Woodland Elementary School
Weekly Update for Friday, January 13
Dear Woodland Families and Community,
What a great week at Elementary! It was so great to see our students back in the building this week! I absolutely love when students return after their breaks and share with me their stories of how they spent their breaks. I heard about vacations, holiday traditions, and a whole lot of fun activities. One variable in all the stories I heard was that our students, and I hope all of you, used the time to connect with family and friends and were excited to be back in the building.
With our E-Learning Day before the break, Ms. Blasius and Mrs. Cacioppo were busy on Wednesday delivering and honoring our December ROAR Students. As a reminder, if you had a ROAR Student in November or December, we will have our School Assembly next week on Friday. This is another opportunity for us to recognize the efforts of these students and also continue to celebrate all of our student's efforts for this past quarter.
Now that we are back I wanted to update families and remind you about some important items to help us all here at Elementary as it relates to drop off in the morning now that it is colder out. Please give us a hand with the following reminders:
- Please make sure in the morning and afternoon times, you utilize our pick-up and drop-off lines. Please refrain from parking in other areas.
- Please have your child ready with their backpack when you drop them off in the morning.
- Please stay in the car as we do not want anyone unintentionally hurt
Tanya Abbey, our Parent Mentor Volunteer, has created a video (below) as Elementary is still looking for one last volunteer. This is a great program that I know is benefiting our students and staff and if you have the time and want to get involved at your child's school this may be just the opportunity for you!
It is officially Gurnee Teacher of the Year time throughout Woodland. I am honored to work with such a kind-hearted and dedicated staff. I hear such positive feedback about our amazing educators at Woodland on a consistent basis and now we are seeking your help honoring them. Please consider nominating one, two, or better yet, every teacher at Elementary for Gurnee Teacher of the Year. More information is below, thank you for your consideration as this is always a great way to celebrate their hard work and dedication.
Lastly, as a reminder, we will have no school on Monday, January 16 in honor of Martin Luther King JR. Day. As we have in the past, I will continue to send weekly updates on the last full day of school of the week. As always I thank you for your help and support and I hope you have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Ryan Wollberg
Woodland Elementary Principal
No School-Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, Jan 16, 2023, 07:45 AM
Woodland Elementary School, West Gages Lake Road, Gages Lake, IL, USA
Gurnee Teacher of the Year
It’s Time to Celebrate Amazing Woodland Teachers! The Village of Gurnee is once again sponsoring the Teacher of the Year Award to recognize teachers from Woodland District 50, Gurnee District 56 and Warren Township High School. All certified staff are eligible for this award. This includes classroom teachers, special education teachers, special area teachers (ex: music, art, P.E.), social workers, health teachers, band directors, reading or math specialists and more!
Saturday Study Hall & Homework Help
Woodland's new Saturday Study Hall & Homework Help program is off to a great start!
If your child needs assistance in a specific content area, or they just need a quiet place to study or work on a project, join us on Saturday mornings from 8 - 11 a.m. at Woodland Intermediate. This program is open to all D50 students in 1st - 8th grade. Teachers may recommend a student attends, or parents may register their child, based on the student's academic needs. Registration is required each week so that we can plan accordingly for staff.
Equity and Inclusion at Elementary
January is Poverty Awareness Month, a month-long initiative to raise awareness and call attention to the growth of poverty in America. This entire month, we will be talking (in an age-appropriate way) about how and why poverty continues to impact so many of us around the globe.
Please consider reading this article that can help start the conversation about poverty with our students: https://www.parents.com/parenting/money/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-poverty/ We are also including a video introduction that our two Equity Leaders, Tiffany Allen and Elizabeth Gaiser, created for our students to better understand the topic.
Volunteer Opportunities
Woodland Primary and Elementary have started a Parent Mentor Program. Please click the link below for additional information and please consider signing up if time permits!
Free Adult Education Classes Through CLC
Woodland D50 has partnered with the College of Lake County to provide free Adult Education classes for district families. Registration will take place in-person on Jan. 30, 2023 at 6 p.m. at Woodland Intermediate. There is no cost to participate and childcare will be provided on site.
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
- High School Diploma, also known as GED
Classes begin in February and they are held in-person at Woodland Intermediate.
For more information, please call 847-543-2485, or 847-543-2872
Quick Tips and Text-A-Tip
Visit our school website and click on the "Quick Tips" icon, to access Quick Tip. Quick Tips is an anonymous and confidential reporting system for students. I have included a link to the URL below.
Tips may be submitted via Quick Tip 24 hours a day. However, tips may not be received and acted upon until the next school day. If your tip is regarding an emergency situation, please call 911.
Text-A-Tip - Anonymous, 24/7 Mental Health Support.
To be connected with a licensed mental health counselor: Text WTHELP to 844-823-5323 or download Lake County Help from the app store
Covid-19 Mitigation Strategies
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.
Health Reminders for the 2022-2023 School Year
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.
Dental Reminders for Second Grade
School Hours
- 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.
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.
School Breakfast and Lunch
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Please review specifics regarding parent drop off and parent pick up
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.
Parent Pick Up/Curbsmart Pick-Up Tags
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!
Additional Information Regarding Busing
PTA News
January PTA Meeting on 1/19 at 7:00pm via Zoom. Registration is required. Come join the PTA for our monthly general meeting, it is a great way to connect and learn what is happening throughout our district. More details.
International Night is returning! Hosted by the PTA and Middle School PBIS committee, we are looking for families to create displays to celebrate their culture or homeland. The event will be held at Woodland Middle School on Friday 2/3. There will be a table for each display and postboard will be provided. If your family is interested in participating, please complete this form by 1/25. Questions? Please contact Kristin Michna, dist50pta@gmail.com.
Hiring in the W
Have you ever considered working for the school district where your child (or children) attend school? You don't have to be a teacher to work for a school. Working for the district could mean similar hours and days off as your child depending on the type of position. We have more than 800 employees and we are one of the biggest employers in Gurnee. Please view our current job openings on the district website under the "Careers" tab or follow @WoodlandCareers on Twitter.
We are currently hiring for:
- Network System Engineer
- Student Support Technician
- Paraprofessionals
- Bus Drivers
- Administrative Assistant
- Nurse
- Payroll Specialist
- Guest/Substitute Teachers
- Playground/Lunchroom Supervisors
- And more...
Join the #LifeintheW Team Today!
Virtual Backpack
Get the latest news from Woodland and Elementary
Woodland has a variety of social media channels to help families stay up-to-date on the latest news and updates:
Woodland Elementary School
Gages Lake, Illinois 60030
Phone: 847-984-8800
Fax: 847-549-9806