On Thursday, September 17th, our seniors got hands-on experience with the voting process during a mock election hosted by the Marion County Election Board. Students practiced using voting equipment, learned what to expect at the polls, and had the opportunity to register to vote.

Eligible to vote this November? The deadline to register is October 5!

New tailgate location this year! We are excited to be moving the party a little closer to the stadium this year, on the large lawn by the tennis courts. 

Join us for the FREE Washington Township Schools Foundation Homecoming Tailgate before the big game tonight, Friday, September 25, from 5-7 p.m.⁠ 

Bring the family and enjoy music, food from the J. Everett Light Café, kids' activities, a scavenger hunt, mascot race, and special alumni festivities before cheering on the Panthers under the Friday night lights.⁠

Head to the WTSF website for all the details! https://www.wtsfoundation.org/homecoming/

Have you ever been curious about what it takes to drive a school bus? Now’s your chance to find out! MSD Washington Township invites the community to a unique, hands-on event — the “Drive a School Bus” Experience — happening Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the MSD Washington Township Transportation Building located at 1815 E. 86th Street in Indianapolis, IN 46240.

This free, family-friendly event is part of the district’s ongoing outreach to raise awareness about school bus safety and to spark interest in one of the most important and rewarding jobs in education — driving a school bus.

Whether you're exploring a new career path or simply curious what it feels like to drive a big yellow bus, this event is for you!

If you missed us on WISH-TV and WRTV 6 this week you can catch it here: WT Transportation In the News

For more information, contact the MSD Washington Township Transportation Department at 317-254-5510.

A new report from Ball State University introduces a "value-added" measure to evaluate the effectiveness of Indiana public schools more fairly. Traditional rankings often rely on raw test scores, which the authors argue are primarily driven by a student's socioeconomic status rather than school quality. By using statistical models to account for variables like poverty and demographics, the study isolates the actual contribution of educators to student progress. The findings reveal that while many high-performing schools are simply serving affluent populations, others are significantly outperforming expectations despite challenging circumstances. This adjusted metric identifies both exceptional and underperforming school corporations that are often overlooked by standard grading systems.

MSD Washington Township emerges as a strong performer in this study, consistently exceeding its predicted academic benchmarks across all analyzed grade levels in 2025 and standing out as one of the most improved school corporations in Indiana over the four-year study period.

Top 10 State Rank for Improvement: MSD Washington Township ranked 9th in the state for the greatest improvement in 8th-grade value-added outcomes between 2022 and 2025.  Nobody else on that top ten list is near our size or shares our diversity.  

When comparing WTS to neighboring school corporations, the study reveals stark contrasts between raw standardized scores and true “value-added” performance placing us favorably in nearly every measure taken.  

Washington Township is grateful for this study and for Ball State's commitment to digging deep to understand all of the variables when measuring student learning. 

Stay informed about the upcoming WTS operating referendum renewal question and what it means for our schools and community.

Community members are invited to attend the next community meeting with WTS Superintendent Dr. Sean Taylor to hear the facts, learn more about the referendum renewal, and have an opportunity to ask questions. Join us for the conversation tomorrow at 9am at Northview Middle School to get informed and understand the impact.

Resources, including the answers to frequently asked questions about school funding, property taxes, and the potential impact on our schools, are available on the District website.

A recent independent fiscal analysis of Indiana’s public school corporations highlights an important reality: Indiana public schools continue to achieve strong academic results while operating with funding levels below national averages.

The analysis found that Indiana ranks highly in areas such as elementary reading and graduation rates, while ranking 38th nationally in per-pupil spending and 50th in per-pupil spending growth since 2002. At the same time, inflation-adjusted teacher salaries have declined, increasing the challenge of attracting and retaining high-quality educators.

At MSD Washington Township, we remain focused on maximizing every taxpayer dollar while protecting classroom instruction and educational opportunities for students. Some of the ways we continue to improve efficiency and control costs include:

Our goal is simple: remain responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars while continuing to provide the high-quality educational experience our students and families deserve.

Fall Break is Monday, October 5 - Friday, October 9. Please check the District Calendar for remaining important dates this semester.

Come see The Little Mermaid Jr. Musical at Westlane Middle School October 16th - 18th. Click the Little Mermaid flyer for showtimes and to purchase your tickets in advance!

North Central Theatre is hard at work on this year’s fall musical, Once Upon a One More Time: High School Edition! The production brings together 45 cast members and 32 students working in crew, technical theatre, and the pit orchestra. Rehearsals began August 24 with three full weeks devoted to vocal preparation, while students are also bringing the production to life through acting, dancing, sets, costumes, props, lighting, and sound.

This year’s production will feature professionally designed costumes and wigs, a student lighting designer, and a large set with several moving elements. The musical will also participate in the Butler Arts Awards, giving students another exciting opportunity to showcase their work.

And the Panther family is growing! Four elementary students from across MSD Washington Township will be cast in the production—because We Grow Panthers!

🎭 Performances: October 22–24 at 7:00 PM and October 24 at 2PM

🎟️ Tickets: nctheatre.ludus.com

Position:    Adult Support Instructional Assistant 

Location:   North Central High School

Calendar:  185 Days/School Year 

Hours:       Monday - Friday, 6 Hours per day

Salary:       $19.50 per hour starting rate - additional compensation given for college degree or if bilingual

Perks:        Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Retirement       

Position:    Assistant Fleet/Garage Manager

Education: High School Diploma or equivalent

Location:   Transportation

Calendar:  260 Days/Year Round

Hours:       Monday - Friday,  9:00am - 6:00pm

Salary:       $72,000 annually

Perks:        Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Healthcare, Retirement       

Position:    Bus Driver

Location:   Transportation

Calendar:  185 Days/School Year 

Hours:       Monday - Friday,  6.5 Hours per day average

Salary:       $27.00 per hour starting rate ($32,468 annually) - additional compensation given for college degree or if bilingual

Perks:        $1,000 Sign On Bonus, Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Healthcare, Retirement       

Position:    Electrician 

Location:   District-wide

Calendar:  260 Days/Year Round

Hours:       Monday - Friday, 8 Hours per day

Salary:       $27.00/hour ($56,160 annually) or $28.00/hour with journeyman license ($58,240 annually) - 

                  additional compensation may be given with degree or if bilingual

Perks:        Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Healthcare, Retirement       

Position:    Maintenance Technician

Location:   District-wide

Calendar:  260 Days/Year Round

Hours:       Monday - Friday, 8 Hours per day

Salary:       $27.00/hour ($56,160 annually) or additional compensation may be given with degree or if bilingual

Perks:        Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Healthcare, Retirement       

Position:    PACES Instructional Assistant 

Location:   North Central High School

Calendar:  185 Days/School Year 

Hours:       Monday - Friday, 6 Hours per day

Salary:       $19.50 per hour starting rate - additional compensation given for college degree or if bilingual

Perks:        Step Pay Increases annually, Paid Leave Days, Paid Holidays, Retirement