
WBHS Update
2/1/25
Principal's Message
Hello Laker Nation,
Don't forget! The WBEF Casino Night Fundraiser is on Friday, 2/7 from 7:00 - 11:00 PM. See the flyer below for details! Proceeds go directly to grants for WBSD teachers and students!
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February is Black History Month
2025 Theme: African Americans and Labor
The 2025 Black History Month theme, “African Americans and Labor,” looks at the important role work has played in Black history and culture. From the forced labor of enslaved people to skilled jobs, community work, and labor unions, Black workers have helped shape the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora. It highlights key moments, like the creation of the first Black labor union and leaders like Addie Wyatt and Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for fair treatment and justice. This theme helps us understand the challenges and contributions of Black workers throughout history and today.
See ASALH for more information about this year's theme.
February Month-Long Celebrations
● BLACK HISTORY MONTH - Celebrates Black History and African American culture in the United States.
● Ethnic Equality Month
Daily Celebrations and Recognitions
● February 1 - NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY Commemorates the signing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865.
● February 2 – Vasant Panchami – Hindu festival
● February 11-12 – Maghi-Purnima – a Buddhist holiday marking an event in the Buddha’s teaching life when a group of 1,250 enlightened saints ordained by the Buddha gathered to pay their respect to him.
● February 14 - VALENTINE’S DAY Celebrates the idea of romantic love.
● February 15 - PARINIRVANA DAY - Buddhist Celebrates the day when the historical Buddha achieved Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body.
● February 17 - PRESIDENTS’ DAY - Honors all past presidents of the United States of America.
● February 20 - WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE - U.N. day to recognize efforts to achieve fair outcomes for all through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work
● February 25– 28 - AYYÁM-I-HA OR INTERCALARY DAYS • Bahá’í The Ayyám-i-ha, or “Days of Ha” are devoted to spiritual preparation for the fast, celebrating, hospitality, charity and gift giving.
● February 26 – Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
● February 28 - March 30 – Ramadan – Islamic holiday
STUDENT PICK-UP REMINDERS
- With the cold weather and snowy lots, please use patience and care in the lot.
- If your student is not immediately ready to get in your vehicle, please park in a vacant spot so that you do not block the flow of traffic
- There is NO student pickup in the traffic loops closest to the building. When cars are in these loops, it can back up and block bus traffic
2nd semester schedules are available on PowerSchool. If a student cannot access theirs, please have them visit the office or see staff on Tuesday morning.
Student Planners are being sold in the counseling office for second semester at a discounted rate of $1.00!
Please help us with our goals by reminding students that hoods and ski masks cannot be worn indoors at any time. We need to be able to visually identify people in person, and on camera, to keep our school safe and secure. Hoods and ski masks make it very difficult for us to identify who is in our building. Thank you for your support.
Now that winter is officially upon us, please remember that school dismisses at 2:23 PM and students must be off campus or in a supervised sport, activity, rehearsal, or club by 2:45 PM. If a student is in an IN-SEASON activity, they may check in with a staff member in Laker Commons, across from the cafeteria, by 2:45 for supervision. Students who are not involved in an after school activity must leave by this time. Thank you for helping keep our school safe by complying with this request.
One of our school goals this year is to have 95% of students in attendance every school day. So far this year, we've been doing a good job, but there's always room for improvement! We all know that research shows that students perform better, learn more, and have more meaningful connections with peers and school when they are in school regularly. Please join us in these efforts by making sure students are in school when healthy, they stay in school all day, and that vacations are planned during our scheduled breaks. We are close to our 95% target, but need your help to meet it!
Eric Pace
Principal
West Bloomfield High School
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ATTENDANCE AND OUTPASS CLARIFICATION
In order to support all learners and protect our classes from unnecessary disruption:
- No immediate outpasses
- All outpasses must be called in by noon for the current day in order to be processed
- Students will not be released after 1:45, the release time must be before 1:45
- It is your student's responsibility to come to the attendance office at the time of the outpass, we are unable to call into rooms in order to protect the teaching and learning of the other students.
Drop off items:
If you are dropping off an item for your students please make sure they are aware. They will need to stop by the security desk in between classes. We are unable to call into rooms in order to protect the teaching and learning of the other students.
Teacher Communication:
In order to minimize disruptions we will no longer be calling in for dropped off items or outpasses. Please make sure to check the outpass list when releasing students.
