WOODLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

WOODLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL
VOLUME 14 - ISSUE 03
NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER
2014
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
1st quarter ends November 7, 2014. Grades will be mailed home on November 15, 2014. New quarter
elective schedules will be distributed November 7 during 6th period. Please be watching for your child’s
updated schedule. If you are having any questions or concerns about your child’s progress, please call our
school so we can offer assistance. I’d like to thank all the parents and students who attended student-led
conferences the weeks of October 20-31. Our first honor roll celebration will be a movie, Monsters’
University, in the auditorium on November 25. Way to go WMS students!
Dr. Cari Thomson, Principal
Calendar of Events
Students of the Month
September
th
7 Grade: Kaija Olson, Nansi
Valenzuela, & Carleigh Risley
th
8 Grade: Delani Stepper, Lee
Gilkerson, & ,Evelyn Roehn
NOVEMBER 2014
11/0311/07
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/17
11/19
11/24
WMS WELCOMES NEW STAFF!
11/2611/28
Book Fair in WHS/WMS Library
Wrestling @ Washougal/ Bball @
Home
Veterans Day/ No School
Wrestling and GBB pictures
Wrestling @ Hockinson/Bball @ home
Wrestling @ Home/Bball @Kalama
Wrestling @ View Ridge/Bball@
Hockinson
Wrestling @ Kalama/Bball @ Canyon
Creek
Thanksgiving Break/ No School
In our last newsletter we introduced you to three of our new staff members. In this newsletter we would like to
introduce three more to you. We are so excited that they have joined our amazing staff!
Kelsey Johns-(Speech and
Language Pathologist) Kelsey
recently graduated with her Masters
from the University of Montana in
Missoula, Montana. She grew up in
Spokane, WA. Some of her hobbies
include hiking, and being outside,
especially near the water. She is a
huge sports fan and is super excited
to be a part of the Woodland family!
Mr.Geoff Odin-(Special Education
Teacher) Geoff Odin's passion
growing up was sports, especially
football. After his playing career
ended, he completed his Bachelor's
degree at Portland State University.
Not knowing what line of work to go
into, he was offered a chance to
coach at Central Catholic High School
in Portland. After the first season, he
knew that teaching was his new
calling. For the next 4 years, he
coached at Central and worked as an
instructional assistant with Portland
Public Schools and Tigard/Tualatin
School District. After 4 years, he knew
he wanted to do more, and so he
decided to go back to school to get his
Master's Degree in Special Education
at Pacific University. Eighteen months
later, he completed his degree and is
now the new Resource Room teacher
here at Woodland Middle School.
Couple all of that with getting married
in August, it has been an incredibly
exciting year for Geoff, and if the
beginning of the school year is any
indication, the next year will be
equally exciting! Mr. Nathan
Alanko-(Mathematics Teacher)
Mr. Alanko graduated high school
from nearby La Center High School.
After high school, he spent 4 years in
North Dakota, where he earned a
mathematics degree from the
University of Jamestown. Following
college, he spent 6 years teaching
English in South Korea, while finding
time to take several excursions
around Asia. He now joins the
Woodland staff after taking a year off
from work to complete his Masters in
Teaching degree from Concordia
University. Outside of work, he enjoys
spending time with his wife, making
noise on his guitar, and playing golf.
The staff at Woodland Middle School believes




All students have the ability to learn and contribute positively to the learning environment.
Student success is a partnership involving students, parents, staff, and community to promote students in becoming self-sustaining learners.
Using data, educators will continually reflect on and improve instruction to implement best practices.
Challenging curriculum will be developed collaboratively to meet standards while addressing students’ diverse needs.
Are You a Goodreads User?
“I owe everything I am and everything I will ever be to books.”-Gary Paulsen
Would you like to be able to help your student find a great book to read? Would you
like to know more about the books you see advertised? Are you curious to read a book
before you see the movie? Do you have a favorite author? As a parent, are you looking
for a good book to read, too? Goodreads may be the answer. Goodreads is a website
that was created in 2006 and has grown in its mission “to help people find and share
books they love. . . [and] to improve the process of reading and learning throughout
the world.” https://www.goodreads.com/about/us
This website allows you to



