85 for 85: Celebrating 85 years of Miller Pride

Washburn is one of the premier high schools in the Twin Cities. We need your help to maintain the current trend of increased enrollment, rising academic performance and the re-establishment of Washburn as an IB certified school. To help sustain the new direction of the school, the Washburn High School Foundation has embarked on an ambitious effort to raise funds, on an annual basis, to fund Academics, the Arts, Athletics and to improve the quality of the environment the students learn in by improving the physical plant, both structurally and aesthetically, enhancing the Media Center, and attending to the myriad of needs that come up in any given year. This unprecedented initiative will help with the ongoing needs of the school that cannot be met by the dwindling influx of budget dollars from the district and the state. In addition, the WHSF looks to meaningfully add to an existing endowment fund to ensure that Washburn High School can provide not just a good education, but a great one -- indefinately.. The Foundation’s efforts will be focused on filling the gap between adequacy and excellence in all areas of learning. Measurable Goals Toward Excellence: Change is happening quickly, and each success creates the opportunity for more. However there is still too often a gap between offering a positive, supportive environment for students—something everyone should expect—and creating a standard of excellence that is reflected year after year. To truly be a school of educational excellence, the faculty, staff, parents, and students of Washburn are committed to working together, as partners, to become one of the premier high schools in the Twin Cities. Washburn will measure its success by: Launching the International Baccalaureate program for grades 11-12, Increasing student test scores, Increasing the number of college applications and acceptances, Increasing opportunities for teacher training and educational advancement, Increasing the number of volunteers assisting students and teachers, Increasing financial support from parents, alumni, and community residents, Increasing financial and in-kind support from businesses and corporations, Increasing awareness and recognition of the school in the metro community, Increasing involvement of parents and guardians, And, reviving the commitment to Miller pride that has forever been to driving force behind Washburn's success for the past 85 years.