North News

Happy Friday, North!

We enjoyed another great week of teaching and learning at North! On Tuesday, our students and staff successfully completed our annual evacuation drill, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and attention throughout the process. A special thank you to Pastor Sean Motley and the staff at First English Lutheran Church for their continued partnership and support of our school community.

Next week is all about Homecoming! Spirit Week will bring plenty of energy, pride, and fun throughout the building, culminating with our annual Homecoming Parade and football game on Friday evening and the Homecoming Dance in the gym on Saturday night. We look forward to a great week celebrating our students, our traditions, and what it means to be a Norseman!

Proud. Tough. Together.

Kevin Shubnell, Principal
313-432-3204
shubnek@gpschools.org

Seniors, Class of 2027 - Erica Thacker and Lori McCain

The Melhem Family

40 Stonehurst Rd., Grosse Pointe Shores, MI

Schedule: Weekdays: 6pm - 9pm

Juniors, Class of 2028 - Mollie Keuten and Scott Sowers

Huizdos Family

1041 S. Renaud, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

Schedule: M-F 4:00-7:30pm

Sophomores, Class of 2029 - Jessica Justin and Monica Mourad

The Caralis Family

1071 Hollywood, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

Schedule: Mon, Wed, Thurs from 5-8pm, Saturdays from 12:30-3:30pm

Freshmen, Class of 2030 - Bethany Derringer and Jill Martin

The Zvirbulis Family

50 Fontana Ln., Grosse Pointe Shores, MI

Schedule: Monday through Wednesday, 5-8pm

Each week, our staff will recognize one student and one staff member who exemplify The Norseman Way—Proud, Tough, and Together. These Hammer Award recipients represent the heart of our school culture, and we look forward to celebrating their contributions throughout the year.

Jill Martin makes a tremendous impact on North through the dedication, energy, and genuine care she brings to our school each day. As a teacher for students with autism, Jill works tirelessly to create a safe, structured, and empowering environment where every student feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive. She is a fierce advocate for her students, celebrating their successes and ensuring they have a meaningful place in the North community. When challenges arise, Jill meets them with resilience, optimism, and a willingness to find a solution—always with a smile on her face. Just as importantly, she works hand-in-hand with colleagues, families, and support teams to make those around her better. Through her tireless work ethic, positive spirit, and commitment to others, Jill embodies what it means to be Proud, Tough, Together and live the Norseman Way.

College Application Month

October is College Application Month in Michigan, and it starts next week. Many colleges are free with no application fees, and there are several colleges in Michigan that are waiving the application fees with a code. Please see the document HERE and notice the start date is Wednesday, October 1st. Please have your student meet with their counselor if they have any questions about how to add these codes to their applications.

FAFSA is live!!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available for the seniors in the Class of 2027. The amount of need-related aid for which a student is eligible is determined by the information they supply annually on the FAFSA. Please check out the website HERE to learn more about how to complete the FAFSA. Steps to create a student aid account can be found HERE. Save the date, North is offering a virtual FAFSA workshop on November 9th! The CSS profile is required by some universities. Please make sure students know which financial aid documents are required!

Upcoming College Visits for the week of 9/28 are:

• Monday, September 28 - Kettering University, Calvin University

• Tuesday, September 29 - Stanford, University of Chicago, Northern Michigan, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)

• Wednesday, September 30- U.S. Tufts, Columbia University, Kalamazoo College, University of Toledo

Reminder that juniors and seniors can attend college visits at North by registering for the visit in their Naviance account. Students have directions in their Class Schoology groups. Students are expected to make up all the work that was missed while they attend the college visit. College representatives are scheduling visits throughout the fall, so remind your student to check often for changes and updates.

College Application Reminders:

• Early Decision v. Early Action. Early Decision is BINDING, so students should be incredibly careful about choosing this option. If accepted, students are expected to attend an early decision college. Students can only apply to one college using Early Decision. Early Action is non-binding, so students apply early and hear early, but are not bound to attend.

• November 1st is the early action and merit scholarship deadline for many schools, but make sure that you check the college’s website. There are a few colleges in the country with October 15th early action/merit scholarship deadlines. Seniors need to know when their applications are due! We suggest keeping a spreadsheet of all the schools and scholarships with deadlines to help stay organized. A template was shared last year, but can also be found HERE.

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available starting October 1st. The amount of need-related aid for which a student is eligible is determined by the information they supply annually on the FAFSA. The FAFSA workshop is scheduled for November 9th in a virtual meeting. Registration information will be sent home in October. You will find the link to complete the FAFSA and register your student with MISSG (MI Student Aid Programs) HERE.

• What is the SRAR (Self-Reported Academic Record)? Several colleges across the country require students to complete a self-reported academic record (SRAR). After the student submits the application, they will get an email to login to their SRAR portal and complete this step. This entire process is due by the early action deadline (usually 11/1). Make sure your student knows what each college requires for admissions so students don’t miss a step!

• October is College Application Month in Michigan. Stay tuned because many colleges in Michigan offer a free application to all students who apply with a code. Counselors will be sending these codes out to families as soon as we receive them. Wayne State’s code is currently available - WSU2027.

• Michigan high school seniors and recent graduates are eligible for the Community College Guarantee. Click HERE to read more about this opportunity.

• Michigan Achievement Scholarship:

• The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is designed to help students pursue their dreams, goals, and aspirations in the Mitten State! Graduating high school seniors may be eligible for up to $27,500 over five years in financial aid just by filling out the new and simplified FAFSA.

• Those who qualify could receive up to $5,500 if they attend a Michigan public university, private college, or university, or are enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a Michigan community college, per year, up to five years

• To learn more, families can attend an information session by clicking HERE.

We are excited to introduce Ms. Jovana Maros to the counseling department. Ms. Maros will be completing her school counseling internship at North for the 26-27 school year. Please help us welcome her to North!!

The Homecoming Game is next Friday, October 2, 2026 at 7:00 pm. Students wearing their class shirt/class color and/or walking in the parade can get into the game for free. Please come and support our Norsemen as they take on Marysville. Go GPN!!! Please note that backpacks and outside food or drink are not allowed into the Athletic Stadium. There is also no re-entry into the game. Please bring your student ID when you attend the game.

The Fall Sports season has begun. Please check out our new and improved website (https://www.grossepointenorthathletics.com/). The website contains up to date information regarding schedules, FinalForms, the Booster Club, Athletics App, Fall Sports Information Packet, and more. Please take some time to review the website, especially the More tab. Go North!

We have a new scheduling system this year called Eventlink. If you would like to receive messages and notifications when there are schedule changes you will need to set up an account with Eventlink if you have not done so already. The link is https://signup.eventlink.com/.

When students are attending athletic competitions this Fall, they should bring their student ID with them as many schools are requiring student IDs for admission.

Senior Athletes: NCAA Signing Day is the period of time in which athletes will make their athletic scholarships official by signing their National Letter of Intent. Grosse Pointe North has created guidelines for signing day that are now posted on the North Athletic homepage. The dates this year will be November 11th, February 3rd, April 14th and May 19th. Contact the athletic office to schedule your 10 minute time slot.

The Athletic Booster Club is a great support to our student athletes and athletic program. They could use some assistance manning the concession stand this Fall at our athletic events. It is a great way to support them, our students, and interact with other parents and students. Please consider volunteering to man the stand. Students are also welcome to volunteer. Thank you for your consideration. Click here to sign up today!

Every Tuesday (starting September 22) during student lunches, TMP volunteers serve pizza to our North students at First English Lutheran Church (across Vernier from North HS). They pay $5 for all the pizza and breadsticks they can eat, plus a bottle of water. A can of pop is an extra $1. This is NOT a fundraiser. It’s just something that a team of parents decided to do for our wonderful kids! All the money collected goes right back into the purchase of food, treats (on special occasions) and supplies for the next week of TMP.

For TMP to run smoothly, we need volunteers. We always have fun and the kindness and respect from the North students makes every Tuesday enjoyable! With several volunteers, you will only have to help every 3-4 weeks.

If you can volunteer, please send an email to TuesdaysMeanPizza@gmail.com with your name and number. If you are unable to give your time, but know of someone who can, please pass this information onto them. You do not need to be a North parent to volunteer! Several of our volunteers have been grandparents or former North parents.

For more information, please contact Kelley Bidigare at TuesdaysMeanPizza@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your help!

The Grosse Pointe North Parents Association plays an important role in supporting our students, staff, and school community. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Parents Association helps fund student academic enrichment programs, provides grants to teachers and student clubs, supports staff appreciation efforts, and awards scholarships to graduating seniors. Last year alone, the association awarded $10,000 in Gold Level scholarships to members of the Class of 2026. Families are encouraged to become members and get involved in supporting the many programs and opportunities that benefit our Norsemen. Please note that eligibility for senior scholarships requires a parent or guardian to be a paid GPN Parents Association member for two consecutive years. Follow the GPN Parents Association on Facebook and consider joining today!

Following an e-bike accident involving a North student yesterday, we want to reinforce important safety expectations for students riding bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and other motorized devices. We are thankful the student involved is OK.

• The incident occurred when an e-bike traveling on the sidewalk struck a vehicle turning into the Mason parking lot.
• Motorized vehicles are prohibited on sidewalks in Grosse Pointe Woods under city ordinance.
• Walk Your Wheels in School Zones: Once on school property and adjacent sidewalks, bikes, scooters, e-bikes, and e-scooters should be walked—not ridden.
• Michigan-compliant e-bikes may be brought to school. E-motos and other higher-powered devices are subject to additional restrictions.
• Students should use designated crosswalks, follow all rules of the road, and remain alert to vehicles and pedestrians.
• At the high school level, qualifying motorized vehicles must meet applicable Michigan requirements and have an approved school parking permit.

Please talk with your student about these expectations, especially if they ride an e-bike or other electric device to school. When you reach the school zone: Walk your wheels. Slow down. Walk safely. Look out for one another.