Are you the dad of a Pirate? Are you the grandpa of a Pirate? Are you the uncle of a Pirate? Are you a positive male role model for a Pirate? We want to recognize all of the positive role models who are supporting our Pirates!

We just can't stop talking about how proud we are of the Class of 2026! Out of a class of 213 graduates, 2 received the Dayton-Montgomery County College Promise Scholarship; 45 students received a Dayton-Montgomery County Scholarship; 11 received a Sinclair Tech Prep Scholarship; 11 received the Governor's Merit Scholarship; 46 received an Honors Diploma; 10 were National Honor Society members. There were 758 College Credit Plus hours earned, giving students a head start in college. The total of all scholarships, including those mentioned, totaled $1,200,000. Valedictorian, Koen Hicswa, graduated with a 4.9 GPA, and Salutatorian, Makenna McCune, graduated with a 4.8 GPA. Congratulations to the entire class for all of their accomplishments! #wcclassof2026

All school offices, including school offices and department offices, will be closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, for Juneteenth.

Athletic Secretary, Penny Stanley, is in her new office in the new High School. She is busy unpacking and getting organized, but not too busy to talk to student athletes interested in participating in a fall sport including cheerleading, cross country, golf, football, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. If you want to join a Pirate team, contact her at 937-859-5121, ext. 8810 for information. Go Pirates!!

Meet Michael. His favorite subject was science, and his teacher, Mr. Newman, “helped me to process the world and navigate through it.” He took a College Credit Plus biology course and was named the Most Outstanding Science Student in the Class of 2026. He participated in the National Honor Society and Business Professionals of America, where he competed in regional and state competitions. Some of his favorite experiences during High School were We the People classes and going to Buckeye Boys State. His advice to incoming freshmen is “do everything you can. Just try all the things that are available to you.” Michael will be attending Sinclair Community College. “I’m enrolled in Sinclair and from there, I have time to figure out where else I want to go.” He earned a Governor’s Merit Scholarship, awarded to the top 5% of the graduating class based on GPA. The scholarship pays $5,000 per year for up to 4 years. He may not know where he wants to go after Sinclair, but he knows he wants to focus on environmental engineering. “I’m hoping to get sustainable and clean energy throughout the state and the country.” Congratulations, Michael! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

Join the community to celebrate the opening of the West Carrollton Middle/High School on August 10 from 5 to 6 p.m. Following the ceremony, there will be a brief tour of the building.

Meet Victoria. The thing she will miss the most about High School is the friends she has made. She served as President of the Junior class last year, and as President of the Senior class, and counts student council members as some of her closest friends. Following an eye surgery, she said, “The girls I met through the student council came to my house and visited me after my surgery.” She will also miss her teachers and principal, Mr. White. “Some people don’t like him, but I think he’s funny. He just wants us to do our best, so I like him.” She listed Mr. Newman, Mr. Hauk, and Mrs. Carlise as some of her favorite teachers. “They’re just super nice, and they actually want us to learn.” Other activities she participated in during High School include attending Buckeye Girls’ State, being on the swim team for three years, serving on the spirit committee, helping plan prom and homecoming, and attending football games. Her advice to freshmen is, “Put yourself out there and make connections. Make sure you get all your work done.” Victoria has been a lifeguard for four years. During her time at the pool, she realized she was good at situations that required her to use first-aid skills. “I didn’t freak out, and I remembered what I was supposed to do.” Originally, she planned to attend law school, but after those experiences, she changed her mind and decided to pursue a career in healthcare. Victoria graduated with an Honors Diploma and will have a head start in college thanks to the CCP classes she took. Her plan is to live at home and commute to Wright State University to pursue a nursing degree. Congratulations, Victoria! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

Meet Koen. He is the Valedictorian for the Class of 2026. He will graduate with a 4.948 GPA (grade point average). Honors and CCP (College Credit Plus) classes he has taken have earned him extra credit towards his GPA. His favorite CCP courses were Spanish and Math. Chemistry was the most challenging CCP course he took, but he feels the experience will help prepare him for difficult college classes. He has enjoyed cultural assemblies, the Spanish talent show, football games, and honor assemblies during his time in High School. He appreciates the diversity in the school population. “It teaches you how to be around other people, how to lead, and how to see other people’s perspectives.” Koen participated in robotics, where he did programming and developed leadership, technical, and social skills. He competed in BPA (Business Professionals of America) in programming at the regional, state, and national levels during his sophomore and junior years, and believes those skills will help him in his career. He also believes his teachers have been instrumental in his success. “The teachers here are amazing. I always felt like they were here to help me. They wanted me to succeed.” He will continue his education at the University of Cincinnati to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. His goal is to do a job he loves, develop life-saving technologies to help people, and improve the quality of life through technology. Congratulations, Koen! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

All schools and school offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026, for Memorial Day.

