Woodland D50 News and Information

Dear Woodland Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

This week, my fellow district and school administrators gathered for two full days of team building and professional development to help set the tone for the school year. As leaders, we talked about being Brave, Courageous, and Bold for our Woodland Learning Community. We reconnected with our "Why" and talked about drawing strength and finding meaning in our work based on the incredible students and staff that we interact with throughout the year. We talked about our values, equitable grading practices and student achievement. We also spent time reflecting on our leadership styles and identifying ways we will continue to add value to #LifeintheW in the year ahead. Our batteries are charged, our buckets are full, and we are ready for a great school year!

On Monday, our school principals sent out their welcome back letters with important information and upcoming events to help you and your child/children prepare for the start of school. We have compiled this information on a "Back to School Headquarters" page on the district website if you want to find it all in one spot.

Next week we are excited to welcome new team members for New Certified Staff Orientation, and work continues in our schools to wrap up a few summer construction projects, cleaning, and final tasks related to the unification of Woodland Elementary! August is always an exciting and busy time in the district and we can't wait for everyone to be back together for the first day of school.

Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent
Woodland D50

Please check your child’s bus stop location by logging in to Versatrans e-Link (bus times are still being finalized). Your Family ID number is both the login and password, and this can be found in Skyward Family Access under “Student Information”. (View "My Child's Family" and look for "Family ID Number".) The bus app technology was recently updated and the app has increased functionality. Please give it another try to track your child's bus, or access Versatrans from your desktop!

If a bus stop change is needed, please fill out the Revised Bus Information Form (English / Spanish) as soon as possible. Please understand, one slight change on a route forces a change for every stop that follows. If you know that circumstances have changed for your child (for example they will be going to a new day care provider), do not wait until next Friday to contact Transportation. For further assistance, please call the main Transportation number at 847-856-3644, or email them at trans@dist50.net.

Woodland School District 50 will NOT be hosting an in-person Proof of Residency event.

If you missed the deadline for completing the proof of residency requirements through Family Access, view instructions in English or Spanish.

This weekend is the annual Gurnee Days Community Celebration and we are looking forward to a great two days. District and school administrators will be passing out ribs on Saturday at Rib Fest from 3 - 6 p.m. We hope you will stop by and say hello. Woodland is also excited to once again represent our school district in the Gurnee Days Parade. This year’s theme is “Life’s a Zoo” and we plan to show Gurnee that we are Wild about Woodland! Our float came to life with the help of our students and staff who "adopted" animals to fill our zoo. We aren't sure our giraffe will fit under the bridge because it is so tall. The WMS Marching Band has been practicing all week, and they even made a crocodile and named him Elton to go along with one of the songs they will be performing in the parade (HINT HINT)!

Safety is top of mind for many of our staff members and families as we prepare for this annual event. Working closely with our community partners, we know that the Gurnee Park District, the Village of Gurnee, and the Gurnee Police Department will have additional safety measures in place throughout the weekend. Here is the message from the Gurnee Police Department.