On Saturday, March 1, Larson student Sanvi Mandvekar won the Oakland County Scripps Spelling Bee. She spelled "ordinance" to clinch the win. This was Sanvi's second trip to the county spelling bee, after placing sixth last year.

When asked about the win, Sanvi's parents shared that Sanvi was overjoyed at winning, and she is excited for what’s to come! To prepare for the county bee, she highlighted the words and used the Scripps Word Club app. She also learned about roots, prefixes, suffixes, and the culture and origins that make up each word. Her hard work and dedication truly paid off, and she’s grateful for all the support she received. Sanvi will now compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC in May.

Five other students represented Troy at the County Spelling Bee:

• Zara Barring, 10 – Wattles Elementary, 5th Grade

• Ananya Mitta, 13 – Baker Middle School, 8th Grade

• Kavish Mohan, 10 – Morse Elementary, 5th Grade

• Nicolas Ortiz, 11 – Barnard Elementary, 5th Grade

• Yuvir Tolani, 13 – Boulan Park Middle School, 8th Grade
  
  

Congratulations to all, and good luck Sanvi! We can't wait to cheer you on.

Congratulations to Larson 7th grader Ahaan Jadhav, who qualified for the prestigious 2025 MATHCOUNTS State Competition! Ahaan competed against more than 150 students from across Oakland County to earn his spot in the statewide round, which will be held tomorrow at Oakland University. Math competitions are nothing new for Ahaan — in February, he competed in the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament (HMMT), held at both Harvard and MIT. Good luck, Ahaan!

Wass Elementary was one of four Troy Schools named a State School of Character this February. Wass was recognized for its exceptional community programming and dedication to fostering a supportive environment where students excel. Principal Kristin Crowe highlighted, “At Wass Elementary, character education is at the heart of everything we do. Our community is committed to helping young learners become their best selves. We focus on key character traits: responsibility, respect, perseverance, integrity, and empathy. We are honored to be recognized as a State School of Character and will continue this important work for years to come.”

Troy Schools Science Olympiad teams had an incredible showing at the regional tournament last weekend. The Athens Red/Varsity team came in 3rd, just behind Troy High, who came in 2nd. IA East also qualified for states with a 5th place finish.

At the middle school level, Smith, Boulan Park, and Larson clinched the 1st through 3rd place spots! We look forward to cheering on all the teams as they head to states in April at MSU!

You can read more about this year's Teacher of the Year honorees in this week's Oakland Press or Troy Times.

Women’s History Month isn’t just a celebration—it’s a statement. It’s a powerful reminder that women and girls have shaped history, challenged barriers, and redefined what’s possible across every field, every generation, and every walk of life. The theme for 2025 is: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.”

From the classroom to the boardroom, from science labs to social movements, women have been at the forefront—often without recognition, but never without impact. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune built schools when education wasn’t an option for Black children. Malala Yousafzai risked everything to demand education for girls worldwide. Judith Resnik, one of the first women in space, paved the way for young girls in STEM. And every day in our schools, young girls bring curiosity, leadership, and innovation that shape the future.

This month, we recognize the pioneers—Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth, who fought for women's rights; Katherine Johnson and Marie Curie, whose minds changed science forever; Dolores Huerta, who organized for workers' rights; and Vice President Kamala Harris, who shattered political ceilings. But just as important, we celebrate the educators, the students, the changemakers in our own communities who prove that history is not just something we learn—it’s something we create.

As we honor Women’s History Month, let’s ensure every student—regardless of gender—understands that representation matters, that inclusion fuels progress, and that every voice has the power to make a difference. Let’s celebrate the past, empower the present, and inspire the future.

Curated Resources for Women's History Month

https://secure.smore.com/n/jeg3s-women-s-history-month-2025

For more information on the Attendance Area Review process, please visit our website.

Acorn2Oak is offering grants of up to $1,000 to help young innovators, scholars, and creators, ages 8-18, turn their aspirations into reality. Whether it's a business idea, community project, or a personal passion, #OaklandCounty is here to support. Applications are reviewed based on creativity, feasibility, impact potential, and alignment with the program’s goals.

Encourage a scholar you know to apply by Saturday, March 15: acorn2oakgrant.com.

We wanted to share this note from TSD Athletic Director Matt Jansen:

Dear Troy Community,

We are thrilled to share that the new artificial turf, baseball, and softball varsity fields at Troy High School have been officially cleared for use following today’s inspection! Walking through these state-of-the-art facilities truly feels like stepping into a minor league or small college park. While the natural grass areas will take a little time to grow and fill in, the walking paths and artificial surfaces are ready, and we are excited to kick off tryouts on Monday. Thank you for your continued support through your bond dollars—your investment has made this incredible upgrade possible. Welcome to spring sports season!

Matt Jansen

Director of Athletics, Continuing Education & Enrichment

Recently, Smith teachers visited Steelcase University in Grand Rapids as part of the preparation for the opening of the new Smith Middle School in 2026! Teachers had the opportunity to explore furniture options from Steelcase and learn how classroom design can support student learning. Next year, they will test furniture options from Steelcase and other manufacturers to help determine what should be purchased for classrooms in the new Smith building.

