WBHS Update

Hello Laker Nation,

Please join me in congratulating the class of 2024 on their graduation! We had an amazing commencement ceremony at Pine Knob on Wednesday. We are so proud of their accomplishments and wish them the best on their next chapters in life.

With only one week of school remaining in the school year, it is important to finish strong! Final exams begin on Tuesday and continue for the remainder of the week. Make sure to get good rest, eat healthy meals, and prepare to the best of your abilities. Please see below for the detailed schedule. Please note that there is not supervision for students after the half days. All students must arrange to be off campus by 11:00 AM on the half days.

Please make sure your books are turned in to the bookroom prior to the end of the school year. There is a table behind the iCenter if the bookroom is not open when you visit.

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Please be reminded of the importance of full time, daily attendance. It is essential that students are on time to school, which means IN CLASSROOMS by 7:30 AM. We need your help and assistance to make this happen more regularly. Please make it a priority to have students to school with enough time to enter the building and to get to their classrooms by 7:30 AM at the latest. Every minute late is a minute of lost opportunities and learning. Thank you for your support.

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As warmer weather approaches, we typically see an uptick in some student behaviors. As a reminder, water guns, Orbeez guns, or any other likeness to a weapon are not permitted on school grounds at any time. This usually involves the use of these types of toy guns. This game, and these items are strictly prohibited at WBHS. Any student found to have one of these items will be found in violation of our Student Code of Conduct and will be subject to disciplinary action. Please take a moment to have a conversation about this at home.

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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 2:00, the release time must be before 2:00
• 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.

Proud to be a Laker!

Eric Pace

Principal - WBHS

Dear West Bloomfield Families,

Thank you for being our valued partners as we work together to provide the best educational experience imaginable for the children in the West Bloomfield School District. We are proud to provide great opportunities for each student, and we aim to do an ever better job next school year.

As we prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, we are already diligently planning to enhance how we support each student’s journey. Your input and feedback will be instrumental in that planning, as it helps identify what is working and where we can grow as a district.

Therefore, we kindly ask you to take some time to complete this brief end-of-year survey: CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you again for your support!

Sincerely,

Scott Long

MIPA Summer Workshop - this is held on the campus of MSU and offers different camps such as sports journalism, radio broadcasting, television broadcasting, and more. It runs July 21st - July 25th. There is a scholarship deadline of June 1st. We are a MIPA school so there is a discount on fees.

Focal Point - Digital Arts, Film, and Television (DAFT) hosts a film based workshop on the campus of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. This day camp focuses on filmmaking and runs from August 5 - August 9. There are many full tuition scholarships available.

Apply here for the WB Youth Assistance Camp and Skill Building Scholarship! Parents/Guardians of applicants will be notified within two weeks of eligibility after the completion of this application. Please apply three weeks prior to the start of the camp/program to ensure payment of the scholarship is received by the camp/program before its start date. Please email info@wbyouthassistance.org if you have any questions.

The purpose of the West Bloomfield Youth Assistance (WBYA) Camp and Skill Building Scholarship is to offer enrichment opportunities to economically disadvantaged children between the ages of 5 - 17 years old. This application can be used for the following:

• Summer Camp
• Skill Building/Workshop
• Educational and Enrichment Activity

Process and Guidelines:

• Application must be completed and submitted to West Bloomfield Youth Assistance.
• The recipient must reside in the West Bloomfield School District.
• WBYA will award scholarship money on merit and a first come, first served basis while funding is available, and until all available funding is exhausted.
• Families may apply for more than one program per child. However, the maximum awarded is $250 per child per calendar year.
  
• WBYA agrees to cover ninety percent (90%) of the total cost, while families are responsible for the remaining ten percent (10%).
• Please apply three weeks prior to the start of the camp/program to ensure payment of the scholarship is received by the camp/program before its start date. WBYA will pay the program provider or vendor directly. Funding for scholarships is limited, as is the number of students able to attend each camp/program, so please apply as early as possible.
• Applications must be accompanied by a copy of the determination letter (or email) sent to the Parents/Guardians of the applicant(s) by the Food Service Department or State for free/reduced price meals.
• If the scholarship is accepted and not used, or the applicant is a no-show for the camp or program, then the applicant must contact WBYA to let the organization know the reason(s). The applicant may apply for a different program using the same application form (subject to Board approval).
• Families are encouraged to submit a thank you letter and/or a drawing/photo of the applicant at the activity, to share with WBYA Board. If the family chooses to remain anonymous, WBYA will accept the notes without identifying features.

For the 2023-24 school year, the State of Michigan created the Michigan School Meals Program allowing all students to receive one free breakfast and lunch meal daily at school, no matter their free/reduced meal status. However, filling out a free/reduced meal form is very important to families who are eligible and for the District to receive funding.

Family Benefits for Qualifying for Free/Reduced Meals

When families qualify for free/reduced price meals, students may be eligible for the following benefits:

• Reduced Summer School fees

• Reduced field trip fees with request

• Reduced SAT, ACT and AP testing fees

• Reduced college application fees

• Potential additional benefits for Bridge Cards/P-EBT

• Potential support for household cable/internet

• Potential programs that provide holiday support
  
  

West Bloomfield School District Benefits for Qualifying Free/Reduced Meal Families

Did you know the federal government uses the number of free/reduced meal eligible students to determine how much money the district receives in grant funding?

• West Bloomfield School District becomes eligible for Federal funds (Title I) when qualifying families fill out their free/reduced meal applications. If families do not fill out their forms, the District is at risk of losing funding for staff who provide critical services to our students.
  
  

Visit the application page to view the complete the application today!

À La Carte Items

Students are welcome to bring meals from home and purchase à la carte items as needed (including milk, second meals, bottled beverages and snack items).

Free Lunch Application

Student planners are available for purchase in the WBHS Counseling Office for only $5! If you're looking for a way to keep students on track without using their phones, this is an inexpensive option.

• Help with Canvas
• www.wbsd.org/academics/classroom-to-cloud/canvas or
• canvashelp@wbsd.org
• Help with Chromebook: www.wbsd.org/departments/technology
• Help with PowerSchool: www.wbsd.org/parents/powerschool

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.

If your child is a student (3 to 26 years of age) in the West Bloomfield Schools, s/he can also participate in the 2023-24 Blessings in a Backpack program.

This program sends six non-perishable meals home each Friday of the school year. Its goal is to make sure that no child goes hungry on the weekend. Run by volunteers, there is NO cost to you.

To enroll in this program, please fill out this form and return it to your school office or email it to katherinesheiko@hotmail.com. This registers your child/ren in the Blessings program and alerts us to any allergies they might have. The first backpack of food will be distributed to your child at his/her local school the first week of October.

• 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!

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.

For all updates related to college, careers, counseling, scholarships, college rep visits, and more, make sure to check out the Counselor Connection Newsletter.