Middle School

School Social Work Week, March 3 - 9, 2024! Please join us in recognizing the impactful work Woodland social workers do to create positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for our students. School social workers play a pivotal role in enhancing the well-being and success of students across the nation, and here at Woodland. Thank you for taking care of our #LifeintheW Family!

Check out this recent collaboration between the Woodland Middle School Black Student Leaders Club and CLC's Black Student Union leaders! Thank you to Dan, Chris and Rose for speaking with our students about their career goals and providing advice on how to achieve those goals. The group also talked about black culture and black history, and how to make positive change within our school and communities. Ms. Summers-Lemoine reported that the students loved this collaboration and they are looking forward to a continued partnership with CLC's Black Student Union, and other school/community groups in the area.

Happening Now! Teen Technology Use and Misuse with Justin W. Patchin, Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair, and the Cyberbullying Research Center. Learn more about Parent University on the district website: https://www.dist50.net/page/parent-university

Thank you to those that have taken the Illinois 5Essentials Survey already! There is still time: https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent Here is Woodland's Parent/Guardian response rate so far: Woodland Primary: 20% Woodland Elementary: 18% Woodland Intermediate: 25% Woodland Middle School: 18% This feedback is very meaningful to us, and we appreciate you helping us reach that 20% threshold! As a reminder, we need to reach a minimum of 20% at each school in order to receive the survey results.

Join us for the next BPAC Meeting! Date: Wednesday, March 13 Time: 7 - 8 p.m. Location: Woodland Middle School (Library) Presentation: Social Media and Teens Presented by School Resource Detective Kelly Hansen Gurnee Police Department (it will be interpreted into Spanish).

The monthly Board of Education meeting always starts with celebrations as a way to recognize the achievements of Woodland staff and students, and/or to highlight a special program or group. At the February meeting, the Woodland Intermediate Spelling Bee winner and finalists led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance, Woodland Elementary students sang "Life Every Voice and Sing" in honor of Black History Month, and some of Woodland's Parent Mentors presented on the growth of the Parent Mentor program! #LifeintheW

Woodland D50's Black Dads Rock Panel at the Black History Month Celebration at the Warren Newport Public Library!

A wonderful celebration of art, music, poetry, dancing and community! Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Black History Month Community Celebration at the Warren Newport Library in Gurnee.

The Board of Education is reviewing a draft calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. Machak is inviting Woodland D50 families to weigh in on the February "mini-break" and the School Improvement Planning (SIP) Day schedule. Read his letter in the weekly newsletter and take the survey: https://www.smore.com/gm4h3 Thank you for your feedback!

Congratulations to the Exchange Club of Gurnee Young Citizenship Award Recipients! Ella V., 8th Grade, Woodland Middle School Darious V., 5th Grade, Woodland Intermediate #LifeintheW

Remember how the Gurnee Police Department was asking for help from the community to make Valentine's Day cards for seniors? Yesterday was delivery day! National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Officers had the honor of delivering the hand-made cards alongside district and community leaders. Everyone was feeling the love on Valentine's Day.

Love in the breakfast line at WMS! The Positive Culture Club (with help from 8th grade classes, art students, and special education classes) decorated breakfast bags to spread Valentine's Day kindness through food. Thank you to Arbor for allowing the students to decorate the breakfast bags, and to our students for adding sunshine to our day. #LifeintheW

These Wildcats have talent! Congratulations to all the WMS Talent Show contestants for putting on a GREAT show. And the winners are... 1st place- The Woodland Drumline (6, 7, & 8th grades) 2nd place- Fode T. (7th grade) 3rd place tie- Luna G. (8th grade) and Serenity H. (7th grade)

Thank you First Responders! Woodland sends a big thank you to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Gurnee Police Department, and the Gurnee Fire Department for their support and guidance during our annual safety drills. Building relationships with local first responders is an important part of our safety plans.

Caring 4 Kids Clothing Drive Morgan Ghys, Miss Northern Illinois’ Teen (and former Woodland student) needs your help! Morgan has partnered with Caring 4 Kids to do a Clothing Drive for kids in the community. She is collecting new and gently used clothing for kids including sweatshirts, crewnecks, sweatpants, and leggings to keep kids warm and comfortable. (Youth sizes 5 / 6 up to 16) There are collection boxes at each school, and in the district office. We are accepting donations through Friday, Feb. 23.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Special Concert on Friday, Feb. 2! Join the WMS Jazz Band for NOLA Jazz Night featuring music in the style of the brass bands from New Orleans. 7: 30 p.m. - Woodland Jazz Band 8:15 p.m. - Special Guests, The Extra Crispy Brass Band The Extra Crispy Brass Band is from Milwaukee, WI and they will be doing a clinic with the Woodland jazz band before the concert. ECBB seeks to spread the joy of New Orleans brass band music to as many youngsters as possible in hopes that they will continue the legacy of this unique form of jazz.

Feb. 1, 2024 - Good morning Woodland Stakeholders. Please read this Community Safety Alert from Dr. Machak. English: https://5il.co/2dyeq Spanish: https://5il.co/2dyer

Woodland Middle School Presents: A Wrinkle in Time! Jan. 26 & 27, 6:30 p.m.

A Woodland family sent in a photo and positive praise for their bus driver today. Thank you for taking the time on a very hectic morning to send in a happy note! 💚 "I wanted to say thank you for taking such wonderful care of the kids today and having their safety as a priority. Walking up to the bus I could feel the warmth coming from the bus so the kids were comfortable and greeted with a smiling bus driver."

At the Bilingual Parent Advisory (BPAC) Meeting last week, Nicasa Behavioral Health Services gave a presentation called "Prevention Talk" to teach parents and caregivers about trends in drug use and the dangers of substance use in youth. The presentation featured a mock teenage bedroom simulation to show parents what to look for in their child's bedroom called "Stay Out of My Room!" While the parents attended the presentation, the kids completed winter crafts with some of our Dual Language teachers. It was a great turnout!