Dear Parents:
A strong partnership with parents/guardians and teachers is key to ensuring our children’s success. One important component of that partnership is parent/teacher conferences. This is an opportunity for us to meet, celebrate your child’s progress, and discuss goals for continued growth.
Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, November 14th from 12:15-8:15 p.m in a hybrid format. Half of the day is formatted for virtual conferences and the other half is allocated for in-person conferences. The times listed below are the format for both types of conferences, and are consistent at all four district middle schools. When you sign up in Skyward for your conferences, the virtual or in-person formats will be listed. At the middle school level, once spots are taken in each format (in-person or virtual), there will not be additional times available to sign up through Skyward.
All individual Parent/Teacher Conferences need to be scheduled online, in advance, through your parent Family Access account. You may sign up for time slots beginning on Monday, November 4th @ 7:00 a.m. All conferences, regardless of core or encore teacher, must be scheduled online.
Virtual Conferences: 12:15 - 3:45 PM
In-Person Conferences: 4:00 - 8:15 PM
Important Details for Scheduled Conferences
Online sign up in Family Access will only work using your parent login. If you still need a username and password, please email FamilyAccess@wlcsd.org or contact the Family Access hotline at 248.956.2190.
Online sign up will be available November 4th@ 7:00 a.m. and stay open until November 13th @ 7:00 AM
Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place virtually via TEAMS and each individual conference will be 5 minutes in length for general education classes. Special Education Resource Room Caseload workers will offer 15 minute conferences. Teachers will monitor the TEAMS waiting room and will remove parents and admit parents at the scheduled time.
Prior to conferences, parents will be provided with a master list of teachers and the teacher’s corresponding TEAMS Link.
When scheduling consecutive conferences, you must leave one five-minute conference gap between appointments. Ensuring you have a five-minute gap will allow you time to move from one teacher’s conference to the next.
With all students having six different teachers throughout each school day, if their academic grade is satisfactory to both you and the teacher and you feel your student is being successful, please consider prioritizing the several teachers that you must see during conferences. Following this process will allow enough time slots to be available for all families.
Scheduling a conference with your counselor is not required, however, if there is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed at conferences you may schedule a conference with your child’s counselor. Due to the number of students they serve, if you do not have a pressing issue then you do not need to schedule a conference.
If you feel you need a longer conference with any teacher, we are happy to schedule a separate conference. All staff contact information can be found at our school website.
Tutorials: Conference Scheduling on Skyward
A video tutorial showing the process for scheduling conferences can be found at this How To Schedule Conferences Online link.
Written directions can be found at the Secondary Parents Conference Sign Up link.
Tutorials: Attending Conferences via TEAMS on November 14th, 2024
Video directions for how to attend your conferences on November 14th can be found at this Video Directions Link
Written directions can be found at this Written Directions Link
In Partnership,
Jennifer VanWagnen, Principal
We Are Banks!
Upcoming Events
October
10/18- Picture Retakes
10/18- XC @ LVC Tournament-Away
10/19-Volleyball @ LVC Tournament-Away
10/21-Banks/GMS MS Orchestra Concert @ WLW, 6:30 PM
10/22- Best Day Ever Celebration in PM
10/24-MSU vs. U of M Day- Sport your Favorite Team's Colors or Swag!
10/25-Pink Out Day-Wear Pink to School!
10/25-Fire Drill
10/25-NJHS Retreat
10/25-FIrst Marking Period Ends
10/25- WLW MS Band Night @ WLW
10/25-WLW Warriors for Warriors Pink Out football game vs. WL Central @ 7 PM
10/31-Half Day for Students, Dismissal at 11:40 AM
November
11/1: PBIS Pep Assembly in PM
11/4: Online Sign-Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences Opens @ 7 AM
11/5: Election Day - No School for Students or Staff - Remember to VOTE!
