Yake Gator Bites

• March 30th - April 30th - Yake's Spring Fun Run Fundraiser!
• April 1st through May 1st - Teacher Requests for the 2026.27 school year submission window (see below for details)
• April 18th - Jim Bigham Elementary Championships race starting at 8:30 a.m. on the WHS track (see below for more details)
• April 20th - 1st grade field trip to The Real Life Farm in Canton
• April 21st & April 28th - 3rd grade M-STEP Testing!
• April 23rd - Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day!
• April 23rd - Kindergarten Orientation for the Classes of 2039 & *2040 (*Young Fives) starting at 6:00 p.m.! We LOVE meeting our new Gators!
• April 29th & May 6th - 4th grade M-STEP Testing!
• May 1st - Mobile Ed Assembly - The Magic of Science!
• May 5th - Teacher Appreciation Day!
• May 6th - Bike & Roll to School Day with Mr. Podlewski & Mr. Crane!
• May 8th - Gator Family Fun Run starting at 2:00 p.m.
• May 14th - Arts, Beats & Eats from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
• May 15th - WUE tours for current 4th graders at 9:15 a.m.

Good luck to all of our boys and girls competing in the Jim Bigham Elementary Championships on Saturday morning. Mr. Dumm & Mr. Podlewski look forward to cheering you on!

Administrative Professionals Day is on Wednesday, April 22nd! Please join me in thanking Mrs. West and Ms. Houghton for taking such good care of students, staff and parents each and every day. We are very fortunate to have such administrative professionals holding down the front office at Yake Elementary School. Thank you for making a difference each and every day!

With teacher requests for the 2026.27 school year being due by May 1st, I wanted families to be aware of some staffing changes taking place as we prepare for the upcoming school year. I will have more thoughtful "Goodbye" and "Welcome" messages as we get closer to the end of the school year, but I felt the changes were important for families to know.

• Moving to positions outside of Yake

• Mr. Heacox (media) to the secondary media position (he will be in charge of the libraries at the WUE, BMS & WHS)

• Mr. Crane (PE) to the WUE

• Sarah Begley (resource) to the WUE

• Internal moves at Yake

• Alana O'Connor - moving into the open media position

• Jessie Garcia - moving to 3rd grade

• Emily Stone - moving to 4th grade (teaching 4th grade math)

• Brandy Tevepaugh - moving to 4th grade (teaching 4th grade ELA)

• *Mr. Lees will continue to teach 4th grade science and social studies.

• Open Positions:

• Physical Education

• 1st grade

• 1.5 Resource positions

• *Mrs. Prus and Mr. Podlewski will begin the first round of interviews for the open gym and 1st grade positions next week.

Summer learning loss is the loss of knowledge that happens every year and adds up over time. Students without regular opportunities to learn and stay engaged in discovery throughout the summer show more visible signs of summer learning loss, although all students are susceptible.

Summer learning loss can be prevented by keeping brains moving over the summer. Opportunities for summer learning are all around us! ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program provides parents and teachers with resources and ideas to keep students engaged and excited to learn throughout the summer.

Thinkstretch books will be provided this year to families with children in grades K-4 who are interested in this free resource, and by completing this form before May 1.

One form per child must be completed.

A book, with a parent guide, will be sent to your child's teacher before the last day of school, June 10.

Please reach out to the WBSD Curriculum Department should you have any questions, curriculum@wbsdweb.com.

The WBSD Board of Education is pleased to announce that Matthew Salah has been selected as the district's next Superintendent. Following a rigorous search and interview process, the Board reached a unanimous 7-0 decision to extend an offer to Mr. Salah, effective July 1, 2026.

With over 20 years of experience within WBSD - including his most recent role as Executive Director of Special Services - Mr. Salah brings a deep understanding of our students, staff, and community values.

You will have a chance to meet Mr. Salah at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13th during our PTO meeting. Feel free to say hello and join in a Q&A session.

Good Afternoon Warrior Families,

We’re making waves again this Spring/Summer of 2026!

The Woodhaven Wave Runner's Competitive Swim Club is excited to kick off its Spring/Summer swim season on Monday, May 11, 2026 at the Woodhaven High School Pool.

Who Can Join?

The Wave Runners are open to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade who live in or attend school in Woodhaven-Brownstown.

While this is not a learn-to-swim program, it is a great opportunity for swimmers to:

• Improve stroke technique and endurance
• Build confidence in the water
• Compete as part of a fun, supportive team
• Represent Warrior Nation with pride

For additional details, please refer to the attached flyer. After reviewing the flyer, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me or Head Coach Natalie Vadasz at vadaszn@wbsdweb.com.

Swim Test for New Swimmers

All new swimmers must pass a swim test to join the team.

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Woodhaven High School Pool

Registration details will be provided after successfully passing the swim test.
Please click here to RSVP for the Swim Test.

