WBSD Weekly Update

February 2 - WBEF Casino Night 7 p.m. Glen Oaks Golf Course

February 7 - Late Start, Middle School Parent Info Night 6:30 p.m. WBMS

February 14 - Count Day
February 19-20 Mid-Winter Break
February 27 - Operating Millage Renewal on Primary Ballot

Click here to view other important dates.

On the Presidential Primary Ballot, February 27, 2024, the West Bloomfield School District will be voting on the following operating millage renewal. The actual ballot language is below:

West Bloomfield School District Operating Millage Renewal Proposal

This proposal will allow the school district to maintain the

number of mills required to be levied for the school district to

receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance and renews

millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy.

Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 18.6967 mills ($18.6967 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, and 4.6587 mills ($4.6587 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) against principal residences, qualified agricultural property, qualified forest property, supportive housing property, property occupied by a public school academy, industrial personal property and commercial personal property, in West Bloomfield School District, Oakland County, Michigan, be renewed for a period of 10 years, 2025 to 2034, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect from combined property taxes authorized herein if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $13,371,684 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy)?

Key points:

• This is not a tax increase. This is a renewal of an existing millage.

• This makes up approximately 17% of our annual operating budget.

• The non-homestead millage proposal is only for non-homestead properties, like commercial, business, rental properties, vacant land, and second-home property owners. This portion does not impact primary residence.

• There is an Operating Millage Renewal FAQ on the district website that contains facts about the ballot proposal.

Paid for by: West Bloomfield School District, 5810 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48324

The Board of Education approved the redistricting plan shared previously. Here is the map that shows the new boundaries along major roads (click to enlarge).

For answers to frequently asked questions about this process, please visit the district website - under About Us, click K-5 Redistricting.

Beginning this week, K-8 students will participate in the Winter NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth Assessment for Math and Language Arts. Each school and teacher will be communicating when your child will take the assessment. We need your help in ensuring that your child takes the assessment seriously, gives his/her very best, and is well rested for the assessment. Please read the information below so that we can work together to maximize this assessment experience.

• Please be aware of communication from your child’s school regarding the dates of the assessment so that you can help your child mentally prepare. If you are unsure of the dates, please feel free to connect with your child’s teacher.

• Our mindset and words matter. Please take the time to emphasize the importance of the assessment and to encourage your child to do his/her very best.

• The NWEA MAP Growth Assessment is a computer-adaptive test designed to measure your child’s academic growth in Math and Reading.

• This assessment is a helpful data point that we use to measure your child’s academic progress and growth at three different points of the year–fall, winter, and spring. It is also one of the benchmark assessment options that is required by the state.

• Our teachers use the results of this assessment to shape future lessons, instructional groupings, and individualized instructional strategies.

• The data from this assessment can be used to identify additional instructional support outside of the classroom and to identify students who have not self-selected into accelerated programs, like Advanced Math or Magnet.

For more information regarding the NWEA MAP Growth Assessment in Math and Reading, please read the “Frequently Asked Questions” portion of this communication by clicking on this link. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

There are 4.5 hour and 7.5 hour positions available in food service starting at $13/hour. Work at your child’s school while they’re in class! For more information, click here.

Elementary Menu, click here
Middle School Menu, click here
High School Menu, click here

Marie Eife of the national Wicked tour taught West Bloomfield Middle School students an actual Broadway choreography in 6th hour Friday, January 26th. Wicked is on tour in Detroit and Eife is in the dance ensemble (look for her parasol if you go to the show) and understudy to the lead for Wicked.

John Deierlein, Director of Vocal Music, said, “This was the second of two wonderful opportunities for our WBMS musical theatre students to see what a career might look like in this field.”

The first was WB alum Lauren Nicole Chapman who is touring with Frozen the musical, and visited in December.

While Eife is not a WB alum (she grew up in Philadelphia, and now lives in New York City) she knows three of our WBSD alumni currently on Broadway or national tours - Danny Harris Kornfeld, Lauren Chapman and Arica Jackson.

Want to see the next WB star before they make it big? We hope you’ll join us March 1-2 in the West Bloomfield Middle School Auditeria for our next musical. Read the full article here.

• 2 Wrestlers Place at Warren Mott Girls Tournament

• WB Wrestling Takes 3rd at Flint SW Invite
  

• Girls JV Basketball beats Stoney Creek 31 – 22

  
  

Shake off those winter blues and support our schools! Enjoy live music by local band Good Gravy. You won't' want to miss this fabulous evening featuring dancing, casino games, raffles, and more!

Tickets are on sale now for the WBEF Casino Night Friday, February 2, 2024. This is their one fundraiser to support all the grants they give to the District.

Four Ways To Support WBEF:

• Sponsor our Annual Casino Night Event on 2/2/24
  
• Attend our Annual Casino Night Event on 2/2/24
• Give online https://www.wbef.org/donate/
• Mail your gift to West Bloomfield Educational Foundation, 5810 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48324

OK2SAY is the student safety program which allows students to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees, and schools. It uses a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school personnel, community mental health service programs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and law enforcement officials about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment.

