SUPERINTENDENT
September 1, 2024
NCSD Families,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday! We only have a few short weeks before we will be enjoying our Winter Break. As we prepare for the cooler months and cozy holiday season, we have many things happening throughout the district. I hope you take the time to check out many of the articles below, and before you do, I have a few highlights to bring to your attention:
Superintendent Updates:
- Community Engagement Town Hall - The future dates are February 25th (This will be one of our break-out sessions at the State of the District.) and April 14th. Please take a moment to fill out this Interest Form if you are interested in attending. We look forward to seeing you there!
- Spring 2025 Conferences Change - This is just a reminder to mark your calendars with this minor change to the spring conference schedule this school year. Parent-teacher conferences and the half-day of school for K-4 students, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, have been moved to Thursday, March 6, 2025.
Here is the updated schedule:
- Wednesday, March 5th: Full day of school for K-4 students and staff.
- Thursday, March 6th: Half day of school for K-4 students, with parent-teacher conferences held in the afternoon and evening. This now aligns with the schedule for Novi Meadows.
- Virtual School Day on 2/11/25 - As you know, we are fortunate to work in a diverse community, and one representation of that incredible diversity is the number of English Learners we serve here in Novi. An annual requirement for these students is the WIDA ACCESS assessment, which is vital to supporting our English Learners on their path toward linguistic and academic success. Historically, we have spent months trying to provide this assessment to these children which not only means that they go without necessary support, but also creates disruptions to classrooms for extended periods of time. This year, on Tuesday, February 11th, we’ll host a district-wide virtual learning day for non-EL students, allowing us to focus exclusively on administering the WIDA ACCESS to all English Learners. There are two major benefits to this model:
- It will enable us to complete testing efficiently, avoiding the prolonged disruption to classrooms caused by removing 1,500 students–over 20% of our students–for testing over seven to ten weeks.
- EL Teaching staff will be able to resume services sooner, maintaining continuity of instruction for all of our students.
Go Wildcats!
Ben Mainka, Superintendent
Novi Community School District
The Novi DECA Pink Push raised $31,492.14 for Pink Sisters, Inc. during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. DECA sold Pink-Out shirts to the football game, Pink Ribbons at the other Pink Merchandise, among other activities.
Pink Sisters, Inc. is a Dearborn-based non-profit organization supporting women with breast cancer.
After raising $2,800 the year before for the charity, Novi DECA expanded efforts and used an online fundraising tool, Snap Raise!
“This platform enabled us to reach a much wider audience,” said Nandita Talluri. “All DECA members, both competitive and non-competitive—close to 200 students—participated by sharing the fundraising page with at least 20 friends and family members. Expanding our outreach with the convenience of online donations, led to a significant increase in funds raised, totaling over $30,000.”
The original goal was to raise $6,000, but they raised over $10,000 in one day.
“Raising $30K has really been a big moment for everyone involved because it showed the power that each individual has to make a greater change,” said Yug Patel. “Each dollar we raised was more than just financial support, it was a means to raise awareness and strengthen our community through a common goal. Personally, I could not be happier to have been a part of such a wonderful campaign with such a broad impact.”
It wasn’t just DECA alone that got involved at Novi High.
“We were able to get buy-in across the building by emphasizing the importance of Pink Sister’s work in our community,” Nandita said. “The cause resonated with many students and staff, as breast cancer affects so many people. We collaborated with the Athletic Department to provide free admission to the pink-out games for students who purchased our pink-out shirts, which raised over $4,000 in revenue. We also provided advisory teachers with ribbons to sell for $1 each, similar to the model used in the annual Wish Week fundraiser. DECA board members also visited advisories to promote Pink Sisters, helping everyone feel invested in making a difference for those affected by breast cancer.”
What does Nandita enjoy most about DECA? “What I enjoy most about being involved in DECA is the mix of creativity, teamwork, and real-world business experience. It’s exciting to work on projects that have a tangible impact, like our fundraising initiatives, while also gaining valuable leadership skills. The competitions are also a lot of fun—they allow me to challenge myself, think on my feet, and apply what I’ve learned in a high-energy, hands-on environment. Overall, DECA has allowed me to connect my interests with meaningful, practical experiences.”
And Yug?
“The one thing that stands out is the community,” he said. “Whether it's working with my officer team or with the entire NHS student body, I feel like I am a part of something bigger. I still remember the moment where I stepped off of that stage in Anaheim after winning (ICDC), only to be surrounded by individuals who shared my level of happiness. At that moment, I knew that I wasn't just a part of a club, but a family, my DECA family.”
Parent Camp in January
The Novi Mental Health Alliance is thrilled to host the third annual Parent Camp on Saturday, January 25, from 9 a.m. to Noon at Novi High School. This event will feature a keynote address by Dominic Frisina from The Positivity Project and breakout sessions focusing on parenting topics related to mental health and wellness for kids of all ages. An important theme is promoting less screen time and encouraging more playtime and social interaction.
Registration information will be available soon and will include more specific details about the keynote speaker and breakout session offerings.
Parent Guides to Popular Online Platforms
