Superintendent's Message
Dr. Rocky D. KillionFall 2019/2020 School Year
I want to welcome everyone to the start of another great school year. This school year will be another year of transitions and improvements. From academics to facilities, the West Lafayette Community School Corporation (WLCSC) staff, administrators and School Board are working hard on many fronts to ensure our students are receiving a world-class education.
The West Lafayette Intermediate School (WLIS) opened in October 2018. Our 4th – 6th grade students and staff now have a state-of-the-art learning environment. From innovation labs to a complete performing arts wing, WLIS provides a great environment where teachers can teach and students can learn.
The West Lafayette Elementary School (WLES) renovations are nearly complete. Our Kindergarten – 3rd grade students and staff now have completely renovated classrooms, a new media center, a new cafeteria, and many redesigned learning spaces. This is the first year in the history of WLCSC that there are operational kitchens at every school.
School building improvements continue at the Jr./Sr. High School. The Richard Wachs Aquatic Center (RWAC) is nearing completion. The anticipated date for opening the new facility will be early November 2019 with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for Monday, November 25, 4:00 PM. At that time, we will also hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Jr./Sr. High School food court.
This summer WLCSC broke ground for the James R. Guy Academic Wing (JRGAW) and for the Bob Kelly Performing Arts Center (BKPAC). Very soon, construction will begin on the JRGAW. Construction for the BKPAC should begin in May 2020. I wish to thank the West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation Board of Directors, Director of Operations Lindsay Walls, and all of the donors who have graciously donated towards these two projects. To date, the Foundation has raised nearly $2.3 million to assist the school district with these projects. The goal of the Foundation is to raise $4 million. If you would like more information about donating towards these two great projects, please contact Lindsay Walls at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
You might be wondering why the Foundation is assisting WLCSC with these two projects. Two years ago, the administration and School Board were surprised with a drop in assessed valuation of 5%, and thus, the bonding capacity of the school district was directly impacted. To finish these projects at the Jr./Sr. High School, the administration asked the Foundation to assist with these two projects to offset the reduction in assessed valuation. In the coming years, it may be necessary to increase the school district’s tax rate depending on how much the Foundation can raise and what kind of increase, if any, there will be in the school district’s assessed valuation.
I personally want to thank you, our community, for your continued support of WLCSC. With all of us working together, we will continue providing our students, present and future, with a world-class education system.
Dr. Rocky Killion
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent of West Lafayette Community School Corporation
Robert Kelly Performing Arts Center
James Guy Education Wing
Richard Wachs Aquatic Center 
Additional Superintendent Articles
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- ISTEP Results Do Not Define Indiana's Children or It's Schools
- Brace for Lower ISTEP Scores
- Accountability Without Standardization
- Education by Humiliation
- Public Education Reform
- The Roadmap to a World-Class Education
- Busting Four Myths to Indiana's School Choice Legislation
- Education Reform: Perception vs. Reality
- Right Path for Public Education
Welcome Back Everyone,
As we begin the 2014/2015 school year, I am mindful of the great challenges that lie ahead for our school district. Currently, our school corporation leadership team, with the assistance of over forty community members, is carefully looking at our facilities. Several of our facilities are nearing fifty-years of age and when they were built, the design and construction were definitely lacking for a public school. Over the next school year, our facilities strategic planning group will consider all options to develop a long-term facilities plan for our school district. The facilities planning group has made three global recommendations as we begin putting together this plan:
- Maintain WLCSC community schools
- Maintain, renovate or replace current buildings as appropriately supported by verification of need, and;
- Keep the school district tax rate at or below the current level.
I anticipate by the fall of 2015, our strategic facilities planning group will be ready for me to begin presenting our initial planning ideas to our community for feedback. Then, based upon the feedback, we will regroup to finalize our plans for future implementation. So stay tuned.
Another issue on the horizon is the expiration of our General Fund referendum. I am thankful to our community for supporting our referendum request of a rate not to exceed $0.43 per $100 of assessed valuation which was approved by nearly a 2 to 1 margin back in May 2010. Since then, our administration team and staff have worked diligently to bring down costs while at the same time trying to improve our education system for all of our children.
I am pleased to report that we have thus far accomplished both. Since the passage of our referendum, our rate has never exceeded $0.37 per $100 of assessed valuation, and we are maintaining quality class sizes while experiencing student enrollment growth of nearly 400 students over the past five years. If we did not have the current referendum, our class sizes would be nearly 45 students per elementary classroom. So I am very thankful to you for supporting a high quality education for all of our students.
I want to wish all of you a wonderful school year. I truly believe the best is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rocky Killion
Superintendent of Schools
