I hope your summer break if off to a great start! I wanted to share a few quick updates with you since there is a lot happening here at Woodland during the summer.

• This week, more than 600 Wildcats started the Extended School Year and Wildcat Summer Adventure programs. Participants will be working on Language Arts, Math, STEAM, and there will be plenty of social-emotional learning and time with friends.
• If you have driven by Woodland Middle School, you have seen that construction is underway on the roof replacement project.
• Register Now for the 2021-2022 School Year: Woodland families may now complete all registration requirements online. Log in to Skyward Family Access, register your child(ren), upload your proof of residency documents and pay any registration and food service fees. The deadline to register is July 15! In early August, we will send additional information about logging back in to Skyward Family Access to find your teacher/schedule assignments and bus information.

If there is anything the district can do to support you during the summer, please feel free to reach out.

Your Partner in Education,
Dr. Lori Casey, Superintendent
Woodland D50

The Board of Education met on June 24, 2021. If you missed the meeting, you are welcome to watch the recording HERE.

School Year 2021-2022 Update
Dr. Casey provided a written report on Woodland's plans for the return to full in-person learning in the fall for the 2021-2022 school year. Woodland leaders are meeting regularly to develop and fine-tune return to school plans, and the district continues to follow the guidance coming from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

• Remote Learning - The most recent guidance from ISBE states that all schools must resume fully in-person learning in the fall. With the guidance from the state, and a very low turnout of families requesting this option in the remote learning survey, we will be limited to Remote Learning only for students not eligible for the vaccine and currently under a quarantine order as outlined by ISBE. Should a child have a medical condition preventing them from attending in person for two or more consecutive weeks or on an intermittent basis, that student may qualify for homebound instruction.
• Social-Emotional Learning - The master schedule at each school next year includes at least one 30-minute block of uninterrupted Social Emotional Learning time each day.
• Social Distancing/Masking - The district is awaiting updated guidance from ISBE regarding what will be required in the fall.

New Hires

Woodland is pleased to announce that the Board of Education approved the hiring of new administrators in the district. Please welcome:

• Timothy Sheldon, Intermediate Principal
• Michelle Mallari, Intermediate Assistant Principal
• Elsie Tucker, Woodland Elementary Assistant Principal
• Risa Cohen, Assistant Director of Educational Supports and Innovation

Welcome to the #LifeintheW Team!

Tentative Budget Presentation

The Board of Education reviewed and approved the FY22 Tentative Budget. A legal notice will be published inviting the public to review the tentative budget and to attend a budget hearing to be held on September 23, 2021 prior to final adoption. View the Presentation.

CLC Partnership

Dr. Machak, Associate Superintendent of Education, provided information to the Board on a partnership with the College of Lake County (CLC). Through this partnership, the District will offer three programs free of charge to the parents of our English as a Second Language (ESL) families beginning in September 2021: English as a Second Language, GED high school equivalency preparation, and Technology Skills. Twenty-three percent of Woodland students are classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) and fifty-five different languages are spoken by our families at home. These classes will assist parents in becoming more active participants in their children's education and will be held at Woodland Intermediate. The program costs will be split between CLC and Woodland D50 and will be entirely funded with state and federal grants. The classes will be offered at no cost to program participants.

Strategic Plan Update

The Board of Education also received a progress report on the Strategic Plan. We are currently in year three of the plan, and even though some of our priorities had to shift due to our response to COVID19, many of the initiatives in the plan continued moving forward. To learn more about the accomplishments from January - June of 2021, please review the Accomplishments and Coming Attractions document.

We want you to join the Woodland team! We are currently hiring for Bus Drivers and Substitute/Guest Teachers. These are very important positions for opening to full in-person school in the fall. You can make a difference and contribute to #LifeintheW. Follow @WoodlandCareers on Twitter to see other postings.

Grab and Go Meals - Woodland’s Grab and Go meal service is available for any child under the age of 18 at no charge. The program is a continuation of what was provided during the school year, but with a few modifications for summer. Food pick-up days will be Monday and Thursday each week at Woodland Intermediate, and families may pick up three breakfasts and three lunches (per child under 18) to cover food for the week. Please note: NEW LOCATION!

DATES: June 7 - July 22, Monday and Thursday ONLY

TIME: 12:15 - 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Woodland INTERMEDIATE, 1115 N. Hunt Club Road, Gurnee (this will be the only summer location).

No service on Monday, July 5 due to the holiday

Northern Illinois Food Bank Delivers with DoorDash - The Northern Illinois Food Bank is thrilled to support Woodland D50 families this summer with a new delivery option. Place your order through My Pantry Express, select your delivery date and location “Lake - Delivery Only”, add items to your order, then checkout. After you checkout, watch for an email confirmation and fill out the Delivery Form to confirm your address. Learn More.

Rise and Shine Illinois Summer Meals - Free Meals for all children 18 and under. Free summer meals are part of the Summer Food Service Program funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. Learn More.

Order your supply pack today and get ready for next year. The Woodland PTA has extended the deadline.

Place your order now through June 27th, and the packs will be shipped directly to your home at the beginning of August. Place your order HERE. Our school code is WOO510 (three letters followed by three numbers). A portion of the proceeds goes to the PTA. Funds raised by the PTA go to supporting our Woodland schools.

Follow the Woodland D50 PTA on Facebook for other opportunities to get involved and support our schools. They are currently looking for volunteers for several fall events!

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) asked us to share the following Child Tax Credit information with district families. We are sharing this as an FYI, but we are not able to answer questions or provide further guidance.

The Child Tax Credit has been expanded to $3,000 per child 6-17 years old and $3,600 per child under 6. All working families will get the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent. That means that nearly 90 percent of children in the U.S. will automatically receive the new child tax credit.

Families who filed taxes in the last two years or used the IRS “Non-Filer Portal” to get a stimulus check last year do not need to do anything. The IRS will automatically send them a monthly payment by direct deposit or check starting on July 15, 2021 – at $250 per child between 6-17 or $300 per child under 6.

If you have not filed taxes in the last two years or used the IRS “Non-Filer Portal” to get a stimulus check, the IRS has a simplified online tool that allows families to sign up for the Child Tax Credit.