Summer News and Notes

The 2016-17 School Year Is In the Books

The time between the last day of classes and June 30th are always filled with deadlines and a flurry of business activities.  Honestly, it is not the best part of my job.  However, this year was a bit different.  Last week ended with three pieces of really good news that I wanted to share before July takes ahold of you and school is a distant memory.

1.  The teachers and the Board of Education worked out a two-year calendar for your planning convenience!  The 2017-18 and 2108-19 school calendars will be made available for viewing in the coming week.
2.  $1 Million Dollars! Our fund balance crested the $1,000,000 mark.  I cannot emphasize how incredible this accomplishment is. Very few school districts rebound in the fashion we have. I am proud to be a part of this district and community.
3.  No more Focus School!  I received news this week from the Michigan Department of Education that Whitmore Lake Elementary was released from its status as a Focus School. Congratulations to Mrs. Wanamaker and her staff.

On behalf of the Board of Education and our collective staff, I wish the students of Whitmore Lake Public Schools and their families an enjoyable summer.  Next time you hear from me will be in the Back to School Guide slated to be made available the first week of August.

This is a great summer to be a Trojan!

News and Notes: 3.28

Top 10 (which turned into 11) from 2016/2017 School Year

 

We always end the year of News and Notes with a top ten, highlighting what I identify as my favorite stories from the past school year. Believe it or not, this is our 28th post this year for News and Notes, along with six episodes of Facebook Live Fridays, so narrowing it down wasn't easy. Therefore, I'm breaking the mold and going with top 11.  

 

I've spent the past month in particular reflecting upon the class of 2017 as they wrapped up their time at WLPS. I've been reflecting on the students who will eventually take their place and the need to continue to be creative and innovative with programming. And with the passing of our sinking fund and a variety of other events throughout the year, the support of our community (both within our buildings made up of teachers, staff and parents, along with the Whitmore Lake community at large) and the need to always stay connected with our alumni, our Trojan family, was at the front of my mind. The top 11 listed below are a representation of all that. I hope you enjoy reflecting on the successes of this past school year, as well, and enjoy your summer break.

 

See you in the fall.

 

11. Alumni Spotlight Dan Houghton, Zac Bowen and Arthur Sutherland (3.3)

10. Senior Awards Night (3.26)

9.   Student Athletes Signing Letters of Intent (3.16 and 3.17)
8.   Visiting Chinese Teachers (3.25)
7.   Community Based Instruction and Community Partnership in the Pool (3.13)
6.   Project Based Learning and the Free Little Library (3.24)
5.   Facebook Live Friday with WLES Kindergarteners
4.   Sinking Fund Success (3.9)
3.   New Programming at WLPS (3.20)
2.   Laura Sanderson's Second Every Day (3.27)
1.   Jump Rope for Heart All-Star, Mackenzie Williams (3.23)

News and Notes 3.27

Happy Friday, all! My name is Laura Sanderson, and as of last Sunday, I am now an official Whitmore Lake High School alumna. After moving to Whitmore Lake from South Lyon in 2013, I started attending WLHS at the beginning of my freshman year. The past four years have been unlike anything I had imagined when I first began my journey here. Even more unexpectedly, they have flown by. Before I knew it, my senior year was snowballing to a bittersweet end. I realized that I was going to miss this school, all the people in it, all the small details, traditions, and even quirks of life in Whitmore Lake.

 

This is when I saw a Ted Talk about a project called 1 Second Everyday, and knew it was something I wanted to do to further cherish the memories I’ve made this year. For the last fifty days of my high school career, I recorded at least one second of video every day that documented my personal experience as a senior at WLHS. Anything from my morning coffee, or a friend’s laugh, to Quiz Bowl State’s, Senior Skip Day, and more. While I also love to take photos, these videos enrich the memories further by including motion and sound. Even though they may seem simple to an outsider, just one second of video can trigger entire flashbacks to memories that may have otherwise gotten lost in the craziness of my life. I really wish that I would have started doing my 1 Second Everyday project sooner, but I hope that maybe some high schoolers now will start their own. I plan on continuing to record little bits of my life for an entire year, sort of as a video scrapbook. I look forward to not just telling, but also showing my kids what it was like to graduate high school, to go off to college, and more.

 

This fall, I will be studying at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Though I will only be 15 minutes away, there really is no place like home. Whitmore Lake shaped my identity and goals and led me to the success I have achieved today. I am very thankful to have this little fifty second video to remind me of how lucky I am to have been a part of this community, and I am so happy to share it with you.

 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these memories and to the lasting impact that WLHS has had on my character. I know that even as time persists, and my red and white fades to maize and blue, I will still always be a Trojan.

 

-Laura Sanderson

WLHS, Class of 2017