8/16/24
What a week! Staff came back and we prepared, teacher institute day happened and we prepared, training in the building to prepare, the students showed up for the half day and we met as a staff in the afternoon and our first full day was today. Amazing. I am so lucky to work with such an incredible set of students and staff. I will admit one thing…I am a little tired. Give me the weekend to recuperate and we will do it again! Check out the blog this week.
Woodlawn Musical
Woodlawn's fall musical is holding auditions NEXT WEEK for the production of Finding Nemo Jr.! 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are welcomed and encouraged to audition. Students do not need any music or musical theater experience. 7th and 8th grade auditions will be held on Monday, August 19 and auditions for 6th grade will be held on Tuesday, August 20. Some students will additionally be requested to attend a "callback" audition on Wednesday, August 21. If you're not able to attend your assigned audition, please message Ms. Warkenthien.
If you plan on auditioning next week, please complete this form before auditions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB6_vX1Jnp7azX8XfWXZYyX61Mo_O3MpVgW-epp32Gpb55jg/viewform?usp=sf_link
Send any questions to Ms. Warkenthien ([email protected]).
Picture Day
Woodlawn school picture day is Wednesday, August 28th. Students were given a picture form today to bring home from color portraits. I will repeat this again next week.
Upcoming Dates:
8/27- Early Release- Students dismissed at 1:30 PM
8/28- Picture Day
From the PTO
It was wonderful to see everyone at Locker Set-up! If you did not order your students' gym clothes, Special Lunch, or Dessert Day…it’s not too late! Log onto Woodlawn PTO MTK to sign up.
The Woodlawn staff is the best there is! We will host a welcome-back meal for the Woodlawn staff soon. If you would like to learn how to donate or volunteer, be sure to check the Woodlawn PTO blog.
Please contact Lindley Caldwell at [email protected] with any questions.
Middle School Health Letter
Please click HERE to access the 24-25 Health Education letter.
All School Assembly
We had our first all-school assembly today. It was a great way to talk to our students about the upcoming school year and our expectations. We talked about cell phone expectations, dress code, buses, hallways, and a number of other things. We also talked about our celebrations and how we recognize students throughout our building. I will give you more information on curriculum night for parents.
Erin’s Law
An Illinois law known as Erin’s Law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness/prevention curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 researched and observed best practices and programs for delivering this instruction, selecting Be Seen & Heard ©. For more information about this presentation please go to www.victorpacini.com/peace-of-mind-2
This developmentally appropriate and interactive program focuses on teaching children skills to keep them safe from danger or abuse. Concepts discussed will include distinguishing safe from unsafe touches, safety rules at home and school, saying NO, safe/unsafe secrets, and telling a trusted adult, as well as reinforcing that an adult’s touching him or her is not the child’s fault.
Opt-Out Procedures
The presentation to Woodlawn students will be during the school day on September 11, 2024. If you prefer that your child does not attend this prevention education session, please submit your written request or your questions to Greg Grana [email protected].
Curriculum Night
6th Grade Curriculum Night: Monday, August 26th
Please meet Mr. Bays & me in the Woodlawn Gym for a presentation at 7 p.m..
Please bring a copy of your child’s schedule or snap a picture.
7th and 8th Grade Curriculum Night: Wednesday, August 28th
Please meet Mr. Bays and Mr. Grana in the Woodlawn Gym for a presentation at 7 p.m.
Please bring a copy of your child’s schedule or snap a picture.
iPads
At the end of last year, Kildeer District 96 collected all outstanding student equipment as part of our ongoing commitment to providing our students with the best possible learning tools. This collection allowed us to recycle and renew our iPad fleet, ensuring that our students have access to the latest technology for the upcoming school year.
The new iPads that your students received are very similar to the devices they have used in the past, with one key update: the new iPads feature a shared input for both power and audio. To accommodate this change, the district is providing an audio adapter in addition to the standard equipment students have traditionally received. Each student will receive the following:
iPad
Keyboard case
Logitech Crayon
One charging brick
One charging cable
Audio adapter
Students received their login instructions when they were issued their new iPads today. We encourage all families to review the iPad Handbook, which can be found here, for detailed information on the use and care of these devices. Additionally, please familiarize yourself with our policies on the damage and replacement of iPads, available here.
We look forward to a great year ahead, with these new devices supporting our students in their educational journey.
Cell Phones
We are asking that all students have their cell phones silenced and locked in their lockers from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Sports Physicals
Any 6th, 7th, or 8th Grade student interested in Cross Country, Girl's Basketball, or Soccer must have a current Sports Physical to try out or participate. There will be no exceptions. Now is a great time for families to check and get everything in order.
If you have any questions about your child’s current Sports Physical, please contact our school nurse, Denise Kaufmann at [email protected].
Finally, this is the time of year when you may find yourself at a barbeque, and the need to make small talk happens. For example, my wife will have a get-together with her work friends, and the husbands are dragged along, expected to talk at length about whatever. Since the White Sox are so bad, not only do I not want to talk about them, but they have ruined the whole sport for me. So, if you are stuck in a situation with nothing to talk about, here are some conversation starters:
- In a room of 23 people, there is a 50% chance that two people will have the same birthday
- The smell of an orange can relieve stress.
- The pupil in your eye expands up to 45% when you look at someone you love.
- The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
- Singing in a group boosts morale.
- You blink over ten million times a year.
I hope that helps. It cannot hurt. Have a great weekend.