REPORTS TO THE BOARD

WMS Report

Date: 2/27/2009
To: Michael Green, Superintendent
From: Cari Thomson
RE: WMS Summary of Teaching and Learning - February 2009

February was a busy month at Woodland Middle School!

Our staff utilized Mondays in February for completing group norms and finalizing our belief statements. This was an arduous but necessary process as staff have identified five common concerns that we will be addressing through the 2009-2010 school year. The commons concerns we will be tackling are work completion, cross-curricular collaboration, connecting information, transforming information, and student motivation.

The WMS building leadership team (BLT) has been collaboratively designing and presenting staff development opportunities on Monday as well as exploring our individual and collective understandings, as well our PLT's (professional learning team) by continuing our DuFour book study.

Four teachers from WMS began their SIOP (structured instructional observational protocol) training this month. This core group of teachers will be trained on specific strategies to help our English language learners better connect with the content. This group has also created an after school PLT to discuss and share current practices and ideas. Other staff members have expressed interest in joining this PLT.

In the classrooms this month I observed great things. I have watched frog dissections, students building DNA, students building houses, and students using fantastic websites to manipulate and learn about surface area and nets. Michael Smith's after school art club has started on Tuesday and we have found two local businesses, so far, that will be displaying WMS student art. Look forward to seeing the displays at the Port of Woodland and My Place Espresso.

NJHS had their induction ceremony this month and we are currently kicking off Pennies for Patients.

Finally, I would like to extend a sincere thank to those staff members, athletes, students, and community members that participated in several walk-in knocks organized by WMS. It is great to see that schools are supported