SUPERINTENDENT

January 1, 2024

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

NCSD Families,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Holiday Season and that you were able to celebrate with your family and loved ones. Prior to leaving for break, we had so many incredible things our students accomplished that are worth recognizing. This edition of Wildcat Happenings has many of them highlighted and I hope you take a few minutes to look below and see some of the amazing things our students are participating in and succeeding at! I love the start of the new calendar year, because it brings with it a new sense or purpose and energy. I hope that you all embrace this time for what it is and truly get a chance to enjoy a fresh start this January. Please see the articles below for amazing stories throughout the district, but I also have a few quick reminders as we prepare for next week:

School Resumes - Just a friendly reminder that we will resume school as normal on January 8.
Snow Days - We have not seen much snow yet this year, but as the next couple months has shown us in the past, we will likely get hit with some heavy snow. When this happens, we have a very thorough process that we engage to determine if it is safe for school. If it is not safe enough to run school, I will be calling and sending you an email to notify you of a closure. Please make sure your information is correct and up-to-date in our system so that you receive the proper communications.
Coffee with the Superintendent Resumes - If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit, I hold regular coffee hours with parents in the community at the Novi Public Library. This is an opportunity to hear about things happening in the school district and to generally ask any questions you may have of me. The next Superintendent Coffee is scheduled for January 18 at 10:00 a.m., and the date for next month is February 8 at 6:00 p.m.
Novi Public Library After-School Teen Zone Reminders - The NPL has sent a communication about the Teen Zone that has been setup for teens in our community. It is a wonderful opportunity that has been created and they really are excited about the participation. However, there are space limitations and the NPL cannot possibly accommodate all students at NHS. Please be aware that the Media Center is open after school as an option, but we just wanted to ensure you have a plan for where your teen is going after school. NHS will have more information to share in their newsletter, I just wanted to keep that reminder in front of you.
Reminder School Start Date for 24-25 SY - I know that many people start planning vacations for the year during this time. This is a follow-up to our previous communications and friendly reminder that school will be starting one week earlier next school year. The calendar can easily be found on our website, but I am attaching a PDF version for your convenience below.

Go Wildcats!

Ben Mainka, Superintendent
Novi Community School District

pdf

insert_drive_file

2024-2025 NCSD Student Calendar

Download

67.6 KB

ALL-STATE BAND AND ORCHESTRA HONORS

Six Novi High School students earned Principal Chair – top audition honors in the state – for the All State Band and Orchestras. Over 2,000 students from around the state audition to be part of the ensembles that perform at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids in late January. Novi High had 15 students accepted to the All State ensembles and three named Honorable Mention.

Sophia Chacko (viola), Joshua La (bass clarinet), Eric Ma (clarinet), Ashley Rennells (trumpet, band), David Tauro (trumpet, orchestra) and Grace Wou (flute) earned Principal Chair recognition.

“Having so many students selected to the All State Ensembles is significant because over 2,000 students from all around the state audition to be a part of this,” said Jim VanEizenga, Novi Director of Orchestras. “To be selected as Principal chairs, students need to have the top audition in the state. This means in Novi, we have some of the top musicians in the state of Michigan in our classes every day.”

"It's a wonderful honor for these outstanding musicians to be named to the All State Band/Orchestra,” said Matthew Diroff, Novi Director of Bands. “To have five of those students be placed as the principal players in those sections, from a pool of candidates from across the state, is an incredible recognition of their outstanding preparation and work ethic. We are so proud of them as they are wonderful student representatives of our music program and Novi High School."

Sophia Chacko

On earning Principal Chair: “I am honored to be Principal Chair. I practiced a lot to prepare for the All State audition and I’m glad it paid off.”

On what she enjoys most about being part of an orchestra: “I enjoy playing a variety of different repertoire, learning more about music, and improving my skills on viola.”

On plans after graduation: “I'm not completely sure yet, but I’m considering doing a dual degree for something business-related and Viola.?

Grace Wou

On earning Principal Chair: “It’s pretty intimidating but also really cool. It feels very rewarding after many years of hard work with my instrument.”

On what she enjoyed most about her time at Novi High: “The people. Through music, I have made some of my closest friends throughout high school.”

On plans after graduation: “I plan on attending a four-year university with a major in Biomedical Engineering and continuing to play the flute as a hobby.”

Joshua La

On earning Principal Chair: "To me, it means recognizing my hard work and achieving my goal of being a principal player."

