Elementary School

Smile - Staff Selfie Challenge!!! We asked Woodland staff members to send in happy moments throughout the month of May to capture the last few weeks of school. Here is a photo of Mrs. Berryman and her class getting ready to go on a Field Trip to the Dream Playground in Kenosha. She said it was a "Great day, great ROAR behavior from her students, and a great example of #LifeintheW 🤩" Thank you for sharing this happy moment from Elementary!

Happy Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week! We are so thankful for all of our Woodland teachers and staff for their hard work, dedication, and tireless commitment to our students and families. Thank you for everything you do for our learning community! Let's take a moment to give a huge shout-out to the educators, support staff, and all the behind-the-scenes heroes who go above and beyond every day. You make a difference in more ways than you know! #LifeintheW

Volunteer Appreciation Event at Woodland Elementary! The students in 1st - 3rd grade have so much support throughout the year from our community. They spend time with High School Mentors from Warren Township High School, Senior Readers from Warren Township Center, and One Hope United Volunteers. The volunteers often help by practicing skills in small groups or one-on-one. They work on reading, writing, and math, but they are also building relationships and practicing social skills. Both the students and the mentors light up when they see each other, and our students made thoughtful gifts and cards for their special people to show them how much they care! #LifeintheW At the event, Dr. Machak provided welcome remarks, Ms. Sauvé & Ms. Spillane explained the impact of the programs and handed out certificates, and everyone watched a video together of cherished memories from the year. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!!! https://www.canva.com/design/DAGknRyWQRU/7tjIU_eUflYIZs7a3D59cw/edit?utm_content=DAGknRyWQRU&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

The Village of Gurnee Teacher of the Year/Staff of the Year Winners from Woodland are... 👏👏👏 Announcement: https://secure.smore.com/n/j5sydb 💚 Woodland's Teacher of the Year: Ricardo Gómez Pimentel, 4th Grade Dual Language Teacher at Woodland Intermediate 💚 Woodland's Staff Member of the Year: Amanda Medina, Dispatcher, Woodland Transportation Thank you to all who submitted nominations as part of the annual contest. This is something we look forward to every year. NEXT STEPS: The two district winners (along with the winners from Warren D121 & Gurnee D56) will be recognized at the Village of Gurnee Board Meeting on May 5. The Woodland winners and finalists will then be recognized by the Woodland D50 Board of Education at the May 22 meeting. Read the full announcement for photos and additional information about the winners and the other finalists.

It was fun seeing all the amazing photos from Warren Township High School Live Arts Festival over the weekend. Here are a few photos from the event featuring Woodland artists. Such talented young artists in our community - WOW 🤩 We heard of at least two special recognitions from the event. Congrats to Emma for her 2nd place overall finish in the 1 -3 grade category, and to Zoe for winning the Mayor's Choice Award!

Technology Volunteers Needed This Summer! Did you know that a school district is a busy place in the summer? While teachers and students are on summer break, many district employees will be on site to get ready for the 2025-2026 school year! From technology updates and facility improvements, to planning for new initiatives, summer is an important time to make sure everything is ready to support students and staff when they return. This is where you come in! The Tech Team is looking for volunteers to help with the following: 🤩 Unboxing Chromebooks - a fleet of 1,000 Chromebooks need unboxing 🤩 Enrolling & Updating - All Chromebooks, new and already in use, will need to be enrolled and updated 🤩 Building Charging Carts - Chromebook charging carts need to be built for our schools No experience is necessary. Service hours available upon request. https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScNHaoktLJ9ba.../viewform Questions? Please email Mrs. Reyes at mreyes@dist50.net or call her at 847-596-5676.

Celebrating 12 Years of Woodland’s Dual Language Immersion Program! This year marks an incredible milestone: Woodland’s first Dual Language students are graduating from high school! We are thrilled to have been part of these students’ academic and bilingual journeys—from their first steps in the program to this amazing achievement. This celebration is a tribute to the dedication, perseverance, and passion of everyone involved—our students, families, teachers, and staff. From the program’s humble beginnings to now, in 110 classrooms and serving more that 1,300 students, the Dual Language Immersion Program stands as one of Woodland’s proudest accomplishments. Today we honor the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead with excitement as we continue to support and grow this transformative program for current and future Woodland students. Watch our Dual Language Celebration Video NOW! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMfG2rSzprw

Woodland Board of Education News! On Thursday, April 24, 2025 the Woodland Board of Education held its April Governing Board Meeting and a Special Organizational Meeting to welcome new board members after the April 1 Election. The Board welcomes three new members, Julia Plescia, Keri Rasmussen, and Joel Zwiefelhofer who were elected to the Board in April. Dr. Carla Little was also sworn in after being re-elected to the Board to serve another term. Brianna Powvens, Amy Sabor, and Gari Matsey were not up for re-election this year and their service to our learning community continues. At the special reorganization meeting, the Board of Education selected new officers to leadership positions. Woodland D50 Board of Education Officers: • Brianna Powvens, President • Amy Sabor, Vice President • Joel Zwiefelhofer, Secretary Best Wishes to Members Leaving the Board: • Anna Bennett • Corey Holmer • Renea Amen Thank you for your service to our learning community! The Board also celebrated the WMS Science Olympiad Team, the annual Illinois Principals Association Student Leadership award winners, and Woodland’s Dual Language Immersion Program. Finally, Mrs. Katie Satterlee joins the WMS team to fill an Assistant Principal vacancy. For full details, see the weekly newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/80vkz

