Rockwood School District: Students And Staff At Wildwood Middle Celebrate School's 20th Anniversary

Press release from the Rockwood School District:

May 24, 2021

Students and staff at Wildwood Middle celebrated the school's 20th anniversary on May 20.

To commemorate the occasion, students sang "Happy Birthday" in the morning, viewed a PowerPoint presentation of the history of their school, signed their names on a birthday banner and spent time outdoors participating in a variety of activities that were planned by teachers.

Principal Dr. Allison Klouse shared a heartfelt message with students and staff members.

"I would like to let my students and staff know what an immense honor it has been to be your building principal these past nine years and without a doubt know we have the most talented, clever, curious, kind and empathetic students at Wildwood Middle," Klouse said. "Please join us to celebrate our 50th birthday in May 2050, when we open our time capsule that we buried five years ago."

Student Then, Teacher Now

When Wildwood Middle opened its doors in August 2001, Matt Swoboda was a member of the school's first sixth-grade class. Now a proud alum who teaches social studies at his middle school alma mater, Swoboda remembers the year like it was yesterday.

"It was an exciting and new experience that I thoroughly enjoyed," Swoboda shared. "I was on the committee of teachers, students and parents who selected the mascot, school colors and color scheme of the building. We went as far as selecting the locker colors and accent tiles in the hallways."

The friendships that Swoboda made made 20 years ago still stand out to him. "I am still friends with a number of people that I met in my sixth-grade class, even though we moved on to separate high schools," he said.

Swoboda shared his perspective on what tangible and intangible elements have changed – and what has remained the same – with the school.

"For one, the kids are still the same, even though they are now equipped with smartphones and Chromebooks," he said. "It is funny to stand in my classroom or the hallways and hear the kids laughing at the same things I laughed at in that very spot 20 years ago. My colleagues exhibit the same level of care and concern for their students that I was given. The relationships and overall feel of the school remain very familiar. From a physical standpoint, Wildwood has had some nice changes and still feels like a new building."

Coming back and teaching at a school where he once roamed the hallways as a student has special meaning to the young educator. "This school provided so many great memories at such a crucial time in my development," Swoboda shared. "I could not pass up the opportunity to give back to the community that gave me so much over my middle school years."

About Wildwood MiddleWildwood Middle is built on strong values, which emphasize the importance of showing courage and respect. It currently serves 581 students, and over the course of 20 years, the school has educated more than 14,000 students.

Its school colors are green and gold. Green is symbolic of new beginnings and nature that the name Wildwood evokes. Gold is also represented in the school colors of Eureka and Lafayette high schools, which Wildwood Middle students attend after they move on from middle school.

Students and staff at Wildwood Middle celebrated the school's 20th anniversary on May 20.

To commemorate the occasion, students sang "Happy Birthday" in the morning, viewed a PowerPoint presentation of the history of their school, signed their names on a birthday banner and spent time outdoors participating in a variety of activities that were planned by teachers.

Principal Dr. Allison Klouse shared a heartfelt message with students and staff members.

"I would like to let my students and staff know what an immense honor it has been to be your building principal these past nine years and without a doubt know we have the most talented, clever, curious, kind and empathetic students at Wildwood Middle," Klouse said. "Please join us to celebrate our 50th birthday in May 2050, when we open our time capsule that we buried five years ago."

Student Then, Teacher Now

When Wildwood Middle opened its doors in August 2001, Matt Swoboda was a member of the school's first sixth-grade class. Now a proud alum who teaches social studies at his middle school alma mater, Swoboda remembers the year like it was yesterday.

"It was an exciting and new experience that I thoroughly enjoyed," Swoboda shared. "I was on the committee of teachers, students and parents who selected the mascot, school colors and color scheme of the building. We went as far as selecting the locker colors and accent tiles in the hallways."

The friendships that Swoboda made made 20 years ago still stand out to him. "I am still friends with a number of people that I met in my sixth-grade class, even though we moved on to separate high schools," he said.

Swoboda shared his perspective on what tangible and intangible elements have changed – and what has remained the same – with the school.

"For one, the kids are still the same, even though they are now equipped with smartphones and Chromebooks," he said. "It is funny to stand in my classroom or the hallways and hear the kids laughing at the same things I laughed at in that very spot 20 years ago. My colleagues exhibit the same level of care and concern for their students that I was given. The relationships and overall feel of the school remain very familiar. From a physical standpoint, Wildwood has had some nice changes and still feels like a new building."

Coming back and teaching at a school where he once roamed the hallways as a student has special meaning to the young educator. "This school provided so many great memories at such a crucial time in my development," Swoboda shared. "I could not pass up the opportunity to give back to the community that gave me so much over my middle school years."

About Wildwood MiddleWildwood Middle is built on strong values, which emphasize the importance of showing courage and respect. It currently serves 581 students, and over the course of 20 years, the school has educated more than 14,000 students.

Its school colors are green and gold. Green is symbolic of new beginnings and nature that the name Wildwood evokes. Gold is also represented in the school colors of Eureka and Lafayette high schools, which Wildwood Middle students attend after they move on from middle school.

This press release was produced by the Rockwood School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.