The Warren County Board of Education voted on Tuesday, July 25 to close Warren New Tech High School (WNTHS) effective August 1, 2023. The 64 students enrolled at WNTHS will attend Warren County High School (WCHS).
The first day of school for all high school students is August 8, 2023.
The unanimous school board decision to close WNTHS followed more than a month of discussion, public hearings, and presentations about the benefits of combining the schools, the challenges of keeping WNTHS open, and the impact on families and students at both schools.
Ultimately, board members explained that WNTHS’s low enrollment made the school too expensive to continue operating, costing more than half a million dollars a year in local funding just to pay to fully staff the school. At the same time, the small school also created significant inequities for students at both WNTHS and WCHS.
By closing WNTHS and combining with WCHS, the school district expects to:
Increase the number of licensed and highly qualified teachers serving all high school students
Improve academic performance for all students at the combined school
Expand the course offerings for all students at the combined school
Use the $558,000 cost savings to meet other needs in the district
Reduce disciplinary issues because of increased staffing levels at the combined school and the creation of a daytime alternative learning program on the WNTHS campus for students who would benefit from a different learning environment
Increase access to specialized programs and extracurricular activities
Unify students, families, and the community behind Warren County High School and the Eagles
Staff have been working hard all summer to restructure and make improvements at WCHS for the 2023-24 school year.
A primary focus of the new Warren County High School will be to provide learning through activities that are meaningful and relevant to students, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated with appropriate guidance from teachers.
There will be four areas of focus or learning communities students can choose from:
The 9th Grade Learning Community will help ensure that students have a smooth transition from middle school to high school. It will support all 9th grade students as they start experiencing more independence and having more choices in their personalized academic pathway. This will allow students to develop their mental and social emotional capacity as they begin to think about their future and identify their skills and aptitudes. The 9th Grade Learning Community will also serve as a “home base” for students who have not yet determined a learning community pathway upon entering high school.
The High-Tech Learning Community will provide students with the opportunity to access challenging and hands-on learning leading to jobs in high-tech industries, in areas like artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, software development, data analytics, computer systems engineering, and user experience design.
Through a partnership with The Innovation Project, the SparkNC initiative allows students to discover, experience, and navigate pathways toward high-tech jobs. The program helps students expand skill sets, build networks, gain confidence, and chart personalized pathways toward high paying, high-tech jobs through engaging, connected experiences, resources, and guidance.
The Career and Technical Learning Community will build off of the existing Career and Technical Education (CTE) structure currently in place at Warren County High School.
The Social Justice and Public Service Learning Community will be rooted in the five principles of social justice – access, equity, diversity, participation, and human rights. It will connect students with those who were, and are still engaged in the struggle for empowerment in Warren County. Our community has a long history of environmental activism and social justice, having fought with state and federal governments to stop dumping and storing hazardous chemicals in a landfill next to our black farmers and communities.
We will work to partner with institutions such as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, and the North Carolina Black Alliance to develop a curriculum and supporting projects aligned with state standards and academic requirements.
Students and families can see some of the changes during Orientations and Open Houses July 31 - August 4.
At the Orientations and Open Houses, you’ll have the opportunity to
Meet teachers and other school staff
Tour our school - the Eagles Nest
Get class schedules, backpacks, and other supplies and equipment
Review and discuss academic pathways, CTE Academies, Athletics, the Eagles’ Nest Elective, and available clubs and activities.
Students are required to use a clear backpack this school year at WCHS. The district is giving all students a free, clear Warren County Schools backpack. If you do not want to use the backpack provided, you may purchase a clear backpack of your own.
Monday and Tuesday, July 31 and August 1
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
(Required)
School buses will pick up students and take them home. We suggest students be at their bus stop about 30 minutes before their expected pick-up time.
We’ll provide breakfast and lunch in the school cafeteria. Students may bring their own lunch, if they prefer.
Thursday, August 3
1 - 3 p.m.
New students at Warren County High School have a special Open House on Thursday from 1-3 p.m.
Friday, August 4
3-6 p.m
Returning students will have their Open House on Friday from 3-6 p.m.
First Day of School
(for all high school students)
Tuesday, August 8
7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
9th Grade Orientation
(Required)
Monday and Tuesday, July 31 and August 1
8 a.m. - 12 p.m
New Student Open House
Thursday, August 3
1 - 3 p.m.
Returning Student Open House
Friday, August 4
3-6 p.m.
