WALLA WALLA - Walla Walla High School earned high national and state rankings in 2024 Best High Schools, which U.S. News released this morning. Ranking factors include college readiness, access to college-level curriculum, state assessment proficiency and graduation rates.
"We are so pleased to learn that Wa-Hi again earned recognition as a U.S. News Best High School,” said Walla Walla High School Principal John Schumacher. “We ranked in the top 1/3 of all high schools in the state and nation, boasting especially high marks on our college readiness and breadth index, in addition to our strong graduation rates, and reading and science scores."
By earning a national ranking in the top 40%, Walla Walla High School achieved status as a U.S. News Best High School and gained eligibility to display a U.S. News-trademarked 2024 Best High Schools award. Wa-Hi’s ranking landed them as one of the top-rated high schools in the entire region.
The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 25,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments, graduation rates and how well they prepare students for college.
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Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/997
Board of Directors Meeting Schedule & Information: https://www.wwps.org/district/information/school-board/board-meeting-schedule
WALLA WALLA – Sharpstein Elementary Principal Maria Garcia announced this week she plans to retire at the end of the school year following eight years as the school’s leader. The district has advertised the pending vacancy and will seek applications through Monday, April 29. Candidate screening, background checks, interviews and community meet-and-greet processes will follow in early May, with the anticipation the successful applicant will be announced by mid-May.
Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith hired Garcia as Sharpstein’s principal and says he cannot be more proud of what Maria and the staff have accomplished together.
“Maria has been a cornerstone of our district for nearly three decades, and over the last eight has guided Sharpstein with wisdom, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to its students and staff,” said Dr. Smith. “Under her leadership, we have seen Sharpstein flourish, achieving milestones in academic performance, developing incredible parent/family partnerships and creating an environment where students and staff alike feel valued, inspired and maintain a strong sense of community and belonging.”
The district will utilize a comprehensive and inclusive hiring process that includes staff and school stakeholder involvement. The district will deploy its vast communications tools to keep everyone informed about the next steps of the hiring process and how to get involved.
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WALLA WALLA – Nearly half of Walla Walla Public Schools’ school bus fleet will be electric thanks in part to a $3.7 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund 15 electric buses and charging infrastructure through its Clean School Bus Initiative Grant Program. The district was also awarded a $1 million grant from the Department of Ecology to help support this project.
“These grants will help the district replace 15 outdated diesel buses with new electric buses,” said Director of Fiscal Services Janette Jeffris. “The EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant Program will help the district continue to do our part to support green initiatives by reducing our fleet’s carbon footprint.”
The district placed the order for the 15 electric buses this week, including six equipped with wheelchair lifts. The district will also be finalizing its infrastructure plan in the coming weeks and installing charging stations for the buses this fall. The new electric buses are expected to start arriving next spring bringing the district’s fleet total to 18 electric buses.
“This is a great opportunity for our department to have 15 brand new, safe electric buses to transport students to and from school,” said Transportation Director John Griffith. “We are proud to soon have one of the largest electric fleets in the state.”
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