District Update

We hope you'll review this week's District Update filled with news and notes from across the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. Stay up to date with the district by visiting www.wlcsd.org and connecting with the district on social media.

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• April 11-13: WLC presents: "She Loves Me" - Tickets available at www.wlcstickets.com
• April 12: Walled Lake Community Wide Make a Blanket Day at WLC
• April 18: No School for Students or Staff
• April 29: Half Day for Students | Staff Professional Development

Help us celebrate the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools' Class of 2025!

Click on the picture on the right to complete the form and have your senior recognized for their hard work and achievements! We'll be honoring seniors through June across district social media accounts.

The Walled Lake Performance Ensemble shined on Sunday at the Michigan Alliance for Performing Arts (MAPA) State Championships claiming its 15th-straight State Championship.

The ensemble is made up of the Walled Lake Percussion and Color Guard, which features students from all three high schools. They tallied a score of 91.525 in the Percussion World Class Division to win their 16th state championship in the program’s rich history.

“This year’s team has really pushed our culture in a great direction,” said co-director Nick Pourcho. “They are not only working harder than ever, but they have all grown really close.”

“It has become a second family for all of us,” continued Pourcho. “This combination has helped them not only achieve the highest score we have ever gotten at a State Championships, but it has really set up the future for continued success!"

The Walled Lake Performance Ensemble will now get set to compete at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships April 10-12 in Dayton, Ohio, where it finished 15th in the nation a year ago. Walled Lake heads to the World Championships as the highest ranked high school from Michigan.

Walled Lake Northern’s Avery Ladd and Caden Woloski are headed to Italy this summer to compete with Team USA at the International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF) Nations Cup World Majorettes and Baton Twirling Championships in August.

Ladd and Woloski both qualified for Team USA in January at the IBTF World Qualifiers in Aiken, South Carolina. Ladd won the Nations Cup Junior Solo event earning her a spot on Team USA. She also competed in three other events placing in the Top 10 in both the Nations Cup Solo and Three Baton preliminaries.

“I am so excited and grateful to be on Team USA,” said Ladd. “It will be great to have the opportunity to compete with my teammates and to meet twirlers from all over the world. I am looking forward to this experience, and I can't wait to represent the United States in Italy."

Woloski will compete in two events at the World Championships for Team USA after an incredible showing at the IBTF World Qualifiers in Aiken, South Carolina. Woloski shined taking first place in both the Nations Solo and Two Baton events.

“My thousands of hours of practice have finally paid off in a way I've dreamed of since I first began to twirl,” said Woloski. “I'm unimaginably excited, ready to meet the world and for the world to meet me, and see what I can do"

The IBTF Nations Cup World Majorettes and Baton Twirling Championship run from August 2 through August 10 in Turin, Italy.

Walled Lake Central junior Chloe Schneider took over our Instagram story on Tech Saturday to give you a behind the scenes look at the preparations for the Vikings' musical, "She Loves Me", ahead of opening night on April 11.

If you missed it, you can still watch her takeover on our Instagram in the "She Loves Me" highlight!

Show Times

• Friday, April 11 - 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 12 - 7 p.m.
• Sunday, April 13 - 2 p.m.

As part of their recognition and celebration of Autism Awareness Month, Walled Lake Elementary students took their learning outside on Friday Blowing Bubbles for Autism!

The goal of Blowing Bubbles for Autism is to celebrate the positive aspects of autism, such as creativity and individuality. The Tigers learned about and highlighted those one bubble at a time!

Walled Lake Northern’s Anna Weinberger etched her name in the Knights’ record books on March 19 at the Saginaw Valley State University Invitational.

Weinberger cleared 11’0” in the pole vault to set a new program record. The previous record was 10’9”, which was set back in 2018 by Paulina Cole.

Walnut Creek Middle School put a focus on anti-bullying introducing its Upstander Program this year. The Upstander Program was designed to engage students in meaningful conversations about negative social behavior that leads to bullying.

Students were selected for the program by school staff based on their strong leadership and empathy skills. They then participated in eight hour-long workshops that taught anti-bullying strategies and promoted team building and advocacy against the issue. Some of those workshops discussed the power of words, the danger and impact of misconceptions and stereotypes, and how to spot and stop bullying from happening.

