Back to School in Westland: The Questions Parents Don't Always Think to Ask
John Glenn and Wayne Memorial are welcoming students back. Here are some of the details that can save parents a phone call, a trip to the school or a surprise later in the year.
The backpacks are packed, the schedules are loaded into MiStar and the first day of school has arrived.
For thousands of Westland families, Tuesday, August 25 marks the beginning of the 2026-27 school year at John Glenn High School and for students from Westland who attend Wayne Memorial High School.
The first day is a half day for all K-12 students. The regular high school schedule is 7:10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
But the first day of school usually brings questions that aren't answered by a list of school supplies.
Can my kid park at school?
What happens if they're sick?
How do they get into a football game?
What happens if they are late?
What if they need medication during the school day?
And what happens if they need to ride the bus?
We went looking for some of the answers.
First, know your school's phone numbers
For John Glenn High School, the main office number is 734-419-2300 and the attendance line is 734-419-2303.
For Wayne Memorial High School, the main office is 734-419-2200 and the attendance line is 734-419-2207.
If your child is going to be absent, the district says parents should leave a detailed message with the student's name, grade and reason for the absence. Parents can also report absences through MiStar ParentConnection.
That's worth putting in your phone now.
You probably don't want to be hunting for the number at 7:05 a.m. when your teenager suddenly wakes up sick.
What time does school actually start?
Both John Glenn and Wayne Memorial start their regular school day at 7:10 a.m.
John Glenn's first bell is at 7:05 a.m., with the tardy bell at 7:10. Its regular dismissal time is 2 p.m.
Wayne Memorial also begins at 7:10 a.m. and dismisses at 2 p.m.
That early start matters for parents arranging work schedules, transportation and before-school activities.
Yes, students can park. But there are rules.
At John Glenn, student parking is a privilege and parking spaces are limited.
The current school parking rules say juniors and seniors may purchase parking permits, while sophomores may purchase a permit during second semester. Other students can be considered in cases of extenuating circumstances with administrator approval.
The current John Glenn parking information lists the permit cost at $25. Students must provide a valid driver's license and vehicle registration, and the application requires a parent or guardian signature.
And there is another rule parents may not expect.
Students are not simply allowed to use the parking lot as a hangout during the school day. John Glenn's rules say the campus has a closed-campus policy and students cannot enter the parking lot or leave school during the day without permission from the main office.
Wayne Memorial also treats student parking as a privilege, and its counseling department directs students to parking-permit information.
Parents of Wayne Memorial students should check with the school before assuming their student can simply show up and park.
What if my child is late?
This is one area where Wayne Memorial is particularly specific.
The school's current tardy policy says students who arrive after the 7:10 a.m. start are considered tardy. Parents dropping off a student who is late are asked to walk the student into the main office, where staff can assist with excusing the tardy when it was outside the student's control.
Tardies are cumulative.
At Wayne Memorial, the published policy outlines escalating consequences beginning with warnings and lunch detention and eventually progressing to in-school or out-of-school suspension for repeated tardiness.
In other words, five minutes here and five minutes there can eventually become a much bigger problem.
The district has a new attendance goal
Wayne-Westland Community Schools has launched an "Aim for 8" attendance campaign for the 2026-27 school year.
The goal is for students to have eight or fewer absences during the school year.
The district says regular attendance gives students more opportunities to learn, participate in activities and stay on track academically.
For parents, that means attendance is getting more attention this year.
Sports require more than showing up
Thinking about letting your student try out for a sport?
There is paperwork involved.
The district says students participating in MHSAA-sponsored middle and high school sports must have a current physical and parent consent form on file before participating in the first tryout or practice. High school athletic departments use BigTeams for athletic forms.
The district also has eligibility requirements for current students. Students generally must be enrolled full-time and meet the district's academic eligibility requirements, including passing the required number of classes.
For families who need a sports physical, the district lists the Corewell Health School Based Clinic at John Glenn High School as one option. Appointments are required. The listed number is 734-895-6275.
What about getting into the games?
This is one parents should watch closely.
In 2024, the district changed spectator rules for football games at both John Glenn and Wayne Memorial following incidents after a football game.
At that time, the district required certain guests to purchase tickets through GoFan or present a KLAA or family pass and photo ID. It also imposed limits on guests and required adult supervision for minors.
Those rules were issued for the remaining home football games that year. We have not found an official 2026 announcement establishing that those exact restrictions remain in place, so parents should check the school's athletics information before heading to a game.
The district's current athletics page lists Jason Malloy as John Glenn's athletic director and Mark Woodson as Wayne Memorial's athletic director.
And what about Homecoming?
This is one of those dates teenagers will know before their parents do.
But as of this story, we have not found an official 2026 announcement from Wayne-Westland Community Schools confirming the Homecoming dates for both John Glenn and Wayne Memorial.
The district has published Homecoming information in previous years, including a full Homecoming week at John Glenn in October 2025.
We are not going to recycle last year's date and pretend it is this year's.
Parents should watch the individual school calendars and announcements for the official 2026 Homecoming dates.
When the schools publish them, we'll update this story.
Here's another one parents might not know: lunch is free
Wayne-Westland Community Schools says it will continue participating in the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2026-27 school year.
That means all enrolled students receive breakfast and lunch at no charge to the household.
Parents are still being asked to complete the Education Benefits Form through the Meal Magic Family Portal. The district says the information is needed for administrative purposes and is not being used to determine eligibility for the free meals.
What if your child needs medication?
This one is important.
Students cannot simply bring medication to school and take it whenever they need it.
The district says written permission from both the parent or guardian and the student's physician must be on file before school employees can administer medication.
Prescription medication must remain in its original pharmacy container, and non-prescription medication must also be in its original labeled container.
The district says an adult must bring medication to the school office unless the appropriate authorization is already on file.
What if my kid rides the bus?
For middle and high school students, the district says students who live more than 1.5 miles from school are eligible for transportation.
But there is an important catch.
Parents must indicate in MiStar ParentConnection that they want their child to ride the bus. The district says that if a family does not select "YES," a bus route will not be assigned.
The district also recommends the Here Comes the Bus app, which allows parents to track the bus and see when it arrives at school and when it is returning home.
Transportation questions can be directed to 734-419-2150.
Don't forget MiStar
For parents, MiStar ParentConnection is probably one of the most important tools in the district.
It provides access to grades, attendance, schedules and other student information.
The district says teacher assignments and schedules are uploaded to MiStar the week before school starts.
If you have not logged in recently, now would be a good time.
Open House is still coming for Wayne Memorial
John Glenn held its high school open house on Monday, August 24.
Wayne Memorial's open house is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. according to the district's Back to School Resource Hub.
For families with students entering Wayne Memorial, that may be a useful opportunity to get familiar with the building after the first few days of school.
What we still want to know
There are some questions the district's public information doesn't clearly answer yet.
For example:
Are student vending machines cashless?
What payment methods are accepted at each school's vending machines and student stores?
Are there school-specific sports passes for 2026-27?
What are the exact 2026 Homecoming dates and dance rules?
What are the current parking rules and availability at Wayne Memorial?
Are there any changes to football spectator rules for this school year?
These are the kinds of questions that can seem minor until you're standing at the door of a football game without the right ticket, your teenager is trying to park without a permit, or your child needs something from school and you don't know who to call.
That's why we're asking them.
Voice of Westland will keep updating this guide as the schools release more information.
Because back-to-school information should not require a parent to become a detective.
Brian R. Hopkins
Editor-in-Chief, Voice of Westland
