TALK SUP’T. May 18, 2012     Superintendent’s Weekly Blog

SEAF PROJECT

I want to thank the community and everyone who attended Monday night’s board workshop session. Our consultant, Shannon Bingham from Western Demographics had the opportunity to present his first reading of the SEAF project. Since this was the first reading, the SEAF Committee is continuing to work on areas that are of concern from people in the audience or emails that we have received from those who went online to read the SEAF report.
For those who had concerns about Special Ed., please know that we hear you and are responding and working to make this a plan that‘s going to be responsive to students and staff alike.
A meeting has been scheduled for the first of June to review the input we’ve received from you and review our plans to insure that it’s in the best interest of our special needs students and staff.
Our final presentation will be at the June 25 Board of Education meeting. Please go to our website under SEAF Project on the Main Menu to see our work from the focus groups and the Open Houses that were held.
Anyone who sent emails to me or board members, please know that all of those are being reviewed and considered as we move forward. An email address has been added to our website for your comments and suggestions. You may address your comments and suggestions regarding the SEAF Project to: SEAF@wbsd.org.  
There will be a regular Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 21, at 7:00 pm with a closed session beforehand at 6:00 pm, in the West Bloomfield High School Media Center.

WELCOME TO DR. GERALD HILL

We have had a warm welcoming for our new Superintendent, Dr. Gerald Hill, who has been meeting with staff and visiting all buildings over the last couple of days. It has  been a whirlwind tour for Dr. Hill and his lovely wife Cindy, who also attended the choir concert last night with us. Dr. Hill and his lovely wife Cindy both claim to be big patrons of the arts, and commented on what a fabulous concert it was.
In his school visits, he met with all administrative staff and also students.  He was impressed with how warm our students are. There was a sign welcoming him at every building, which was such a nice touch.  
He is looking forward to finding a new residence and quickly moving in and connecting with our community, and spent most of Friday afternoon on a home search.
Today the entire community was invited to attend an Open House from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the West Bloomfield High School Media Center, to welcome him. I hope anyone who has not had the chance to meet Dr. Hill, will stop by for that opportunity, and help welcome him to our district and community.

CONGRATULATIONS

We had over 130 students who were recognized at the annual Senior Scholar Athlete breakfast this week. This is the largest group in the history of our school, and what a strong statement this is by those students who believe that academics is still first and foremost. These Scholar Athletes represent 80% of our athletes and 25% of the senior class!

MICHIGAN WEEK

A warm congratulations to all those who were honored this morning at the annual Michigan Week Breakfast. I’m so proud of our students who won awards and scholarships from many of our community organizations including both the West Bloomfield and Keego Harbor Optimist clubs, the Greater West Bloomfield Cable Communications Commission, the GWB Community Coalition, the WB Rotary Club, and the GWB Chamber of Commerce. Students that were recognized include:
Alyxis Flaggs, Brooke Buffmyer, Joe Victor, Elizabeth Piontkowski, Sarah Meldrum, Ethan Woelke, Emily Vrbensky, Uzair Khan, Trenice Brown, Shakeer Thomas, and Angela Ng and Samantha Putnam. I feel blessed to be in such a community that has so many organizations that place such an importance on the youth in our community.
In addition, many of our parents, staff and long time supporters of our students were honored, including Lynn Bloom, Barb DeMarco, Christy Forhan, Linda Margetin, CharRhonda Moye, Hertha Woodruff, and good friend Marge Schwartz. Congratulation to all of you!

I also want to thank the Michigan Week Committee and Community for the honor that you have bestowed upon me, the Dr. Seymour Gretchko Youth Advocate Award, which means more to me than any award I could have received. Dr. Gretchko was my mentor and my hero, and I am so proud to have served under him.

MICHIGAN MONTH

To continue celebrating Michigan Month, I encourage you to visit historic Apple Island this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday from 11 am – 5 pm. We are one of the few school districts in the United States who has an island that our students visit every year to learn about the early settlers who helped establish our community.
Next weekend as we celebrate Memorial Day, I hope to see lots of our students at Roosevelt School on Friday to decorate their bikes for the parade on Monday in Keego Harbor.
The bike decorating will be held on Friday, May 25 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. All of the decorating materials will be supplied and you may also bring your own. ALL children, all ages and adults are invited to participate.
The Keego Harbor Memorial Day Parade will start at  10 am on Memorial Day, May 28th at Abbott Middle School and will conclude at Keego Harbor’s City Hall with a ceremony honoring our current and former Armed Forces members and a fun filled family program including a picnic in Rose Sortor Park. If you are interested in contributing and/or participating in this event contact the Parade Committee at: keegoharbormemorialdayparade@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATE!
The West Bloomfield Educational Foundation (WBEF) will bring our Second Annual Comedy Slam! event to the high school auditorium on Friday, June 8. This is a great fundraiser for our foundation and Comedian Joe Nipote has assembled a roster of VERY funny comics that you won’t want to miss this year. More info to come on the evening’s activities, but be sure to put it on your calendar, as we will all be ready for some comic relief as the hectic school year comes to a close.