We’re looking forward to another fun, competitive, and fast-paced season in the pool. Come join the Wave Runners and see what you can do!

Respectfully,

Jared Nicholls
Middle School Athletic Director
Woodhaven-Brownstown School District

M-STEP testing kicks-off in April. Please take a peek at the M-STEP testing schedule and the grade level parent letters. Please be sure to mark your calendars accordingly for these tests. Our Gators will be ready!

(Click here) or on the link below to access the Teacher Request Application. Please remember that completed forms are due to Mr. Podlewski no later than May 1, 2026.

(Click here) or on the link below to access the permission slip that families will need to complete by April 22nd in order to have their child's absence excused on April 23rdh.

Take a peek at pictures of our Watch D.O.G.S. who joined us this past week!

Thank you, Jennifer Harold for sharing these quotes as we celebrate

Arab American Heritage Month!

For the week of April 6th, we had 298 (up from 242 last week) Gators who had perfect attendance! Through our raffle, $10.00 Rev'D Up Fun arcade gift cards were awarded to Riley & Avery. Our next raffle will take place on Monday morning where two more gift cards will be awarded to Gators who had perfect attendance this week. Big "Thank you!" to Rev'D Up Fun for supporting our attendance incentives once again this year. Such a great community partner with Yake Elementary School.

This is a reminder about the importance to children attending school on time, for the full day, every day. At Yake Elementary School, we follow a rigorous curriculum which is reflected in our high performing school. Every day and every minute counts. As a reminder, we will be starting a rewards program that will include weekly raffles (perfect weekly attendance), monthly prizes (1 or fewer absences or tardies each month) and a family celebration BBR/Event for any Gator with over a 95% attendance rate (9 or fewer absences for the year). Please remember that our attendance incentives are for perfect attendance. Doctors appointments, dentist appointments, Friday sporting events, etc. even with excuses would result in a child missing out on the perfect attendance incentives.

We appreciate your help in getting Yake back to a 95%+ attendance rate for the 2025/26 school year. We made significant improvements last year and were over the 85% attendance rate, which was the highest in the district. Let's keep those Gators growing and striving towards reaching their highest potential this year!

As noted above, we are continuing with our perfect attendance raffles for Rev'D Up Fun gift cards every Monday morning. Please note that perfect attendance means no absences, tardies or ealy pick-ups from school for the week. If you Gator is not eligible for the raffle on Monday morning, no worries as Monday begins a new week and a fresh chance at perfect attendance.

Please note that late bus arrivals are not recorded as tardies. As a reminder, we will have monthly prizes for any Gator who has one or fewer absences (excused or unexcused) during the month of September and we will have an end of the the year BBQ for any Gators and their families who have maintained a 95% attendance rate or higher for the year. This BBQ was a lot of fun last June.

Please know that we know that our kindergarten and young fives Gators are building up their immune systems and they will more than likely get sick at some point this year. Hopefully, as the year goes on their immune systems will build up and they will be less likely to miss school due to being sick.

Thank you for your efforts in getting our Gators to school on time each and every day!

Yake Elementary School’s new U.S. News Award!

We are proud to announce that Yake Elementary School is ranked #127 (up from #131 last year) out of 2,601 (Top 5%) elementary schools in the state of Michigan. For the second year in a row, we are the top ranked school in the district and in the Downriver area, with the second closest school in the district being ranked #323. In comparison to neighbor elementary schools, Meridian on Grosse Ile is ranked #611. Anderson Elementary School in Trenton is #673. Click here (https://www.usnews.com/.../yake-elementary-school-249626) for Yake’s full report.

I want to offer a shout out to the staff, PTO, families and Gators who continue to make Yake a destination school Downriver. We are Gator Strong!

Some reminders for the week:

• Please do not drive through the staff parking lot to drop off students (unless you are in of of our ASD classrooms) . This causes extra traffic while our teachers are coming in to work and clog up the bus lanes. Even if they are going in early for breakfast- USE THE VISITOR'S LOT DROP OFF LANE.
• Please DROP OFF in the drop off lane that is in the visitor's parking lot. This is a *KISS AND GO ZONE*. Please do not park there, we need traffic flowing to ensure smooth drop offs.
• Pull up next to the sidewalk to let your student out of your vehicle from the passenger side ONLY. Please do not drop off your students in the parking lot or in the second lane of traffic.
• Parents are welcome to park in the visitor's lot and walk children to their exterior classroom door versus using the drop off lane.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Our Watch D.O.G.S. calendar is full and we have started an on-call list for fathers/father figures who would like to be Watch D.O.G.S. but aren't on the calendar, yet. Please see the updated expectations below, as well as our current calendar.

Click on the link below to see the current Watch D.O.G.S. calendar.

