(Indiana State Superintendent)

Over the past four years, we have been asking people across Indiana, “how might we make the four years of high school as valuable as possible for students?” This week marked a huge milestone in our shared work to better connect students to their unique future goals and aspirations.

Over the past nine years, our teachers have been engaged making WCS a district with high standards, meaningful opportunities, and relevant experiences for ALL students. The Kids at Hope mindset starts our students on a path that shows the value of education at an early age, and our STEM opportunities throughout the K-12 span engage students with hands-on learning. The expanding DLI and growing EL program along with our inclusive Special Education ventures and High Ability events, demonstrate our commitment to ALL students. Our wide variety of co and extra-curricular opportunities, aligned with rich internship experiences give students the opportunity to explore a variety of career clusters. The challenging AP courses and numerous Dual Credits available to our students, ensures that our kids leave us well prepared for their life after high school!

March 27 - 29th

Washington High School was selected to host one of four FIRST Robotics Competition Events in the state of Indiana. From Thursday, March 27, thru Saturday, March 29, the Hatchet House will host one of the premier high school robotics competition circuits in the nation. Twenty-five teams from the states of Indiana and Michigan have signed up for the competition and will stay in the area for the three day, two night event. The event is expected to bring in over $400,000 of local economic impact to the surrounding area as teams will stay at local hotels and eat at local restaurants.

The goal for Washington Community Schools is to provide the best STEM curricula to our students. Providing students the ability to be involved in FIRST Robotics is an amazing opportunity which can help lead students to future scholarships, careers, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the robotics program you may contact Matt Riney at mriney@wcs.k12.in.us. Volunteers are always needed for hosting a competition of this size! If you are interested in volunteering please follow the directions from https://www.firstinspires.org/ways-to-help/volunteer/event-volunteers and select the Washington, Indiana event.

Computer Science students code the light show in sync with the music. Jason Johnston and his construction classes really stepped it up and were awesome this year - all props were upgraded and rewired with LED lights. The electrical crews from the city are always amazing to work with. Also, Patty Allen managed the process of getting all the lights and materials for our students to use.

Earlier this quarter, we hosted a ceremony honoring three WHS juniors who each signed Letters of Intent to serve as Teacher Apprentices in WCS. This has been a collaborative effort between WHS, ROI, and Vincennes University. Jorgia, Addyson, and Breah will each serve as paid Teacher Apprentices for the rest of their high school career, while each earning a minimum of 18 dual credits. Successful completion of VU's Teacher Apprentice Two Year Certificate while still in high school will allow them to graduate with their teaching credentials sooner. This represents the first Teacher Apprentice signing in the 11 county region with ROI's Upskill Program!

We are extremely pleased to announce our continued partnership with RMS with our latest apprenticeship signing. Earlier this month, Lacey Hancock signed her Letter of Intent to serve as a Business Apprentice along side Matt Thompson, Program Manager. Lacey will grow her business acumen and gain real experience in the field of business logistics through ROI's Upskill Program.

About Reliable MicroSystems

Reliable MicroSystems is a trailblazer in microtechnology development, offering innovative solutions for a wide range of industries. Committed to community engagement and workforce development, the company invests in initiatives that inspire and prepare the next generation of talent.

In October, Miss Bissey and Mrs. Miller took several students to USI to tour the campus. While there the students learned about college life, financial aid, meal plans, the cost of books and tuition and were able to tour the student apartments, along with many other things. After the tour the students were then allowed to eat on campus, to get a feel of college life. The students enjoyed touring USI, because it was not too big, but still felt like they would get the college experience. They felt like they would be able to get where they needed to be, without getting lost.

WHS Robotics is looking to partner with Vincennes University College of Technology to establish a recognized certification in the field of robotics with an emphasis on Advanced Manufacturing. Industry partners within the community who may be interested in hosting student(s) through an apprenticeship are asked to reach out to Matt Riney - mriney@wcs.k12.in.us to learn more.

JobSpark is a Junior Achievement initiative which includes a two-day, hands-on career expo for 8th graders in southwest Indiana and southeast Illinois. The event is meant to spark an interest in students and get them excited for their future.

Fourth graders in the Lego League club at Washington Veale went to a competition last month in Evansville. In Lego League, the students learn valuable skills in coding, building, teamwork, problem solving, and perseverance that help them in both in and out of the classroom. This year’s theme focused on the ocean, where students also got to learn about various jobs and careers related to the theme, such as oceanographers, marine biologists, and scuba divers. Along with building and coding a robot, they also researched and presented on a real-life issue related to the ocean and proposed ideas and solutions. The students had a great time and learned a lot of great skills!

Whether you donated a college sweatshirt or a business sweatshirt, THANK YOU! This is something that ties into our Kids at Hope program of future destinations, and has become a very special event each year. Thank you to Mrs. Bennington and the teachers who work behind the scenes, doing all the wrapping and sorting.

If you are interested in partnering with us in any way, please reach out to our College & Career Academy Director, Matt Riney: MRiney@wcs.k12.in.us

Email: speterson@wcs.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.washingtoncommunityschools.org/1/Content2/college-and-career-academy
Location: 608 East Walnut Street, Washington, IN, USA
Phone: (812) 254-3860
Twitter: @washhs