The Banks Bulletin
October 3rd, 2025
iReady is an assessment tool that is given to all students in Math and English Language Arts. The results from the assessment give teachers information on how to tailor their instruction to meet the needs of their individual classes and students. Individual feedback is also provided to each student. Lessons can then be completed in iReady that are tailored specifically for each student. If your child is not at grade level at this time, it's ok! In the next few weeks, we will be sending home strategies to help, and we'll need your support to help us do that.
By Friday, October 10th, your child's math and ELA teachers will be giving each student their individual diagnostic results report. If your child did not finish due to absence, it may be a few more days before you receive the information.
Students will be reviewing their own individual data and setting some goals with their teachers.
Please ask your child for their iReady diagnostic results in Math and ELA.
Please review the 2 informational letters below to learn more about iReady and how you can help your student become more proficient in math and ELA
We value our partnership with families and appreciate all you do! We hope you'll join us for the upcoming PTSA meeting on October 8th at 6:30 PM in the Banks Media Center.
In Partnership,
Jennifer VanWagnen, Principal
(248) 956-2200
We Are Banks!
Upcoming Events
October
10/6- Volleyball vs. Muir MS @ 4 PM- Away
10/7- Volleyball vs. Centennial MS @ 4 PM -Home
10/7- LAYA Taste of the Lakes
10/8- Volleyball vs. Millennium MS @ 4 PM- Home
10/8- CC vs. Power MS @ 4 PM- Away
10/8- PTSA Meeting @ 6:30 PM in the Banks Media Center
10/9- Board of Education Meeting @ 7 PM
10/13- Volleyball vs. Farmington STEAM @ 4 PM- Home
10/13- NJHS Induction Ceremony @ 6:30 PM
10/14- Fire Drill
10/14- Volleyball vs. Warner MS @ 4 PM- Home
10/17- Picture Retake Day
10/18- MSBOA All-State Band/Orchestra Auditions @ WLN
A Look Ahead:
10/20-10/24- Spirit Week
10/21- Rescheduled: Cabinet Visit in AM
10/24- End of 1st Marking Period
10/24- Pep Assembly in PM
10/24- 8th Grade Band Performance @ WLC Pregame
10/31- Half Day for Students, Staff Professional Development
11/4- No School for Staff or Students, Election Day
11/5- Half Day for MS Students, Parent-Teacher Conferences
Athletics Update from Mr. MacNamara
Cross Country
Our Cross Country runners faced off against East Middle School on Tuesday, and continue to show improvement with each race. And now, a special note from our coaches:
A huge congratulations to the girls’ team, who dominated the course and brought home 1st place overall! Even more impressive, our runners swept the top three individual spots:
🥇 1st place – Aubrey Gabel
🥈 2nd place – Malena Mehs
🥉 3rd place – Raylyn Reske
An amazing accomplishment that reflects their hard work, determination, and team spirit!
Across the board, most of our athletes are continuing to improve their times and gain confidence with every meet. We are proud of everyone's effort, sportsmanship, and dedication.
The team will travel to Kensington Metropark on Friday, October 3rd to compete in the Oakland Country Championships meet, and then again next week Wednesday at Power Middle School in Farmington Hills. Good luck, Bulldogs!
Volleyball
Our lady Bulldogs had to postpone their Monday match against East Middle School. We are currently working on a rescheduled date. Stay tuned for an update. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs took on White Lake Middle School where they showed grit and fought through a very tough match up. Unfortunately neither team were able to take home a win, but more importantly is that the girls continue to improve on their skills and sportsmanship. Next week, the ladies compete 3 days in a row at home due to a rescheduled match vs. Centennial.
Monday: Away v. Muir @ 4 p.m.
Tuesday (rescheduled): Home v. Centennial @ 4 p.m. 8th grade starts, 6/7 to follow.
Wednesday: Home v. Millennium @ 4 p.m.
Good luck next week, Bulldogs!
Fall Team/Individual Photos
Volleyball and Cross Country team and individual photos are took place at Banks on September 25th. Families, see below for ordering details from VSN Photography:
Parents: How to Order Photos of Your Athlete
Paper Order Forms: Athletes will be receiving these forms at a practice prior to picture day.(Submit with payment to the photographer)
Download & Print Order Form: www.vsnmichigan.com/form
Questions? Text/Call (248) 355-9525 or email pictures@vsnmichigan.com
Looking Ahead
With the Fall season wrapping up in a few weeks, our Winter Athletics season is just around the corner! Winter is broken up into two seasons:
Winter 1: Boys Basketball and Co-Ed Swimming
Winter 2: Girls Basketball and Co-Ed Wrestling
Winter 1 begins around the 3rd week of October, and Winter 2 begins in January. Coaching information, basketball tryout dates, and a complete Winter Athletics schedule will be shared soon. Good luck to our Fall athletes as they wrap up their season!
Go Bulldogs!
