WBHS Update

Hello Laker Nation,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude for the incredible community we have here at WBHS. This season serves as a meaningful reminder of the importance of coming together to appreciate the blessings in our lives, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity to work with such a dedicated group of parents, students, and educators.

Our school is more than just a place of learning; it is a community where collaboration, support, and growth thrive. I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for your ongoing commitment to your child's education. Your involvement, whether it be through volunteering, attending parent-teacher conferences, or simply supporting your child's learning journey at home, makes a significant impact on the overall success of our school.

This Thanksgiving, let us reflect on the accomplishments and milestones we have achieved together so far. Our collective efforts contribute to the positive and nurturing environment that makes WBHS a special place for our students to learn and grow.

May this holiday season bring you joy, warmth, and precious moments with your loved ones. I am grateful for the trust you place in us to educate and guide your children, and I look forward to continuing our journey together in the spirit of collaboration and excellence.

Wishing you and your families a happy and fulfilling Thanksgiving.

With gratitude,

Eric Pace

Principal

West Bloomfield High School

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ATTENDANCE AND OUTPASS CLARIFICATION

In order to support all learners and protect our classes from unnecessary disruption:

• No immediate outpasses
• All outpasses must be called in by noon for the current day in order to be processed
• Students will not be released after 1:45, the release time must be before 1:45
• It is your student's responsibility to come to the attendance office at the time of the outpass, we are unable to call into rooms in order to protect the teaching and learning of the other students.

Drop off items:

If you are dropping off an item for your students please make sure they are aware. They will need to stop by the security desk in between classes. We are unable to call into rooms in order to protect the teaching and learning of the other students.

Teacher Communication:

In order to minimize disruptions we will no longer be calling in for dropped off items or outpasses. Please make sure to check the outpass list when releasing students.

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PARKING PASSES! - All student drivers must have a WBHS parking pass. Those who are driving without a pass have received multiple warnings. If a student is caught driving without a pass, they will be subject to school discipline. It is a safety measure to monitor student driving and to make sure the only students in our lot are WBHS students.

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We will be continuing to conduct hall sweeps frequently. Students have 5 minutes between classes to be on time. We have seen several students standing in the hallways talking with friends, even after the two minute warning bell. Anyone caught in a hall sweep will receive a warning the first time. After that, any student caught will receive an after school detention. Please help us reinforce the importance of being on time.

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IMPORTANT - Please help us with our focus areas for student attendance and behaviors

1. It is essential that students are on time. Students receive four tardies penalty free in a week, and then will receive an after school detention. After that, a detention will be assigned every third tardy. This resets weekly. Please encourage students to move to each class in a timely manner, and to be in class by the time the bell rings. Parents can excuse up to 3 tardies when students arrive to school, but any other tardies will count toward consequences. Parents may not excuse tardies between classes.
2. Students are not allowed to wear hoods in the building at any time. It is imperative that we can identify students on camera and in person at all times. Hoods, especially when coupled with masks, make that very challenging. Ski-Mask style face masks with hoods are NOT PERMITTED. Also, clothing that has logos of alcohol or drug related business or products, or expose undergarments are NOT PERMITTED. Students were asked, without penalty, for the first week of school to remove hoods or change clothing listed above if wearing them. Additionally, each student heard me speak directly on this issue at our class meetings, or will hear it this week. Students will receive one more reminder, penalty free, and then each occurrence afterward will result in an after school detention. Please remind your students of these expectations.
3. After school, students have from 2:23 until 2:45 to take care of any needs they may have. A warning bell sounds at 2:40, followed by a final bell and verbal reminder at 2:45. At 2:45 students must be at their athletic practice or designated area, at their club or activity, or need to leave campus. If a student is still waiting for a ride at 2:45, they can wait outside. Students who have an after school sport or activity that begins after 2:45 may check in with staff in Laker Commons, verify their name on a roster, and wait until their event begins. There is NO AFTER SCHOOL SUPERVISION for students who are not in a sport or activity.
4. WBHS is a closed campus for lunch. Students may not leave campus for lunch and return. This presents safety and learning issues when students leave campus. Students found to be getting out passes or leaving without permission will be considered skipping in an unauthorized area.
5. Students MAY NOT use food delivery services during school. No outside food will be allowed into the building unless it is hand delivered by a parent/guardian to the security office. Students cannot exit the building to retrieve food.

