SUPERINTENDENT
September 1, 2024
NCSD Families,
Happy Fall! I cannot believe we are in October already because it does not seem like the weather has even changed yet. It has been a beautiful and mild fall to this point, but I am actually excited about the cooler temps coming in and ushering in the gorgeous color changes that come with it. I also am very pleased with the first month of our school year and how our students and staff have responded to getting back into the routines of the school year. Please read on as we have highlighted a number of our students and staff this month. Here are a few additional updates:
Superintendent Updates:
- Middle School Outdoor Learning Space - Many of you have had the opportunity to visit our brand new outdoor learning space at Novi Middle School. It is a gorgeous outdoor space that allows for multiple classes of students to go outside and learn in the outdoors. This has already been utilized this year as a joint partnership with the Novi NEF and monies received through an outdoor learning grant supported by our local State Representative Kelly Breen. This outdoor space is a great community asset and place for kids to get out of the classroom and into an outdoor classroom! We would love for you to come check it out!
- Coffee with the Superintendent - On Thursday this week (10/3), I will be holding my first Coffee with the Superintendent of the year. It will be at the Novi Public Library, at 6:00 PM. I will be joined by RosaLeigh Johnson and members of the Novi Mental Health Alliance as we discuss the Anxious Generation, and ideas that the district is exploring related to the data/research in the book. As an incentive, I will have 5 copies of the book to give away to guests that attend!
- Fall Break in Early November - As a friendly reminder, we will have our first ever mid-fall break taking place at the end of this month. The break will run the day after Halloween (November 1) through November 4. We hope this will give everyone a much needed break after October is done.
- 5-12 Grade Cell Phone Pilots - As you may have heard, our students in Grades 5-12 are trying different strategies to be phone free during instructional time. In 5-8 grade students are using Yondr pouches to store their phones during the school day, while in 9-12 students secure their phones in caddies located in their classrooms. Our goal here is to help students manage their phone use appropriately and provide more time for instruction and collaboration with peers. Over the upcoming months we will be surveying our stakeholders to see how things are going!
Go Wildcats!
Ben Mainka, Superintendent
Novi Community School District
Congratulations are in order for our 37 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists! We are so proud of their incredible accomplishment.
Shreya Agrawal, Lalitaditya Akkaraju, Ajay Annamalai, Dhruv Bahuguna, Rebecca Borlace, Jachin Chung, Abhiram Gannamaneni, Anshu Gopalam, Muhammad Hariri, Kathryn Jocz, Deepshika Jois, Ankita Kannan, Gowtham Kantamneni, Jayden Kim, Eesha Kodali, Sai Kodali, Xiangyu Kong, Anirudh Kundurthy, Maxwell Li, Shashank Madhu, Ava Martynenko, Sanaa Mulay, Harish Narayan, Divya Nelluri, Samyuktha Parthasarathy, Joanna Philip, Abhinav Rao, Arvind Salem, Aaradhya Shrivastava, Ishaan Sid, Esha Sopory, Vishal Swamy, Nandita Talluri, Arjun Thallapally, Jane Tian, Vihaan Vuppala, and Hansitha Yarabarla.
The National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists will be recognized by the Board of Education on Oct. 17 as well as on the high school website later this month on the National Merit Semifinalist page.
Financial Support for Mental Health Resources
Families in the Novi Community School District have access to Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN). OCHN leads a provider service network with public mental health services for those who have an intellectual or developmental disability, mental health challenge, or substance use disorder. Visit OCHN’s website to learn more about the services they offer.
more information about OCHN and the services they offer.
OCHN offers a reimbursement program, allowing families to be reimbursed up to $4,000 per household for services and resources such as individual counseling/psychotherapy, group therapy, family therapy, psychiatry, psychological testing, psychotropic medication, day-programs/partial hospitalization programs, and emergency room visits when associated with mental health. Anyone can apply and there is no income cap to receive reimbursement. The only qualifier is that the student both resides in Oakland County and is enrolled in an Oakland county school (kindergarten - adult transition). Families simply need to complete the School Mental Health Funding Assistance Form. Note: If you applied for the $2,000 reimbursement that was available during the 2023-24 school year, you are eligible to receive an additional $2,000 during the 2024-25 school year.
