The Banks Bulletin

Dear Banks Families:

8TH GRADE PSAT TESTING ON THURSDAY, APRIL 16TH

Please note that all Walled Lake 8th graders will be here for a full day and 6th and 7th graders will have a late start on April 16th. It is important that all 8th grade students who are feeling well on April 16th attend school for testing.

Morning Schedule

• 8:00 a.m.-8:05 a.m.-8th Graders arrive
• 8:20 a.m.-11:25 a.m.-Administer the 8th Grade PSAT
• 11:25 a.m.-11:58 a.m.-8th Grade Lunch
• 6th and 7th graders arrive at approximately 11:45 a.m.

Afternoon 1/2 Day Schedule

• 1st Hour 12:05 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
• 2nd Hour 12:35 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
• 3rd Hour 1:05 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
• 4th Hour 1:35 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
• 5th Hour 2:05 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
• 6th Hour 2:35 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Transportation will be provided to all students to and from school on April 16th. The bus schedule will be posted on the transportation website one day prior.

Cheers,

Jennifer VanWagnen, Principal

We Are Banks!

April

4/13: Report Cards Available to View by End of Day

4/14: Fire Drill

4/14: MS Track Meet vs. East Middle School @ 4 PM- Away

4/16: 8th Grade PSAT

4/20: MS Track Meet vs. Smart @ 4 PM- WLW

4/21-4/24: 8th Grade Washington, D.C. Field Trip

4/27: MS Track Meet vs. Muir Middle School @ 4 PM- Away

4/28: Half Day for Students, Staff Professional Development

4/28: 8th Grade Class Photo, 8:30 AM

Middle School Testing Information

• Thursday, April 16: PSAT 8

• MSTEP: : Week of April 27

The 8th grade students who have class at Walled Lake Western will not report to Western next Tuesday-Friday due to State Testing. Monday, April 13th, will be a normal report day.

The Spring season welcomed around 150 track and field athletes! We are eager for our first meet which takes place on April 14th @ East Middle School. Athletes must keep up their grades each week to maintain participation eligibility. Also, pay to participate must be submitted before the first meet. Have an a amazing Spring Break, Bulldogs!

Future Walled Lake Central Viking Football players!

Thursday, April 16 there will be a parent information night for all those interested in playing FOOTBALL at Walled Lake Central.

6:30 PM in the Walled Lake Central media center.

Come find our more and join the football program!!

8th Grade Washington, D.C. Update

D.C. Trip Update

Thank you for those who were able to attend our D.C. pre-trip parent meeting on Wednesday, April 8. Please see the link below for more information that was shared and discussed at the meeting. Please reach out to Mr. Yu at TorryYu@wlcsd.org with any additional questions you may have.

https://app.smore.com/n/e9qyc

• The PTSA approved its slate for next year. Here is the executive board:

• President – Dana Gorman
• Vice President – Heather Sutherlin
• Secretary – Barb Zajdel
• Treasurer – Sarah Reese

Congratulations and welcome to each of these individuals! We are so thrilled to partner with you!

Toys, stuffed animals and NeeDohs should not be brought to school. Due to a recent increase in these items, students have been reminded that NeeDohs and other toys are disruptive to the learning environment and are not permitted at school. We have also become aware of a current and potentially dangerous TikTok trend involving exploding NeeDohs, which has made its way into classrooms, creating significant messes and disrupting instruction.

Moving forward, any such items brought to school will be confiscated and held until a parent or guardian is able to retrieve them. Thank you for partnering with us to help keep our school safe and maintain a learning environment that is positive and productive for all students.

Our current math standards are more rigorous and demanding than ever. Students are expected to develop a deep understanding of concepts leading to fluency with facts and procedures, and the ability to clearly communicate their mathematical thinking. Further, students must pass a demanding sequence of high school math courses in order to meet graduation requirements. In response to the increased expectations for all students, we have adjusted the content focus and instructional approaches in all of our math courses.

