Juniors and Seniors, save the date!!!
Due to the icy conditions on backroads throughout the county, all Washington County Schools will be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 24, 2025 for students and there will be no after school activities. Staff will have an optional work day so please refer to the School Closing/Inclement Weather Guidelines on our website - Condition Blue.
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Thank you for your continued support.
Due to the accumulation of snow and prolonged freezing temperatures, all Washington County Schools will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, January 23, 2025 for staff and students. Staff, please refer to School Closing Guidelines on our website, Condition Red.
We will continue to monitor the weather and provide you with an update regarding the school schedule for Friday.
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Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
Due to the anticipated inclement weather, all after-school activities for this evening are canceled, and all Washington County Schools will be closed tomorrow for staff and students, Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
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WCES Students: Homework packets will be provided and are expected to be completed upon their return to ensure students are counted present.
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WCHS and WCECHS Students: Coursework will be accessible online via Google Classroom or NCVPS, depending on your designated platform.
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We will continue to monitor the weather and provide daily updates regarding the school schedule for the remainder of the week.
Please stay safe as we navigate these winter conditions. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
Washington County Schools was made aware of a recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool by the North Carolina Department of Instruction (NCDPI). The incident impacted student and staff data globally.
We are still in the early stages of this development and in the information gathering process. However, our Technology Innovations Department has been working with PowerSchool and the NCDPI. From their analysis, it appears that no student's password, grades, or social security number was accessed by the hacker. However, other student information, including medical, discipline, and custody related alerts, demographic data, student UID, and contact information, was compromised. It also appears that staff members with PowerSchool access had their phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, and UIDs compromised. Additionally, the hacker accessed approximately 515 active staff members' social security numbers.
We were informed by PowerSchool that it has confirmed that the breach involved unauthorized access due to compromised credentials of one of its contract employees. “PowerSchool has shared that the threat has been contained and that the compromised data was not shared and has been destroyed.” Importantly, per PowerSchool, there are no additional copies of the compromised data in existence. PowerSchool is also working with law enforcement to monitor the dark web for any data exposure.
Upon notification of this incident,Washington County Schools has been in communication with NCDPI and Powerschool and will continue to actively work alongside both entities to ensure that all notifications required of PowerSchool are conducted. It is important to stress that there is nothing that WCS could have done to avoid this situation as we did not have administrative access to the maintenance tunnel where the breach occurred.
Our commitment to protect student and educator data is a top priority. For additional details and FAQs, please visit PowerSchool's public website - https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/
January is School Board Appreciation Month.
Thank you for the important work you do in making our school district a great place for all students and educators. We appreciate you!
WCS Substitute Refresher Training
Training session is scheduled for Janurary 16, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Roper building. Current substitutes should check their email for a calendar invitation. New substitutes must complete the online Substitute 101 Class and present their certificate in order to attend the refresher/orientation session. Please note, completion of this training is required to remain eligible to substitute for the 2024-2025 school year at WCS.
Spotlight of Excellence: Samantha Bearden
Samantha Bearden was recently recognized as Washington County's Exceptional Children's (EC) Educator of Excellence at the 73rd North Carolina Conference on Exceptional Children (NC CEC) in Greensboro. Mrs. Beardden, an EC teacher for the 4th-8th Grade Adaptive Classroom at Washington County Elementary School, has made significant contributions since joining the district in January 2023.
Starting as a 6th-8th grade Resource Teacher, Mrs. Bearden quickly became an integral part of Washington County Middle School. She has played a key role in transitioning 8th-grade students to high school, helping families understand the different educational pathways available. This year, she transitioned into an Adaptive Classroom teacher, supporting students with extended content standards, and continues to assist fellow educators in navigating ECATS.
Msr Bearden's dedication to her students and her ongoing pursuit of professional growth make her a tremendous asset to our district. We are proud to have her on our team and thank her for her unwavering commitment to expanding learning opportunities for all students.
Congratulations, Mrs. Samantha Bearden!
Embracing the Journey Within Pages!
