Woodland D50 News and Information

Header Images: Thank you to our Parent Volunteers at Woodland Primary for helping with the Pumpkin Investigations fall activity. (See More Photos)

*On Facebook and Instagram, you will see many more examples of parent volunteers helping out at all of the recent fall events, activities, and parties!

Nov. 1, 2024

Dear Woodland Families,

Yesterday the state of Illinois released the results of the annual Illinois School Report Card. I am very happy to report that all Woodland schools have earned “Commendable” ratings again this year. As a learning community we continue to show growth at each grade level, which is a direct result of the hard work in which our educators and students engage each day

Our schools’ Commendable ratings can also be attributed, in part, to our intentional efforts as a district to increase a sense of belonging among our students. A central theme in Woodland’s Five-Year Strategic Plan is when we prioritize relationships we increase the likelihood that each child will feel connected to their classroom and school communities. Students who feel connected to their teachers and peers are more engaged and ready to learn.

Programs and initiatives we have implemented across the district over the past two years, such as high-impact tutoring, the middle school Success Center, standards-based learning, dedicated time to focused professional development, revised K-8 math curriculum, parent and student advisory groups at each school, and increased sports, clubs, and activities both before and after school at each of our campuses, all contribute to our students’ academic growth and success.

While the Illinois Report Card shows all of our schools trending in the right direction, we know our work is not finished. The Report Card data, along with our internal assessments such as the Measures of Academic Progress, shine a light on areas of curricular strength at grade level as well as opportunities for growth related to student learning. District and school leaders will begin analyzing the report card data to better understand where we can concentrate additional resources and supports to continue our forward progress.

I invite you to visit the IL School Report Card website to review the results for each school and the district as a whole. I think you will be surprised to see how much information is available! Take a deep dive into the demographics of our student population, see how attendance and chronic absenteeism impact a school’s score, see the financial breakdown per student, and more. Please Note: The state does not assign a designation to early childhood and Kindergarten programs, so you will not see a designation for Woodland Primary - but of course, we already know that Primary is a fantastic school!

As a reminder, the state of Illinois requires the District to be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 5 for Election Day; there will be no student attendance and school and district offices will be closed on Tuesday.

Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend,

Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent

Woodland D50

• Nov. 1 - Friday Early Dismissal for Staff Professional Development
• Nov. 5 - Election Day: District Closed
• Nov. 7 & 8 - Intermediate: Fall Play
• Nov. 8 - Friday Early Dismissal for Staff Professional Development
• Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day (This is a regular school day for students!)
• Nov. 15 - Friday Early Dismissal for Staff Professional Development
• Nov. 22 - Friday Early Dismissal for Staff Professional Development
• Nov. 25 & 26 - Conferences, Half Day for Student Attendance
• Nov. 27 - 29 - District Closed, No Student Attendance

Primary - 12:40 p.m., Elementary - 1:00 p.m., Middle School - 1:45 p.m., Intermediate - 2:30 p.m.

Starting on Monday, Nov. 4, parents and guardians will be able to sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences in Skyward. Woodland is implementing this change districtwide so that no matter which school your child (or children) attend, you can login to ONE spot to schedule your conference(s). You will no longer need to navigate to multiple signup genius links. This should centralize the process for families with multiple children and create consistency across the schools.

Woodland families should already be familiar with Skyward Family Access because you have used it for registration, viewing student report cards, reporting absences, and more. We are excited to add one more feature to this central hub, and expect it will be an easy transition. Follow these tips:

• Access Skyward Family Access from a computer or mobile device. The interface is easy and straightforward regardless, but our initial testing shows the easiest user experience is with the Skyward Family Access App on your phone or mobile device. Apple, Google/Android
• Check out this video to see what to expect once the sign-up window opens on Nov. 4
• Make sure you know how to login to Skyward! Woodland continues to expand the options available through Skyward Family Access. If you need your Family Access login credentials please send an email to AccessHelp@Dist50.net.

Woodland is piloting a new financial dashboard to help increase transparency. This was identified as a priority in the Five-Year Strategic Plan in the Finance goal area. The goal states that Woodland will "Provide responsible and transparent financial stewardship to the community." One of the identified strategies was to develop a financial dashboard and make it accessible to the community. The first section of the dashboard is now available for review and it provides a breakdown of district expenditures. Additional sections will be released as the build out continues.

One of the most frequently asked about topics is covered in the latest episode of the Woodland Wildcast! If you have ever wondered what happens when there is an online or social media threat, or how Woodland determines if a student is at risk, listen to this conversation.

Host:

Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent of Schools, Woodland D50

Guests:

• Det. Kelly Hansen, School Resource Officer, Gurnee Police Department
• Sean Murphy, Assistant Principal, Woodland Middle School

Topic:

In this episode, Dr. Machak and his guests discuss School Safety in honor of America’s Safe Schools Week. Listen in to learn more about how Woodland leaders and community partners work together to keep our staff and students safe.

It's that time of year again! The Woodland Team has begun preparations for the the Annual Holiday Food Drive. Through the generous donations from our staff, students and their families, we plan to set up a Woodland Food Pantry to offer additional support to Woodland families during the holiday season.

We are accepting non-perishable food donations and financial donations now thorough December 2, 2024.

For more information on what items are needed, how to make a financial donation, and other ways to participate in this event, visit the Annual Food Drive webpage or take a look at our special Annual Food Drive Newsletter.

Keep an eye out for more information as supplemental events and activities are planned throughout the month!

• WHAT: Woodland provides free instructional support for ALL Woodland D50 students in English and/or Spanish from a certified D50 teacher.
• WHO: All K - 8th Grade students are eligible
• WHERE: Woodland Intermediate School
• WHEN: Every Saturday! (except for Winter Break, Spring Break, and school/government holidays)

• Nov. 2 - Deadline to shop the Middle School Book Fair.
• Nov. 12 - Second Tuesday Fundraiser - Wendy's (Flyer: English / Spanish)
• Nov. 14 - November PTA General Meeting - 9 p.m.
• Nov. 15 & 16 - Signature Chocolate Pick Up at Woodland Middle School

Please visit Woodland's Virtual Backpack to learn about other events and resources in the community. New events are added all the time, so check back often.

Featured this week in Virtual Backpack:

• Floor Hockey at Woodland Elementary
• Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot, Nov. 28 (Village of Gurnee)
• Winter Days Off - Warren Special Recreation Association
  
• Warren Newport Public Library - November Newsletter and Programs