C.H.S. Chronicles

In collaboration with all Walled Lake Middle Schools and Special Services Department, CHS Middle School is proud to host a Spirit Week celebrating inclusion.

What is inclusion? Inclusion in the classroom means that all children, no matter their racial, religious, or ethnic background, gender, learning style, or ability have equal access to educational opportunities in a learning environment where all students are equally safe, valued, and respected.

Gladiators Lacrosse is perfect for young athletes looking for an introduction to lacrosse. Teams available for students in 1st through 8th Grade. No experience required. Practice held in the evening at Clifford Smart Middle School. Registration Closes on March 5th!

Click Here for more information.

Our 2025 spring track season will be staring mid March weather permitting. The coaches are meeting on March 4th to discuss specific start times.

If you are playing a second sport and would still like to join track, I encourage you too. I will work with any sports schedules to get your child on the team.

Track is a Pay to Participate sport, and requires a completed MHSAA athletics physical on file a school to participate.

There are many different events from short distances (70, 100, 55 hurdles, etc.), to long distances (1 Mile, 2 Mile) and field events (Shot put, high jump, long jump) that your child can choose from..

The schedule is linked here:

https://smart-ms.bigteams.com/main/teamschedule/id/3666809/seasonid/4884393 (There will be more dates added as we get closer to the season)

Interested students should sign up using the following link: https://forms.gle/xuCNQM9L6SPY61iL8 Once students are signed up, You will receive an email as soon as we get the dates put together.

Please contact coaches Steve Spickard, Dean of Students, or Kathleen Hoover, 8th grade counselor, as you have specific questions.

Thank you and we look forward to an exciting track season.

Dan Holland.

June 9-CHS 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony at Walled Lake Northern H.S. Football Field (students and families arrive at 6:40 p.m.). Ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m.

June 10-CHS 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony Makeup Date

June 11-½ day of school for students-Last day of school

June 11- CHS 8th Grade Clap Out beginning at 11:30 a.m.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY CALENDAR FURTHER DOWN THIS NEWSLETTER FOR ADDITIONAL DATES AND EVENTS

What is Unified?

● Unified Sports, in partnership with the Special Olympics, promotes meaningful inclusion for students with and without disabilities

● Unified has a specific focus on ensuring that students with disabilities have opportunities to play competitive team sports with their peers

● On our team, we welcome athletes and partner-athletes of all abilities who want to participate in basketball to seek new and unique friendships and have fun.

When:

3 Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. at Giesler Middle School

6720 W Pontiac Trail, Commerce Township, MI 48390

March 15th, April 5th, and April 12th

Who Should Participate:

● Students of all abilities

● Students who want to be part of a team

● Student-leaders who want to make a positive impact

Interested? Complete this Google Form or scan the QR code: https://forms.gle/YMw11E1BJ4jZHUuC7

Contact GMS Physical Education Teacher and Coach with questions: erinsowa-greaves@wlcsd.org

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 15th.

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.

Please click on the attachment below to view late start bus pick up times for 6th and 7th graders on April 15th.

Imagine receiving thousands of dollars to help with your student’s college tuition—just by purchasing a raffle ticket! With the FFE 50/50 Tuition Expedition Raffle, you have the chance to win big while supporting Walled Lake Schools.

Just ask Wendi Corteville, WLN parent and last year’s lucky winner, who took home over $11,000 to help with college expenses! Will you be next?

🎟 Tickets: $50 each or 3 for $100

🏆 Grand Prize: 50% of net proceeds for tuition OR a 40% lump sum payout
🥈 Second Prize: $1,000

Why Buy a Ticket?

✅ Tuition or Cash? – Choose between 50% toward tuition (paid directly to the university, tax-free!) or a 40% lump sum (taxable).
✅ No Rush! – Funds are available for up to 20 years, so your student doesn’t have to be a senior to benefit.
✅ Flexible Payouts – Split winnings between years, semesters, and even multiple students (within four years of the first payout).

📅 Drawing Date: March 31, 2025, at the district PTA Reflections Celebration (attendance not required to win!).

Even if you don’t win, your ticket supports the Foundation For Excellence (FFE), a 501(c)(3) organization that has donated over $1 million to Walled Lake Schools.

Don’t miss your chance—request your ticket today!