Because of the higher standards and to ensure student success at all points of their

mathematical education, we are using the procedures described below to accelerate students.

In order to skip a course in the math sequence, students must demonstrate proficiency in

the content and skills of the course they are attempting to skip.

The process and procedures described on the following pages (linked below) apply to all students currently in grades 2 through 6. Students attempting to test-out of high school courses will use the existing process described on the district website. If you have questions after reviewing the process, please contact your building principal or me. Thank you for your partnership in education.

Sincerely,

Ellen McDonald

Math/Science Coordinator

ELLENMCDONALD@WLCSD.ORG

248.956.2029

Please consider the safety of our entire Bulldog Community when you are dropping off or picking up your students. Following the procedures at SLOW SPEEDS is the best way to keep everyone safe. Say long good byes while you are driving to school. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly. Families who are prepared for this will help ensure more efficient traffic flow.

• Front Parking Lot Closed Daily, 7:45–8:10 AM
  To promote safe, calm arrivals, the front lot will be blocked to vehicles during this window. Inconsistent use of the lot has created unsafe drop-off situations. This procedure eliminates those risks.

• Bus Loop Closed Until All Buses Unload
  The bus loop is not open to cars during arrival or dismissal. Please do not park or leave your vehicle in the loop. Timing may vary slightly day to day based on bus arrivals.
• . In the event that you need to pick-up early, you must do so before 2:40 p.m.

How you can help:

• Please use district busing as the primary mode of transportation whenever possible.
• Use the pick-up/drop-off line only if you live outside the busing limits.
• Carpool when possible.
• Have backpacks zipped, instruments ready and goodbyes said before unloading to keep lines moving safely. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly.
• Pull all the way forward even after dropping off to help ensure more efficient traffic flow.
• Refrain from cutting through the parking lot. Refer to the map below and adhere to it.
• Unload at all 6 spots-do not wait until you get to spot #1 to unload

Dear Sarah Banks Community,

The Giving Tree Club and National Honor Society at Walled Lake Central are excited to share with you that our Walled Lake Community Wide Make a Blanket Day is officially set for April 18, from 10am-2pm. You can come and join us anytime between then. Our goal this year is 1,000 blankets! We are partnering with Fleece and Thank You to ensure that every child facing an extended stay at the hospital not only receives a comforting fleece blanket, but also receives a personalized message from the person who made the blanket. The patient can also choose to send a video back! This day has historically been a huge and fun event for the whole family, and we would love to have you join us! Purchasing a blanket is not necessary to join the event. We just ask that everyone completes the free registration. Food trucks will be available to purchase food, obstacle courses, face painting, and a team from Mojo in the Morning are all part of this day...with more surprises to come!

Here is a video that helps show just how special this organization is (https://youtu.be/61fJZDjVOIU).

Your school page can be found here:

https://charity.pledgeit.org/t/srsvt7snhv

If you have any questions, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact Nancy Kattoula (NancyKattoula@wlcsd.org) or Amanda Swanson (AmandaSwanson@wlcsd.org).

Thank you so much for your support!

As part of our ongoing commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, we are making updates to our District and school websites to align with new required ADA compliance standards. These changes are designed to ensure that all members of our community can access important information in a clear, user-friendly manner.

This work is important because it helps remove barriers and ensures equal access to resources for every student, family, and community member.

As updates continue, some content may be reorganized or presented differently. If you are unable to find a resource you need or require information in an alternative format, please contact us at info@wlcsd.org

We are happy to assist and appreciate your patience and support as we make these improvements.

Nominate them for an FFE "Super Star Staff" award! Each award costs $10 and includes a personalized certificate for the staff member (or members) of your choice and enters them into a drawing for one of two $500 prizes from the Walled Lake Schools Federal Credit Union. Two winners will be drawn on May 1st and will be surprised with their check during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week.

Awardees can be teachers, parapros, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, etc.

