Wixom Howler Edition 37

Hello Wixom Families,

I hope you are enjoying the long weekend! As we gear up for the last 11 days of school I wanted to highlight one last, important piece from Jonathan Haidt's research found in the Anxious Generation. As Haidt investigated the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adult; his research found that in many cases parents are over protecting their children from in the real world and under protecting them in the cyber world. Research revealed a shortage of free play and the excess of social media. "Just as the immune system must be exposed to germs, and trees must be exposed to wind, children require exposure to setbacks, failure, shocks, and stumbles in order to develop strength and self-reliance". J, Haidt.

In the book, Haidt describes how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. Haidt emphasizes the importance of play for healthy development, citing its role in fostering social skills, problem-solving, and emotional resilience.

In Chapter 12, Haidt share some very specific ways parent can support their children in having more (and better) experience in the Real World (page 272-276) (i.e. letting you kids out of your sight without them having a way to reach you (for a short period of time to start), encourage sleepovers (including sleepaway camp), after school free play, etc. I know as a parent, I was cautious to allow my kids out of my sight but I remember watching their confidence boom when they were able to walk down the street to their friends house on their own for the first time!

Finally, I would encourage you to find other parents who are interested in the topics that are found in the Anxious Generation and work together to support one another and your children! There are many great resources found here: Anxious Generation Resources. The "Let Grow" resource might be a great place to start! I wish you all the best as you continue doing the MOST important work ever...parenting!!

Sincerely,

Kristin Froning

Monday, May 26

• No School: Observance of Memorial Day

Thursday, May 29

• Dine to Donate at Mexican Fiesta 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Friday, May 30

• PTA Popcorn Day

Wednesday, June 11

• Last Day of School: Dismissal 12:35 pm

What an amazing day! Our students, staff and volunteers had a great time despite the chilly temperature! We are so grateful to Mrs. Bellino for all of her hard work as she created such a special day for our school community!

We welcomed back former Wixom Wolves for one final walk through the hallways of Wixom Elementary for the annual WLCSD Senior Clap Out! Wishing these seniors all the best and we know they are destine to do great things!

The Wixom PTA Google Calendar can be found here: https://shorturl.at/QyTie

You can also add them all to your own Google Calendar with one click!

Upcoming PTA Sponsored Events:

May 30: Popcorn Day

Visit Mexican Fiesta at 2051 N Wixom Rd between 11am and 9pm on May 29th. Tell the wait staff you are with Wixom Elementary and a portion of the sales will go to our school.

Wixom Para Educator, Mrs. Christina VanTil and 4th grade teacher, Ms. Anna Marchese were recognized at the annual Shining Stars Awards Ceremony at Walled Lake Central on May 22, 2025. The Shining Stars Award recognizes individuals who support the special needs community within Walled Lake Schools.

Mrs. Christina VanTil was selected as one (of two) Shining Star Award winners from over 90 nominations! She works diligently support our students with special needs AND she leads our Therapy Dog program as Wix's handler which benefits our entire school community. Wixom Elementary is a better place because of Mrs. VanTil!

Love LEGO? Into robots? Join Wixom’s Lego Robotics Team!

We’re putting together a FIRST LEGO League team for next school year—and we want YOU to be a part of it! If you like building with LEGO, solving cool challenges, and working with a team, this is your chance to dive into robotics, coding, and real-world problem solving (and have a lot of fun doing it).

No experience? No problem! We’re just looking for curious, creative students who are excited to learn.

We’re also looking for parent volunteers to help coach, mentor, or support the team. Whether you can help weekly or just occasionally, we’d love to have you involved!

Interested? Fill out this quick form to let us know!

REMINDER: Possession of look-alike weapons, including toy guns, dart guns, and BB guns, is strictly prohibited on all school grounds and properties. This applies not only during school hours but also after school hours and on weekends. As the weather warms and families may be accessing playgrounds, these items are not permitted. For the safety of our school community, we want everyone to be aware that these devices are not allowed at any time on school property.

Looking for an easy way to support our school? Shop for groceries at Kroger and they will contribute money to our PTA. It’s easy to sign up in the Kroger App:

1. Click the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner

2. Choose “Rewards”

3. Choose “Community Rewards”

4. Search for “Wixom Elementary PTA” and enroll

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.

Find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.

Signing Up for SMS Messages via Skylert

Principal: Mrs. Kristin Froning (kristinfroning@wlcsd.org)

Principal Secretary: Mrs. Michele Abele (MicheleAbele@wlcsd.org)

Building Secretary: Mrs. Tamara Baker (TamaraBaker@wlcsd.org)

Office: 248-956-3400

FAX: 248-956-3405

Absence Line: 248-956-3490

Late Bus Hotline: 248-956-5199 - All late buses will be listed on the hotline if the driver is running TEN OR MORE minutes late.

Address:

301 North Wixom Road
Wixom, MI 48393