Loon Lake Elementary 3rd grade teacher, Melissa Sinclair, and Walled Lake Early Childhood Center special education teacher, Kristine Szemyak, are in the running for America’s Favorite Teacher presented by Reader’s Digest.

A public vote will determine the national semifinalists, which closes Thursday, April 17, at 10 p.m.

“I became a teacher to help children learn and grow; especially those who struggle in school,” said Sinclair. “I try and make sure all children learn and have fun! School should be a safe, welcoming environment all students love to go each day.”

“I became a special education teacher because my heart is not only for young children, but for those that need extra help,” said Szemyak. “Autism is sometimes a thief of those moments that parents look forward to when having children, I want to help make those moments happen.”

The winner of America’s Favorite Teacher will be featured in Reader’s Digest, win a trip to Hawaii, and take home a $25,000 grand prize.

Click here to vote for Mrs. Sinclair and click here to vote for Mrs. Szemyak.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Families that are not automatically enrolled should apply for SUN Bucks directly.

Note: Families will be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks if they are already enrolled in SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations) benefits or meet the requirements for free or reduced-price school meals.

WHERE TO FIND THE APPLICATION

Click the button below to find the online application.

Deadlines: Families must apply by April 15, 2025 to be eligible for the first issuance of benefits in May. However, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until August 31, 2025.

Walled Lake Western principal’s secretary, Dorothy Tremblay, has been selected as Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ Betty Campion Distinguished Support Service Award winner for the 2024-25 school year.

Tremblay was nominated by Walled Lake Western principal, Amy Pashak, for being the go-to person for all things Western with an incredible knowledge base and problem-solving skills.

“Dorothy’s work ethic and unwavering commitment make her the heart of our building,” said Pashak. “Respected and admired by all, she is beyond deserving of this recognition, embodying excellence and dedication is every aspect of her role.”

Continue reading on district website.

Walled Lake Northern resource room teacher, Steve Steiner, received a Golden Apple Award at the April 3, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

Steiner was nominated by retired district psychologist, Dave Routledge, for being one of the community liaisons at Walled Lake Northern who maintains perpetual contact with the families of students who receive Special Education services at the school.

“Steve works tirelessly to provide an avenue whereby students can maximize their high school experience, complete their course of study leading to graduation, and gather essential skills which will help them transition to life after high school,” said Routledge. “He demonstrates patience, vigilance and excellence for both staff and students.”

Continue reading on district website.

Walled Lake Northern social studies teacher, Rob Stevenson, received a Golden Apple Award at the April 3, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

Stevenson’s nominator wished to remain anonymous but wrote that Stevenson creates a learning environment where every student feels respected and valued. He goes beyond simply teaching building meaningful relationships with his students and ensuring that they feel supported both academically and personally.

“Rob constantly seeks out and learns new teaching techniques to be a better teacher, always striving for professional growth and excellence,” wrote the nominator. “This dedication to ongoing learning not only enhances his teaching, but also inspires his students to develop a love for learning and a curiosity for the world around them.”

Continue reading on the district website.

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 12, from 10am-2pm.

Their 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 purpose of the Kindness Matters award is to honor and recognize those individuals and organizations who exhibit kindness and care toward others.

You may nominate any student, teacher, secretary, administrator, bus driver, playground supervisor, or any Walled Lake Schools employee. You may nominate a parent, grandparent, or community member. You may nominate a company, a store, or an organization.

You may select any or all of the above who: demonstrate kindness on a frequent basis, go out of their way to make others feel better, lead initiatives in their school or community to benefit others, or inspire others to show kindness.

The deadline to nominate is Monday, April 14.

We would like to inform you about the required spring testing for all students in grades 9 through 11. This includes the PSAT 9, PSAT 10, and SAT with Essay exams. All of these exams have moved to a digital format and will be administered on school issued Chromebooks. Paper-and-pencil versions of the exams are no longer available. In addition, 11th-grade students will take the WorkKeys assessment of workplace skills, as well as the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) in Social Studies and Science.

Save the Date

Below are the important testing dates for your family calendar. Please make every effort to avoid scheduling appointments or planned absences on these days. All spring testing activities are graduation requirements for Walled Lake students. Students should bring fully charged Chromebooks for the dates below.