Thank you, former PTO Board Member, Jennifer Harold

for putting together a series of quotes for us!

Once a Gator...Always a Gator!

When dropping off and picking up students, we ask you observe the following safety procedures:

Drop Off:

• The drop-off lane is open.

• This is our KISS & GO ZONE. Pull up next to the sidewalk to let your student out of your vehicle from the passenger side ONLY.

• Please do not drop off your students in the parking lot or in the second lane of traffic.

• If your student needs assistance exiting the car, you MUST park your car in the lot and walk your student to the front of the school to ensure a safe crossing from the parking lot.

• Students should not be permitted to walk past parked or moving cars unescorted.

• All students will line up outside at their classroom doors.

Pick Up:

• Y5 & K car rider parents will pick up their child from their classroom’s exterior doors at 3:25pm.

• 1st grade car rider parents will pick up their child from their classroom’s exterior doors at 3:30pm

• 2 - 4 grade walkers / car riders will be released from their classroom exterior doors at 3:45pm

• You may meet your child at their classroom doors and escort them to your car.

• Do not call your student to your car if you are parked in the main lot

*Bus routes may be updated, as there are always adjustments to be made and bugs to work out each year.

Please click here or on the image below to see this year's bus routes. They should be similar last year.

Please click here for more information about our Transportation Department as listed on our District website.

As a reminder, no outside visitors will be allowed in our school unless they are volunteering or have an appointment. Any parent or visitor wishing to drop off or pick up a child, drop off a backpack or a lunch, etc. will need to call our office at (734)692-2230 for assistance. Staff members will welcome student in, escort students out and/or pick up backpacks, lunches and/or similar items as needed.

Yes, volunteers are welcome. However, they must be i-chat approved and the application is due one week prior to volunteering. To assess an IChat form, (Click here) and then click on the IChat form.

If parents wish to pick students up prior to dismissal, our office must be called before 3:20 p.m. Children will not be walked out to parents after 3:20 p.m.

Please take a moment to read the letter below from our Superintendent in regards to Free Breakfast and Lunches this year. The commitment from our Superintendent, School Board and community to doing what is best for our kids is one of the reasons why I love living and working in the Woodhaven-Brownstown community.

-Mr. Podlewski

Erving, Wegienka & Yake are scheduled to break ground on June 11th to begin our Bond renovations. While the completed work is about two years away, I wanted to share some images about what is to come. A big element of the design process centered around developing natural environments that centered around the mascots of each school. In our case, our theme will center around gators and the Everglades. I will share some images from our Design Playbook as we move through the year to share some glimpses into Yake Elementary School's transformation.

As we head into the home stretch of the summer break, I wanted to take a moment to share a special recognition that our school received. This is an indicator that showcases the excellence of our team at Yake Elementary School. Staff, parents, and Gators continue to set a high bar and it doesn't go unnoticed. Enjoy the rest of your well deserved summer break and enjoy the pat on the back that our team deserves. Keep Giving and Expecting the Best, Gators!

We have a back to school packet for families to complete in Parent Connect. MiStar updates (emergency contacts, numbers, emails, etc.) will be made automatically when families complete the online packet. In Parent Connect on the top there is a link that states 2025-2026 Back (coming soon) to School Packet. Click on the link below for directions and a short video explaining how to complete the Parent Connect Packet. The deadline to complete the online Parent Connect packets is Friday, September 5th.

https://www.mywbsd.org/page/parent-connect-resources

Please take a peek at Yake's 2025/26 building calendar. This calendar is subject to change and will be updated as we move through the new school year.

We are waiting with fingers crossed to see if breakfast and lunch will be available for all students for free once again this year. Stay tuned...

New this year, all breakfast and lunch menus are available for families to view through the Nutrislice app. View menus online or with the Nutrislice app.

mywbsd.nutrislice.com

Children who are coming in for breakfast will be allowed to enter Yake through the maind doors at 8:40 a.m. and head to the cafeteria for breakfast. Kindergarten & Young Fives Gators will be allowed to enter through the front doors and line-up outside of their classrooms starting at 8:50 a.m. All other Gators in grades 1-4 will enter their classes through the exterior classroom doors at 9:00 a.m.

All about i-Ready for parents! Please see the videos below for information about the i-Ready diagnostic and the i-Ready program.

Additional information will be coming throughout the year. i-Ready is a great resource for tracking your Gator's academic growth in Reading and Math, particularly when reviewing initial (September), mid-year (January) and end of the year (May) data.

We will all work diligently to help our Gators demonstrate academic growth throughout the year.

Home of the Gators!

Where our Gators "Give and Expect the Best!" everyday!

Email: podlewt@wbsdweb.com
Website: https://www.mywbsd.org/yes
Phone: (734)692-2230
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yakepto
Twitter: @YakeGators