School District Seeks Community of Excellence Award Nominees

Below are excerpts from the latest update from Royal Oak Schools Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin:

Community of Excellence Award: Our district vision — “A Community of Excellence” — describes who we are and who we strive to be. Community is the context for all that we do; excellence is the standard we set for ourselves.

Periodically, each of us witnesses instances where individuals go above and beyond the expected in their efforts to make this vision real for our students and community. The purpose of the Community of Excellence Award is to recognize exceptional individual effort towards making our district vision real. To learn more, click the icon located on the lower left side of our district homepage — www.royaloakschools.org — or view the video clip available here.

Holiday House Parties: During the holiday season, many of us open our homes to friends and family members as we celebrate in ways that are important to us. Likewise, this is a busy season for travel, when parents may be gone, for an evening or longer, leaving minor children home alone.

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At a recent school board meeting, Chief Judge Derek Meinecke (44th District Court) and Erin Shaly (Royal Oak Community Coalition) provided information regarding the perils for parents and children when parties occur in private homes and minors consume alcohol. You can view this timely information by clicking here.

Help Wanted: Royal Oak Schools is seeking qualified applicants to work as paraprofessionals in the district. Paraprofessionals work under the direct supervision of a certified teacher providing support and ancillary services to students. The work calendar and work hours align with our calendar and hours for student attendance at school. To view a job posting, click here; for additional information, contact Mr. Patrick Wolynski, Executive Director for Staff and Student Services at 248-435-8400, ext. 1213, or wolynskip@royaloakschools.org. Persons interested in applying for positions do so through the on-line application process available through this link.

Calendar Reminders: School is not in session for students Nov. 25-29. For additional information regarding the Royal Oak Schools calendar, including an outline of the complete 2015-2016 school year calendar, click here.

Social Media: Social media sites are great tools for many types of communication. However, they are not always the best medium for having a specific question answered or a concern addressed. I am grateful when persons alert me to social media posts that raise questions or concerns regarding school issues.

Often, people make without having directly contacted persons in our schools who might be able to respond with information or solutions that could be helpful. My request is this: When you have an issue or concern, and seek resolution, please make direct communication with the person or persons most directly involved in the situation. This will help us work together to better serve students.

Internet Access: Having home internet access opens up worlds of possibilities for students and families. Comcast offers a program designed to provide affordable low-cost internet access for qualified families. The program is called Internet Essentials. The program has no term contract, no credit check, and no installation fee; it includes a Wi-Fi router. The cost is just $9.95 per month. To determine if you qualify, and to learn more about applying, go to Comcast Internet Essentials. Please share this information with friends and family members who might benefit from this program.