SUPT. BEN WILLIAMS joins Mayor Sollars, others during annual State of the City

Supt. Ben Williams was a special guest speaker during Mayor Rick Sollars annual State of the City Address Thursday afternoon at the Heinz Prechter Educational & Performing Arts Center on the Downriver campus of Wayne County Community College.

Supt. Williams (second from left in the photo) was joined on the stage by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans (left), Mayor Sollars and Larry Wright of the Rotary Club of Taylor. WC Executive Evans introduced the mayor's speech, and took time to discuss the issues that he overcame at the county level.

The program was a unique gathering of several different layers of today's Taylor, and all represented the event's theme of "Good to Great."

Supt. Williams discussed the Taylor School District's newest initiatives that will begin this fall, including the all-new Taylor High School; the "wall-to-wall academies" concept; and advanced placement classes and college partnerships. He emphasized the mission of creating more focused curriculum at the high school level, the type that not only sets up the student for greatest career success, but where students with similar goals and aspirations would share the same classrooms.

For more about the school's new programs, click here

Wright, a longtime Rotarian, is leading the organization's new Launch Taylor concept, which offers mentoring and funding to small entrepreneurs in somewhat of an incubator setting. Launch Detroit, a similar venture, has had much success. Wright and the Rotary Club of Taylor are bringing the concept to the community.

For more about Launch Taylor, click here

Mayor's Sollars keynote address had a heavy focus on the City's new "Good to Great Neighborhoods Program," which will be launching this year. The program will focus on improving specific areas, or neighborhoods, in the community. The City will target an area and send in teams from literally every department of the City, focusing on improvements and interaction. The improvements may come in concrete repairs or tree trimming, ordinance issues or crime problems.

More on the program will be announced later this spring.

For a quick look, see the first item in Outlook 2018 in the December Taylor Today (click here)

KENNEDY ALUMNI PLAN final farewell at school June 23

LOOKING FOR SUMMER JOBS? City of Taylor hosts expanded ob fairs Feb. 22 and 24

KENNEDY CLASS OF 68 plans reunion

Can you believe it’s already been 50 years since we graduated from John F. Kennedy High School? We want to catch up with you and other classmates and find out what’s been happening in your life over all these years. So please mark your calendar for October 6th, 2018 when we will hold our 50th JFK Reunion at Taylor Meadows Golf Course.

Come and renew old friendships and share old memories as the JFK class of 1968 gets together for our 50th Reunion:

Place: Taylor Meadows Golf Course

25360 Ecorse Rd.

Taylor, MI 48180

Date: October 6, 2018

Time: 6:30 PM to 11:30 PM

Cost: $40.00 for dinner and dancing. There will be a cash bar.

Please mail checks to: Nancy Strong

35626 Pinecrest Ct.

New Boston, MI 48164

Make check payable: John F. Kennedy Class Reunion

Please forward this to all “68” classmates that you are in contact with or send us their information.

Nancy McVay Strong nmcstrong@charter.net 734-654-8395

Mary Burgraph Baugh maryb1106@yahoo.com 734-512-7272

Lynn Carson Boughton lynnb130@comcast.net 517-902-4406

Please send us your email address if we do not have it.

Regular mail gets costly.

Email nmcstrong@charter.net if you plan to attend.

KENNEDY CLASS OF 1978 plans reunion

The Kennedy High School Class of 1978 is having a reunion on August 18, 2018, at the Masonic Hall, 23263 Goddard Road.

Dinner and dancing will be offered throughout the evening, which begins at 7.

There will be a picnic in the park on Sunday, August 19.

Cost $35 send checks to JFK class reunion c/o Kathy Davis 11141 Westpoint St. Taylor, Mi 48180. For more info email kathrynquiel2017@gmail.com.

NEW TAYLOR GRIFFINS football golf outing May 12

ALUMNI HOST euchre night April 13

NEW CONCEPTS draw plenty of interest during parent night

The Taylor School District’s new Taylor High School Wall to Wall Academies concepts continue to spark discussions across the community.

