What a great week...I mean YEAR at Elementary! Who would have thought it that we would be where we are now after opening a brand new school in August of 2022? Many of our processes and procedures that were new this year have been worked out, and as a result, we have such fun all-school events, such as Wednesday's Field Day to show for it. I remember just last year having two field days, and the students and parents were trying to figure out which day their school was participating. Fast forward to June 2, and not only did we have less confusion, but also had students all outside on the same day and all enjoying the same fun and games.

I am very proud of the work that has been done at Elementary but there is still work to do. Even though the students are done on June 6, that does not mean the work ends. Mr. Block and I will work through June along with Mrs. DeVos our incredible Elementary Secretary. Hours for the summer will be 8:00 am to 3:00 pm with the office being closed for lunch from 11:00 am to 12:00 Monday through Thursday and closed on Friday.

Throughout June, Dr. Machak will be leading the search for the new Elementary Principal. Please continue to check your emails for important updates on how you can get involved in the selection process. The new principal is slated to begin after June 30 and I am sure they will reach out soon after the hiring has been finalized. Our Board of Education also continues to meet over the summer months, so stay tuned for continued news and updates about next year regarding district items.

I will send my last update on Tuesday, June 6 with access to our Quarter 4 report cards. We will also be sending home MAP reports for the Spring. Please be on the lookout for those coming home on Tuesday with your child.

Lastly, the office will be closed at noon on Tuesday and re-open on Wednesday at 8:00 am. We will be temporarily moved for the summer months during the office construction and will be located in the old "West" offices. No phone, fax, or emails will change, but if you need to stop by, please take note of the change.

I believe that is everything, but as always, please reach out with any questions. Serving the Woodland community as a teacher and a Principal has been my absolute pleasure. Woodland will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish you, your family, and most certainly your child, the best of luck in the future.

Please see below for all our updates and as always, I thank you for your help and support these last six years, and hope you have a safe and relaxing summer break!

Sincerely,

Ryan Wollberg

Woodland Elementary Principal

Oberweis Fundraiser - Tuesday June 6th, ALL DAY. Stop by Oberweis on Tuesday and a portion of your purchase will be donated to the PTA. Must mention Woodland PTA when ordering.

Popsicles in the Park and Spirit Wear Swap! Friday June 9th, 6-8pm at Warren Township Park. Come join the PTA for a park playdate, FREE popsicles and a Spirit Wear Share. What is Spirit Wear Share? Anyone can bring spirit wear that your student has outgrown or no longer needs and place on the table to be shared. All items should be clean and in good condition. Anyone that sees some spirit wear that is the right size for their student can claim it. You do not need to bring an item to take an item. This is just a way for all of us to hand down/recycle/share spirit wear that we no longer need. Any items that are not claimed at the end of the event will be donated. Details

Supply Pack Sale is extended through July 13th! Families can purchase supply packs for next year. Click HERE to order with code WOO510. More details.

This message is for all current 3rd Grade Students. For all 3rd Grade students, our end-of-the-year procedures regarding student technology (Chromebooks) are as follows:

• All 3rd graders are taking their technology with them over the summer and are expected to bring it with them entering 4th grade.
• Any student leaving the district before the last day of school will leave their Chromebook with their current classroom teacher.
• If you would prefer your child NOT bring home their Chromebook over the summer months, please contact your child's current classroom teacher and we can arrange for it to remain at the school over the summer months.

Please reach out to your child's classroom teacher or our front office with any questions and we appreciate your help and support.

We are excited to announce that starting today, parents/guardians will have access to Securly Home. Woodland Schools has been using Securly, an online content filter, to filter district-issued Chromebooks for about five years. The district has now expanded our contract with Securly to offer new and enhanced features, such as Securly Home, at no cost to families. Using Securly Home, parents/guardians can monitor the content that their students can access on their district-issued devices.

If you are interested in enrolling, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/raNrgsQBkUS6EbUG7

Once entered, you will receive an onboarding email from Securly with instructions on how to enroll with Securly Home and link your account to your student(s). Please note that the email you receive will be from noreply@securly.com. Please also be sure to check your spam folder if you do not see the email in your inbox.

The Securly Home portal will be accessible via app (Apple Store and Google Play Store), as well as web browser (https://securly.com/parent-login). After you have logged into the portal, you will have access to the following:

• Activity: Gives an overview and browsing history of the students' device.

We are excited to bring this new feature to you and expect it to roll out without any issues. However, if you have any questions or concerns, first please check out the FAQs on the Securly Home help site or submit a support ticket with Securly.

COVID-19 Information

This year we are excited to return to closer to normal operations after a long journey navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Students can look forward to working in small groups, moving around more freely during times of play, and sitting with friends in the cafeteria. While things will look and feel more normal, we will continue to have a few safety precautions in place to help keep everyone safe, much like we would during a typical cold/flu season.

• We will continue to provide enhanced levels of surface cleaning in high traffic and high touch point areas, including school buses.
• We will have visual reminders and signage reminding everyone to wash their hands, cover their cough, and respect personal space.
• Masks and physical distancing will not be required, but masks will be provided to anyone who would like to wear one. (Masks continue to be federally required in healthcare settings and for healthcare personnel, including school nurse offices.)
• We will expect that all staff and students will stay home when sick, especially if they are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19.
• If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will need to isolate for five days per the guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
• While we are no longer required to identify individual close contacts, Woodland will continue to monitor cases among our school population to understand the prevalence of the virus in our district. Parents will be notified of positive cases at the school through the COVID-19 Dashboard on the district website.

