Middle School

A huge thank you to our Operations & Facilities Team for the long hours you put in to clean up from the winter snow storm! Here are a few cool photos they shared. #LifeintheW

Due to the forecasted weather this evening, we are moving our WISE (Woodland Inclusion and Special Education Empowerment Parent Group) meeting to a virtual format. Please join us! Meeting Details and Zoom Link - https://secure.smore.com/n/24p1c8 Topic: Supporting Your Child in the Community This training helps parents navigate the unique challenges their children face in community settings. Through engaging activities, participants will learn strategies to improve communication and manage behaviors. The program also focuses on empowering parents to advocate for their child's needs and build confidence in public interactions. By the end, parents will have access to resources that support their child’s independence and success in the community.

Just last Friday, these area Superintendents got together to record a Wildcast on the topic of school closures and eLearning Days. The conversation resumed on Monday in advance of the winter snow storm we are expecting today. ❄️ Listen to the latest episode of the Woodland Wildcast to hear local Superintendents discuss school closures! In this episode, Dr. Machak talks with Dr. Correa from Gurnee School District 56 and Dr. Woestman from Warren Township High School about the different factors that weigh into their decision making. Learn how these neighboring school district Superintendents work together to keep our students safe. Woodland Wildcast: S2, E5 - https://woodlandwildcast.podbean.com/e/s2-e5-gurnee-area-superintendents-discuss-school-closures/

Service in the W: The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) students at WMS have been busy lately! They recently volunteered their time to pack meals at Feed My Starving Children, and made Valentines for Seniors in the community with Det. Hansen. Thank you for giving back to the community 💚 #LifeintheW

Last night, the Woodland Green and Woodland White Girls' volleyball teams went head-to-head, showcasing their dedication and teamwork. Both teams demonstrated that hard work and collaboration make #LifeintheW even better!

Here are a few more photos from International Night at Woodland Middle School on Friday night. We had a blast! Event attendees had the opportunity to travel around the world just by taking a trip around the WMS cafeteria. There was so much to learn about the different counties, and plenty of awesome cuisine from around the world to sample. Thank you to our talented performers for showing us traditional dances and music from your culture, and thank you to all the families who hosted a table at the event! #LifeintheW More photos on Instagram and Facebook!

These students had the power to make it rain in Mrs. Chatlani's class! First the students reviewed the water cycle and practiced their vocabulary words. Next it was time for a water cycle movement break where the students had to call out when they heard the vocabulary words they were listening for. Finally, it was time to move to the lab to recreate the water cycle! #LifeintheW 🌧

Woodland had an eLearning Day on Tuesday, Jan. 21. How did it go for your Wildcat? Please share your feedback by taking the Parent eLearning Survey in Skyward Family Access. The survey closes on Friday, Jan. 31! https://www.dist50.net/o/dist50/page/skyward-family-access

The Woodland Middle School All-School Spelling Bee took place earlier today, and we have a winner! Congratulations to Arden T. for taking first place, and to Devin S. for earning second. These Wildcats, along with everyone who participated, worked hard and should be very proud. Best of luck to Arden T. as you advance to the Lake Country Regional Spelling Bee in February. Woodland will be cheering you on! 💚🐯✨

Thank you to the Woodland families who participated in Parent University on Saturday (1/25/25). It was a great morning of learning and networking, and our speakers did a great job of tailoring the presentations to the families in attendance. We also had volunteers from Warren Township High School spending time with the kids while their parents attended sessions. We have two more events scheduled for this school year. 💚 March 10 - Partnering with School to Improve Student Outcomes (Virtual) 💚 April 5 - Keep Kids Learning Over Summer (In-Person) Watch for additional details on the Parent University website, and in the weekly district newsletter! https://www.dist50.net/page/parent-university

Have you heard of the Gurnee Police Department's Valentine's project for seniors? Woodland students and staff are participating again this year, and we will be making Valentine's cards over the next few weeks to give to seniors living in our community. Here are some photos of students at Woodland Middle School making cards during their lunch period. Thank you to State Representative Joyce Mason and Gurnee Mayor Thomas Hood for joining us! Representative Mason and Mayor Hood talked to the students about developing leadership skills through getting involved in clubs, volunteering in the community, and helping others. #LifeintheW

The Woodland D50 Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Please see the Meeting Information & Agenda HERE: https://secure.smore.com/n/75znf Thank you!

