Woodland D50 News and Information

Header Images: Woodland D50 Celebrates Veterans Day with presentations and activities throughout the schools. Visit the Woodland Facebook page later today to see more photos!

Nov. 10 , 2023

Dear Woodland Families,

At the end of this busy week here at Woodland we find ourselves at the end of our first trimester for 1st – 5th graders and quickly approaching Parent-Teacher Conferences. I hope this note provides some helpful updates and also serves as an invitation for all of our parents and guardians to get involved to make a positive impact on our students, our school district, and the greater Woodland community.

Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee – On Monday evening, several Woodland stakeholders volunteered to contribute their thoughts and expertise toward improving our school district. I reached out through this newsletter announcing our new Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee, and several of you answered that call. For those of you who were able to join me for the first meeting, thank you for a great kickoff to the important conversations ahead. For those who would still like to get involved, it is not too late. We have subcommittees forming, and will be gathering additional stakeholder feedback as we go along. See more information in the story block below, and send an email to Yulianna Yucus at YYucus@dist50.net to get involved.

Prairie Crossing Public Hearing – On Wednesday evening, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) held a public hearing at Woodland Middle School to hear from the public in regards to the Prairie Crossing Charter School renewal application. Thank you to those who came to the meeting to show your support as observers, and to the 35 people who provided public comment during the hearing. If you have not yet emailed ISBE with your thoughts on the subject, they are accepting email comments at charterrenewals@isbe.net through Nov. 15, 2023. ISBE will vote on Prairie Crossing’s charter renewal on December 13. We appreciate your support!

Parent-Teacher Conferences – At two designated points during the school year, parents and guardians have the opportunity to schedule a Parent-Teacher Conference with your child’s teacher. While we encourage two-way communication throughout the year, this dedicated time for conferences is set aside in the fall and spring as two significant checkpoints in the year to discuss your child’s academic progress. Your child’s teacher will be prepared with information on how your child is performing in the classroom based on class participation, formal and informal assessments, and the teacher’s informal observations. I encourage you to make the most of this time with the teacher as you are an important partner in your child’s education. Here are a few suggestions to help you get the most of your upcoming conferences:

• Be prepared to ask questions about opportunities for enrichment or intervention strategies to support your child’s learning;
• You know your child best. Take the time to discuss important qualities about your child that the teacher may not know about them;
• Discuss opportunities to get more involved in the school/classroom, or ask what you can do to support your child at home;
• Finally, Woodland has transitioned to Standards-Based Grading for K – 5th grade this year, and grades 6 – 8 will transition to Standards-Based Grading next year. This is new for both parents and teachers; visiting the Standards-Based Grading section of our website to review standards information in advance of your conference may be helpful.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you might have.

Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend, and a heartfelt thank you to all of our district Veterans.

Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent

Woodland D50

• Nov. 9 & 10 - Intermediate Fall Play, The Enchanted Bookshop
• Nov. 16 - Woodland Board of Education Meeting
• Nov. 20 & 21 - Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release for Students
• Nov. 22, 23 & 24 - No Student Attendance, District Offices Closed
• Dec. 1 - International Night at WMS

• Nov. 10 & 11 - Signature Chocolate Fundraiser Order Pickup at WMS. (Additional Details)
• Nov. 13 - November PTA Meeting at 7 p.m. (Virtual) - Registration Required.
• Nov. 14 - Save the Date for Second Tuesday Fundraiser! Chuck E. Cheese from 3 - 9 p.m. MUST purchase food/play time at the register and mention Woodland PTA to count toward the fundraiser.
• Nov. 17 - FREE Family Event Good Night, Sleep Tight! 6:30 p.m., Woodland Intermediate MultiPurpose Room. Once again the PTA welcomes Chris Fascione, the 'juggling storyteller" for an evening of acting, storytelling, comedy and juggling. Grab your family, a blanket, maybe a stuffy or two and join us! Pajamas are definitely allowed.

We are now collecting donations for the Annual Holiday Food Drive. Last year we served more than 150 families thanks to your generous donations!

With the food and funds we collect as part of the Food Drive, we will set up a Woodland Food Pantry with hopes that ALL Woodland families enjoy this special time of year.
(Pictured: Volunteers setting up the Food Pantry in 2022)

• Would you like to utilize the food pantry for food for your family? Register HERE.
• Would you like to donate food? See what we are collecting HERE (English p. 1, Spanish p. 2)
• Would you like to donate financially? Donate HERE.

The first meeting of the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee was Monday, Nov. 6. It is not too late to get involved, and to add your voice to the discussion! Over the next several weeks, committee members will be working in small groups to review and discuss important issues. They will develop recommendations and submit their ideas and suggestions to the Woodland Board of Education for consideration.

What is the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee?

The Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee will assist in the development of student behavior policy and procedure and provides information and recommendations to the Board. Its members are parents/guardians and teachers, and may include persons whose expertise or experience is needed.

Which Topics Will the Subcommittees by Reviewing?

From the volunteers who attended the kickoff meeting, five subcommittees were formed to focus on a specific issue or topic:

1. Student Behavior & Discipline
2. Administration of Medication at School
3. Reciprocal Reporting Between School District and Law Enforcement
4. School Bus Safety
5. Behavioral Interventions

How Can You Get Involved? Two ways!

• If you are interested in contributing your thoughts and ideas to one of these areas of focus, please send an email to YYucus@dist50.net with a brief description of how you are affiliated with the district, and why you would like to participate.
• Stay Tuned! The subcommittees may encounter the need for more stakeholder feedback as they begin the work in each area of focus. As opportunities arise to provide feedback, we will reach out to our community for assistance.

On Friday, Dec. 1 the Woodland PTA and Middle School P.B.I.S. committee will be hosting an International Night. We are looking for families to put together a display of their culture or homeland. You will be provided a table and poster board to create whatever display you’d like. Previous participants have included photos, memorabilia, and other interesting items. Food is encouraged; if you can, please provide at least 100 bite-sized, shareable food items. If your family is interested, please complete this Google form by Nov. 27.

This is a wonderful event, please save the date! See below for a few photos from last year.

More Information.

Earlier this week, Woodland hosted the first Parent University event of the school year. If you missed this webinar with Dr. Bolton, we invite you to watch the recording. It was an excellent presentation!

Event Description:

Our children are struggling emotionally in unprecedented ways and as parents, we are struggling to know how to best support them. Parents are experiencing the pressure of raising children at a time when academic demands are increasing, colleges are becoming more selective, and income inequity is placing greater pressure on financial success. Drawing on research from brain science, social sciences, education and 30 years of practice within schools, Dr. Doug Bolton identifies three parenting myths that create unnecessary pressure on parents and their children. Let's refocus our parenting energy on the things that support wellness in our children and ourselves!

Does your child need:

• Additional support in Reading, Math, or another subject area?
• A quiet place to finish homework, or work on a project?
• Help with researching or writing a paper?
• Help studying for a test?

Our certified teaching staff is ready to help! LEARN MORE

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:

• Delta Sigma Theta Parent & Student Information Session
• 4-H Fish and Wildlife Workshop
• Register for Champions Floor Hockey
• Thanksgathering Community Event
• WSRA Winter Days Off

Download the Woodland D50 app from the iOS App Store or Android Play Store