WCS College & Career Readiness

Washington Community Schools is proud to receive the Daviess County Chamber of Commerce Impact Award, recognizing our dedication to academic excellence, innovation, and student success. Through comprehensive STEM integration, college preparation, and career exploration programs, we prepare ALL students to excel in their chosen paths. Our inclusive environment fosters a sense of belonging, where each individual is valued and supported. Offering students a wide variety of activities gives our students the opportunity to discover their unique talents and explore their interests. We believe in the potential of every student and strive to provide them with the tools they need to succeed. STEM Excellence We're harnessing the power of technology to inspire curiosity and ignite learning. Our commitment to technology and STEM integration ensures that every student is equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. From coding and robotics to engineering challenges, our students are encouraged to think critically, problem-solve, collaborate, and innovate; skills that are essential for success in the 21st century workforce.

Highlights:

Washington High School STEM Certified

PLTW Model School Recognition

Dual Language Immersion

On February 20th, Washington Community Schools had the honor of hosting the Leadership Daviess County Workforce Development Cohort for an engaging and insightful session focused on education and workforce development. This event brought together local leaders, educators, and workforce development professionals to discuss the critical intersection of education and workforce readiness in Daviess County. The session aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the county’s education system, from early childhood through adult education. Through tours, discussions and panel insights, the cohort gained valuable perspectives on how education and workforce initiatives align to foster economic growth and sustainability in the community.

Representatives from WCS met recently in Plainfield, IN to share their progress on the integration of Micro Electronics throughout the district. The robust plan connects a wide variety of skills and opportunities that expose and engage students of all ages in the ever-expanding STEM field of ME. It's still a work in progress, but feel free to see the plan for yourself...

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

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.

In January, February and March, we have had guest speakers talk with JAG students about a variety of careers as well as provide job readiness information such as applying for jobs, interview tips, what to wear to an interview, just to name a few. The careers we have learned about include: IN National Guard, Nursing and Assisted Living Communities, Daviess County WorkOne, Human Resources from Jasper Memorial Hospital, Purdue Extension Office, and later this week, Real Estate from Century 21.

Ms. Bissey and several students went to USI for their annual “Be a Teacher Day”. During our visit, we were able to learn about USI’s Teacher Education programs and offerings, interact with a K-12 educational panel, meet current students, tour the campus, and experience classes. We were also able to sit in a mock lecture, so the students could experience what classes are like at USI.

Good Luck to three teams from Washington Community Schools who will travel to the Indiana State Fairgrounds to compete in the State Robotics Championship on Saturday, March 22nd. Two teams, the Circuit Breakers B and Circuit Breakers E from the Upper Elementary, along with the Tech Titans from the Junior High School had to place first in a regional competition in order to advance to the State Championship level.

Junior high Gateway courses immerse students in hands-on, project-based learning experiences that spark creativity and problem-solving skills. These courses, often part of a pre-engineering or STEM pathway, challenge students to design, build, and test real-world solutions using technology, coding, robotics, and engineering principles. Through collaborative teamwork and trial-and-error experimentation, students develop critical thinking and perseverance while exploring potential career interests. By engaging in meaningful, hands-on projects, Gateway courses make learning dynamic and relevant, fostering a deeper understanding of STEM concepts and their applications in everyday life.

We were able to time travel with our 4th graders to their future home and family destination at Washington Intermediate. Generations volunteers spent a morning with us serving as our life and career coaches. Students visited each station where they did an activity to determine their future home, pet, car, amount of kids, bank account balance, and even a station to determine their future career with realistic salaries. The best part of this experience were the mayhem cards! Students had different expenses such as a dentist bill, tax, fine or even a little fender bender and had to pay some sort of expense. It was interesting to sit down with each class and talk about what salaries they had and if they lined up with the balance in their account. We had some students who made over $80K and didn't have enough money in their account to pay for the mailbox they hit or replace a $100 dryer that quit working all the sudden...because that is LIFE. Students had such a hands-on learning experience and discussion about how that may happen and how it does occur in real life. These are the types of experiences we are so thankful our committee planned to help students time travel to what their future life could look like. We spent the first semester as a school exploring different careers with guest speakers, career exploration quizzes, and learning about different college and career experiences from our own school staff. It was nice to take time and learn how those salaries and careers could play into their potential adult life.

The 2nd graders spent some time this quarter time traveling and thinking about what they want their future to look like. They completed journals where they reflected on what job they wanted in the future, as well as what kind of house, car, and family they wanted as well. They had a fun time thinking about their future and planning out what they wanted it to look like!

During Washington Veale 4th grade’s trip to Crane for their Engineers in Training program, the students got the amazing opportunity to meet Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations and the first woman to do so. They spent time talking with her about her job and the Navy, as well as showing her their work in making a Sphero robot move faster and slower in water. The students got to learn about her work in the Navy and what they could do in the Navy when they get older. It was a great and valuable learning experience!

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