After School Expectations
Thank you for all of your support this year with attendance and student behaviors! As we enter the colder months, there are a couple of areas we are focusing on. We need your help. In order to keep our students and school safe, we cannot have students staying after school for extended periods of time. Anyone who stays after school MUST be in a supervised activity or sport. Students cannot stay beyond 2:45 if they are waiting for a ride. Please make proper arrangements, as we cannot safely supervise students who stay after school with nothing to do. We will ask students to be outside at 2:45 and they will not be permitted to re-enter the building. Students in unsupervised areas will be subject to disciplinary action. As it gets cold outside, it is important to make proper arrangements.
Also, it is essential that students are in school regularly and on time. As it becomes darker earlier, and cooler in the mornings, we typically see an increase in the number of students arriving late. Please join us in making prompt arrival and attendance a focus for all.
Proud to be a Laker!
Eric Pace
Principal - WBHS
Did you know the West Bloomfield Educational Foundation (WBEF) has provided over $1 million in grant funding to our public school teachers? WBEF has impacted every grade at every school in the district. The WBEF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. The more donations we receive, the more grant requests we can fulfill. More info at https://www.wbef.org/
WBHS Theatre Presents: Jackie Robinson Steals Home
Senior All Night Party and Senior Yard Signs
Oakland County Art Contest
Oakland County public high school students are invited to submit 2-D, multi-media and video art related to the importance of financial empowerment. Winners and honorable mentions from each grade will receive significant cash prizes from a prize pool totaling $10,000.
Student entries may include 2-D (drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, and illustration) and video. Entries are judged on creativity, artistic execution, and the incorporation of the financial empowerment theme.
Oakland County Public High School students in grades 9-12 may participate in the arts content. All entries must be submitted no later than Friday, March 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.,
Support WBHS DECA at Kroger
Please consider supporting WBHS DECA by shopping at Kroger! You can go right to Kroger.com and log in to your account and select WBHS DECA (code XA702) under community rewards. You still get all your points, but you can also support our incredible DECA program!
Breakfast and Lunch Information
Free & Reduced Lunch forms have a new name - please fill it out
The new school year has opened in meal magic so we are ready for free and reduced applications to start coming in. We are serving free meals under Michigan School Meals again this year, but we still need all families to complete an application. The free and reduced meals application is now called the "Education and Nutrition Benefits Application." This is because it is tied to other benefits that families may receive such as Summer EBT. These supplemental programs have the potential to offer additional support for reduced priced sports, ACT, SAT, college application and AP exam waivers. This information is also critical in determining the amount of money our schools receive from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs.
Here is an FAQ letter answering Frequently Asked Questions. All of our applications are taken 100% online.
Our special dietary needs form is also posted online. This needs to be filled out and returned to nutrition services for any students that may have severe medical food allergies. Thank you!
WB Wrestling Downs Groves to Win OAA League Championship!
On Wednesday the Lakers traveled to Seaholm High School for a much-anticipated showdown with Groves. Both the Lakers and the Falcons were undefeated in OAA White League competition, but of course only one team would finish the night that way.
The Lakers started strong, with senior Gavin O’neal getting a pin at 165. Davis Hurley took a major victory at 175, and senior captain Mohammad Hadeed pinned his opponent at 190. After the Falcons earned two consecutive pins at 215 and 285, the score stood WB 15, Groves 12.
Freshman Jack Crane took a major victory at 113, sophomore Carson Acree pinned his opponent at 120, and sophomore Brian Valentin got a technical fall at 126. Groves took 132 and a surprise pin at 138, but senior captain Julian Brenner answered with a quick pin at 144.
After Groves earned another upset pin at 150, it all came down to the final match. A win for either team would seal the dual. Sophomore Christian Ausi gave up the first takedown, but battled back and pinned his opponent in the 2nd period, and the Lakers walked out of Seaholm High School as League Champs! Congratulations, team!
Final Score: WB 38, Groves 29
Next up for the Lakers: The Individual OAA League tournament, held at Berkley High School today, Friday 1/31 starting at 500pm. Go Lakers!
