School offices open by Mon., Aug. 19; first day of school is Tue., Aug. 27

WOODLAND — With the first day of school rapidly approaching on Tue., Aug. 27, Woodland Public Schools offers the following resources and tips for parents and students to get a jump start on preparing for the new school year.

All school offices open to the public by Aug. 19

Woodland High School’s office will open to the public beginning on Mon., Aug. 12.

Woodland Middle School’s office opens on Thu., Aug. 15.

All other school and district offices will open to the public on Mon., Aug. 19.

Special hours for Mon., Aug. 19: Note that all district and school offices will not open until 1 p.m. on Mon., Aug. 19. See regular hours below for other days.

Regular non-student office hours for each building are as follows:

• District Office and Business Office: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Woodland High School: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Woodland Middle School: 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
• All Elementary Schools: 7:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

All students planning to use buses must register before Aug. 27

All students who plan to use KWRL transportation services (the cooperative which provides free bus transportation for Woodland Public Schools) must register before the start of school on Aug. 27 even if the student used bus transportation in prior years.

You can register online from KWRL’s website: https://portal.kwrl.org/parent/registration

If you’d prefer to register in person, you can do so at the district office or by visiting KWRL located at 989 Frazier Lane, Woodland, WA 98674. KWRL will also have representatives to assist families in registering at the upcoming Back to School Bash on Sat., Aug. 17 from 3-6 p.m. at Woodland High School (see below for more details).

Load up your meal account online

Parents can fund students’ meal account to pay for breakfast and lunch online using the district’s InTouch system.

More information on payments along with the Free-and-Reduced Meal Program and school meal menus (as they become available) can be found on the Food Services website at: https://www.woodlandschools.org/o/district/page/food-services–178

Note: Students can not pay for meals with cash. Meal accounts must be funded either online or from the district office, business office, or from school offices.

Stay up-to-date with Woodland Public Schools’ new smartphone app and website

Over the summer, Woodland Public Schools refreshed its website and now offers a smartphone app to help parents, students, and community members stay up-to-date from a one-stop-shop app!

The app provides dining menus, event calendars, real-time updates on sports scores, school documents and a live feed similar to social networks populated entirely by information from school staff, teachers and even students. Teachers are working on projects involving the app such as student newspapers posted directly to the feed along with student work posted in galleries.

The free app, which is available for both Google Android and Apple iOS devices, can also send emergency notifications and reminders directly to app users.

The Google Android version can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store here: https://goo.gl/eAfB3o.

The Apple iOS version can be downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes store here: https://goo.gl/3w7sQX.

The importance of good attendance

Parents and guardians should remember that good attendance leads to good student performance. Poor attendance affects students at every age, from kindergarten through high school, potentially causing them to remain behind academically for their entire school career.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student who misses 18 days of school in a single school year, including both excused and unexcused absences. “Missing only 10 percent of school days, just two days every couple of weeks for a total of 18 throughout the year, makes it harder for younger students, in particular, to learn basic skills like mathematics and reading,” said Stacy Mouat, truancy specialist for Woodland Public Schools. “By sixth grade, absenteeism is a leading sign that a student may drop out of high school.”

Below is a list of tips on creating a consistent schedule for your student and other helpful advice for keeping kids interested in school:

• Talk about school in a positive way. Share fun stories about your own past experiences with school, teachers, and staff with your kids.
    
• Start early. Begin a more routine and structured schedule the week before the first school day. Children thrive when they know what to expect with fewer adjustments at one time.
    
• Visit the school during Drop In/Open House. Open Houses really ease anxiety for both children and adults by making the school environment familiar and introducing students to their teachers.
    
• Demonstrate your confidence in your student. Assure your child that you are confident they will become an amazing student, and that they are ready to handle the independence that comes with attending school. If you believe in them and they know it, they will be confident and secure in no time!
    
• Make sure your students get plenty of sleep. Sleepy kids have much less ability to handle new or stressful situations. The importance of getting enough sleep cannot be overstated.
    
• Eat breakfast and lunch. Balanced nutrition really sets children up with the stamina needed for a full school day. A healthy breakfast and a nutritious lunch make a significant difference for young learners.
    
• Remember to relax. Make the first morning of school low-key and positive. Setting the tone right from the morning will help students remain calm and collected for the entire day.
    
• Model confident and positive behaviors. As the adult, you can model confidence and a positive attitude about the first school day. Although, it may be difficult and emotional for parents to separate from their child, children need to know you will be okay. Try not to cry in front of your child as they board the bus or when you drop them at school. Most tears from children on the first day of school are a result of the parents showing strong emotion. This is completely understandable, but do the best acting job you can! Separating quickly helps both parents and students stay calm and positive.
    
• School staff are looking out for you and your students. The school will call you if there are any issues or if your child is really struggling. Woodland Public Schools have a fantastic team of teachers and staff who are ready and skilled at assisting children with their transition to school. Your young learner is truly loved and will be cared for during their time at school!

School supply lists

Links to school supply lists for elementary and middle school students can be located in the Documents section of each school’s respective website accessible from the Quick Links located below the dark-gray news section of each school’s homepage. These supply lists are also available in the Documents section of the smartphone app.

