 Dear Woodward Families,
Are you hoping your student will discuss their school day and work with you?
Are you hoping your student will take greater responsibility for their learning and set goals?
Are you hoping your student will recognize and build on their strengths?
Are you hoping your student will identify what is hard for them and work on developing areas needed for improvement?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you will love our Student Led Conferences held on January 24, 25, & 26! Student Led Conferences (SLC) are a key piece of the student experience here at Woodward with very good reasons. I want to take this opportunity to let you know why these are such a valuable part of education for our 7th and 8th grade students.
It’s important to focus on the purpose of SLC, which is very different from the very familiar and comfortable K-6 Parent Teacher Conferences that you have been accustomed to over the years. In the traditional teacher-led conferences, the purpose is for teachers to share student progress, both academically and behaviorally. The student either doesn’t attend or is a passive participant with the teacher reporting to the parent. In the SLC, students take the lead role in sharing their learning and progress in each of their classes - we want them talking to you about what and how they are doing in school. This is the beginning of learning to take responsibility for their success in school.
SLC are not meant to be spent on reporting grades, checking on homework completion or looking at test results - these can all be done via Skyward or email communication with teachers year around. SLC are an opportunity to teach students how to set goals, identify strengths and areas for improvement, put together a portfolio of progress, and how to share and discuss their work, goals and achievement. SLC develop student accountability, self-reflection and goal setting while fostering a sense of ownership in their education. These conferences provide a formal time and space for students to engage in purposeful discussion with their family centered around their academic growth.
During the Student Led Conference, your student will share with you their portfolio which is a collection of representative work and self-reflective evaluations from all First Semester subject areas. Students are working with their 4th period teachers who are providing guidance in organizing, preparing and practicing their portfolio presentations. This portfolio preparation and presentation is the heart of our Student Led Conference as it begins the process of moving responsibility for learning to the student and assists them in setting goals for themselves - both lifelong skills!
We have close to 100% participation in Student Led Conferences and are looking forward to continuing this valuable tradition again with you!
Timeline and Scheduling
January 8th: During Seminar with their 4th period class, students will be given access to a spreadsheet to share with you to sign up for a specific day and time slot. Please sit down with your student and select a time. There are multiple appointment times over the course of the three days. The spreadsheet will be available in your student’s 4th period Seminar Google Classroom; your student needs to register with your guidance as soon as possible.
There are 2 sign-up options for Student-Led Conferences (SLC):
- Preferred - Schedule a 30 minute, in-person SLC, which includes meeting with your student and their 4th period teacher who will act as a facilitator but will not be directly involved in the conference. At the conclusion of the SLC, you will have the opportunity to meet with another teacher on an individual basis for up to five minutes, as they become available. If you require a conversation that will take more than five minutes, please schedule another time to meet with the teacher. We hope you have already been in communication with your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
- Alternate - If an in-person SLC is not possible, you can schedule a Zoom option. In this option, your student will bring their portfolio home to share with you at your convenience, and you will schedule a Zoom meeting with your child’s 4th period teacher to answer any questions you have regarding the portfolio. As always, if you would like to have a conversation with a specific teacher, please contact that teacher to schedule another time to meet with the teacher. We hope you have already been in communication with your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
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January 24, 25 & 26: Student-Led Conferences, no school on these days.
We look forward to seeing you at Woodward during the conference days. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Jeannie Donoghue
WMS Principal
jdonoghue@bisd303.org
What I’m reading now:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Not Light, But Fire by Matthew Kay
Dear Woodward Families,
Welcome back from Winter Break! We are rolling into 2024 with exciting upcoming events that you can put on your calendars. Here's the latest:
- Jan 24-26 is Student Led Conferences. We will need many of YOU to help with a teacher/staff luncheon on January 24th. A Sign-Up Genius will be coming out soon with more details.
- Save the Date for Eighth Grade Banquet - Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 6:00-9:30 pm. The banquet will be held at Woodward Middle School and is for all Woodward 8th Grade Students. Ticket sales and volunteer opportunities will be in your Parent Square inbox in the upcoming weeks.
The Teacher Grant Cycle is currently active, and we are receiving requests. Thank you for donating during the Fallapalooza Fundraising Drive to help make this possible!
Warmly,
Stephanie Page
Woodward PTO President
woodward.president@bainbridgeptos.org
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SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING |
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 Social and Emotional Learning - January Seminar
Seminar is one of Woodward’s social/emotional learning platforms where students participate in a 35 minute class and discussion every Monday. Seminar covers various topics that are connected to students' social emotional health and well being. The first Seminar lesson in January will focus on Martin Luther King and honoring his legacy. On January 22nd, students will use their Seminar time to learn about Student Led Conferences which take place January 24th, 25th & 26th and how they need to prepare.
