Dr. Steven Walts, Superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools, welcomes students back

A back-to-school message from Dr. Steven Walts, Superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools:

We enthusiastically await the arrival of approximately 91,000 students on the first day of the 2018-19 school year. Our educators and support staff are prepared and passionate about ensuring each student learns, grows, and excels.

Our commitment to serving individual needs is evident in this school year’s opening of Independence Nontraditional School. This unique, state-of-the-art school facility that combines the former New Directions and New Dominion Alternative Education Centers, as well as PACE East, provides all students with greater access to courses and Division resources.

Most any teacher will tell you that different people learn in different ways. That’s why I am thrilled to be opening a new school that focuses on meeting the needs of students who can reach great heights when given the right opportunities.

Completion of additions at Lake Ridge Middle School and Pattie Elementary School, and improvements to a third of other schools, will mean better learning space and comfort for staff and students Divisionwide. Renovations include a variety of upgrades, such as HVAC updates, partial roof replacements, new carpeting and flooring, painting, lighting, and parking lot paving, and much more.

The Pattie addition frees up space to make the Washington-Reid building a pre-K center. That will give some of our youngest learners valuable educational experiences in classrooms designed specifically for them. The early start pays dividends that last a lifetime.

Divisionwide, we’ll build on the strong foundation of teacher and learning successes we celebrated last year. Twenty-two of our schools earned 2018 Virginia Index of Performance Awards for academic achievement, nearly twice the number received just two years ago. Our 2018 graduates were awarded $74 million in scholarships, up 133 percent since 2016. And, PWCS was one of only five first-place winners among the nation’s large school divisions in the 2018 National School Boards Association Magna Awards competition. Our Advanced Programs for All initiative was recognized for helping all students, especially those in previously underrepresented groups, to take and succeed in rigorous advanced coursework.

Integration of technology into every course at every level prepares our students to be future-ready. Our growing Career and Technical Education programs open many avenues for success. Last school year, CTE students passed more than 9,500 valuable industry certifications. Some programs helped prepare students for lucrative employment in trades like welding, construction, and automotive work. In 2018-19, students can also take courses in Electricity levels I and II, Computer Game Design, and Cybersecurity Network Systems.

Of course, school safety is on everyone’s mind; and we’ve invested heavily in prevention and preparedness to keep students safe and secure. We’ve enhanced the physical measures built into many school structures. A county-funded pilot program will help us hire retired law enforcement officers as armed security to supplement current police who work as School Resource Officers, and our Division-employed School Security Officers. In combination with training for any eventuality, we’re working to minimize security threats by adding 13 social workers, another mental health specialist, a psychologist, and three additional high school counselors.

Of course, security concerns, and other challenges, often overshadow all the great news happening every day. As I visit with community members, parents, and school employees, I frequently hear a desire for more of the positive.

In response, we will bring you more web stories, social media, and other opportunities to see demonstrations of student knowledge, skills, accomplishments, and their readiness for further education for the 21^st century workforce. You’ll also discover more about the great teachers and staff preparing them. We will bill them as Positively PWCS, with a visual look to spotlight them and ongoing opportunities for you to share great things you’ve learned about.

For now, I wish each of our students, staff, parents, and community members a wonderful new school year — a year filled with great results that are Positively PWCS.