
We have an exciting Friday with our Pumpkin Raffle taking place this morning and our Trunk-or-Treat & Monster Mash Bash starting at 5:00 p.m. this afternoon. As a reminder, the staff lot will only be for families hosting trunks. A monitor will start letting vehicles in to begin setting up their trunks as early as 4:15. All participants will have one turn through the Trunk-or-Treat, starting at 5:00 p.m.
With that being said, please click on the link below to learn more about our upcoming week and as we move into the month of November. In our newsletter, you will learn more about our upcoming half-day of school and Halloween Parade taking place next Friday morning, half-days during the month of November, and no school on November 3rd for Election Day, our Yake Family Holiday Painting Night, our Achatz Pie pick-up, Picture retake day, and more.
https://app.smore.com/n/ysv3u
Please take a moment to review our newsletter and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
I look forward to seeing many of our Gators and their families this evening.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
The message below went out as a phone message this evening. I wanted to share in case the message didn’t go through.
Good Evening Yake Gators,
This is Count Dracula inviting all of you morsels, I mean Gators to the Monster Mash Bash and Trunk or Treat here at Yake Elementary School starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday night. Trunk or Treat will run from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. with the Monster Mash Bash running from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. For the cost of only $5.00, you will enjoy an evening full of fun, food, and friends. Costumes for all monsters including big monsters like your parents are welcome. Be sure to stop by for a bite, I know I will.
Alright Count, that is enough, you are going to start scaring my Gators. Now this is a message for parents, please be sure to arrive on time for the monster mash bash and trunk or treat. Families participating in Trunk or Treat are invited to park in the Staff Lot starting at 4:30 p.m. to begin setting up their trunks. The Staff Lot will be closed to all vehicles except for those setting up a vehicle for Trunk or Treat starting at 4:30 p.m. to allow our Gators a safe zone to Trunk or Treat from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. After one round through the Trunk or Treat area, families can drop off their bags and join us in the gym and cafeteria for the Monster Mash Bash which will begin at 6:00 p.m.
So, be sure to order your monster mash bash & trunk or treat tickets so that you can join us for our night of spooky fun. Remember that the $5.00 entry also includes 1 slice of pizza and one drink. Remember, families who host a trunk will receive free entry in to the Monster Mash Bash.
Also, be sure to buy your pumpkin raffle tickets so that you could possibly win one of our very cool pumpkins that will be on display in our media center this week.
Have a good night. I will look forward to seeing all of my Gators in their costumes on Friday night.

What a beautiful evening for a run! Approximately 130 boys and girls in grades K–5 laced up their running shoes for the WBSD Elementary Cross Country Championship on Monday, October 19, at Hall Road Park!
The free 1.25-mile race gave our young future Warriors an opportunity to challenge themselves, build confidence and discover the joy of running. Before the race, students even warmed up alongside our Woodhaven High School varsity cross country team!
🥇 Congratulations to our top finishers!
🏆 Boys Champion: Bryce Hawkins of Yake Elementary, finishing with a time of 7:38.6!
🏆 Girls Champion: Eleanor Dyba of Bates Elementary, finishing with a time of 8:09.7!
👏 Congratulations to ALL the students who came out to run, give it their best and enjoy an evening of fitness and fun! We're proud of these students for taking on the challenge and showing that big things can start with a single step.
Run strong, Warriors! 💜🏃♀️🏃♂️
#WhyWBSD #WarriorPride #EngageEnlightenEmpower
I hope that you are enjoying your day. Please click on the link below to peek at our Gator Bites for our busy upcoming week. In our newsletter, you will learn about upcoming dates and events including our visit from Jonathan Rand, our Pumpkin Raffle, our Trunk or Treat/Monster Mash Bash, our Halloween Parade (yes, parking will be scarce), Election Day, Picture Retake Day, and more.
https://app.smore.com/n/shye9
Please take a moment to review our Gator Bites and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
I can't wait to see many of our Gators and their families at our Trunk or Treat & MMB next Friday evening.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
Good afternoon,
The message below is being shared in the phone message that just went out. I wanted to share it as an email, as well.
Good Afternoon,
This is Mr. Podlewski calling to remind all Yake families about our fundraiser at Buddy’s taking place today. When your Gators walk in the door and ask “What is for dinner?” imagine their faces when you say “Buddy’s Pizza.” 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, mention you are with Yake Elementary School when dining in or ordering carryout. Thank you for joining our PTO for some good food with some great families at Buddy’s Pizza this evening.
Thank you, and have a wonderful evening.
Tim Podlewski










