WBSD Weekly Update
Friday, April 22, 2022
West Bloomfield Education Foundation Fundraiser Recap
Congratulations to the 50/50 Raffle Winner Diane B., a WBSD Transition Center Parent! She will be taking home a check for $4,192.
Congratulations to WBHS, they will be receiving a WBEF Grant for raffle ticket sales.
If you missed the event, please check out the video below. A special thank you to Kevin Walsh, WBEF Board, WBSD Central Leadership, all of our donors and sponsors, and everyone that help make this possible!
A BIG THANK YOU to the Behind the Scenes Crew
Jennifer Williamson, WBHS Digital Media Arts Instructor and Students celebrated the WBEF Fundraiser today with a pizza party for their hard work, creativity, and on-site support!
Congratulations WBSD Math Pentathlon Team!
We had our Division 2 Math Pentathlon Tournament for 2nd and 3rd Graders on Saturday, April 9 at Bloomfield Hills HS and all of the students did great! They all played with great sportsmanship and performed very well! Out of 17 students total from Doherty, Gretchko, Roosevelt, Scotch and Sheiko, we had 4 students receive a medal and 1 honorable mention!
Here are all of the Pentathletes that attended the Tournament:
Doherty
Abby Myers - 2nd Grade, Pahal Sarada - 2nd Grade **Bronze Medal**, Elijah Swainson - 2nd Grade, Teddy Teller - 2nd Grade **Bronze Medal**
Gretchko
Bryan Ha - 2nd Grade, Landen Myers - 2nd Grade **Silver Medal**, Benny Voorhees - 2nd Grade
Roosevelt
Keaton Douglass - 3rd Grade **Honorable Mention**, Petra Duvnjak - 3rd Grade **Gold Medal**, Brielle Smith - 2nd Grade
Scotch
Angelina Bakkal - 3rd Grade, Anthem Bills - 3rd Grade, Kyle Ha - 3rd Grade, Julia Maker - 3rd Grade, Mason Philleo - 3rd Grade, Aubrey Sokoli - 3rd Grade
Sheiko
Keigo Oura - 3rd Grade
Coaches for this team are:
Mrs. Mary Ann Ayar - 2nd Grade Teacher (Gretchko), Lucy Barber - Parent Coach, Rene Kubiak - Parent Coach, Michelle Sokoli - Parent Coach
The next Tournament will be for Kindergarteners and 1st Graders on Saturday, May 7 at Walled Lake Northern High School. There will be 16 students representing Doherty and Gretchko.
Congratulations to Dominique Dorius' (Pressnell)!
Early Childhood GSRP Teacher Dominique Dorius' (Pressnell) was nominated for the HighScope 2022 Early Educator of Excellence
This is Dominique's first year in the WBSD; but she has worked for many years with Oakland Family Services and Walled Lake. We are extremely proud of Dominique and all that she gives to our young learners; her heart and compassion can be seen in all that does. Her name was on the big screen as she received her recognition at the Pistons game on April 8. Congratulations Dominique!!!
Earn College Credits While in High School for Free
Oakland Early College is a school in the West Bloomfield School District and a public early college high school open to incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students that have successfully completed Algebra 1. Students can earn a high school diploma and a college degree, tuition free. Oakland Early College is a hybrid program offering students the opportunity to attend college at Oakland Community College while in high school. Please join us for an informational ZOOM webinar on Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by clicking here or by visiting our website, www.oaklandearlycollege.org. Students and families are welcome to apply and can learn more about the application process by contacting (248) 522-3541 or emailing morrison.borders@wbsd.org.
Therapy Dogs at West Bloomfield Middle School
With the support of the WBSD School Board, the staff at WBMS have pursued arranging for therapy dogs to be present at WBMS for the final few months of the school year. Operating as a pilot, we are working to support the two therapy dogs that have begun visiting our school regularly. It has been found that therapy dogs help to improve a school's climate by positively affecting students' social-emotional well being, peer interaction, and can even contribute to academic growth! We are happy to introduce you to the 2 animals visiting our school:
It's important to understand that there are 3 types of animals that are trained to be in schools. An emotional support animal is one that is primarily ‘assigned’ to an individual who benefits from that one on one relationship. A therapy animal is trained to meet individuals and groups in many different settings including hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to bring comfort and reduce anxiety. A service animal is an animal trained to do a specific job, normally for a specific person, for example Leader Dogs for the Blind.
The initiative was brought to the School Board by two WBMS teachers, Miss Weiner and Ms. Waller. As a school, we are looking forward to every student meeting and getting to know our amazing therapy dogs; while being mindful and planning for students and staff who may have an allergy or fear of dogs. We are hopeful that this pilot will be a success and the Board will consider action to include policies to allow therapy dogs to be full time in our new middle school in the Fall 2022.