Search an extensive database of books, annotations, and reviews
Register books to generate library catalogs and reading lists
Rate twenty books you have read and the site will begin making
recommendations
 Rate and review books
 See what your friends are reading
 Participate in discussion boards
 Receive a regular newsletter and
 More!
Check out www.goodreads.com and find the next book that makes you ask, “Have you
read. . . .?”
Throughout each sports season, athletes are
recognized for their efforts and contributions to their
team. Congratulations to the following fall sport
athletes on being recognized as the Athletes of the
Week for Woodland Middle School. Great job!
Weeks 1 & 2:
Volleyball~Jessica Herrera, Abby Anderson, Alysia
Murray, Payten Foster, MJ Knight, Lexi Williams, Kelly
Sweyer, Carleigh Risley, Emily Dietrich, Justice
Holcomb, & Angelica Ramirez. Football~Eli Schultz,
Reid Hope, Nathan Balderas, Christian Yager, Chance
Balch, & Caleb Wingfield Cross Country~Kaden Trygar
Weeks 3 & 4:
Volleyball~Carleigh Risley, Jessica Herrera, Lexi
Williams, MJ Knight, Nicole Guthrie, Allison Bong,
Ashland Cobb, Taylor Foster, & Elyse Booker
Football~Bryce Graham, Charles White, Brooks Massey,
Tyler Flanagan, Isaiah Flanagan, & Gabriel Garfield.
Cross Country: Lauren Kaiser & Robert Berg
Week 5:
th
Volleyball~Special congratulations to the 8 Grade
st
Volleyball team for taking 1 place at the league
tournament! Football~ Jack Ripp, Alex Bishop, & Ben
Martin. Cross Country~ Michael Heckman
Snowflake Bazaar
th
The 30 Annual Snowflake Bazaar will take place on Saturday, November 22,
2014 @ the Woodland Primary School Gymnasium from 10am to 4pm. This
event is sponsored by the HOSA Club of Woodland High School
 Over 60 Vendors
 11am Santa Arrives
 Free Pictures w/ Santa from 11-2, courtesy of Bell Studios
 Story time with Elves
The Woodland School District complies with all federal rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color,
national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service
animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. This holds true for all district employment and opportunities.
Inquiries regarding compliance procedures may be directed to the school district's Title IX Officer : Deb Kernan, (360) 841.2725, and/or 504
Coordinator: Michael Green, (360) 841.2700.
The Book Fair is Coming
November 3rd - 7th !
Our annual fall book fair will be held in the WHS/WMS Library
November 3rd through 7th. This is a great opportunity to purchase
books for your child and yourself and support our school at the same
time. Fifty percent of all sales come directly back to our school for
the purchase of books for our library and classrooms. Cash, check,
debit or credit welcome. For more information about the fair, go to
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/woodlandms or contact
Candice Shepherd at [email protected] or (360) 8412983. Can’t visit the fair? Now you can also purchase ONLINE from an expanded selection of
titles (pre-K through adult) by going to the web address listed above and clicking on the “Shop
Online” link.
WHS DRAMA PRODUCTION
The Woodland High School Drama Department
proudly presents its fall production: Wind in the
Willows. Based on
Kenneth Grahame’s
well-known children’s
story, this lighthearted
fantasy traces the
adventures of Mr.
Toad, a gentleman with
a fascination for cars
and fast driving. Toad’s escapades lead him into
trouble with the law and 20-year jail sentence!
Luckily, a jailer’s daughter takes pity on the
charming Toad and helps him to escape from jail in
time to help friends Badger, Rat, and Mole rescue
Toad Hall and young Portly Otter from a takeover
by the Weasel family. Will Toad agree to give up
his irresponsible ways in the future? Come see the
show, and find out. This show is appropriate for all
ages, so bring the whole family and grandma and
grandpa too! Shows are Thursday-Saturday,
November 20, 21, and 22 at 7 p.m. in the WHS
Auditorium. Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for
seniors, and $2 for students. For more information,
contact Heather Gordon at
[email protected].
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Parents,
I want to continue to make myself available to the
“whole student” and their families. In saying that,
please contact me if there is anything I can do to
support your son or daughter in any way. My first two
months here have not only been busy, but I am
reminded daily of what special kids Woodland Middle
School has.
I’ve been in the health classrooms for the past few
weeks talking about digital citizenship and care for
others with your students. We’ve been discussing
internet safety, empathy, and random kindness. Your
kids have been magnificent in sharing relatable stories,
prior knowledge, and terminology that connects with
the lesson. I continue to be impressed by the
Warmly,
compassion of the students here at Woodland Middle
Joe Michaud
WMS Counselor
School.
The staff at Woodland Middle School believes




All students have the ability to learn and contribute positively to the learning environment.
Student success is a partnership involving students, parents, staff, and community to promote students in becoming self-sustaining learners.
Using data, educators will continually reflect on and improve instruction to implement best practices.
Challenging curriculum will be developed collaboratively to meet standards while addressing students’ diverse needs.