The Banks Bulletin

JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org

(248) 956-2200

We Are Banks!

October

10/17- Picture Retake Day

10/18- MSBOA All-State Band/Orchestra Auditions @ WLN

10/20-10/24- Spirit Week

10/21- Rescheduled: Cabinet Visit in AM

10/21- 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Halloween Spooktacular Concert @ WLC, 7 PM

10/22- 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Vocal Music Concert @ WLW

10/24- End of 1st Marking Period

10/24- Pep Assembly in PM

10/24- 8th Grade Band Performance @ WLC Pregame

10/31- Half Day for Students, Staff Professional Development

11/4- No School for Staff or Students, Election Day

11/5- Half Day for MS Students, Parent-Teacher Conferences

11/- Board of Education Meeting @ 7 PM

A Look Ahead:

11/18- Half Day for Students, Staff Professional Development

Picture Retake Day is almost here! You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVT2ZPQHK.

All students who didn't get their picture taken on the first day of school, and those wanting retakes, will be able to do so during school on October 17th.

Retake picture forms are available in the front lobby of the school, or you can order them online. Scan the QR code on the flyer for more information.

Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com

We are pleased to share great news for Walled Lake Consolidated School District families. Following Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signing of the state budget into law, school meals will continue to be free for all students throughout the 2025–26 school year.

This important investment by the State of Michigan ensures that every student in WLCSD has access to healthy breakfast and lunch options each day—supporting learning, well-being, and success in the classroom.

Families with questions about meal service are encouraged to contact the WLCSD Food Service Department for more information.

Together, we remain committed to serving Every Child, Every Day.

Tryouts:

Monday, October 27th- 3:00PM-5:00PM

Tuesday, October 28th- 3:00PM-5:00PM

Wednesday, October 29th- 3:00PM-5:00PM

Consent to participate form: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/2/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXnQKlWfOvS1mW5Eqru6k-x94oAWRpufZNNW10E8C0fpYDPQ/viewform

8th Grade Boys Basketball Info

Tryouts:

Monday, October 27th- 6:00AM-7:45AM

Tuesday, October 28th- 6:00AM-7:45AM

Wednesday, October 29th- 6:00AM-7:45AM

Consent to participate form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJCp1AM7-EM_jIkIF_gbMVY3c1Bf77WXePRsD8ZBarBTaRMw/viewform?usp=header

Coaches Info

Alex Rickens: AlexRickens@wlcsd.org

Bob Meyer: RobertMeyer@wlcsd.org

Co-Ed Swimming Info

We had a lot of interest across the district for swimming, so our athletics department is still working out the logistics for this team. A separate email will be sent once details are finalized.

Fall Season Wrap-Up

A huge thank you to our coaches and all who assisted our Volleyball and Cross Country teams this Fall. And a special thank you to each and every athlete for making each day, practice, and game a memorable one. Sports is not just about winning, it's about coming together to accomplish a goal and learning more about yourself along the way. I'm confident that all of our athletes did exactly that. Thanks for a great season!

Banks Middle School Community,

The Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is again participating in a program to honor exemplary teachers/educators. We hope you will join us in an effort that will result in the selection of the Teacher/Educator of the Year for the Walled Lake Consolidated School District at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. This honor will be bestowed at our Thursday, January 8, 2025 school board meeting.

Please use the attached fillable nomination form to nominate a deserving Sarah G. Banks Middle School educator NO later than Friday, October 17, 2025. Nominations can also be emailed directly to JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org or turned into the front office. Any full time, certified, tenured teacher/educator who spends 50% of his/her time in a classroom with a minimum of five (5) full years of classroom teaching experience is eligible to receive this award. Any person in the school community may nominate any teacher/educator in the District for this honor.

It can be tricky to nominate a teacher so early in the year, as you are just getting to know them. Some nominations are based on a family’s experience thus far this school year, some are based on a teacher they had on the past, and some are based on a family’s experience with a teacher through the years with multiple children from their family.

Teacher of the Year Nomination Form

For families that have a primary language other than English, if it is easier to complete a nomination in your first language, please do and we will work to have it translated to English for consideration.

Thank you for helping to acknowledge the great staff at Sarah G. Banks Middle School!

The annual PTSA Reflections program has now begun! Our 2025/2026 Theme is “I Belong”, and students can enter in the following categories: 2-D/3-D visual arts, literature, dance choreography, film production, music composition, and photography.

Students can create works in any of those categories around the theme. All Sarah Banks students are welcome and encouraged to participate. More information can be found at www.wlcsd.org/reflections or pick up a flyer outside the attendance office. Submissions are due to our main office or the electronic entry form by Monday, November 10! If you have any questions, please contact our PTSA Reflections Chairs:

• Ms. Kaysie Stassi: kaysiestassi@wlcsd.org
• Mr. Torry Yu: torryyu@wlcsd.org

Dear 6th Grade Parents and Students,

We wanted to inform you that the originally scheduled 6th grade band concert on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sarah Banks Gym has been rescheduled to Monday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m., also in the Sarah Banks Gym.

We sincerely apologize for the oversight. The change was necessary due to a scheduling conflict with elementary school conferences that evening, which we were not initially aware of. We understand this adjustment may cause inconvenience for some families, and we truly appreciate your flexibility.

