Woodland D50 News and Information
Aug. 19, 2022
Welcome Message from Dr. Machak
Dear Woodland Families,
It doesn’t matter if you are a brand new Kindergarten family with your first child starting school, or an educator that has been welcoming students back to school for years, the first day of school is special for all of us. A fresh start, a new beginning, a place to come together and celebrate.
As a child, I remember my mom loading all of us kids into the Buick LeSabre and heading over to Rudy Ganter’s shoe store on Grand Avenue in Waukegan for a new pair of school shoes for the year. That trip would be followed by a visit to the Belvidere Mall for school supplies. Undoubtedly, things have changed since my days as a grade school student: Amazon has replaced the neighborhood shoe store and parents can now receive, thanks to our awesome Woodland PTA, a complete box of School supplies delivered right to their front door. What hasn’t changed, however, is the anticipation, and excitement that accompanies the start of a new school year.
As a new superintendent, I spent the summer meeting with and listening to our community, staff members as well as parents, guardians, and taxpayers. As different as all of our backgrounds and experiences in school may have been, everyone I talk to wants more or less the same things for themselves and for their children: We want to feel safe and know our children are safe; we want to belong; we want to be seen and for our voices to be heard; we want to feel like who we are and what we do matters.
On August 1 and 2nd, I led a two-day retreat with every administrator in the district. Woven through our meetings, conversations, and presentations was a challenge - and an invitation - to be brave, bold, and courageous leaders for our children in Woodland District 50.
For me, this challenge means working to create a District where every child feels a sense of acceptance and belonging; it’s the creation of academic, social-emotional, and extra-curricular programming that not only provides equal access for all students, but also provides the support necessary for students to be successful in them; it’s creating a climate of professional development and ongoing support that attracts the best and brightest at what they do to Woodland and makes it impossible for them to ever want to leave. In short, it means creating the kind of school district for our students that we want for our own children.
On Wednesday next week, we will all have the opportunity to take these first bold, brave, and courageous steps together. We will celebrate our successes and reflect on our missteps together. Along the way, we will do everything we can to ensure that students, families, teachers, staff, and administrators are safe, are seen, and are heard.
Who we are and what we do as a school district matters. Every day. Wishing everyone a great start to Woodland’s best school year yet!
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent
Woodland D50
Important Dates
- August 23 - Meet and Greet for Elementary, Intermediate and Middle School
- August 24 - First Day of School for 1st - 8th grade, Primary Welcome Time Appointments
- August 25 - First Day of School for Early Childhood and Kindergarten
- August 25 - Board of Education Meeting
- August 30 - 8th Grade Curriculum Night
- August 31 - 7th Grade Curriculum Night
- September 1 - 6th Grade Curriculum Night
- September 2 - School Improvement Planning (SIP) Day, Early Dismissal
- September 5 - Labor Day, No School
Thank you to everyone who participated in Popsicles with a Principal this week!
Back to School Headquarters, COVID-19 Information for the School Year
We also love interacting with you on social media! Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and use #LifeintheW to show us your back-to-school photos. You may also submit back to school photos to Brooke Hagstrom for use on Woodland social media and website at BHagstrom@dist50.net.
REMINDER: School Supply Donation Drive
Woodland D50 and the Woodland PTA 50 have partnered with the United Way of Lake County to run a school supply donation drive for our students! By giving students the tools they need, you are helping them prepare for their academic studies, building self-esteem, and setting them up for success.
Some of our former Woodland students are helping too! The Students of Service (SOS) group at Warren's Almond Campus will also be collecting supplies for Woodland students.
Together we can help make sure every student is ready to learn!
Three ways to donate:
💚 Bring new school supplies to the district office, or back to school events such as “Meet and Greet”. Event Info Here
💚 Bring new supplies to PTA’s Kona Ice/Park Playdate, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Woodland Elementary
💚 Purchase new school supplies from our Target Wish List
School Supply Donation Drive
Campaña de donación de útiles escolares
School Supplies Needed
Necesitamos Estos Útiles Escolares
PTA Kona Ice Truck and Playground Playdate
The Woodland PTA will be hosting a Kona Ice Truck/Park Playdate for families to come together and celebrate the start of the school year. This is a fun event, and they had a great turn out last year (photo from Aug. 2021).
This is a FREE event and ALL Woodland families are welcome!
DATE: August 27, 2022
TIME: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Woodland Elementary Playground
At this event, the PTA will be selling new spirit wear and you can join the PTA with a membership for the school year. Please consider bringing school supplies to donate to help Woodland students start the school year ready to learn.