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Willamette High leaders point to extracurriculars and new classes as keys to rising graduation rates
Summary
Willamette High presenters credited record student participation in clubs and athletics, affinity groups and new Wolverine 101/201 courses, plus credit-recovery and structured junior-year study halls, as factors behind recent graduation gains.
A Willamette High presenter said the school's improved graduation performance stems from broad student engagement and targeted academic supports. “It takes a whole village of folks,” the presenter said, citing record participation in clubs, athletics and affinity groups that help students feel welcomed and connected.
The presenter listed examples of extracurricular offerings—"Dungeons and Dragons, and chess...BSU or our NASU or mock trials, speech and debate"—and said participation in at least one sport, club or activity is encouraged. They described classroom and schedule changes meant to bolster ninth- and eleventh-grade success, naming Wolverine 101 for ninth graders and a new Wolverine 201 class, structured junior-year study halls, and credit-recovery options run with counselor support.
The presenter emphasized staff and peer roles in supporting students who fall behind and noted the school seeks to build students' organizational skills and goal-setting. "We've even built that into the junior year where we have a structured study hall...so that they can really cross that finish line and get that diploma," the presenter said. The transcript records program descriptions and staff praise but does not include external outcomes beyond the approximate graduation figures mentioned elsewhere.
