Mon Jun 13 2016, 5:30pm
District Meeting Room
Regular Meeting

REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Woodland Middle School Report

To:      Michael Green

From: Jake Hall

Date:  6.7.16

Re:     WMS Board Report

 

WMS families, students, and staff are putting the finishing touches on a wonderfully successful 2015-16 school year!  The following topics are explained in more detail below:

  • 2015-16 State Assessments: DONE
  • Going Green in 2016
  • School Supply List Reduction
  • A Great Year Of Growth

2015-16 State Assessments: DONE

We are finishing up the final make-up state assessments this week.  I want to thank the entire WMS staff for flexing their time to make sure every WMS student was set up for success on their state assessments.  Often we utilized every computer on the campus as we had 100% of our student body taking the assessments.  I also want to thank Angela Campbell for seeing us through, from start to finish, on all the guidelines, training, organization and administration of the enormous state assessment project at WMS.

Going Green in 2016

Each certified staff member at WMS now has a Chromebook, iPad or other useful mobile device.  This will help all of us do our jobs more efficiently and improve our ability to “go green in 2016”.  Starting this summer we are going green in many significant ways with our students and families as well.  It will be easier than ever for our families to do business, fill out forms, check student attendance and grades, communicate, set up conferences at the best time(s) for their family and celebrate success!  I have first-hand experience in schools that have made this transition and I’m so happy for WMS families, students and staff to be able to realize the great potential of going green.  Families can expect minimal papers coming home...phew!  They will have information 24/7 at their convenience on their smartphone and/or computer.  As always, we will have a paper edition of every school document for any families that need it or just prefer it.

School Supply List Reduction

We have been listening to concerns from staff and families that the burden of cost for school supplies has been too high.  We have taken steps to improve this dilemma.  Thanks to WMS staff for working together to find alternate ways to fund school supplies for families.  We have whittled down the total cost of school supplies for families to $20 or less per grade level.  

A Great Year Of Growth

Can you remember the start of this school year at the new WMS?  EVERYTHING was NEW!!  Over 75% of our students and families and over 50% of our staff were new.  The configuration of grades 5-8 was new.  In most cases, the instructional materials were new.  The facility was completely updated and the office and entry way were new.  Our schedule of classes was new.  The possibilities and the promise of a great year were new.  And now, here we are!  At the end of a great year!  We’ve monitored and adjusted galore and we have cultivated growth in every area of our comprehensive middle school.  We have observed significant gains in student academics and behavior.  We have settled into our schedule, facility, routines, and new traditions.  We have built success together with families through countless interactions, PRIDE family night, nearly 100% of conferences and direct connection with community groups.  We have strengthened our role as “the core” of Woodland School District, working dynamically with WPS, WIS, and WHS.  We’ve had more volunteers than ever before and we have wrapped around students as teams to find meaningful ways to make sure each WMS Trojan knows they are Awesome, Loved and Full of Potential.

None of this success would be possible without the tremendous positive attitudes from our WMS families and staff and the support of Central Office and our Board of Directors.  I can assure you of what I get to see every day: students at WMS are in an excellent setting with staff who genuinely care about students as individuals, take extra time and energy on students’ behalf and find winning ways to make powerful partnerships together with families.  I am so proud to work with our WMS staff; I learn from them and I am inspired by them every day. Being back in Woodland is also affirmation of what I experienced years ago as a teacher at Woodland High School:  Woodland is a proud, caring community full of great families and students!!  Thank you, Mr. Green and WSD Board of Directors, for your part in making WMS a great school!  We have a long way to grow and we are off to a great start.