Dear Eagle Family,

Welcome to Wilkes Central High School and the 2024-2025 school year! On behalf of the entire staff of WCHS, we are proud to have the opportunity to serve you and help you unlock your potential and unique greatness while in high school!

It is our commitment to partner with our student leaders, families, and community to create a culture of growth at The Nest, which means we will make it our mission to personalize learning for ALL students so that they feel CONNECTED, EMPOWERED, AND PREPARED to achieve our school vision that ALL Eagles will be ready to ENLIST, ENROLL, AND/OR EMPLOY after high school. In doing so, we know we can BUILD A STRONGER EAGLE NATION, and this will be our unified focus for the 2024-2025 school year. It takes ALL of us invested in ALL students to help them lead their own learning and meet their goals!

Students: Always remember that YOU must be at the forefront leading your own learning to be successful at unlocking your potential and becoming #limitless! Being an Eagle comes with great responsibility, and together, we will look to BUILD SPIRIT, BUILD GRIT, AND BUILD EAGLE PRIDE during your time at WCHS by encouraging you to seize every opportunity to equip yourself with the skills you need to grow and LEAD.

WCHS has a strong tradition of excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, community leadership, and more, and it is up to each of you to partner with us to not only maintain that tradition of excellence, but leave WCHS better than when you first arrived. In order for you to do that, you must commit yourself to the following goals:

1. BUILD SPIRIT over status! Unlock your potential to positively impact our school family and the world around you by respecting that each and every person in our school is important, plays an essential part in making our school a great place to lead and learn, and is responsible for keeping WCHS a SAFE, NEUTRAL, and INCLUSIVE school community! Student and staff safety is our top priority at WCHS and is essential in order for ALL of us to create and maintain a school where ALL students can take advantage of opportunities to lead and grow. Therefore, please make sure you proactively explore the resources we have to assist you throughout the year and uphold the high expectations we have in place to make WCHS a safe and equitable learning environment. Our WCHS Student Handbook (see WCHS school website) is a valuable tool students and families can use to best understand how they can partner with us to maximize the potentials of ALL students throughout the year.
2. Show up and be on time to school. One of the most important skills you can learn in preparation for life beyond high school is that others are looking for those who are dependable, respect themselves and others, and operate with integrity. Attendance is the #1 factor in determining whether or not a student is successful in high school and stays on track for graduation. Did you know that if you have 6 absences in each class over both semesters that you are actually missing 4,320 minutes of instruction in a school year? Having more than 6 absences in any class regardless of whether they are excused or unexcused may result in loss of credit for that class even if you have a passing average. Attendance matters!
3. BUILD LEADERS & EAGLE PRIDE! If you stay connected in high school, learn to feel empowered to take on challenges, and commit to having a growth mindset to meet those challenges, then you will be prepared to LEAD in all that comes your way in high school and beyond. Your success is our success, both at school and in the community! By graduating and contributing positively back to your community, you BUILD EAGLE PRIDE along with us! Achieving the goal of graduating from high school and moving on to even greater things will not always be easy, and we recognize each of you must be challenged, feel uncomfortable at times with new learning experiences, and productively struggle with appropriate supports to grow and unlock the unique greatness each of you possess. Accept ahead of time that occasional failure and setbacks are inevitable as we navigate life, but how you learn to respond is what determines your ability to be successful in the end.

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with each and every person in our Eagle Family! Families: Be sure to stay connected to our school by ensuring we always have up-to-date contact information for your family, following our school website & social media platforms, and signing up for Remind communications. We look forward to serving you as we all work together to Build a Stronger Eagle Nation!

Sincerely,
Dr. Freeman, WCHS Principal

Mrs. Kendall Steelman
Assistant Principal

Welcome, Eagle Family. I am excited to enter this chapter as an assistant principal for Wilkes Central High School. I come from a family of educators in this profession, and I believe relationships are the key to success. I also have a background in athletics and am a true believer in “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Always remember we are working together, rising to the challenge of success and holding all accountable. This is my 17th year in the Central district for Wilkes County Schools. I truly appreciate all this community has to offer. Wilkes Central High School has a reputation for success in academics, arts, and sports. As this school year begins, I encourage all staff, students, and families to encourage all positive happenings at “The Nest”. Please make time each day to reflect on the WCHS mission statement, so that as Eagles we stay connected, empowered, prepared. And most importantly, EAGLES LEAD!

Be sure to set goals for this school year to excel in and out of the classroom. You never know who you can encourage to safe and smart actions just by a simple hello or providing a helping hand. Please understand that my goal for this year is to be a resource to all of our Eagle Family. Thank you for your preparation in getting ready to start your engines; you are on the right track and the finish line is in sight. For as Eagles, we stay connected, empowered, and prepared.

Mr. Christopher Martin

Welcome Eagles! I am so excited to serve as one of your assistant principals this year. This is my 10th year in education and my second stint with Wilkes County Schools. I have served previously at North Wilkes Middle School, Newton-Conover Middle School, and Bunker Hill High School teaching both Language Arts and Social Studies. I have also coached football and wrestling at the middle and high school levels over the past 19 years. I firmly believe that education is one of the most important aspects of a person’s life. I have been a non-traditional student for all of my post-secondary education, and I understand that education is a road that can look different for each individual. I feel strongly aligned with Wilkes Central’s vision statement and want to make sure I play a role to ensure our students leave The Nest ready to enlist, enroll, or employ.

As we build a stronger Eagle Nation this year, it is pivotal to keep in mind that the success of our students is not only an individual goal for the students themselves; it is a shared goal by all stakeholders including their classmates, school staff, parents, and the community. They are the next generation of leaders, and we must all endeavor to support efforts to connect, empower, and prepare them for those roles. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.