STATE OF THE SCHOOLS

2023 State of the Schools Summary

Staying the Course

Four years ago we created the WC Roadmap for Success with the following strategic areas of focus:

• Equip and Engage Every Learner
• Grow Academic Achievement and Educational Opportunity
• Embrace Innovative Learning
• Optimize Partnerships & Align Resources

All of our efforts have been focused on improving these areas and becoming a destination district.

West Clermont Schools is steadily moving toward pre-pandemic academic levels. Our investments and efforts to modernize our curriculum, particularly in the areas of math and literacy, are resulting in higher performance. We’re not taking our foot off the gas, however.

We continue to dedicate our efforts to advancing learning pathways that are aligned with our West Clermont Portrait of a Graduate, which includes the following learner attributes:

• Academic and life skills
• Communication and collaboration
• Character and integrity
• Innovative and creative thinking
• Resilience and adaptability

Ensuring we are growing our students in all of these categories will broaden our definition of student success. We are well on the way. West Clermont currently offers more opportunities than ever before.

• We began providing a Chromebook to every student and extended broadband access to students in need through our 1:Wolf program in 2020
• We recently restored some of our elementary specials (art, music and physical education)
• We began offering Discovery, a course grounded in innovation and creativity, to elementary students
• We added a variety of elective courses focused on increasing student engagement at the middle school
• In addition to being the No. 1 feeder school to Great Oaks Career Center, we have new college and career preparation programs for high school students. These include Teacher Academy, an Information Technology program and Career-Based Learning experiences.

Additionally, West Clermont has increased student support services and safety by adding secondary counselors, two resource coordinators, a nurse, a school resource officer, a police dog and more to our team. We have received approximately $1.8 million in alternative funding in 2022 to better equip and engage our students and will remain diligent in these efforts.

Our partners in education are critical to attaining our Portrait of a Graduate outcomes. Thank you to our Parent Teacher Organizations, Boosters, West Clermont Education Foundation, Whole Child Network, WCYourFuture partners and Business Advisory Council for helping us make the West Clermont experience more relevant to our student’s interests, lives and future aspirations.

While we are making great strides toward our Portrait of a Graduate, we like many public school districts are facing challenges. To solve these challenges, we can’t relive our past and expect different results.

Rising to the Challenge

The West Clermont Board of Education and administration believe maintaining the status quo is not an option and that doing so provides a disservice to our students and community. “Catching up” or “keeping up” with other districts is a troublesome path to follow as well. All districts are facing the same kind of challenges because society is different now than it was a generation ago. If nothing else, the pandemic has focused our attention on “what a school system should deliver” to its students and stakeholders. Districts have tried to patch and improve upon the old factory model only to realize we need something different. We need transformational change.

Thanks to the passage of an operating levy in 2020 and $14 million in federal relief dollars, otherwise known as our Onward and Upward Investment Plan, we have gone beyond our commitment to our residents to maintain our current level of programs and services and will be able to stretch our dollars beyond what we promised – 2024. These relief dollars are what made the advancements in educational programming and safety listed previously possible.

In our Town Hall sessions we have discussed how the educational and societal landscape has changed and the challenges we see. Our pathway forward requires us to rise to the challenges and opportunities in the following areas:

Purpose and Design - Our current educational model and several facilities are no longer serving the needs of today’s students, families and the modern educator workforce. Together—as one community—we must be innovative in our efforts to redesign the student and staff experience.

Safety and Well-being - Chronic absenteeism and lack of engagement are plaguing our district. We are also seeing a significant increase in mental health concerns and behavioral issues. Additionally, the district is doing its best to address staff burnout and maintain adequate staffing levels amidst a workforce shortage. Together—as one community—we must expand our efforts to remove barriers, provide targeted supports, and retain our staff.

Educational Programming - We continue to see gaps in academic performance, particularly in at-risk student populations. Together—as one community—we must expand our abilities to ensure core educational resources and supports are in place to support the individual needs of each student.

Facilities - Enrollment is predicted to increase by 1,100 students over the next few years, and we are already beginning to exceed our building capacity. Last fall, we added six modular classrooms at Merwin Elementary. Also, we are seeing a disproportionate growth in our special education population, who require modified learning spaces and specialized staff. Approximately 2,800 students are educated in schools that are inadequate and not equal to other district facilities. Together—as one community—we must strive to provide improved learning environments to reflect the changes happening in modern education for all students.

Transportation - The West Clermont Middle School start time of 7 AM is the earliest of any school in Ohio. Due to transportation costs, we are unable to address this challenge at this time. Additionally, the district currently does not provide transportation to West Clermont High School students. Together—as one community—we must ensure access to learning for all students.

We recognize the importance of stakeholder engagement and feedback. Over the last year, we have worked toward elevating our community’s voice through our Citizens Advisory Commission, interactive Town Hall meetings, surveys, and focus groups. We remain committed to living out our vision: Together as One Community, we Learn. Lead. Succeed. and know together we can change outcomes for our students.

State of the Schools - Archive

• 2023 Presentation Video
• 2023 Presentation Slides
• 2023 State of the Schools Mailer
• 2022 Presentation Video
• 2022 Presentation Slides
• Interactive Version of the "2002 West Clermont: Roadmap to Success" Map
• 2021 Presentation Video
• 2021 State of the Schools Mailer
• 2021 State of the Schools Newsletters:
  • Week 1 - Student-Centered Learning
  • Week 2 - District Facilities
  • Week 3 - Enrollment, Family and Community Engagement, Finances
  • Week 4 - #LoveWC and Portrait of a Graduate