Sheiko's Family Update

Hello Sheiko Families,

I hope you are having a great summer! For those that are new to Sheiko, welcome! We are so happy to have you here! You can expect a Friday newsletter from me and your child's teacher once school starts. I wanted to get this to you before the holiday. In the summer, you will get an update every two weeks. Family communication is very important to us. In our spring stakeholder survey, over 96% of families and staff reported that they feel that they know what is happening at school, so that is AMAZING! We want to continue that level of excellence.

Here is a little bit about me: Words cannot even express my enthusiasm and thankfulness to West Bloomfield Schools. They have been very good to me, and I am thrilled to start my third year at Sheiko as principal. My passion for early education and love for getting our youngest learners off to the very best start in school is of paramount importance. West Bloomfield’s Mission is: We support each student’s needs by providing the opportunities, experiences, and educational tools for their journey. Sheiko Elementary is a special place to learn and grow, and I cannot wait to do that with you!

Personally, I have an amazing husband, Chris, who is so supportive of all that I do. We have four children: Evan (24) is a nurse at St. Mary’s hospital, a grad assistant at Madonna University and is pursuing his master’s degree in nursing and business. He is getting married to Lauren in September. Landon (22) just graduated from Wayne State University. Nolan (19) will be a sophomore at Siena Heights University to pursue a degree in data analytics and wrestle. Grace (15) is going into 10th grade at Oakland Early College. We are a busy family and love being together!

I am very proud to say that I have spent my entire career in West Bloomfield. I spent 21 years at Sheiko Elementary teaching kindergarten, first, third, and fifth grade. In 2018, I had the opportunity to start the STEAM program at Abbott Middle School as an elective class, which I absolutely loved! Shortly after that, I was offered the role as Dean of Students for Orchard Lake Middle School and West Bloomfield Middle School. I am so excited to be back home, and starting my 3rd year as principal at Sheiko Elementary.

My door is always open, and I welcome your input. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out. I will be here for you every step of the way.

Every week we will have a "Big Announcement". This week our big announcement is about our Summer Park Meet Up, sponsored by our PTO on Tuesday, July 16th from 5-7 at Drake Sports Park. I will be there, and it is a great way to connect with friends and make new ones! The flyer is further down in this newsletter. Hope to see you there!

Thank you for all of your support! Goooooooooooooooo Lakers!

Blaine McDowell, Principal

Arts, artisans, vendors, storytelling, face painting, and MORE...all powered by community.

• July 12th and August 8th - Skull Island Summer Camp
• July 16th, 5-7 p.m. - Summer Park Meet Up
• July 22nd, 6:30 p.m. - Movie Night "Under the Stars" - at WBHS
• August 20th, 4-6 - Popsicles with the Principal
• August 25th - First day of school!
• August 28th, 5 p.m. - Family Fun Night, WBHS
• September 26th - PTO FunD Run - Schedule to Come, Parents/Guardians Invited!

As many of you know, we will be at the old Abbott/Roosevelt building (3380 Orchard Lake Road), for one more year. Then, in August of 2026, our new building will open at 4500 Walnut Lake Road. At the end of this school year, the staff gathered to see the progress AND write messages on little hearts. All of the hearts were buried in the construction site to plant our "love" of West Bloomfield and our students. Take a drive by that way when you get a chance - the progress changes every day. We are so thankful to our West Bloomfield community!

Mrs. Beck's Supply List

Kindergarten Supply List

First Grade Supply List

Second Grade Supply List

Third Grade Supply List

Fourth Grade Supply List

Fifth Grade Supply List

Thank you to Raelyn Jones, Laila Williams, Mason White, and Will Boegler for coming in on a summer afternoon, so that our three finalists for our 4th grade teaching position could teach their lessons. Student voice is very important, and we appreciate them being willing to help us out! Congratulations to Sarah Chappell, our new 4th grade teacher!

Summer Fun with Sheiko PTO!
Drake Sports Park
Wednesday, July 16 | 5–7 PM

Let’s get together before the school year kicks off! Join Sheiko families for an evening of fun, connection, and community-building.