Woodland’s Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) visited the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods for a nature hike. While they were there, members created custom painted umbrellas! The next BPAC Meeting is May 21, 2025 at 7 p.m. #LifeintheW https://www.dist50.net/o/dist50/page/bpac

Registration for Wildcat Summer Adventures closes on Friday, April 18! There is still time to register for Wildcat Summer Adventures! Our dynamic summer enrichment program offers students a wide variety of hands-on activities, learning opportunities, and outdoor fun. Learn more, see photos from last year, register - https://secure.smore.com/n/x3d0u We hope you will join us for a fantastic Summer in the W!

Last week, Elementary hosted a fantastic Family Fun Night! Students, families, teachers, staff, and even Wiley came together to enjoy an evening full of excitement, fun, and connection. There was popcorn, snacks, and delicious options from local food trucks for our families to try. The night featured a variety of fun activities, including slime making, mini-golf, volleyball, and a Wildcat dance party. The Woodland PTA also held a book fair for everyone to enjoy. It was a great night at Elementary filled with fun for everyone!

Please Join Us - The final WISE Meeting of the 2024-2025 School Year is happening this Wednesday! WISE stands for Woodland Inclusion and Special Education Empowerment. This is a Special Education Resource Group for parents. Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Time: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Topic: Academic Transitions at Woodland District 50 This session will outline what our Woodland teams do to help students adjust to new school environments, schedules, and expectations! Learn more & RSVP: https://secure.smore.com/n/aug5nr

Happy Assistant Principal Appreciation Week! We want to give a huge THANK YOU to our incredible Woodland APs for everything they do for our schools, students, and staff. Every day, these passionate educational leaders go above and beyond; advocating, problem-solving, supporting, and showing how much they care. It’s an honor to celebrate them this week and every week. Thank you for all that you do!

Woodland is honored to be featured in the Lake County Regional Office of Education #34 April Newsletter! Thank you to our followers for being part of our Belonging and Inclusion story. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Lake-County-ROE-April-2025-Newsletter.html?soid=1141969542112&aid=_TiGn0AkIAY

Hi there! My name is Truett, and I am a very good boy. I am a service dog and my job is to help students at Woodland District 50. This is Wildcat territory, so I need help working on my ROAR. Will you cheer me on for my birthday? Thank you #LifeintheW friends! 🥳

Happy Paraprofessional Appreciation Day! We are incredibly grateful for our paraprofessional educators for their dedication and support for our students, teachers, and staff. You are champions, mentors, leaders, advocates, and heroes—you make a difference every single day. Thank you for all that you do! 💚

Angelo White is a real Woodland Superhero!!! 👏 👏 👏 Woodland is proud to partner with the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center in support of the Blue Kids campaign again this year! The Blue Kids campaign is an annual event to raise awareness and share resources in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The campaign kicked off last night with an awards ceremony to acknowledge valuable partners in law enforcement, healthcare, and the community. During the ceremony, a beloved Woodland crossing guard was honored. Read the description of the award and you will instantly think of ANGELO WHITE!!! Community Superhero Award The Community Superhero Award is a heartfelt way to honor those who make their neighborhoods, towns, or cities a better place to live through their acts of kindness, bravery, and leadership. This award celebrates someone who consistently demonstrates dedication, compassion, and action in serving others, often in ways that are not publicly acknowledged but make a significant difference in the lives of those around them. They may not wear a cape, but their efforts are often superhuman in terms of their selflessness, courage, and determination to bring about positive change. Please join us in congratulating Mr. White for the love and joy he is spreading to the Woodland learning community, and all those who drive by his little corner of positivity at the Washington and Almond intersection in Gurnee!!! Thank you for keeping children safe, and being a positive light in our community.

Join Us for Parent University – April 5! Woodland District 50 invites you to our free, in-person Parent University event focused on Keeping Kids Learning Over Summer! ✅ Sessions for families & students ✅ Spanish sessions available ✅ Community resources ✅ Childcare, snacks, and raffle prizes! - April 5, 2025 - Woodland District 50 - Register now! Don’t miss this great opportunity! See the flyer for details.

The final Parent University event of the 2024-2025 school year will be April 5, 2025. This will be an in-person networking and learning experience with a focus on Keeping Students Learning over Summer. Event includes: Childcare, Food, Raffle Prizes! Event attendees have the chance to win free registration for the 2025-2026 school year. There will be 10 winners. ‼️ New Opportunity at this Event! ‼️ Sessions for Students: See the schedule for "Student Offerings" times and topics. https://www.dist50.net/page/parent-university (Pictures from the January 2025 Event)

Now Hiring! Today we are highlighting two recent openings to join the #LifeintheW team. Check out these positions, and others on our Careers page: https://www.applitrack.com/dist50/OnlineApp/default.aspx