Welcome toWayne-Westland
Community Schools

Dear Wayne-Westland Staff and Families,

We are deeply saddened by the tragic news today from Oxford High School. As educators and as parents, it is difficult to comprehend such catastrophic events. We feel closely connected to the students, staff, families, and community devastated by this loss of innocent lives.

We know this may affect our students. Because it is difficult to predict how anyone will react to a traumatic event, the best we can do is be supportive and responsive to our students and their varied responses. Some students will have no reaction; some will be upset or anxious to some degree. Some may not have heard of the event, and others will have been immersed in the coverage on TV.

For those students who are having significant reactions to this event, we have mental health community partners available to provide support. Please contact one of the following:

• Beaumont-Adams Child & Adolescent Health Center: 734-728-2423
• Hegira Health Inc: 734-793-5026 or https://www.hegirahealth.org/
• SandCastles of Wayne County: 313-874-6881 or www.aboutsandcastles.org
• EasterSeals of Michigan: 1-800-757-3257 or www.easterseals.com/michigan

I want to reassure you that the safety and security of our students and staff are our top priority. We have clear plans and procedures to deal with emergencies that may arise in our schools. Parents, please encourage your child to tell a trusted adult or use OK2SAY (8-555-OK2SAY) if they see or hear something happening in their school.

Please continue to keep the community of Oxford in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

Sincerely,

John Dignan, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Good Evening Wayne-Westland Community School Students, Staff, and Families,

As a reminder: On Wednesday, November 24, 2021, all students in Wayne-Westland Community Schools have a half-day of instruction in the morning. Students will attend school virtually on this day (a.m. only). Students will NOT report to their school building. Students will attend class remotely and work on assignments provided by their teachers.

We need to keep the option to use virtual learning in the event of an outbreak or other health emergency. We will "go virtual" on Wednesday morning to see how well all students and staff can shift to online learning and teaching right after being face to face. We can then look and see how we can further support how we pivot to online learning in case of a public health event or other emergency.

School will resume in-person instruction on Monday, November 29, 2021.

The Champions program will run as scheduled at all school locations on Wednesday, November 24. Champions will be closed November 25-26, and will reopen on Monday, November 29, 2021.

COVID-19 Vaccine Available

The Beaumont Adams Child & Adolescent Health Center located inside Adams Middle School offers the vaccine for students over five years of age. Please call (734) 728-2423 to make an appointment. The vaccine is free.

Now Hiring

Wayne-Westland Community Schools is hiring for several positions, including paraprofessionals, food service, custodians, bus drivers, and teachers. We are hosting Virtual Job Forums from 1-2 pm on Tuesday through November 23. If you or someone you know is interested in a job, please join one of the forums for more information. This week, we are highlighting our open secondary math and science teaching positions. For these positions we offer:

• Experience honored
• Full benefits
• Attendance bonus
• Additional compensation opportunities
• Mentoring program

Weekly Flyers

Here is the link to the weekly flyers from our community partners. Have a wonderful week.

Annual School Grades Report

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) released its annual School Grades Report. In 2018, Public Act 601 was passed, requiring the MDE to create a school grading system that annually assigns each public school in Michigan individual letter grades for five areas: student proficiency, student growth, graduation rate, performance among peers, and English learner progress. Schools will also receive a ranking in the following three categories: attendance, assessment participation, and student subgroup comparison to the state.

School Grades Reports are based partly on results from the spring 2021 state assessments. Statewide participation in assessments was lower than usual, with only ~72% of Michigan students and ~50% of Wayne County students participating; therefore, these grades, in most cases, do not provide an accurate reflection of performance. Overall, student participation in our statewide assessment participation rate for Wayne-Westland was just over 59%.

Families and community members can find information on each school’s grades and rankings by visiting: https://www.mischooldata.org/. Once at the website, select the tab “K-12 Grade” > “Accountability” > “School Grades.” From there, you can choose a school from the dropdown menus. If you have any questions about the School Grades Report, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 734-419-2010.

With the holiday season upon us and as Michigan is experiencing a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, I wanted to share a reminder about the importance of practicing safe habits while celebrating with your family and friends. This includes social distancing, wearing masks in group settings and frequently washing your hands. As you might already be aware, COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Wayne County, with a reported uptick in hospitalizations and quarantines. We know that children learn best in the classroom, so it’s important we work together to keep students and staff safe and limit the disruption to in-person learning. To that end, we have COVID-19 safety measures in place, including:

• Required masks for all students, staff and visitors in a District building
• Social distancing measures where possible
• Sanitizing measures include daily cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces.

When we do have a positive COVID-19 case in your child’s classroom, you will receive a communication. If your child is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, I encourage you to report the incident to your school principal. Thank you for your continued trust and support when it comes to the health and wellness of our Wayne-Westland School Community. If you have any questions, please contact your school’s administrative office.

On behalf of the Wayne-Westland Community Schools, I’d like to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving. As always, we are dedicated to ensuring our students have the resources they need to thrive. Thank you for your commitment to our schools and serving as a partner in your child’s education.

Sincerely,

John Dignan, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Wayne-Westland Community Schools has partnered with the Detroit Red Wings to bring a great opportunity to our students.

January 13, 2022, will be Wayne-Westland Community Schools Night at Little Caesars Arena. Families, staff and community members can purchase tickets to this game and $5 of the proceeds will go to the Wayne-Westland school of your choosing. If a school sells more than 100 tickets, they will get to have a post-game photo on the ice.

Order your tickets today!

Dear Wayne-Westland Families,

November 13, 2021, is World Kindness Day. Wayne-Westland Community Schools has designated November 15-19 as Be a Buddy Week. All elementary schools will participate in various activities in recognition of Bully Prevention and encourage students to show kindness and compassion to each other.

The schools are planning a week-long spirit week with the following themes

• Monday : Put bullying to bed- pajama day
• Tuesday : Keep the Peace Day- Wear Tie Dye
• Wednesday : Team Up to Be a Buddy- wear sports gear
• Thursday : It’s Ok to Be Different- bright colors and fun socks
• Friday : Blue to Be a Buddy- wear blue

Other activities students will participate in this week include

• Learning the difference between being a bully and being a buddy
• Showing compassion
• Problem-solving when others are being unkind
• Celebrating differences

Creating a supportive school environment is critical to enhancing student learning and relationships. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s principal or the school social worker.