The Pipeline

Hello Ford Students and Families!

We are now entering an exciting phase of the school year where students are fully immersed in their industry-aligned curriculum. They are discovering the incredible possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead. It’s truly remarkable to witness our students earning credentials, winning regional and state competitions, and securing promising job offers. Their proactive approach in advocating for their future is inspiring.

Stay tuned for upcoming issues, where we will showcase the impressive successes emerging from our Tech Center. I am proud of our students and staff, and their accomplishments speak volumes about their hard work and dedication.

Kind regards,

Stephanie Bigelow, M.A., L.P.C.

Hello, we have exciting news!

Raymar Patterson, Jax Young, and Mara Magyarosi-Laytner are so excited to announce that William D. Ford Career Tech collected 59 total awards for our Scholastic Art Region this year! 20 Gold Keys, 16 Silver Keys, and 23 Honorable Mentions.

A few things to note about this year and some fun data:

• Our region is large - our students are competing against students in eleven different counties!
• Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention are essentially 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. All Gold Key Winners are automatically placed in the National judging for the opportunity to exhibit and be awarded in NYC in June. We currently have 20 Gold Keys up for Nationals - up from 16 last year!
• Our awards cross four programs this year - Digital Photography & Media, Film & TV Media, Digital Art & Design, and a cool crossover into Firefighting - each student's program status is indicated on the list and on the PDF slide with the work.
• Out of the 49 students currently in Digital Photography & Media, 26 students received awards - 53% of the program. This is pretty unheard of when compared to other schools in our region.
• Out of the 363 total winners in the Photography category this year, our Digital Photography & Media students took 53 individual awards - 14% of the entire category. According to the data, that puts our school in first place for the total number of individual Photography awards for the region!

Below contains slides containing the images of all award winners from WDFCTC, as well as information for the invitation to the event for our region on Tuesday, February 11th at the DIA Film Theater and exhibition at College for Creative Studies.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xhgoRfeOz8ixQjjfzc2BPnXFYyZ4LRjPmcl_c6X5gPE/edit#slide=id.g4dfce81f19_0_45

Please join me in congratulating Kaitlen Trammell for earning the gold medal at the Regional Culinary Competition this past Saturday. She will now advance to the state competition for SkillsUSA.

February is American Heart Month, a time to celebrate the life-saving skills learned by both students and staff at Ford Career Tech, who are all trained and certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED. Thanks to this invaluable training, we already have a growing list of students who have risen to the occasion and become heroes in their own communities.

Students from the Robotics, Manufacturing and Engineering class had an incredible opportunity to visit the SXI preschool classroom at Stottlemyer Early Childhood Center. They spent time getting to know the preschoolers and interviewing staff to gather valuable insights.

Now, the students will take their observations and research back to the classroom, where they’ll begin designing and modifying jeeps to enhance mobility and independence for these young learners. This hands-on project allows them to apply core knowledge while developing essential 21st-century skills under the scope of Ms. Stacey Synowiec-Barnard.

Any junior or senior who is interested in attending William D. Ford Career-Technical Center should complete a student enrollment request form.

Eligible juniors and seniors in the Wayne-Westland Community School District and surrounding partner schools should complete the enrollment request no later than Friday, February 14, 2025.

Please note, completing an enrollment request does not guarantee a spot at William D. Ford Career-Technical Center. Students will be notified when placements are made based on the timeline listed.

Important Calendar Dates:

• Fire Up Your Future (Open House): February 11, 2025
• First Round Student Enrollment Request Closes: February 14, 2025
• Returning 2nd Year Application (Application for students who attended WDF in the 24-25 school year who want to return for the 25-26 school year in the SAME program): March 21, 2025
• First Round Placements Sent: April 1, 2025
• Second Round Student Enrollment Request Closes: April 11, 2025
• Final Placement List Completed: May 7, 2025
• Gear Up for Success Night (25-26 Orientation, invitations will be mailed out): May 28, 2025

Application Links

Current Wayne-Westland William D. Ford Career Technical Center Student Enrollment Request - (25-26 School Year)
Out Of District- William D. Ford Career Technical Center Student Enrollment Request - (25-26 School Year)

LiUNA Training of Michigan is now accepting applications for their summer program! The Laborers' Pathways to Apprenticeship is a 10-week high school program designed to introduce students to the Michigan Construction Laborers and a Department of Labor (DOL) registered apprenticeship opportunity. If you're interested in applying, please see Mrs. McKenzie for more details!

