New school year, new principal greet District 50 students

The 5,800 students who returned to classes Monday at Gurnee-based Woodland School District 50 weren't alone in getting used to different surroundings.

Joining them in a new circumstance was Ryan Wollberg, principal at Woodland Elementary West in Gages Lake. Wollberg spent the morning introducing himself to students and taking part in a game of "eclipse tag" with a second-grade physical education class.

Before becoming principal at Woodland West this year, Wollberg spent 10 years teaching sixth-grade social studies in District 50. More recently, he served as assistant principal at Emmons Elementary School District 33 near Antioch.

The first day for students in Woodland's Early Childhood program, Early Learning Experience and kindergarten is Tuesday.