Monday, May 13, 2013
Superintendent Gerald Hill says West Bloomfield High School and elementary reconfiguration projects will get underway this summer.
With the May 6 passage of a building and site sinking fund millage, West Bloomfield Public Schools officials have begun prioritizing $23 million worth of site needs across the district Superintendent Gerald Hill said the first projects to use the new millage dollars will be front fascia replacement at West Bloomfield High School and modifications to elementary schools as they are reconfigured for the coming school year. Doherty and Sheiko elementary buildings previously housed kindergarten through 5th grade students; in the fall, they'll be K-2 and 3-5 buildings, respectively. "Probably the most visible projects will be ingress and egress, how people enter schools and the design of the entrances," Hill said. "We'll take a complete look at …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
About 16 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls to pass Tuesday's sinking fund millage; last fall's turnout was 74 percent.
About 16 percent of West Bloomfield School District's 25,740 registered voters turned out to vote on Tuesday's sinking fund millage, which passed by a 190-vote margin. By comparison, the November 2011 school board election drew 19 percent of registered voters, and the last sinking fund millage request, on the ballot with the presidential and state-wide elections in November of 2012, failed by more than 800 votes with about three-quarters of registered voters going to the polls. West Bloomfield Patch reader Richard Goldman, commenting on Facebook, called the turnout percentage "horribly low." "The major problem here in this economy is that so many homes are now abject worthless that homeowners can nary afford an increase let alone being …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
While election results are unofficial, Oakland County's elections website reports millage supporters score a 190-vote victory.
Update 8:46 p.m. With all precincts reporting, voters have approved the sinking fund millage by a narrow margin, 2,224-2,034. Elections results remain unofficial until they are certified. We'll have additional coverage and an in-depth look at precinct by precinct results Wednesday morning. Update 8:36 p.m. With 10 of 16 precincts reporting: Yes, 1982, No, 1805. Update 8:30 p.m. With half of all precincts reporting: Yes, 1763, No, 1521. Update 8:15 p.m. With four of 16 precincts reporting: Yes, 949, No, 753. If it was up to West Bloomfield Public Schools voters in Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake and Orchard Lake, there would be no sinking fund millage; all three voted it down. Update, 8:09 p.m. With two of 16 precincts reporting here's where …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
West Bloomfield Patch invites you to share your opinion about the May 7 election by submitting a blog post.
West Bloomfield Public Schools voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a a 14-year, 1.25-mill levy proposal that would provide funding for building upgrades and repairs. If you have an opinion about the millage, in support or opposition, share it with a blog post! Your submission will be featured on our site and in our newsletter, and we'll close election-related blog submissions after Friday. Ready to share your thoughts? Start here: Start a Blog. Read our guide to the May 7 election to find links and more information about the ballot question.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Voters will decide the fate of a 14-year, 1.25-mill levy proposal to provide more than $30 million in repairs to district buildings.
West Bloomfield Public Schools (WBPS) voters will decide whether to approve a 14-year, 1.25-mill levy proposal in a May 7 special election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at WBPS precincts in West Bloomfield Township, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake and Sylvan Lake. If approved, the $1.25 per $1,000 of taxable valuation would increase property taxes $125 per year on a home with a taxable value of $100,000, starting July 1, 2013. (If your home has an assessed value of $200,000, it has a taxable value of $100,000.) The millage is expected to raise a total of $30.25 million for use primarily on upgrades or repairs. The district's school enrollment and facilities committee identified $23.1 million in needed repairs, including $4.1 …
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Oakland Early College student Kayla Noel says the trip was a "life-changing experience".
West Bloomfield Public Schools student Kayla Noel's dream of becoming a chef is a little closer to coming true. As a winner in the Disney Dreamers Academy Contest, the 16-year-old Pontiac resident and her mother, Jerreece Barber, traveled to Walt Disney World in Florida March 7-10, where they rubbed elbows with celebrities and Kayla competed in a cook-off with other culinary arts students. "It was a life-changing experience," Kayla said. "I took away a lot of advice about how to become a chef." That advice came from some famous culinary artists, including Chef Carla Hall from ABC's The Chew, and Chef Jeff Henderson, from Las Vega's Bellagio Hotel. She appeared in a Disney parade and received gifts that included a Disney Academy class …
Friday, April 5, 2013
Residents hoping to vote in the May 7 election have until April 8 to register.
The deadline to register to vote in the May 7 West Bloomfield School District election is just around the corner. On the ballot is a 1.25 mill Building and Site Sinking Fund, which will provide about $2 million annually for the next 14 years. Read more about the proposal on the district's website. Voters have until April 8 to register at their hometown government offices in Sylvan Lake, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor or West Bloomfield, the Oakland County clerk's office in Pontiac, any Secretary of State office or by mail. This year, there is a new requirement to register to vote in Michigan. As of March 28, anyone wishing to register to vote must have a photo ID or a signed affidavit with proof of citizenship. If they do not have photo ID, …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The annual event Friday at West Bloomfield High School features workshops, awards and public screenings in the evening.
More than 10 film and TV professionals will speak to film students from around Metro Detroit this Friday at the 10th annual Orchard Lake Student Film Festival at West Bloomfield High School. Over 30 films by high school students are entered in the festival, a daylong event with workshops, prizes and evening screenings for the public. Entrants will gather at the high school all day and attend screenings for all of the films in two categories: public service announcements (up to three minutes) and dramatic, suspense, comedy or docu-drama shorts (five to 20 minutes). "It's a great way for students to meet one another, network and share ideas," said Micah Greene, theater arts program director at the school, who helped create the event as the …
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/teen-video-stars-will-meet-industry-pros-at-west-bloomfield-student-film-festival
718206
/locations/8720433
Monday, January 28, 2013
Former Vice President moves into new role as school board elects new officers.
The West Bloomfield School District Board of Education voted to elect new officers at its meeting Monday night: Each officer is moving into a new position, following the Nov. 2012 general election and the retirement of longtime board member Bruce Tobin, who served as President at that time. Sakwa moves into the new role having served for one year as Vice President, while Singh had previously served as Secretary. Both of those board members were elected to their first terms in 2009. According to the district's website, Sakwa is a 15-year resident of the school district.
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/randi-sakwa-elected-president-of-west-bloomfield-school-board
718206
/locations/8697960
Sunday, January 27, 2013
School district moving into bidding process on planned school reconfiguration and administrative relocation.
The West Bloomfield School District, Township Board, and the Orchard Lake Village City Council are scheduled to meet on Monday. Here's a brief look at what is on the School Board agenda. The School Board is expected to receive an update on the cost of closing Ealy Elementary School next fall, among other plans to consolidate facilities. According to a memo from Superintendent Gerald Hill, the district is not currently in a position to move forward with recommended plans to close the ACS building, moving its employees to West Bloomfield High School, as well as Ealy. In order to keep Ealy's closure on schedule, it's time to move into the bidding process soon, Hill said. However, the district's capital funds project would fall into a $1.9 …
42.54324
-83.34972
Ealy Elementary School
5475 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/on-the-agenda-3e273702
717577
/locations/8688093
42.566225
-83.361809
West Bloomfield High School
4925 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI
/articles/on-the-agenda-3e273702
718206
/locations/8688092
Don'tgiveup!
4:54 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
So here's the bottom line -- If the millage did NOT pass, it would have gone to the voters AGAIN! Afterall, this is the second time it went to the polls. Can you say "Ambassador Bridge!" Eventually, they get what they want. Who are they accountable to? Obvious answer -- Should be the voters, right! Afterall, it's our money that is being spent! Wouldn't it be wonderful to see an HONEST list of … more ›