The Banks Bulletin
May 22nd, 2026
Important News and Updates
Dear Banks Families:
Thank you for taking a moment to review the final edition of the Banks Bulletin newsletter for the 2025-2026 school year. Our students and staff are buzzing with energy as we head into the final stretch, and I can hardly believe we only have 1.5 more weeks together before summer! I'd like to take a moment to thank our incredible parent community for your ongoing support. Your partnership has been essential in helping our students thrive. It has been a tremendous school year and it fills my heart with pride and joy when I think of all that we accomplished together. Our future is full of promise, and together, we’ll continue to build on our successes.
Families, we need your help! Library books are overdue and need to be turned in promptly. Your assistance is greatly appreciated, especially since we are missing 162 books! Thank you!
We are looking forward to honoring our 8th grade students with a special celebration on Tuesday, June 9th, beginning with at 9:00 AM and hope families are able to join us for this wonderful occasion. Important details are provided below.
Save the Date
If you have an incoming 6th grader, please save the date for our second annual 6th Grade W.E.B. (Where Everyone Belongs) Orientation on August 17th. In addition, the Banks Blast-Off will be held for all incoming 6th-8th grade students on August 18th from 9 AM - 3 PM. Our first day of school is August 26th. Don't miss these important and exciting kick-off events!
As always, it's a beautiful day to be a Banks Bulldog!
Cheers,
Jennifer VanWagnen
We are Banks!
#everychildeveryday #banksproud
Upcoming Events
June
6/1: Vocal Music Concert @ 7 PM, WLW
6/2: 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Band Concert @ 6:30 PM, Banks MS
6/3: 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Concert @ 6:30 PM, Banks MS
6/4: Board of Education Regular Meeting @ 7 PM
6/9: 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony @ 9 AM, Banks Gymnasium
6/9: 8th Grade Dance @ 6:30 PM-8 PM
6/10: Last Day of School - Half Day for Students
August
8/17: 6th Grade Orientation
8/18: Banks Blast-Off @ 9 AM-3 PM
8/26: First Day of the 26-27 School Year
Save the Date:
May 4th-7th: 8th Grade Washington, D.C. Trip -More Information Coming Soon!
Thank you for another wonderful year!
Print out your last day of school sign đź“·
As we get set for the final day of school on June 10, make sure to print out one of our last day of school signs.
Send a photo of you with the sign to info@wlcsd.org for a chance to be featured on social media.
Athletics Update from Mr. McNamara:
The Banks track and field team traveled to the Oakland County Meet with 26 of our best athletes.
We had numerous girls' athletes place on the podium! Kadmiel Erebor took 5th overall in the high jump and several girls running their hearts out placing 4th in 4x100, 7th for the 4x400, and 6th in the 4x800. Way to go girls!
We also had a couple of boys placing on the podium for shotput. Spencer Darrow tied for 6th overall and Ryan Johns took 5th overall. Way to go boys!
And that wraps up our athletics season for the year! Excellent work this year, Bulldogs!
Important Information for 8th Grade Families
Eighth Grade Families:
Please take a moment to review the important 8th grade letter to families regarding our upcoming 8th grade Ceremony and Dance. Our 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony will be held on June 9th from 9:00 -10:00 AM in the Banks Gym. Please read through all of the information below to ensure you are familiar with the details for the morning.
Thank you so much for a great 2025-2026 school year. If you have any questions about the end-of-the-year activities, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Cheers!
Help Needed: Keep Toys, Stuffed Animals and NeeDohs at Home
Toys, stuffed animals and NeeDohs should not be brought to school. Due to a recent increase in these items, students have been reminded that NeeDohs and other toys are disruptive to the learning environment and are not permitted at school. We have also become aware of a current and potentially dangerous TikTok trend involving exploding NeeDohs, which has made its way into classrooms, creating significant messes and disrupting instruction.
Moving forward, any such items brought to school will be confiscated and held until a parent or guardian is able to retrieve them. Thank you for partnering with us to help keep our school safe and maintain a learning environment that is positive and productive for all students.
Pick Up/Drop Off Information
Please consider the safety of our entire Bulldog Community when you are dropping off or picking up your students. Following the procedures at SLOW SPEEDS is the best way to keep everyone safe. Say long good byes while you are driving to school. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly. Families who are prepared for this will help ensure more efficient traffic flow.
- Front Parking Lot Closed Daily, 7:45–8:10 AM
To promote safe, calm arrivals, the front lot will be blocked to vehicles during this window. Inconsistent use of the lot has created unsafe drop-off situations. This procedure eliminates those risks.
- Bus Loop Closed Until All Buses Unload
The bus loop is not open to cars during arrival or dismissal. Please do not park or leave your vehicle in the loop. Timing may vary slightly day to day based on bus arrivals. - . In the event that you need to pick-up early, you must do so before 2:40 p.m.
How you can help:
- Please use district busing as the primary mode of transportation whenever possible.
- Use the pick-up/drop-off line only if you live outside the busing limits.
- Carpool when possible.
- Have backpacks zipped, instruments ready and goodbyes said before unloading to keep lines moving safely. When dropping off, make sure your student is prepared to exit the car quickly.
- Pull all the way forward even after dropping off to help ensure more efficient traffic flow.
- Refrain from cutting through the parking lot. Refer to the map below and adhere to it.
