 20.
  • Girls cross country: The Knights placed 13th of 20 teams at the Division III regional in Tiffin on Oct. 31, the program's first regional trip in 10 years, led by freshman Clara Charnesky. Sophomore Evan Beach and senior Quinn Bischoff also ran as individual qualifiers for the boys.
  • Volleyball: Otsego's season ended at 12–12 with a three-set loss to Eastwood in a Division IV district semifinal Oct. 27.

The district has also launched a new athletics website at athletics.otsegoknights.org with schedules, tickets, streaming information and directions.


Sources: Otsego Superintendent's Update, November 2026 · Otsego Elementary Extra, Nov. 5 · Otsego Local Schools Facebook posts on the hygiene drive, food drive and Angel Tree · Sentinel-Tribune: Van Wert, Clear Fork, girls soccer, cross country, volleyball