Woodland School District 50

Mr. Lees and Mrs. Campbell’s PE classes held the first ever Woodland Elementary Football League (WEFL). The students had a blast tackling, hurdling, making diving catches and showing off their speed. We love these action shots! 🏈

We love our Community Partners! Woodland partnered with Honey Orthodontics in Gurnee to provide vocational learning opportunities for these Middle School students. Through this partnership, students assemble bags provided to patients at the end of their appointments while building workplace readiness and independence skills. Students have already completed more than 160 bags and are expected to finish the project by the end of the school year. #LifeintheW Honey Orthodontics: Braces and Invisalign by Oana Honey Gurnee IL

During a recent visit to Mrs. Hansen's class, students were discussing United States Symbols and making American Flags as a companion project to their reading unit on the history of our country. These students also had the chance to read with Ms. Mary throughout the year. Ms. Mary is a senior reader and community member who volunteers through the Warren Township Senior Center to read with students one-on-one or in small groups. The students in Mrs. Hansen's class loved getting to know Ms. Mary during the school year.

May 18th is National Speech Pathologist Day, the perfect time to celebrate all the wonderful ways Woodland's Speech and Language Pathologists help Wildcats with their speech and language needs. Today we celebrate these experts in communication development. Thank you for empowering our students to express themselves with clarity and confidence. #LifeintheW

Today was a great day for an outing to Warren Township park! Students from Ms. Banks and Ms. Gregg's P.E. classes walked over for a picnic lunch and a game of kickball to celebrate a great year of friendship in the W.

Thank you for joining us at the Woodland Intermediate Open House last night. It was a great celebration/showcase of the school year. Did you complete the Amazing Race?
Thank you to the PTA for hosting the book fair, spirit wear and bake sale!

Spotted! Wildcats reading in the sunshine on a beautiful day. Fresh air + books = 🤩💚📚
#LifeintheW

Congratulations to the students in Ms. Jakielski's class for a successful Readers Theater performance!
The students put in a lot of work, creativity, and enthusiasm to bring this show to life. This was a great opportunity for the students to share their love of reading with both their families and the school community. #LifeintheW

🚒 We appreciate our community partners! 🚒
Thank you to the Gurnee Fire Department for an exciting and informative field trip for two of our Woodland Elementary classes. Ms. Lipson & Mr. Clark's classes, along with several parent volunteers, took a tour of Gurnee Fire Station #1 and even had the opportunity to climb into a fire truck and ambulance. We also went over important safety reminders like swimming safety and bike safety in the summer.

Attention Future Wildcats! 🐯
You are invited to stop by Woodland Primary on Saturday, May 16 for a SNEAK PEEK at Kindergarten. This is an Open House style event for incoming kindergarten families in Woodland School District 50. You will have a chance to tour the school and ride the bus in preparation for the school year.
Date: May 16, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Woodland Primary, 17366 W. Gages Lake Rd.
Gages Lake, IL
Please share with your friends/neighbors with younger children. Some families may not know it's time to start planning for Kindergarten. Help welcome them to #LifeintheW 💚
https://www.dist50.net/o/dist50/page/kindergarten

Today, our Intermediate scientists were able to participate in a very cool hands-on learning experience! With the help of parent volunteers, 4th graders were able to dissect a squid and learn more about these cool creatures!

FREE WEBINAR - Is your student moving on up to the next school during the 2026-2027 School Year? Hear from leaders at each school about what to expect and how to prepare your Wildcat for this next step in their academic journey!
Join us on May 13 at 6 p.m. from the comfort of your home!
💚 Supporting Your Primary Student - Sandy Sanchez Panchi
⭐️ Supporting Your Elementary Student - Assistant Principal Elizabeth Gaiser
💚 Supporting your Intermediate Student - Jane Weiland
⭐️ Supporting Your Middle School Student - Middle School NJHS Students & Principal Tiffany Drake
REGISTER:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdDVZji4KcXxi3mTlGoXd8uiidEnkTGAyvb3F8-bo21Akz2gg/viewform
LEARN MORE: https://www.dist50.net/page/parent-university

Five Woodland artists were recognized during the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois Law Day celebration on May 1, 2026.
Law Day Coloring Contest Winners:
1st grade winners - Zach and Lydia
2nd grade winners - Penny, Amina, and Adyline
Congratulations Wildcats! In addition to receiving award certificates and a gift card, the artists were excited to go the Courthouse and have their pictures taken with real courtroom judges. Thank you to Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. Wilinski for sharing the good news and photos!
#LifeintheW

Congratulations to Danielle Rosario on being named Woodland’s Bus Driver of the Year by the Transportation Department!
Danielle has been a valued member of the Woodland Team since 2021 and brings many years of experience as a school bus driver. She is known for her outstanding attendance, positive attitude, willingness to support others, and dedication to student safety. Danielle has a special place in her heart for our Special Education students and consistently goes above and beyond each day to support and care for them with patience and kindness.
Danielle demonstrates professionalism in all that she does and works to build positive relationships with students, families, and staff. She leads by example each day and helps create a safe, welcoming, and positive experience for Woodland students.
The Bus Driver of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond the performance of his or her duties as a Woodland School Bus Driver, professionally executing safe school bus operation, while providing the students with the safest form of transportation to and from school.
Thank you for always going the extra mile!

Last night, our 5th–8th Grade Bands came together for their final band performance of the year at the Spring Concert! For the first time ever, all 300 band students performed together, making the evening truly special. Congratulations to all our student musicians on their exceptional performances, and thank you to our band directors for all their hard work. It was a fantastic concert and a wonderful celebration of our talented Wildcats!

We are very proud to recognize Woodland’s Educator of the Year nominees. These outstanding educators make a meaningful difference in the lives of Woodland students and are a true representation of excellence in education.

Our nominees were honored last night at the 5th Annual Educator of the Year Celebration, presented by the Lake County Regional Office of Education Foundation. This celebration was a wonderful way to acknowledge and honor the educators in our community who make a lasting impact on students, their families, and their school communities.

Congratulations to all who were celebrated, and a special shoutout to our Woodland nominees:

Leah Kropp
Lydia Campbell
Robert Stone
Suzanne Dylla
Alyssa Desamero
Brian Golwitzer

Thank you for your dedication and passion you bring to your classrooms and school each and every day.

Spring Charcuterie Club was a “treat”! Talented 4th and 5th grade students curated cute insects made out of fruits and vegetables, BabyBel lady bugs, Rice Krispie birds nests, butterflies, and more!

Congratulations once again to our outstanding Woodland Teacher and Staff Member of the Year winners–Jess Pierson, Woodland’s Teacher of the Year & Brandi Smith, Woodland’s Staff Member of the Year.
Last night, they were recognized at the Village of Gurnee Board Meeting, alongside the winners from Warren Township High School and District 56.
Thank you to the Village of Gurnee for celebrating the incredible educators in our community, and recognizing the impact they make for students and their families every day.

Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this past Saturday!
We were very excited to host our district’s first-ever AAPI celebration, and we couldn’t have asked for a better turnout. It was a great afternoon filled with music, delicious food, amazing performances, and creative student artwork and poetry.
Thank you so much to our Woodland families who volunteered their time, shared their cultures, and helped create a wonderful event. We are also grateful to our community partners for their support of our learning community.
We hope you enjoyed the celebration as much as we did!