If this new date presents a conflict for your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll do our best to accommodate and support everyone involved.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support—we’re looking forward to a wonderful performance!

Musically yours,

Shelly Rouse-Freitag

Sarah Banks Middle School

Beginning Woodwinds/Band

Introduction to Instruments Coordinator

I am grateful to live in a community where support is provided to families in need. Hospitality House is a food pantry feeding those in need in Oakland and Wayne Counties and the surrounding Michigan communities. Whether you participated last year and would like weekend food service to continue or are interested in joining for the first time, please complete the Google Form linked below and provide us with the following information by September 26:

• Number of students participating
• Any food allergies for each student

Also, please note the following:

• First delivery of weekend food bags to the school is Thursday, October 9th
• Deliveries will continue every Friday for the remainder of the school year

We have much to be thankful for, and the partnership we share with our families and the community organizations is one to celebrate.

It's not too early to order a yearbook! Scan the QR code below and order now for $40, which is a savings of $20! Please email TorryYu@wlcsd.org, KaysieStassi@wlcsd.org or LauraShipes@wlcsd.org with any questions or concerns.

Please consider the safety of our entire Bulldog Community when you are dropping off or picking up your students. Following the procedures at SLOW SPEEDS is the best way to keep everyone safe. Say long good byes while you are driving to school. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly. Families who are prepared for this will help ensure more efficient traffic flow.

• Front Parking Lot Closed Daily, 7:45–8:10 AM
  To promote safe, calm arrivals, the front lot will be blocked to vehicles during this window. Inconsistent use of the lot has created unsafe drop-off situations. This procedure eliminates those risks.
• Bus Loop Closed Until All Buses Unload
  The bus loop is not open to cars during arrival or dismissal. Please do not park or leave your vehicle in the loop. Timing may vary slightly day to day based on bus arrivals.
• . In the event that you need to pick-up early, you must do so before 2:40 p.m.

How you can help:

• Please use district busing as the primary mode of transportation whenever possible.
• Use the pick-up/drop-off line only if you live outside the busing limits.
• Carpool when possible.
• Have backpacks zipped, instruments ready and goodbyes said before unloading to keep lines moving safely. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly.
• Pull all the way forward even after dropping off to help ensure more efficient traffic flow.
• Refrain from cutting through the parking lot. Refer to the map below and adhere to it.
• Unload at all 6 spots-do not wait until you get to spot #1 to unload

In a world dominated by instant communication, cell phones can be a major distraction during the school day. At Sarah Banks Middle School, our goal is not to limit contact between students and families, but to promote responsible and appropriate use of technology in an academic setting.

Policy Overview:

• Student cell phones must remain in lockers throughout the school day.
• If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they must do so through the attendance office.
• Students are not permitted to text or call parents directly during school hours, including when they are feeling unwell or need something.
• In alignment with a district-wide directive, iPads are not permitted at school this year. If used during the school day, iPads will be treated the same as cell phones and subject to the same consequences.

Consequences for Cell Phone Use During the School Day:

• 1st Violation: Phone is confiscated and held in the office until the end of the day. Parents will be contacted with a reminder of the policy and informed of next steps for future incidents.
• 2nd Violation: Phone is confiscated and must be picked up by a parent or guardian in person.
• Repeated Violations: May result in progressive disciplinary action.

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 follow the steps below when your student's District Chromebook needs to be repaired.

1. If a student needs support, he/she should fill out a Student Chromebook Support Form linked on all of the Google Classrooms and on the school website under Students. Being logged on to the school google account is required to access the form.
2. 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).
3. The chromebook in the case will be sent through inner office 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.
4. When the chromebook has been repaired, it will be delivered back to the school for the student to pick up.
5. 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.
6. 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.

At Banks, we believe that a strong school community is built on three essential values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. These principles guide everything we do—how we treat one another, how we approach learning, and how we care for our environment.

Being respectful means showing kindness, listening to others, and valuing differences. It’s about treating classmates, teachers, and staff with dignity and courtesy.

Being responsible means owning your actions, making good choices, and doing your part—whether it’s completing assignments, following school rules, or helping others.

Being safe means looking out for yourself and those around you. It means using technology wisely, moving through the building calmly, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.

When we live by these values, we create a school where everyone can thrive. Let’s work together to make Banks a place where respect, responsibility, and safety are at the heart of everything we do.

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.

Please 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

Jennifer VanWagnen

Principal: jennifervanwagnen@wlcsd.org

Kellan Watkins

Principal's Secretary: kellanwatkins@wlcsd.org

Anthony McNamara

Assistant Principal: anythonymcnamara@wlcsd.org

Jennifer Dean

Assistant Principal's Secretary: jenniferdean@wlcsd.org

Kevin Zurro

Student Success Coordinator: kevinzurro@wlcsd.org

Important Phone Numbers:

Main Line: 248-956-2200

Attendance: 248-956-2290

Email: JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org
Website: https://banks.wlcsd.org/
Location: 1760 Charms Road Wixom, MI 48393
Phone: (248) 956-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbanksptsa