The Early Childhood Center had special visitors on Monday. Helping to celebrate Month of the Military Child were Andrea Edmonds and Shatila Smith, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base School Liaison Program Managers; Dr. Michelle Lewis, representing the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) and Purple Star Schools; and Pete LuPiba, State Counsel and the Ohio Commissioner for MIC3. The Early Childhood Center was one of six schools the group visited. The visitors met some of the military-connected children attending the school and presented the school with a certificate of appreciation for its support of Purple Star students. You can show your support by wearing purple on "Purple Up" Day on Wednesday!

Not all children learn the same. Intermediate School staff celebrate that as they recognize Autism Acceptance Month. Advocate, Educate, Accommodate, Include. That's what their shirts say, and that's what they do!

Did you know the Early Childhood Center is a Purple Star School? The school received that designation for the support it provides to students from military families. April is the Month of The Military Child. This morning, Principal Mrs. Longworth, Teacher and Military Liaison Miss Reichert, and District Social Worker Mrs. Meyer presented students with a parent(s) in the military a special certificate, an eagle, and a red, white, and blue hat.

Intermediate School students were in a pickle this morning! They were learning a new game and the rules of pickleball. Four nets were set up inside the gym for an indoor game.

Middle School National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) members ran a hygiene drive, collecting soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and more to donate to HTC (formerly known as Hannah's Treasure Chest). Special shout-out to Jordan L. and his mom! Jordan brought in the most items, and his mom, who is a dental hygienist, was able to secure numerous donations. West Carrollton Schools partners with HTC to provide families in need with children's clothing and hygiene products. Our school wanted to give back to support the agency that helps so many families in our district. (All referrals to HTC go through a partner agency). Pictured are some NJHS members who were available to help load the car for District Social Worker Nicole Meyer so she could deliver the donations. Families who need resources may contact Mrs. Meyer at nmeyer@wcsd.k12.oh.us for assistance. If you would like to shop at HTC, you can visit https://www.shophannahs.org/ for information including hours. If you would like to know more about HTC, or are interested in making a donation, visit https://www.htcdayton.org/

Meet Jamisia. She has been a Pirate since preschool. She describes herself as a “big music head,” with a love for everything from R&B to gospel, rap, and hip-hop. She recently performed an 80’s/’90s R&B piece at the talent show. Jamisia has also shown her musical talent in the Symphonic Choir and Show Choir. Being in the musicals has been one of her favorite experiences in High School. “Seeing everything come together is really amazing.” She had roles in Seussical the Musical, Charlie Brown, and The Addams Family. Outside of music, she has participated in volleyball and has been a member of the Spanish Club. When asked what she will miss most about High School, she said, “Definitely the teachers, being able to have that safe space and create bonds.” She recognized Mr. Hauk for helping to spark her love for social studies. “He’s so talented. He’s one of the best teachers.” Her advice to incoming freshmen is, “Don’t procrastinate. Study. Be on top of your stuff. Time management is what it’s all about.” Following graduation, Jamisia plans to attend the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash to pursue a degree in diagnostic medical sonography with the goal of becoming an ultrasound technician. “I see myself becoming an ultrasound tech, possibly going back to school to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, just being successful with what God has destined for me to do.” She said, “I love to help people, especially kids. It refreshes my soul.” Congratulations, Jamisia! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

You may see a new face in the West Carrollton Elementary School office, but not a new face to the district. Kelly Richards is a West Carrollton graduate who will be working as an administrative assistant. This is her third year in the school district. She previously worked as a paraprofessional. Being a Pirate is a family tradition. Her parents graduated from West Carrollton, Kelly and her husband graduated from West Carrollton, and now her two children attend West Carrollton Schools. She is looking forward to being an asset to students, families, and staff in her new role and continuing to show her Pirate Pride.

Congratulations to Reagan! Her classmates voted, and she won the 7th-grade talent show with her dance act.

The day ended with some March Madness at the ECC. The staff was divided into the Red and Green teams to play basketball. Students cheered for their favorite team! The last we heard, Red was in the lead, but Green was strategizing for a comeback. Go Pirates!

Who's got talent? Middle School students do! 7th-grade students (and some staff members) showcased their talents this morning and performed for their classmates. Great job, Pirates!

We found some of our first-grade students dressed in their best to go to the Victoria Theatre to see a magic show. Our Pirates have style!

Congratulations to Candace Kraus! She was surprised to receive the Staff Spotlight Award this morning! Ms. Kraus is an Administrative Assistant at the Intermediate School. She was nominated for the award by Principal Heather Davis, who said, "Candace is a true gem in our school community, and WCIS is incredibly fortunate to have her helping keep our ship sailing every day." Congratulations Ms. Kraus!

Mrs. Ericson put the word out, and former orchestra musicians answered! They came together last Saturday to meet old friends and make new ones. They also made some music! No matter where you go, you will always be Pirates!

West Carrollton Middle School is offering a special t-shirt ($20) and sweatshirt ($30) to celebrate the school's history. All proceeds benefit middle school students' incentives and rewards! All items are Ash Grey with black type and are Gilden products.

Pre-orders will be accepted from March 16 to April 3. Pre-ordered items will be available for pickup at the WCMS Farewell Open House on Thursday, April 30, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Items may also be picked up at WCMS during typical office hours, M-F, 6:45 a.m.- 2:45 p.m. There will also be limited quantities of spiritwear available for purchase at the Farewell Open House. Payment methods accepted are cash (exact change preferred) or check (payable to WCMS). Items will not be ordered until payment is received.

Contact Julie Delph at 937-859-5121 ext 7700 or jdelph@wcsd.k12.oh.us with any questions. Visit lick this link: https://forms.gle/Br42kFPd6PRv2R1Q6 to place your order.

Some of our Intermediate School staff put on their crazy or mismatched socks to recognize World Down Syndrome Day!

World Down Syndrome Day is March 21. The date (the 21st day of the 3rd month) was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down Syndrome. Since the 21st falls on a Saturday, elementary students are showing awareness by wearing mismatched or crazy socks today..

Germs are sneaky. They hide in the cracks and lines of the skin on your hands, between fingers, in nailbeds, and under nails. They like to spread themselves around through coughs, sneezes, and being on surfaces you may touch. Second-grade students learned about some easy ways to defeat the spread of germs. Through an experiment using a lotion that mimicked germs, students could see where the germs hide when they put their hands under a UV light. They then used hand sanitizer and put their hands under a UV light again to see how well it worked. The final step of the experiment was to wash hands with warm water and soap while singing the alphabet song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or counting to 26 to make sure they spent enough time washing away germs. They then put their hands under a UV light again to see how well it worked. The results? Handwashing is the best way to defeat germs, but if you don’t have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer is the next best thing. Thank you to our friends at Wright-Patterson AFB for spreading healthy habits to elementary students!

Thank you to the Moraine Police and Fire Department for having a pizza party with some of our Intermediate School students on Wednesday. After taking the Winter iReady Benchmark Assessment, any student who met their annual scaled score goal received a raffle ticket entry for the pizza party. Additionally, any student who showed growth in math or reading received an iReady Brag Tag. Did we see our own SRO Officer Burns helping out and having lunch with the kids? We love Officer Burns, and we love our community!

The High School Mural Club unveiled its latest work, Jack and the Beanstalk. It is in the foyer of the West Carrollton library, and just one of the murals the club works on throughout the year.