Hatchet Happenings
October 2023
Student Council presents Perdue Farms with a 3D Turkey!
Washington Intermediate Student Council members and Mr. Cherry presented Senior Plant Manager Colby Rigg and Area HR Manager Sara Norfolk from Perdue Farms with a turkey printed on one of our new 3D printers!
We appreciate our partnership with Perdue Farms and their generous donation that made it possible for our school to purchase two additional 3D printers. Excited for our students to start printing in STEAM and learn new skills that very well may become a new hobby or career path.
WJHS Jr Beta Delivered Goodies to our First Responders over Break!
3D printing with Tinkercad in the Design & Innovation Lab
Students at Washington Jr. High recently had the opportunity to learn more about 3D printing and the Design & Innovation Lab during homeroom.
Using Tinkercad they designed keychains, phone holders, boxes with lids, and other creations. It was amazing to watch them put their critical thinking skills to use!
Fourth-grade teacher Taylor Conley recently added STEM Education to her license through a new partnership program with the Indiana Department of Education and the Education Service Centers of Indiana that funds coursework for teachers seeking full licensure.
The Indiana STEM Educator Expansion Initiative funds tuition, books, and material fees for both currently licensed teachers in non-STEM areas, as well as prospective teachers who are not licensed but hold a bachelor’s degree, to become licensed to teach a STEM subject.
Principal Brenda Butcher is proud to share Ms. Conley’s accomplishment, though it did not come as a surprise. “Taylor is overachieving and seeks out opportunities for growth. She incorporates project-based lessons and STEM in her classroom. She also leads our STEM and Lego League Robotics Clubs.”
“I'm excited to bring the new knowledge I gained in preparing for this STEM addition into the classroom and our after-school clubs. The students have a lot of fun with our inquiry activities, and they gain skills and experiences that they will carry with them,” said Taylor Conley.
Washington Community Schools is committed to expanding STEM education and empowering our students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly changing, diverse, and technical society.
Washington Upper Elementary staff took Hatch on many adventures during fall break!
Hatch visited family, traveled to new countries, played with dinosaurs, met Bigfoot, snuggled new grandbabies, enjoyed scenic road trips, spent much needed time with loved ones, and relaxed on his time away from school. He had a wonderful time!
WHS is 1 of 9 Schools Nationwide to Host WIDA Cognitive Lab for English Language Learners.
All English learner students have to take the WIDA (World-class Instructional Design and Assessment) ACCESS test each year. The WIDA ACCESS Test assesses student reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking ability, and writing ability in the English language.
Each year the students who are close to testing out of the program tend to struggle with the speaking component. WIDA has had enough feedback over the years that they have redeveloped the speaking portion of the test. Washington High School is 1 of 9 schools nationwide to host a Cognitive Lab, a dedicated space for assessing the effectiveness of the possible enhancements to the WIDA ACCESS Test.
“The main thing we are looking at is if students had a 2nd opportunity to answer a question and add more to their previous answer, would that help teachers get a truer sense of what level a student is actually at,” said ELL teacher Lisa Mittleider. “Sometimes students get nervous or they forget, or they will stop recording too early and get frustrated.”
Read more at: http://bit.ly/3QwOAEw
The Hope Honors Medal recognizes individuals and organizations who are cultivating and activating hope within their communities.
Recently several teachers and administrators from Washington Community Schools journeyed to Phoenix, Arizona, to hear from the world's leading researchers and practitioners at the 18th Annual Kids at Hope Masters Institute. This is the fourth group of WCS educators to attend the conference.
Accepting the Hope Honors Medial on behalf of the district were Steve Peterson, Kristen Murphy, Rhiannon Fry, Brenda Meredith, Jordan Bennington, Rochelle Evans, Kelly Miller, and Kaitlyn Wilson. They also had the opportunity to share how Kids at Hope is an integral part of the culture at WCS and how the district integrates the Kids at Hope philosophy into a variety of programs including Title I Family Nights, Play Partners, Peer Mentors, and the Helping Others video series.
The team is excited to learn more about the latest research on Hope. "It's not risk or trauma that prevents kids from succeeding; it's the absence of hope, and that is something we can control," Kelly Miller shares. "If you're trained to look for it, you will find it," adds Rochelle Evans.
Washington Community Schools first adopted the Kids at Hope belief system in 2017 when then principal Jeanette Lobeck introduced Kids at Hope at Lena Dunn Elementary. The program was then expanded to include all elementary schools when the district transitioned to grade-level centers in 2022. This award is a testament to the unwavering commitment of Washington Community Schools to fostering hope and ensuring the success of every child within its care.
The Dentist is Coming to Washington Primary!
November 28, 2023
Dental Services Provided:
- Cleaning
- Flouride
- X-Rays
- Sealants
- Restorative Care
- Free Dental Supplies
Washington Primary School Store Fundraiser
The SchoolStore fundraiser is 100% online so there is NO face-to-face selling, handling money, or delivering products. Your participation will take less than 12 minutes, and there are exciting prizes to make it fun for the students.
October 27 - Washington Intermediate Fundraiser Pickup
October 28 - Lady Hatchet Basketball Hoops Hysteria, 7-9 pm
October 28 - WHS Halloween Dance, 9:00 - 12:00 pm
October 30 - WHS Picture Retake Day
November 1 - Washington Intermediate Picture Retake Day
November 4 - Chili Supper, Washington Veale Elementary, 4-7 pm
November 5 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 14 - Washington Primary Book Fair Family Night, 5:00 -6:30 pm
November 20 - Washington Primary Dual Language Family Night, 5:00 pm
November 22-24 - Thanksgiving Break, No School
November 28 - School Smiles at Washington Primary
November 29 - Scheduled 2-Hour Delay
December 21-January 2 - Winter Break, No School
Washington Community Schools is committed to preparing ALL students for the future. Offering a wide variety of opportunities and technology allows students PK-12 to IMAGINE the possibilities, ACHIEVE success and explore their potential, and MASTER skills that will take them to the next level of life and learning. #IAMWashington