Achatz pies are sold annually by our Gators and it helps support all the fun we have at Yake like Fall Fest, Monster Mash Bash, Santa Secret Workshop, Winter Carnival, Gator Alley, assemblies, and so much more! 💚🐊
Pie orders are due this Wednesday with delivery on November 11th (in time for Thanksgiving), and our *Pie Day* incentive will be live streamed on November 25th right before Thanksgiving break.
Students who sell 10 pies can select a staff member to pie, and if they sell 15- they can pie a teacher & Mr Podlewski! Our top 2 sellers even get to pie Mr Salah our Superintendent!
Whether it's your 1st year or your last at Yake, this is a HUGE hit with the kids & SO FUN! 🥧🥧🥧🥧
Any questions can be emailed to yakepto@wbsdweb.com :)
Without valuable fundraisers like this, we couldn't bring our Gators all those fun extras that help make Yake such a special place! 💚🐊




Please click on the link below to take a peek at our Gator Bites for the upcoming week. You will find information about our Achatz Pie Fundraiser, our Yake family diner night at Buddy's Pizza, the Elementary Cross Country Championships, the Pumpkin Raffle, the Trunk or Treat/Monster Mash Bash and more.
https://app.smore.com/n/fhp27
I hope that you enjoy reviewing our Gator Bites as we move into the middle of October. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
I hope that the month of October is off to a good start for you. Please click on the link below to take a peek at our Gator Bites for the month of October. In our Gator Bites, you will find some great pictures from the Fall Festival, our Watch D.O.G.S. from the past week, our new Student Council and more. You will also find information about Picture Day (click on the flyer to order your pictures), our next PTO meeting, our Family Dinner Night at Buddy's, our Pumpkin Raffle, our Monster Mash Bash/Trunk or Treat, and more. Yes, we do have a Halloween Parade on the 30th to go with a half-day of school. Parking will be awful, but our Gators are always cute and always have big smiles.
https://app.smore.com/n/xygsv
Please enjoy reviewing our Gator Bites and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
The Yake Elementary Fall Festival brought Gators - past and present - together for an afternoon of fun, laughter and community!
From pumpkin decorating and face painting to bounce houses, hayrides and plenty of treats, the annual tradition continues to be a favorite for Yake families. And some of the volunteers helping make the event happen? They’re former Gators who are coming back home to give the next generation the same memories they enjoyed as students.
Read the full story:
https://www.mywbsd.org/article/3159769
Please take a peek at our Gator Bites as we move into the first weekend of fall. In our Gator Bites, you will learn about many exciting events coming up during the month of October. Events include our Pie Sale (Brady is fast!), our Safe House walking field trip, our Monster Mash Bash/Trunk or Treat, our Halloween Parade and more. Additional information about the October events will be shared soon.
https://app.smore.com/n/mr3kw
I look forward to seeing many of our Gators and their families in or around the Homecoming Parade this afternoon. The parade weaves through Yake neighborhoods. I look forward to waving from the Unified truck. I will then look forward to seeing you on Sunday. If you see a tractor rumbling by on Sunday morning along the Ford Ln. Bypass and West Road, please be kind. :-)
Please enjoy reading our newsletter and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Go Warriors!
Tim Podlewski
Wristbands will be sent home so check those folders, if you submit late- come to the registration table.
Come out on Sunday to enjoy our annual Yake Fall Fest! Our fun & affordable event features Hay Rides (by Mr Podlewski), Bouncers, Face Painting, Pumpkin painting station, pizza, & a couple new games this year! 🍁🎃🍂
You can also purchase *Day Of* bands with cash, check, or paypal.
🚨🚨We DO NOT have a card reader, Apple Pay, Venmo, or Cash App. 🚨🚨
🐊💚

We’re inviting our Woodhaven-Brownstown community to join us for our new Coffee & Conversation series with Superintendent Matthew Salah!
📅 Monday, September 28
⏰ 9 a.m.
📍 WBSD Board of Education Office
This is an opportunity to connect, ask questions, share ideas and, most importantly, be heard. Superintendent Salah wants to hear from our families, residents and community members about the things that matter most to you and our schools.
Come enjoy a cup of coffee and a conversation about Woodhaven-Brownstown School District! 💜
Please RSVP here:
https://tinyurl.com/4zeycf2k
We look forward to seeing you and hearing from you!
#WhyWBSD #EngageEnlightenEmpower

