SLCS District Update

Dear SLCS Families and Staff Members,

Since joining SLCS, I have always been proud of how our students handle rivalry games. At its core, a crosstown rivalry gives us a shared identity. It creates moments of collective excitement, brings families and alumni back to the stands, and builds memories that linger long after graduation. Win or lose, these high-energy traditions remind us of the vibrant, supportive community of which we are all fortunate to be a part.

As we gear up for the big matchup, let’s bring maximum energy, fierce pride, and unwavering support for our teams. Cheer as loudly as you can, honor the hard work of the students from both schools, and show everyone what true sportsmanship looks like.

The South Lyon Education Foundation (SLEF) has brought the Puppy Bowl back for a second year! This wildly popular district tradition adds even more excitement to our highly anticipated gridiron rivalry between the SLE Cougars and the SLHS Lions.

Event Details:

• What: SLEF Tailgate, Puppy Bowl Matchup, SLE vs. SLHS Football Game

• When: Friday | Tailgate @ 6:00 PM | Kickoff @ 7:00 PM

• Where: South Lyon High School

• Impact: A fun-filled evening with every dollar contributed going to support our district’s Social Emotional Learning Dog program, grants for our teachers, scholarships for our students, and other exciting initiatives that benefit our school community.

Show your school spirit and support your favorite district pup by voting with your donation! Team Cougs or Team Lions? You decide the Puppy Bowl winner!!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE COUGS!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE LIONS!

Here’s to a great game, incredible sideline and halftime performances, and an electric crowd!

Sincerely,

Steve Archibald

Superintendent

The ACE Mentor Program is an afterschool that prepares high school students for careers in architecture, engineering, construction and the trades. If your family would like to learn more about this program, students in grades 9-12 and their families can attend one of several open house events.

Oakland Community College is hosting a Health Sciences Open House on October 8, 2026, from 5:30–8 p.m. at the Southfield Campus. High school juniors and seniors can explore programs including nursing, EMS, dental hygiene, sonography, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, and more. Attendees can participate in hands-on demonstrations, tour classrooms and labs, and connect with OCC admissions, counseling, and financial aid.

The Water Resource Commission and Pure Oakland Water are teaming up to host

the 22nd Annual Kids’ Clean Water Calendar Contest and they need your creativity! This year’s artwork theme is, “We Can All Help to Keep Oakland County’s Lakes, Rivers, Streams and Watersheds Clean!” Submit your drawing for a chance to have your artwork featured in their 2027 calendar, in which more than 5,000 copies will be distributed across Oakland County! Awardees will also be featured on their website. Click here to learn more.

Kids Club is looking for fun, dependable, and caring people to join our team!

• Starting at $19.91/hour Before & after school opportunities
• Must be at least 16 years old
• Fun, rewarding work with great kids!

Interested or know someone who would be a great fit?
Reach out to Kristi Cavicchiolo, Kids Club Director, at cavicchiolok@slcs.us for more information.

As a reminder, all students have a half day on October 9th and no school on Monday, October 12th. Elementary students have additional half days for parent teacher conferences on Tuesday, October 20th and Thursday, October 22nd. The afternoon of half days and the no school days are great opportunities to schedule appointments for your child since learning is not missed to attend the appointment. If your family needs to schedule medical, orthodontic, or other appointments for your children, please keep in mind that these are great days to schedule those appointments.

Raising grandchildren is a unique and challenging journey, and it's one that many kinship caregivers face. While it's a role filled with immense love, it can also bring about stress, financial strain, and social isolation. If you're a grandparent or other relative raising grandchildren, it's important to remember that you're not alone and that help is available. For the third year, SLCS has partnered Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) to meet monthly during the school year in South Lyon. Click HERE to find more information and resources. Contact 248-573-8220 for more information.

As part of South Lyon Community Schools’ commitment to supporting our community, a series of free virtual mental health presentations have been scheduled for the 2026-2027 school year. Click HERE to learn more about the events. Registration is required to obtain the virtual meeting links. Contact 248-573-8220 for more information.

You Are Not Alone—Join the South Lyon Special Education PAC Family! Navigation in the world of special education can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to do it by yourself. The South Lyon Community Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is here to support, inform, and connect families just like yours. Whether you’re looking for practical advice, expert resources, or simply a welcoming community that understands your journey—this group is built for YOU. For the 2026–2027 school year, we’re bringing in engaging guest speakers to share valuable insights, strategies, and local resources specifically tailored for parents and guardians of children with special needs. Stay in the Loop! Want to receive invitations and updates for our upcoming speaker events? Just complete and submit THIS form!! First 2026-2027 PAC Meeting Date is October 5, 2026. Events will be held at Centennial Middle School (CMS) Media Center. For more information call the SLCS Special Education Office, 248-573-8220.

This school year, our elementary classrooms are utilizing Collaborative Literacy (Being a Reader and Being a Writer) as our English Language Arts instructional resource.

Key Highlights for Families:

• MDE Approved: Collaborative Literacy is officially recognized on the Michigan Department of Education’s (MDE) approved list of evidence-based elementary reading curricula. Our selection ensures our primary instructional materials meet state standards and requirements grounded in the science of reading.

• Being a Reader: Focuses on building strong foundational skills, including phonics, decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension through small-group and whole-class instruction.

• Being a Writer: Helps students develop writing confidence, mechanics, and personal voice by guiding them through the writing process across various genres.