Proceeds from this fundraiser support the Foundation For Excellence's mission to provide funds for classrooms for additional resources and tools.

Find out more here: https://www.wlcsd.org/community/foundation-for-excellence/superstarstaff

In an effort to find additional ways to celebrate our staff, the WLCSD Community Relations department requests that families fill out the information below for staff who are rock stars in their classrooms and school communities.

A sample of what these shout outs will look like on social media and in our district newsletters is on the right.

In a world dominated by instant communication, cell phones can be a major distraction during the school day. At Sarah Banks Middle School, our goal is not to limit contact between students and families, but to promote responsible and appropriate use of technology in an academic setting.

Policy Overview:

• Student cell phones must remain in lockers throughout the school day.
• If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they must do so through the attendance office.
• Students are not permitted to text or call parents directly during school hours, including when they are feeling unwell or need something.
• In alignment with a district-wide directive, iPads are not permitted at school this year. If used during the school day, iPads will be treated the same as cell phones and subject to the same consequences.

Consequences for Cell Phone Use During the School Day:

• 1st Violation: Phone is confiscated and held in the office until the end of the day. Parents will be contacted with a reminder of the policy and informed of next steps for future incidents.
• 2nd Violation: Phone is confiscated and must be picked up by a parent or guardian in person.
• Repeated Violations: May result in progressive disciplinary action.

Please follow the steps below when your student's District Chromebook needs to be repaired.

1. If a student needs support, he/she should fill out a Student Chromebook Support Form linked on all of the Google Classrooms and on the school website under Students. Being logged on to the school google account is required to access the form.
2. The information in the form will be sent to Mrs. Stasak, our Middle School Computer Resource Teacher. She will reply to the student at his/her school gmail account. She will offer suggestions to fix the issue or, if it needs service, she will tell the student to take the chromebook to the office and give it to building admin secretary (enter the name for your building).
3. The chromebook in the case will be sent through inner office and the student will be allowed to use a loaner chromebook AT SCHOOL. It will be the student’s responsibility to pick it up each morning from the office and return it at the end of the day.
4. When the chromebook has been repaired, it will be delivered back to the school for the student to pick up.
5. If the family purchased insurance, the first repair is free and all additional repairs carry a deductible. Deductible invoices or repair invoices, for those that did not choose insurance, must be paid before the repaired chromebook is returned.
6. If a student with a personal chromebook has a network issue, the same form can be used. We are not able to fix physical problems with personal devices and loaner chromebooks will not be provided.

At Banks, we believe that a strong school community is built on three essential values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. These principles guide everything we do—how we treat one another, how we approach learning, and how we care for our environment.

Being respectful means showing kindness, listening to others, and valuing differences. It’s about treating classmates, teachers, and staff with dignity and courtesy.

Being responsible means owning your actions, making good choices, and doing your part—whether it’s completing assignments, following school rules, or helping others.

Being safe means looking out for yourself and those around you. It means using technology wisely, moving through the building calmly, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.

When we live by these values, we create a school where everyone can thrive. Let’s work together to make Banks a place where respect, responsibility, and safety are at the heart of everything we do.

In addition to receiving phone calls and email notifications from the school district in the event of a school closing or emergency, parents can also sign up to receive SMS Text messages.

Please find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.

· Signing Up for SMS Messages via Skylert

Jennifer VanWagnen

Principal: jennifervanwagnen@wlcsd.org

Kellan Watkins

Principal's Secretary: kellanwatkins@wlcsd.org

Anthony McNamara

Assistant Principal: anythonymcnamara@wlcsd.org

Jennifer Dean

Assistant Principal's Secretary: jenniferdean@wlcsd.org

Kevin Zurro

Student Success Coordinator: kevinzurro@wlcsd.org

Important Phone Numbers:

Main Line: 248-956-2200

Attendance: 248-956-2290

Email: JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org
Website: https://banks.wlcsd.org/
Location: 1760 Charms Road Wixom, MI 48393
Phone: (248) 956-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbanksptsa