EXPO HIGH SCHOOL RELOCATES TO WATERLOO CAREER CENTER EXPANSION

Waterloo, Iowa – April 11, 2024 – Expo High School, located at the Expo Alternative Learning Center, 1410 Independence Avenue, Waterloo, will permanently relocate to the Waterloo Career Center Expansion (WCCX) located at 1348 Katoski Avenue, Waterloo, for the start of the 2024-25 school year. The WCCX is located on the West side of the Waterloo Career Center (WCC) and was built to accommodate the expansion of programs for Waterloo Community School District’s (WCSD) high school students. 

Expo High School (EHS) is one of several programs that are currently housed within the Expo Alternative Learning Center. One of three high schools in the WCSD, Expo High School offers a smaller learning environment compared to East and West High Schools.

The move provides vast growth opportunities for EHS students and the community. “Our current building’s limitations, such as fewer electives and a fragmented staff structure, make this transition necessary. At the WCC, students will access abundant resources and career opportunities, fostering collaboration and enriching their education,” shared Cary Wieland, EHS Principal. 

Wieland also expressed that EHS remains committed to its supportive environment, ensuring every student feels empowered to succeed, sharing that “This move aligns with our mission to cultivate success by embracing new partnerships and opportunities. I’m proud of our achievements and confident this move will propel us toward even greater success. Let’s embrace this change with optimism, knowing the best is yet to come.”

The move positions EHS students within the WCC, removing the barriers to access that exist for students. Currently, only seven percent of EHS students are able to access the host of career and technical education opportunities at the center. Statistics show that students who have access to the career center earn higher grade point averages and are more likely to have a plan post-graduation, than their peers who are unable to access the center. 

“We are thrilled to announce this move, as it has been one of our top priorities since the inception of the WCCX.” shared Astor Williams, President of the WCSD Board of Education. “This strategic shift paves the way for our students to not just earn a diploma, but to embrace a future filled with purpose and achievement.”

Since its opening, the WCC has served as an invaluable resource for students, offering a range of benefits from early career exploration and skill development to college and career readiness. The WCC successfully connects students with their passions and opens doors to industry experts. 

“It is entirely appropriate for Expo High School students to be the first to officially relocate to the WCC campus” shared Lyle Schmitt, Vice President of the WCSD Board of Education. “The WCC was designed to provide students who were not experiencing success in our traditional college-prep high schools, a more hands-on choice of education.  Clear-cut success of this more tactile mode of learning is fostering relocation of a growing number of students to the WCC campus to best access the 20 career choices.”

While EHS will relocate to the WCCX for the start of the 2024-25 school year, other programs, such as After Hours, Bridge Program, Cooperative Youth Program, and the Education Discipline Program, Grad Connect and Waterloo Virtual Academy will remain in the Independence Avenue building. 

The district’s goal is to relocate all programs within the Expo Alternative Learning Center by 2028. “The Expo High School building has served students for more than 70 years,” said Waterloo Schools Superintendent Dr. Jared Smith. “While this building will continue to serve a small number of students, our goal is to move all programs out of the Independence Avenue building in the next few years.”