TOPe Focus Header
Back to School 2016
In This Issue
Welcome!
1:1 Technology Expands in 2016-17
Report Card Changes for Elementary Students
Staff Honored for Service
Parent & Student Handbook Contains Important Info for District Families
System Provides Easy Access to Bus Info
Two District Schools at the Top of the List in County
Sign Up Now for Band & Orchestra
Community's Generosity Provides Supplies
It's Education Foundation Grant Time!






  

 

Quick Links








  

 

Virtual Backpack

Virtual backpack logo

Don't Forget to check the Virtual Backpack

 

Remember to check the Virtual Backpack on the district's website for informational flyers on 

a wide variety of programs and events 

for D200 families. 

 








  

 

The Transportation Department would like to thank all bus families for a very successful start to the new year. 

 Special thanks to our Kindergarten parents for their patience and understanding as Transportation works to correct any glitches in the routes with our newest riders.  With each day, issues are uncovered and resolved, and we look forward to an excellent year.




  

 

Families are reminded that all health information (required physicals, exams and immunizations) must be submitted by
October 14, 2016. 
It is Illinois State law that students who have not submitted required health information be excluded from school beginning on
October 17, 2016.  Thank you for tending to this important documentation. Please contact your school nurse with any questions or concerns.








  

 

Have You Liked Us 

on Facebook?

 

Be sure to "like" the 

D200 page so that updated information 

from the District will appear on your 

Facebook News Feed.  

 

 Click here to visit D200 Facebook

 








  

 

Looking Ahead 
  One Hour Late Start 
Wednesday, Aug. 31
 
NO SCHOOL
Labor Day Holiday
Monday, Sept. 5 

WNHS Homecoming
7:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 9

Board of Education Mtg
7:00 p.m. at Clay PDC
Tuesday, Sept. 13
 
WHS Homecoming
7:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 16
 
One Hour Late Start
Wednesday, Sept. 21
 
Go to the Calendar or Upcoming Events sections of the district website for a detailed listing of all events by school, month, 
day or type.
...







  

 

Learn More About Our Schools

 

 

Dean Street 

Elementary School

 

Greenwood 

Elementary School

 

Mary Endres Elementary School

 

Olson 

Elementary School

 

Prairiewood 

Elementary School

 

Westwood 

Elementary School

 

Creekside 

Middle School

 

Northwood

Middle School

 

Woodstock

High School

 

Woodstock North 

High School

 

Clay Academy








  

 

 

Board of Education

  

Carl W. Gilmore,

President

 

Camille Goodwin,

Vice President

 

Bill Nattress,

Secretary

 

Russ Goerlitz
 

Paul J. Meyer

 

Jerry Miceli

 

David Shinherr

Stars Spiral  

Superintendent

 

Dr. Mike Moan 

 




  

 


Openings are still available in the preschool program at Woodstock High School. Children must be residents of District 200 and must be in the process of becoming potty-trained.  Parents must provide transportation for their child and pay the yearly fee.  For further information on the WHS program, please contact Mrs. Robinette at WHS - 815-338-4370.



  

 

D200 Logo on Gray
Dean Street students are introduced to their new Chromebooks
as the District's 1:1 Technology Initiative expands this year to
all students in grades 1-6.

Welcome!
Welcome to the 2016-17 school year in District 200!  We are happy to be back in school and very excited for the start of the new year. Our summer is spent making sure everything is ready for our teachers and students on the first day. Our teachers and district staff prepare tirelessly for the start of the school year and that first day with students.  We will continue to work to make sure all District 200 students have the tools necessary to have a successful, engaging and fun school year.
 
Areas of special interest in the new year include our continued one-to-one technology rollout to all elementary schools; the rollout of one-to-one technology in sixth grade; the introduction of a new elementary math curriculum in select elementary schools; and exciting new classes at our high school level. With all of these great adventures ahead of us we can't wait to jump right into the school year!  
 
In District 200 we appreciate all of the support we receive from our parents and our community.  We will continue to work to ensure that all of our stakeholders feel part of our school district and feel welcome in District 200 schools.  Thank you for your continued support of District 200, and have a great school year!
 
