
WPSD Woodland Weekly
October 11, 2024

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars
- October 11 - Homecoming Football game at 7pm | WPHS Football Field
- October 11 - Alumni Tea from 6:30pm to 7:30pm | WPHS Commons
- October 12 - Homecoming Dance from 8-10pm | WPHS Main Gym
- October 17 - Parent/Teacher Conferenes - No School
- October 18 - District Closed - No School
- October 21 - Staff PD Day - No School
⚽ Athletics Schedule
✅ WPHS & WPMS: Stay up to date by downloading the Panther Nation app for Android and Apple.
💚Show Your School Spirit💚
💲 SALE!! 15%off $75 | Code: FALL15.💲
✅ Help our Boosters support our athletic programs by purchasing items during home games and events.
🎉 Steve Durham Congratulates WPSD 🎉
🌴 Homecoming Highlights 🌴
📸 Recent District Highlights 📸
Columbine Elementary
🎉📚 Teacher spotlight! Your dedication and passion inspire us every day. 🙌💖 Thank you for believing in us, challenging us, and making learning fun! 🎨✏️ You truly make a difference! 💪😊
Summit Elementary
🍜✍️ Our second graders celebrated their Early Asian Civilizations Domain CKLA unit with 'Noodles and Doodles' last week!
Students enjoyed noodles, fortune cookies, learning chopstick skills, writing their names in Chinese, and a creative writing project on The Magic Paintbrush.
Special thanks to our incredible 6th-grade helpers, amazing parents who donated time, food, and supplies, and our wonderful guest reader who made the day extra memorable! 🌟
WPMS
🏃♂️ We Had Amazing Color Run FUN! 🎉💚
The day was filled with hype, laughter, and vibrant colors as we celebrated raising over $4,500 so far for our school! 🙌 A HUGE thank you to our incredible families, community, staff, volunteers, and of course, our students for making it such a memorable event! 🥳💪
WPHS
🤩💚Homecoming Dress-Up Day #3: Duo Day! Students and staff showed up as iconic duos and perfect matches, bringing double the spirit and fun! Way to go, Panthers!! 💚🤩
WPMS Athletic Spotlight
🎉🏈 Huge Congratulations to our Woodland Park Panther Football Team! 🏆🐾
In an intense battle, our Panthers came out on top with a 24-16 victory over Canon City, securing the Tri-League Championship with an undefeated season! 🥳🔥 We're so proud of your hard work, dedication, and Panther spirit. 💪
Let's celebrate this incredible win! GO PANTHERS! 🎉💚
WPHS Athletic Spotlight
🚴 Shoutout to WPHS Mountain Bike Team racer Ian Lehtinen, who won the Slingshot Award at the Chalk Creek Challenge in Nathrop! 🏆 This award goes to the racer with the most improvement in a race, and Ian earned it by climbing from 37th to 15th place, passing 22 racers on a single-track course out of over 300 competitors! Way to go, Ian! 🌟
🔆Classroom Spotlight🔆
🎃 How does a chemist carve a pumpkin? Just ask Mr. Hoffman's Biology class! Students explored the science behind using water, special type of crystals, and a bit of heat to bring their pumpkins to life in a whole new way! Chemistry in action this Halloween season 🧪✨
🐾 Parent/Teacher Conferences 🐾
We are excited to invite you to the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 17 from 8:00am - 4:00pm. To secure a meeting with your child's teacher, locate their school in the list below, click the provided link, and select your child's teacher.
If you encounter any difficulties or have questions about the sign-up process, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's school.
💚 WPSD Job Opportunities 🖤
To view the list of current job openings and transfer opportunities, please visit our website and click on Job Postings; this page provides detailed information about each position, including job descriptions, qualifications, and application instructions.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please don't hesitate to reach out to Peggy Gonzales, HR Manager at pgonzales@wpsdk12.org.
🎒Virtual Backpack 🎒
👉Visit Virtual Backpack to learn more about events happening in our schools and community!
👉Virtual Backpack is located on the homepage of the district and school websites under the main picture(s).
Superintendent's Corner
Homecoming Week reminds us of the strength, pride, and unity that make Woodland Park an exceptional place to live, learn, and grow. As we reflect on this week’s celebrations—from school assemblies to yesterday’s lively parade to tonight’s football game—I am inspired by our community’s commitment to our schools, values, and, most importantly, our students.
At Woodland Park, academic excellence is the foundation of student success. This year, we are celebrating many outstanding achievements in our pursuit of excellence, including the Class of 2024 SAT results reported by The College Board, which indicates a 21-point increase in SAT scores compared to the Class of 2023. Congratulations to our dedicated teachers, staff, and students!
Our teachers and staff continue to deliver high-quality education, preparing students for a successful future. The strength of our schools is a reflection of the support from families and community members who invest in our students and stand behind our educators. This unity and shared purpose make events like Homecoming Week so meaningful.
Let’s carry this momentum forward as we continue working together to ensure Woodland Park remains a place of academic excellence, opportunity, and strong community values.
On a final note, ballots will be out soon. Woodland Park High School will have one or two posted voter registration days for our students who would like to register and will be 18 by election day. We encourage everyone to be sure to vote!
The Board of Education held its regular meeting on Wednesday, October 9, with President Mick Bates presiding.
After public comments, Mr. Witt addressed the board on the district’s District Accountability Committee (DAC) and School Accountability Committee (SAC) memberships. He noted that the district administration team had compiled a list of potential members, contacted past members, and sought input from principals for their recommendations. Director Barkley inquired about the selection process, and Mr. Witt clarified that each application was carefully reviewed, with prior members and principals being contacted before a final recommendation was made. The Board voted unanimously to approve the DAC and SAC members as recommended.
Chief Financial Officer Jack Bay presented a first-quarter financial update, reporting that the district is in excellent financial standing as of this quarter. He also presented the transportation accounting for Fund 25 and Fund 10.
Chief Academic Officer Ginger Slocum shared updates on enrollment, the district’s Unified Improvement Plans (UIP), and SAT scores. While official enrollment numbers await finalization pending October count data, Slocum noted that the UIPs would remain the same due to last year’s successful outcomes, with updates anticipated next year. She also highlighted an encouraging 21-point increase in SAT scores for the graduating class of 2024 compared to the previous graduating class of 2023.
During Board Reports, Director Rusterholtz commended WPHS Severe Special Needs (SSN) teacher Sue Sinclair for her exceptional work with students. He acknowledged her efforts in teaching teamwork through a meaningful Hispanic Heritage Month project and expressed gratitude for her positivity and dedication. President Bates closed the meeting by thanking all district teachers and staff for their commitment, recognizing that their hard work has been instrumental in driving the district’s ongoing success.
The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for November 13.