Wilson loses over $170,000
Chloe Fatsis and Max Karp
September 8, 2019
Wilson is scrambling to make up for more than $170,000 in funding after losing access to an account that for years collected money from renting out the school’s field, gymnasiums, and auditorium. The funding shortfall will affect everything from club sports teams to classroom supplies to building re...
AP program sees more students, better scores
September 8, 2019
The percentage of students who achieved a passing score of a three, four, or five on their AP exams at Wilson rose from 52 percent to 54 percent over the last school year. While a two percent increase may seem insignificant, Principal Kimberly Martin believes it is a marked sign of progress, given ...
Tiger Cafe replaced by work center for seniors
September 8, 2019
Wilson’s Tiger Cafe is being replaced by a brand new work facility for seniors. It will be located in the room right next to the College and Career Center. Twelfth grade Assistant Principal Gregory Bargeman confirmed that the new resource will be called the printing and writing center. The Tige...
Mental health PSAs offer acting opportunities to students
September 8, 2019
Last fall, Wilson students were presented with an opportunity like no other: to star in a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that would be aired nationwide. It came to Wilson through Karen Harris, the current theatre director at Wilson. The PSA was produced by Boys Town, a national organization that ...
Wilson renovates office amid flooding
September 8, 2019
Wilson’s front office and entire first floor flooded after a large storm in July. Flooding was caused by damaged water pipes that couldn’t hold the excessive amount of rain that the month saw. Main office staffers had to relocate and some experienced adverse effects stemming from the floodwater. C...
Freshman class projected to be largest ever
September 8, 2019
Six hundred and fifty-seven students are enrolled in this year’s freshman class. This is significantly more students than last year’s class of 450. Early enrollment data is often misleading, however, as students from feeder schools are automatically enrolled at Wilson even if they aren’t going to ...
Freshmen await personal laptops
September 8, 2019
DCPS plans to provide its students with laptops within the next three years, starting with all third, sixth, and ninth graders this school year. The computers are not expected to be distributed to students until December at the earliest, though DCPS has budgeted $4.3 million for purchase. Each freshman ...
DCPS in $23 million budget deficit
Joanna Chait and Emily Mulderig
September 8, 2019
DCPS’s budget for this year is on track to be overspent by more than $23 million. They have until September 30th (the end of the fiscal year) to make up that money. When the situation became public over the summer, it was heavily criticized by DC education council chairman. The loss was cre...
Wilson aims to create college prep program from $172,000 donation
June 9, 2019
Wilson alumni John Scott left his alma mater $172,000 in his will. A PTSO committee has decided to use the funds to create a college preparatory program. The committee, led by member Jennie Bonney, has plans to form a week-long program aiming to “provide intensive support to a group of students ...
DCPS fails to prioritize at-risk student funds
Hannah Bocian and Joanna Chait
June 9, 2019
A new report done by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute shows that about 40% of the funding designated for at-risk students in DCPS hasn’t been targeted to help them but has instead been used for other needs of the schools. The at-risk category for education funding was added to the DCPS budget in 2013 wh...
The Beacon talks to newly elected SGA officers
June 9, 2019
Next year’s Student Government Association (SGA) is the first to be elected under a new voting procedure which requires members to take a specialized class, cuts down on the number of positions, only allows rising seniors to vote for the student body president, and requires members to take a specialized c...
New Wilson club aims to combat mental health stigma
June 9, 2019
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month for the first time, Wilson’s new Mental Health Awareness Club (MHAC) organized a variety of fun, charitable, and informative activities. The activities were centered on creating awareness around mental health. MHAC sponsor English teacher Natalie Zuravle...