Troy High forensics students took their Grand Rapids competition by storm last weekend! The team finished second overall, with 28 students placing in the top 12, 18 students in the top 6, and 3 first-place finishers. Congratulations to the following students on your outstanding performances:

• Bismaad Kaur – Dramatic Interpretation, 1st Place

• Arnav Dighrasker – Broadcasting, 1st Place

• Patricia Mao – Extemporaneous Public Address, 1st Place

• Maya Pravin – Informative Public Address, 2nd Place

• Iniya Kumar – Impromptu Public Address, 2nd Place

• Praveena Matleswaran – Sales Public Address, 2nd Place

• Shreyan Maini – Impromptu Public Address, 3rd Place

• Athrv Siriki – Extemporaneous Public Address, 3rd Place

• Chinmay Nair – Extemporaneous Public Address, 5th Place

• Shreya Swaminathan – Oratory Public Address, 5th Place

• Riya Athalye – Broadcasting, 5th Place

• Aikshaya Rachamadugu – Duo Commentary, 6th Place

• Sanika Vemali – Duo Commentary, 6th Place

• Aditya Srivastava – Sales Public Address, 6th Place

• Lana Fargaly – Prose Interpretation, 6th Place

• Nicole Li – Program Oral Interpretation, 6th Place

• Aarya Bhosale – Extemporaneous Public Address, 7th Place

  
  

We are incredibly proud of your hard work and dedication!

Students in Grades 8-11 are encouraged to apply by May 31. For more information, or to apply, please visit the Leadership Oakland website.

To foster a sense of belonging for every Knight, Smith LINKS students planned and hosted a variety of games for all students to enjoy during yesterday's lunch. This event aligned with TSD Unified Sports' mission, providing opportunities for students of all abilities to play and connect. It looks like a great time was had by all!

Team 1829A Phantom from Boulan Park Middle School delivered an outstanding performance at the Michigan VEX Robotics State Championships on March 1, earning Tournament Champion, Robot Skills Champion, and Design Award honors. Their impressive results secured a triple qualification for the VEX World Championship in Dallas this May!

With a Robot Skills score of 94 points, Team 1829A ranks among the top 50 teams worldwide and top 15 in the U.S. for middle school teams. Congratulations to Team 1829A Phantom, and best of luck at Worlds!

All around the district, March is Reading Month is in full swing, but nowhere more than our elementary schools! From full school read alongs, to silent reading time on blankets with stuffies, this month is full of activities to encourage Troy students to read!

Troy Continuing Education students Susana Carranza, Marina Matias, and Laurie Dunn, along with Continuing Education Supervisor Tammy Brown, participated in MACAE Advocacy Day in Lansing this week. They met with Representative Sharon MacDonell and staff from Senator Michael Webber's office, and were grateful for the warm welcome they received. The students shared impactful stories and had a meaningful experience in Lansing. They would like to give a special thank you to Laurie, their Student Advisory Council leader, for her support throughout the day!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is William Shakespeare’s most magical comedy and one of his most popular and widely performed plays. It follows two sets of couples - Hermia (senior Reagan Feld) and Lysander (senior Rishabh Rao), and Helena (sophomore Quin VanAmberg) and Demetrius (junior Omar Atasi) - who flee to the woods to escape the laws of Athens. There, they find themselves in the dreamlike world of the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon (senior Jason Graf) and Titania (sophomore Kate Brokenshire), along with the mischievous Robin Goodfellow (freshman Michael Tananko), where their romantic entanglements grow even more complicated. Adding to the chaos, a troupe of actors also stumbles into the forest to rehearse their play.

Performances are on Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 16, at 2 p.m. All seats are reserved and sold online at http://troytheatreensemble.seatyourself.biz. All tickets are just $10! General admission tickets will be available at the box office 30 minutes before showtime.

The Athens Boys Basketball Team defeated Royal Oak to win the District Championship on Friday, Feb. 28! They then moved on to the Regional Semi-Finals, where their season came to an end. Congratulations on a great season team!

Thanks to TSD Creative Guild Student Producer Josie Gaiownik for this great video!

This past weekend, the Athens JV Powerlifting team competed at states. The Athens Women's JV team placed 3rd overall! The Varsity Team will compete at states tomorrow, beginning at 9 a.m.

Athletic Links:

Athens Athletics: https://RedhawkAthletics.org

Troy High Athletics: https://TroyAthletics.org

Facebook Links:

Troy High: https://www.facebook.com/troyhighathleticboosters

Athens: https://www.facebook.com/AthensBoosters

Booster SignUpGenius Links:

Troy High: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4BA4AC29A4F4CF8-troy#/

• Wednesday, March 12 & Thursday, March 13 - Conferences Pre-K - 12, Half Day for Pre-K - 12
  
  
• Friday, March 14 - Student Holiday, Staff Professional Development, No School for Pre-K - 12
  
  
• Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Athens and Troy High Graduation at the O'rena on the campus of Oakland University
  
  
• Sunday, June 1, 2025, 4 p.m. - IAE Graduation at Pine Knob
  
  
• Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 6 p.m. - TCCHS Graduation at Troy High

Join the team and make a difference in a student's educational development. If you're caring, dedicated, reliable, and love working directly with students and staff to help create a healthy learning environment for all, we need you. What we offer: On the job training, opportunities for advancement, work during school hours, work extra and summer hours. Apply today! Visit our site: https://www.applitrack.com/troy/onlineapp or contact us at the special education department, (248) 823-5096.

The Troy School District is searching for qualified candidates for the 2025-2026 school year! To learn more about teaching in Troy, visit https://tinyurl.com/Why-Troy and visit https://tinyurl.com/TSDJobOpp to see openings.

If you are interested in employment in the Troy School District, click here to access our Frontline Recruiting and Hiring System.