SUPERINTENDENT

December 1, 2023

From the Desk of the Superintendent

NCSD Families,

Happy December! While the weather is cooling down and snow is starting to fly, school events and activities are just heating up! The next month is shorter than most as we have winter break starting with the weekend of December 23 and going through the weekend of January 7. Having two full weeks off to kickoff the new year is just the right break to allow the students and staff to recharge hit the ground running in January.

This edition of Wildcat Happenings has many articles that I hope will be of interest to you. I hope that all of you have an enjoyable December and I look forward to seeing many of you around at the various celebrations and events that will commence over the next few weeks.

Go Wildcats!

Ben Mainka, Superintendent
Novi Community School District

COME TO THE COLLABORATION CONCERT

Novi Dance Company’s Collaboration Concert will be held at Novi High School on December 8 from 7-9 p.m.

Novi High School and Novi MIddle School dancers will be performing. There will be additional performances from Big City Dance Center, Metropolitan DanCentre, CASA Dance, Diversiform

Dance Project, Oakland University, Haja Dance Company, Performers Edge Dance Co. and more.

Sophomore Sophie Long from Novi Dance’s Emerald Company said she’s looking forward to the jazz performance.

“The piece we are working on this year is (1920s) inspired and uses a lot of old fashioned moves from that time period,” Sophie said. “This kind of jazz is different than what a lot of people expect when we say we are doing a jazz piece, so that makes it kind of exciting.”

Why does she like jazz?

“I like jazz because I get to use fun facial expressions and there are so many different styles to explore within the genre,” Long said.

Junior Giorgia Bordignon, also with Emerald Company, said the Collaboration Concert is a good way for the community to see the diversity of dance offered in the area.

“Different studios come and it’s a good way to maybe see how different studios dance differently,” Giorgia said.

Sophie said the high school dancers enjoy seeing the different companies perform because it gives them ideas on what they could be doing in the future.

Asked why she enjoys being part of the NDC, Sophie said: “I like the movement of it. You get to use your whole body.”

Sophie also plays tennis.

“You cannot express your emotions on the way you hit a tennis ball, but you can express them in the way you dance,” Sophie said.

Giorgia, who also plays lacrosse, said dance is a good mix of athleticism and art.

“You work as a team and you definitely get a workout during it,” she said. “You have to think as a team together to produce this piece. But at the same time, there’s the art part – the music and the storytelling.”

Tickets are $10 cash or $12 credit card. You can purchase in person or in advance via GoFan.

LORELAI MAISANO WINS MHSAA DIVISION 1 STATE DIVING TITLE

Novi High senior Lorelai Maisano recently became the first diver in school history to win an MHSAA Division 1 state title. She will continue to dive in college for Cleveland State University.

Lorelai finished with 417.60 points to beat out fellow senior Ellie Seiter of Oxford (413.45). Lorelai said she gave Seiter “a big hug” and told her she’d miss diving against her.

“We started becoming good friends last year at the state meet, competing against each other,” Lorelai said of Ellie. “And then this whole season we’ve carried that friendship out, which has been super nice.”

Maisano said she was proudest of the last dive of her career – a reverse 1 ½ pike.

“That dive, I had actually hit my hand on the board on our senior night and I broke my finger,” Lorelai said. “I was having a bit of a hard time with that dive for the rest of the season. But, that was the best dive since hitting the board, so it made me super happy, because it was the last dive of my high school career too. It was good to go out with something as good as it was.”

Lorelai finished 16th at the state meet as a sophomore (307.60) and second as junior (406.00).

“Freshmen through junior year, I put a lot of pressure on myself,” she said. “I just had this idea that everything needed to be perfect, so if it wasn’t I’d break down.”

How did she finally let go of that feeling?

“This year I decided, it’s my final year, i want to actually have fun with it,” she said. “If something bad happened, ‘oh, well.’”

That’s an approach she learned from diving coach Don Mason.

“He always says, ‘let it all go,’” she said. “I finally decided to listen to him and actually let everything go.

“He’s basically taught me everything I know. I started out in eighth grade. I did one of his camps and I didn’t want to go. I was like kicking, screaming, crying. I was doing cheer at the time for the middle school.”

Her mother signed her up for the diving camp, and she didn’t want to go, but immediately had fun learning from Mason, who convinced her that her past experience in gymnastics and cheer would translate well in diving.

Lorelai was being recruited by a few schools for diving but ultimately decided on Cleveland State a few days before the recent signing day event at Novi High.

She had interest in Cleveland State before competing in a USA Diving event there in June. “I had the worst meet of my life,” she said.

After two subpar 3-meter dives, she came back and scored well on her last two dives and the Cleveland State coach told her he was interested in having her dive in college. Lorelai went on an official visit in September.

“The team and the coaches are just so amazing,” she said. “The campus is gorgeous. I want to go into nursing and they partner with the Cleveland Clinic, so their nursing program is phenomenal. It was just the best option for me.

SOFIA GHANBARI TALKS DREAM TEAM AND DREAM SCHOOL

Novi High junior Sofia Ghanbari, who earned Dream Team and All State Division 1 recognition from the Michigan High School Field Hockey Coaches Association, recently committed to play field hockey for the University of Michigan. Ghanbari led the state in assists (21) and points (81) and was second in goals (30). She helped Novi reach the semifinals. We spoke to Ghanbari about the success she had this season and her future goals.

