Founded in 1936 and known as the Alverno Campus elementary School until 1988, Woodlands School became a private, independent school in 1989. In 1996, Woodlands earned accreditation by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. In 2003, Woodlands became a public, charter school through the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Woodlands offers an innovative educational program of excellence for the whole child in a multicultural environment that prepares the child for lifelong learning in a rapidly changing society.

Woodlands focus on the whole child forms the basis of the school’s educational philosophy. Woodlands develops lifelong learners through a multidisciplinary approach to learning for all grades beginning in preschool and continuing through eighth grade.

• The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recognizes Woodlands as having a model foreign language (French) program
• All teachers have teaching licenses
• Many of the teaching assistants have college degrees
• Nine staff members have advanced degrees, and two have taught college level courses in education
• Students participate in the Middle Level Forensics Association tournaments and repeatedly qualify to compete at the state level
• A Woodlands seventh grader placed first at the Congressional District and state levels of the Patriot’s Pen essay contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Her essay placed 36th nationally in 2007
• Fifth and sixth graders adopted McKinley Beach on Lake Michigan, collecting water samples and providing data to the Alliance for the Great Lakes
• In 2005-2006 Wisconsin Concept and Knowledge exams, all eighth graders achieved proficient or advanced scores in reading, math, language arts, science and social studies
• Sixteen 8th grade students logged 429 hours in volunteer service in the 2005-2006 school year at nursing homes, churches, meal programs and the humane society
• All seventh and eighth graders completed Red Cross First Aid, CPR and AED training in the fall of 2006
• 2008 Woodlands graduates were admitted to Dominican, Pius, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Tenor High School
• Parents completed 3,085 volunteer hours in service to Woodlands
• Two teachers volunteered a week during the summer of 2007 painting classrooms in recovering schools in New Orleans, La.