11/7: Board of Education regular meeting
11/12: Deadline to Submit PTSA Reflections Submissions
11/13:Online Sign-Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences CLOSES @ 7 AM
11/14-Parent-Teacher Conferences
Update from Ms. Smith
Congratulations to our 7th grade volleyball team on another exciting win. The Bulldogs defeated Walnut Creek on Wednesday, and will play this Saturday in the championship bracket of the league tournament at Walled Lake Northern High School. Come and cheer on our amazing 7th grade team. Good luck, ladies!
The 8th grade team played a great game against Creek Wednesday night. The girls did a fantastic job stepping up for their team and supporting each other amidst stress and injuries. Once again, Zoe had some great kills- with a leftie roll. Amazing digs by Sophia, Adyn, Lexi, and Jaz. Great saves by Peyton, Autumn, and Olivia. Great movement by Bella Brie and Keely. Grace stood out with 5 aces! Moxie Kendal and Elise had some great short coverage. All together, all players ended the primary season on a high note, communicating and working together as a team! Special thanks to our manager Lilly for being an amazing addition to the team all season as well.
Winter I Sports Season:
6/7th Grade Basketball Sign-Up:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1g4fnIXPGV9ZO5g82bETkIhD2ollznJDbf3VUcW7GjSg/edit
8th Grade Basketball Sign-Up:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L0wow8QB1C1oUqwAXI2onNOD6Wn_8hJLZjzC-GcShic/edit
Banks & Geisler Swim and Dive Team:
Attached PDF below for more information
Pop! Fundraiser Update:
Raised: $14,468
Goal: $25,000
Thank you again to all who have given! We are looking for an end push to reach $25,000! Our fundraiser ends Tuesday, October 22, but we will continue to accept donations until the 27th. See the link below to donate!
https://app.pop4kids.org/cause/admin/61078251
Pop! Fundraiser Outdoor Celebration
What: DAY of Awesome/Best Day Ever
Who: Students who completed a Golden Ticket, $50 in donations, or $100.00 +bring a friend!
When: Tuesday, October 22, 12:00-3:00
Where: Behind Sarah Banks on Athletic fields
8th Grade Washington, D.C. Trip
Thank you to all the families who were able to attend the Washington, D.C. Trip Informational Meeting on October 10th. For those families who were unable to attend, please visit our Sarah Banks D.C. information and registration link through American Expeditions, click on "GO TO MY TRIP" and enter the tour code: sarahbanksdc2025.
To view the meeting presentation from October 10th, please click here.
If you have any questions about the DC trip, please reach out to Mr. Morrow at DavidMorrow@wlcsd.org.
New Information: PTSA Update
We are only ONE memberships away from our membership drawing! Join the PTSA now!
Want to help your child’s school?? JOIN THE PTSA!! Your membership includes volunteering at school events OR not! Monthly meetings OR not!
We would love to have you as much or little as your time allows but your Membership Donation helps no matter how much time you have! HELP us meet our membership goal of 100 members! In return we are raffling off this fantastic FALL BASKET! Have you already joined the PTSA? No worries you will automatically be entered into the raffle! Virtual tickets will be drawn after we have reached our goal!
Want to have the inside scoop on what is happening in your child’s school?? JOIN THE PTSA and JOIN US for our monthly meetings! We love to have parents/guardians at our meetings! Join here…
Upcoming PTSA Events: Mark Your Calendars
Upcoming PTSA Events..
POP! Prepare for the Day of Awesome!
1st annual Turkey Trot will be held on November 20th - More info coming soon!
Follow us on social media..
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/sarahbanksptsa?igsh=MXBpanFrNnBmZnJleQ==
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbanksptsa/
PTSA Reflections
Is your student looking for a creative outlet? We are looking for students to enter into our yearly nationally recognized Reflections contest! This year's theme: Accepting Imperfection
Deadline to Submit PTSA Reflections Submissions: November 12th, 2024
Use this link to gain insight on this Theme.
Explore the 2024-2025 PTA Reflections Theme: Accepting Imperfection
Use this link to enter the contest.
