Wayne-Westland Innovative Academy
Weekly Communication for the Week of April 1, 2024
Quarter Four Begins Monday, April 1, 2024
Schedules will be distributed prior to the start of 1st Period.
Upcoming Events and Important Information
The Internal Revenue Service wants to share the following information with families.
Child Tax Credit (CTC): The CTC is a credit that may reduce your tax by as much as $2,000 for each child who qualifies you for the credit. To qualify, the child must be a U.S. citizen under age 17, have a Social Security number, be claimed as a dependent on the taxpayer's tax return, and more. Use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool to determine eligibility: Does My Child/Dependent Qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for Other Dependents? For more information, please see: Child Tax Credit | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)
Other Dependent Credit (ODC): The ODC is a credit that may reduce your tax by as much as $500 for each eligible dependent. The person is claimed as a dependent on your return; the person can’t be used by you to claim the CTC or Additional CTC; the person was a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien. Again, use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool to determine eligibility: Does My Child/Dependent Qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for Other Dependents?
Note: The credit amount for family’s CTC or ODC may be reduced if their modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is more than $400,000 for married filing jointly filing status or $200,000 for all other filing statuses.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): One refundable tax credit for moderate- and low-income families is the Earned Income Tax Credit. The IRS estimates there are millions of workers who qualify but don't claim the EITC - missing out on thousands of dollars every year. The EITC is as much as $3,995 when claiming one child, $6,604 when claiming two children, and $7,430 when claiming three or more children. Use the EITC Assistant to learn if you're eligible for the tax credit. For more detailed information, see Publication 596, Earned Income Credit.
Note: Adjusted gross income limits are used to qualify families for EITC.
Child and Dependent Care Credit: Taxpayers who paid someone to care for their child, spouse, or dependent so they can work, be a full-time student, or look for work may be able to reduce their tax by claiming the Child and Dependent Care Credit. The total expenses that you may use to calculate the credit may not be more than $3,000 (for one qualifying individual) or $6,000 (for two or more qualifying individuals). Use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool: Am I Eligible to Claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit? For more information, please see: Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses or Topic no. 602, Child and dependent care credit | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov).
Attendance Policy Information
Attendance Policy
Regular attendance is crucial for your child's academic success. Please make every effort to ensure your child attends school on time every day and stays throughout the whole day. Consistent attendance throughout the school day allows your child to engage in learning and maximize their educational opportunities fully.
Illness: If your child is not feeling well and cannot attend school, please notify us immediately. Students who are ill should not attend school to prevent the spread of illness to others.
Excused Absences: We understand that there may be instances when your child needs to be absent due to illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, or other legitimate reasons. Please notify the school in advance whenever possible to classify the absence as excused.
Unexcused Absences: Unexcused absences negatively impact your child's education. Absences without valid reasons will be considered unexcused, and appropriate actions may be taken per district policy.
Timely reporting of absences helps us maintain accurate attendance records and ensures that your child's absence is properly documented. Absences must be reported within 24 hours.
There are two convenient methods for reporting your child's absence to facilitate efficient communication and accurate attendance records.
You can notify your child's school through the dedicated attendance line. Please leave a detailed message stating your child's name, grade, and reason for absence.
You can report absences directly through MiStar, our secure online portal for student information. MiStar provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to submit absences.
Thank you for your ongoing support in creating a positive and productive learning environment for all our students.
Scholarship Information
- 15 Free Tuition Scholarships in Michigan: https://thecollegepod.com/free-tuition-scholarships-in-michigan/
- Scholarships for High School Students in Michigan: https://www.metroparent.com/education/college-planning/afford/scholarships-michigan-high-school-students/
- Top 39 Michigan Scholarships in February 2024: https://scholarships360.org/scholarships/michigan-scholarships/
- Top 30 Scholarships in Michigan to Apply for in February 2024: https://bold.org/scholarships/by-state/michigan-scholarships/
- Michigan Scholarships: https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-state/michigan-scholarships
- Find College Scholarships - Niche: https://www.niche.com/colleges/scholarships/
- https://www.michigan.gov/ogm/commissions/hlcom/scholarships
The application and more information can be found on their website! https://diversenote.mobi/
3 on 3 Tournament
Please click the link below if you are interested in signing up for the 3 on 3 tournament.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IlGlAW7nL3Vkn5P7fb3_VkF9fB1NZ44A/view?usp=sharing
Summer EBT Program
Please Complete the Form that is Linked Below for Information Regarding the Summer EBT Program
Summer EBT Program Reminder: This form must be completed as soon as possible to qualify for the 2024 Summer EBT program.
