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.