WBMS Update
Week of February 12, 2024
Valentine Spirit Week: Feb. 12-16
This week...
Show your WBMS School Spirit. Student Council representatives planned this fun week of dress up days for our students & staff to share the love!
Students have been writing notes of gratitude and appreciation for others. Stationery and note cards are available for students to use during iCenter recess time. The iCenter staff are delivering these notes in staff mailboxes.
Highlights from the Week
Celebrating our Counselors
February 5-9 was School Counselor Week.
We are so honored to have three dedicated & caring school counselors at WBMS. Mrs. MacKenzie Peguese serves 6th grade, Mrs. Susan Chang serves 7th grade and Mr. Steve Levitan serves 8th grade. Counselors will follow their classes up to the next grade in the fall.
Mr. Levitan is visiting the 5th grade classes at our WB Elementary buildings this week, with Assistant Principal, Mr. Jermaine Evans, to provide information about 6th grade scheduling for the fall.
Thank you for all the work that you do to support our WBMS students. We appreciate you!
Each counselor received a special t-shirt & lunch from our administration!
STEMi Focus for 6th Grade Science Classes
The "State of the Art" Oakland Schools STEMi Truck was onsite at WBMS Feb. 5-9. All 6th grade science classes made a visit to the truck for a hands-on opportunity with robotics, AI drawing, autonomous vehicles, 3D graphic design and augmented reality. Oakland Schools has two staff members and one supervisor on board the STEMi truck to set up equipments and faciliatate the activities.
Special thank you to Assistant Principal, Mrs. Carson, along with our WB Learning Services staff members Mrs. Becky Heitch & Mrs. Hadeel Azzo for helping to supervise the stations, along with the 6th grade science teachers.
Augmented Reality Drawing Goggles
Robot Sensors & Movement
Human Heart Simulation
WBMS Student Life
Rodney Lamar Page, Guest Performer in Strings Class
Thank you to our strings teacher, Ms. Andrea Cole, for bringing a dynamic guest to work with our 6th grade orchestra students. ENJOY.
Rodney Lamar Page performs in WBMS Strings class https://t.co/NDvKRHh2IN
Twitter Post from @wbmslakers, Wed, Jan. 31, 2024
Thank you to the West Bloomfield Orchestra Booster for funding this opportunity and helping out with the experience. The 6th graders were able to listen and perform along with Mr. Page. Reaction from the students included, "This was the best day ever!" and "This really made my day!" Way to go Mrs. Cole! Experiences such as this sets our school apart.
Literary Essays in 8th Grade
Mrs. Henry's 8th Grade ELA class is working on developing their literary essays. Mrs. Henry scaffolds the instruction, providing samples and guidelines for the students to include literary evidence in their writing.
8th Grade Science Classes Research in the iCenter
Ms. Chewins & Mrs. Raiti brought their science classes to the iCenter last week to use Chromebooks and research living organisms. Students were able to spread out & enjoy the variety of seating the iCenter space as they worked on gathering facts for their poster project.
WBMS "House Photos" on Feb. 15th
Panoramic Photo Opportunity for each house
Students should wear their HOUSE shirt on Thursday, Feb. 15th.
The Lifetouch photographer will be at WBMS to capture panoramic photos of each house.
Students will be assembled on the bleachers in the gym for a group photo.
The "house" is determined by your student's advisory class.
Please complete the order form/online or send back to school with payment, according to your student's assigned house.
Each form has a unique code, to specify the photo you are ordering.
The photo will be 10X30 panoramic group photo, cost is $20.
WBMS Honors & Celebrates Black History Month
Black History Mobile Museum- Feb 16th
Friday, Feb. 16th the Black History Mobile Museum will be onsite at WBMS. Our 7th Grade History classes will visit this traveling exhibit and learn from this interactive display. Be sure to ask your 7th grader about the experience.
Get Ready for an Exciting Black History Month Spirit Week!
As we embark on the inspiring month of February, it's time to celebrate the rich cultural heritage and contributions of African Americans during Black History Month! To make this month extra special, we're thrilled to announce our Black History Month Spirit Week—a week filled with fun, creativity, and meaningful engagement.
