MIdweek UPdate
March 19, 2025
District Reconfiguration
As our district continues to grow, we are exploring ways to better serve our students and community. I’ve spent the last few months meeting with our staff, consulting a Parent Advisory Group, and hosting a Middle School Parent Meeting exploring the possibility of reconfiguring the district. I’ve analyzed enrollment trends, facility needs, and feedback from staff and parents, and as a result, will be presenting a district 2025-26 reconfiguration plan to our Board of Education for endorsement at the April 14 meeting.
What’s Changing?
I am proposing moving the 6th grade to the middle high school to reestablish a more traditional Middle School with grades 6-8. In addition to improving how we educate middle school-aged students, this would:
Free up space to reunite all our ECC programs at WLES allowing for the expansion of the state-funded GSRP program, a part of the PreK for All initiative.
Free up space at our Main Street Campus, which was previously used by ECC programs, for our infant-6th grade Montessori programs to expand which are in high demand.
Allow us to move WLES K-5 to a consistent schedule.
Change bus routes to a 6-12 bus run and a K-5 bus run.
What will a 6-8th grade WLMS be like?
One of the most common concerns we have heard, which I understand, is the sixth graders being in the same building as high school students. This reconfiguration actually allows for more distinct separation and a real reestablishment of Whitmore Lake Middle School. The plan includes:
A separate 6-8th grade schedule and lunch
A dedicated WLMS schedule staggered from grades 9-12 so they pass in the hallways at different times and a separate lunch would significantly limit interaction with high schoolers.
A seven-period day with dedicated core teachers
Students would experience the benefits of looping with the same core teachers in grades 6-8. Their day would begin and end with a 10-15-minute advisory.
- A quarter-based schedule, instead of a semester/credit-based schedule
- More electives like Band, Art, Physical Education, Tech, Project-Based Learning, Music Tech, and Adventures in Knowledge could be available for just middle schoolers.
- Electives allow students to take what they learn in their core classes (math, science, social studies, english) and interact with it differently seeing how it connects to other areas benefiting their academic and social-emotional development.
- A more unique Middle and High School experience
Having a clearer separation between grades 6-8 and 9-12 would provide a more distinct middle and high school experience for WLPS students.
Why? And Why Now?
Past building re-configurations have been interpreted as a move of defeat, usually a result of a decline in enrollment. This is not the case now. We are experiencing growth in our early childhood, Montessori, and elementary programs. And we are running out of space. Our district has seen a 141% increase in the number of children we serve from infancy through pre-k since 2021. An independent study by Michigan Alliance for Student Opportunity (formerly Middle Cities) shows district-wide enrollment is projected to grow by 20% over the next five years, with most of that growth at the early elementary level. Without a bond to physically reconfigure the spaces, we need to look at adjusting who attends school where to use space as effectively as possible.
Why is this important? Outside of fulfilling our goal of providing education to children of all ages in our region, immediately, the revenue in tuition we turn away is the equivalent of a full classroom. On top of that, when we have to waitlist families, they go elsewhere for early childhood education and make connections and build trust and rapport with the districts surrounding us. This makes them more likely to choose them for K-12 education. It is essential to attract and retain the families in our community as early in a child’s education as possible.
Not to get philosophical here, but as we have explored moving 6th grade to free up space for growth at WLES, I’m reminded of the proverb from Plato, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Providing space for our early childhood and elementary programs to grow is a necessity. And in trying to figure out how to make that happen, I believe my staff has invented a model to educate our middle school students in a better way than what we are currently doing. I recognize that change is hard on both parents and staff, and making this happen is a ton of work, but it meets our value of doing what is best for kids. I believe this transition is an opportunity to strengthen our district, to provide a more tailored academic experience for all students, and to continue to grow as a school community.
Learn More & Share Your Feedback
We understand this is an important proposal impacting our students and families district-wide. We invite you to join us for an informational meeting to learn more about what led us to this idea, ask questions, and share your thoughts. Join me on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Whitmore Lake Elementary School’s cafeteria. Want to submit a question in advance? Email us at info@wlps.net.
Trip Club Social Takeover
Really Cool Student Stuff
I’ve seen so much cool student stuff this past month! In no particular order, I have to give shout-outs to the Sig Riz stuff our students are doing:
Go Like the Wind Montessori Students Teach Parent Night. This was a fun event to watch as some of our youngest students sat down (on the floor) and taught some of their favorite lessons to their parents. The smiles were so big on both the parents and the students' faces. Very cool stuff. Thank you to the GLTW staff for hosting this.
TroBots win Districts! This past weekend, the WLHS robotics team used a great defensive plan to counter their district competition. Check out the video on the wlrobotics Instagram page. Good luck in the next round.
Performing Arts all over the District. Too many names to list but last night’s elementary concert and the weekend’s WLHS Drama performance of Disney’s Descendants- The Musical really showed how cool it is to sing, act, and flex some art muscles. A huge thank you to super cool teachers: Ms. Jakrzewski, Ms. Kobeck, Ms. Fixler, and Ms. Spilak for their efforts.
Girls basketball…first District championship since 1987! Congratulations to the team and coaches. Our fans were awesome, and it was fun to host these games and show off our facilities. Good work, Mr. McCormack.
Career and Technical Education star - Jayden Canter. Jayden was one of three Washtenaw County High School students who spoke at an Education Summit this week. This event showcased career education and how/why we can expand it. Jayden is a student of WLHS CTE teacher, Ms. Taylor. He runs the school store and participates in culinary arts classes. All very cool, but his speaking skill in front of a packed house of CEOs, university deans, congress members, etc., was amazing and one of the coolest things I’ve seen from our student body.
Enjoy the upcoming spring break. And when we return on March 31, let us all make it a great spring to be a Trojan.
#TrojanPride
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