🔗 For more information go to: www.wlcsd.org/TuitionExpedition

Hello Parent/Guardian of a Future Knight,

Welcome to Walled Lake Northern High School! We are excited to invite you to attend our 8th Grade Family Night on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM in Northern’s Auditorium. Doors open at 6:00 P.M. – Northern’s Jazz band will be playing from 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

The purpose of this evening is for you to become acquainted with the high school academic and extra-curricular programs available to all Freshmen. Your student will soon be making an exciting transition from middle school to high school. One of the most important tasks will be planning your student’s high school curriculum. Decisions made during the next few weeks will have an influence on your student’s academic and personal success in high school. These decisions will also impact the number of options available to your student after graduation. Therefore, careful thought and deliberation during this scheduling period is recommended. Our 8th Grade Family Night is a great opportunity for you and your student to learn more about Walled Lake Northern, which will help guide your decisions in the coming weeks as you prepare for high school.

Our 8th Grade Family Night will begin in the auditorium with a presentation from Mr. Diamond, Principal of Northern High School. Families will also hear from our counseling department about graduation requirements, along with information about student activities and athletics opportunities. After the auditorium session, there will be an opportunity to attend break out sessions of varying topics. After the breakout sessions, Northern’s Coaches and Club Sponsors will be in the Commons from 8:15 P.M. - 8:45 P.M for an open house where 8th grade students can sign up for email lists, meet coaches and current athletes, and learn all about the extracurricular activities that Northern offers. A full agenda and schedule of break out sessions will be shared closer to the event.

Your student will receive more registration materials when Northern counselors visit the middle schools in the coming weeks. You can obtain additional scheduling information on Northern’s School Website Counseling Page. The webpage will give a complete description of Northern’s courses and a complete Program of Study Book. Please help your student by taking an active role in this critical planning process.

Eighth grade teachers will help you and your student in making appropriate course choices in the core areas of English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies that best meet their needs. Students may then select two credit hours of electives to complete their schedule. Please remember that Physical Education/Health and visual arts, performing arts or vocational education are required electives for graduation. Many Freshmen elect to enroll in these classes during their first year at Northern High School.

We hope to see you on Monday, March 3, 2025. We look forward to working with you to help make the most of your student’s high school years.

Sincerely,

Walled Lake Northern Administration

Hello CHS students,

If you haven't already received an invitation to join the "C.H.S. : Info for Students" Google Classroom, please use the join link or class code below to join.

https://classroom.google.com/c/MTQ5MDkyNzA0NDVa?cjc=nuahofd

Class code : nuahofd

This "classroom" will be used to post announcements from CHS Staff and much more! Be sure to join this class to get all the latest and greatest information on everything Smart!

Thanks,

Mr. Holland

The Walled Lake Consolidated School District is committed to supporting the health and well-being of our students and families. To help address concerns about vaping, we are sharing valuable resources that provide information on the risks of vaping and strategies for prevention. These tools are designed to empower families with knowledge and support meaningful conversations at home. Together, we can help every child make healthy choices every day.

• E-cigarettes and Vaping: What Parents Should Know - American Lung Association
• E-cigarettes and Youth: What Parents Need to Know - Centers for Disease Control
• E-cigarettes/Vaping Facts - Oakland County Health Department

Our Goal Achievement Program (GAP) is sponsored by our PTSA and asks students to achieve one goal per marking period. The information below was shared with students during morning announcements.

MP1: Citizenship: You’re already in for this goal. There’s nothing to turn in, just keep working on those 1’s and 2’s!

MP2: Grade Point Average: Your GPA is automatically calculated and based off of your report card grade. Your goal is a 3.0 GPA or higher.

MP3: Reading: Read at least 400 pages during MP 3 and you’ve achieved the goal! Turn in the log to the counseling office no later than March 21, 2025.

MP4: Community Service: Complete at least 10 hours of community service to achieve the goal. Volunteering your time to help others is community service. For ideas, please ask your parents, teachers, or counselor. This form is due by May 23, 2025.

Rewards are given for the goals you achieve. Special recognition is given for 8th graders that achieve goals for all 3 years at CHS.

Music Appreciation Club Update

Thanks to all the families who came out for the Ellington and The Nutcracker concert. We learned about Carlos Simon, Concertos, Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker and Ray Chen at our Club meet. We also had a great discussion about the future of classical music and how the online presence of artists, composers and their social media content is the major source of introducing and keeping students engaged. Ray Chen stole the show playing with effortless grace and technical mastery, and it was such a treat to hear him perform an encore - his newly released Serenade.

