Inside WCPS

Warren County Public Schools INSIDE

Biannual Edition 2023-2024

IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation Groundbreaking Partnerships Create Student Opportunities

The Why of Shane Baker

What's Next After Earning the Milken Award

ISSUE 1

BIANNUAL EDITION 2023-2024

WCPS Plans to Open Unprecedented IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation

History was made on October 16, 2023 as WCPS broke ground on the IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation.

The IMPACT Center will be a state-of-the-art facility open to WCPS students offering advanced instructional technology.

The Center will be a hub for students to collaborate through innovation and design, while developing exemplary leadership skill sets, gaining the competencies to successfully navigate the future.

“That’s where our leaders are born, it’s through that ability to solve a problem, to communicate solutions, and to help people move forward, that’s exactly what’s going to happen here, which is a completely new way of developing leadership, and helping the next generation prepare for the jobs of the future,” explained Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, who attended the groundbreaking.

Local, state, national and international business partners are participating in the planning and execution of this unprecedented Center, led by a longstanding partnership between WCPS and FranklinCovey Education through the Leader in Me program.

There will be multiple opportunities for students to earn industry certifications and microcredentials in proposed high need workforce sectors.

“We do know that there’ll be an engineering pathway, there will be an entrepreneurship pathway, and there’ll be a medical arts pathway. That’s part of the reason we’ve engaged our business and industry leaders,” Superintendent Rob Clayton said. “We’re asking them, what is it that you want to see in our graduates and then where can we improve the skill sets that we’re focused on with our students upon graduation?”

The IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation is scheduled to open in August 2026.

Early Learning Academy-South Campus

Through a collaborative partnership between WCPS and Western Kentucky University (WKU), WCPS renovated a portion of WKU’s South Campus facility to open the newly established Early Learning Academy (ELA) preschool center. The ELA opened its doors on August 9, 2023, and currently serves 140 3-4 year old preschool students. WCPS’ 5-Star Rated preschool serves a total of 750 preschool students across the district.

ISSUE 1

BIANNUAL EDITION 2023-2024

History is Made: Jennings Creek Elementary’s Shane Baker Honored with the Prestigious Milken Educator Award Congratulations to Jennings Creek Elementary’s Shane Baker who was recognized as Warren County Public Schools’ very first Milken Educator Award recipient by the Milken Family Foundation!

Mr. Baker is a dedicated educator and a quick glimpse into his third-grade classroom reflects his strong commitment to high expectations for not only his students, but himself as well. He uses green screens for presentations, creates animated stories, utilizes coding to create 3D printer projects and incorporates digital tools into multimedia discussions. As an EdTech Ambassador for the school district, Baker effectively incorporates technology into a project-based learning curriculum, adjusting for each student’s unique needs. Mr. Baker models the importance of developing positive relationships with each and every student.

“I get to come to work and I get to interact with kids who come from families from all over the world. It’s such a unique environment that you just can’t get in very many other places,” explains Mr. Baker. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see kids who come from different backgrounds or to see kids who look like me, because I didn’t get that experience growing up.”

Mr. Baker is a kind and caring individual who represents the very best of WCPS and the education profession.

“It really just speaks volumes about Mr. Baker and his commitment to kids and also his commitment to our profession.

He demonstrates a high level of passion and creativity in the classroom,” stated Superintendent Rob Clayton.

Unlike most recognitions, the Milken Family Foundation does not permit nominations for the award as they choose to conduct their own research on educators across the country.

This award is considered the “Oscars” of teaching; as a part of his reward, Mr. Baker received an unrestricted $25,000 cash award and will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles in June 2024 for the Milken Educator Awards Forum.

Kentucky Summative Assessment Results

Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) results were released on October 31, 2023, as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). For the second year, Kentucky featured the state’s color-coded accountability system, which was previously a 5-star system. The WCPS district has many areas to celebrate, especially the significant increase in postsecondary readiness attainment (i.e., college and/or career readiness) for all graduating 12th-grade students. The percentage of WCPS high school students graduating Postsecondary Ready improved from 79% to 87.4% from the 2021-22 school year to the 2022-23 school year. WCPS’ ACT results improved to 19.3 and overall, the district’s middle and high schools scored in the "green" category, showing district-wide academic growth.

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BIANNUAL EDITION 2023-2024

Drakes Creek Middle School Named 2023 National Blue Ribbon School Drakes Creek Middle School (DCMS) is one of 353 schools across the nation, one of five public schools in the state, and the only middle school in Kentucky to be recognized as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education! This achievement is based on the school’s overall academic performance.

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families.”

Congratulations to the entire DCMS community for obtaining this exemplary achievement!

Greenwood High School Honored with the Purple Star Award

At a Veterans Day ceremony on November 10, 2023, Greenwood High School’s students, faculty and staff were recognized with the Purple Star Award by representatives from LifeSkills Regional Prevention Center.

The Purple Star Award recognizes schools that show a major commitment to serving military-connected students and families. There are only 72 Purple Star schools in Kentucky and the WCPS district is honored to have one of its own schools selected to join this esteemed group.

New Beginning: Warren Elementary Groundbreaking-New School Scheduled to Open in August 2025

On September 18, 2023, WCPS broke ground on the new Warren Elementary school. The new school, located on Brookwood Drive, will resemble the footprint of Rich Pond Elementary and will include a large playground, a combined football and soccer field, and a combined baseball and softball field. It will be the second WCPS school constructed with a gymnasium that doubles as a safe room storm shelter, able to withstand winds up to 250 mph.

“We’ve long known that our community expects the very best from Warren County Public Schools. Part of that is delivering a facility where we can engage our students at the highest level, inspire them, ensure they have resources available and also foster that creative mindset that we want all of our students to have,” said Superintendent Rob Clayton.

The new Warren Elementary school is scheduled to open in August of 2025. The previous Warren Elementary building will be converted into a preschool center where WCPS will have the capacity to educate approximately 600 3-4 year olds, best preparing them for a successful transition to kindergarten.