Ruger
Ruger is Mr. DeGrand’s therapy dog. Ruger will be visiting a few days throughout the week to say hello to students. Mrs. DeGrand (Mr. DeGrand’s wife) is Ruger’s ‘handler’ and she will be accompanying Ruger to each class that would like a visit. Ruger is a Golden Retriever. He loves to relax on the weekends, play ball, and meet new students.
Chief is Mrs. Graff’s, our Assistant Principal, therapy dog. He continues to be specially trained to work in schools. Chief will be at the school five days a week during regular school hours once he passes his official Therapy Dog Test which is quickly approaching. He is a Black Labrador Retriever who loves long walks and saying hello to students in the hallways.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
West Bloomfield High School presents Big Fish written by John August and composed by Andrew Lippa, Thursday, April 28, Friday, April 29, 2022 at 7 p.m., and Saturday April 30, 2022 at both 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, BIG FISH centers on Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest...and then some! Edward’s incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him – most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales. Overflowing with heart, humor, and spectacular stagecraft, BIG FISH is an extraordinary new Broadway musical that reminds us why we love going to the theatre – for an experience that’s richer, funnier, and BIGGER than life itself.
Tickets are reserved for $18 - and may be purchased now at showtix4u.com or throughout the run at the box office at WBHS
If you have any questions regarding Big Fish, please contact Karen Brody at karen.brody@wbsd.org
WBHS Architecture Students On-Site
Teacher Kelli Mattson, WBHS and Architecture 1, 2 and 4 classes were invited to WBMS Construction Site to meet with contractors from Auch and the architect from French Associates. Students got a behind the scenes tour of the state of the art facility and witnessed an active construction site where they saw many trades working together to complete the project. Kelli worked as a Design Architect at French Associates prior to becoming a teacher.
Congrats to WBHS Band!
Congratulations to the six WBHS band students who qualified for the State Solo and Ensemble Festival this year! Of the six participating students, there were five Superior (Division I) ratings! Congratulations for earning the highest score achievable.
Shiho Kashiwagi-Wood, flute
Lauren Pratt, saxophone
Nolan Pratt, trumpet
Rylie Schell, trumpet
Natalie Weissman, trombone
National Honor Society for Student Musicians
There is only one national honor society for student musicians in the country, and West Bloomfield High is now part of it.
Even prior to joining the teaching staff in the West Bloomfield School District on a part-time basis approximately three years ago, Shelly Rouse-Freitag, who is the director of bands for Lakers Online Middle School, aspired for the district to be part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society — formerly known as Modern Music Masters — as her daughter was a musician in the District.
Celebrating Diversity Month
Books, Resources, Videos and More! So much to celebrate in April - this month is Arab-American Heritage Month, Autism Acceptance/Awareness Month and National Poetry Month. Check out the newsletter for more information.
Order Now - Geraniums, Impatiens, and Petunias
Pickup for flowers is Friday, May 6 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. in the WBHS parking lot. Mothers' day is Sunday May 8! All orders with payment are due by April 26. Order Here
West Bloomfield Boys Lacrosse Fundraiser - Murder Mystery Event
Join the Boys Lacrosse Team in Downtown Northville for an enjoyable adult only evening searching for clues while strolling around the town, visiting the local sights and maybe meet a few interesting characters along the way.
The Case of the Dead Paparazzi Murder Mystery Event starts at 8 p.m. Click the image for more information and to register.
WBSD Robotics/FIRST Tech Challenge will be showcasing as many aspects of WB Robotics as possible in the Parade!
- If your group/organization is interested in participating this year, please complete the Registration Form. (Deadline is May 13)
- If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the Volunteer Form.
WBSD & DSW Farmington Hills Community Partnership
Need a new pair of shoes for Prom or Graduation? Present the flyer and school ID to receive the discount.
West Bloomfield Preschool Academy
Registration is open! Please share with your friends and the community. More information can be found here.
Calling All Youth Artists
19th Orchard Lake Fine Art Show is July 30 & July 31
Grades K-8 or Ages 5-13. Deadline to Apply is July 10, 2022. Applications at www.artsandeducationinc.org
West Bloomfield Township Public Library
Book Lists
-Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (Kids)
-Poetry Month (Kids)
-Earth Day (Kids)
Virtual Earth Day Storytime
Monday, April 25 at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom
Celebrate all the earth has to offer with songs, stories and fingerplays. Recommended for
ages 3-5 years.
Your Library Card Is Your Key through Select Paywalls
Use your library card to access digital newspapers and magazines. Read the latest newspaper and magazine issues through pressreader, access popular magazines through OverDrive, check out Consumer Reports, or browse the Wall Street Journal.