Bowers Academy

"What's your name?" It's important that your child knows their first and last name. It's even better if they know how to write it! For tips on how to help your child learn their name, visit www.bloomfield.org/kindergarten

Questions? Join us for our Kindergarten Info Session on Monday, February 11, 2019, from 7 - 8 p.m. in Bloomfield Hills High School Auditorium. You can also text KDG to 248.230.2879 and our Kindergarten experts will respond!

Join us for the second district-wide Multicultural Celebration on Monday, March 18, 2019, from 5:30 - 8 p.m. at Bloomfield Hills High School. This event is coordinated by the BHS PTOC Multicultural Celebration Committee and will showcase student exhibits featuring Inspiring Figures from many diverse cultures from around the world. The event will also feature student-involved music and dance.

As of January 25^th, Bloomfield Hills Schools will use Community Pass only for all lunch program payments.  When logging into My Bloomfield and signing in to view a specific student, lunch balances and a transaction history will still be available.  However, payments will only be accepted through Community Pass.  

We understand that a lot of parents have appreciated the ability to make payments online, view transactions, and see account balances.  All of this will still be possible - the only change is that payments will no longer be accepted in the same location as you find balance information.  This is due to a rising cost environment in credit card processing fees that the district has historically not asked families to incur, but has rather paid on families' behalf.  The switch to 100% payment processing through Community Pass will allow us to retain the functionality of online payments, yet save money from the district's general fund.

This transition should be fairly seamless, but we recognize you may have some questions.  Please allow five minutes after processing a payment to contact us with any questions so we can digitally see the transaction on our end and better support your request.  In addition, please note that you may process payments for multiple items in the same shopping cart within Community Pass.  So, if you'd like to purchase lunch credits at West Hills along with Saturday swim lessons, please feel free to complete one checkout process for the entire family.

If you haven't already, please make sure you have your login information for Community Pass. If you have forgotten your login or password, please go to https://register.communitypass.net/reg/login.cfm?cuBOB%2F%2FX0p4trnasCJNBkrfRqBNbAcM1ugTdgJwcwr%2BLxIFL2ZCtvf%2Fw to view instructions on how to retrieve that information.  Instructions will be sent directly to the email that is listed as the primary email for your student's account. If you have issues with this process, please contact the Recreation Department at 248.341.6425.

Since 1st grade Nicole Travis wanted to be a teacher, "I loved my teacher and wanted to be just like them," expressed Nicole. In college Nicole learned how to couple a love of psychology and teaching to pursue a degree in Special Education. Nicole has been a special education teacher in Bloomfield Hills Schools for 18 years (16 years at the high school and the past 2 years in the Resource Room at Conant Elementary)!

Each intermediate school district in Michigan is required to appoint a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), composed of representatives from each of its constituent districts. The representatives "shall consist only of parents of students with disabilities." The PAC is looking to expand! For more information contact Angela Grondz (248.202.7178 / agrondz@wesco.com) or Heather Rosenberg (248.862.2292 / heatherprosenberg@gmail.com).

The decision to close school is never an easy one and this morning's closure was no different. The decision to close school today, January 16, 2019, actually began earlier yesterday, when we were alerted by our local weather authority of the chance of freezing rain and terrible morning road conditions...(view the full blog post on Dr. Glass' new blog: www.bloomfield.org/alookforward)

The Bloomfield Hills Schools Transportation department is pleased to introduce SafeStop, an app for your smartphone or tablet that offers real time school bus updates.  It provides an estimated time of arrival and up to the minute alerts from the transportation department when necessary. For 30 minutes before and after the scheduled pick-up & drop-off times, the bus locator will be displayed on a map.  We are hopeful you will find this tool useful, and are excited to share it with our families.

Please follow the directions listed on the Transportation web page to get connected: https://www.bloomfield.org/transportation

Please join us for the opening of the Bloomfield Winter Park on the property of the Bowers School Farm Activity Building! Beginning Saturday, January 19, 2019, from 12 - 8 p.m. there will be activities and programs planned each day the Winter Park is open, along with concession items available for purchase. If the winter weather is favorable, sledding and ice skating will be available (bring your own sled & ice skates). Admission is $5 per person and children 2 and under free. For more details and the full schedule visit www.bloomfield.org/winterpark
 

Bloomfield Hills High School students traveled to Clarkston High School to participate in the District Four High School Honors Band January 11-12. Students from around metro Detroit were selected to represent their schools at this event. Students arrived for a 3 hour rehearsal on Friday, and then rehearsed all day Saturday for a concert on Saturday night. Bravo!

Without the connections being developed in Cav Time at East Hills Middle School in Bloomfield Hills, students and staff might not know that two students have an extra bone, that one loves to do trapeze, and that a surprising number say their favorite animal is the giraffe.