MCan College Advisor
During these Tip Talk Sessions, our seniors will receive helpful and valuable information regarding funding sources for college.
Please Note:
Our goal is to have all of our seniors apply to, and be accepted into a post secondary institution:
Community College, a Four Year University, Trade School, Armed Services or a Job.
Standardized Testing Information
Dear Wayne-Westland Community Schools Parents and Guardians,
In April, eleventh-grade students will take the Michigan Merit Examination (MME). The MME consists of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the state-administered college assessment, and the ACT Work Keys for College and Career Readiness. Additionally, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) assesses students for science and social studies.
The ninth and tenth-grade students will take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) assessment for College and Career Readiness.
To ensure all ninth, tenth and eleventh-grade students have every opportunity to be successful on their particular assessment(s), Wayne-Westland Innovative Academy will implement the following schedule for the Annual State Assessments
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 - SAT & PSAT 10
7:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Standard Testing Time)
10th and 11th-grade students will report to their home school for testing in the morning.
9th and 12th-grade students will participate in virtual learning.
Thursday, April 11, 2024 - Work Keys & PSAT 9
7:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Standard Testing Time)
9th and 11th-grade students will report to their home school for testing in the morning.
10th and 12th-grade students will participate in virtual learning.
M-Step Science & Social Studies Testing for 11th-grade students will be completed from April 15 to April 19.
Additionally, students participating in PSAT and SAT online assessments will be prompted to participate in the College Board Connections and Big Future program.
For more information regarding these assessments, refer to the following links:
Wayne-Westland Community Schools Electronic Device Policy for Statewide Testing What Parents Should Know About Assessments - MDE
SAT and PSAT 10: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/
ACT Work Keys: http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/workkeys-for-workforce-developers.html
Michigan's Education Assessment System: What It Is, What It Means, And What It Offers
Important Information Regarding the Solar Eclipse
As the April 8 solar eclipse approaches, we want to ensure the safety of our students and community members. Please click the links below to access some important safety information.
Good Evening Wayne-Westland Families, A solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday, April 8, 2024. Michigan is in the 95% eclipse zone, meaning that certain areas of the state will witness a near-total solar eclipse commencing around 2 p.m., with peak visibility expected after 3 p.m. We want to provide you with some important information about this celestial event and how it will impact our school day. NOTE: Wayne-Westland Community Schools will have a full school day for all students on Monday, April 8, 2024. We will incorporate educational opportunities related to the solar eclipse into our curriculum to enhance our students' understanding of this phenomenon. What is a Solar Eclipse? How to Watch Safely: Observation Tips: The Wayne Public Library is hosting an Eclipse Party on Saturday, April 6, 2024. We encourage you to discuss the solar eclipse with your child and emphasize the importance of safety precautions. Thank you for being an active part of our educational community. Sincerely, John Dignan, Ed.D.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or part of the Sun's light. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, turning day into night for a short time.
Watching a solar eclipse can be an extraordinary experience, but precautions must be taken to ensure safety. Without proper eye protection, you can cause severe eye damage, including permanent blindness. Using specially designed solar viewing glasses or eclipse viewers is crucial to observing the eclipse safely. Even if very dark, regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the Sun.
Find a safe and unobstructed location to view the eclipse. If using a telescope or binoculars, use solar filters.
Superintendent
Important Security Notice Information
Important Security Notice: The Detroit Police Department has alerted us to a deceptive scheme targeting senior citizens in our community. Please click this link to access the information.
Upcoming
April 1, 2024 is the Start of Quarter Four
April 11, 2024 Open House Event 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
April 17, 2024 Mandatory Senior Parent Meeting 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
April 25, 2024 is Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Please click the link to view our WWIA Promotional Video
Please click this link to access past WWIA Promotional Videos