This afternoon, at the Charity Week Finale Pep Rally, it was announced that Athens students raised an eye-popping $100,501.93 for the Next Steps 4 Seniors Foundation! Students persevered through the loss of beloved teacher Mike DeSantis at the start of Charity Week and adapted when last week's snow day forced the delay of several events.

The mission of Next Steps 4 Seniors is to walk alongside families to ensure that this time of transitional care is met with the compassion, attention, and respect all seniors deserve. Our commitment to meeting the ever-changing physical and emotional needs of each individual is the cornerstone of our wholehearted desire to provide an environment in which all members have the opportunity to thrive.

Athens students organized a myriad of activities to raise funds for Next Steps 4 Seniors. From restaurant nights to lunch activities, the parents’ cook-off, and the Mr. Athens contest, the Athens Student Council should be commended for their unwavering dedication and meticulous planning. During today's pep assembly, a representative from Next Steps 4 Seniors shared that not only had Athens raised an incredible sum to support the nonprofit, they had also received two referrals of seniors in need as a direct result of Athens efforts. On behalf of both the Athens Student Council and Next Steps 4 Seniors, we extend our sincere gratitude to everyone in our community who supported this year's Charity Week!

Troy High School is one of four TSD schools named a Michigan State School of Character this year! The school was recognized for emphasizing character education through programs like its Ethical Dilemmas initiative and extensive service-learning opportunities. Principal Remo Roncone shared, “The dedication, hard work, and countless hours put in by our committee and staff have truly paid off. Being named a 2025 State School of Character is a testament to our commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive environment where every student can thrive. This important distinction reflects our focus on character development, ethical behavior, and community engagement. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and will continue to uphold these values in all the work we do at Troy High School.”

This week, Career Accelerator Program (CAP) students attended their third class as they prepare for their pre-internships. We'd like to thank T&I Credit Union and entrepreneur Kumar Giri for presenting to the group this week. The students are all looking forward to Match Day, when they will find out where they will be spending their pre-internship!

February is Career Technical Education Month! You can learn more about TSD's CTE offerings on our website: https://tinyurl.com/MR44NX74.

Support staff in the Troy School District play a vital role in making our schools World Class. We invite you to help us recognize those outstanding individuals who are making a significant impact in our schools by nominating them for Support Person of the Year.

This award recognizes one individual that serves in a supportive role in the Troy School District. Those employed in the following work classifications: transportation, custodial/maintenance, office personnel, food services, professional support to teachers (para-educators, and health care aides), safety/security, or technology may be nominated. The winner of the Troy School District Support Person of the Year will automatically be nominated for the Oakland County Support Person of the Year. Nominees must have at least five years of service.

For more information, and to nominate someone, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/mumy8787.

The Troy School District is searching for qualified candidates for the 2025-2026 school year! To learn more about teaching in Troy, visit https://tinyurl.com/Why-Troy and visit https://tinyurl.com/TSDJobOpp to see openings.

For a full list of participating businesses and colleges, click the image above or visit this website.

To access the My TSD Portals section of the website visit https://www.troy.k12.mi.us/community-families/portals.

For more information on the Attendance Area Review process, please visit our website.

Portions of the new Smith Middle School have been wrapped, allowing those areas to be heated so that construction can continue during the cold winter months. Thanks to Barton Malow for this peek inside (and above!) the new building!

We are conducting a short survey on how to better engage our families and community, and we’d love to hear from you! Please take a moment to share your thoughts in this quick five-question survey. Thank you!

Ramadan is a sacred month in Islam, observed by millions of Muslims worldwide, including a growing and diverse Muslim community in the United States. It is a time of fasting from dawn to sunset, deep spiritual reflection, increased charity, and community connection. In today’s American culture, Ramadan holds profound significance as it holds interfaith understanding, highlights the nation’s rich cultural diversity, and promotes values of self-discipline, gratitude, and compassion. As workplaces, schools, and communities become more inclusive, recognizing and respecting Ramadan strengthens social unity and allows for meaningful conversations about faith, identity, and shared human values. Embracing this holy month in American society not only enriches cultural awareness but also reinforces the importance of respect, inclusion, and the celebration of diverse traditions.

Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating discipline, appreciation, and empathy for those less fortunate. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers.

Eid ul-Fitr

At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate one of their major holidays called Eid ul-Fitr or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.” Food, games, and presents for children are important parts of the festivities, as friends and family spend the day socializing, eating, and reuniting with old acquaintances. The greeting Eid Mubarak means “blessed holiday!”

Learn more in the TSD Inclusive Newsletter.

For more information about Athens Abroad, you can also visit their website or Instagram page.

Troy High sophomore Soyeon (Sophia) Cho recently had the opportunity to perform at Governor Whitmer's residence as part of the Governor's first Lunar New Year celebration! Soyeon performed as part of the Michigan Lion Dance Team, which was invited to perform after Representative Haley Stevens saw them at a Lunar New Year Festival at the Detroit Institute of Arts .