There was a great turnout at the January BPAC Meeting last week! Thank you to the families who joined us on a chilly January evening to learn more about Food and Nutrition. We also want to express our appreciation to the Woodland teachers and the Warren Township High School student volunteers from AVANZA for the fun activities you planned for the kids in attendance. Local businesses donated food and raffle prizes, community organizations shared resources, and Tobias the Comfort Dog was there for all the fun too. The next meeting will be March 12, and the topic will be Mental Health. https://www.dist50.net/o/dist50/page/bpac

Due to updated information from the National Weather Service, Woodland D50 will be switching to an eLearning Day for Tuesday, Jan. 21. https://secure.smore.com/n/wf1br Thank you for your flexibility as we respond to this round of winter weather. Please note, this message went out as an email, text message and robocall. If you are a district staff member or a parent/guardian of a Woodland student and you did not receive this notification, please email BHagstrom@dist50.net.

Good evening, Here is a message from Woodland D50 about the status of schools for Jan. 21, 2025. Woodland will be open for normal operations. https://secure.smore.com/n/fyw4ph Thank you.

Mr. Golwitzer’s English class worked on creating descriptive sentences. They began by researching a prominent person in history, sports, pop culture, or media. After gathering key information about their chosen person, students worked on crafting detailed and descriptive sentences to bring that person’s story to life. This exercise combined research with descriptive writing and encouraged students to use vivid and creative language to tell an awesome story.

Student Voice: Food Service Edition! District Administration, along with Quest Foods, held menu planning focus groups with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at WMS. The taste testers were invited to come in for a special lunch service during their normal lunch period to taste possible new menu items and to provide feedback on how things are going with the new food service vendor overall. The students asked great questions, and provided honest feedback about what they like, and what they think can be improved. Of the menu items they tried during the focus groups, the crowd favorite seemed to be the egg and cheese sandwich! While they were sampling food and providing feedback, the Quest team was able to explain what goes in to the menu planning and food preparation process, and talk about the strict guidelines they have to follow to provide nutritious options and keep food safe for our Wildcats. #LifeintheW

REMINDER BPAC Meeting Tonight! https://www.dist50.net/o/dist50/page/bpac Atención familias bilingües: Hoy, miércoles 15 de enero de 7 a 8 pm en Woodland Intermediate los esperamos en nuestro Evento BPAC-Comité Asesor de Padres Bilingües, presentación especial de YWCA sobre Nutrición y Alimentos. Maestras del Dual Language realizarán actividades divertidas de Nutrición con los chicos, "Tobias" nuestro perro nos acompañará, popcorn y popcakes de Starbucks para los niños. Comida saludable para adultos y muchos sorteos. LOS ESPERAMOS A TODOS EN FAMILIA, HOY A LAS 7 PM EN WOODLAND INTERMEDIATE. NO SE LO PIERDA! Attention bilingual families: Today, Wednesday, January 15 from 7 to 8 pm at Woodland Intermediate we are looking forward to our BPAC-Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee Event, special YWCA presentation on Nutrition and Food. Dual Language teachers and students from WTHS Avanza club will be doing fun Nutrition activities with the kids, “Tobias” our dog will be joining us, popcorn and popcakes from Starbucks for the kids. Healthy food for adults and lots of raffles and surprises. WE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU TODAY AT 7 PM AT WOODLAND INTERMEDIATE. DON'T MISS IT.

Today in Mrs. Friello’s 8th grade math class, students had the exciting opportunity to explore the fascinating world of fractals. With paper, pencils, yardsticks, and scissors, they started creating these intricate, self-repeating shapes. Students had the choice to create either a 2D or 3D representation of a fractal, bringing mathematical concepts to life in a hands-on and creative way.

There’s a mystery at Woodland Middle School, and our Wildcats are on the case! Don’t miss WMS's production of “Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion!” When: Saturday, Jan. 24 & 25, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Where: Woodland Middle School, 7000 W. Washington St., Gurnee, IL Tickets are $5 for Adults and $3 for Children/Students.