OK2SAY is a nationally recognized program designed to enhance school safety by giving students the tools to step up and speak out when they are concerned about their safety or the safety of another. The MDHHS department also offers free OK2SAY programming for parents, guardians, and community leaders.

Parents and guardians are invited to join us for this engaging, interactive presentation at 6 p.m., 2/13 in the West Bloomfield High School iCenter, 4925 Orchard Lake Road.

The Laker Opportunity Center offers an alternative learning experience for those that have struggled in the traditional learning environment and need credit recovery. The Laker Opportunity Center offers students the opportunity to complete high school and graduate with a diploma. Our school leaders help select the right learning mode for each student. The program is open to all students in the State of Michigan who are 16-22 years old. Learn more on their facebook page or https://www.wbsd.org/lakeroppcenter.

In-Person Cohorts

Students may join an in-person cohort, meeting 2-3 times weekly. Monday & Thursday OR Tuesday & Friday are available, with a Wednesday rotation.

Drop-In

Qualifying students completing coursework from home may qualify for opt-in meet-ups only.

All Online

Qualifying students can learn entirely from home 24/7, communicating with school staff via email and video only. All students must make weekly contact with staff.

For more information please contact Morrison Borders, Principal at morrison.borders@wbsd.org

All West Bloomfield School District Schools of Choice openings will be criteria-based through our STEAM program. We have limited openings in the following grade levels:

• Elementary: K-5
• Middle School: 6th grade
• High School: 9-10th grade
  
  

The window is open January 16th - February 14th, apply here!

Interested families can visit wbsd.org to learn more about Schools of Choice. When visiting the site, go to the “Parent” tab and then select Schools of Choice. This document provides all of the key elements. Families should email the following address if they have questions they want answered about Schools of Choice or to submit any required materials for the SoC application: soc@wbsd.org

Fourth grade students at Roosevelt Elementary School are exploring with their new Social Emotional tools, courtesy of a WBEF Grant. These tools will be available for students to use when they feel like they are struggling to stay focused during lessons, or when experiencing and managing big emotions. The students loved the cuddle ball, the gel bead emotion fidgets, the sensory bottles, finger mazes, and other items. We look forward to seeing the students using these in the classrooms!

A special thank you to WBHS Interact Club, Golf Team, and Coach Armstrong for their fantastic volunteer work at the Putt for Polio event organized by the West Bloomfield Rotary. Your dedication makes a real impact! To learn more about WB Rotary, click here.

West Bloomfield Youth Assistance Annual Youth Recognition Awards

WBYA recognizes young people from our community for volunteer service, personal growth, and personal leadership. Nominations must be submitted through this Google form:

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScgxWmLszaZX.../viewform

-or- by sending an electronic copy to connie@wbyouthassistance.org.

The deadline to submit a nomination is Thursday, March 14, 2024.

Mid-Winter Break Basketball Camp, for more info use this link.
To view Community Education programming, use this link.

Book Lists

· History in the Making – Civil Rights History (Youth)

· Chinese New Year (Youth)

· Books with Disability Representation (Teen)

Author Visit with Curtis Chin

Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant

Saturday, February 3 from 1-2 p.m.

Main Library Meeting Room

Join us in welcoming author and Michigan native Curtis Chin as he discusses his recently published memoir: Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Curtis Chin has written for CNN, Bon Appetit and the Detroit Free Press and was a graduate of the University of Michigan. For grades 9-12. No registration required.

Library Closed

The Main Library will be closed on Tuesday, February 6 for building maintenance. The Westacres Branch Library will be open 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Cozy Up With a Good Book

Winter Reading Program

Started on January 13 and goes through Sunday, March 10

Library cardholders of all ages are encouraged to enroll in the library’s Winter Reading Program to earn incentives for time spent reading.

Do you have a newsworthy story to share? We want to share your wonderful stories with the rest of the community! Please share with us what is happening with your child(ren) and our staff. We would love to hear about your events and activities including awards, honors, good deeds, and accomplishments. Help us share your success stories in art, music, scholastics, athletics, drama, debate, and more. We look forward to sharing your news! Submit a story here. Here is an example that came in.

Students and staff led the creation of Zen Dens in the upper and lower blue houses of the middle school. What's a Zen Den? It's a place where students can refocus, recharge and center themselves so they can return to class ready to learn. Going to the Zen Den can be student requested or teacher suggested. Each Zen Den has calming lighting and sounds, comfortable seating, and multiple stations like breathing exercises or rest and mediation with step by step instructions. Data is being kept on what stations are most helpful and utilized, if students/staff have new ideas to incorporate, and our counselors and mental health staff will reach out to students to ensure they know about all the resources available at WBMS.

• WBSD Employment Opportunities
• GWB Historical Society Events
• Greater West Bloomfield Community Coalition
• West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation