Wallenpaupack Area School District highlights seniors in career pathways

Wallenpaupack's school board honored three outstanding seniors of the Class of 2023 at the September board meeting, a long-time tradition, but with a new twist. They each represented a different academy, a system put in place in 2017 to separate certain curriculums to prepare students in meeting career pathway goals.

The students who were honored were Jaden Colwell, who is taking the Exercise Science & Sports Medicine (Academy 2) with the aim to study athletic training; Anja Schoepfer, who is in the Fine & Liberal Arts (Academy 1) and has a goal to major in Music Education and Music Performance; and Grace Steffen, taking the Business, Marketing & Finance (Academy 3) and plans to major in Business along with Architecture and Interior Design.

There are 12 career pathway curriculums in place at Wallenpaupack, divided equally among three academies. Career goals are developed from elementary grades on up starting with career awareness and the career exploration activities for middle school and finally career experiences for high school students. The school district partners with business and industry, consultants and community organizations to help each graduate have a clearer picture of what he or she wants to become and achieve.

When the Class of 2023 reaches commencement in about eight months, high performing students for the first time will be recognized by the Latin honors system, more typically associated with college and university graduations. Groups of students will be recognized in three categories, Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honor), followed by Magna Cum Laude (High Honor) and Cum Laude (Honor) rather than by the more competitive, singular focus of achieving the ranking of class valedictorian and class salutatorian.

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Students will be grouped by grade point average (GPA) percentiles.

The class rank system of having one valedictorian and one salutatorian puts their students at a disadvantage for enrollment in post-secondary educational institutions, Superintendent Keith Gunuskey said in an earlier interview.

WAHS administration also notes that competition for placement in some of the nation's most enviable colleges and universities can be fierce. When deciding to switch to the Latin system, the school board was told that this can pit student against student, creating a class system within their school class, and discourage other students from trying as hard. Students also are found skipping courses of most interest to them in favor of curriculum that will count better towards their class rank.

Various administrators reported to the board that the 2022-2023 school year opened with a feeling of a fresh, new start, with hopes that the worst of the COVID pandemic is behind us and all the stresses that brought to students, families and the district.

Mark Kirsten, South Elementary School principal, described their open house.

"When kids, teachers and parents were in the building, it was like people were walking three inches taller without a 500-pound weight on their shoulders." Kirsten continued. "It was a complete, different demeanor with everyone involved in education, hoping that the pandemic is over,"

"I didn't know that I realized how much difference there was over the last two years till everybody came back this year. It was like a fresh, new start of something clean and beautiful, something I have never seen before. It was just earth-shatteringly different." She said.

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Christopher Caruso, who begins his first school year as high school principal (having swapped places with Jim Kane who is now middle school principal), commented that one could feel a "different kind of energy."

The new year starts with a school enrollment of 2,997, up from 2,986 a year ago. They also welcomed several new teachers and other staff: Victoria Billbe, WNIS Teacher; Rebecca Bozym, Speech Pathologist; Sarah Brodowsky, WAHS Protective Services Teacher; Terry Cavanaugh, WNPS Teacher; Christina DeCola, Speech Pathologist; Ashley Kempa, WNIS Special Education Teacher; Megan McGinnis, WNPS Special Education Teacher, Terry Valent, WNIS Nurse; Payne Vasquez, WAHS Math Teacher; Taylor Maxson Vasquez, WAMS Social Studies Teacher.

Gunsukey told the board for the next several months at the board meetings there will presentations about ongoing school safety and security functions. "That is something that is surely on the forefront of our minds," he said. "We truly recognize and understand we have the gems of the world, which are the minds and soul of our students and we certianly want to do everything we can to protect them."

Wallenpaupack School Board normally meets on the second Monday of the month at 6 p.m. with a committee meeting preceding it at 5:30, at the High School Library.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wallenpaupack School Board highlights Class of 2023 in career pathways