• Fostering a Collaborative Environment: Beyond core reading and writing skills, the program encourages cooperative learning, critical thinking, and respectful discussion to create a supportive classroom community.

For additional information on our reading and writing instruction, please visit our Elementary Parent Curriculum Guide to explore additional program details and information about grade level units.

Every Kid Outdoors provides free national park passes to all fourth grade students, starting September 1 of their fourth grade year. If you have a fourth grader, you can visit the Every Kid Outdoors website to learn more!

Would you like to contribute to the career readiness of South Lyon students? We have volunteer opportunities that can take as little as one hour of your time!

Within South Lyon Community Schools, our four Career Development Facilitators assist our staff in providing career readiness instruction and activities for our students. They also work with teachers and students to create Educational Development Plans (EDPs) for each individual student. At the elementary level, this looks like career exploration and beginning to understand how knowing one’s interests and skills can help to narrow career interests. At the middle school level, students complete additional personal inventories to help them begin narrowing potential career fields. As students move into high school, they firm up potential career options and develop plans for which high school courses and paths after high school will help them achieve those goals. For many students, this includes post secondary education such as learning about college options or trade schools.

Each high school has a Career Development Facilitator, along with one Career Development Facilitator for the two middle schools and another for the eight elementary schools:

• South Lyon High School- Kristi Anderson

• South Lyon East High School- Allison DeHorn

• Middle Schools- Lauren Bedich

• Elementary Schools- Karen Nevers

The four Career Development Facilitators work to plan things like:

• presentations to individual classrooms, grades, or courses

• career based field trips

• panels of speakers for students interested in a particular industry

• college fairs

• mock job interviews for high school seniors

We are looking for volunteers from ALL careers and industries for activities such as panel discussions, presentations, mock interviews, field trips, etc. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete this form. If we have a need for someone within your career pathway or industry, a Career Development Facilitator will be in touch. Grandparents, older siblings, and extended family members are welcome to volunteer as well. Thank you!

For the safety and well-being of our students and staff, dogs are not permitted on SLCS property during the school day or at school events at any time. Outside of the school day, dogs may be on school property only if they are kept on a leash and under the owner’s control. Please also remember to clean up after your pet.

These guidelines help ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone in our school community, including those who may be afraid of or allergic to dogs. Service animals and dogs owned by the District are exceptions. Other exceptions must be approved by the Superintendent or their designee.

Thank you for helping us keep our school property safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone.

Political signs, signs referencing a candidate for public office, or other signs pertaining to political issues shall not be permitted on school property except informational material related to school bonds may be permitted under 7004-AR. Precinct locations are exempt from this guideline on Election Days.

In accordance with MCL Section 168.744, “On election day, a person shall not post, display, or distribute in a polling place, in any hallway used by voters to enter or exit a polling place, or within 100 feet of an entrance to a building in which a polling place is located any material that directly or indirectly makes reference to an election, a candidate, or a ballot question. Except as otherwise provided in section 744a, this subsection does not apply to official material that is required by law to be posted, displayed, or distributed in a polling place on election day.”

Signs must be removed from polling locations within 10 days of the election.

In past years our district has focused much of our attendance efforts on reducing rates of truancy. However, truancy considers only unexcused absences. While this remains important work, we have a number of students who do not meet the definition for truant but who are considered chronically absent. Chronically absent is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason- including excused absences, unexcused absences and suspensions. For a student who is enrolled for the full year, this equates to missing 18 days or more of school.

We are working to reduce our average absence rates at all levels as well as reduce the number of students who are identified as chronically absent. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, families should be aware that we are shifting our focus and are emphasizing our work to reduce chronic absenteeism. This may mean your family is included in discussions about attendance patterns, even when your student has the necessary documentation (like doctor’s notes) for absences to be excused.

Attendance Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting schools in reducing chronic absenteeism. Here are some facts from their organization:

• Chronic absenteeism — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school.

• Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.

• Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.

• Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade.

• By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

• When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.

You can expect an increase in discussions around absence rates this year, with SLCS school administrators and staff reaching out to families whose students are missing multiple days of school each month. In some cases, your child’s total absences for a month may be due to a single illness or event. In other situations, there may be underlying causes to the attendance pattern. Our hope is that we can partner with your family in these more complex situations and work together to improve your child’s attendance. Please note, our increased focus on chronic absenteeism does not change the thresholds at which we refer families for help from the county’s truancy department.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Congratulations to our new National Honor Society inductees at SLEHS! Our new class took the NHS oath during a lovely ceremony in the East auditorium on Wednesday evening. The 2026-2027 NHS Officers were also confirmed and deserve to be highlighted for their leadership as well as their scholarly achievements:

Catelyn Carino, President

Alexis Fiddes, Vice President

Aditya Talakanti, Recording Secretary

Lucy Koerner, Corresponding Secretary

Andrea Zavala Chavira, Public Relations

Dev Patel, Treasurer

These students have worked very hard and consistently exhibit the core principles of NHS membership; we applaud their efforts and look forward to all of their success to come!

We’re excited to introduce the SLCS Employee Spotlight, a new way to recognize and celebrate the incredible people who make South Lyon Community Schools shine! Each week, one nominated employee is randomly selected to be featured, and every two weeks we’ll introduce you to two of them right here in the S’More. We hope you enjoy getting to know some of the amazing people who make a difference across SLCS every day!

So...who would you like to put in the Spotlight next?
Click below and make it happen! 🌟 SLCS Spotlight Nomination Form