On earning Dream Team recognition from the Coaches Association: “Being selected to the Dream Team was a very surreal experience. It has made me realize that hard work really pays off. I am so grateful that I had such a phenomenal team to help me achieve my goals.”

On her offensive achievements this season and areas to growth: ”Having such a high offensive output feels really amazing, but I really could not have done it without such an amazing team that always sets me up for success. My coaches really helped me improve my shooting this year, but a bigger goal for me and the team is to improve our scoring rates on offensive penalty corners.”

3. On being voted a captain for next season by her peers: ”Being chosen as a captain for Novi Field Hockey means a lot to me. When I was a freshman, the seniors were so welcoming and encouraging and I aspire to be like them. I expect for me and the upperclassmen to bring a lot of intensity and lead by example. It will be challenging to become more vocal, but I am so excited to become closer with my team.”

On committing to play field hockey for the University of Michigan: “
UofM has always been my dream school. Out of all the other schools, UofM stood out to me because of its phenomenal academics, team camaraderie, intensity, and distance from home. My Coach, Amy Kilgore, also went to Michigan, and I aspire to follow in her footsteps and become half as amazing as she is.”

On why she loves field hockey: ”Field hockey allows me to enjoy every moment. I love competing, staying after practice, strategizing, and spending time with my teammates. It has shown me how to appreciate the little things, and that every ounce of hard work you put in will eventually pay off.”

WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO NCSD STAFF?

We believe in recognizing the outstanding efforts of our dedicated staff members who go above and beyond to support our students and their families. In the spirit of fostering a positive and appreciative community, we are excited to introduce the Staff Shout-Out initiative!

Do you know a teacher, administrator, bus driver, office professional, paraprofessional, or an ancillary staff member who has made a significant impact on your child's education and well-being? This is your chance to express your gratitude and admiration. We invite you to share your Staff Shout-Outs, highlighting the exceptional individuals who have made a difference in the lives of our students.

Whether it's a teacher who goes the extra mile in the classroom, a counselor who provides invaluable support, or any staff member who has made a positive impact, we want to hear about it. Your words of appreciation can brighten someone's day and serve as a powerful reminder of the incredible community we have in Novi.

We will share all of the staff shout-outs with all of our district staff each month. We can't wait to celebrate the dedication and excellence within our district!

Submit a Staff Shoutout using the nomination form.

In addition to the Staff Shoutout, NCSD recognizes a staff member on social media called Weekly Wildcat. This recognition comes from staff nominations.

Here’s a recap of Weekly Wildcat winners so far:
Andrea Tobis, Novi HIgh School Counselor

Greg Bango, Novi High School Hall Monitor

Sam Jodoin, Village Oaks Elementary School Social Worker

Grayson Thomas, Oakland Schools Tech Support Specialist

Todd Muirhead, Novi Meadows 5th Grade Building Engineer

Emily Evo, Novi Middle School ELA Teacher

Rebecca O’Shaughnessy, Novi High School Special Education Teacher

Kayley Dahring, Central Enrolment Administrative Assistant

Denise Landau, Talent Management & Development Executive Assistant

5TH GRADE CAMP TRADITION CONTINUES

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The recent first snowfall of the season reminds us that the 5th Grade Camp will be starting this month.

“This tradition has been around for 35+ years, not even missing for the pandemic – although it did look different that year,” said Novi Meadows teacher Karen Duthie. “5th Grade camp is a 2 1/2 day, two-night, field trip that heads out to the Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center. While at camp, students attend six different classes: Synergy Station, Wilderness & Survival, Forrest Communities, Night Creatures, Nature Creations, and the Water Cycle. They attend the Superhero Training Academy, learn to share their space through communal living and family style meals, and build lasting bonds with their classmates. 5th Grade Camp is a once in a lifetime experience for our 5th graders!”

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR WINTER BREAK!

Kids, grab out outdoor gear and have some fun because Novi Community School District’s Winter Break will begin on December 23, 2023 and runs through January 7, 2024.

SEPAC'S ABOVE AND BEYOND NOMINATION

The Novi Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is looking for nominations for the 2023-2024 Above and Beyond Award.

This award recognizes a student or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution benefiting one or more special education students this school year.

Please take a moment to complete the online google nomination form and nominate your outstanding pick(s) for this award. https://forms.gle/R82avcbsCbs2Y3rt8

Eligible candidates:

• A student or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution benefiting one or more special education students this school year.
• The candidate must be connected to Novi Community Schools. Examples include: students, paraprofessionals, consultants, teachers, bus drivers, volunteers, or after-school programs staff members.

Special recognition winners will be selected based solely on the nomination.

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, February 9, 2024. Nominations received after that date are welcome, but those candidates will not be considered for the special recognition award.

Email any questions to: SEPAC@novik12.org

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP TIP: iOS 17 Security Warning

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It is always best practice to update your devices such as your cell phone, but sometimes updates turn certain features on by default. iOS 17 has a new feature called Name Drop that prompts you to share your contact information when two iPhones are close together. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has recommended that you take some time to decide if you want this particular setting on or off.

How to Turn Off Name Drop