Woodland Middle School families, students and community members turn out for event
WOODLAND — Woodland’s families, students, and community members turned out in droves to attend Woodland Middle School’s Annual PRIDE Night, an evening event featuring special breakout sessions and presentations demonstrating the curriculum and lessons students learn every day.
At PRIDE Night, an annual event now in its third year, parents with children currently attending middle school have the opportunity to see what their children are learning while students preparing to enter middle school can attend to meet teachers and familiarize themselves with the school.
PRIDE stands for the school’s principles: Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy.
“PRIDE Night makes school not scary for students preparing to transition from the Intermediate School,” said Woodland Middle School Assistant Principal Angela Campbell. “As a staff, we brainstorm each year to come up with projects, events, and other ways to engage our families and show them what’s really going on in school each day.”
Throughout the school, teachers displayed student work, portfolios, artwork, and held demonstrations of a variety of different curriculum ranging from math activities to hands-on science experiments.
“The staff organized 24 different classroom sessions to demonstrate the different curriculum and courses we offer,” said Tara Eilts, the Title I coordinator for the event and teacher librarian for Woodland Middle School. “PRIDE Night is truly a team effort with all the staff working together to ensure it’s a great event.”
In the school’s commons, the district’s different support programs attend so families can learn how to receive any assistance they might need for their students both in and out of the classroom. Spanish interpreters were on-hand to help all of Woodland’s families learn more about the school and the district’s support offerings.
The event culminated in a raffle with prizes donated by different businesses and Woodland community members including:
- Alpine Car Stereo – Audio Express
- Girl Scout Cookies – Girl Scouts of Western Washington
- Young Living Essential Oils – Kim Macy
- Family Movie Night Basket – Jodi McClendon
- Two free registrations and uniforms – Pacific Soccer
- 2-Pound Chocolate Bunny – Safeway
- Skyfit Swagpack with Three Free Jump Passes – Sky Zone Trampoline Park
- Gift Certificate for Two Zip Tours – Treehouse Island Zip Line Adventures
- Boxing Gloves & Punching Bag – Robin Uhlenkott
- Lavender Plants – WMS Garden Club
- Five $20 Gift Certificates for the Scholastic Book Fair – WMS Library
This year’s event was well-attended with more than 600 people including 260 students filling the classrooms and hallways of Woodland Middle School.
“Many school districts throughout the United States struggle to engage families with after-school events, especially at the middle school level,” said Eilts. “With this kind of turnout, I’d say PRIDE Night was a huge success.”
“We love PRIDE Night,” agreed Campbell. “It’s a wonderful event for kids and their families.”
Information provided by Woodland Public Schools.
