Dear Wayne-Westland Students, Staff and Families,

Several College and Career Readiness events have occurred in the last few weeks and will continue through May. These events are unique and based on student interests. They all believe that their WWCS roots have been the ticket to opening the doors to their dream careers and goals. You can see the progress in our students – from entering a skilled trade to the first in a family to go to college; from being “the quiet kid” to a future aerospace engineer; from robotics to actuary science; and from nationally recognized career-tech programs to a career in fire service, HVAC or welding.

While these students wind down their K-12 careers, we welcome a new group of students in Young 5s and kindergarten next fall. The hopes and dreams of our seniors will begin to take root in a new generation of WWCS students.

Thanks to the leadership of our board of education, the district has adopted a new strategic plan. This plan directs how our district will continue to be an educational leader and service to our community. At the heart of the strategic plan is how we will inspire remarkable achievement for our students.

• Student Safety: This district has a safety hub that provides an overview of the proactive measures we have implemented. It details our multi-layered approach related to expectations, training, learning environment and mental health. It also provides information on Standard Response Protocols and highlights recent school safety initiatives.
• Student Learning: Besides everyday classroom learning, we offer our students programs that provide additional support and enrichment. Some of these include: ○
  • The Foundational Literacy Taskforce is refining, redefining, and aligning the district’s collective approach to early literacy.
  • Math Corps U(M)-Dearborn for incoming 7th and 8th-grade students will offer math enrichment and support this summer.
  • Career and technical education programs for our high school students, including the new Law Enforcement Academy, beginning in the fall.
  • Summer programs: The district is proud to partner with several community organizations to provide various exciting summer programs for our students.
• Community Engagement: Student success depends on community collaboration and strong partnerships with our community. Our community can support academic success by keeping students engaged in learning and healthy decision-making. One way to help is to volunteer at one of our schools.
• Partnerships and Events: Because of the commitment of many of our businesses, corporations, colleges, and universities, we can provide our students with various learning experiences and health and wellness support. Some of these include:
  • John Glenn-Corewell Healthcare Center: It will offer students mental health and wellness checks and is slated to open in the fall of 2023. The healthcare center will open on May 1 for physicals for middle and high school students.
  • Eastern Michigan University Summer Camps: All 5th-grade students can participate in hands-on learning on a college campus.
  • Robotics: Our high school students competed in FIRST® Robotics Competition international championship in Houston, Texas.
  • Esports: In its first year, we had teams for middle and high school students who competed in the PlayVS esports league.
  • Elementary athletics: We offer free flag football, cheerleading and basketball programs for 4th and 5th-grade students and a soccer clinic for K-3 students.
  • Discover Your Path: This hands-on career day for 8th-grade students will provide exposure to various career pathways.
  • Digital Diva Field Trip: Eastern Michigan University hosted this STEM Day field trip for our 8th-grade girls.
  • Young Sharks: This entrepreneurial program, sponsored by UM-Flint, is for elementary students and culminates in a “Shark Tank” style competition.
  • Philharmonic visits and concerts: These musicians visited with our 3rd and 4th-grade students to play and discuss their musical instruments.
  • Community of Champions Breakfast: This inaugural event will honor some of our outstanding students, staff and community partners in late May.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Our District's Mental Health Task Force works with our staff to support mental health awareness. Some of the activities planned in our middle and high schools during this month include:

• A bulletin board in schools around mental health awareness
• Morning announcements that discuss mental health facts, self-care and supporting peers
• Reminding students who the mental health staff are in their school, what their roles are and how to connect with them
• Students and staff will be encouraged to wear green on Fridays to support mental health awareness.

Remember, Care Solace is a free and confidential service provided by the Wayne-Westland Community School District for students, families and staff. Care Solace helps connect individuals to mental health or substance abuse providers by locating a therapist that meets their needs. Note: Care Solace is not a crisis line. They will call providers for you, verify insurance, and help make an appointment. If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

• Call 888-515-0595. Support is available 24/7/365 in any language.
• Visit caresolace.com/wwcsd and search for yourself or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our community, we will continue to have weeks, months and years celebrating the success of our students and staff. We have much to celebrate in Wayne-Westland Community Schools and look to the future with positive energy. Thanks to our planning, we now have a road map that contains the hopes and aspirations of our entire community for our children. It is time to act upon these dreams and bring them to fruition. We need to connect the past to the present to determine the future direction of our district. Great Futures start in Wayne-Westland Community Schools!

Sincerely,

John Dignan, Ed.D.
Superintendent