Finally, we understand that the parking lot can be pretty overwhelming at arrival and during dismissal. Please be patient, plan for traffic delays, and follow the expected flow. Students and parents must use the main lot for parking, pickup, and drop off. The drive in front of the building and along the south side of the building is reserved for bus traffic. The north lot near the athletic fields is reserved for staff parking. Students are not allowed to be picked up or dropped of in these areas. There is a traffic flow pattern in the main lot from the main entrance, through the lot, and up to the center walkway. Please follow this pattern to maximize timing, efficiency, and safety.

Proud to be a Laker!

Eric Pace

Principal - WBHS

West Bloomfield, MI – The West Bloomfield High School auditorium seats were filled with students, staff, board members, family and many individuals from the school community awaiting the arrival of their Assistant Principal, Susan (Susie) Aisner. Upon Aisner’s arrival, the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals' Executive Director, Wendy Zdeb, surprised her by announcing she had been selected as the Michigan 2025 High School Assistant Principal of the Year, and the auditorium erupted in celebration.

“Susie Aisner is a shining example of what it means to lead with vision, empathy and determination,” said Zdeb. “Her work has elevated West Bloomfield High School, enhancing student achievement and fostering an inclusive, supportive culture for staff and students alike.”

This prestigious recognition honors assistant principals who excel in collaborative leadership, curriculum and instruction innovation, and fostering a personalized and positive school environment.

“Susie is the quintessential 21st century educator, leaning on relationships, culture and learner-forward thinking in all of her work,” said Eric Pace, Principal of West Bloomfield High School. “She has proven to be intuitive and thoughtful in her work, fostering an environment of respect and positivity with staff, students and parents alike.”

Aisner brings more than 29 years in education, with 11 as an administrator, to her school community. Her colleagues, students and community members expressed their admiration and appreciation for her effective collaborative leadership style.

“Mrs. Aisner is a natural leader, adept at building strong relationships with both students and faculty,” said Ashlee Frankford, a West Bloomfield High School student. “Her approachable demeanor and willingness to listen make her a trusted advocate for all members of our school community.”

Throughout her nine years at WBHS, Aisner has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including a comprehensive audit of grading and scheduling systems to improve efficiency and equity. She led the development of the school’s Advisory Leadership Team, which has been instrumental in implementing social-emotional learning programs and fostering stronger teacher-student connections.

“Her hands-on involvement in key school-wide initiatives and her ability to collaborate effectively with staff, students and families make her an indispensable member of our leadership team,” said Johanna Mracna, West Bloomfield School District Assistant Superintendent of School Administration and Innovation.

Mracna described Aisner as being instrumental in WBHS’s SEL programs success; highly skilled in crisis management while being a compassionate leader; deeply dedicated to college and career readiness; and supporting students in their post-graduation planning.

“Simply put, Susie is a visionary leader who makes a lasting, positive impact in every area she touches,” Mracna said.

Scott Long, WBSD Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services also supported Aisner’s nomination. “[There’s] one common thread: Susie’s relentless passion for doing what is best for our community and students,” Long said. “She is a thoughtful and supportive leader, a systems thinker, and a strong advocate for our kids ... we are better as a district because of what Susie does.”

When recommending her for the award, Sonja James, WBSD Executive Director of Educational Equity and Inclusion, acknowledged Aisner’s qualities.

“Through her leadership, we are seeing a change in our school culture: Students feel safe, supported, and truly seen,” James said. “... she brings warmth, empathy and a collaborative spirit that makes everyone feel valued. Susie listens intently, responds thoughtfully, and builds trust through every interaction.”

As Michigan’s High School Assistant Principal of the Year, Aisner will represent the state in the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2025 High School National Assistant Principal of the Year program. NASSP will announce finalists and the national winner in the spring.

MASSP extends its congratulations to Susie Aisner on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her unwavering dedication to the students, staff and families of West Bloomfield High School.

*Article courtesy of MASSP - 11/20/24 - maggie@massp.com*

Click for the entire press release here!

Hello WBHS Families!

The WBHS Student Leadership Adopt-A-Family committee is looking to help a family in our community this coming holiday season. Last year was a huge success raising over $2,000 in donations! This will not be possible without your help!

To help out this amazing family please consider purchasing items from this Amazon registry! https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/3ANCE9TMZ7ETO

Thank you so much for your help in contributing to this family’s holiday!

