Woodland D50 News and Information
Nov. 18, 2022
Superintendent Update: Message from Dr. Machak
Dear Woodland Families,
November 15 marked the official statewide observance of School Board Members Day in Illinois; here at Woodland, we celebrated our Board of Education at last night’s Governing Board meeting by taking a few moments during the meeting to show our appreciation to our dedicated school board members.
As we provide every month on the Friday after a school board meeting, today’s communication contains a summary of the meeting highlights below. What many people do not realize is that the work of a board member extends far beyond attendance at a monthly meeting.
In addition to the time they set aside each month to attend the Board of Education meetings, board members spend many additional hours outside of the public view preparing for those meetings. Board members spend time preparing by reading through written reports, following up on inquiries from the previous meeting, and making sure they understand the issues they will be voting on. Board members also serve on a variety of district-level committees; important policy development work takes place throughout the month through the committee structure. Board members are also required to complete specific trainings as a component of their oath to serve in this capacity, and often pursue other professional development workshops to continue to improve their knowledge for serving in this important role. Our members willingly attend state and national conferences to learn from other school districts, and bring back ideas and programs to benefit our students. This commitment often means time away from their families and jobs. Some board members pursue opportunities to serve on statewide committees and task forces, as well as to volunteer with local groups like Woodland’s PTA and at the annual Gurnee Days celebration.
I hope you will join me in recognizing our Woodland D50 Board of Education Members and thank them for their dedication to the students of Woodland and years of service to this district:
Dr. Carla Little, President - member since 1999
Mr. Joseph De Rosa, Vice-President - member since 2017
Mrs. Lizzy Helgren, Secretary - member since 2017
Mrs. Renea Amen, JD - member since 2019 (previous term 2016-2017)
Mr. Corey Holmer - member since 2020
Mrs. Anna Chang-Yen - member since 2021
Mrs. Brianna Powvens - member since 2021
As we look ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday next week, I hope that you are all looking forward to a few extra days off to recharge your batteries. Due to the shortened week, there will be no newsletter next Friday. I wish you a wonderful and safe holiday break with your loved ones!
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent
Woodland D50
Important Dates
- Nov. 18 - Good Night, Sleep Tight at 6:30 p.m. (Woodland Intermediate)
This is a FREE Family Storytelling event, TONIGHT! - Nov. 21 & 22 - Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release
- Nov. 22 - Community SHIELD Testing Event, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Event Details
- Nov. 23, 24 & 25 - District Closed
- Save the Dates
- Dec. 2 - Chuck E Cheese, PTA Restaurant Fundraiser
- PTA Holiday Shop Dec. 8 & 9, Volunteers Needed
Woodland D50 Board of Education Highlights
The Woodland School Board of Education Governing meeting was held on Nov. 17, 2022. Please see below for a summary of highlights from the meeting, or we welcome you to watch the meeting HERE.
Thank you for your continued support of Woodland District 50!
Pledge of Allegiance
The Board of Education invited Woodland D50 Veterans to lead the Board in saying the Pledge of Allegiance.
Superintendent Report
School Board Member Day
As part of the Superintendent Report, Dr. Machak shared a proclamation with the Board of Education recognizing November 15 as School Board Member Day in Illinois. The district shared messages of appreciation to Board Members in recognition of their dedication to the Woodland learning community.
Elementary School Veterans Day Fundraiser
In honor of Veterans Day, Elementary students participated in a spirit week and raised money for Lake County Honor Flight by collecting change. Ryan Wollberg, Elementary Principal, and Kyle Lees, Elementary P.E. Teacher, attended the Board of Education meeting to explain how their students learned about the importance of Veterans Day and announce that the students will be donating $1800 to the Honor Flight.
Approval of Employment, Resignations and Retirements
The Board of Education approved employment for three key staff members to support our district. This includes a new Finance Coordinator, a Playground Supervisor, and a Guest Teacher.
Also under consent agenda, the Board approved the resignation of one staff member, and a leave of absence for another staff member.
Approval of Donations
The Board of Education appreciates the donations from generous supporters to help enhance programming in the district.
Middle - The Middle School received a $100 donation from Kelly and Glenn McBlane to be used for the Middle School Drama Club.
The total donation for November 2022 is $100. That brings the total donation amount for the 2022-2023 school year to $6,801.50 to date. To see previous donations for this school year, view the list HERE.
Other Items Under Consent Agenda
Under Consent Agenda is where you will find approval of Board Meeting minutes, and approval of the monthly Financial Reports, Treasurer Reports, and Board Payables for the month. These reports are posted to the website after the meeting.
- Approval of District LED Lighting Bid Process - In an effort to decrease energy consumption, reduce annual expenditures, reduce ongoing maintenance costs, and improve light quality throughout the district, the Board of Education approved the district's request to go out to bid for LED lighting.
- Approval of AV/Sound System Replacement in Oak Room - The current sound system in the Oak Room is more than 20 years old, it is no longer supported by the current vendor, and replacement parts are not readily available. The system relies on physical connections to the board table, and these connections frequently break, causing sound and microphone interference. The sound equipment will be replaced with current technology, and the live streaming feature will be switched to "Youtube Live", a cloud-based system. The cost of this project will be $15,200 and is included in the 2022-2023 budget.
- Approval of 0.2 FTE Instructional Technology Coordinators - The Board of Education approved a 0.2 FTE Instructional Technology Coordinator position to bridge the current gap that exists between the Technology, Curriculum, and Student Information Services Departments. This is a pilot program that will run January - June 2023.