February 26th through March 1st
WBMS YEARBOOK ORDER is ONLINE
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK
Yearbooks are NOT included with picture packages. In fact, it's a separate company that publishes our WBMS Yearbook. You will need to place the order online.
https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/
School order number is: 25753 and click 'continue'
you will see a pop up with
YOU HAVE SELECTED:
WEST BLOOMFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL • WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI • JOB# 25753
Click continue
Click "order a yearbook" and follow the prompts
January 1-Feb 29 to $40
Price increase to $45: March 1-April 15
NWEA Testing at WBMS
For our WBMS students who happened to miss a day of school, or those students who need more time to complete the test, NWEA make-up testing will take place this week. Mrs. Lamerato is the WBMS Testing Coordinator & she will schedule the make-up.
WBMS Musical Theater presents Aladdin Jr.
ALL 6th Grade students will attend a dress rehearsal performance on March 1st
Our 6th graders will attend the 10 am dress rehearsal performance of Aladdin Jr. at West Bloomfield High School. Students will return to WBMS around 11:15 am, in plenty of time for 5th hour & lunch. Transportation will be provided by West Bloomfield School Bus. All 6th graders will attend. This is an in-district field trip & there is no cost to attend. We will not be sending home permission slips. If you DO NOT wish for your 6th grader to attend, a parent/guardian must OPT Out, simply email our attendance secretary, Antoinette Morton: antoinette.morton@wbsd.org with your 6th grade student's name and a statement letting us know that you are opting out of this experience for your student.
WBMS Musical Theater presents Aladdin Jr.
Reserved public tickets sales:
Fill in West Bloomfield as your organization and the show will pop up.
March 1 & 2 at 7:00PM
Performances will be at the West Bloomfield High School
Project Bracelet
Local Optimist Club Essay Scholarship Opportunities
Topic for the 2023-24 school year is; "Optimism: How it Connects Us"
The Essay Contest is sponsored by Optimist International to give young people the opportunity to write about their own opinions regarding the world in which they live. The approach can encompass a young person’s personal experience, the experience of their country or a more historical perspective. In addition to developing skills for written expression, participants also have the opportunity to win a college scholarship!
Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2,500 college scholarship. The District-level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundations. Local prizes are provided by the individual clubs.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: Keego Harbor Middle School Essay Contest Information, Click Here
HIGH SCHOOL: West Bloomfield Optimist Club Essay Contest, Click Here
Quarter 3 RAP Reading
Reading Appreciation Program
All WBMS students are expected to read a minimum of ONE RAP book for Quarter 3.
ELA teachers will review their expectations for credit within the ELA course.
Books are available for checkout at the West Bloomfield Township Library locations & our very own WBMS iCenter.
Go ABOVE & BEYOND...
Challenge yourself to read 3 out of the 5 of the NEW titles from the Quarter 3 list & you will receive a prize out of our iCenter prize bin. After you’ve read the 3 books, complete one of these tasks located in the iCenter and hand it in to Ms. Nancy.
Important Info. for 8th Grade Parents
8th Grade Sweatshirts
Every year we offer all 8th graders an opportunity to purchase an 8th grade sweatshirt
The link for orders is: https://parrotwear.com/wbms28
8th Grade Trip to Cedar Point
DATE OF TRIP: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
DESTINATION: Cedar Point
METHOD OF TRANSPORTATION: Motor coach (National Trails)
STUDENT COST: $80.00 per student CHAPERONE COST: $60
PLANNED DEPARTURE POINT AND TIME
FROM: West Bloomfield Middle School
EXPECTED TIME OF DEPARTURE: 7:15 AM SHARP!!!
EXPECTED TIME OF RETURN: 9:30 PM
We will begin collecting permission slips & payment on February 6th.
(see scheduled dates listed on the attached document- Tuesdays will be A-L and Thursdays M-Z)
The LAST day to submit permission slip & payment will be Friday, March 22, 2024
PERMISSION SLIP & ALL details are outlined in the attached document:
Upcoming Dates
Late Start Dates
Late Start at WBMS, class will begin at 9:20 am.
Bus routes will operate one hour later than normal.
