CONGRATULATIONS:
Our students continue to make us proud and we can’t help beaming!
The Orchard Lake Middle School Symphony Band and Jazz Band, recently participated in the Cincinnati Music in the Parks competition. Music in the Parks is a national company that organizes festivals throughout the country. Director Doug Blackwell is happy to report that the Symphony Band came in 2nd place and the Jazz Band came in First Place, both in competition with bands from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.
The WBHS Girls Tennis Team are MHSAA Regional Champs! The team took the Division 1 Tournament Championship as they competed against 9 other schools. In addition, 9th grader Samantha Dean and 11th Grader Laurel Ruza teamed up to win the Doubles competition, 9th Grader Aerielle Pendleton won the #3 Singles, and Junior Kyra Shink won the #4 Singles.
Tennis Coach Bonnie Koch defines them as a young team and a great group of women that have worked very hard. The fact that they have no seniors on their team makes it all the more impressive.
Peter Fogel, WBHS freshman who impressed everyone with his essay “The Internet: Today’s Evolution or Tomorrow’s Menace?” and won first place in the Optimist Club of West Bloomfield Essay Contest, went on to compete at the District Level and took third place!
Monday, May 24, Board of Education Meeting
At Monday’s Board meeting, we will sign the lease agreement for the Adult Post Secondary Program which will open in the fall. This program allows us to bring our young adult students age 18-26 with special needs who require post-secondary education, back to their home district and also allows others to remain in our district.
We will sign an Intergovernmental Agreement for Alternative Education with Oakland Schools and four other school districts to offer Alternative Education at Oakland Schools Technical Campus. Students will have the opportunity to gain skills in Business, Engineering/Emerging Technologies, Culinary Arts, Health Sciences and Transportation Technology along with competing their high school diploma.
In addition, the Deficit Elimination Plan (DEP) for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years will be signed and adopted. The DEP, along with Negotiations Questions and Answers can be found on our website’s homepage under About Our Future. www.wbsd.org
American Idol Cards
American Idol Cards are being sold by our Athletic, Band and Student Activities students. These cards will be sold for just $1, and will allow you to get a $3 discount off any 8” square pizza at Buddy’s Restaurants, AND receive a FREE upgrade to the top online package with any car wash purchase at JAX Kar Wash. Buy a card and help our students!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Talk Sup't. May 14, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS:
Congratulations and a bow to many of our students who are being recognized in various ways as our school year comes to a close.
Beatrice Brenner, a junior at West Bloomfield High School, earned a top composite score of 36 on her recent ACT test. Nationally, while the actual number of students earning a composite score of 36 varies from year to year, roughly one-tenth of one percent receive a top score!
Julie Clark will be gracing your television screen on Channel 7 this month as she has been recognized as one of WXYZ TV’s Brightest and Best!!
Shelley Rosenberg, WBHS Alum has just been accepted to Harvard Law School. We are always delighted to learn about the success that our former students are experiencing once they leave West Bloomfield. We are confident that Shelley will make us proud.
Roosevelt Elementary has achieved Emerald Status as it is recognized for meeting the qualifications to become designated as a Michigan Green School, sponsored by Oakland Schools and Oakland County Waste Resource Management! Michigan Green Schools’ mission is to protect our unique and precious Michigan natural resources including the Great Lakes, our rivers, forests, land, air and animals, to make good stewards of this natural heritage and to join the critical effort in stemming the global warming of the earth and protecting endangered wildlife.
The 2010 Michigan Week Awards Breakfast celebrating Pure Michigan and its Green Environment and Blue Waters was held this morning at Walnut Lake Middle School. This is the 38th year that the Michigan Week Awards Program salutes those who have made significant volunteer contributions to the Greater West Bloomfield Community. I am so proud of this year’s recipients of the Dr. Seymour Gretchko Youth Advocate Awards: The Keego Harbor Optimist Club has won for an organization, and our own past school board member for 26 years Mr. Jeffrey Stewart was recognized for his ongoing dedication to the school district and the entire community.
In addition, school board member Melanie Torbert received a Volunteer Service Award, and six of our West Bloomfield High School students received Youth Volunteer Leadership Awards: Chanel Geter, Merrick Jacob, Thomas Lee, Angela Ng, Jacob Sable and Josh Zhang were all recognized for their leadership roles in projects that raise money and awareness for many worthwhile organizations. Our hats off to all of our students for all that they do in service to the community.
It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing the retirement of our Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Mr. Tony Marasco.
Tony has been with us for six years, and although we will all miss him, he has worked hard all of his career and has earned the opportunity to enjoy more time with his family. Join me in wishing Tony all the best in his retirement.
INSTRUMENTS NEEDED:
Abbott Middle School is piloting a new band and strings classes, changing the sixth grade electives they will offer. All 6th grade students will participate in either a band class or a strings class, and the class will alternate every other day with theater and choir offered on those days. Staff is looking at grant and other fund-raising opportunities to purchase additional brass, string and wind instruments, but they are accepting donations of new or gently used instruments to help supplement the program. To donate, instruments may be dropped off in the Abbott office, or contact Lisa Graff at 248-865-3670.
WBEA NEGOTIATIONS:
We are still in a bargaining stage with the West Bloomfield Education Association and want to make you aware of an activity that may occur on Tuesday. It is our understanding that the West Bloomfield Education Association may be picketing in front of the school buildings every Tuesday in the future. This could take place before school hours, and will not interfere with the dropping off or picking up of students as driveways and entrances cannot be hindered or blocked. Classes will proceed as usual during school hours, and your child’s education will not be affected, nor will their safety.
We expect this to be peaceful and appropriate. Your children’s education is always foremost in the minds of our dedicated teachers.