On what he's enjoyed most: "I love collaborating with others, especially playing with groups like my quartet. There is something special about creating something with other people."

On plans after graduation: "I plan to pursue a degree in computer science while continuing my music education through a minor in music and participation in bands and orchestras in whatever school I choose to go to."

Eric Ma

On earning Principal Chair: “It's an honor, and I'm grateful that I was selected.”

On what he’s enjoyed most: “I've played pieces I still enjoy to this day.”

On his plans after graduation: “I plan to attend college.”

David Tauro

On earning Principal Chair: “I am so honored to represent my school in the All-State Orchestra. Recently, I became very invested in playing the trumpet and I am grateful to be recognized as one of the top musicians in the state.”

On what he’s enjoyed most: “My favorite part of band has been the people. Everyone has been welcoming and all around it is a great environment.”

On his plans after graduation: “I plan to attend college and hope to pursue an engineering/computer science-related degree. I would love to also continue playing my instrument at my college.”

Other All State honors:

Sophie Aguas, Piccolo

Iris Cao, Flute

Carles Caselles, Trumpet

Daniel Han, Clarinet

Donghyeok Kim, Flute

Ethan Ko, Clarinet

Johnny Kong, Trumpet

Elvis Xiang, Clarinet

Aaron Zhao, Percussion

Honorable Mention honors:

Huisu Choi, Cello

Catherine Hu, Flute

Yashwant Pantram Violin

SUPERIOR PERFORMANCES BY NOVI THEATER

Novi Theatre earned 13 Superior awards at the State Thespian Festival. Additionally, the troupe earned three Excellent awards.

Alyssa Kraus and Milan Thurman each earned a Thespian Scholarship, making them two of only ten students in the state awarded what is considered the state’s top honor for Theatre students.

Novi High’s Awkward Pause presented a workshop that these current students (and several alums) ran for festival attendees. The current students who participated in the workshop were: Neel Archis-Manish, Brandon Gilger, Alyssa Kraus, Zan Malan, Izzy Shi, Thomas Smith and Milan Thurman.

Thomas Smith, who plans to study scenic design and construction in college, received almost $200,000 in scholarship offers and made connections with the heads of many collegiate programs.

Lorelai Raudszus and Hannah Jeong performed in the State Showcase in front of the entire festival.

Superior awards

Duet Acting: Lorelai Raudszus and Hanna Jeong

Duet Acting: Neel Archis-Manish and Milan Thurman

Duet Musical Theatre: Brandon Gilger and Isabelle Shi

Monologue: Brandon Gilger

Playwriting: Neel Archis-Manish

Props Design: Alyssa Kraus

Set Design: Thomas Smith

Solo Musical Theatre: Bella Houchins and Hanna Jeong

Sound Design: Katey Kumon

Theatre Marketing: Milan Thurman

Excellent awards

Monologue: Lorelai Raudszus

Solo Dance: Isabelle Shi

Stage Management: Alyssa Kraus

3 Questions with Milan Thurman

On being named one of the top thespians in the state: “It really means so much to me. I think oftentimes we pour our heart and soul into something, but downplay or overlook the real scope of our impact and contribution. So when you receive something validating like that, surrounded by friends and 1500+ strangers who share the same love for the craft you realize ‘Wow, I really have dedicated myself to this, what an amazing journey and experience, and what a privilege it’s been to have the opportunity to devote myself so wholly to the pursuit of this art."

On why he loves theatre: “I love theatre for so many reasons – the people are so genuine and passionate and wildly talented, and it gives me something to look forward to at the end of every day. Theatre is also a vehicle for change. To me, there is nothing more powerful than a lasting impression after watching a captivating show, that quiet moment in the car ride home when the depth of emotion and complexity really sinks in.”

On plans after graduation: “This is perhaps a Novi cliché, but I’ve applied to a lot of schools. Right now, I’m just waiting on who lets me in and who gives me money, to speak colloquially. The Thespian Scholarship has the benefit of being applicable towards any school, and that makes it really awesome because there’s a lot of really great schools out there that are just fiscally outrageous, so each scholarship is a piece of the puzzle, I guess.”

3 Questions with Alyssa Kraus

On being named one of the top thespians in the state: “It was honestly such an honor to get a recognition like that. For the presentation, I basically had to present a portfolio of my work in the department the past 3 years and it felt really amazing to be recognized for the work I’ve done. Being up on that stage and receiving the award was still such a surreal moment and I love that two of us got to experience that this year, and that we could share that moment with the other members of the troupe that were at festival with us.”

On why he loves theatre: “Obviously I love what we do, the shows we put on, and the creative process we go through with each one – but I think my favorite part about theatre are the people.

“It‘s such a great community and we put a lot of effort into making it a really supportive and welcoming environment for newcomers. For anyone interested, I’d definitely recommend joining. We always need new people and if you’re looking for a place to do what you love or try new things with a group of friends that welcome you with open arms, this is exactly the place.”

On plans after graduation: “Right now, I‘m planning on studying business in college and potentially going into real estate. But I also want to at least minor in technical theatre or stage managing and continue to have theatre be a part of my life in the future, so the scholarship will help with that.”

E-SPORTS SUCCESS

Every Novi ESports team qualified for the playoffs this season “which is amazing, considering how many team leaders graduated last year,” said ESports sponsor Chris White.

Here’s a quick rundown of the final results for the Fall 2023 Esports season.

Novi League of Legends: 2nd place in the region (all of Eastern timezones).

Novi Varsity Valorant: 3rd place in the Atlantic Conference (all of Eastern and Central time zones) and the highest placing of a Michigan team.

HS STUDENTS ORGANIZE “UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY,” MLK DAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

International Baccalaureate Diploma and Certificate candidates have organized volunteer opportunities for High School students on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 15.

The students developed a Signupgenius and are managing the volunteer opportunities. High School students can visit the Peachjar page, scan the QR code and sign up.

Seniors Sofia Garnica, senior Gabriela Swenson and Mahdiya Zaman spoke about their IB efforts.

“We reach out to different organizations around metro Detroit and Novi and get high school students to go there and volunteer on MLK Day,” Said Sofia.

Gabriela added: “The whole purpose is to get Novi students involved in the community engaged with volunteering.”

Mahdiya said the IB cohort has gotten better over the years at reaching out to different organizations that might need volunteers on MLK Day.

Sofia and Mahdiya said they plan to volunteer at Fleece and Thank You.

Gabriela said she will volunteer at Hospitality House and possibly SAY Detroit.

STUDENT-DESIGNED ROBOTICS LOGO

zoom_out_map

The Automated Amphibians, a Novi High School FIRST Robotics team, held a contest to determine their new logos. Aidan Titutuskin’s robot entry was chosen the winner.

This was the judging comment for the winning entry: "Aidan Titutuskin's robot entry was very popular, along with the actual Axolotl and gear look. It was an excellent entry that went above and beyond, while making sure to meet the requirements of the brief, gave a little extra that I think put it over the top with voters. It seems to tell a little story."

WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO NCSD STAFF?

zoom_out_map

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 Shout Out 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 in December:

Ashley Kurtz, Instructional Coach

Rachelle Shafer, Early Childhood Education Center Administrative Assistant

Hilary Beauregard, Novi Meadows 6 Kitchen Manager

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP TIP: iOS 17 SECURITY WARNING

zoom_out_map

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

Open Settings
Press General
Press AirDrop
Toggle Off ‘Bringing Devices Together’

Forbes Article: Law Enforcement Issues iOS 17 Security Warning Over NameDrop Feature

NCSD IS HIRING PARAPROFESSIONALS

Have you ever thought about working in a school to help support students? If so, the Novi Community School District may have a position for YOU! NCSD is looking to hire paraprofessionals for a variety of buildings. Pay starts at $17.75 per hour with benefits available.

We will be holding initial screening interviews on Monday, January 9th, 2024, from 6-8 PM and Thursday, January 11th, 2024, from 2-4 PM.

Please sign up for a screening interview time using this SignUpGenius Link. At your screening time, please join us using the following Zoom Link to meet with members of the NCSD staff, learn more about positions, and have an interview.

SHARE YOUR HOLIDAY PHOTOS

If you’d like to share fun photos of your family spending time together during the holidays we’d love to share via instagram, twitter and/or facebook. Email photos to communications@novik12.org and we’ll share periodically during winter break.

Photos you might consider sharing:

Family gatherings
Vacation destination
Fun outdoors
Winter scenes (in the event it actually snows during break)
Winter break traditions

SUPERINTENDENT MAINKA PLAYS SANTA'S HELPER

On Friday, December 23, 2023, Superintendent Mainka played Santa's Helper and visited every single classroom in all ten buildings in the District. He wished every person, staff and students, a very Happy Holiday Season and break. Mr. Mainka began his journey at 7:35 AM and completed his deliveries at 3:45 PM.