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Newest D-200 students ‘Gear Up for Kindergarten’: Program helps those who have yet to attend school

August 8, 2023

Following an increase among incoming kindergarten students who had never been in school before, educators at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center launched a new program this year to help students “Gear Up for Kindergarten.” Kindergarten teacher Jessie Justice, who oversees the program, said it might have been a pandemic-related phenomenon that led to the uptick […]

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Daisy Girl Scouts busy earning petals, selling cookies

April 4, 2023

The 12 girls in Daisy Girl Scout Troop 828 accomplished many things in their very first year together. And Daisy Girl Scout Troop 1203 is new, having just got started in the middle of the busy cookie sales season. Troop 828 Started in 2022 when the girls were in kindergarten at Verda Dierzen Early Learning […]

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Honoring Melissa: Project of kindergarten students raising funds for splash pad

March 28, 2023

A kindergarten class at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center decided that water lilies were the best choice to paint in honor of a special person. Courtney Fisher’s dual-language kindergarten students studied special women in history during March, Women’s History Month. They learned about important women who helped others, women such as Georgia O’Keefe, Rosa Parks, […]

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A week around the world: Impact Grant allows students to ‘travel’ the globe

January 31, 2023

Students at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center “traveled” this month to India, Poland, Ukraine, Colombia, South Africa, Peru, Ireland, Uganda, Mexico, Australia, Ecuador, Egypt, and Spain. “In a world that is ever-evolving and filled with diversity, we feel that it is important for our students to learn about each others’ cultures and to celebrate our […]

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Parents and students lined up at Verda Dierzen

D-200 announces preschool tuition programs, registration process for 2023-24 school year

January 23, 2023

Staff Report news@thewoodstockindependent.com Applications will be accepted starting this week for the 2023-24 tuition preschool program in Woodstock School District 200. In addition to the long-standing, grant-funded preschool program open to children ages 3 to 5 who qualify through a pre-screening process, two other program options are available to interested parents. Details about all programs […]

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‘It takes a community”: Teachers, neighbors, friends help family through 5-year-old’s medical emergency

September 13, 2022

“We learned just how much our community supports one another,” MacKenzie Shutt, mother of 5-year-old Hollis Shutt, said. “As hard as it was to be vulnerable and accept help, the District 200 teachers, staff, and students and the entire Woodstock community and my school and my husband’s school, they came together to help our family […]

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Learning women’s history: Kindergartners’ sunflower display lights up bookstore

April 6, 2022

Students in Courtney Fisher’s kindergarten class put their Women’s History Month lessons on display on the Woodstock Square in hopes of helping others across the world. Fisher said her students didn’t know how women were treated unequally throughout history before women’s suffrage or that, in some places, are still not allowed the basic opportunity to […]

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Bringing the groundhog to light: Teacher’s music video helps kids to go groundhog wild

February 15, 2022

“Music is for everyone,” Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center music teacher Chris Rausch said. “It is good to have fun and be silly, too.” The 2006 Woodstock High School graduate launched his YouTube channel – titled “Music is for You! – with Mr. Rausch” – to share some of his music lessons with others. “It […]

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D-200 withdraws proposal to change school times amid bus driver shortage

September 24, 2021

“Feedback from many parents” has caused administrators to withdraw a plan to change school start and dismissal times to address a critical shortage of bus drivers in Woodstock School District 200. In an email to D-200 families Thursday, Superintendent Mike Moan announced that proposed schedule would not be considered at the Board of Education meeting […]

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New school year sees administrative changes: Three principals, two assistants, one new A.D. on board

August 12, 2021

Staff Report news@thewoodstockindependent.com As students return to classes Aug. 16 in Woodstock School District 200, they will find six administrators in new roles. Three new principals, two assistant principals, and a new athletic director have started in their new positions, including some promotions from within D-200, according to a news release. Ryan Doyle, who has […]

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