MIdweek UPdate

We are very excited to announce that Whitmore Lake Middle and High School is a recipient of a Save The Music Foundation grant. We received a Save The Music J Dilla Music Tech Grant, a grant package including approximately $90,000 worth of instruments, equipment, and technology, professional development and ongoing program support to start a new Music Tech program.

Middle and High School Principal, Jill Henry, is also very excited. “The grant provides the equipment and support we need to be able to offer a new, high-interest elective to

our students. Music Tech builds students' technical and creative skill sets and connects them to careers in the growing field of music technology,” she shared.

The grant package consists of equipment for a Student Producer Rig including electronic instruments, IPads, along with digital music software, sound equipment and all the cases and accessories. Additionally we are receiving classroom equipment including electronic instruments and guitars, DJ equipment, sound equipment, computers, accessories and programs, curricular and resource books and all the necessary cables, adapter, hard drives, etc.

And it doesn’t end there. Our Middle and High School music teacher, Elisa Fixler, receives a one-year mentorship from an organization in our community who specializes in music production to provide hands-on support and guidance to help this program be successful.

Students will begin interacting with this new equipment as early as next semester with the addition of an “Intro to Music Tech” class with the hopes of expanding that into Music Tech 1 in the fall. These courses will be open to all high school students, not just band and choir students. No formal music education background is required.

“Because music allows students to tap into their passion and develop their own unique voices, we are confident that bringing music technology into our school will help to increase student engagement in not only music education but education more generally. The benefits of music education–improved overall academic achievement, reduced stress levels, and increased self esteem– will benefit our students both in and out of the classroom,” Ms. Fixler shared.

I commend both Ms. Fixler and Ms. Henry for their work in dreaming big, identifying the long-term benefits of a program like this for kids, and putting the work into securing such a prestigious award. I also thank the Save The Music Foundation for their dedication to providing equitable access to music education nationwide for the past 25 years.

This month our Middle and High Schoolers participated in the annual community service project, Rake ‘n’ Run. For those unfamiliar with this event coordinated by our National Honor Society, our students board school buses and travel all over Whitmore Lake to clean up the yards of community members who are unable to do so on their own. This year they raked leaves at 44 houses belonging to veterans, retired staff members and senior citizens.

This Trojan tradition is a favorite among many. It is a valuable opportunity for our students to learn the importance of giving and supporting others and connect with members of our community.

It also kicks off the annual season of giving around WLPS. Throughout the next six weeks, each building is coordinating different initiatives to support those in need within our community. One common project that I’d like to invite everyone in our district to support is the collection of non-perishable food items and toiletries for Northfield Human Services.

Northfield Human Services is a local nonprofit organization that has been serving the area of Northfield Township and Whitmore Lake Public School District since 1993 by helping provide access to health care, food, and transportation to those in need. This includes their Food Pantry that is open for in-person shopping on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or provides deliveries on Mondays. For a full list of services available through NHS, check out their website HERE. To take advantage of their services, there is a just a short application. For those looking for more information, call 734-492-1717 x112.

The need for food within our community has drastically increased over the last six months. Northfield Human Services are in need of non-perishable food items and toiletries. They identified the following items in high demand:

• Ketchup

• Mustard

• Mayo (small jars)

• Pickles

• Hot Sauce

• Cake Mixes

• Frosting

• Candles

• Flour

• Sugar

• Baking Soda

• Baking Powder

• Brown Sugar

• Butter

• Cheese

• Cereal

You can help by donating items to the following initiatives happening throughout the district. Send your donations in with your student, or if you do not have students in the district, you can drop off items directly to Northfield Human Services at 9075 Brookside Dr, Whitmore Lake on Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Main Street Campus

8845 Main Street

Now-Morning of November 20

Our Montessorri daycare and magnet program, Go Like the Wind Montessori School, and our Early Childhood Center programs collected non-perishable items the past few weeks. Our GLTW Elementary students delivered the donations to the food pantry Monday afternoon.

Whitmore Lake Elementary School

1077 Barker Rd.

Monday, December 4-Wednesday, December 13

The WLES Builders Club and Student Council are sponsoring this initiative. To meet the need growing in the community, they hope to exceed their goal of collecting 1,500 items to donate to Northfield Human Services.

Questions: Contact kara.weinstein@wlps.net

Whitmore Lake Middle and High School

7430 Whitmore Lake Rd.

Friday, December 1-Thursday, December 14

The National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society are sponsoring this initiative. They have set a schoolwide goal of 3,500 items. Historically, the middle and high school’s contribution is the largest donation to the Food Pantry, helping them to operate successfully throughout the winter and spring.

Caroling for Cans

Thursday, December 14

The holiday food drive in the Middle and High School culminates with our second annual Caroling for Cans event. Students will be in the community singing and collecting non-perishable food items and toiletries from neighborhoods around the community. Students will be flyering the neighborhoods they plan to visit by December 1. Caroling stops at WLES and the Whitmore Lake Community Center are also planned.