Company Profile
Valparaiso Community Schools
Company Overview
Valparaiso Community Schools (VCS) is a K-12 public school corporation serving ~6,500 students in Valparaiso, Indiana. Twelve total schools make up VCS, including 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 alternative school and 1 high school. Our VCS Team consists of ~700 staff members, including teachers, teacher’s aides, guidance counselors, social workers, administrators and support staff.
Located in Valparaiso, Indiana, a growing community located in “The Region" just 50 miles southeast of Chicago, IL, "Valpo" is home to over 32,000 residents and serves as a hub for an additional 15,000 living in surrounding areas. Valparaiso is the seat of Porter County, which has the 7th highest per capita income in the State of Indiana and is one of the few counties in Indiana with a growing population, totaling over 160,000. This makes Porter County the 9th largest county by population in Indiana.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
**Overarching Achievements**
97% graduation rate
Top-20 school district in Indiana for ILEARN test scores
Consistently celebrate National Merit Finalists & Scholarship Winners
Numerous College Board National Recognition recipients
Over 1,200 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams taken by over 600 students with a majority earning college credit
7500+ college credits earned over the past 3 years equating to significant savings for families
**School Awards / Recognitions**
BEST HIGH SCHOOLS -US News & World Report
BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL -US Department of Education
FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOL -Indiana Department of Education
NATIONAL TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL -National Title I Association
DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL -Project Lead The Way (PLTW)
BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN INDIANA -CollegeSimply
SCHOOLS TO WATCH -National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Forum
**Academic Program Highlights**
Numerous award-winning and nationally recognized K-12 STEM programming and educators
Dedicated Counselors that connect individual student goals and skill sets to vocational and collegiate outcomes
Robust Social Services Department consisting of Social Workers in every building as well as district-level Behavioral Specialists
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) at Parkview Elementary which attracts international expertise & experience
Dedicated Allied Arts rotation including Music, Art, Physical Education AND Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) as an independent opportunity for students to engage in hands-on learning
Wide variety of options for Advanced Placement (AP-Collegeboard) credit through extensive course offerings
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Courses that promote international-mindedness and produce college credits
**Extracurricular Program Highlights**
Support 24 Varsity Sports
Unified Sports program that promotes teamwork and inclusion
Members of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC)
Highly decorated music programming in Band, Choir, and Orchestra; perennial state-level awards for individual and team competitions
Dozens of Clubs & Academic Teams at all school levels for students to engage and participate in beyond the school day
**Community Partnership Highlights**
Connections to community through partnership with the City of Valparaiso, Valpo Chamber of Commerce, Valpo Schools Foundation, Valpo Parks & Recreation, Porter County Public Library, Scouts, Parents as Teachers, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Kiwanis, Rotary, and many, many more
Numerous community partnerships and programs to serve students experiencing housing insecurity, food insecurity, or other challenges that present a barrier to learning, including Backpacks & Snacks, and Dressed For School, among others