Meet Bryceson. He said he will miss the teachers most about High School, including Mrs. Carlisle, Ms. Morris, and Mr. Cornett. One teacher he recognized was Mr. Bottelier, who gave him valuable life lessons and made him realize he needed to be more responsible. “He was the real definition of a teacher. He was there for me when I was going through a hard time.” Math became his favorite subject after his algebra teacher told him he was good at it. “I guess I like the patterns of it. I started realizing that math is just a big pattern.” He admitted not always taking school too seriously and said that if he could relive the last four years, “I would have tried as hard as I possibly could.” Bryceson was considering Sinclair or a trade school, but then he got an offer. Following graduation, he has a job lined up as an apprentice electrician, and the company he will work for will put him through 2 years of training. “I’m excited. I couldn’t pass up the offer.” His 10-year goal is to have enough experience as an electrician to become a journeyman, and he would like to have a family. Congratulations, Bryceson! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

Reminder: The High School will host a Saying Goodbye Open House this Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community is invited.

Meet Olivia. Graduation will be here soon, but Olivia won’t be there. She is leaving on August 18th to join the Air Force! Her first stop will be in Texas for school, followed by training elsewhere. Olivia was involved in the yearbook during High School and enjoyed taking pictures. She performed in the Culture Club assembly and participated in the after-school robotics club. She completed one College Credit Plus course in Spanish. When asked what she will miss the most about High School, she said, “All of my friends, even though we can still keep in touch.” She said she would miss her teachers, too, and that she liked all of them. Her advice to incoming freshmen, “Don’t slack off. Really push and don’t give up.” Her 10-year goal is to have a stable job and maybe a family. She would also like to finally get the dog that she wants, specifically a dachshund. Congratulations, Olivia! No matter where you go (or where you fly!), you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

Meet Richard. He has been a Pirate since 8th grade and has been making friends ever since. “My friends from school are some of the closest people I have in my life, and the fact that I met them all in just the first or second year I was in West Carrollton was really nice.” Some of the friends he has made were from his involvement in music. He has been in the marching band, jazz band, and concert winds. He played the tuba and played the bass in jazz. He credits his Middle School and High School teachers for his love of history and social studies. Richard had Mr. Austin as his freshman history teacher and discovered they shared an interest in World War II. He is taking his love of history to either the University of Dayton or the University of Cincinnati. Although he hasn’t made a final decision about which school to attend, he knows that he would like to become a social studies teacher for High School students. His goal is to one day even be teaching in West Carrollton! Congratulations, Richard! No matter where you go, you will always be a Pirate! #wcclassof2026

It's supposed to rain early Saturday morning, but it should be dry in time for the Car Wash at the High School on May 9 from 10 to 4. Donations will be accepted to support the WCHS Band. Vintage band uniforms and silks will be available for purchase.

Officer Flaute is the SRO (School Resource Officer) at the High School. She has been a police officer for 33 years, and has spent the last four years at the High School. She has become a normal part of every students' day, so much so that if another officer stops by, the students will ask her, "Why are the police here?" She just smiles and reminds them that she's there every day! She says, "West Carrollton is special because of the community feel and acceptance that I see every day." Thank you, Officer Flaute, for taking care of the Pirates.

We have been celebrating all of our teachers and support staff this week. Pictured are just a few of the people who are committed to giving every Pirate an opportunity to succeed. We appreciate all that they do!

High School Counselors (left to right): Brittany Brown, Kelli Sanders, and Teresa Allen help students navigate High School and provide them with the tools they need to take the next step after graduation. They have a combined 35 years of experience. But who is the glue that holds them together? That would be their Administrative Assistant, Kim Maggard (far right). She has been with the district for six years, five of them in the Guidance Office. One thing that surprised her about her job was the close relationships she has with the kids. "I feel like I'm the face of the counseling office." Mrs. Maggard said West Carrollton is special because of the diversity and inclusion, especially with the Super WOW kids. All of their classmates include them in activities and know their names. She said, "They really care." Thank you to all of our Counselors and Mrs. Maggard for supporting the Pirates!