Dr. Robert Machek, superintendent of Woodland School District 50, told the Village of Gurney Board Committee of the Whole on Sept. 29 that the district has hired family coordinators and expanded equity training, moves he credited with raising attendance and reducing suspensions.

Machek said the district created family coordinator positions at the elementary, intermediate and middle schools to reconnect students who remained chronically absent after the pandemic. He said average daily attendance in September rose across all four district schools, with the elementary building up about 15% and the intermediate building up about 25% compared with the district’s recent baseline.

The superintendent said Woodland also expanded equity training called Courageous Conversations and has trained more than 25 staff members. He said the district aimed to reduce suspensions for minority students by 5% and that suspensions fell by “almost 10%” last year against that objective.

Machek described several outreach events — a July library back-to-school event and district “popsicles with the principals” gatherings — where family coordinators connected parents to school resources. He named Tia Martinez as the district’s director of innovation; Maria Cristoforatos, a former special-education paraprofessional; Gabriela Navarro Diaz from the language acquisition department; and Rianna Feal from Head Start as staff who joined the family-coordinator effort.

He also noted ongoing programs such as Saturday study hall — about 50 students attend weekly for free academic help — and praised school resource officers and other public-safety partners for their support.

Discussion: Machek emphasized that the district’s strategic plan provided the framework for the new positions and for equity work. He said the goal is consistent expectations and “university high expectations for all kids” during the school day.

No formal board action was taken on the district presentation; the session consisted of informational updates.