The message below is being shared in the phone message that went out tonight. I wanted to share it as an email, as well.
Hello,
This is Mr. Podlewski calling to welcome all Yake families to our 1st PTO meeting of the year scheduled to take place in our media center at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All of the special events at Yake Elementary School like our Fall Festival, the Monster Mash Bash, Santa’s Secret Shop, the Winter Carnival, and our Field Day only happen because of the efforts of our supportive parent base. In addition, our PTO assists with the transportation for our field trips and covers the costs of assemblies and countless other classroom initiatives. So, please consider joining us for our PTO meeting on Wednesday evening and throughout the year. Even if you cannot make it to our meeting tomorrow night, please consider joining us for other meetings that take place on the third Wednesday of every month. Parents play a huge role in why Yake is such a special school. Join us to find out how you can get involved. You are always welcome.
Thank you and have a great night.
Tim Podlewski
Good evening,
The message below is being shared in the phone message that went out tonight. I wanted to share it as an email, as well.
Good Evening, Yake Gators,
This is Mr. Podlewski calling to remind you that our annual Fall Festival is scheduled to take place on the Yake grounds from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
For the low cost of a $10.00 advanced purchase wristband, you will be able to enjoy unlimited jumbo inflatable bouncers, unlimited hay rides with Mr. Podlewski, a treat from the ice cream cart, Paint a Pumpkin, Face Painting, and a food coupon for a slice of pizza and water or lemonade. Where else can you get a deal like that for $10.00? Pre-pay wristband orders must be in by the end of the day tomorrow. If you forget to order a wristband in advance, they can be purchased at the event for $13.00.
So join us for an afternoon of food and fun with the wonderful families at Yake Elementary School.
I will look forward to seeing all of my Gators on Sunday afternoon.
Tim Podlewski
Gator Bites are a bit late this afternoon as I am working to update our Watch D.O.G.S. calendar. Please click on the link below to learn about upcoming events as we move into the first week of Autumn. In our Gator Bites, you will see information about our Attendance Incentives, Inclusion Week (Gators are welcome to participate in the WHS Spirit Week themes, as well with the exception of Anything but a Wheelbarrow - definitely more high school related), our first PTO meeting of the year, our first Yake Family Dinner Night at Applebee's, Joyful Friday, made extra special as Jackie's first young fives Gators are graduating seniors this year, our Fall Festival, Picture Day and more.
https://app.smore.com/n/qc6dn
Please take a moment to review our Gator Bites and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
BusRight is now LIVE for Woodhaven-Brownstown families!
Wondering where the bus is? BusRight can help you know when it will arrive at your child’s stop with real-time transportation information right from your smartphone.
With the BusRight Parent App, you can:
📍 View Routes – See morning and afternoon routes
🚌 Track the Bus – View the real-time ETA to your child’s stop
🔔 Get Notifications – Receive alerts about your child’s bus trip
👨👩👧👦 Manage Multiple Riders – Easily switch between routes for your children
Download the BusRight Parent App today from your smartphone’s app store and use the email address associated with your child in the district’s student information system to log in.
🚌 Keep track of your child’s journey to and from school! 💜💛

We’re inviting our Woodhaven-Brownstown community to join us for our new Coffee & Conversation series with Superintendent Matthew Salah!
📅 Monday, September 28
⏰ 9 a.m.
📍 WBSD Board of Education Office
This is an opportunity to connect, ask questions, share ideas and, most importantly, be heard. Superintendent Salah wants to hear from our families, residents and community members about the things that matter most to you and our schools.
Come enjoy a cup of coffee and a conversation about Woodhaven-Brownstown School District! 💜
Please RSVP here:
https://tinyurl.com/4zeycf2k
We look forward to seeing you and hearing from you!
#WhyWBSD #EngageEnlightenEmpower

We have nearly made it through the first week of school. We have some pretty tired kindergarten and young fives Gators this afternoon. I am sure they will all sleep well tonight, as will our staff. Please take a peek at our Gator Bites for the upcoming week. You will learn more about our PTO and see some great opportunities to get involved through our PTO and Watch D.O.G.S. You will see information about upcoming events, including our first Yake Family Dinner Night at Applebee's (following our first PTO meeting on September 23rd), our always popular Fall Festival, Inclusion Week, Emergency Preparedness Drills, our Yake Family Night at Kalahari, our Attendance Incentive programs and more.
https://app.smore.com/n/de6u8
As always, please take a moment to review our Gator Bites and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
On a side note, I want to give a big "Thank you!" to our families for using the Parent Loop so well this year. Your support and patience has been very helpful and greatly appreciated.
Have a great weekend!
Tim Podlewski
Managing transportation for multiple children just got simpler with the new BusRight Parent App, now live for Woodhaven-Brownstown families!
Parents can easily:
✅ Switch between routes for multiple children
✅ View morning and afternoon bus routes
✅ Check real-time bus ETAs
✅ Manage notifications for important bus updates
Everything you need to stay connected to your child’s bus ride is right on your smartphone.
📲 Download the BusRight Parent App from your app store to get started. When setting up your account, be sure to use the email address associated with your child in the district’s student information system.
Less guessing. More information. Greater peace of mind. 🚌💜💛