April 10

• 10th Grade — 7:15 a.m. PSAT 10 Exam
• 11th Grade — 7:15 a.m. WorkKeys Exam (paper & pencil)
• Grades 9, 12 - 11:30 a.m. Delayed start of school day.

Additional Things to Know about the online PSAT and SAT Exams

The SAT and PSAT exams have now gone fully digital, and are in their second year. Students will test on school issued Chromebooks and submit their test answers online at the end of testing.

Adaptive Testing in Two Modules

Both the PSAT and SAT exams are now adaptive, meaning the difficulty of questions changes based on the student's performance. The test is divided into two sections: Reading & Writing and Math. To help prepare, you can read more about the Digital SAT Adaptive Testing on the College Board website.

For Michigan students, the SAT with Essay includes a third written essay section. The SAT with Essay lasts about 3 ½ hours, while the PSAT-9 and PSAT-10 exams take about 2 ½ hours.

Changes to the Math Section

Calculator use is now permitted throughout the Math section of these exams. Students can bring their own approved handheld calculator or use the virtual graphing calculator integrated into the testing software.

Practice

We encourage students to take at least one full-length practice test at home to become familiar with the SAT/PSAT format and timing. During the Digital Readiness Check in March, students will receive a sign-in ticket with a code to access Bluebook, an app that allows students to take up to three full-length practice exams online. For more information, follow this link Full Length Practice Tests.

Parents Guide to the SAT

To learn more about what is tested on the SAT, how to register for additional SAT test dates, and how to send score reports to colleges, please visit the Parents Guide to the SAT on the College Board website.

Information regarding spring testing for the secondary level is listed below. Schools will be following up directly with families regarding any adjusted time schedules as part of these testing days:

• 8th Grade PSAT - April 15 | Delay start for 6th & 7th graders
• M-Step - April 21-24 | SMBS, WCMS
• M-Step - April 29 - May 2 | CHS
• M-Step - May 6-9 | GMS
• iReady - May 12-15 | GMS

Year-end presents a great opportunity to celebrate our top senior student athletes and their opportunity to continue their athletic careers in college.

Please provide the following information on SENIOR athletes that have either:

- received a scholarship to play college athletics

- have a spot guaranteed to them on a college roster as a "preferred walk-on."

The information will be used by each school to plan their signing days and will also be printed in the LEARNING newsletter (if approved.)

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

The Shining Stars Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have supported the special needs community within Walled Lake Schools.

Love your child's bus driver? Nominate them.

Love your child's Unified coach or buddy? Nominate them!

Some of the qualities of the nominee might include: a positive attitude, dedication, dependability, self-motivation, helpfulness and more.

Nominees can be anyone associated with the special needs community: teacher, para, bus driver, aide, buddy, parent, coach, volunteer, etc. Nominate someone today using the button below.

Every nominee will be recognized and receive a Shining Stars Award at the ceremony on

May 22, 2025 at Walled Lake Central High School. There will be special performances during the ceremony that you won't want to miss! Community agencies will also be available to share their services and resources. Mark your calendar!

All nominations must be received on or before May 1, 2025.

Questions? Contact WalledLakePAC@gmail.com

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.

Please complete the following form in order to be considered for the Graduate Spotlight section of the WLCSD quarterly Learning newsletter. The nominated student needs to be a 2016 graduate or before. Please contact pamelacole@wlcsd.org with any questions.

During the 2024-25 school year, all Michigan public school students in grades Pre-K through 12 will have access to free breakfast and free lunch everyday through the "Healthy School Meals for All" program. This includes a meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit/vegetable and milk. A la carte items will be available for purchase.

Families are still encouraged to complete the Child Nutrition and Education Benefits Application in Skyward to help secure additional funding for the District including Title I funding. By completing the form, eligible families may also receive access to other benefit programs including reduced registration fees for standardized testing, discounted college application fees, pay to participate, discounted home internet access, and more.

Our mission, in partnership with parents and the community, is to become the best educational system in America so all students demonstrate they are caring, responsible, and knowledgeable citizens.

Email: danieldurkin@wlcsd.org
Website: www.wlcsd.org
Location: 850 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI, USA
Phone: (248) 956-2000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wlcsd/
Twitter: @WalledLkSchools