Woodland Public Schools

Monday, August 3, 2020-Woodland, WA-The Woodland Public Schools Board of Directors will review recommendations from the Cowlitz County Department of Health and District Superintendent Michael Green that the upcoming 2020-2021 school year start with full-time distance learning during a board meeting on Wednesday, August 12.

With an increasing number of COVID-19 infections affecting the community, the Cowlitz County Department of Health recommended to area superintendents Friday evening that all Cowlitz County school districts open the school year utilizing distance learning. In addition, the Institute of Disease Modeling released a report on July 13, 2020 outlining how in-person instruction, even with safeguards in place, risks significantly worsening COVID-19 transmission rates in the community. “While we were hopeful we would be able to begin the school year with in-person instruction, the current spread of the coronavirus makes this no longer a safe option,” explained Superintendent Michael Green.

Work teams including Woodland Public Schools staff and administrators have spent the summer developing techniques and approaches for distance-learning in order to provide a higher level of fidelity to in-class instruction. “We are committed to supporting the educational needs of students and their families with high-quality distance education,” said Superintendent Green. “While we know it is impossible to fully replace the quality of education received in-person, we will strive to replicate the classroom experience as closely as possible using distance learning methods to provide the very best support possible for our students.”

The district’s leadership team, in collaboration with public health officials, continues to monitor the progression of the pandemic throughout the region using specific metrics including the rate of newly-diagnosed cases over a two-week timeline; the rate of COVID-19 testing in the region; and the percentage of positive results to tests on a one-week timeline. “We have hope for a gradual return to face-to-face instruction as the school year proceeds,” said Green. “As members of our community increase their use of face masks; consistently observe physical distancing guidelines; and avoid large social gatherings, the data are showing improvement in a reduction of the rate of newly-diagnosed infections in our region.”

For the most up-to-date information on the status of Woodland Public Schools during the global pandemic, visit the district’s COVID-19 webpage at: www.woodlandschools.org/covid-hq

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Woodland Public Schools' remote learning offerings: Lewis River Academy for Grades K-8 and TEAM High School for Grades 9-12

Tuesday, July 28, 2020-Woodland, WA-Woodland Public Schools continues to closely monitor the state's health and safety guidance to assess the ability of our schools to meet the requirements and recommendations for the different possible reopening options. We understand the amount of anxiety our families feel right now as we, too, are feeling the same anxiety with our own families. 

While the situation continues to change, scientific data suggests the virus poses little risk to children. However, this same data also shows the virus load in children is the same as adults meaning that while the risk to our students could be low, the risk to their parents and our staff members could be high. Accordingly, our priority to open schools in September will be the safety of our students and our staff by providing the safest learning and working environment for everyone.

New information about the novel coronavirus Covid-19 and its impacts on our region, state, and nation continue to affect the way people think and feel about a return to in-person learning in the fall. As the 2020-21 school year approaches, we will continue to provide updates via both our Skyward Family Access email system as well as on our website at www.woodlandschools.org. 

Woodland Public Schools offers full-time, remote-learning alternatives for students in grades K-12

While we work diligently on planning for the different potential outcomes of the return to school this fall, we also want to take the opportunity to re-introduce our two existing, award-winning alternative- and remote-learning programs available for free for all Woodland students: Lewis River Academy (LRA) for students in grades K-8 and TEAM High School for students in grade 9-12.

Both programs have served students throughout Woodland Public Schools for many years and provide authentic, rigorous, and enhanced alternatives to in-school instruction for students in any grade. In fact, the district has put plans in place to provide staffing and support as necessary should the two programs see increased enrollment this fall. 

Does your family live in a surrounding school district and not Woodland? Not a problem. Any interested student can enroll in LRA or TEAM by applying for a Choice Transfer boundary exception. More information is available on the district’s website here: https://www.woodlandschools.org/choice-transfer 

Lewis River Academy (K-8)

Lewis River Academy (LRA) offers families of K-8 students innovative at-home curriculum with dedicated teacher support alongside optional in-classroom activities. In addition to teacher support, families and students use online platforms like Edgenuity (www.edgenuity.com), FuelEducation (www.fueleducation.com) and Odysseyware www.odysseyware.com) to work on their studies.

LRA requires the same amount of rigor as traditional schooling with students dedicating, approximately one hour per subject per day, just like any other student. The program also allows enrolled students to take electives like art and band as well as participate in extracurricular programs like clubs, drama, and athletics at Woodland’s other schools while continuing their core classes at LRA.

TEAM High School (9-12)

TEAM offers Woodland’s high school students a path to earning a diploma (not a GED) with an approach to school that accommodates extenuating life circumstances facing individual students such as full-time work, challenges with traditional school schedules, or family responsibilities. The dedication of students and staff at TEAM has paid off with the school’s graduation rate doubling In the past few years.

Students create a learning plan with TEAM’s teachers and work at their own pace within the scope of remote program minimums.  TEAM students check in with the school’s staff via video teleconferences, phone, email, or even by text message on a weekly basis. Students are assessed based on multiple-choice quizzes taken online at home and through tests and exams taken at the TEAM building by appointment while adhering to proper hygiene and social distancing guidelines.

To enroll at TEAM as a remote learning solution, students will need access to a computer or other form of technology connected to the Internet at their homes. If your family needs support obtaining Internet access, please reach out to the Family Community Resource Center for assistance (www.woodlandschools.org/fcrc). 

While learning is self-directed at TEAM, the school’s teachers can provide instruction and support in all subject areas whenever a student needs additional help or would benefit from more detailed lessons. If a student struggles to make progress at any point, the school’s teachers help students adjust learning plans, if necessary, to ensure academic success leading to graduation.

Jillian Domingo teaches English, social studies, and all humanities and business courses for TEAM. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, and holds a master’s degree in education from University of California Irvine, a bachelor’s degree in English literature, and teaching certificates in English, language arts, social studies, and history. Jillian is also working on acquiring her teaching certification in computer science and art.

Elizabeth “Liz” Vallaire teaches math and science for TEAM. She is currently working on her master’s degree in special education at Washington State University and holds a bachelor’s degree with a double-major in biology and zoology along with minors in writing and anthropology from Humboldt State University. She holds teaching certificates in biology, general science, health/fitness, art, and math. Liz was also the Washington Association for Learning Alternatives Teacher of the Year in 2019.

Just like K-8 students enrolled at Lewis River Academy, students enrolled at TEAM High School can take electives like art and band as well as participate in extracurricular activities including clubs, drama, and athletics at Woodland High School while earning their high school diploma at TEAM.

Learn more online or at our Virtual Open Houses

To learn more about LRA and TEAM, you can visit www.woodlandschools.org/lra and www.woodlandschools.org/team, respectively. Additionally, we are pleased to announce an upcoming virtual open house where our staff will introduce and describe their programs as well as provide the opportunity to answer any questions you may have:

Virtual Open House

When? Tuesday, August 4, 2020 starting at 6 p.m.
How? Join us using your PC, Mac, iPhone or Android smartphone with the following Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/98896517597 

In addition to asking questions during the open house via chat, you can also send any questions you may have in advance to Jake Hall, Executive Director Learning Alternatives and Supports, at hallj@woodlandschools.org.

To learn more about how Woodland Public Schools educates our students and serves the community, visit our dedicated news webpage at https://www.woodlandschools.org/news/wsd

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