
Happy Almost Summer!
We are excited to have the Think Stretch program again this summer. Please click on the link below to learn about some of the summer fun we have planned.
We'd love to see all of our students at the check-ins!
Summer Learning Website:
https://sites.google.com/wbsdweb.com/wbsd-summer-elementary-program/home
Hope to see you there!
Tim Podlewski


Good afternoon,
Even in the soggy conditions, our Gators are having a blast at Field Day! I will add some pictures to our Gator Bites shortly. Big "Thank you!" to Mr. Crane, our PTO and our student volunteers who made the field day happen. Mr. Crane was in at 6:00 a.m. this morning setting up our events. Click on the link below to learn more about our last week of school and events including the Excellent Attendance BBQ, 4th grade graduation and more. You will also see some great pictures from our 3rd grade Wax Museum, the 4th grade trip to the Howell Nature Center, and information including calendars and links to suggested supply lists to help you prepare for the 2025.26 school year. The newsletter also includes tips for helping keep those Gator brains sharp all summer long.
https://secure.smore.com/n/qthbc
Please take a moment to review our Gator Bites and let us know if you have any questions or concerns as we prepare for the last week of the 2024.25 school year. Thank you to all of our families who helped us during an excellent year of school
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski

📱☀️ New Warrior Way Podcast Episode! ☀️📱
Keeping Students Safe Online: A Guide for Parents
As summer approaches, students will have more free time—and more time online. 🎮📷💬
In this episode, Superintendent Mark Greathead sits down with Director of Technology Lyndsay Johnson-Lemieux to talk about the real risks kids face in digital spaces and what families can do to stay safe.
From cyberbullying and gaming concerns to privacy tips and parental controls, this conversation is packed with practical advice just in time for summer.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify/iHeartRadio/Sirius or at mywbsd.org!
🔗https://rss.com/podcasts/thewarriorway/2057134/
#WarriorWayPodcast #WBSDConnected #DigitalSafety #ParentingInTheDigitalAge #OnlineSafetyForKids #WarriorWay


Good afternoon,
I can hardly believe that we are moving into June this weekend and are down to our last two weeks of school. Please click on the link below to learn about events taking place over the last two weeks of school, including our Field Day, the Super Mile, the Excellent Attendance BBQ, 4th grade graduation and more. Invitations for the Excellent Attendance BBQ will be going home with eligible Gators early next week.
https://secure.smore.com/n/sft8w
Please review our Gator Bites and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a good Sunday and a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski

Good Afternoon,
This is Mr. Podlewski writing to remind all Yake families about our fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings taking place today. When your Gators walk in the door and ask “What is for dinner?” imagine their faces when you say “Buffalo Wild Wings.” In addition to trading cooking and dirty dishes for huge smiles, you will also be helping our PTO since 20% of all sales go back to our PTO. So, grab your flyers or your phone with an image of the flyer and join me for some good food with some great families at Buffalo Wild Wings this evening.
Thank you, and have a wonderful evening.
Tim Podlewski


🎧 New Episode Alert!
☀️ Warrior Way Podcast | Summer Programming in WBSD
Summer break doesn’t mean the learning stops! In this episode, we explore the exciting summer opportunities available across the district - from academic enrichment and credit recovery to sports camps and STEAM adventures. 🏕️📚⚙️
🎙️ Tune in to hear from our program coordinators about what’s available, how to sign up, and how students can stay active, engaged, and prepared for fall.
🔗 Listen now: https://rss.com/podcasts/thewarriorway/2041026/
#WarriorWayPodcast #WBSDWarriorWay #SummerWithPurpose #WeAreWoodhaven

Good afternoon,
As you head into the Memorial Day weekend, please take a peek at our Gator Bites for the last week of May. The newsletter includes information about the last three weeks of school and information to help families prepare for the 2025.26 school year. Please note that attendance to qualify for the Excellent Attendance Family BBQ will be counted through Friday, May 30th.
https://secure.smore.com/n/f0wd9
Please review our newsletter and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a wonderful extended weekend.
Tim Podlewski

Good Evening,
This is Mr. Podlewski writing to remind our families that we will have a half day of school tomorrow, with a noon dismissal to begin our Memorial Day weekend. We will not have school on Monday, which is Memorial Day.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Every year, on the last Monday in May, Americans observe Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a holiday that commemorates those who have died in battle while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Memorial Day is for us to remember and honor American Soldiers who have given their lives for our country.
So, though the long weekend is wonderful and I hope our Gators have lots of fun, please take a moment to think about the brave men and women of the armed forces who gave their lives in defense of our country. To all the solders & veterans within the Yake Family, “Thank You, so very much for your service to our country!”
With that said, I will look forward to seeing all of my Gators when they return for a full day of school on Tuesday morning.
Thank you, and have a great evening.
Mr. Podlewski


Check out the WBSD Calendar-at-a-Glance for the 2025-26 School Year. This includes important dates such as conferences and breaks.