As we have learned over the past few years, guidance from our local, state, and federal partners can change at any time. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidance for schools this week acknowledging that COVID-19 is here to stay, but reflects a shift toward returning to normalcy. Woodland will be evaluating the new guidance and we will communicate any changes to our procedures with families as needed.

SHIELD Testing

Woodland will once again offer weekly SHIELD testing for any staff members and students who wish to participate, beginning the week of Aug. 29. Students are automatically enrolled in the program, but this testing is OPTIONAL. We have added an option to Opt-Out via Family Access. If you log in to Family Access parents can make that designation. If easier, you may also contact the school office for assistance or please see your welcome back packet with a letter from me for more details. If you have previously opted out of SHIELD testing, your child will remain on the opt-out list. If you wish to re-enroll in the program you are welcome to do so at any time. Learn More about SHIELD Testing.

Woodland COVID-19 Dashboard Updated Daily

Woodland created a COVID-19 Dashboard to help stakeholders understand the impact of the virus-specific to Woodland. Please check the dashboard daily to see case counts for students and staff. This is a live document and the data will be updated throughout the day as new cases are confirmed. COVID Data Tracking is currently paused while school is not in session, but we will resume tracking the data on this dashboard the week of August 22nd.

Medication Drop Off

• All medications, prescription and over-the-counter, require both a physician and parent signature.

• The Medication Authorization Form on light blue paper will be used for all medications.

• The Asthma Action Form and Food Allergy Action Plan are also used. Copies of the forms are available in our school office and on our website https://www.dist50.net/STUDENTFORMS/pages/default.aspx

• Allergy Awareness Policy. Woodland continues to be allergy-aware. All classrooms will be safe for all students. In order to ensure food safety during snack, please make sure you check with your child’s teacher or the health office and follow all food guidelines or restrictions.

• Please also consider sending in an extra set of clothing in case of accidents.

As per our Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, July 28 our school hours have shifted slightly for the upcoming year. Please see below for updated start times:

• Bus Drop Off/Breakfast - 7:20 a.m. - 7:40 a.m.
• Class Begins - 7:45 (students are marked tardy at 7:45 a.m. and must be signed in at our Main Office)
• Dismissal Begins - 2:05 (last bus leaves by 2:15)

Please also note that new for this upcoming school year Parent Pick Up location and times have been slightly modified based on previous years to allow for better traffic flow. All students who ride the bus will be dismissed first and students who are being picked up by parents will be dismissed from classes last. If you need to pick up your child early from school please plan on doing so by 1:35 otherwise in order to avoid congestion in the parking lot, we ask that you pick your child up from the parent pick-up lane. Students are at recess until 1:30 and as a result, please do not enter the parent pick-up lane until 1:35.

As in years past, we request that all changes to your child's pick-up be made prior to 12:00 p.m. by contacting your child's teacher or our front office.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will not be providing a Child Nutrition Nationwide Waiver this year. Please feel free to log in to your Family Access Account to add money to your student’s account for hot lunches or as always, feel free to send them with a packed lunch from home. We discourage lunch drop-offs in the office to avoid lunches being late or missed. Also, delivery services (Grub Hub, Uber Eats, etc.) are not allowed throughout Woodland.

• Student drop-off will be at the Northeast side of the building between 7:20 a.m. - 7:40 a.m.

• If you arrive after 7:40 a.m.., we ask you to park your vehicle in a legal parking space in our lower lot, to avoid receiving a ticket from the Lake County Sheriff, and walk your child into the office. Students will be marked tardy if they arrive after 7:45.

• Parent pick-up will again take place at approximately 2:25 p.m. at the Northeast side of the building. We want to make sure everyone is safe, and ask that you have your Curbsmart tag ready. We will open the doors at approximately 2:25 p.m.

Additional information, including maps, will be sent electronically as we get closer to the beginning of the school year.

Now that Curbsmart is running very smoothly, we would like you to update your weekly parent communication with the following reminders.

• Please be in line no later than 2:15
• Have placard ready
• Continue working with your child on buckling themselves in
• Please refrain from getting out of your car
• If you arrive after 2:30, your child will be brought to the office and wait there

Thank you for your help and understanding!

To view your student’s current bus information please login to Tyler’s Versatrans E-Link. Your Family Access Family ID has been set up as both your USER ID and PASSWORD. You can find your Family ID in Family Access under Student Information - Family Page. Track your child’s bus by using “My Stop” by Versatrans App located in the Apple Store or Google Play and use the same login credentials as E-Link. We encourage all students to ride their assigned bus to and from school as each bus driver will have a roster of their assigned students. Please keep in mind that school buses always have the right of way while on school grounds. Should you have any questions regarding your child’s bus route, please call our Transportation Department at (847) 856-3644.

Please remember to visit the Virtual Backpack throughout the year to see other events and activities for children and families in the area. Newly Added: WSRA Truck-or-Treat, Oct. 23!

Woodland has a variety of social media channels to help families stay up-to-date on the latest news and updates:

Social Media: If you prefer to get the above-mentioned news from Woodland via social media, follow us on Twitter @ElemWoodland50 @Woodland50news or 'Like' us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WoodlandDistrict50 or Follow us on Instagram: @Woodland50_elem