Our next Club meet is Sunday, February 16, 2024 at 2:30 followed by the 3pm Broadway Love Songs concert.

Tickets are available starting Monday, February 3rd at 9am, by calling or visiting the box office and are subject to availability. For those students who usually book tickets online, please note the DSO is transitioning to only booking Student Soundcard tickets through visiting or calling the box office 313.576.5111.

Upcoming concerts where we plan to meet as a group:

· Sunday, Feb 16 2025, 2:30 Club meet, 3pm Broadway Love Songs

· Sunday, March 16, 2025, 2:30 Club meet, 3pm La Vida Loca

· Sunday, April 27 2025, 2:30 Club meet, 3pm Women Rock!

· Saturday, May 24 2025, 2:30 Club meet, 3pm Ben Folds

***Your student soundcard membership allows you to attend many more concerts in addition to the ones listed above. Please consider making the most of your membership and check out other concerts at DSO.org***

It is not too late to join now! After attending only 1 concert, your student membership will have paid for itself.

Cost: $25 per student membership unlocks one free ticket to almost every Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) 2024-2025 concert series, including the concerts outside of those we plan to meet at, and up to two companion tickets (bring or invite your parents/sibling/friend/teacher) for $5 each, access to the best seats, access to DSO Replay and online Live streaming performances. Carpooling opportunities are available!

We will be learning more about the music, the performances, the artists and attend concerts with:

Oldies Music by The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Nat King Cole, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles; Ray Chen; Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker; Broadway Love Songs; Music of Enrique Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, Santana, & Ricky Martin; Women Rock! (Music by Carole King, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner), Ben Folds and many more!

See Music Appreciation Club Details Document for more information and link to Google form for registration https://forms.gle/3eAmCFB4Vf9FCP626

• If a student needs support, he/she should fill out the link below. The link can also be found on all 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 interoffice 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.

Please click on the above tab and join our CHS Middle School Remind 101 text group. You will receive helpful reminders, time sensitive information along with other pertinent texts.

*Reply @LEAVE to the number you are receiving messages from if you'd like to leave the text group at anytime.

As we prepare for the start of the school year, we wanted to touch base with you regarding the process of administering medications to students at school.

Medications are administered at school under the supervision of our office staff. This includes BOTH prescription medications AND over the counter (ibuprofen, pain relievers, etc.) medications. BOTH types of medication require a completed and signed WLCSD medication authorization form by BOTH the parent/ guardian AND the child’s doctor.

For safety and confidentiality reasons, we will not be accepting medications at Smart Start. If you would like to drop off medications and the required documentation prior to the start of the school year, please contact our office secretary, Mrs. Tonya Gray, directly at 248-956-3512.

As you have questions about this process please give Mrs. Gray a call.

If your child will be absent, please call the Smart Attendance Hotline (248) 956-3510 as soon as possible. If you know of a vacation or pre planned days off, you can leave those dates on the hotline as well.

If you have not called your child in by 9:30 a.m., you will receive a call from Mrs Gray to verify that your student is not at school for the day. Thank you for partnering with us in keeping your children safe and accounted for.

Please remember to please call 248.956.3090 for ALL bussing questions. Please click on the link below to visit our transportation website for more information.

SCHOOL STARTS 8:10 A.M.

DISMISSAL 3:00 P.M.

1/2 DAY DISMISSAL 11:40 A.M.

Dan Holland, Assistant Principal

Steve Spickard, Dean of Students

Please contact us with positive or constructive feedback, questions, and/or concerns.

Website: www.wlcsd.org/smart
Location: 8500 Commerce Road, Commerce Charter Township, MI, United States
Phone: 248-956-3500
Twitter: @CliffordSmart

Please feel free to call our main office with any questions at 248.956.3500. You can also email us.

Principal's Secretary: MelissaWilseck@wlcsd.org

Building/Attendance Secretary: TonyaGray@wlcsd.org

6th Grade Counselor: MaureenBratke@wlcsd.org

7th Grade Counselor: JulieBraley@wlcsd.org

8th Grade Counselor: KathleenHoover@wlcsd.org