Who's joining the event? We'll see you there!
Held annually, the ceremony includes the presentation of colors, guest speakers and an official ceremony for the graduates.
Blake Forrester, EMT Instructor, and Zach Rumsyre, Fire Instructor, were joined by Jennifer Reiff, CTE Director, and Kyle Francis, Captain CCFD, for the event.
Fire I:
Caden B.
Peyton K.
Braden P.
Emma R.
Gavin S.
Fire II:
Kenner H.
Lacy L.
Jade N.
Jacob R.
Jaxon R.
Mattie M.
EMT:
Steven B.
Hailey C.
Elias D.
Kenner H.
Lacy L.
Brooklyn N.
Jacob R.
Jaxon R.
Amira S.
Help us congratulate the dedication of these students as they gear up to serve us locally!
A special thank you to instructor Mr. Jeff Lewis, and every local and regional EMS and fire team who helped students learn in any capacity!
The CTE instructor role places you at the intersection of industry and education, and gives you the chance to influence local workforce development. The role includes planning and delivering lessons, supervising student use of equipment, maintaining records, assigning and grading assignments, and collaborating with parents, staff, and our community.
All CTE Instructors report to the Principal at Columbia City High School. The Civil & Construction Trades Instructor teaches at the CTE Facility on Radio Road in conjunction with the CTE team and the Director of CTE.
Applications are due July 15 through https://app.hirenimble.com/jobview/110075
If you are experiencing an emergency, please dial 9-1-1.
Please know you can still use STOPit to connect to the Crisis Text Line and local resources during the summer.
Dear WCCS Families,
We want to share important information for next school year that will impact all students in our state. Beginning July 1, a new Indiana law will require all school districts to have an official policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during the instructional school day. Board policy 5136 was presented to our Board of Trustees at the May 4 Work Session and adopted at the Monday, May 18 Board Meeting.
Starting with the new school year in August, our policy states that devices must be powered off, stored away, and inaccessible to students throughout the school day. This will apply to all personal electronic devices, including cell phones, smart watches, earbuds/headphones, and any other electronic device that can connect to the internet or send messages. This only applies to personal devices and will not apply to the school-issued device that students use during their classes.
Under the current law, Indiana schools allow limited use of wireless devices, and our students, with the encouragement of their families, have done a great job adjusting the past two years. In fact, many students have shared that they are able to engage in more meaningful conversations with their friends and teachers during class without the distraction of personal devices.
We are working closely with our building administrators to ensure the new policy is implemented consistently across all of our schools. More specific details and reminders on daily expectations will be communicated from your school prior to the new school year.
Your support is greatly appreciated in talking with your student about this upcoming change as a result of the new state law. We are confident our students will adapt to the new expectation and make positive choices, allowing for more personal connections with friends and a distraction-free school environment to focus on learning.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership.
Seth Slater, WCCS Interim Superintendent
Dr. Trent Lehman, WCCS Incoming Superintendent
Today, WCCS staff and families had the joy of recognizing two incredible leaders in our school community:
Gina Johnson, Teacher of the Year
Brian Bills, Staff Member of the Year
Gina and Brian embody what it means to serve with heart, excellence and unwavering dedication to our students. Their impact is felt daily in our classrooms, hallways and throughout the district.
This fall, the community will have the chance to celebrate them once more during a special presentation with City Automall at our first home football game in August. We can’t wait to honor their outstanding work in front of the whole WCCS family.
Help us congratulate Gina and Brian on this well‑deserved recognition!
Our staff received multiple requests to add this item to next year’s menu, and students made their opinions clear! Junior Ben Strack shared, “They gave out sample egg rolls — best breakfast ever! Everyone else agrees!”
We heard you loud and clear, and we’re excited to bring them back next year — along with some additional new menu items! 👏
As we continue strengthening Career & Technical Education opportunities for today’s students, we are celebrating alumni who are in CTE industries! Whether you took one class or completed an entire pathway, your experience matters.
If you’re a CCHS graduate who participated in any CTE program (Agriculture, Construction Trades, Health Sciences, Business, Welding, Criminal Justice,, Education Professions, Engineering or another pathway), comment below with a photo of the work you're doing now and what you're proud of!
Your story helps future and current students see what’s possible and shows our community the real impact of hands‑on, future‑focused learning.
Drop us a comment and help us bridge the gap for our CTE Campaign by donating today!
Families,
Early this afternoon, at the request of the Columbia City Police Department, Mary Raber, Little Turtle, CCHS, and ISMS were briefly placed in a Secure status due to a report of an individual in Columbia City who may have posed a threat to themselves or others. A Secure status means that instruction and normal school operations continued as usual, while outside activities were limited and visitors were not permitted to enter school buildings. After further investigation and updated information from the Columbia City Police Department, the Secure status has been lifted, and all schools are operating normally; we appreciate the proactive communication and partnership of the Columbia City Police Department and our School Resource Officers in helping ensure a safe and secure learning environment for our students and staff.
Thank you for your continued trust and partnership,
Seth Slater
WCCS Interim Superintendent
Today, Fire 1 and Fire 2 students received SCBA air packs, bottles, and masks for student training use. This generous donation follows a previous donation of a cascade system from Thorncreek Township, helping provide students with real-world equipment and hands-on experiences that prepare them for careers in fire and emergency services.
“I am glad we were able to do this to support the program,” shared Bill Brice of Thorncreek Township.
Fire & Rescue Instructor Zach Rumsyre added, “This is huge! This donation along with the cascade system from Thorncreek Township will set us up for quite a while.”
Partnerships like this make a tremendous impact on student learning opportunities and career readiness. Thank you to Thorncreek Township Fire Department for investing in our students and the future of the fire service profession! 🔥🧯
#CCHSCTE #FireAndRescue #CareerReady #CTEWorks #CommunityPartnerships #PublicSafety
At that time, industry leaders began purchasing naming rights and equipment for the $2 million project. Now we are asking the community to help bridge the $250,000 gap for equipment, furniture, signage and final pieces for the building.
The new Career & Technical Education Building gives students hands-on training in the high-demand fields of welding, civil and construction trades, EMT, fire and rescue and criminal justice. These programs prepare students for purpose and post-secondary plans.
Every gift, large or small, helps equip classrooms and lab spaces and empowers the next generation of skilled professionals right here in Whitley County.
Bridge the Gap: https://whitley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eXRBQxvrfua8YEm
Stay tuned as we share more updates and student perspectives about our new building and its opportunities!
Read more: https://www.wccsonline.com/article/2173384
WCCS Families,
While only the high school / south campus will be impacted, we want all families to know that later today, between 1pm and 2:30pm, in collaboration with our community partners, CCHS will host Project Safe Prom, a student-organized educational program, that helps promote safe and responsible decision-making leading into Prom weekend. This event will include a simulated mock accident with student actors, emergency responders, medical personnel, and Lutheran Air support.
During the event timeframe, there will be a visible emergency response presence at the high school. We want to emphasize that this is a planned educational event and not a real emergency. If you have any questions about this event, please call the high school at 260-244-6136.
Thank you,
Seth Slater, Interim Superintendent
Brady Mullett, CCHS Principal
Business partners in our community provide amazing experiences for our CCHS seniors to explore career options. Extending their learning beyond the school , these experiences allow students to navigate their future plans.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to our incredible kitchen managers and staff. Your dedication, hard work, and care make a difference every single day as you nourish and support our students. We appreciate all that you do!
From our Director and Managers to our dedicated kitchen staff, this team works hard every day to ensure our students are well-fed, cared for, and ready to learn. They go above and beyond—finding creative ways to make meals both nutritious and fun, like the Banana Split Yogurts featured this week at the Middle School.
A big THANK YOU to all of our Whitley County School Lunch Heroes! We appreciate everything you do! 🍎
Students took part in a physical fitness challenge, crime scene investigations, the MILO simulator, and explored career opportunities at the career fair—bringing classroom learning to life in a big way.
👏 Huge congratulations to:
🥇 Ryan Baxter – 1st Place, Physical Fitness Test
🥈 Joel Bean – 2nd Place, Physical Fitness Test
This was an incredible opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned and connect with professionals in the criminal justice field.
A big thank you to Mr. Sexton and Mrs. Laursen for supporting and guiding our students throughout the event!