Did you know that families who have a child ages 0 to five years old in the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District are eligible for free books on a monthly basis from our partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library?
Check out the link here: https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/


Good afternoon,
I wanted to start by giving a "Shout out!" to Mrs. Kincer, Mrs. Redman and Mr. A. for putting on our Arts, Beats & Eats event last night. The event was a success and our families loved London's Famous Walking Tacos. May rolls on with some great upcoming events including field trips, a family dinner night at BW3's, Field Day, the Super Mile & more. Click on the link below to read our newsletter to learn about these upcoming events, see some great pictures from the 3rd grade field trip to Lansing, a fishing trip to Michigan Memorial and more. You will even find calendars for the 2025/26 school year and other pieces of helpful information.
https://secure.smore.com/n/vyj1s
Please take a moment to review and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great day and a beautiful weekend.
Tim Podlewski

Good afternoon,
I hope that you are enjoying your day. We are excited to finally get our Fun Run in this afternoon. Please click on the link below for information about the rest of this year and links to get your calendars filled in for the 2025/26 school year. In the newsletter, you will find information about Arts, Beats & Eats, upcoming field trips (I am so excited to visit Lansing once again this year), half days of school, initial drafts of the 2025/26 building calendar and more.
https://secure.smore.com/n/rkbuc
Please take a moment to review our Gator Bites and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
I hope that all of our mothers and grandmothers have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski

Good morning,
Mother Nature isn't cooperating with our Fun Run plans. We walked the grounds around the baseball diamond and the conditions are poor. Even if the rain stops, we don't see conditions improving enough for a Fun Run this afternoon (soggy grass and soggy feet aren't fun). As a result, we are bumping the running portion of the Fun run to tomorrow afternoon while keeping the Kona Ice Truck visiting us today. Even better is that due to class sponsors, all Gators will be able to enjoy Kona Ice Truck treats this afternoon.
I apologize to the volunteers who took the afternoon off to help with the fun run and I understand that many might not be able to flex their schedules to tomorrow afternoon.
We look forward to enjoying Kona Ice with our Gators this afternoon and Mr. Crane is already working on our Fun Run course for tomorrow afternoon.
Your flexibility and understanding is appreciated.
Tim Podlewski


🏀🏐🏈 SUMMER CAMPS ARE BACK! 🏈🏐🏀
Ready to move, cheer, and get in the game? WBSD is bringing the heat this summer with youth sports camps for every kind of athlete!
🔥 Cheer
🏀 Girls & Boys Basketball
🏈 Football
🏐 Volleyball
Whether you're a future MVP or just love being part of a team, there's a camp for YOU!
✨ Learn new skills
✨ Make new friends
✨ Have FUN
📅 Spots are limited - don’t wait!
#WBSDWarriors #WarriorWay #SummerSports #YouthCamps #GetInTheGame










The Michigan Alliance for Families is hosting many free seminars for parents throughout the month of May. In particular, check out this webinar for Supporting Student Mental Health on
May 13 - with Dianna Robinson from 9:30am-11:00am. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y76829xd


Fall enrollment is now open for Champions before and after school care. Call or email for more information or to register your student.


🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE!
The WHS Music Production class took over The Warrior Way Podcast — and they nailed it!
🎙️ From interviews to original music and smooth transitions, 19 students ran the show from start to finish. Hear them talk about Hadestown, Mental Health Awareness Month, senior advice, United Sound, and more. This is student voice at its best! Please support them by listening and sharing this episode!💜🎶
🔗 Listen now: https://rss.com/podcasts/thewarriorway/2010857/
#WarriorWayPodcast #WHSWarriors #StudentVoice #PodcastTakeover #WoodhavenHS

Good afternoon,
I hope that your month of may is off to a great start. Take a peek at our Gator Bites as it is jam packed with information about all of the events and activities through the rest of the school year. You will learn more about Bike & Roll to School Day, Arts, Beats & Eats, field trips, half-days of school and more. You will also find a link to the Kindergarten Orientation presentation that I shared last week.
https://secure.smore.com/n/890ac
Please take a moment to review and let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
--
Timothy S. Podlewski
Principal
Yake Elementary School
16400 Carter Rd. E.
Woodhaven, MI 48183
(734)692-2230 (office)
(734)692-2234(fax)

Good morning,
Please see the information below about the spring WTC's production of HADESTOWN Teen Edition. Come out and enjoy an amazing production put on by our 3x Defending State Champion Theatre Company. Yake is well represented with Harper Clemons, Conor Hatfield & Makenzie Whitman in the cast, Christian Grantham & Miles Gawrych in the pit, and Rogue Williams, Tyler Brownlee, Broderick Justian, JoJo Reyes, Emmalyn Pinnegar, Elyse Hoss, Sophia Germano & Madeline Scala in the crew.
Directed by our own, Thespian Teacher of the Year, Mike Clemons. The show is recommended for ages 8+ as they do say the word, Hell. Otherwise, this will be a great show for families to see.
Please see the message below and the attachments for more information.
Break a Leg in Hades, WTC!
Tim Podlewski
Good morning and happy Friday!!
The Woodhaven Theatre Company would be thrilled if you would share an at the theatre with us. The WTC spring musical, HADESTOWN, is a truly exceptional production that our hard-working, passionate, and talented students have invested so much time and effort into. We would love to see our whole community next weekend!
HADESTOWN takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back, intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. A deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience, HADESTOWN invites you to imagine how the world could be.
Free admission for all WBSD Staff (please show ID to help the ticket booth). Performances begin at 7pm on May 8, 9 & 10 in the WHS Auditorium.
I've attached some pictures from rehearsal, the playbill (so you can see which students are involved), and the poster (feel free to share).
Thanks and have a great weekend!!
--
Michael G. Clemons
Director of Theatre
Woodhaven Theatre Company
ITS Troupe 8057
Woodhaven High School
24787 Van Horn Road
Brownstown MI 48134
(734) 783-3333 Extension 2855





Good morning,
In looking at the future weather forecast, we feel like our best bet will be to move the Yake Family Fun Run to next Friday, May 9th. We should have better weather and the treatment for ticks will have had time to settle in.
I apologize for the change and I appreciate your understanding.
Thank you and have a great day!
Tim Podlewski