Wayne-Westland Community School District: Great Futures Start Right Here

You see the banners posted throughout the Wayne-Westland Community School District: “Great Futures Start Right Here.” This is more than a slogan for this suburban district – it is a commitment. “The key to a successful student in the long-term is to capture their attention at the outset- to make them love learning and reading,” says Wayne-Westland Community Schools Superintendent Gregory J. Baracy. “Once we hook them into the wonders of the educational process, everything else falls into place.”

This governing philosophy drives Superintendent Baracy and is at the heart of Wayne-Westland schools. Covering a wide swath of Wayne County, WWCS incorporates the cities of Wayne, Westland, and parts of Canton, Romulus, Inkster and Dearborn Heights.

With a wide cross-section of students from the communities it serves, WWCS recognizes the importance of an integrated education that mirrors its diverse student body.  From rigorous scholastic and athletic programs, to real-world technical and vocational training, WWCS adheres to the principle that every single student enrolled is of critical importance – and deserves to graduate with skills that will enable him or her to create a rich, fulfilling life for themselves, whether that means going on to college or beginning a career immediately after high school.

Starting At The Beginning
“Of course we want to instill a love of learning at an early age,” says Superintendent Baracy. “It makes sense, but it is also crucial to get these children learning to read as soon as we can – at age five or six – because once a child can read for themselves, they feel empowered and develop the confidence to seek out information for themselves. And, once that happens, their drive for knowledge kicks in; as long as we keep their attention, they will crave learning.”

The intensive elementary reading program at each WWCS elementary school aims to make children proficient at reading by the end of first grade. It is a lofty goal, but one that is at the very core of future success. Along with its literacy goals, the primary school curriculum includes character building courses that help strengthen character, foster personal responsibility and integrity, and reinforce respect for elders, peers and themselves.

“If a 6- or 7-year-old can feel pride in knowing how to read, that pride translates into self-respect,” Baracy says. “If a child respects themselves, feels good about how bright he or she is, then they will have respect for their peers and their instructors.”

Every elementary school – all 17 of them – employs a Reading Recovery teacher to provide early learning intervention for students who require assistance – further aiding the district in its goal of 100 percent literacy by the end of first grade.

Curriculum As Diverse As The Students

WWCS’s two high schools offer 15 different Advanced Placement courses and a rigorous core curriculum designed to provide students with the practical knowledge necessary for higher education. In addition, there are several honors tracks that students may follow which offer a sustained college preparatory focus to ensure students are both attractive to prospective colleges and are prepared to excel at institutions of higher learning.

Surprisingly, students have the opportunity to begin college coursework while still in high school – both in person and over the Internet – providing them with credit toward both high school graduation and college credit hours.

Another innovative approach the district has incorporated is to offer courses over the internet. Online offerings give students exposure to a wide variety of subjects and introduce the concept of non-traditional educational opportunities that exist in the 21st Century.

While every child is given the skills and opportunity to attend college, they may also participate in programs to develop career and technical skills, which can take them either into further college study or directly into a career after graduation. WWCS has an award winning, state-of-the-art Career-Technical Center with 22 areas of study, from computer programming to automotive design, giving students both education and 'real world experience' that makes them highly attractive to prospective colleges and employers.

"College is our ultimate goal, but not everyone is ready to go to college right from high school," Baracy says. "Some students need a year or two to earn money, get their feet wet in the real world, or just don't want to go to college at all. That's why we have put so much money and man-power into enhancing the Ford Career-Technical Center and make it an unparalleled resource. This way, our students have more options available to them, which increase their chances of a successful transition from high school into a successful career with or without college."

Technology Greases The Wheels of Education

“No school today can compete and turn out well-educated students without the use of leading technology to aid in instruction,” Baracy says. “That’s why this district has made a huge financial investment to ensure our students have exposure to – and use of – all the latest tools available to educate.”  This speaks directly to the district’s focus on engaging students’ attention and inspiring a love of learning. 

Every classroom is equipped with computers and printers throughout the district. WWCS also harnesses the power of technology through the implementation of Smart Board technology to supplement learning in class. Smart Boards are interactive electronic blackboards that allow multi-media formatted lessons to be taught in class, giving students an interactive experience with the subject.

Other technologies include the availability of laptop computers for students’ use, digital cameras, a district-wide automated card catalog system that makes research at every media center integrated into a large information database, and a Web-based portal for parents to access their child’s academic records.

And it’s not just the “latest and greatest” that the district’s educators employ to aid in learning. WWCS owns and operates its own planetarium, and incorporates its science curriculum to harness the captivating power that the facility provides. An astronomy class is also available to high school students.

As well, each elementary classroom district-wide comes equipped with a sound enhancement system to aid teachers with learning issues associated with ear infections and other hearing impairments common in young children.

“Technology is not a cure-all for academic shortcomings, and cannot be used as a crutch,” says Baracy. “But when combined with exceptional teaching techniques, like those employed by our educators, these tools enhance the overall learning experience and lift student achievement – and test scores.”

We’re No. 1 … In So Many Ways

Accolades are great, and WWCS has them in abundance, but never rests on its laurels. The district adheres to a strict goal of making sure that the future is always better than the past in terms of academic achievement. To that end, the district has raised its own bar pretty high.

The district is already home to two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools – Edison Elementary and Walker-Winter Elementary. And in 2009, the district received two Education Excellence Awards from the Michigan Association of School Boards. In addition, WWCS teacher Jane La Porte was named the 2009 Wayne County Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year.

In 2008, more than $4 million in scholarships were awarded to the high school graduating class. Preliminary estimates are that the Class of 2009 will exceed that figure. That same year, the William D. Ford Career-Technical Center was designated as a Center of Science and Engineering Excellence. Both these news items demonstrate the multi-pronged effort the district employs to ensure every student is successful.

Furthermore, because operational transparency is crucial to earning the trust of parents, the district's Business Department has been honored for excellence in financial reporting: for nine consecutive years, the district has received both the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials, and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.