School Updates and Info
ALLERGIES/ASTHMA/MEDICAL CONDITIONS – Students are not allowed to carry medication. The office must have a complete, signed West Bloomfield School District Medical Action Plan to be able to carry out any medication distribution. Each medication requires a separate form. Each year we need an updated plan for students needing medication. If your child requires medication the first day of school you must contact the office before school to verify paperwork and deliver the medication to the office. Further questions, please contact the school office at 248-865-6720.
ATTENDANCE – West Bloomfield School District expects students to be in school and on time for school on a daily basis. Absent and tardy students will be recorded daily and parents will be notified.
If your child will not be in school or will be late to school, you must call the 24-hour answering machine at 248-865-6722. Leave your student’s name, teacher’s name and reason for absence. For the safety of our students, please do your best to remember to call before the start of school (even if you are only going to be “a little” late).
- PROMPT 1 - Excuse an Absence - Absences must be called in within 24 hours of the student missing school, or the absence will be marked as unexcused.
- PROMPT 2 - Excuse a Tardy (only if a student is late to school, not to a class after they've arrived)
- PROMPT 3 - Early Dismissal (Outpass) - These must be submitted prior to the dismissal time if possible. Those trying for an early dismissal at the time that it is needed may experience a delay while the information is processed and the student is retrieved from class.
In an effort to support student safety and proper accountability, all absences should be excused by a parent. If the absent in unexcused, this tells us that the school and the family do not know where the student is, if not in school. Please make sure to excuse all absences. Teachers may not accept work for unexcused absences in an effort to discourage skipping.
Students who accumulate too many tardies may be subject to disciplinary actions such as after school detentions or suspension of school parking.
Students who accumulate too many absences will be referred to Oakland County Youth Assistance for support and may be referred to Oakland County Truancy is absences become excessive.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS - Students are expected to be safe, respectful, and responsible at all times. Specific expectations can be found in the student handbook or the student code of conduct, and key items are listed below.
- Closed campus for lunch - Students MAY NOT receive an outpass to go to lunch or to pick up food for any reason.
- No food deliveries during school hours. This includes Door Dash, Grubhub, etc.
- No inappropriate or revealing clothing for any students
- No clothing with alcohol, drug, sexual, or inappropriate language or images
- No inappropriate language or gestures to be used by students at any time
- No hoods to be worn in school at any time
- No ski masks to be worn in school at any time
- No sunglasses to be worn in school at any time
- Phone use should only occur during passing time or during lunch. During class, it is up to the teacher's discretion as to how students may or may not use phones. If a student violates a teacher's phone policy/expectations, the teacher may confiscate the phone and return it to the student at the end of the period, or turn it in to the Student Relations office.
- Students must be in the cafeteria, Laker Commons, or the courtyard during lunch times. Students may not wander the halls or be in any unauthorized areas during lunches.
AFTER SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS - School dismisses at 2:23 PM. ALL STUDENTS need to be in a supervised activity or out of the building by 2:45 PM. We do not have the ability to safely supervise students after this time. There will be a late stay location for students who are in athletics or activities that begin AFTER 2:45. This supervised location will be in Laker Commons, across from the cafeteria. This supervision is ONLY for students who are in an activity. Students who are staying later than 2:45 who are not in a sport/activity must exit the building at or before this time. Students will be required to sign in with their ID and the activity they belong to.
LATE STARTS – throughout the school year we will participate in professional development that delays the start of the school day. On these days, school will start at 8:30 a.m., and the doors will be open for students beginning at 8:00 a.m.
IMMUNIZATIONS – All students that attend West Bloomfield School District must have accurate shot record information on file. Please be sure records are up to date. New students that do not have a shot record or a waiver on file are not allowed to attend school.
Social Skills for Kids
Attendance Tips
- Talk with your child about the importance of showing up to school every day, on time.
- Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
- Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
- If your child attends an unavoidable appointment during the school day, please ask the dentist, doctor, etc. for a note to excuse them from school. This should be turned in to the main office.
- Communicate with us if your child is sick. Please always call the SAFELINE if your child will be absent.
- Help your child stay engaged--remind them that you are excited to hear about their day when they come home.
- Ask for help from us if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. We are here to partner with you for your child's success!
Mental Health Resources
WBSD has partnered with Parent Guidance.org to give parents free access to resources and helpful information. We have shared this information with our families. We hope that it will be useful for some of you as well!
ParentGuidance.org is an online service by licensed therapists that provides trusted and specialized courses, professional support, and a safe community for parents to learn how to support their children and get answers to mental health questions.