WBHS Leadership Adopt a Family Committee,

Jacquelyn Sandiha, Sydney Denawetz, Elysse Love, and Jessica Conkey

The West Bloomfield Education Foundation (WBEF) received 50 grant applications in this fall cycle! They are working through the applications using their rubric and trying to balance grants among schools and programs.

Grants were presented at the Board of Education meeting for acceptance on November 18th.

Their major fundraiser is Casino Night, Friday, February 7th, but we also welcome your help in securing sponsors for the event or making a personal gift. Grants will be presented to the Board of Education for acceptance at the November 18th Board of Education meeting, at 7 p.m. in the West Bloomfield High School iCenter. All grant recipients are encouraged to attend.

Free & Reduced Lunch forms have a new name - please fill it out

The new school year has opened in meal magic so we are ready for free and reduced applications to start coming in. We are serving free meals under Michigan School Meals again this year, but we still need all families to complete an application. The free and reduced meals application is now called the "Education and Nutrition Benefits Application." This is because it is tied to other benefits that families may receive such as Summer EBT. These supplemental programs have the potential to offer additional support for reduced priced sports, ACT, SAT, college application and AP exam waivers. This information is also critical in determining the amount of money our schools receive from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs.

Here is an FAQ letter answering Frequently Asked Questions. All of our applications are taken 100% online.

Our special dietary needs form is also posted online. This needs to be filled out and returned to nutrition services for any students that may have severe medical food allergies. Thank you!

ALLERGIES/ASTHMA/MEDICAL CONDITIONS – Students are not allowed to carry medication. The office must have a complete, signed West Bloomfield School District Medical Action Plan to be able to carry out any medication distribution. Each medication requires a separate form. Each year we need an updated plan for students needing medication. If your child requires medication the first day of school you must contact the office before school to verify paperwork and deliver the medication to the office. Further questions, please contact the school office at 248-865-6720.

ATTENDANCE – West Bloomfield School District expects students to be in school and on time for school on a daily basis. Absent and tardy students will be recorded daily and parents will be notified.

If your child will not be in school or will be late to school, you must call the 24-hour answering machine at 248-865-6722. Leave your student’s name, teacher’s name and reason for absence. For the safety of our students, please do your best to remember to call before the start of school (even if you are only going to be “a little” late).

• PROMPT 1 - Excuse an Absence - Absences must be called in within 24 hours of the student missing school, or the absence will be marked as unexcused.
• PROMPT 2 - Excuse a Tardy (only if a student is late to school, not to a class after they've arrived)
• PROMPT 3 - Early Dismissal (Outpass) - These must be submitted prior to the dismissal time if possible. Those trying for an early dismissal at the time that it is needed may experience a delay while the information is processed and the student is retrieved from class.

In an effort to support student safety and proper accountability, all absences should be excused by a parent. If the absent in unexcused, this tells us that the school and the family do not know where the student is, if not in school. Please make sure to excuse all absences. Teachers may not accept work for unexcused absences in an effort to discourage skipping.

Students who accumulate too many tardies may be subject to disciplinary actions such as after school detentions or suspension of school parking.

Students who accumulate too many absences will be referred to Oakland County Youth Assistance for support and may be referred to Oakland County Truancy is absences become excessive.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS - Students are expected to be safe, respectful, and responsible at all times. Specific expectations can be found in the student handbook or the student code of conduct, and key items are listed below.

• Closed campus for lunch - Students MAY NOT receive an outpass to go to lunch or to pick up food for any reason.
• No food deliveries during school hours. This includes Door Dash, Grubhub, etc.
• No inappropriate or revealing clothing for any students
• No clothing with alcohol, drug, sexual, or inappropriate language or images
• No inappropriate language or gestures to be used by students at any time
• No hoods to be worn in school at any time
• No ski masks to be worn in school at any time
• No sunglasses to be worn in school at any time
• Phone use should only occur during passing time or during lunch. During class, it is up to the teacher's discretion as to how students may or may not use phones. If a student violates a teacher's phone policy/expectations, the teacher may confiscate the phone and return it to the student at the end of the period, or turn it in to the Student Relations office.
• Students must be in the cafeteria, Laker Commons, or the courtyard during lunch times. Students may not wander the halls or be in any unauthorized areas during lunches.