More information will be available on Tuesday, May 18, regarding the status of negotiations, on our website’s homepage (wbsd.org) under “Decisions About Our Future”.
Budget Study Session
Monday, May 17, 2010 at 6:30 pm in the West Bloomfield High School Media Center, everyone is invited to hear firsthand the recommendations for a Deficit Elimination Plan. This plan will be presented to the school board at our regular Board of Education meeting on May 24 at 7:00 pm at West Bloomfield High School.
Retirement Reform
The Conference Report for Senate Bill 1227 was adopted by the Senate and this morning by the House. A summary of the major MPSERS changes contained in the final version are available on the website at http://www.michigan.gov/orsschools
Employees currently eligible to retire would receive incentives to retire early if they do so between July 1 and September 1, 2010.
While it allows the school district to hire new staff at a lesser rate, my concern is the timing of a move such as this and how it affects trying to replace staff at this late date. It appears that we will lose additional staff to retirement and will need to immediately replace them. It may be difficult to find such quality candidates to fill these positions. It is my hope, depending on the positions, that this may allow us to recall some staff that we recently laid off. We’ll await the governor’s signature on this reform, and will keep you updated on how this will impact the West Bloomfield School District.
Congratulations and a bow to many of our students who are being recognized in various ways as our school year comes to a close.
Beatrice Brenner, a junior at West Bloomfield High School, earned a top composite score of 36 on her recent ACT test. Nationally, while the actual number of students earning a composite score of 36 varies from year to year, roughly one-tenth of one percent receive a top score!
Julie Clark will be gracing your television screen on Channel 7 this month as she has been recognized as one of WXYZ TV’s Brightest and Best!!
Shelley Rosenberg, WBHS Alum has just been accepted to Harvard Law School. We are always delighted to learn about the success that our former students are experiencing once they leave West Bloomfield. We are confident that Shelley will make us proud.
Roosevelt Elementary has achieved Emerald Status as it is recognized for meeting the qualifications to become designated as a Michigan Green School, sponsored by Oakland Schools and Oakland County Waste Resource Management! Michigan Green Schools’ mission is to protect our unique and precious Michigan natural resources including the Great Lakes, our rivers, forests, land, air and animals, to make good stewards of this natural heritage and to join the critical effort in stemming the global warming of the earth and protecting endangered wildlife.
The 2010 Michigan Week Awards Breakfast celebrating Pure Michigan and its Green Environment and Blue Waters was held this morning at Walnut Lake Middle School. This is the 38th year that the Michigan Week Awards Program salutes those who have made significant volunteer contributions to the Greater West Bloomfield Community. I am so proud of this year’s recipients of the Dr. Seymour Gretchko Youth Advocate Awards: The Keego Harbor Optimist Club has won for an organization, and our own past school board member for 26 years Mr. Jeffrey Stewart was recognized for his ongoing dedication to the school district and the entire community.
In addition, school board member Melanie Torbert received a Volunteer Service Award, and six of our West Bloomfield High School students received Youth Volunteer Leadership Awards: Chanel Geter, Merrick Jacob, Thomas Lee, Angela Ng, Jacob Sable and Josh Zhang were all recognized for their leadership roles in projects that raise money and awareness for many worthwhile organizations. Our hats off to all of our students for all that they do in service to the community.
It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing the retirement of our Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Mr. Tony Marasco.
Tony has been with us for six years, and although we will all miss him, he has worked hard all of his career and has earned the opportunity to enjoy more time with his family. Join me in wishing Tony all the best in his retirement.
INSTRUMENTS NEEDED:
Abbott Middle School is piloting a new band and strings classes, changing the sixth grade electives they will offer. All 6th grade students will participate in either a band class or a strings class, and the class will alternate every other day with theater and choir offered on those days. Staff is looking at grant and other fund-raising opportunities to purchase additional brass, string and wind instruments, but they are accepting donations of new or gently used instruments to help supplement the program. To donate, instruments may be dropped off in the Abbott office, or contact Lisa Graff at 248-865-3670.
WBEA NEGOTIATIONS:
We are still in a bargaining stage with the West Bloomfield Education Association and want to make you aware of an activity that may occur on Tuesday. It is our understanding that the West Bloomfield Education Association may be picketing in front of the school buildings every Tuesday in the future. This could take place before school hours, and will not interfere with the dropping off or picking up of students as driveways and entrances cannot be hindered or blocked. Classes will proceed as usual during school hours, and your child’s education will not be affected, nor will their safety.
We expect this to be peaceful and appropriate. Your children’s education is always foremost in the minds of our dedicated teachers.
More information will be available on Tuesday, May 18, regarding the status of negotiations, on our website’s homepage (wbsd.org) under “Decisions About Our Future”.
Budget Study Session
Monday, May 17, 2010 at 6:30 pm in the West Bloomfield High School Media Center, everyone is invited to hear firsthand the recommendations for a Deficit Elimination Plan. This plan will be presented to the school board at our regular Board of Education meeting on May 24 at 7:00 pm at West Bloomfield High School.
Retirement Reform
The Conference Report for Senate Bill 1227 was adopted by the Senate and this morning by the House. A summary of the major MPSERS changes contained in the final version are available on the website at http://www.michigan.gov/orsschools
Employees currently eligible to retire would receive incentives to retire early if they do so between July 1 and September 1, 2010.
While it allows the school district to hire new staff at a lesser rate, my concern is the timing of a move such as this and how it affects trying to replace staff at this late date. It appears that we will lose additional staff to retirement and will need to immediately replace them. It may be difficult to find such quality candidates to fill these positions. It is my hope, depending on the positions, that this may allow us to recall some staff that we recently laid off. We’ll await the governor’s signature on this reform, and will keep you updated on how this will impact the West Bloomfield School District.
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