Woodlawn Principal's Blog 10/5/18

Friday leading into Columbus Day weekend and we had a really good week here at Woodlawn.  I have been having great conversations with our students related to a number of topics!


 Parent/Teacher Conferences 2018

On October 19, parents will be receiving information on conferences and how to sign up.  We will have a new system this year!


 No School

This Monday, October 8th is Columbus Day!  


 A WORD ABOUT PARCC ASSESSMENT RESULTS:

Today your student is bringing home his or her PARCC data for the PARCC assessment administered in April 2018. Please check your student’s backpack for these assessment results.

 The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is the assessment and accountability measure used for students enrolled in Illinois public schools. Students in Grades 3–8 take this assessment in the academic areas of English language arts and mathematics.

PARCC results show whether your student met grade-level expectations and is on track for the next grade level. Please note that PARCC is only one measure of how your student is performing academically.

The Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) results for current sixth grade students will also be included.  The ISA is administered to students enrolled in grade 5 and grade 8 at their respective grade level.

The ISA measures the Illinois Learning Standards in Science, incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that replaced the previous science standards adopted in 1997. The NGSS are the most comprehensive science standards that Illinois has ever had. They are more rigorous and detailed as they integrate the content of science with the practices of science.  

For more information and support in understanding your student’s PARCC assessment results, please refer to the following:

• DISTRICT 96 RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

• ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION  PARCC PLACE

UNDERSTAND THE SCORE

• ILLINOIS SCIENCE ASSESSMENT

Also, please feel free to direct your questions about your student’s results to the principal of the District 96 school your student currently attends or to Jeanne Spiller, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning- 847 459-4260 ext 8010- [email protected].


Click here to visit the PTO Monthly Blog!



ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS: Heroes in the Classroom, sponsored by Symetra and presented locally by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

 

Parents, here's an opportunity for you and your student to nominate for recognition the current or former teacher who has made–or is making–a real difference in your child's life.

This Hero in the Classroom is the teacher who goes beyond what's expected and is focused on helping his or her students build life skills.

If selected, the Classroom Hero will be honored with Chicago Bears football regular season game tickets, in-game video recognition, a monetary donation to the classroom, and more.

READ MORE and NOMINATE (online) your family's choice for Hero in the classroom. Please be sure to submit any nominations before mid-November.


Washington D.C.

Good luck to our 8th grade students in D.C. this weekend!  It is a special trip that our students really do a great job learning about our country.


Culture Night

On November 28th, Woodlawn and Country Meadows will come together for our inaugural, "This is Us... We are Woodlawn and Country Meadows" event!  Given the rich diversity of the cultures in our shared community, we are looking forward to engaging families and students in a night where we celebrate about our own culture, learn/celebrate the cultures of others, and build a sense of a shared WL/CM culture.

If your child and family are interested in participating in this event, please indicate so by completing this Google Form (English) or this Google Form (Spanish). We will be communicating the logistics of the event when we have a better understanding of how many participants we will have and how they prefer to participate.


Click here for Band and Orchestra Booster Blog!  


A Message From Mrs. Franks, School Counselor

In years past, I have popped into random classes to introduce myself to all the 6th graders. This year I decided to do something a bit different and it has been a blast.  My goal was to have a 1 minute meeting with every 6th grader in the building. While I say 1 minute, reality is the kids have a lot to say, so it’s much closer to 2 minute meetings.  As of now, I have met with 163 of the 185 6th graders at Woodlawn. By the end of next week, I hope to have met them all. During Flex, I set up two chairs outside of the classroom and had the kids came out to the hallway one at a time to meet me and answer a set of questions.  I asked them about their transition to middle school, challenges they’re facing, the time they go to bed (wow, some go to bed so late!), and how they feel about themselves. I ended our time by making sure they know where my office is and learning anything additional they wanted me to know about them.  The results have been incredible and I look forward to following up with those who asked. It has been an absolute pleasure to get to know this amazing group of 6th graders and I look forward to the next 3 years with them.


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Finally, I have started the year with a bunch of stories and observations that I find interesting in everyday life.  Today, I want to talk about being in a middle school. Last night, the dishwasher repair man and I had a heart to heart talk.  It went a little like this:

Repair Man: What do you do for a living?

Greg Grana: I am a middle school principal.

RM: That is awful! Wouldn’t you rather be at an elementary school?  

GG: No. I really like the middle school.  The kids are a lot of fun and we really get to know them.  

RM: I remember middle school.  It was awful.

GG: Well, things are a lot different nowadays and I am fortunate to be in a great school.

In no way shape or form do I think that I changed this guys mind.  What he doesn’t know about middle school, especially this middle school, is that our students have access to an outstanding faculty that is committed to excellence, amazing facilities and top of the line technology.  Things are rarely the same around here two days in a row, as our students are always growing and changing. It keeps us on our toes. When I walk around the lunchroom, I hear a ton of laughter. Whether it is immature nonsense or a student telling a story, the echo of student laughter can always be heard around here. The Woodlawn students are also looking to make a positive impact on the school, but I believe that they also are looking to the future.  Many of our students, regardless of grade level, have an eye on the future. Occasionally, I will be in the hallway and a student will just fall down. There really is no explanation, they are just growing at such a rapid rate that these types of things just happen. The thing I love most about the middle school is how respectful our students are on a daily basis. Coming to Woodlawn is a joy and I lucky to see the students “show” as each and every day is unique.  

Have a great weekend.