Action Items
The business that takes place under "Action Items" is first reviewed by the Board of Education at the previous monthly governing meeting under "Reports/Discussion Items". An item will first be presented as a Report or Discussion item for the Board of Education members to be introduced to the topic and allow time for questions, review, and revisions before that item is moved to the Action Items portion of the agenda for a vote the following month.
- Approval of the 2022 Tax Levy - The District must approve an annual tax levy, as required by law, to establish a final levy of property taxes to support the district in 2023. The property taxes that Woodland collects account for approximately 80% of the district's annual operating revenues. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2022 are $79,878,715.
- At the October meeting, the Board certified a preliminary levy estimate, and published a Truth in Taxation notice in the newspaper.
- At the November meeting, the Board of Education held a tax levy hearing, and then approved the 2022 Tax Levy.
- The Tax Levy presentation will be posted to the website early next week.
- Approval of Relocation Intergovernmental Agreements - The Board of Education approved intergovernmental agreements that provide a safe and secure location for staff and students in the event of an evacuation. Identifying these locations is a requirement of the District Crisis Plan so that we are prepared to move our staff and students to safety in an emergency situation.
Reports and Discussion Items
Reports and Discussion Items are placed on the agenda as an introduction to a topic. If the topic will require a vote, it will be brought back under "Action Items" at the next regularly scheduled meeting. This allows Board Members to familiarize themselves with the topic and ask questions, or request additional information and modifications before voting on the matter. The following topics were introduced as a Report/Discussion Item at this month's meeting:
A. Annual Human Resources Report and Presentation
B. Written Report and Presentation on 1st Quarter Discipline
C. Written Report on Middle School Roof Phase III
D. Written Report on District Vehicle Replacement
E. Written Information on Revised Board Policies
F. Receipt of Freedom of Information Act Requests
Links to presentations will be added to the website soon! Check back HERE early next week.
Board Improvements and Operations
Under Board Improvements and Operations, Board Members have the opportunity to provide a report from the various committees or meetings they have attended since the last meeting.
The Board also discussed which sessions and training they will attend at the Joint Annual Conference this weekend. At the conference, Dr. Little will represent Woodland D50 on the Resolutions Committee and serve as a delegate to vote on Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Resolutions and Position Statements. The Board discussed the Resolutions Committee Report to help guide and inform Dr. Little's vote on behalf of our school district.
The Board of Education recently participated in a TrustEdge Workshop and shared thoughts about the experience and how the training can be incorporated in the work they do.
There was also a discussion with district administration about the Strategic Plan Process and Timeline. The Board of Education will be developing a new Strategic Plan over the next several months and they provided feedback to Dr. Machak about the process and opportunities for gathering stakeholder input.
Board of Education Meeting Materials
You are always welcome to go back and review meeting materials, presentations, Board Payables, Finance Reports and the video recording from a regularly scheduled Board Meeting on the district website HERE (select the meeting date to view supporting materials). These items are typically posted within 24-48 hours after the meeting.
Report Card Survey: 1st - 5th Grade
We are looking for your feedback on Report Cards!
The purpose of a report card is to communicate meaningful and relevant information related to a student’s progress against Illinois Learning Standards. Currently, Woodland’s Grading and Report Card Committee is working to improve report cards in grades 1-5.
Your voice is important to us as we shift to incorporate equitable grading practices and align report cards with state standards. After reviewing your child’s Q1 report card, please complete this survey by Nov. 22, 2022.
So far our 5th Grade families are in the lead with the most responses!
If you would like to have more information about the committee or the process of report card development, please contact Dr. Victoria Kieffer, Director of Teaching and Learning at vkieffer@dist50.net.
Saturday Study Hall & Homework Help Begins Dec. 10!
Woodland will begin offering a Saturday Study Hall & Homework Help program on Saturday mornings starting Dec. 10. Teachers may recommend a student attends, or parents may register their child, based on the student's academic needs. Whether a student needs assistance in a specific content area, or they just need a quiet place to study or work on a project, this program is meant to be flexible.
The program will be offered on Saturday mornings from 8 - 11 a.m. at Woodland Intermediate, and registration is required each week so that we can plan accordingly for staff.
New Parent Mentor Program: Stronger Together!
The Parent Mentor Program is off to a great start. The first three parent mentors have already started training, and recently met with Dr. Machak, and Dr. Johnson from the Regional Office of Education.
It's not too late to get involved! We are looking for parent volunteers who are ready to make a difference in our learning community by collaborating with our teachers and taking an active role in the classroom.
The Parent Mentor Program takes volunteering to the next level, and is ideal for parents/guardians who can make a weekly commitment to working with students. Parent Mentors will work one-on-one, or in small groups, with students who need extra support in the classroom. If selected to be a Parent Mentor, we will provide the necessary training and continuing professional development that you will need to succeed. All parents are welcome to apply, and no previous experience is required.
To learn more, please contact:
- Tanya Abbey, Parent Mentor Coordinator at 847-984-8894, tabbey@dist50.net
- Lavonna Garner, At-Risk Parent Facilitator at 847-984-8757, lgarner@dist50.net
Fill the Box with Socks!
Woodland Middle School and Warren High School are helping collect socks for the Caring for Kids clothing drive! Caring for Kids is a local non-profit that helps make sure kids in this area are properly dressed to stay dry and warm this winter. Please bring new socks, youth size 4 and up, and fill the box with socks by Dec. 2, 2022. Thank you!