Superintendent Mike Moan  

Technology Initiative Expands
After a very successful first year with our 1:1 Chromebook program, we are excited to enter the 2016-2017 school year
Olson Elementary students get logged in to their Chromebooks with some guidance from Library Media Specialist Maggie Jensen.
which will allow us to continue to expand the program!  This year, all students in grades 1-6 will have access to their own Chromebook.  In addition, they will have access to a large bank of digital curriculum and other resources to make learning more engaging.  

For literacy, the elementary students will use the ReadyGen program by Pearson and the middle school students will use the Collections program by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  In addition, we are beginning a staggered implementation of a new digital math curriculum. Go Math will be implemented at Verda Dierzen, Mary Endres, Olson, and select classrooms at Dean Street.  For grades 1 and 2, hard copy materials will support the digital access to the curriculum.  

We are excited about the continued implementation of Chromebooks in District 200 and the increased opportunities that we are able to provide for our students.

Report Card Changes at Elementary Level
During the 2016-2017 school year, we will implement a new report card at the elementary level.  For several years, we have relied on standards-based grading at the elementary level, and that will continue with this card.  However, there are several revisions worth noting: 
  1. Trimesters:  Moving to trimesters, at the elementary level only, will increase the amount of time between the Parent / Teacher Conferences and the dates that report cards are sent home.  Teachers, parents, and students will be able to use this time to work together to improve the child's performance.
  2. Limited Report Card Indicators:  The number of indicators on the new report card has been reduced to focus on the most important learning standards.
  3. Consistent Rating Scale:  All K-5 report cards will use a 4, 3, 2, 1 scale for each indicator, section, and program to maintain consistency between the grade levels.
  4. Language Development Feedback:  For the Dual Language program, students may receive ratings in either English or Spanish and feedback on Language Development will be provided to all students in the program.
The revised report cards will clarify the reporting process for our students, families, and teachers and they will help us to strengthen the important connection between home and school.

District Staff Recognized for Service
The entire D200 staff gathered at Woodstock High School on
Thank you to WNHS Senior Ariella Simandl for a
beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.
August 15th for the annual back-to-school kick-off assembly.  Woodstock North High School senior Ariella Simandl opened the program with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, and Superintendent Mike Moan welcomed staff members to the 2016-17 school year.  Board of Education President Carl Gilmore, Woodstock Council of Teachers President Carolina Giraldo and D200 Education Foundation Board Member Jennifer Thomas also addressed the crowd.
 
More than 1000 total years of hard work were recognized during the program as 57 long-time staff members from all areas of the district were recognized and thanked for their contributions. Congratulations to all the individuals below, and thank you for your years of hard work and dedicated service to District 200 and our children.  

15 Years
Lisa BeardJacqueline HagenowGina Marquardt
Sandra BenninGail HeadDoreen Nutter
Sandra BrainardKimberly HoeyMichael Olhava
Debby BurchsalerCarrie JarneckeJennifer Owcarz
Betsy CampbellDorothy KaufmannCynthia Palmer
Denise ClarkPaige KohleySusan Picton
Megan ColemanSarah KozlowskiPatricia Sacco
Nancy DownesWalter LangJoanne Sotiroff
Jose EsparzaSusan MalleyJason Stock
Lee EvansSusan ManceraJack Walsdorf

20 Years 
Kelly AfeldHelen LedanskiJulia Patterson
Rebecca AldridgeTracy LightcapStephen Ryan
Roberta BeckmanMichelle MartinVickie Schmarje
Nancy CainDavid MaseyShelley Simonton
Courtney DeeringSandra MetcalfJennifer Spear
Brent FilettiKatherine MitchellLorrie Wagner
Melody Kamphausen


25 Years
Duane Peiffer, Laurie Singer, Michelle Anderson & Rose Traven

30 Years
 
Joy Fister, Tom White, Kathy Shea & Kirk Benda

2016-17 Parent & Student Handbook Contains Important Information for All
By now, all D200 families should have received a copy of the 2016-17 Parent & Student Handbook.  The handbook contains a summary of essential and up-to-date information about District 200 procedures, practices and expectations for students and parents.  In addition to the information in the handbook, a complete list and full wording of all policies and procedures can be found in the Board of Education's Policy Manual, which is available on the District's website, at the District Administrative Services Center, and in the principal's office in each school.

Parents are asked to read and discuss with their child(ren) the rules and regulations regarding student behavior and other D200 policies contained in the 2016-17 Handbook, and then sign the Acknowledgment Form (a perforated tear-out page inside the front cover) and return the form to their school on or before Friday, September 9.

New System Provides Easy Access to Bus Route Information
District 200 is pleased to announce the implementation of a
new online system which allows parents easy access to current bus routing information. The information available to parents reflects all changes in busing routes.  However, it does not provide real-time tracking of buses.  The log-in link for the Versatrans system can be accessed from all school websites by using the blue navigational bar on the left side of the page, labeled "Bus Route Info."

WHS and Mary Endres Honored on List of Top Schools
Congratulations to Mary Endres Elementary School and Woodstock High School, who have been named to the Chicago Magazine 2016 list of "Chicago's Best Public Schools."  The magazine categorizes schools in the city of Chicago, suburban Cook County and in the five collar counties.  In McHenry County, Mary Endres is ranked 6th on the list of Top 10 Elementary Schools, and Woodstock High School is first among McHenry County high schools!  Rankings were based upon a broad list of criteria which included test scores, demonstrated academic growth, spending per pupil and attendance. District 200 is proud to have our schools recognized among the area's best. To view the article, visit: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2016/Best-Public-Schools.

Beginning Band & Orchestra Start Soon!
 
District 4th and 5th grade families, is there a future musician in your home?  Now is the time to register for band and orchestra! There are upcoming informational meetings that will provide parents with all they need to know about the programs available, registration and instrument rental. 
 
4th Grade Beginning Orchestra Registration and Rental Open House Nights are:
  • Monday, September 12 at the Prairiewood/Creekside Cafeteria, from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 14 at the Northwood Middle School Cafeteria, from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. 
5th Grade Band Instrument Rental Meetings are: 
  • Thursday, September 22nd  3:45-7:30 p.m. in the Creekside Middle School band room   
  • Saturday, September 24th   9:00-11:30 a.m. in the Woodstock High School South Street Lobby
  • Tuesday, September 27th   3:45-7:30 p.m. in the Northwood Middle School band room   
For orchestra information, contact: Mrs. Becky Blaho (Orchestra) at rblaho@wcusd200.org; or Mrs. Debbie Schweihs (Band) at dschweihs@wcusd200.org. Or, see the articles on the district and elementary school websites.
BACK TO TOP
Thank You to Community for Providing Students with the Tools They Need
The words "thank you" seem inadequate to express the appreciation toward the Woodstock community for their generous school supply donations.  The District's Department of Community Services provided 141 filled backpacks to District 200 children, and additional supplies continue to be sent out to the buildings as they assess their needs.
This is just a small sampling of the numerous supplies donated and distributed this year.
 
Woodstock High School NHS Advisor Dr. Heather Brown, along with WHS and WNHS student volunteers, organized and staffed the "Stuff the Bus" supply drive in front of the Woodstock Wal-Mart store on July 27 and 28.  Shoppers purchased a wide variety of basic supplies, and some community members donated cash and gift cards, which allowed the District to purchase more of the "most needed" items.
 
Special thanks to the team from Wells Fargo Advisors who made substantial cash donations that were used to purchase a large number of backpacks, along with calculators and other more costly items that are less frequently donated, and needed throughout the school year.  Thanks also to annual partner St. Anne's Church, who once again provided backpacks and a large quantity of other supplies; and to the numerous individuals who brought paper, scissors, backpacks and assorted supplies.
 
Members of our community once again opened both their wallets and their hearts, and it is greatly appreciated.  Their generosity helped to provide many D200 students with a successful start to the new school year.

Make Things Happen in YOUR Classroom this Year!
A reminder to D200 staff members - The motto of the District 200 Education Foundation is "Making Things Happen That Ordinarily Would Not."  Let them help YOU make things happen in District 200 by applying for a 2016-17 Ed Foundation Impact Grant.  The grant application process is now open.  
All grant applications are due by noon on September 7, 2016.  Online submission is the preferred method for applying; however paper applications can be mailed to the address listed on the application form. All Impact Grant applicants must read the Impact Grant RFP & Specifications to make sure their grant application meets the requirements and limitations of the grant.

For information, and to access the online application, please visit the Ed Foundation's website at:
WOODSTOCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 200
227 W. Judd St. | WOODSTOCK | IL | 60098 | 815-338-8200
www.woodstockschools.org 


 

e-Focus is published online every month by Woodstock Community Unit School District 200. We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please contact the editor by
phone at (815) 337-5147 or by email at dwalsdorf@wcusd200.org