Wawasee Eyes New AP Emphasis, Learning Evaluation Tools

In the Student Learning Report to the Wawasee School Board on Tuesday, attendees were able to hear about progress on Illuminate DnA and the Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program (AP-Tip IN).

Illuminate DnA is a company that provides tools for educators to more successfully evaluate student learning and help plot the most effective teaching methods. According to its website, “Illuminate Education provides integrated K-12 technology systems with the mission to increase student achievement and ensure kids are graduating college-and-career ready.”

Illuminate aligns with Wawasee’s ongoing Professional Learning Community process, which aims to find the most effective methods for teaching via collaboration between educators.

Wawasee Director of Technology Dave VanLue and others are working with Illuminate DnA to set up WCSC’s information. They hope to begin training some teachers in January so that they will be able to create assessments by the beginning of the third trimester.

As for AP-Tip IN, which aims to prepare students for college-level work via intense STEM courses, Wawasee applied for membership within Cohort 8 of the program. AP-Tip IN’s primary goals are to increase enrollment in AP STEM courses and to work with schools to increase the number of qualifying AP scores (3, 4 or 5).

The program also helps develop teachers in their respective fields via multiple trainings, institutes, conferences and collaborations.

The board also formally adopted the new Wawasee vision statement, which reads, “Wawasee schools partner with students, families and communities to meet the needs of all students and empower them to reach their highest potential.”

In other news:

• School trips were approved for Milford School and WMS Ski Clubs (three trips each) and sixth-grade class (one trip) to Otsego, Mich.; WHS German class and Spanish students to Chicago; and the WHS Supermileage team to Sonoma, Calif.

• WHS Principal Geoff Walmer was named Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2018-19 school year, when he worked in the Warsaw school system.

• Lakeland Community Services donated $3,348.66 to help Wawasee “promote the early education of children from infancy through elementary school ages,” per a letter from the LCS Board of Directors.

• The Building Trades program provided 30 Thanksgiving meals for families within Wawasee School Corp.

• Wawasee Key Club gathered 3,912 items for local food banks during their “Stuff the Bus” event. This topped the 3,267 items gathered last year.