Middle School

Mr. Whiteaker's 7th grade class held a Science Museum with an exhibit entitled "Hidden Geniuses.” Led by passionate students, the museum displayed an extraordinary collection of exhibits that highlight the groundbreaking work of diverse scientists from around the world. From pioneers of color to women in STEM, the exhibits celebrated the often-overlooked contributions of individuals who have reshaped the scientific landscape. Activities included online quiz games, word scrambles, word searches, scientist coloring pages, information about Black scientists for Black History Month and even a show put on by students about their science teacher, Mr. Whiteaker.

Mrs. Rath’s 8th Graders went on a Trigonometry scavenger hunt! They went around the classroom and worked on solving a series of math problems. The answer they found, if correct, would guide them to the next challenge, and they continued this process until they had completed every task in the classroom. Such a great way to make trig fun and engaging!

Today, our middle school Wildcats celebrated Black History Month with a very special guest, Ms. Sylvia England, the Executive Director and Founder of the African American Museum at the England Manor in Waukegan. Ms. England shared valuable insights about the museum, the significance of Black History Month, and African-American culture and heritage. As students learned about the history and culture, they also got creative by making African Ancestral Beaded Bracelets. They explored their family genealogy, selecting beads to symbolize family members, important life moments, and things they are grateful for. This project connected students to each other, their community, and allowed them to celebrate African-American heritage. Thank you to Ms. England and her team for meeting with our students and sharing their time with Woodland.

Join us for the Woodland PTA 50 meeting tonight at 7! The monthly PTA meeting is a great place to get information about upcoming events and to connect with other parents. Tonight's meeting will be virtual, so you can join from anywhere. We hope to see you there! Sign up in advance to receive the zoom link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4AA4A623ABF9CF8-54620904-woodland#/

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.