Outdoor games for the kids
Bring a picnic dinner, blanket, and chairs
Free popsicles while supplies last!

It’s a great way for families to connect and for kids to see familiar faces before school starts back up.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Help Sheiko Elementary earn extra cash with Box Tops!

It’s easy, free, and makes a BIG difference for our school!

Just scan your grocery receipts using the Box Tops app — every participating item earns $$ for Sheiko!

New to Box Tops? Use our referral code SWT95KGA when you sign up to give us BONUS earnings!

Scan the QR code below to download the app and use our referral code!

Let’s work together to reach our goals and support amazing programs for our students. Every little bit helps!

Use referral code:SWT95KGA

The next Sheiko Day at Skull Island Camp is on Saturday July 12th!

Join other Sheiko Elementary students for a fun filled day!! These are great days for Sheiko students to attend together, see familiar faces, and have fun!!

Follow the instructions below to get $10 off—plus, that $10 goes back to support Sheiko.

When registering for camp, select “school fundraiser” in the “how did you hear about us” section. Then select Sheiko Elementary.

Our last Sheiko Day at Skull Island Camp is on Friday August 8th!! Hope to see you there!

Learn more at https://skullislandcamp.com

Mabel’s Labels Fundraiser!

We’re sharing this now because these labels aren’t just perfect for school supplies — they’re AMAZING for summer camp gear too! From water bottles to shoes and everything in between, Mabel’s Labels stick strong, stay put, and last through it all (laundry, dishwasher, you name it!).

Plus, every order helps support Sheiko Elementary!

Shop here : https://mabelslabels.com/fundraising/support Search- Sheiko Elementary PTO

Thanks for your support!

Dear WBSD Families,

We need you this summer! At West Bloomfield School District, one of our core beliefs is that education is a shared partnership between students, families, and staff. This summer, we’re inviting you to join us in helping your child stay engaged, curious, and on track for continued growth.

Your child will have access to high-quality digital learning platforms designed for self-paced, mastery-based learning. With just a small, consistent investment of time each week, students can maintain momentum, strengthen their skills, and start the new school year with confidence.

Read on to learn more about our summer learning challenges and how your child can log in and get started!

Please click the link below to learn more about the summer challenges based on the grade level your student was in for the 24-25 school year.

Kindergarten through 5th Grade
6th through 8th Grade
9th through 12th Grade

After reviewing the details regarding the summer challenge, please email Learningservices@wbsd.org if you need additional support.

Educationally Yours,

Scott Long
Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services

We would love for our students to design a logo on a 8 1/2" X 11 piece of computer paper with these requirements:

1 - Use the words "Let's Grow Together" on the logo.

2 - Outline the drawing part of the design with a black marker.

3 - The theme colors are hot pink, neon blue, neon green, and yellow.

4 - We are focusing on a growth mindset and resiliency.

5 - Turn in your entry to Mrs. McDowell's office by Friday, September 5th.

6 - Every entry wins a prize from Mrs. McDowell's "Basket of Happiness"!

7 - The design winner will have their logo printed on our banners, flyers, and newsletters!

We are excited to have you join us in person or virtually for our PTO meetings at 7 p.m. We will have FREE childcare at every meeting provided by our WBHS NHS students! Also, thank you for filling out the PTO survey - your voice has been heard! We will have our meetings on varying nights of the week throughout the year in hopes to accommodate more schedules.

- Tuesday, September 16th - In person only. We will have Mrs. McDowell's famous brownies, raffles, and you can meet other families. Childcare will be provided by NHS helpers from WBHS. Come join us in the cafeteria!

- Wednesday, October 8th

- Thursday, November 13th

- No December meeting

- Tuesday, January 13th

- Wednesday, February 11th

- Thursday, March 19th

- Tuesday, April 14th

- Wednesday, May 6th

Thank you to our very own West Bloomfield Coalition and LaFontaine for sponsoring this anti-bullying assembly for our students on September 9th. Mr. Peace is a tradition at Sheiko, and we can't wait to hear his message again this year!