AFTER SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS - School dismisses at 2:23 PM. ALL STUDENTS need to be in a supervised activity or out of the building by 2:45 PM. We do not have the ability to safely supervise students after this time. There will be a late stay location for students who are in athletics or activities that begin AFTER 2:45. This supervised location will be in Laker Commons, across from the cafeteria. This supervision is ONLY for students who are in an activity. Students who are staying later than 2:45 who are not in a sport/activity must exit the building at or before this time. Students will be required to sign in with their ID and the activity they belong to.

LATE STARTS – throughout the school year we will participate in professional development that delays the start of the school day. On these days, school will start at 8:30 a.m., and the doors will be open for students beginning at 8:00 a.m.

IMMUNIZATIONS – All students that attend West Bloomfield School District must have accurate shot record information on file. Please be sure records are up to date. New students that do not have a shot record or a waiver on file are not allowed to attend school.

If you are interested in participating in athletics during the Winter Sports Season 2024-2025, please see the following reminders:

1. All athletes must register through FinalForms in order to participate in West Bloomfield Athletics. For the Winter Season, registration must be complete before the start of First practice/tryouts. Parents/Students who already have a FinalForms registration complete from previous seasons must log onto their existing FinalForms account, verify all information is correct, complete all signatures, and select sports that the student would like to participate in for that season. Please click the link at the end of this post for registration
2. Everyone must have a physical turned in on FinalForms dated after April 15th, 2024 in order to be eligible to participate in athletics for the 2024-2025 Winter Sports Season.
3. Pay to participate has been reinstated for the 2024-2025 school year. Student-athletes in school-sponsored sports will be required to pay a one-time yearly fee based on the fee structure below. Students can participate in multiple athletic opportunities with this fee. If you are planning on trying out for a school sponsored sport that has cuts (B/G Basketball, Competitive Cheer, Poms, Hockey), please do not pay your pay to participate fee until after you have made the team. If you are participating in a school sponsored sport that does not have cuts (Boys Swim, Skiing, Wrestling), please complete pay to participate before the first practice. *IF YOU HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED PAY TO PARTICIPATE FOR A FALL SPORT, THEN YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY AGAIN FOR A SCHOOL-SPONSORED WINTER SPORT. IF YOU ARE PLAYING A SELF-FUNDED WINTER SPORT, PLEASE DON’T PAY THE SCHOOL PAY TO PARTICIPATE. YOU WILL TURN IN YOUR MONEY TO YOUR COACH FOR PAYMENT FOR A SELF FUNDED SPORT. SCHOOL SPONSORED SPORTS PAY TO PARTICIPATE FEES ARE LISTED BELOW:
   1. High School Level:
      • Regular Rate $325
      • Free/Reduced Lunch Rate $160*

      Middle School Level:

      • Regular Rate $225
      • Free/Reduced Lunch Rate $110*

      A family cap of $800, still applies for all athletes in the family, including both Middle School and High School Levels. It is a “true” family cap.*The free/reduced lunch rate is for those who have filed approved paperwork with the Nutrition Office for Free/Reduced Lunch.

4. Please note the dates/times of tryouts or first practices for all Winter Sports. The link for information on the tryout/first practice schedule is:
   Winter Sports Tryout First Practice Schedule 2024-2025

Thank you for your attention to all the items above. We look forward to a great Winter 2024-2025 sports season.

Go Lakers!!!!

Eric Pierce

• Talk with your child about the importance of showing up to school every day, on time.
  
• Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
• If your child attends an unavoidable appointment during the school day, please ask the dentist, doctor, etc. for a note to excuse them from school. This should be turned in to the main office.
• Communicate with us if your child is sick. Please always call the SAFELINE if your child will be absent.
• Help your child stay engaged--remind them that you are excited to hear about their day when they come home.
  
• Ask for help from us if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. We are here to partner with you for your child's success!

WBSD has partnered with Parent Guidance.org to give parents free access to resources and helpful information. We have shared this information with our families. We hope that it will be useful for some of you as well!

ParentGuidance.org is an online service by licensed therapists that provides trusted and specialized courses, professional support, and a safe community for parents to learn how to support their children and get answers to mental health questions.

For all updates related to college, careers, counseling, scholarships, college rep visits, and more, make sure to check out the Counselor Connection Newsletter.