Soyeon shared, "The experience was thrilling and a testament to the growing recognition of the Lunar New Year in our community. Being part of such a meaningful celebration was unforgettable, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share our rich cultural heritage with a wider audience."

What an incredible experience—congratulations, Soyeon Cho!

Participate in the Michigan Brain Bee! Held March 8, 2025 at the Michigan Union. Open to High School students, the Brain Bee is a live Q & A showdown designed to spark your interest in neuroscience. This competition dives deep into the realms of stress, aging, sleep, and disorders such as addiction, Alzheimer's, and other neurological diseases.

The champion of the Michigan Brain Bee walks away with $250 and a $1600 travel stipend to represent the state at the National Brain Bee in April 2025. Second and third-place winners snag cash prizes of $150 and $50, respectively. There are also smaller prizes for second and third-round participants.

Success begins with preparation. Dive into the "Brain Facts" to equip yourself with the knowledge needed to conquer the competition. Additional resources, information, and the link to register are available on the Michigan Brain Bee Website. The deadline to register is March 1.

High school students are invited to attend the 8th Annual Healthology Symposium at Oakland University on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. For more information, and to see the graphic above more clearly, download the PDF linked below.

Over Mid-Winter Break, Smith 8th grade students headed to Washinton DC! During their trip, they were able to visit the US Capitol, a variety of memorials, the Air & Space Museum, the National Zoo and so much more. It looks like a great time was had by all!

Applications are open for the 2025 Discovery Kitchen Cookoff! This contest is open to middle school students. The deadline to apply for the competition is Friday, February 21. You can download the application below, or you can pick up a copy in your school's kitchen. Applications should be returned to Nicole Gervais at ngervais@troy.k12.mi.us.

Registration for Camp C.A.R.E. 2025 opens at 8 a.m. on March 3 for current C.A.R.E. students and 8 a.m. March 4 for non-C.A.R.E. students. You can register online at https://troy.ce.eleyo.com/.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is William Shakespeare’s most magical comedy and one of his most popular and widely performed plays. It follows two sets of couples - Hermia (senior Reagan Feld) and Lysander (senior Rishabh Rao), and Helena (sophomore Quin VanAmberg) and Demetrius (junior Omar Atasi) - who flee to the woods to escape the laws of Athens. There, they find themselves in the dreamlike world of the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon (senior Jason Graf) and Titania (sophomore Kate Brokenshire), along with the mischievous Robin Goodfellow (freshman Michael Tananko), where their romantic entanglements grow even more complicated. Adding to the chaos, a troupe of actors also stumbles into the forest to rehearse their play.

Performances are on Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 16, at 2 p.m. All seats are reserved and sold online at http://troytheatreensemble.seatyourself.biz. All tickets are just $10! General admission tickets will be available at the box office 30 minutes before showtime.

Last week the Troy United Synchronized Swim Team hosted the Grosse Pointe Blue Dolphins for a routine meet. The Troy team was victorious with a 94 to 74 win! Two of the Troy routines also managed to obtain an overall score higher than 60, which is something that less than 15% of routines achieve at a high school level. The Troy United trio of Erin Choi, Ana Sofia Hernandez Gomez, and Gwen Schaefer earned a total score of 61.300. The combo routine made up of Greta Burt, Erin Choi, Jessica Deng, Ana Sofia Hernandez Gomez, Sei Park, Lucie Rosati, Gwen Schaefer, Parker Silagy, and Isabel Thommana earned a total score of 60.267. The team now looks ahead to their next meet on Tuesday, February 25th in Ann Arbor.

Athletic Links:

Athens Athletics: https://RedhawkAthletics.org

Troy High Athletics: https://TroyAthletics.org

Facebook Links:

Troy High: https://www.facebook.com/troyhighathleticboosters

Athens: https://www.facebook.com/AthensBoosters

Booster SignUpGenius Links:

Troy High: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4BA4AC29A4F4CF8-troy#/

Enrollment for the GSRP Program opened on January 1, 2025. This is for children aged 4. To enroll, please visit https://www.miecc.org/MiECC/application/add/63.

Enrollment for the TSD Tuition-Based Preschool opens on March 3, 2025.

• Wednesday, March 12 & Thursday, March 13 - Conferences Pre-K - 12, Half Day for Pre-K - 12
  
  
• Friday, March 14 - Student Holiday, Staff Professional Development, No School for Pre-K - 12
  
  
• Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Athens and Troy High Graduation at the O'rena on the campus of Oakland University
  
  
• Sunday, June 1, 2025, 4 p.m. - IAE Graduation at Pine Knob
  
  
• Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 6 p.m. - TCCHS Graduation at Troy High

If you are interested in employment in the Troy School District, click here to access our Frontline Recruiting and Hiring System.