Thu Feb 27 2025, 6:30pm
Woodland School District Board Meeting Room 800 Third Street, Woodland, WA
Regular Meeting

REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Woodland Middle School Report

To:  Asha Riley, Superintendent

From: Russell Evans, WMS Principal

Date: February 24, 2025

RE: Woodland Middle School Board Report

Semester 1 Wrap-Up & Semester 2 Kickoff

As we close out the first semester at Woodland Middle School, I want to take a moment to reflect on our progress and share key updates as we transition into the second half of the school year.

Academic Progress & Assessment Updates

Students have completed their iReady Winter Diagnostics in both ELA and Math, providing valuable data to guide instruction and interventions for the remainder of the year. These assessments allow us to track student growth and ensure we are meeting the needs of all learners. Additionally, our multilingual students are beginning their WIDA testing, which will assess their English language proficiency and help us continue to support their academic success.

School Culture & Mascot Exploration

Over the past few months, Woodland Middle School, alongside our ASB, engaged in an important conversation about potentially changing our mascot from the Trojans to the Beavers, aligning with Woodland High School. This discussion was driven by a desire to unify our secondary schools across the district.

Through staff and student surveys, we gathered the following insights:

  • Staff Response: 34 total responses, with 73.5% in favor of a change and 26.5% wanting to remain the Trojans.
  • Student Response: 428 total responses (out of 751 students), with 57.2% in favor of a change and 42.8% preferring to remain the Trojans.

After carefully reviewing feedback from both staff and students, we have decided to put the mascot change on hold. What stood out most in the responses was the strong sense of identity and pride our staff and students have in being the Woodland Middle School Trojans—many expressed wanting to maintain a unique identity rather than simply matching the high school.

Some exciting ideas emerged from our discussions, including the possibility of adopting a mascot that represents the Pacific Northwest, much like our other campuses. A particularly popular suggestion was returning to the Woodland Wolves, a historical mascot of the district. Another student-favorite was the Dragons. While we will remain the WMS Trojans for now, these ideas could be revisited in the future.

Color Alignment with Woodland High School

One notable change moving forward is the alignment of our school colors with Woodland High School. Survey responses from both staff and students reflected a strong preference for removing yellow from our color scheme. As a result, we will be:

  • Matching our green to the high school’s shade.
  • Bringing out white and black to better align with WHS.

While this transition will take time, much of our campus already reflects these colors, and we will begin making updates starting next school year.

Looking Ahead

As we move into semester two, we remain focused on fostering student growth, enhancing our school community, and making thoughtful changes that reflect the voices of our students and staff. Thank you to the board for your ongoing guidance and support as we continue working toward making Woodland Middle School the best place for our staff, students and community!