Auburn-Washburn USD 437

Students at Washburn Rural High School (WRHS) will soon benefit from a new state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance career and technical education. The Innovation Center at WRHS will open to students on October 14, 2024, the first day of the second quarter of the 2024-25 school year. Auburn-Washburn celebrated this historic milestone with a ✂RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY✂ on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The 50,000-square-foot center is part of an ongoing series of construction and renovation projects taking place across the Auburn-Washburn district to enhance the student learning experience. While addressing those gathered at the ribbon cutting ceremony, Auburn-Washburn Superintendent of Schools Dr. Scott McWilliams shared, "This facility is more than just a structure filled with cutting-edge equipment; it represents a bold vision for the future of education. It is a commitment to nurturing creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving in our students. The Innovation Center will serve as a dynamic hub for exploration and discovery, equipping our students with the skills and resources they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world." WRHS currently offers 18 career-focused Pathway programs approved by the Kansas State Department of Education. A remarkable 75 percent of students will take at least one Pathway course during their time at the high school. Nine of the Pathway programs – Animal Science; Comprehensive Agriculture; Power, Structural & Technical Systems; Construction & Design: Construction; Construction & Design: Design; Digital Media; Biomedical; Restaurant & Event Management; and Programming & Software — are housed in the new Innovation Center. "Each of these programs is more than a subject," shared WRHS principal Ed Raines. "They are the means by which we prepare our students for a rapidly changing world. In these spaces, they will learn how to think, how to lead, and how to transform. These are the qualities that will allow them to face the future with confidence and resolve." That future is one of constant transformation. According to the Georgetown Workforce Study, 70 percent of jobs will require specialized skills by 2031, but only 35 percent of those jobs will require a four-year degree. "It is clear that the future demands new ways of thinking and learning, and that is precisely what this Innovation Center will provide," said Raines. The center will empower students to engage in hands-on learning, collaborate on real-world projects, and develop the skills they need to meet future challenges head-on. "We are not just cutting a ribbon and opening our doors to this facility," said McWilliams. "Much more importantly, we are opening the minds of teachers and students to a world of new possibilities.”

We are proud to announce that Auburn-Washburn has been ranked no. 14 on the list of companies recognized for candidate experience excellence as winners of the 2024 Global Candidate Experience Awards! According to a press release issued by ERE Media, the CandE Benchmark Research Program has evaluated over 2,000 global employers and more than 1.8 million job seekers since 2011. This year, 125 companies participated in The CandEs Awards Benchmark Research Program, which gathered insights from over 230,000 job candidates. The winners were selected through comprehensive data analysis based on job candidate satisfaction surveys. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Auburn-Washburn has earned a Global Candidate Experience Award! To view the full list of 2024 CandE Winners, visit https://lnkd.in/eegU2Q4e.

Congratulations to SPED Instructional Facilitator Dana Ellis on achieving Board Certified Behavioral Analyst certification! This prestigious graduate-level certification is a significant accomplishment and reflects her dedication and expertise in behavior analysis. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and excited to see how her specialized skills will enhance the support and success of students across our district!

During All Staff Convocation earlier this week, the Auburn-Washburn School District proudly recognized Linda Pfannenstiel for an extraordinary 50 years of service as a bus driver. Linda began driving for the district in 1974 when her youngest son, Terry, was in kindergarten. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Scott McWilliams expressed gratitude for Linda's service, saying, "For 50 years, Linda has been driving Pauline Central, Pauline South, Washburn Rural Middle School, and Washburn Rural High School students safely to and from school. She knows every twist and turn of every route she travels – many of which are gravel roads – and she has never been at fault for even one minor scratch on any of the buses she has driven." Being a bus driver is not just a job for Linda – it is a deeper calling to serve her community. She takes extreme pride in her profession and the relationships she has built over time. She not only knows the students on her bus, but she also knows their parents, their grandparents, and at times, their great-grandparents. In fact, the opportunity to serve multiple generations is one of the aspects of the job she likes most. "I enjoy driving a bus and watching the kids grow up and graduate and have their own kids," said Pfannenstiel. In addition to driving students to and from school safely, Linda serves as President of the Auburn-Washburn Bus Club, an organization dedicated to supporting Auburn-Washburn families in a variety of ways. The Bus Club provides an annual $2,000 scholarship to a Washburn Rural High School senior. The Club also sponsors at least one family during the holidays and provides support to drivers during times of need. It is the perfect role for someone like Linda, who is known for her servant heart. "If you needed a shirt, she'd give a coat," said fellow bus driver Stephen Billbe. "She goes above and beyond." As for what's next, Linda remains dedicated to her role. "As long as I'm healthy and don't put anybody at risk by me driving, I intend to keep driving," she shared. "I've been challenged to go to 60." She will begin her journey toward that goal on Tuesday, August 13, when school resumes for the 2024-2025 school year. Congratulations, Linda, and thank you for a remarkable 50 years!

At New Staff Academy this morning, we proudly welcomed 68 new members to the Auburn-Washburn team! Over the next two days, they'll learn about our district and the tools and resources available to help them thrive in their new roles. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest team members!

HR job alert!

The University of Kansas Department of Special Education honored five Auburn-Washburn leaders last night as recipients of the 2024 Whelan Leadership for Learning Award. This award is bestowed annually to a practicing educational leader or leadership team that demonstrates the vigorous pursuit of learning opportunities for each and every student. It recognizes the team for their design and implementation of comprehensive, integrated, three-tiered (Ci3T) models of prevention to meet students' academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs. Award recipients include: • Jaime Callaghan, Executive Director of Learning Services • Chris Holman, Principal of Pauline South Intermediate School • Debbie Williams, Principal of Pauline Central Primary School • Sarah Lucero, Director of Title Services • Jill Gratton, Assessment Data Manager Please join us in congratulating these dedicated leaders for their commitment to meeting students' needs!

Thanks to the passion and ingenuity of science teacher Mike Steinert, several Washburn Rural High School students are walking away from the school year with a national certificate in hand. Mr. Steinert developed a biomedical research class to equip students with a skill set necessary to directly enter the medical workforce. He created a syllabus of topics and established rigors, depth of knowledge questions, and practical tasks to help prepare students for the national Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam. To ensure exam readiness, he hosted study sessions before and after school and administered practice tests to students. Seven of the eight students who sat for the exam passed on their first attempt. They are the first high school students in the state of Kansas to do so! "Mr. Steinert has gone above and beyond to bring this unique learning opportunity to our students," said colleague Shelley Wichman. "He is truly passionate about helping students learn and love science. He is always thinking of his students – how to challenge them, how to help them, and how to keep them engaged." Thank you to Mr. Steinert, and congratulations to our newly credentialed biotechnician assistants!

It is with immense pride we announce this year's Auburn-Washburn Distinguished Staff Award recipients. These individuals were nominated by colleagues and selected by a 17-person, district-wide committee. They will be recognized at a special reception on Monday, April 29 at 6:30 pm in the Washburn Rural High School Library. The event is open to the public and family and friends are encouraged to attend. Please join us in congratulating the following: Kyle Nelson Elementary Teacher of the Year Indian Hills Elementary School Kristin Taylor Secondary Teacher of the Year Washburn Rural Middle School Emma Tichenor Master Teacher Indian Hills Elementary School Meghan Baranski Distinguished Certified Support Staff Washburn Rural Middle School Marisa Dexter Distinguished Classified Support Staff Auburn Elementary School Russ D'Andrea Distinguished Operations Support Staff Transportation

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