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WBHS Update
10/27/23
Principal's Message
Hello Laker Nation,
We are pleased to announce that WBHS will again be utilizing an online management system for the purposes of scheduling Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences. This system allows parents to personally schedule conference dates and times for their high school child(ren). Conferences will be held with options for both virtual and/or face-to-face attendance.
You will be provided with a link for each virtual conference. After opening the link you will be placed into a waiting room until the teacher admits you at your scheduled conference time. In order to have time to exit one meeting and log into another, it is recommended that you allow no less than five minutes between conferences.
In-person conferences require participants to meet in-person with the teacher in his/her classroom. Please knock on the door at your assigned time.
Important Dates:
- Beginning November 1: Register for an account on the Schoolsoft website
- Monday, November 8: Schoolsoft site open for scheduling at 6:00 AM
- Wednesday, November 15: Schoolsoft site closes for scheduling at Noon
- Thursday, November 16: Virtual Conferences Only - 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM Parent-Teacher Conferences (teacher dinner break 5:30 PM-6:00 p.m.)
- Friday, November 17: In-person Conferences Only - 11:20 AM to 2:40 PM. - Parent-Teacher Conferences
We strongly recommend that parents go onto the Schoolsoft site now and register for an account. After an account is configured users will receive an email when the system opens prompting them to book an appointment.
The Conference Manager opens to all parents for booking appointments on November 8 at 6:00 AM and will remain open until Noon on November 15 All Parent-Teacher conferences are limited to five minutes. Please follow the steps below to book your parent-teacher conferences:
Step 1 – Go to wbsd.schoolsoft.com and create an account for yourself.* (Click on Register Now) This will take less than a minute but is a necessary step for scheduling your child’s conferences.
*If you created an account as a WBHS parent last year, simply login with your email address and password. If you have forgotten your password, click “forgot my password” and it will be emailed to you.
Step 2: Fill out the registration information and click submit.
Step 3 – Book your Parent-Teacher Conferences beginning Wednesday, November 8 at 6:00 AM
Select the date you wish to book an appointment and then select all the teachers with whom you wish to meet. You will see each teacher’s schedule. **Please note: Some teachers share the same last name. In this case, carefully review first initials.
Please note that conference times will be scheduled as follows on Thursday, November 16 for virtual conferences:
- 3:30 - 5:30 PM - Conferences
- 5:30 - 6:00 PM - Teacher Dinner Break
- 6:00 - 7:30 PM - Conferences
Please note that conference times will be scheduled as follows on Friday, November 17 for in-person conferences:
- 11:20 AM - 2:40 PM - Conferences
After booking your appointments you may print off your schedule. You will also receive an email confirming your bookings. You may also log into the system at any time to view your bookings, print, or cancel and reschedule appointments.
Step 4 – Email confirmation and reminder emails
Once appointments are booked, you will receive a confirmation email from appointments@schoolsoft.com Adding this email address to your address book in your email application will help ensure it overrides any spam filters. You will also receive an email reminder before your conference to confirm your upcoming appointment.
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.
After School Expectations
Thank you for all of your support this year with attendance and student behaviors! As we enter the colder months, there are a couple of areas we are focusing on. We need your help. In order to keep our students and school safe, we cannot have students staying after school for extended periods of time. Anyone who stays after school MUST be in a supervised activity or sport. Students cannot stay beyond 2:45 if they are waiting for a ride. Please make proper arrangements, as we cannot safely supervise students who stay after school with nothing to do. We will ask students to be outside at 2:45 and they will not be permitted to re-enter the building. Students in unsupervised areas will be subject to disciplinary action. As it gets cold outside, it is important to make proper arrangements.
Also, it is essential that students are in school regularly and on time. As it becomes darker earlier, and cooler in the mornings, we typically see an increase in the number of students arriving late. Please join us in making prompt arrival and attendance a focus for all.
Proud to be a Laker!
Eric Pace
Principal - WBHS
District Wide Free Meal Information
For the 2023-24 school year, the State of Michigan created the Michigan School Meals Program allowing all students to receive one free breakfast and lunch meal daily at school, no matter their free/reduced meal status. However, filling out a free/reduced meal form is very important to families who are eligible and for the District to receive funding.