- Unload at all 6 spots-do not wait until you get to spot #1 to unload
Oakland County Enhancement Millage - Impact & Potential Uses
At its March 24 meeting, the Oakland Schools Board of Education voted to place a countywide Regional Enhancement Millage proposal on the August 4, 2026 ballot.
If approved by voters, the proposal would levy 1.5 mills for six years to provide additional funding to all public school districts and eligible public school academies in Oakland County. This funding would be distributed on a per-student basis, estimated at approximately $781 per student annually, or $4,686 per student over the life of the millage.
A Regional Enhancement Millage is a voter-approved property tax that allows school districts within a county to generate additional funding beyond what is provided by the State of Michigan under Proposal A (1994). It is the only mechanism available for districts to increase per-student operating revenue.
If approved, all funds generated would go directly to local public school districts and eligible public school academies. Oakland Schools would not receive any of the funding.
Currently, Oakland County does not have an enhancement millage in place. Some neighboring counties, including Wayne County and Macomb County, have implemented similar millages. Currently, 44% of students across the state have access to the additional enhancement funds.
Key Facts:
The proposal calls for a 1.50 mill levy on all taxpayers for a period of six years (2026-2031).
Funds would be distributed on a per-student basis to all public school districts and eligible public school academies.
Each school board would determine how funds are used.
Learn more: www.oaklandenhancementmillage.com
Visit the Enhancement Millage website for more information and a tax calculator.
WLCSD Parent/Community Survey 2026
The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback from our parents, staff, community members and former students on the 2025-26 school year.
Staff Shout Outs đź’™
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.
Cell Phone and Related Technology Policy
In a world dominated by instant communication, cell phones can be a major distraction during the school day. At Sarah Banks Middle School, our goal is not to limit contact between students and families, but to promote responsible and appropriate use of technology in an academic setting.
Policy Overview:
- Student cell phones must remain in lockers throughout the school day.
- If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they must do so through the attendance office.
- Students are not permitted to text or call parents directly during school hours, including when they are feeling unwell or need something.
- In alignment with a district-wide directive, iPads are not permitted at school this year. If used during the school day, iPads will be treated the same as cell phones and subject to the same consequences.
Consequences for Cell Phone Use During the School Day:
- 1st Violation: Phone is confiscated and held in the office until the end of the day. Parents will be contacted with a reminder of the policy and informed of next steps for future incidents.
- 2nd Violation: Phone is confiscated and must be picked up by a parent or guardian in person.
- Repeated Violations: May result in progressive disciplinary action.
District Chromebook Repair Process
Please follow the steps below when your student's District Chromebook needs to be repaired.
- If a student needs support, he/she should fill out a Student Chromebook Support Form linked on all of the Google Classrooms and on the school website under Students. Being logged on to the school google account is required to access the form.
- The information in the form will be sent to Mrs. Stasak, our Middle School Computer Resource Teacher. She will reply to the student at his/her school gmail account. She will offer suggestions to fix the issue or, if it needs service, she will tell the student to take the chromebook to the office and give it to building admin secretary (enter the name for your building).
- The chromebook in the case will be sent through inner office and the student will be allowed to use a loaner chromebook AT SCHOOL. It will be the student’s responsibility to pick it up each morning from the office and return it at the end of the day.
- When the chromebook has been repaired, it will be delivered back to the school for the student to pick up.
- If the family purchased insurance, the first repair is free and all additional repairs carry a deductible. Deductible invoices or repair invoices, for those that did not choose insurance, must be paid before the repaired chromebook is returned.
- If a student with a personal chromebook has a network issue, the same form can be used. We are not able to fix physical problems with personal devices and loaner chromebooks will not be provided.
Banks Core Values
At Banks, we believe that a strong school community is built on three essential values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. These principles guide everything we do—how we treat one another, how we approach learning, and how we care for our environment.
Being respectful means showing kindness, listening to others, and valuing differences. It’s about treating classmates, teachers, and staff with dignity and courtesy.
Being responsible means owning your actions, making good choices, and doing your part—whether it’s completing assignments, following school rules, or helping others.
Being safe means looking out for yourself and those around you. It means using technology wisely, moving through the building calmly, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.
When we live by these values, we create a school where everyone can thrive. Let’s work together to make Banks a place where respect, responsibility, and safety are at the heart of everything we do.
Signing up for SMS Messages in Skylert
In addition to receiving phone calls and email notifications from the school district in the event of a school closing or emergency, parents can also sign up to receive SMS Text messages.
Please find the helpful step-by-step instructions linked below as well as the video tutorial on signing up for SMS messages.
Connect With Us
Jennifer VanWagnen
Principal: jennifervanwagnen@wlcsd.org
Kellan Watkins
Principal's Secretary: kellanwatkins@wlcsd.org
Anthony McNamara
Assistant Principal: anythonymcnamara@wlcsd.org
Jennifer Dean
Assistant Principal's Secretary: jenniferdean@wlcsd.org
Kevin Zurro
Student Success Coordinator: kevinzurro@wlcsd.org
Important Phone Numbers:
Main Line: 248-956-2200
Attendance: 248-956-2290
Email: JenniferVanWagnen@wlcsd.org
Website: https://banks.wlcsd.org/
Location: 1760 Charms Road Wixom, MI 48393
Phone: (248) 956-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarahbanksptsa