Learning and Leading for Tomorrow

W-B School District Summer 2015

ONTACT Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

Keeping with a new tradition that was started in 2012,

the Woodhaven High School Class of 2015 was presented

for graduation at home on the Frank H. Scarton Memorial

Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. Once again, our beautiful

facilities were showcased and family and friends were

able to take advantage of the extra seating available at the

stadium. It was a beautiful day making the ceremony that

much more enjoyable.

For more photos and information concerning the Class

of 2015, see pages 2-3.

WOODHAVEN-BROWNSTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Application Deadline

is September 11

Our Schools of Choice Program is open for fall

registration until Friday, September 11. We offer excellent

programs from Young Fives and traditional Kindergarten

through high school. We believe our staff, curriculum,

extracurricular, and facilities are second to none.

Schools of Choice applications and enrollment forms

are available on our website at

www.woodhaven.k12.mi.us. If you have any questions

about enrollment, please call the Administration Office at

734.783.3300.

If you are new to our district, you may register your

student(s), grades K-12, online or in person at the

Administration Office at 24821 Hall Road, Woodhaven.

We want to help your child succeed and exceed your

expectations so register today!

C

The district was pleased to offer the ThinkStretch

Summer Learning Program to all of its students entering

K-8 grades this year. The program has been used with

great success at Wegienka and Yake elementary schools

and the district wanted to expand this opportunity to the

rest of its students.

ThinkStretch is a summer learning workbook that

helps students remain fresh in their skills in reading,

writing, and mathematics along with bonus activities in

science. It is simple to use and not overwhelming to the

students or their families. Students received different

incentives at their schools based on the completion of

their workbook including medals and raffle drawings.

Throughout the summer, the program offered check-

ins at the school to allow students to ask questions about

their book and interact with other students in play and

activities.

If your child hasn’t started their book, it is not too

late! Students have until the beginning of the school

year to complete their book.

ThinkStretch teacher, Mrs. Linda Burnett, demonstrates how to make the day’s craft, a 3-dimensional bubble maker.

Mixed in with summer learning activities was time for a refreshing popsicle break.

2

The Woodhaven High School Class of 2015 held their Honors and Awards Night on April 16 at Woodhaven High

School. Honor students paid tribute to individuals who have had a positive influence in their development as a student.

The following individuals were recognized for the impact they have had on each student’s life (student names are in

parentheses):

Mrs. Leslie Tosh-Buzzy (Steffon Agius); Mr. Keith Christnagel (Momina Amin); Mr. Blake Bannon (Andrew

Boardman); Mr. Andrew Lambert (Kaitlyn Bondar, Lydia Kurtz); Mrs. Christie Zablocki (Eric Brandau, Tristan Cruz,

Doran Konja, Sameer Syed); Mr. Brad Faryniarz (Allison Burley); Mrs. Melinda Calinda (Adam Calinda); Mrs. Laurel

Kucharski (Lauren Cislo, Jessica Thomas, Alyson Trapp); Mrs. Jill Robinson (Eric Dearth); Mrs. Kristen Garavaglia

(Elizabeth Fenbert); Mr. Walter France and Mrs. Sarah France (Niko France); Mr. Marc Huddy (Arqam Husain, Brandi

Olson); Mr. Keith Weimer (Christian Ledford, Tabish Shaikh); Mr. Tim Kozlo (Michael Leich); Mrs. Shana Madaski

(Katelin Madaski); Mr. Phillip Nusbaum (Mitchell Nusbaum); Ms. Elizabeth Tunick (Anja Plaumann); Mrs. Meglynn

MacDonald (Miranda Ratusznik); Ms. Michelle Seward (Sarah Russell); Mrs. Deborah Smith and Mr. Dan Smith (Dane

Smith); Mrs. Jablonski (Bilal Syed)

September 8 Students’ First Day (full day)

October 29 BMS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

November 3 Election Day - no school for students

November 5 PHMS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

November 12 WHS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

November 13 Elementary 1/2 day - Records Day, end of 1st marking

period

November 19 Elementary 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

1-4 pm & 5-8 pm

November 25 District-wide 1/2 day

November 26-27 Thanksgiving Recess

December 4 BMS 1/2 day - Records Day, end of 1st marking period

Dec. 21-Jan. 1 Winter Recess

January 4 Classes resume

January 18 MLK, Jr. Day - no school for students

January 27-29 PHMS & WHS 1/2 days - 1st Semester Final Exams

February 4 BMS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

February 15-16 Mid-Winter Recess

March 11 Elementary 1/2 day - Records Day, end of 2nd marking

period

March 17 Elementary 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

1-4 pm & 5-8 pm

March 18 BMS 1/2 day - Records Day, end of 2nd marking

period

March 25-April 1 Spring Recess

April 4 Classes resume

April 7 WHS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

April 14 PHMS 1/2 day - Parent Teacher Conferences

12-3 pm & 4-7 pm

May 27 District-wide 1/2 day

May 30 Memorial Day

June 13-15 PHMS & WHS 1/2 days - 2nd Semester Final Exams

June 14 Elementary & BMS 1/2 day - Records Day

June 15 Last Day of School - Students 1/2 day

2015-16 School Calendar-at-a-Glance

Honor Students Pay Tribute

Students Receive CTE Awards Each semester the Downriver Career and

Technical Consortium acknowledges several

students for their achievements in vocational

education. Students are nominated by their

CTE instructors and selected from all nine high

schools within the Consortium.

The following Woodhaven High School

students were honored with the Outstanding

Career Technical Education Student Award

throughout the 2014-2015 school year:

Health Sciences

Alyssa Cousino, Elizabeth Slane, Amanda

Aikey, Caitlyn Kalinovik, Chelsea Nance,

Emily Stroh

Marketing

Jacob Foggia, Mariah Ford, Hannah Jasinski,

Riste Rabadziovski, Roberto Martinez, Victoria

Milanowski, Jacob Pakenas, Gregory

Pawelczyk, Mia Vanslingerlandt

Automotive Technology

Casey Hubbard, Alyssa Maldonado

Dental

Katelyn Grimes

Each student received a certificate and gift

from the Downriver Career and Technical

Consortium and recognition at an awards

dinner that was held on May 14 at Crystal

Gardens.

In addition, Riste Rabadziovski was awarded

one of four $1,000 scholarships offered by Flat

Rock Assembly. Riste plans to pursue a

Bachelor’s Degree in the area of Business

Management and Entrepreneurship. He has

been accepted at both Henry Ford College and

Oakland University.

Congratulations to all on a job well done!

Salutatorian ~ Miranda Ratusznik

3

Summa Cum Laude Michael Leich* Katelin Madaski* Alyson Trapp* Christian Ledford* Brandie Olson* Sameer Syed* Dane Smith* Mitchell Nusbaum* Adam Calinda* Anja Plaumann* Kendra Cook Lauren Cislo* Eric Brandau* Allison Burley* Sarah Russell* Jessica Thomas* Grant Walsh Steffon Agius* Ashlyn Paillon Karina Villalobos

Magna Cum Laude Bilal Syed* Chelsea Nance Christian DeBlois Hannah Jasinski Rachael Theisen Elizabeth Fenbert* Eric Dearth* Tristan Cruz* Michael Kotsopoulos Gabrielle Kabeth Emily Smith Cassie Nance Marta Kopania Nikkolo-Jos Romero Rebecca Ivankovics Marisa Chmielewski Abigail Gauci Kaitlyn Bondar* Niko France* Megan Price

Valedictorian ~ Arqam Husain

Magna Cum Laude (cont.) Cum Laude Andrew Boardman* Doran Konja* Riste Rabadziovski Lydia Kurtz* Kacey Cassette Tabish Shaikh* Jovel Ann Perez Momina Amin* Kathleen Ferguson Lauren Baker Jacob Przybylo Alyvia Castle Stephanie Chapa Solomon Khan Andrea Lesco *Denotes Senior Scholar Status

O n July 1, 2015, the district welcomed a new central

office staff member, Mr. Walt Pytlak, as their new

Human Resources Director. Mr. Pytlak comes to us from

Allen Park Schools where he served as Director of

Employee Services for the past four years.

Prior to his position as Director of Employee Services in

Allen Park, Walt taught at the secondary level and later was

school psychologist in the Wayne-Westland Community

School District, and was the director of special education in

both the Richmond Community School District and in Allen

Park.

Blue Cross Blue

Shield of Michigan,

Michigan Department

of Community Health,

Michigan Fitness

Foundation, United Dairy Industry of

Michigan, and the Center for School

Health at Wayne State University

invited Michigan elementary schools to

apply for the 2015-2016 Building

Healthy Communities program.

Applications were due on March 2,

2015.

In May, school awards were

announced and Wegienka and Yake

Elementary Schools were notified that

they were awarded $20,000 Building

Healthy Communities grants for the

2015-2016 school year!

The program consists of six core

components:

1. Principal engagement

2. Classroom education on nutrition

and physical education

3. Quality Physical Education

4. Active Recess

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, and the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1977, it is the policy of the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District that no person shall on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any program, activity, service or in employment. For information contact the Office of the Superintendent, 24821 Hall Road, Woodhaven, MI 48183, 734-789-2357.

Wegienka and Yake Elementary Schools Receive Grants Woodhaven-

Brownstown

School District

24821 Hall Road

Woodhaven, MI 48183

734.783.3300

woodhaven.k12.mi.us

BOARD OF EDUCATION

CARA PIMER, PRESIDENT

MIKKI BERTIN-KELSAY, VICE PRESIDENT

ROB HARRIS, SECRETARY

JENN PADGETT, TREASURER

BRUCE BURKE, TRUSTEE

SHAWN MACDONELL, TRUSTEE

SHANNON PERRY, TRUSTEE

ADMINISTRATION

MARK GREATHEAD, SUPERINTENDENT

THOMAS WALL, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

STACY PETERSON, CURRICULUM DIRECTOR

WALT PYTLAK, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

SHERRY WEISER, TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR

MICHAEL BELCHER, CONTRACTED SERVICES DIRECTOR

SCHOOLS

BATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

22811 GUDITH ROAD

WOODHAVEN, MI 48183

CHERIE GODFREY, PRINCIPAL

734-692-2217

ERVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

24175 HALL ROAD

WOODHAVEN, MI 48183

CATERINA BERRY, PRINCIPAL

734-692-2212

GUDITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

22700 SIBLEY ROAD

BROWNSTOWN, MI 48193

THOMAS MARTIN, PRINCIPAL

734-783-5386

WEGIENKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

23925 ARSENAL ROAD

BROWNSTOWN, MI 48134

MICHELLE BRIEGEL, PRINCIPAL

734-783-3367

YAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

16400 CARTER ROAD

WOODHAVEN, MI 48183

TIMOTHY PODLEWSKI, PRINCIPAL

734-692-2230

BROWNSTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL

20135 INKSTER ROAD

BROWNSTOWN, MI 48174

ANDREW CLARK, PRINCIPAL

734-783-3400

PATRICK HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL

24825 HALL ROAD

WOODHAVEN, MI 48183

MOLLY MAZEI, PRINCIPAL

734-362-6100

WOODHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL

24787 VAN HORN ROAD

BROWNSTOWN, MI 48134

MATTHEW CZAJKOWSKI, PRINCIPAL

734-783-3333

Mr. Walt Pytlak

District Hires New Human Resources Director

Walt earned his BA from U of M - Dearborn, a MA from Wayne State University,

and Specialist in Arts degree from Eastern Michigan University.

Walt and his wife, Jill, are Brownstown residents and Walt is eager to continue his

career in the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District.

5. Student Leadership Team

6. Healthy Kids Club

This is a comprehensive, school-wide

program that helps establish the

knowledge and behaviors needed for a

healthy lifestyle by engaging students

and staff in creating a healthy, supportive

environment for making healthy choices.

Participating schools will receive:

A hands-on coordinator to establish the

program and work closely with the

school to ensure that the program is

successful and can be sustained over

time

All program materials, equipment and

training necessary for successful

implementation

Access to vast expertise to assist with

their healthy school transformation

Here is a link for an overview of the

Building Healthy Communities program:

http://coe.wayne.edu/2011-2012/building

_healthy_communities_rfa_2015_elemen

tary_schools.pdf