September 5, 2012
TO: Michael Green, Superintendent
FROM: Mark Houk
RE: WPS MONTHLY UPDATE
Clean Start at WPS!
Overall, probably as solid and positive a start to the first three days of school we have had in quite some time...........especially with several new staff and some of us playing different roles than in the recent past.
Kudos to our teams for the effort to welcome and engage students and their families in WPS goings on!
Woodland Primary "besieged" by Kindergartners!
As all have probably heard - we are currently at 163 Kindergarten Students at WPS! In my tenure, that is a record amount for this grade level. It was so appreciated when we were allowed to add a 7th section of KG after the first short week of school. That section under the direction of Mrs. Wallace (formerly Ms. Kudrna) first met yesterday (Tuesday).
We have had great parent cooperation in moving students - will still need to move 3-4 more to the new section in the coming days.
*For this all to work, in the short span of a few days, cooperation and hard work was required of KG Teachers Lindsay Wallace and Shae Lindsay who were sharing a room, but had to tear it apart and start over, each with their own room.
-Custodial was magnificent in moving items
-Fellow staff and even parent volunteers jumped in and helped with the effort to make it so both rooms were ready to go on Tuesday - nice job, all!
Meal Program Upgrades
A thank you to Stacy Brown, new Food Coordinator Jamie Williams, Judy Lute, and our Support Staff that help in the Cafeteria.............new requirements have resulted in us needing to change the manner in which we work students through the lunch line...........and ALL adults and kids have worked diligently to set up and practice a procedure which seems to be working in our initial days. Again, "HATS OFF" to the teams who have addressed this - GREAT looking and tasting food as well!
Teaching/Learning.............
This time of year, we are practicing very diligently routines and expectations for being in and around a facility of over 600 students and 60 some staff. Prominently, we are assessing students for placement into appropriate learning groupings.............most of our core reading and other programs will be up and functioning by about Sept. 12th.
This doesn't mean we are just "practicing rules and taking tests." The bulk of each day is spent on homerooms working up to the place where core reading, Math, Writing, and Science will soon take over.