Woodland Intermediate School
Woodland School Board Monthly Update
December/January
2008/2009
Throughout the months of December and January all but one professional development opportunities at Woodland Intermediate School have supported our reading implementation and effective teaching practices. This specifically included activities and lessons related to the inquiry process, vocabulary instruction, and concept/question boards being used within the classroom.
A second area of focus for the months of December and January was Investigations Math at the 4th and 5th grade levels and Connected Math at the 6th grade level. Staff members had one Monday morning to collaborate in grade level teams.
Schools that were recognized as a School of Distinction were requested to participate in a survey that was developed by the Center for Educational Effectiveness in Redmond, WA. The survey included questions related to the Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools, district support, organizational trust, and comparison perspectives. WIS staff members participated in the survey during the month of December. The results have just recently been returned. We will be analyzing the results as a staff in the near future.
Students and staff participated in a Spirit Day on January 30th. The theme was Clash Day. The highlight of the day included a spirit assembly that took place during the last 30 minutes of the school day. The assembly included publicly recognizing Student of the Month award winners and class competitions. Approximately 90% of students and staff participated in the dress up activity. Spirit Days continue to be incredibly popular.
We have successfully implemented paperless newsletters, bulletins, and other forms of communication between the school and home. Approximately 275 families have signed up for this service. Our objectives with this program are to improve communication between the school and home while at the same time conserve district resources. Parent support for this program has been overwhelming positive.