February 17-21, 2025 - No School for Mid-Winter Break

February 10- Washtenaw ISD visits Tech Center

February 10 and 11 - Reality Fair (Only Seniors)

February 11 - Fire Up Your Future - Open House 6 to 8 PM

February 11- Scholastic Award Ceremony at the DIA

March 19 - National Technical Honor Society Induction Ceremony @ 6 PM at WMHS

April 11 thru 13 - SkillsUSA State Competition in Grand Rapids

April 29 - Job Fair

May 6 - Career-Tech Recognition Night at Stockmeyer Auditorium 6 - 8 PM

May 26 - Memorial Day - No School

May 28 - Gear Up For Success Event - 25/26 Student Orientation - 6 - 8 PM

June 23 - 27 - SkillsUSA National Competition - Atlanta, GA

TBD - Summer Camp for Elementary and Middle School Students (more info to come)

If you are interested in supporting any of our CTE programs, please feel free to fill out the form:

https://forms.gle/rD22kqhwbJrWVMJL6

1. Magnum Manufacturing

2. Downriver Refrigeration Supply

3. Mountain Machine

4. Contract Welding

5. Avis Ford

6. Woolf Aircraft Products Inc.

7. Ford Motor Company

8. Jack Demmer

9. E & E Manufacturing

10. Fox Motors

11. Henry Ford OptimEyes

12. City of Westland-City Hall

13. Detroit Institute of Arts

14. Jade Child Development Center

15. Primrose School of Canton

16. Glacier Hills

17. MedPro New Boston

18. Trinity IHA Cherry Hill

19. Michigan High School Firefighter Combine

20. Praveen Modi, MD, PC

21. Frobel Child Care & Montessori School

22. Carpenter and Millwrights Union

23. Michigan CAT

24. SPE (Inspiring Plastics Professionals)

25. Regency at Westland

If you have a parking pass and plan to drive to Career Tech, please note that there are new start times for ALL DRIVERS beginning in the second semester.

- For the AM session, classes will start at 7:25 AM.

- For the PM session, classes will start at 11:25 AM.

Remember, if you have the privilege of driving, you are expected to arrive at school by these designated start times.

This is an important reminder for all students and families: we have a strict NO Food Service Delivery policy in place. To maintain the safety of our building, visitors are only permitted to enter through the main office. Any students who chooses to open doors and retrieve items from delivery services will face immediate suspension, as this behavior endangers the safety of everyone in the building. Compliance with this policy is non-negotiable.

Please see the following information regarding transportation and parking:

Please be aware that each sending school has distinct rules, times, and requirements concerning transportation. Students must verify any transportation-related questions and concerns with their home high school. If you intend to drive, you are required to obtain a parking pass from Ford Tech’s administration. These passes are priced at $25 and come with a mandatory arrival time at school. For morning arrivals, drivers must be on-site no later than 7:25 am, and for afternoon arrivals, no later than 11:10 am. Please note that Ford Tech reserves the right to revoke parking privileges in the event of any concerns or issues.

****Attention Wayne-Westland students: Please be mindful that Wayne-Westland students should park ONLY at their respective home high school. Specifically, John Glenn students MUST park at their school, while transportation has been arranged for Wayne Memorial and Innovative Academy students. Due to the limited parking spaces of over 1100 students and the restaurant, we urge strict adherence to this policy. Exceptions are granted for students with higher-level work-based learning experiences, provided they obtain approval from both schools' administrative teams. Students who drive without permission may face disciplinary consequences.

Please click on the link for one of the TikTok videos made for the Fire/EMT program at William D. Ford.

https://www.tiktok.com/@wwcsd_ccr_sel/video/7310370034260430111

Our latest video for our Welding program.

https://www.tiktok.com/@wwcschools/video/7335874530986085678?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7328075319805265451

If you want to see more of what's happening in the district, please follow the link...

https://www.tiktok.com/@wwcschools

Wayne-Westland Attendance Policy:

District Policy:

Wayne-Westland Schools prioritizes student attendance, student safety, and student support. Our District has implemented a comprehensive attendance policy that will identify barriers families face and provide support so that they may attend school regularly. Working with our community partners, our goal is to reduce chronic absenteeism at all grade levels.

Additional details regarding the policy can be found here:

https://www.wwcsd.net/departments/administrative-services/student-services/#Attendance

Wayne-Westland Community Schools has a Family Resource Center (FRC), which provides services to any student/family enrolled in our District, free of cost. Some of the services they provide are: basic need assistance, access to over 700 local resources, Laundry Assistance Program and material items for those unable to afford them (emergency toiletries, socks/underwear, hats/gloves/scarves, etc.). They are also able to provide school supplies and backpacks year round for any WWCS student. Please contact our Family Resource Center at: 734-419-2709 or FRC@wwcsd.net. Our FRC also has a Digital Request for Services Form, which can be used to request assistance. Please contact the Family Resource Center directly with any additional questions regarding their services.

Please see the following link regarding the procedures followed when having to cancel school due to inclement weather. Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q7PF241OdFeYLO2P5KylZZC2J7Q00WEBLzVx7bAeZaY/edit?usp=sharing

Take Charge of Your Internet: To ensure all students have the access they need, the State of Michigan is conducting a Broadband Mapping Challenge, which can help secure federal funds to expand quality broadband to homes in our district. Michigan residents can visit the website to check the map for their home address and submit necessary corrections to the state internet map. This program may be the best opportunity to get all of our students and families online. Link to PDF