PTSA Reflections
The annual PTSA Reflections program has now begun! Our 2025/2026 Theme is “I Belong”, and students can enter in the following categories: 2-D/3-D visual arts, literature, dance choreography, film production, music composition, and photography.
Students can create works in any of those categories around the theme. All Sarah Banks students are welcome and encouraged to participate. More information can be found at www.wlcsd.org/reflections or pick up a flyer outside the attendance office. Submissions are due to our main office or the electronic entry form by Monday, November 10! If you have any questions, please contact our PTSA Reflections Chairs:
- Ms. Kaysie Stassi: kaysiestassi@wlcsd.org
- Mr. Torry Yu: torryyu@wlcsd.org
Teacher of the Year Nomination Forms Now Being Accepted
Banks Middle School Community,
The Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is again participating in a program to honor exemplary teachers/educators. We hope you will join us in an effort that will result in the selection of the Teacher/Educator of the Year for the Walled Lake Consolidated School District at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. This honor will be bestowed at our Thursday, January 8, 2025 school board meeting.
Please use the attached fillable nomination form to nominate a deserving Sarah G. Banks Middle School educator NO later than Friday, October 17, 2025. Nominations can also be emailed directly to JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org or turned into the front office. Any full time, certified, tenured teacher/educator who spends 50% of his/her time in a classroom with a minimum of five (5) full years of classroom teaching experience is eligible to receive this award. Any person in the school community may nominate any teacher/educator in the District for this honor.
It can be tricky to nominate a teacher so early in the year, as you are just getting to know them. Some nominations are based on a family’s experience thus far this school year, some are based on a teacher they had on the past, and some are based on a family’s experience with a teacher through the years with multiple children from their family.
Teacher of the Year Nomination Form
For families that have a primary language other than English, if it is easier to complete a nomination in your first language, please do and we will work to have it translated to English for consideration.
Thank you for helping to acknowledge the great staff at Sarah G. Banks Middle School!
6th Grade Band Parents and Students
Dear 6th Grade Parents and Students,
We wanted to inform you that the originally scheduled 6th grade band concert on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sarah Banks Gym has been rescheduled to Monday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m., also in the Sarah Banks Gym.
We sincerely apologize for the oversight. The change was necessary due to a scheduling conflict with elementary school conferences that evening, which we were not initially aware of. We understand this adjustment may cause inconvenience for some families, and we truly appreciate your flexibility.
If this new date presents a conflict for your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll do our best to accommodate and support everyone involved.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support—we’re looking forward to a wonderful performance!
Musically yours,
Shelly Rouse-Freitag
Sarah Banks Middle School
Beginning Woodwinds/Band
Introduction to Instruments Coordinator
Weekend Food Program
I am grateful to live in a community where support is provided to families in need. Hospitality House is a food pantry feeding those in need in Oakland and Wayne Counties and the surrounding Michigan communities. Whether you participated last year and would like weekend food service to continue or are interested in joining for the first time, please complete the Google Form linked below and provide us with the following information by September 26:
- Number of students participating
- Any food allergies for each student
Also, please note the following:
- First delivery of weekend food bags to the school is Thursday, October 9th
- Deliveries will continue every Friday for the remainder of the school year
We have much to be thankful for, and the partnership we share with our families and the community organizations is one to celebrate.
8th Grade Washington, D.C. Update
Thank you to all of the families who were able to attend the Washington, D.C. Trip Informational Meeting last night. For those families who were unable to attend, please visit read the DC Trip newsletter to access the registration link through Academic Expeditions, view the meeting presentation, and more.
Please remember that to be officially considered “registered” for the trip, the following steps must be taken care of:
- Registered with the initial deposit through Academic Expeditions
- Signed up for and purchased the CFAR travel insurance
- Turned in the permission slip and behavior contract to Mr. Yu
If you have any questions about the DC trip, please reach out to Mr. Yu at TorryYu@wlcsd.org.
A Message Regarding Yearbooks
It's not too early to order a yearbook! Scan the QR code below and order now for $40, which is a savings of $20! Please email TorryYu@wlcsd.org, KaysieStassi@wlcsd.org or LauraShipes@wlcsd.org with any questions or concerns.
Pick Up/Drop Off Information
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
Cell Phone and Related Technology Policy
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.
Morning Bell Schedule for Students
First Bell, 8:00 a.m. - This is when students are permitted to enter the hallways from the front lobby and buses.
Warning Bell, 8:05 a.m. - This bell lets students know that they have five minutes left to make it to class.
Tardy Bell, 8:10a.m. - This is the official start of 1st hour. Students arriving after this bell are considered tardy for their first class.
Staff Shout Outs 💙
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.
District Chromebook Repair Process
Please follow the steps below when your student's District Chromebook needs to be repaired.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- When the chromebook has been repaired, it will be delivered back to the school for the student to pick up.
- 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.
- 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.
Banks Core Values
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.
Signing up for SMS Messages in Skylert
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.
Connect With Us
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