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SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE |
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Bainbridge Island School District is looking for diverse stakeholders from our seven school communities and certain district-level committees to form the School Consolidation Advisory Committee (SCAC). The SCAC will create a shared understanding of the facts regarding the recommended school closures/consolidation scenarios that were presented at the school board meeting on December 14, 2023.
The SCAC will review applicable data, feedback, and ideas from the collective community. Please note that this is an advisory committee, not a recommending or decision-making body. Instead, the SCAC will provide updates to the BISD community via newsletters, the website and school board meetings. It is anticipated that a final decision regarding school closure/consolidation will be made by the BISD school board on Thursday, March 14.
SCAC MEETING SCHEDULE
Meetings are from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the BHS Library on the following Wednesdays:
- January 17
- January 31
- February 7
- February 28
The final meeting is also from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the BHS Library but this one is on a Thursday:
IMPORTANT DETAILS
- Along with each school's principal, the goal is to have one staff member and one parent/guardian from each school and two students from Bainbridge High School and two students from Eagle Harbor High School.
- Due to the condensed timeline for this committee, it is imperative that all members be present at all the meetings. Please do not apply if you are unable to attend the five scheduled meetings.
- Committee members must agree to adhere to confidentiality.
- Translation services and childcare will be provided for committee members on an as-needed basis.
APPLICATION
- Open to current staff members and parent/guardians
- The application is available through this Google Form and printed copies are also available at the front offices of all school buildings. (See NOTE below about translating the form into your preferred language.)
- Applications close at 5:00 pm on January 10, 2024
- A team of district and building administrators will review the applications. When selecting committee members, applicant names will be removed to allow the focus to be on the experience of each person - a rubric will be utilized to ensure equity in the review of responses.
- Applicants will be notified of their selection status by January 11, 2024.
NOTE: The Google Form can be translated into your preferred language by doing the following:
- Click on the link for the form.
- Right-click anywhere on the form, and several options will appear.
- Click on “Translate” or “Translate to.” Another box will appear in the upper right corner.
- If the language you want to translate to does not appear, click on the three vertical dots and select “Choose another language.”
- Click on the drop-down menu, choose the desired language and click the “translate” button.
- Proceed with completing the form.
Our Lost and Found is Full!
Please have your student check Lost and Found in the Commons for clothing items, lunch containers, water bottles and books that you have been missing. Last call: We will have items available for families to claim during Student Led Conferences, January 24th - 26th. After that, items will be donated to charity.
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The Chromebook Insurance window is open until 9 p.m. on Sunday, February 4, 2024. Did you know that the cost to replace a damaged student Chromebook is $428, but the cost for accidental insurance coverage for the rest of the year is only $23.97?
To minimize the risk of potential fines, we encourage families with students in grades 5-12 to enroll in accidental insurance coverage. For more information about chromebook accidental damage insurance, please visit the BISD Technology Services webpage to read the Student Device Insurance FAQ. To purchase insurance, click here.
Families facing financial challenges may request to have the insurance fee waived for the year through this online form.
Chromebook Insurance Flyer
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Eagle Harbor High School (EHHS) is hosting an Open House/Info Night
When: Thursday, January 18th
Where: Commodore Commons
What Time: 6:30 - 7:30 pm
More information is included on the Attached Flyer.
Living Voices - PTO Special Grant
Last month, our Language Arts/Social Studies Department invited Living Voices to perform "Northwest Passages" for all our 8th grade students. Living Voices is an educational theatre company that combines archival film footage with live performance. The Northwest Passages production looks at diverse immigrant communities in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century. This production was made available to our students by a PTO Special Grant. In the pictures below, actor Jessica Avellone performs for an 8th grade class.
Cupcake Wars in Family and Consumer Sciences
An annual Woodward tradition in the Family and Consumer Sciences classroom, Cupcake Wars, did not disappoint this past December. First, students practiced making and piping cupcakes in preparation for the competition. Next, the teams chose their own recipes in pursuit of sweet victory. There were a variety of creative entries - vegan mango cupcakes with banana buttercream frosting and chocolate peppermint cupcakes with vanilla peppermint cream cheese frosting to name a few. Many thanks to all the local judges who came to WMS for this special event. Not only did the judges give our students great feedback on their entries, but they also left with positive impressions on the capabilities of middle schoolers. The following photos are from the event.
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 JANUARY
3-5: Girls Basketball Tryouts After School
5: PTO Meeting, 9:30 am via Zoom
11: Progress Reports
15: MLK Holiday - No School
18: Eagle Harbor High School Open House, 6:30 in the Commodore Commons
24-26: WMS Student Led Conferences - No School
29: Second Semester Begins
FEBRUARY
2: PTO Meeting, 9:30 via Zoom
19-23: Mid-Winter Break - No School
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NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT |
Bainbridge Island School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities 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. The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Kristen Haizlip, Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator and Gender Inclusive Schools Coordinator, 8489 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110; 206-780-1058; khaizlip@bisd303.org
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