We hope you'll review this week's District Update filled with news and notes from across the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. Stay up to date with the district by visiting www.wlcsd.org and connecting with the district on social media - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

• March 4: Class of 2028 Family Night, 6 p.m. at all three high schools
• March 7: Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m.
  
• March 11: Irene Daniels PTSA Council Scholarship Application Deadline
• March 13: Kindergarten Orientation, 6:30 p.m. at all 12 elementary schools
• March 18: PTSA Council Meeting and Reflections Celebration, 5:30 p.m. at WL Western High School
• March 25 - 29: Spring Break - No School for Students/Staff

Visit www.wlcsd.org/calendar for a complete list of events with details.

Three wrestlers will represent Walled Lake Consolidated Schools at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field on March 1 and 2.

Seniors Brycen Anderson and Anika Yakuber will hit the mat from the Walled Lake Norsemen, the combined team of Walled Lake Central and Northern. Junior Liam Vaughan is the lone Walled Lake Western wrestler to qualify.

Anderson finished runner-up at the Division 1 regional meet in the 190 lbs. class. He pinned both Midland’s Cooper Oystn (1:30) and Seaholm’s Luca DeSanto (1:56) before falling to Clarkston’s Brock Trevino in the regional final. This will be Anderson’s second-straight trip to Ford Field for the individual state finals after going 30-4 overall this season.

Vaughan is also headed back to the Division 2 state finals for the second-straight year after an impressive 41-4 season in the 285 lbs. class. Vaughan reached the 100-win milestone earlier this season as well. The Warriors’ junior took third place in the regional finals after falling to region runner-up Ricky Johnson in the semifinals. He then went on to edge Fowlerville’s George Daniel in the third place match by a tight 2-1 decision.

Yakuber will compete in the MHSAA Division 1 girls state final in the 130 lbs. class. The Walled Lake Central senior was the regional runner-up after going 11-5 this season. Yakuber pinned both Eaton Rapids Virginia Chapates (4:44) and Yale’s Madison Mason (3:29) before falling to Oxford’s Jewlie Gonzales in the regional final.

The Walled Lake Northern boys and girls bowling teams both qualified for Friday’s MHSAA Division 1 Team State Finals at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park after stellar performances this past weekend at regionals.

The girls’ team placed second at regionals tallying 2743 pins. The Knights finished behind this year’s regional champion, South Lyon (2914).

The boys team also placed second behind Brighton (3340) after knocking down 3191 pins. Knights’ senior Alex Harwood was crowned the Singles’ regional champion with a score of 1237. He’ll compete in the MHSAA Division 1 Singles State Finals for the second-straight year. Junior Cody Antrobius also qualified in Singles finishing fifth (1187). The MHSAA Division 1 Singles State Finals are Saturday, March 2, at Thunderbowl Lanes.

Walled Lake gymnastics is headed to the MHSAA regional meet ready to shine on March 2 at Birmingham Groves High School.

The combined team of Walled Lake Central and Western is looking to build off its top finish at the Lakes Valley Conference meet in the past few years. Despite being short-handed with just four gymnasts, the girls thrived. They finished third behind conference champion Linden-Fenton-Lake Fenton and Huron Valley. Walled Lake Central junior Shaylee McCain paced the team in the Division 1 category with second place finishes on the beam and floor, as well as taking third place in Vault, Bars and All-Around. In the Division 2 category, Viking senior captain Carley Dymon medaled with a ninth place finish in Vault, while Central junior Mariam Pellerito took fifth in Vault, eighth in Bars, and tenth in All-Around. Western sophomore Addison Tapley chipped in with a season-best performance with her floor routine scoring 8.425.

While Walled Lake Northern did not qualify as a team, four Knights will compete at the MHSAA regional meet as individuals; Amanda Dayton (Vault), Jordyn Grand (All-Around), Alivia Magner (Vault and Floor), and Taylor Sokol (All-Around).

Walled Lake Northern’s Emily Arabo and Truman Columbus have been nominated for the 2024 Sutton Foster Awards for their performance s in the Knights’ rendition of “Nice Work If You Can Get It”.

Arabo, who played Billie Bendix, and Columbus, who played Jimmy Winter, were both recognized for Outstanding Performer in a Leading Role.

“Emily and Truman being nominated is a tremendous testament to their talent and hard work,” said Northern vocal director Ashley Ward. “It is a reflection of months of preparation, voice lessons, and dedication.”

Arabo and Columbus will join Michigan’s other nominees for two weekends at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing, where they will continue to develop their theatre skills in workshops led by industry professionals. At the conclusion of the workshops in May, they will take part in the Sutton Foster Awards Showcase at the Wharton Center on June 1 at 6:30 p.m. During that performance, judges will select Michigan’s two Outstanding Performer in a Leading Role winners. Those two winners will earn a $1,000 cash prize and fly to New York City to compete for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards on June 24 at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.

Walled Lake Northern’s Ashley Ward has been recognized as one of the top choir directors in the state of Michigan by the Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA).

Ward was one of six selected to conduct the state honors choirs for 2025-26. She’ll work with 90 to 100 of Michigan’s finest sopranos and altos conducting the high school SSAA Honors Choir at the Michigan Music Conference in January of 2026.

“This is an incredible honor, and I am absolutely thrilled to be selected as one of the three high school conductors!” said Ward. “It truly will be a highlight of my career, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Auditions for the Regional Honors Choir will begin in the fall, then a secondary round of auditions will determine who earns a spot in the State Honors Choir. Ward and the SSAA Honors Choir will then perform a half hour concert at the Michigan Music Conference.

Check out how some of our students and families spent mid-winter break!

Our three high school choirs came together on Thursday, February 15, for their annual Name of Love Tour, where they spread a message of love, justice and equality through song in performances at all four middle schools.

Ever wonder how the Name of Love Tour makes it to all four middle schools in a single day? Watch a behind the scenes look on our Instagram page.

Elementary staff from across the District are excited the host the next class of kindergartens and their families at Kindergarten Orientation on Wednesday, March 13 at 6pm at each of the District's 12 elementary schools. More information can be found at www.wlcsd.org/ko and by watching the video below.

All 8th grade students and their parents/guardians are invited to your high school to learn more about courses, curriculum, clubs, activities, and athletics which will include opportunities to meet teachers, coaches, music directors, and more. See your school's communication for specific schedules.

The Pleasant Lake staff and PTA will award $1500 in scholarship monies to the applicants who best suits these qualifications:

• Pleasant Lake Elementary graduate who attended PLE for a minimum of three years
• Walled Lake Central or Northern Graduate
• Actively involved in school or community activities
• Demonstrates leadership qualities
• 3.0 minimum GPA
• Accepted to college
• Be willing to accept your award at PLE’s fifth grade graduation in June
• Submit application to counseling office by Monday, April 15

If the committee does not feel any candidates are worthy then it is up to the discretion of the committee to not award a scholarship in any given year. If you have any questions about this scholarship or need assistance please reach out to Brendaraymond@wlcsd.org

During the February 2 Board of Education meeting, the Board of Education voted unanimously to move forward with a $250 million bond election on May 7, 2024.

The 2024 bond proposal is focused on student safety, educational opportunities, technology, and facilities; the millage rates associated with this proposal will provide a tax decrease for residents. Over the past two decades, our community has supported bond proposals in 2019, 2013, and 2004. As a result of this past investment, the school district and our students have been able to thrive.

A list of the 2024 bond projects, by school, will be published on the District’s website, in late February, as well as the bond language, frequently asked questions, videos, and other information. To help inform our community, the District will host a series of informational bond meetings over the next several months. Meeting dates, locations, and times will also be on the bond webpage. I encourage you to attend one or more of these important information sessions.

Information regarding spring testing for the secondary level is listed below. Schools will be following up directly with families regarding any adjusted time schedules as part of these testing days:

High School

• 9th Grade PSAT - April 9
• 11th Grade SAT - April 10
• 11th Grade Workkeys - April 11
• 10th Grade PSAT - April 11
• M-Step - April 16-17
• PSAT Makeup - April 23
• SAT Makeup - April 24
• Workkeys Makeup - April 25
• PSAT Makeup - April 25

Middle School

• 8th Grade PSAT - April 17
• M-Step - April 22-25 | GMS, SMBS, WCMS
• M-Step - April 30 - May 3 | Clifford Smart

Are you or someone you know interested in our preschool for the 2024-2025 school year? We encourage you to fill out our preschool interest form. We invite your child to come grow with us!

Year-end presents a great opportunity to celebrate our top senior student athletes and their opportunity to continue their athletic careers in college.

Please provide the following information on SENIOR athletes that have either:

- received a scholarship to play college athletics

- have a spot guaranteed to them on a college roster as a "preferred walk-on."

The information will be used by each school to plan their signing days and will also be printed in the LEARNING newsletter (if approved.)

The Shining Stars Award recognizes outstanding individuals and student peers who have supported the special needs community within Walled Lake Schools.

Love your child's bus driver? Nominate them.

Love your child's Unified coach or buddy? Nominate them!

Some of the qualities of the nominee might include: a positive attitude, dedication, dependability, self-motivation, helpfulness and more.

Nominees can be anyone associated with the special needs community: teacher, para, bus driver, aide, buddy, parent, coach, volunteer, etc. Nominations accepted via the link below.

Every nominee will be recognized and receive a Shining Stars Award at the ceremony on April 30th at Walled Lake Central High School. You don't want to miss this special event!

All nominations must be received on or before April 5, 2024. Questions? Contact WalledLakePAC@gmail.com

Please complete the following form in order to be considered for the Graduate Spotlight section of the WLCSD quarterly Learning newsletter. The nominated student needs to be a 2016 graduate or before. Please contact pamelacole@wlcsd.org with any questions.

In an effort to celebrate our staff, the WLCSD Community Relations department requests that families fill out the form below to nominate staff who are rock stars in their classrooms and school communities.

A sample of what these shout outs will look like on social media and in our district newsletters is on the right.

Our mission, in partnership with parents and the community, is to become the best educational system in America so all students demonstrate they are caring, responsible, and knowledgeable citizens.

Email: danieldurkin@wlcsd.org
Website: www.wlcsd.org
Location: 850 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI, USA
Phone: (248) 956-2000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wlcsd/
Twitter: @WalledLkSchools