The Future of WCS

THE OF WCS future

BY NATHAN WASHER // HEAD OF SCHOOL

One of the responsibilities I am most enthusiastic about in my role as Head of School is the opportunity to help shape and create the future vision of Wichita Collegiate School. The Board of Trustees placed this as a high priority for me when I arrived last summer. Through many hours of meetings and conversations with faculty, students, parents, and trustees, it has been wonderful to share ideas and thoughts on what that vision will be. When I think of the visioning process it always starts with these questions – what kind of graduates do we want to produce? What are the most important outcomes that define a Collegiate Spartan? What qualities do we want the Class of 2036 – our current Great Beginnings students – to have when they graduate? The “old school” way of defining a graduate’s desired qualities often revolved around specific curricula or academic skills – so many semesters of a foreign language, years of progressively more challenging mathematics, a balance of arts and athletics. To some extent, this approach assumed a static and predictable occupational path. In this current age of rapid change, technological advancement, and increasing automation, the reality is that many of the occupations the Class of 2036 will be getting ready for do not even exist today! So how do we create a vision for graduates to succeed in a world that is changing more rapidly than ever? There will always be a need for literate, technologically competent humans, but what other qualities will ensure that our graduates are not just prepared for college, but for the life they will face? Collegiate needs not to focus just on academic challenges, but on how to develop lifelong learning in our students, who will be equipped to become the best versions of themselves no matter what the future holds.

I envision that Wichita Collegiate School will continue to be the educational leader in our community. I am committed to the success of each and every student in our care. From my vision of a Spartan (see sidebar) comes the foundation of what each teacher, in each division, in each building across campus will facilitate on a day-to-day basis. The strategies that will bring this vision to life include valuing our students, creating a culture that empowers success, and attracting and developing leaders who serve, all while delivering programs that matter.

I also envision that our school will continue its legacy of being a compassionate place that cares about the greater community at large. Service to our community will continue to be a priority for our student service opportunities. One of my favorite Spartan qualities is openness to change. Our school has undergone tremendous change over the past several months and will continue to evolve as I, along with all of the employees of the school, implement strategies to cement our legacy as Wichita’s educational leader. I am committed to our success and I am going to enjoy the journey with all of you. I have no doubt that to be a Spartan is to be unstoppable!

WHAT IS A SPARTAN?

Every one of us is different and together we are unstoppable.

I am uniquely talented. I am creative. I am compassionate. I am resilient. I am constantly learning. I am solving problems. I care about my community. We lean on and support each other. We are open to change. We are inclusive We explore new ideas. We challenge each other to be better. We are determined. We experiment, fail, and try again.