WCS is deeply grateful to Domtar for their continued support of the Washington County Schools Media Program. Earlier this year, Domtar awarded us a grant, and recognizing there was still a significant need, they have generously provided an additional $25,000 reward. This additional funding will enable us to purchase even more new books for our Media Program, further enriching the learning experiences of our students.
Domtar's unwavering commitment to literacy in Washington County Schools plays a vital role in fostering a love of reading among our children. With this remarkable donation, we are able to expand access to high-quality reading materials, allowing more students to experience the joy of reading and to explore their imaginations.
WCS sincerely thank Domtar for their invaluable contribution to our school and for being a steadfast partner in promoting literacy and education. Their support continues to have a profound impact on our students and our community.
Together, we are shaping the future, one book at a time!
🎉 Open House at our New School! 🎉
We’re thrilled to invite the community to an open house at our new school! The event will feature guided tours of the new campus, offering a chance for everyone to explore our exciting new space. Don’t miss this opportunity to see our new home — we can’t wait to share it with you! Join us!
HIGH SCHOOL CLOSING EARLY
Due to significant heating issues at the High School, we have decided to release students at 10:30 a.m. We are sorry for this inconvenience, but the safety of our students and staff are our priority. Students should complete all assignments in Google classroom. We will update you on the building status later on today.
In recognition of National Career Development Month, Governor Roy Cooper has officially proclaimed November as Career Development Month, with November 13th designated as National Career Development Coordinator Day. Washington County Schools is proud to honor the dedication and hard work of Mrs. Denise Harris, our exceptional Career Development Coordinator (CDC).
CDCs counsel students through the process of exploring career opportunities and understanding the diverse paths available to them after high school. Through Career and Technical Education (CTE), students acquire vital skills such as problem-solving, creativity, leadership, and employability—skills that are crucial for success in today’s workforce and that contribute to the growth and prosperity of our state and nation.
Mrs. Harris works tirelessly to empower our students. Helping them make informed decisions about their futures, whether they plan to enter the workforce, pursue higher education, or serve in the military.
Today, we celebrate Mrs. Harris’s unwavering commitment to supporting students as they pursue their career aspirations and create bright futures.
Thank you Mrs. Harris!
November 4 was National Coaches Appreciation Day & we have AMAZING Instructional Coaches in WCS! Our instructional coaches support teachers and work with students. Their impact goes far and wide in our district and we are appreciative of their work every single day.
November 4 was National Coaches Appreciation Day & we have AMAZING Instructional Coaches in WCS! Our instructional coaches support teachers and work with students. Their impact goes far and wide in our district and we are appreciative of their work every single day.
November 4 was National Coaches Appreciation Day & we have AMAZING Instructional Coaches in WCS! Our instructional coaches support teachers and work with students. Their impact goes far and wide in our district and we are appreciative of their work every single day.
November 4 was National Coaches Appreciation Day & we have AMAZING Instructional Coaches in WCS! Our instructional coaches support teachers and work with students. Their impact goes far and wide in our district and we are appreciative of their work every single day.
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Stakeholder engagement is a critical component of any improvement process. By actively involving stakeholders, WCS can gain valuable insights and ensure the changes made align with the needs of those affected. Your voice is wanted & needed! Take a moment and click this link: https://bit.ly/WCSdip2425
We've got the action that YOU need to know about! Keep tabs on what's happening in and around your school. Sports scores, lunch menus, student spotlights...and much more! Compatible with both Android and Apple devices.
Today, WCS Board of Ed. dedicated the central office building as the "Julius Walker Jr. Administrative Building"! Mr. Walker was surrounded by friends, family and colleagues as we dedicated the facility with a new sign commemorating the change. Congratulations to Mr. Walker!
In honor of the homecoming parade celebrating both WCHS & WCECHS, all WCS students and staff will be released at 1:00 pm tomorrow, Friday, Oct 18, 2024. All hourly employees who choose to leave early should be sure to get with your supervisors to make arrangements within the current pay period to make up for your missed time. Review the "School Closing/Inclement Weather" guidelines for employees listed under QuickLinks on our main page (or click here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10S65B2Ifh3O10Qk67USbdjW07IQFtxoCVgMgSxyeeUE/edit?usp=sharing)
Be sure to come out and support our schools. Let's go Panthers!