Family Benefits for Qualifying for Free/Reduced Meals
When families qualify for free/reduced price meals, students may be eligible for the following benefits:
Reduced Summer School fees
Reduced field trip fees with request
Reduced SAT, ACT and AP testing fees
Reduced college application fees
Potential additional benefits for Bridge Cards/P-EBT
Potential support for household cable/internet
Potential programs that provide holiday support
West Bloomfield School District Benefits for Qualifying Free/Reduced Meal Families
Did you know the federal government uses the number of free/reduced meal eligible students to determine how much money the district receives in grant funding?
West Bloomfield School District becomes eligible for Federal funds (Title I) when qualifying families fill out their free/reduced meal applications. If families do not fill out their forms, the District is at risk of losing funding for staff who provide critical services to our students.
Visit the application page to view the complete the application today!
À La Carte Items
Students are welcome to bring meals from home and purchase à la carte items as needed (including milk, second meals, bottled beverages and snack items).
Blessings in a Backpack - Trivia Night
Save the Date - Casino Night
WBHSXC: Girls Cross Country Wins Jamboree #3 and are League Champs!!!
The WBHS cross country team’s competed in the OAA Blue Division Jamboree #3 Championships on Thursday, October 19th at Memorial Park (Royal Oak, MI.). The boys varsity team placed 3rd overall with 75 points and were led by all-league (top 15 places) runners: Musa Kay (2nd) and Ryan Taylor (13th). Also, running varsity were: Haven William (18th), Carter Woolbright (19), Joshua Burrows (23), Michael Yanitz (24) & Josue Martinez (25). The boys jv team placed 2nd overall with 41 points and the top five Lakers were: Krish Singla (5th), Xavier Allen (6th), DeJuan Oakley (7th), Cody Koontz (11th) & Max Gross (12th).
Going into jamboree #3, the girls team and Berkley were tied for 1st place, with a winner take all for the championship. The girls varsity team didn’t disappoint as they placed 1st overall with 55 points, just two points ahead of Berkley (57 points). Leading the way for the girls varsity team were seniors and all-league (top 15 places) runners: Jalia Marks (3rd), Anasofia Alegre (5th) and Emma Burrows (10th). Also, running varsity were: Amelie Burtka (19th), Christina Dinnan (21st) & Caroline Fernandes (25). Running for the girls jv were: Sonia Gerak (10th), Addyson Walker (21st), Riya Bagri (22nd) & Kara Lenton (38th).
This is the first league championship for the girls since 1990. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Registration for Winter Sports is Now Open In FinalForms
Registration for the Winter Sports Season at the high school is now available on FinalForms. If you have already created a FinalForms account, simply log into your account and select the sport you are interested in playing/trying out for.
If you have not set up a FinalForms account already, please do so at the following link:
www.westbloomfield-mi.finalforms.com
Follow the prompts to create your account, create your students and sign your forms. Attached below is also a Final Forms Parent Playbook to help you get started with your registration. You will need to sign all forms and attach a current physical (dated after April 15th, 2023) to complete registration.
Senior All Night Party
Dairy Queen Blizzards coming to WBHS at the end of day on Monday, October 30th for $5! See below for details
Student Planners Available
Technology Assistance Links
- Help with Canvas
- Help with Chromebook: www.wbsd.org/departments/technology
- Help with PowerSchool: www.wbsd.org/parents/powerschool
Important Updates and Information
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 248-865-6522. 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.
Blessings in a Backpack
If your child is a student (3 to 26 years of age) in the West Bloomfield Schools, s/he can also participate in the 2023-24 Blessings in a Backpack program.
This program sends six non-perishable meals home each Friday of the school year. Its goal is to make sure that no child goes hungry on the weekend. Run by volunteers, there is NO cost to you.
To enroll in this program, please fill out this form and return it to your school office or email it to katherinesheiko@hotmail.com. This registers your child/ren in the Blessings program and alerts us to any allergies they might have. The first backpack of food will be distributed to your child at his/her local school the first week of October.
World Celebrations
WBSD is Hiring
Social Skills for Kids
Attendance Tips
- 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!
Mental Health Resources
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.