Whitley County Consolidated Schools (WCCS) is proud to welcome back four of our own for their residency teaching position for the 2025/2026 school year.
In partnership with area universities, and a grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Ed., WCCS is able to host four year-long student teaching residency students as part of the Grow Your Own Educator Program through the Department of Education.
Hailey Whiteleather, Purdue Fort Wayne, Megan Heuer, Purdue Fort Wayne, Bekah Longenbaugh, Grace College, and Hannah Harris, Purdue Fort Wayne, will teach with their mentors at Coesse and Little Turtle Elementary. Thank you mentors, Lydia Riecke, Angie Grable, Shelley Eberly and Bethany Hart!
These students are graduates of Columbia City High School, and participated in the Education Professions program while in high school. Through the Ed Professions coursework while at CCHS, these students were able to build a foundation in education while earning dual credits toward their bachelor's degree.
"The Teacher Residency Program is a dynamic opportunity for our teaching residents to engage in job-embedded professional development touching all aspects of teaching for one full school year under the guidance and support of a trained mentor teacher," said Lori Heuer, WCCS Talent Development Director.
After completing their coursework at their respective universities, they are now welcomed back to WCCS to student teach with highly trained mentor teachers. These student teachers receive a stipend from the Commission for Higher Ed designed to help offset the cost of tuition for their final year of college.
Ed Professions is taught by Alissa Roberts at Columbia City High School and is part of the Career and Technical Education opportunities through WCCS.