Remaining Late Start Dates:
Wednesday, February 28th
Wednesday, March 13th
Wednesday, April 24th
Wednesday, May 8th
Wednesday, May 22nd
Other Important Dates
February 15th- HOUSE PHOTOS- Group photo of each house (1:30-3:00 PM)
February 16th- Black History Mobile Museum for 7th Graders- During History Classes
Febrary 5th - March 15th- WIDA testing
February 26th-March 1st Black History Spirit Week
March 1- 10 am, 6th grade field trip to WBHS to watch the Aladdin Jr. Dress Rehearsal performance
March 1-2: Aladdin Jr. Musical Theater Performances (at West Bloomfield High School)
May 8th - Orchestra Concert
May 13th - Dodgeball Tournament (Student Council)
May 15th - Volleyball Tournament
May 17th - Spirit Week Dance
May 28th - 8th Grade Cedar Point Trip
May 31st - 8th Grade Dance
Remember to VOTE on February 27th
On the Presidential Primary Ballot, February 27, 2024, the West Bloomfield School District will be voting on the following operating millage renewal. The actual ballot language is below:
West Bloomfield School District Operating Millage Renewal Proposal
This proposal will allow the school district to maintain the
number of mills required to be levied for the school district to
receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance and renews
millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy.
Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 18.6967 mills ($18.6967 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, and 4.6587 mills ($4.6587 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) against principal residences, qualified agricultural property, qualified forest property, supportive housing property, property occupied by a public school academy, industrial personal property and commercial personal property, in West Bloomfield School District, Oakland County, Michigan, be renewed for a period of 10 years, 2025 to 2034, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect from combined property taxes authorized herein if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $13,371,684 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy)?
Key points:
This is not a tax increase. This is a renewal of an existing millage.
This makes up approximately 17% of our budget.
The non-homestead millage proposal is only for non-homestead properties, like commercial, business, rental properties, vacant land, and second-home property owners. This portion does not impact primary residence.
There is an Operating Millage Renewal FAQ on the district website that contains facts about the ballot proposal.
Paid for by: West Bloomfield School District, 5810 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48324
Remaining Seasons
Spring Sports: Opens January 10th for registration
- Track: 6th, 7th, 8th grade
- Start Date: April 24th
Please reach out to Mr. Evans at jermaine.evans@wbsd.org with questions about sports schedules, Final Forms, etc.
STAY TUNED... FLAG FOOTBALL may be coming to a WBSD School near you!!! More details coming soon.
Overview
There are no fees to play middle school sports.
We are governed by the state association regarding rules and participation: MHSAA
We compete in the COMSAC league (Central Oakland Middle School Athletic Conference)
All registration takes place on the Final Forms website (see button below)
Things that are required to play:
Complete all forms on Final Forms including:
Basic information
Athletic physical signed by a DR and completed after April 15th 2023 (see button below for blank form)
Signatures on forms by students and parents
Sign the Middle School Athletic Contract (one form per sport, see button below)
***If you played a middle school sport last year, you will have a Final Forms login. Please use that login to sign in, upload a new physical and sign the paperwork. All of the other data, like demographic and contact information will be saved and has rolled over.
WBMS PTO
Upcoming Bagel Sale - FRIDAY, Feb. 16th
BAGEL SALE $2 cash
Cream Cheese available for 50 cents.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week is the first week in May. We are collecting gift cards as tokens of appreciation/prizes for our teachers, and they will be distributed throughout teacher appreciation week. Please consider purchasing a gift card & send it in to our school secretary, Mrs. Fran Seleski, in the main office. We need all gift cards by April 26th. Thank you!
Quick Links - PTO
4th Weds 7pm General PTO Meeting series
Donut/Bagel Sales Volunteer Sign Up Genius
Donut/Bagel Sales Google Calendar Friday Series
WBMS PTO Events Sign Up Genius
General PTO Meeting Presentation
2023-2024 School Year Officers
- President - Sherri-Anne Wynter
- Vice President - Monique Williams Esq
- Treasurer - Renai Mayle
- Secretary - Amanda Oliver
- Public Relations - Terri Hoyer Compton
Reminders
Follow WBMS on Social Media
Twitter, Instagram & FaceBook
Twitter:
@wbmsiCenter
@wbmslakers
@wbloomfieldschool
@miss_weiner
@LindsayDershem
@therealepap (WB Sports)
@kchewins
@belliwbms
@hannakimwrites
@emzwaller
Instagram:
@wbmslakers
FaceBook:
Join the WBMS PTO Group
School Procedures
- Students must have their lanyard and student ID on them at all times.
- The STUDENT ID is necedssary in the lunch line- every student is scanned when they receive their school lunch. The STUDENT ID is also necessary for book check out in the iCenter.
- IDs are checked upon entering the gymnasium and iCenter for lunch recess. Students without IDs will be directed to the homework room for recess.
- New lanyards and IDs may be purchased in the main office: $2 for lanyard, $5 for ID
- Students without their lanyard during Advisory will be assigned an after-school detention
CELL PHONES, SMART WATCHES & HEADPHONES
- ALL cell phones are to be kept 1) powered OFF, and 2) in lockers
- Smart Watches are not to be used for communication or searching information on the Internet
- If a cell phone is seen or a watch is being used for an unauthorized purpose, it will be confiscated and turned in to the main office
- Headphones and Air Pods/Wireless Earbuds are NOT allowed in school
- 1st violation: student pick-up from the main office
- 2nd violation: parent pick-up from the main office
- 3rd violation: parent pick-up from the main office and conference with administration
BACKPACKS
- ALL backpacks are to be kept in student lockers
- Those with a medical bag exception are the only students permitted to carry bags
- Small purses are also permitted with limits (similar to the size limits permitted for a stadium or arena)
- If students are having trouble fitting their backpack in their locker, items may be removed for the bag to be condensed, or a smaller bag (i.e. drawstring bag) may be recommended.
- If backpacks are found in collaboration spaces or school spaces other than a locker, an after-school detention will be assigned to the student the bag belongs to
CONSEQUENCES FOR FIGHTING
The WBMS administrative team is responsive to physical fights on school grounds. The following procedures are in place for physical altercations:
- 1st violation: 5 day out of school suspension
- 2nd violation: 5 day out of school suspension + meeting with Superintendent prior to return
The expectation is that students are making safe choices and keeping their hands to themselves. WBMS does not tolerate fighting or physical aggression, as it is not a representation of the school culture and climate.
If you have questions about student conduct procedures/consequences, please contact Mr. Gardner, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Carson or Ms. Barnes at your convenience.
Thank you for supporting student safety and comfort!
FOOD, DRINK & GUM
- We have individuals with very severe food allergies at our school.
- All food and drinks (other than water) are not allowed anywhere outside the auditeria.
- If a student is asked by an adult to put food/drink away and refuses, it is an automatic after-school detention.
- Gum is also not allowed at West Bloomfield Middle School for healthy and safety reasons.
- If a student is asked by an adult to spit out their gum and they refuse, it is an automatic after-school detention.
TARDY PROCEDURE
Students that receive 3+ tardies in one school day will be assigned an after-school detention to be served the following day. Calls are sent out in the evening via the ParentLink program.
Please note that if your student receives 8 tardies in a school week, they will receive an after-school detention to be served the following Monday. Attendance reports will be pulled at the end of each week and you will be notified no later than Sunday afternoon.
Additionally, if your child is assigned an after-school detention and does not serve it within the week it was assigned, your child will be assigned an In-School Suspension for the following Monday.
Please reach out to our Dean of Student Services, Haley Barnes at haley.barnes@wbsd.org, if you have any questions regarding these procedures.
Thank you for your support of our school procedures!
After-School Event Procedures
We have provided a set of rules and procedures for students who wish to attend after school activities (primarily after school sports competitions). These guidelines outline the process for attendance and the responsibilities of both students and their parents or guardians. Here's a breakdown of the procedures:
Attendance Requirement:
Students who want to attend after school activities must first go home before the event.
Parent or Guardian Escort: (not school dances)
To participate in after school activities, students must return to school escorted by a parent or guardian.
Parents or guardians must be in attendance during the activity. (Participating athletes are excluded from this procedure.)
Alternate Escort:
If a parent or guardian cannot attend and wishes to send the student with another adult, that adult must be listed on the student's emergency contact list.
After School Detention:
Students assigned to after school detention must go home directly after detention ends at 4:15.
Attending Activities After Detention:
Students assigned after school detention who wish to attend after school activities may return to school with an adult, following the same procedure as other students.
Pick-Up Time After Events: (applies to all events including dances)
Students who participate in after school events must be picked up within 30 minutes of the event's end time.
Failure to be picked up within this timeframe may result in not being allowed to attend future after school events.
These procedures are in place to ensure the safety and accountability of students attending after school activities and to establish clear guidelines for their attendance and supervision. It's important for both students and parents or guardians to adhere to these rules to maintain a safe and organized after school program.
West Bloomfield Middle School
David Gardner, Principal
Jermaine Evans, Assistant Principal
Cindy Carson, Assistant Principal
Haley Barnes, Dean of Student Services
Email: cindy.carson@wbsd.org
Website: https://www.wbsd.org/west-bloomfield-middle-school
Location: 6000 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI
Phone: 248-865-4480