Woodland Weekly Families Edition

• November 20 - Warm Welcome Wednesdays Begin | Secondary Campus

• November 21-23 - The Lion The Witch, and The Wardrobe | WPHS Auditorium | 7-9:30 pm
• November 24 - The Lion The Witch, and The Wardrobe | Dickson Auditorium | 1-3:30 pm
• November 25-29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

✅ WPHS & WPMS: Stay up to date by downloading the Panther Nation app for Android and Apple.

✅ Visit wpsdathletics.com and click on calendar

💲 Limited Time! Save 20% on $100+ | Code JOY20 💲

✅ Help our Boosters support our athletic programs by purchasing items during home games and events.

🎉 Warm Welcome Wednesdays Begin November 20! ☀️

The Secondary Campus is thrilled to kick off Warm Welcome Wednesdays next week! Every Wednesday morning, members of our wonderful community will join us to greet students with smiles, high-fives, and plenty of encouragement as they arrive at school.

Please note—some of our visitors will bring their big trucks along, so please be patient during morning drop off! Students always enjoy getting an up-close look at these impressive vehicles, making their morning even more exciting. 😊

📆 November 21-23 at 7pm and November 24 at 1 pm

🎫 Get your tickets here: https://our.show/lwwpantherplayers2024

👉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).

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.

I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you who voted in support of our schools. Your commitment to our students and the future of Woodland Park profoundly impacts the next generation. We look forward to the continued growth and success that your support will help us achieve.

With Ballot Question 2A not passing in last week’s election, our district will continue receiving approximately $3.2 million annually in city sales tax revenue—critical funding for our mission of providing an exceptional education for every student. This support allows us to offer the resources and opportunities our students, staff, and coaches need to thrive.

Over the last couple of years, the district has reached incredible milestones; students, teachers, and coaches are making history in and out of the classroom. From record-breaking academic progress to outstanding achievements in athletics, arts, and competitions, your community support is helping us build a legacy of excellence. With this ongoing investment, we can expand opportunities, strengthen programs, and continue supporting the dedicated staff who support our students.

I also want to address intentional misrepresentations circulating on social media regarding the spending moratorium our finance department has implemented for the remainder of the first semester. To clarify, this temporary freeze includes Amazon orders and certain credit card purchases. However, this freeze does not affect the spending required to support student learning, athletics, activities, grants, holiday events, training, and travel. Staff have been instructed to work with CFO Jack Bay for any exemptions during this period.

Rumors that vendors, such as Durham Bus Services, are not being paid are false. All invoices received are being processed and paid timely.

The purpose of the spending freeze is simply to ensure all first-semester expenditures are accurately rectified and reflected in the budget while allowing time for packages to be received before the holiday breaks and for new purchasing procedures to be implemented. This is business management.

Thank you for standing by our schools and investing in a brighter future for our community! Thank you also for your understanding as we continue to take steps to ensure responsible financial stewardship.

The Board of Education held its regular meeting on November 13, with President Mick Bates presiding.

President Bates celebrated fall sports, with special recognition given to Boys Soccer for reaching the State Quarterfinals Playoff game—a historic first for the program—and High School Football for achieving an undefeated season, the best in nearly two decades.

Superintendent Witt recognized recent academic accomplishments, including the Beta Club's designation as a National Beta School of Distinction. He congratulated students who achieved high PSAT/SAT scores and those honored at the Academic Awards night.

CFO Jack Bay presented the latest enrollment figures, available online here, and updated the board on the district’s audit status. While delays due to the fire evacuation and snowstorm slightly shifted the audit, it is on track to be presented in December.

COO Aaron Salt provided facility updates on several key projects:

• WPHS now has a new flagpole, and WPSD proudly displays its two-way Purple Heart Sign on Baldwin Street. Efforts are underway to list the district on the Purple Heart Trail website.
• Gateway Elementary has been utilized as a secondary campus testing site.
• After supply delays, Columbine and Summit schools are now fully WiFi-enabled, with PA systems expected to be operational by January.
• Addressing rumors, Mr. Salt clarified that no 6th graders are sitting in hallways for WiFi access; this only occurred briefly for a special project, not for WiFi access.
• Over Thanksgiving, the district will replace its outdated servers to improve network reliability.
• Persistent roof leaks, worsened by recent storms, remain a concern, but total roof replacements are estimated to cost around $10 million. Repairs will proceed as soon as the snow melts and it is safe to do so.

CAO Ginger Slocum presented a proposed change for the current district calendar and draft calendars for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. The Board unanimously approved:

• A 2024-25 revision designating February 14 as a K-12 Parent/Teacher Conference Day with remote learning for high school. The day was originally a K-8 Parent/Teacher Conference Day with high school students attending in person.
• The proposed calendars for 2025-26 and 2026-27 maintain the same structure as the current school year.
• Calendars can be found here.

Board Reports

Director Barkley shared an email from a parent praising Panther Academy students for their calm and caring response when a classmate experienced a medical emergency. The parent commended the students for their kindness and composure during the incident.

Director Rusterholtz expressed his appreciation for the Board's understanding during his absence to care for his ailing mother. He thanked the Woodland Park community for supporting city sales tax revenue allocation to the district, emphasizing the positive impact this will have on school funding. He also acknowledged President Bates and Superintendent Witt for their efforts in meeting and exceeding the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) requirements with the City of Woodland Park, ensuring transparency and cooperation.

Director Patterson expressed her pride in the district's Veterans Day Assembly, praising students and staff for their respectful recognition of veterans. She shared that a Vietnam veteran was particularly moved, telling her it was the best rendition of Taps he had ever heard, played beautifully by two student musicians.

Director Kimbrell also spoke highly of the Veterans Day Assembly, noting its profound impact on attendees, including a Korean War veteran who traveled from Colorado Springs specifically to attend. She described the event as deeply meaningful for the community and a reminder of the district’s dedication to honoring service members.

The next regular board meeting is on December 11.