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 18: No School for Students or Staff
• April 29: Half Day for Students | Staff Professional Development
• May 1: Board of Education regular meeting
• May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 8: WLW Pops Concert
• May 12: PTSA Installation and Awards at GMS
• May 14: K-12 Art Show Reception at the Commerce Township Library
• May 14: WLC Pops Concert
• May 20: Half Day for Students | Staff Professional Development
• May 21: WLN Pops Concert
• May 23: Seniors Last Day of School

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.

Walled Lake Western’s Willem Damron was one of 111 students selected from across the state to perform at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association’s Outstanding Soloist Competition at Eastern Michigan University on April 4.

The Warrior’s sophomore shined under the bright lights on stage earning high scores in scales, his solo piece and sight reading earning the recognition as a state semifinalist. Damron was the only cellist, and one of just 14 students, who moved onto the semifinals. Most of those selected were also upperclassmen.

The Walled Lake Performance Ensemble returned from the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio finishing as the 15th best team in the nation.

The ensemble is made up of the Walled Lake Percussion and Color Guard programs, which includes students from all three Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ high schools. Together, they shined on the world stage competing against the best in the highest division, Scholastic World Class. No other team from the state of Michigan qualified for the finals. It’s also the 12th time the program has qualified for the World Class finals.

The Walled Lake Performance Ensemble won its 15th-straight state championship this year and 16th state title overall.

You can watch WLPE's finals performance here.

The Walled Lake Northern boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, as well as the Walled Lake Western boys’ team got it done on the court and in the classroom this season.

The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) named all three programs to its Academic All-State team for Division One.

The Knight girls finished the season with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 and the boys program accumulated a grade point average of 3.51. The Warrior boys were recognized as well with a team GPA of 3.48.

Walled Lake Northern senior Amal Younes was recognized by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan this week earning Division 1 All-State Honorable Mention.

Younes capped her high school career in a big way. She finished the season ranked sixth in the state shooting 81.82% from the free throw line, as well as become the first basketball player (girls or boys) in Knights’ history to surpass 1,000 career points.

Younes will continue her basketball career in college at Rochester University.

Walled Lake Western’s Kayson Legg etched his name in the Warriors’ record books on Saturday, April 12, at the Hartland Invitational meet.

The senior sprinter broke the 300 meter hurdle record, which stood for more than a decade, with a blazing time of 39.58 seconds. Shane Moffo held the previous record of 39.74 seconds, which he set back in 2014.

The Keith Elementary Lego Robotics Club kicked off its year on Tuesday, April 4, with its season exhibition. The fun-filled event bought together six teams, their families and the Walled Lake high school robotics team for an evening filled with learning and great competition.

Each team utilized the First Lego League’s Explorer program to dive into this season’s theme, Submerged, which inspired explorations of the world’s oceans, habitats and creatures. Students crafted intricate Lego submarines, imagined and built newly discovered sea creatures and their habitats, and designed informative posters to share their findings with families and the high school judges.

Each project was judged on the students’ knowledge, use of First Lego League core values, teamwork, building and coding abilities, and presentation skills. Every team took home an award that best exemplified their unique skills and capabilities.

Along with judging the competition, the Walled Lake Robotics team held their own expo showcasing their competition robots, as well as interactive demonstrations. It was a great opportunity for elementary students to engage and learn from the experience high schoolers.

Senior class leaders from all three Walled Lake high schools sat down with Dr. Michael Lonze for lunch on Tuesday serving up inspiration, big ideas and some serious ambition. The future is looking bright!

Walled Lake Northern 2023 graduate, Haven VanSicklen, celebrated with her Western Michigan University teammates over the weekend claiming the 2025 Division 1 National Jazz Championship.

VanSicklen and the Broncos won the national title with a score of 93.74, which was almost a full point more than second place Ohio University (92.98).

While at Walled Lake Northern, VanSicklen was a member of the Knights’ dance team, which claimed the UDA Small Varsity Pom National Championship in 2023.

The Sarah G. Banks Middle School Bulldogs traveled back in time to the '80s to celebrate Mrs. VanWagnen’s birthday in style on Friday!

Big hair, neon flair and rocking vibes all around Happy birthday, Mrs. V!

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.

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.

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