Want to pick PTSA Reflections theme for next year? Enter the theme contest here…
Teacher of the Year Nominations Now Being Accepted
Banks Middle School Community,
The Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is again participating in a program to honor exemplary teachers/educators. We hope you will join us in an effort that will result in the selection of the Teacher/Educator of the Year for the Walled Lake Consolidated School District at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. This honor will be bestowed at our Thursday, January 9, 2025 school board meeting.
Please use the attached fillable nomination form to nominate a deserving Sarah G. Banks Middle School educator NO later than Friday, October 18, 2024. Nominations can also be emailed directly to JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org or turned into the front office. Any full time, certified, tenured teacher/educator who spends 50% of his/her time in a classroom with a minimum of five (5) full years of classroom teaching experience is eligible to receive this award. Any person in the school community may nominate any teacher/educator in the District for this honor.
It can be tricky to nominate a teacher so early in the year, as you are just getting to know them. Some nominations are based on a family’s experience thus far this school year, some are based on a teacher they had on the past, and some are based on a family’s experience with a teacher through the years with multiple children from their family.
Teacher of the Year Nomination Form
For families that have a primary language other than English, if it is easier to complete a nomination in your first language, please do and we will work to have it translated to English for consideration.
Thank you for helping to acknowledge the great staff at Sarah G. Banks Middle School!
FALL USED BOOK SALE OCTOBER 16th – 19th, 2024
Buy books at the Wixom Public Library, 49015 Pontiac Trail, Fall Used Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Wixom Library. Advance Sale for Friends Members only on Wednesday Oct 16th 5 – 7:30 p.m. (memberships available at the door.) Public Sale begins Thursday, Oct 17th from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will run Friday, Oct 18th from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and on Saturday Oct 19th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday – Fill a bag $5. Thousands of books and multimedia items for all ages, priced between 25 cents and $2, plus specially priced items.
Walled Lake Western High School Safety Guidelines and Admissions
Visiting team spectators should park on the north side of the school and enter through the visiting side entrance for admissions. Visitors attempting to enter on the home side will be directed to walk around to the visiting ticket booth.
Home side spectators should park on the south side of the school and enter through the home side entrance for admissions.
WLCSD Athletic events are now cashless. All tickets for home events MUST be purchased through the GoFan website (Walled Lake Western High School Events) or by using credit/debit card at the ticket booth. Pre-Purchased tickets will be the quickest way to enter games. NO SCREENSHOTS of tickets will be accepted for any athletic events. Anyone over 62 and under 5 years old are admitted at no charge.
Ticket Takers will be enforcing the following expectations for the safety of all. Admin and/or law enforcement on site will be contacted should any spectators refuse to comply.
-No Pets/animals are permitted on WLW’s property
- No alcohol, drug, tobacco, or any illegal substances are permitted on campus or on school property.
- There is NO RE-ENTRY to the stadium for any reason.
-No outside food/drink, coolers, thermoses, cups, bottles, cans, flasks, or any other outside containers (including open bottled water) are permitted inside the stadium.
-No electronic noise makers, speakers, or Bluetooth devices are permitted in the stadium.
-No parking in the bus loop on the south side. Violators will be ticketed.
-Bags are NOT permitted into the stadium unless they are clear/see-through. Any approved bag is subject to search by ticket takers, administration, and/or Oakland County Deputies on site.
All middle school and elementary school-aged children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian for the entire athletic event in order to attend any and all Western Athletic Events. Those who are not supervised, will not be permitted to enter the gyms and/or stadium or will be asked to leave if not continually supervised upon entering.
District seeks operating millage replacement in November election
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is asking the community to replace its current operating millage with an 18 mill non-homestead millage that represents roughly $31 million and a 3.6297 mill hold harmless that represents approximately $2 million of the district’s budget. The total of $33 million accounts for 18 percent of the district’s $187 million revenue budget.
Every District in the state is expected to levy, with voter approval, 18 mills on all non-homestead properties in order to receive full state funding under Proposal A. The 3 mill "Headlee cushion" will allow the district to collect the full 18 mills over the duration of the operating millage. The proposal will not increase property taxes on any primary residence property that is within Walled Lake Consolidated Schools boundaries. Since the approval of Proposal A in 1994, the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ community has overwhelmingly supported the operating millage, most recently in 2014.
If the November 5, 2024 proposal is not approved, the school district will lose more than $33 million in operating revenue every year and the state will not make up the shortfall.
More information about the 2024 Operating Millage Replacement can be found at www.wlcsd.org/elections.
WLN Annual Gift Drive
Hello Walled Lake Middle Schools,
The Walled Lake Northern annual gift drive is just around the corner, and we need your school’s support! If possible, please share this message from our Northern Leadership students with your school’s families. Your involvement will help make this year's drive a success!
Walled Lake Northern proudly hosts an annual gift drive, supporting a school in need each year. Our community "adopts” children, fulfilling their holiday wishes and essential needs.
Northern students thoughtfully wrap every gift, and in December, our Leadership class personally delivers the gifts to the school, bringing joy directly to the children.
We welcome donations of children's clothing, shoes, boots, and toys. Your support will help us fulfill our mission of bringing joy to children in need this holiday season.
Please feel free to follow the link to our Amazon storefront.
https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2QEWGD83JR5LN
All donations can be shipped directly to Walled Lake Northern:
WLN Gift Drive
6000 Bogie Lake Rd
Commerce Township, MI 48382
United States
Please reach out to Payten Shepard or Emily Brown with any questions.
Thank you for your support!
Payten Shepard & Emily Brown
Food Service Information-Free Breakfast and Lunch for All!
During the 2024-25 school year, all Michigan public school students in grades Pre-K through 12 will have access to free breakfast and free lunch every day through the "Healthy School Meals for All" program. This includes a meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit/vegetable and milk. A la carte items will be available for purchase.
Families are still encouraged to complete the free/reduced meal form in Skyward to help secure additional funding for the District including Title I funding. By completing the form, eligible families may also receive access to other free and reduced programs within the District including SAT testing, pay to participate, and more.
District Chromebook Repair Process
Please follow the steps below when your student's District Chromebook needs to be repaired.
- If a student needs support, he/she should fill out a Student Chromebook Support Form linked on all of the Google Classrooms and on the school website under Students. Being logged on to the school google account is required to access the form.
- The information in the form will be sent to Mrs. Stasak, our Middle School Computer Resource Teacher. She will reply to the student at his/her school gmail account. She will offer suggestions to fix the issue or, if it needs service, she will tell the student to take the chromebook to the office and give it to building admin secretary (enter the name for your building).
- The chromebook in the case will be sent through inner office and the student will be allowed to use a loaner chromebook AT SCHOOL. It will be the student’s responsibility to pick it up each morning from the office and return it at the end of the day.
- When the chromebook has been repaired, it will be delivered back to the school for the student to pick up.
- If the family purchased insurance, the first repair is free and all additional repairs carry a deductible. Deductible invoices or repair invoices, for those that did not choose insurance, must be paid before the repaired chromebook is returned.
- If a student with a personal chromebook has a network issue, the same form can be used. We are not able to fix physical problems with personal devices and loaner chromebooks will not be provided.
Signing up for SMS Messages in Skylert
In addition to receiving phone calls and email notifications from the school district in the event of a school closing or emergency, parents can also sign up to receive SMS Text messages.
Please find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.
Connect With Us
Jennifer VanWagnen
Principal: jennifervanwagnen@wlcsd.org
Kellan Watkins
Principal's Secretary: kellanwatkins@wlcsd.org
Becky Smith
Interim Assistant Principal: rebeccasmith@wlcsd.org
Jennifer Dean
Assistant Principal's Secretary: jenniferdean@wlcsd.org
Important Phone Numbers:
Main Line: 248-956-2200
Attendance: 248-956-2290
Email: JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org
Website: https://banks.wlcsd.org/
Location: 1760 Charms Road Wixom, MI 48393
Phone: (248) 956-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbanksptsa