WBSD Weekly Update
Friday, February 18
Dear Team WB,
On May 2, 2023, the West Bloomfield School District will have a bond initiative on the ballot: a $148 million bond proposal to pay for its high-priority facility improvements for the next 10 years. This bond is projected to result in ZERO NET INCREASE TO THE TOTAL DEBT TAX RATE over the School District’s 2022 total debt tax rate.
The School District is in a unique position to secure funding for up to $148 million of facility improvements through the sale of bonds without having to increase its total debt millage over the 2022 debt millage rate. Under Michigan law, this bond funding must be restricted to capital improvements, such as technology, buses, and facility improvements, and cannot be used to pay salaries, benefits, or other operational costs.
WBSD has ambitious aspirations for all of our students and it is our desire that the learning environments reflect this. The District is seeking to improve facilities in order to provide students with safer, more modern, and more comfortable spaces, which are expected to enhance their educational experiences and learning outcomes. These improvements include the construction of two new elementary buildings at the Doherty and Sheiko sites, full renovation of the career and technical education space at West Bloomfield High School, technology upgrades, and various other projects. To learn more about the 2023 Bond and its impact, please visit www.wbsd.org/about-us/bond2023
Please vote on or before May 2.
In Education,
Superintendent
Important Dates
February 20-21 Mid-Winter Break
March 15 No School for Students
March 27-31 Spring Break
April 7 No School for Students & Staff
May 29 Memorial Day
Resources
We share our deepest sympathy and support for the students, staff, and families of Michigan State University.
The safety and well-being of our West Bloomfield community is our first priority. We recognize the role schools play in attending to the social and emotional needs of our students, staff, friends, families, and neighbors so they have the tools necessary to manage emotions and work through the difficulties associated with the current events.
Tools for Families to Talk to Their Children
If you are looking for a way to speak with your children about the events, you may access the following resources as a starting point:
National Association of School Psychologists. Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers. https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-parents-and-teachers.
NCTSN. Talking to Children About the Shooting. http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/talking_to_children_about_the_shooting.pdf.
Harvard Graduate School of Education. Coping with Community Crisis. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/07/coping-community-crisis
Non-specific safety conversations may be more appropriate for younger students and may begin with presentations like the following on the Johns Hopkins site: “Talking to Your Children About Safety” for children in grades K-2 and children in grades 3-5. Using children’s books that use the power of narrative to teach valuable lessons is also a developmentally appropriate method to help our young one's process information. Some examples include the following:
The Rabbit Listened. A child has their castle wrecked and animals come and talk to her to give her advice. The rabbit comes to listen to her and she shares her feelings and gets brave to build the castle again.
After the Fall. Humpty Dumpty gets the courage to climb the wall again.
We are pleased to inform you that the District and school Annual Education Report (AER) and letters are now available to access on our district and school webpages. You can access the District AER and school AER letters at each website, under the “About Us” tab.
The AER provides key information on the 2021-22 educational progress for the West Bloomfield School District and our schools. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and some requirements of state laws. Our staff is available to help you understand this information. Please contact Michelle Rudelic at michelle.rudelic@wbsd.org if you need assistance understanding how to access the report.
WBHS DECA Recognized for Outstanding School-Based Enterprise (SBE)
Laker Landing, the school-based enterprise at West Bloomfield High School, was among 461 school-based enterprises achieving Gold level of certification for the 2022-2023 school year and will be recognized during DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Orlando, FL.
The WBHS DECA members who contributed to the certification were Joey Kosh, Justin Edelheit, and Aubrey Thurmon with the assistance of their DECA chapter advisors, Julie Zalla, Lisa Sallen, Lori Cairnes, and Laura Wowk. Congratulations and keep up the great work!
For more information about WBHS DECA, click here to read the press release, click here to read The Oakland Press article.
WBMS Student Interviews Paul Gross
Max caught up with Paul Gross to talk about his 40 year career as a Meteorologist at WDIV Channel 4.
Paul dreamed of becoming a meteorologist since he was 7 years old. At first, he was scared of storms until a teacher introduced him to books focused on thunder and lightning. Teachers ROCK! To watch the interview, click here.
Max Cool Gamer Columbus is a WBMS student and is part of the FIRST Robotics Middle School team. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel. Thank you Max!
The West Bloomfield High School Band Program had another eventful and active week. On Thursday 2/9, four students (Kylie Harmala, Stephen Mihos, Nolan Pratt, and Haven William) participated in the Wayne State University Honor Band under the direction of Professor Douglas Bianchi. After a long day of rehearsals, the West Bloomfield musicians performed with students from 16 other high schools in a very successful and delightful culminating concert.
On Friday 2/10, five WBHS band students visited the WBMS 8th grade band class. The high school students shared stories about their band experiences, discussed the many benefits of instrumental music and encouraged their younger peers to continue their musical journeys as they enter high school. Thank you to Michael Yanitz, Lewis Donaldson, Kylie Harmala, Stephen Mihos, and Alexander Pranis for welcoming the future generation of Laker band students into the program.
Headed to NYC
Congratulations to Areeba Aalam and Namya Garg who won an all-expense paid trip to NYC to see Hamilton and meet the cast. They received an Outstanding Performance award for writing an original rap and producing a video about Alexander Hamilton for the Hamilton Education Program Online National Competition and Lottery. Performance pieces were judged based on the use of primary sources, historical integrity, and artistic expression. Areeba and Namya are 9th graders in Mrs. Sepetys's AP US Government and Politics class at WBHS.
WBHS Spring Musical Auditions
Pre-registration form is here: https://forms.gle/wNdPvD5iFpioEd1Y7
Please contact kristine.stephens@wbsd.org if you have any questions.
**Costume meeting and tech interviews are Thursday, February 23
We cannot wait to see the show!
WBHS Junior Football Player Brandon Davis-Swain
Four-star defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain announced his top 11 schools on Monday night. They are Purdue, Penn State, Michigan, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Auburn, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Kentucky and USC. Davis-Swain is the No. 70 overall prospect and No. 9 defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 4 player in Michigan. Stay tuned!
Lakers Lacrosse Fundraiser
All WB families are invited to come out Sunday, February 26 from 1-4 p.m. for a fun afternoon of bowling to support and raise funds for both the WBHS Boys and Girls Lacrosse Teams. Includes three hours of bowling, shoe rental, pizza, and pop. Have an afternoon of fun helping out great kids!
Click on the link to reserve your lane: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EHsYF9Q-RSMLxtVh1RasUI-IqeNpcn5xodEh3JOXtDw
Michigan High School Athletic Association features WBHS Junior Basketball Player, Indya Davis
Davis scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds as West Bloomfield defeated Detroit Edison 59-49 in a matchup of last season’s Division 1 and Division 2 champions, respectively. The Lakers also had defeated Edison during the 2021-22 regular season, when they became the first in-state opponent to defeat the Pioneers since January 2018. This winter, Davis is averaging 16.1 points – connecting on 51 percent of her shots from the floor – with 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game. Great work Indya!
NOW HIRING!
WBHS is currently accepting applications for:
- Varsity Head Football Coach
- Varsity Girls Volleyball Head Coach
- Girls Junior Varsity Lacrosse Coach
- Girls Junior Varsity Tennis Coach
Check out the postings here.
American Sign Language classes made over 190 Valentine's Day Cards with an ASL "flare" for Deaf Senior Citizens in our community! The cards were dropped off at Deaf C.A.N. to be distributed during their weekly get together!
West Bloomfield Public Library
Book Lists
· Friends in Our World: Civil Rights Activist Friends (Kids)
· Black History & Experiences (Movies)
Family Board Games
Saturday, February 18 from 2 - 4 p.m.
Come enjoy the wide variety of board games at Youth Services. For all ages. No registration required.
Diamond Art Craft
Saturday, February 18 from 3 - 4 p.m.
Jump on the diamond art trend! All materials provided in the Main Library Computer Lab. For grades 6-12. Registration is required. Visit https://bit.ly/wblib_events to register.
Elementary Savvy Scientists
Tuesday, February 21 from 10 - 10:45 a.m.
A fun science workshop integrating science activities with children’s books! Recommended for grades 3-5. Registration is required. Visit http://catalog.wblib.org/iii/calendar/month to register.
Do you have a newsworthy story to share? We want to share your wonderful stories with the rest of the community! Please share with us what is happening with your child(ren) and our staff. We would love to hear about your events and activities including awards, honors, good deeds, and accomplishments. Help us share your success stories in art, music, scholastics, athletics, drama, debate, and more. We look forward to sharing your news! Submit a story here.