You can access each schools’ website from the drop-down “Schools” menu on the District’s homepage at www.woodlandschools.org.

Tips for Woodland High School students

• School Supplies. Supply lists are specific for each class. Students simply need a notebook and pencils on the first day of school. They will learn what other supplies they will need for their classes at that time.
    
• Visit the Woodland High School website. The answers to many questions along with additional information including bell schedules are available from the “For Students” Quick Link on the high school’s website: https://www.woodlandschools.org/whs

Back-to-school event calendar

Athletic Registration (Woodland Middle School / Woodland High School)

Registration is now open.

Students planning to participate in school athletics need to register in order to participate. Additional information about registration and other requirements is available from the district’s website at: https://www.woodlandschools.org/o/district/page/athletics–850

Back to School Bash (District)

The Back to School Bash is this Sat., Aug.17 from 3-6 p.m. at Woodland High School located at 1500 Dike Access Road with free backpacks and school supplies for all students as well as games, bounce houses, prizes and food. This event is possible thanks to the generous donations made by Woodland Public Schools, grants from area businesses, and support from local churches and communities.

Medication check-in (District)

School Offices open on Mon., Aug. 19 at 1 p.m.

Parents with students requiring medication administered by school professionals check in their medication before the first day of school. School offices will open to the public on Mon., Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. and be open during regular non-school hours for parents and guardians to check in medication.

Beaver Camp for Freshmen (Woodland High School)

Woodland High School’s Beaver Camp provides orientation for entering high school students is Thu., Aug. 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch and transportation will be provided. To find your bus route and pick-up time, visit KWRL’s website at www.kwrl.org.

While parents are not permitted to attend the camp, there is a Parent Information Session that evening starting at 6 p.m. For questions and addition information, contact Terra Pfeiffer via email at pfeiffert@woodlandschools.org.

Lunch and lockers (Woodland Middle School)

Woodland Middle School’s Lunch and Lockers event is Fri., Aug. 23 from noon to 2 p.m. This annual event invites students and their families to enjoy a free lunch, tour the school, meet homeroom teachers, and practice locker combinations as well as decorate their lockers any time during this two-hour event.

Elementary open houses (Columbia Elementary, North Fork Elementary, and Yale Elementary)

Woodland’s elementary schools will hold open houses for elementary students on Mon., Aug. 26. Columbia Elementary and North Fork Elementary will hold their drop-in open houses from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

At Yale Elementary, families with kindergarten students can attend their dedicated open house from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Mon., Aug. 26 followed by the remaining grades (1st-4th) from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

First Day of School

Tue., Aug. 27 is the first day of school for all students grades 1-12.

Kindergarten students at Columbia and North Fork Elementary Schools start Tue., Sept. 3.

Kindergarten students at Yale School start with all other grades on Tue., Aug. 27, however Yale kindergarten will have early release from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30 letting out at noon. Bussing will be available for kindergarten students on early release days.

Community resources for families and students

• School supply assistance. With the cost of school supplies increasing, Woodland Public Schools’ Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) wants to ensure every incoming student has a backpack and school supplies. “Having the correct school supplies has a profound impact on our students’ and their learning experience,” said Catherine Pulliam, Community, Family, Student Resource Coordinator. “We encourage parents to contact us with any needs they may have for their students.” Families who need assistance providing school supplies for their students can contact the FCRC at (360) 841-2718.
    
• Low-cost Internet service. Local Internet Service Providers provide low-cost packages for families who qualify for the free or reduced-cost meal program:
  • Comcast offers Internet Essentials for families at $9.95 per month plus tax along with laptop or desktop computers available for $149.99. More information is available by calling (855) 832-9548 or from www.internetessentials.com.
      
• Use the Parent Toolkit. The Parent Tookit is a one-stop website and mobile app providing tips and advice on how to support a child’s development through every stage of life, both in and out of the classroom. Offered in both English and Spanish, parents can get more information and support specifically for Back to School by visiting https://goo.gl/kaGNoN
    
• Where to find more information and assistance. Lists of providers and information of how to obtain free and low-cost resources of all kinds can also be found from the Community Resources webpage on the Woodland Public Schools website: https://www.woodlandschools.org/family-community-resource-center
    

Stay up-to-date with Woodland schools

Parents and students needing additional information can visit the district’s website at www.woodlandschools.org or download the Woodland Public Schools’ smartphone app using the links listed earlier in the article or by searching for “Woodland Public Schools” on the Google Play and Apple iTunes app stores.

In order to stay up-to-date on the latest news events at Woodland Public Schools, follow the district’s Facebook page at www.fb.com/WoodlandPS, follow the district’s Twitter account at www.twitter.com/WoodlandPS, sign up for weekly feature stories from Woodland Schools Weekly at https://goo.gl/4pVZ91, and receive district news alerts from Flash Alert at https://goo.gl/GAUtDx.

The entire staff of Woodland Public Schools looks forward to an exciting year and can’t wait to welcome the return of our students for the 2019-2020 school year on Tue., Aug. 27.

Information provided by Woodland School District.