Important Message from Woodland D50

Jan. 16 2024

Dear Woodland Families,

Thank you for your patience and flexibility over the past few days while we have been responding to the winter weather impacting our area. I hope that you were able to stay safe and warm throughout the extended weekend. This email is to let you know that we are planning for a full in-person return to school on Wednesday, Jan. 17. You will only hear from the district if something happens to change our status for tomorrow. Otherwise this is the final message regarding school on Wednesday.

We are still expecting cold temperatures throughout the week, but we will not be facing the dangerous wind chills that we experienced on Monday and Tuesday. We urge everyone to prepare in advance for the cold, and bundle up to stay safe and comfortable. See the graphic below for helpful reminders from the National Weather Service.

I also want to share my appreciation for the men and women who work for Woodland that put in extra work in response to this weather event. Many of our district staff was on site over the past few days to make sure our buildings, grounds, and buses are operational to bring our staff and students back safely on Wednesday.

• Our Transportation staff was in on Monday & Tuesday to clean off the buses, get them running, and to check that all safety equipment is working properly. To operate buses, we need to make sure the stop arm can extend when needed, safety lights and features are working as expected, and that the heat on the buses is working.
• The Operations & Facilities team worked throughout the closure to clear parking lots and stay on top of the snowfall. Once the snow cleanup was done, their response then turned to making sure all building systems were operational, including heat, water, and electricity. They also had to be on site for a sprinkler system malfunction at Intermediate to clean up any water related mess or damage. This burst sprinkler head had only minor implications to specific areas of Intermediate, and due to their diligent work, will not impact school on Wednesday.
• Our Technology Department was also on site each day to troubleshoot disruptions to our network and any other technical components that our school district relies on to keep school running smoothly.

I am so proud of this team for always showing up, even in the worst conditions, to keep us safe and ready to teach and learn.

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert Machak, Superintendent

Woodland D50

Please visit the National Weather Service website for additional Cold Weather Safety tips.

Visit the Winter Weather page on the district website to review important reminders and answers to frequently asked questions about how we keep your Wildcat safe during inclement weather conditions. Winter weather in northern Illinois can be unpredictable, and conditions can go from mild to harsh within a few short hours. It is important that we prepare in advance so that we are ready when winter weather strikes.