TSD Weekly Newsletter
September 11, 2026
As We Reflect Today
Today marks 25 years since the September 11th attacks, a day that profoundly impacted our nation and changed the world in many different ways. We remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, honor the first responders and all those who responded and served, and recognize the families and communities whose lives were forever changed.
As a district community representing many cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs — One Troy — today is also an opportunity to reflect on our core values and the importance of demonstrating compassion, unity, and respect for one another.
The Troy School District recognizes the importance of supporting our students, families, and staff as we hold this day in memory and observance. As humans who teach, lead, and learn, we are committed to fostering spaces of belonging where all voices are seen, heard, and respected. Here are a few ways we can support one another today:
● Take time today to acknowledge the weight of this anniversary, however it shows up for you or for those around you.
● Check in with colleagues, students, and neighbors who may be feeling this day more deeply than others — grief and remembrance can look different for everyone.
● Offer grace and patience, and make room for silence, reflection, or quiet conversation without expectation.
● Honor the first responders, service members, and everyday heroes whose courage that day continues to inspire us.
● Lean on each other — if you need support processing today, you are not alone.
Resources:
How to Talk to Children About Difficult News — American Psychological Association (APA): https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/talking-children
Talking to Children About War — National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/talking-to-children-about-war_0.pdf
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families and Educators — National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-families-and-educators
Marking the 25th Anniversary — National September 11 Memorial & Museum: https://911memorial.org/marking-25th-anniversary
9/11 - 25 Years Later: Reflections of TSD Teachers
This year marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the lives lost on that tragic day. In commemoration, we reflect with high school social studies teachers who witnessed these events alongside their students in the classroom 25 years ago today.
73 TSD Students Named National Merit Semifinalists
TSD Leads Michigan in National Merit Semifinalists, with Students Representing Nearly 14% of the Statewide Total
The Troy School District is proud to celebrate 73 outstanding students who have been named Semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, recognizing some of the nation’s highest-performing high school students.
Of the 535 National Merit Semifinalists named across Michigan this year, Troy School District leads the state with 73 students—nearly 14 percent of Michigan’s total. This year’s honorees include 45 students from Troy High School, 13 from Athens High School and 15 students attending International Academy East.
National Merit Semifinalists are selected based on exceptional performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and now have the opportunity to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships.
Troy High School
Niket Ambavaram, Himank Bhat, Vanishri Bhat, Daniel Cao, Jessica Deng, Sophia Deng, Elaina Diao, Aarav Doshi, Joyce Hong, Lejla Kaknjo, Nishitha Kalapuram, Yusuf Khazi, Noah Kwok, Alicia Li, Nicole Li, Helen Liang, Patricia Mao, Ryan Mathews, Neha Musuwathi, Sujaitej Naravetla, Jayden Paik, Ajinkya Patil, Pratyush Pawar, Chiara Pengo, Aadhav Pillai, Diya Pravin, Maya Pravin, Tanvi Puri, Ivy Qin, Zahra Rahman, Udayan Ray, Krish Sarath, Anannya Saxena, Ismail Shaheen, Agrima Singh, Ana Skendo, Elina Song, Rohan Sukumar, Shreya Swaminathan, Advik Tatavarthi, Noah Tzakis, Eric Wang, Ethan Wang, Max Xu, Victor Zhong
Athens High School
Saikrish Balaji, Harish Divakar, Joy Farag, Merisa Grebovic, Ryan Haddad, Shivank Jayadeva, Caleb Lalik, Avi Nayar, Mufrad Rahman, Krish Sachithanand, Zachariah Samuel, Gargi Sonawane, Kira Viau
International Academy East
Dominic Babosha, Arjun Gupta, Ritvik Jillellamundi, Vishal Lokesh, Akash Makunur, Ayaan Mohammed, Ganesh Nambu, Vatsal Oza, Bhavik Panati, Devraj Pandey, Anandavel Sakthi, Arnav Sharma, Aishani Singh, Ahyoung Song, Keshav Vijayaraghavan
Congratulations to all 73 Semifinalists on this outstanding achievement. The Troy School District wishes them continued success as they advance in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
Students Lead Professional Development
Teachers attend several professional development sessions throughout the school year. At the start of this year, students had an opportunity to lead one of these sessions, working alongside our teachers and exploring how they can work with students in new ways.
🎥 by Sara Pai, a @TSDCreativeGuild Student Producer.
A Brief History of the Troy Schools
This week's edition of the Troy Times features a brief history of the Troy Schools, courtesy of the Troy Historic Village! You can read more at the link below, or in the Fall 2026 issue of the Village Press.
New Smith Grand Opening Celebration
We invite the community to join us for the Grand Opening of the New Smith Middle School on Monday, October 12. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Student tours will take place from 7 - 7:30 p.m. and the event will conclude with a ribbon cutting and dedication at 7:30 p.m. We hope you are able to join us!
Optional iPad Insurance Window Open
Each student with an assigned 1:1 iPad who wishes to participate in the Troy School District 1:1 Device Insurance Program will be required to pay an annual insurance premium of $25 per student, not to exceed $100 per family. Kindergarten through 3rd grade students have classroom sets of iPads that are generally not brought home, thus, no personal insurance is needed.
Boulan Park Renovation Update
We are excited to share that as of this week the Boulan Park renovation project has received some essential permits from the state to move forward with construction efforts. Our partners at Barton Malow are scheduling trades and foundations work to begin as soon as next week. We want to remind our families that, for safety purposes, the Boulan Park site is an active and closed construction site. We will continue to provide updates on our progress in October!
IA East Juniors are Clapped In to IB Diploma Program
IA East juniors celebrated the official start of their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program this week! The entire school lined the halls to cheer them on as they made their way to the cafeteria, where they heard from IA East graduate Jarod Crumpley, now an assistant basketball coach at the University of Chicago. Crumpley shared how the IB Diploma Program has impacted his life and the path he has taken since graduating from IA East.
Athens Big Band Performs at the Detroit Jazz Festival
The Troy Athens Big Band hit the stage this past weekend as part of the Detroit Jazz Festival’s High School Showcase and blew the roof off the place! Congrats to the Red Hawk musicians on an outstanding performance!
Mark Your Calendars: September Arts Events Around TSD
Unified Soccer Team Competes at Halftime of DFCF Match
On Saturday, the Unified Soccer team, made up of students from Athens, Troy High, and Avondale, had the exciting opportunity to play at Keyworth Stadium during halftime of the Detroit City Football Club match!
Our Unified Soccer team operates with support from Special Olympics Michigan. You can catch these student-athletes in action at one of their matches this season:
September 16 at 6 p.m. @ Athens, Aux Field
September 24 @ Clarkston High School
October 1 @ Troy High
Troy High Boys Soccer On a Roll
Troy High Boys Soccer had a great week, defeating Eisenhower with a score of 3 - 0, and then Bloomfield Hills with a score of 5 - 0.
Athens Boys Soccer Has a Great Week
Athens Boys Soccer is having a great week as well! They defeated Lake Orion by a score of 5 - 0 before traveling to Hamtramck where they came away victorious with a score of 8 - 0.
Program Sweep for Troy High Girls Volleyball
Troy High Volleyball faced off against North Farmington yesterday, with Freshman, JV, and Varsity all sweeping the Raiders 3 sets to 0. Way to go Colts!
Athens Girls Flag Football
Athens girls flag football faced off against Bloomfield Hills this week. The Hawks played hard, but ultimately came up short, losing 15-6.
Sports Physical Requirement
Sports physicals dated after April 15, 2026 are required for students in grades 6 - 12 to participate in both intramural and interscholastic sports during the 2026-27 school year. Sports physicals should be uploaded to FinalForms. For more information on how to register with FinalForms, please visit our website.
Athletic Passes Available for Purchase
High school athletic passes are now available! These passes are a great way for our sports fans to save while giving access to all non-playoff matches. A student pass is $60. The pass for 1 adult is $80 and the pass for 2 adults is $120.
Passes can be purchased using the links below:
Troy High Link-https://gofan.co/event/6368783?schoolId=MI10104
Athens Link-https://gofan.co/event/6368682?schoolId=MI9889
Looking for Athletic Schedules?
Athletic Links:
Athens Athletics: https://athensredhawksathletics.com/
Troy High Athletics: https://www.troycoltsathletics.com/
Facebook Links:
Troy High: https://www.facebook.com/troyhighathleticboosters
- Tues., Sept. 22 - Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m., TSD Services Building Board Room
- Tues., Oct. 6 - Board of Education Workshop, 6 p.m., TSD Administration Building Board Room
- Thurs. & Fri., Oct 8 & 9, 1/2 Day for PK - 12, Conferences
- Tues., Oct 20 - Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m., TSD Services Building Board Room
You can access the full TSD Calendar for the 26-27 school year on our website.
To view recordings of past school board meetings and workshops, visit the Board of Education page on our website and scroll to the section labeled "Videos".