Recently the high school and district administrators welcomed eighth graders and their parents to the 2018 Taylor High School Wall to Wall Academy Parent Night presentation at Truman High School in Cafe A. There was a fantastic turnout, and after an informative power point presentation, an engaging Q&A took place about all of the exciting changes being made in preparation for next fall.

In addition to parents from Hoover and West middle schools, we were excited to welcome parents from Taylor Prep, Summit Academy, and Trillium as well.

Highlights of the presentation and Q&A included the district's intentional focus on aligning all courses into the four pathways to ensure students are able to target their personal areas of interest as they schedule courses, building a network of community business and industry partners to support the multiple industry certifications that our students will be able to receive, and ensuring students have access to business internships, adult business mentors, job-shadow experiences, and other meaningful learning experiences while still in high school.

More meetings and presentations will come in the future.

HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has busy 100th day

Valentine’s Day, February 14, was a busy day for Mrs. Holstein's class at Holland Elementary School.

They were busy with 100th day festivities, which included 100 Fruitloops on a necklace, 100-day snack and hat, and participated in 100 exercising workout.

They also made Valentine holders and other fun activities! Mrs. Holstein showed her class how much she loves them by adding a daily compliment to her door about her class.

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL musicians excel in competition

West Middle School sent 21 different solo and ensembles to the District 12 MSBOA competition held at Franklin High School, Livonia on February 10. 

The staff was proud to announce that West had a 95 percent medal count this year and, despite the horrible weather conditions mother nature provided us, all our groups performed. West was one of a few schools that had a 10 percent attendance record. 

Special recognition goes to Alexandra Berringer with a perfect score and Gwen Crawford with a near perfect score!

First Division Rating Awards:  Emily Aguila, Alexandra Berringer, Jackson Bolsley, Gia Cook, Gwen Crawford, Chineme Ezeokoli, Christopher MacKenzie, Madelynn Matney, Natalia Sharbo, and Shannon Sosa.

Second Division Rating Awards: Amelia Adder, Layla Alzaidy, Ryanne Berringer, Gillian Crawford, Megan DeVries, Erin Hansen, Cayla Hadrian, Jessica Huynh, Lyndie Jasso, Nick Marshall, Ryan Marshall, Abigail Owusu, Elizabeth Pryer, Nathan Stamper, and Shannon Sosa.

EUREKA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has fun raising money

There were recently fun times all around at Eureka Heights Elementary School. A “Fundraiser Raffle for Fifth Grade Camp” was held this past two weeks and photographed are the lucky winners with principal, Mrs. Hall. 

A big “thank you” to the Briggs family for donating the cute Dino and Unicorn! And another big “thank you” to all the students who bought tickets to support our fifth graders. 

KINYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL pupils sing lovely songs

Kinyon Elementary School first graders serenade the packed house with songs of love for Valentine's Day!

RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL hosts its own 'Games'

Randall Elementary School School's January PBIS incentive involved the Winter Games! Students were allowed to play numerous winter games: toss ball through the snowman; knock down the snow tower; draw a snowman while holding a paper plate on top of your head; fill the snowman cup with cotton balls with a straw.

At the end of their scheduled time, there was a snowball fight using socks instead of snow. The students had fun in the "snow" while being warm.

KINYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL pupils visit Lansing

Kinyon Elementary School fourth-graders visited Lansing last week, and had a great time.

KINYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL gets new tile floor

The Board of Education recently honored Atlas Oil, Paul's Flooring, Meijer, Greg Long, Rebecca Hall, Leeann Hilliker and all of the others who pitched in to help with the new tile floor for the main office at Kinyon Elementary School.

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL students are recognized by board

Two West Middle School students were recognized at the Board of Education meeting February 12. Jessica Huynh and Ryan Marshall, two National Junior Honor Society members, were honored for going above and beyond in their mentoring and support of kindergarten students at Kinyon Elementary School. The pair have surpassed the required number of service hours needed, but they keep coming to school to help our youngest learners.

PIANO WARS to benefit Foundation for Educational Excellence