While an educated workforce is critical to high performance, most companies and organizations are not in the “education business.” Leveraging the outstanding educational opportunities that surround us here in Waupaca is more than “smart business” - it is essential in gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage in an uncompromising business environment.
Waupaca has exceptional educational institutions within its city limits. They collectively offer attractive educational options at every level, from primary and secondary studies to higher education programs.
Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) - Waupaca Regional Center
The FVTC Waupaca Regional Center offers a variety of services and courses designed to provide for continuing education needs. The emphasis for the Waupaca Regional Center is to provide credit courses that may be applied to associate degree or technical diploma programs or certificates. Numerous noncredit courses are also offered for self-enrichment. The facility includes numerous amenities including a computer lab with 15 workstations and more than 40 different computer courses, professional instructors, ITV/IP classrooms, Goal Oriented Adult Learning (GOAL) classroom, Counseling services, Job Center Service Site and Resource Room, Testing/Computer lab with 8 workstations, technical lab for manufacturing technology, Health Lab, conference center, Arts and Crafts lab/classroom and more.
Fox Valley Technical College also provides customized training services to business, industry and government. Examples of such training include Computer-related technology and web development, First Responder, Supervisory Management, Business Administration & Finance, Human Resources & Workplace Issues, LEAN Manufacturing/Six Sigma, Manufacturing Skills & Process and Supply Chain & Materials Management.
The Waupaca Regional Center was constructed with renewable energy and “green” building design features, as a result of local community initiative and investment. Some highlights of the building construction include solar thermal system providing domestic hot water and radiant in-floor heat, the 4th largest photovoltaic system in Wisconsin (35KW) producing electricity to operate the building, an energy kiosk providing information and monitoring of solar systems materials and systems contributing to energy conservation, and recycled building material and low volatile organic compound emitting components.
Other Higher Education Institutions in the Area - University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 25 miles
- University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, 40 miles
- Lawrence University, University of Wisconsin – Fox Valley, and Fox Valley Technical College main campus, 40 miles (Appleton)
Waupaca School District
The School District of Waupaca serves the community with approximately 2,500 students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve enrolled in one of four schools – the Waupaca High School, Waupaca Middle School, Waupaca Learning Center Elementary School, and the Chain O’ Lakes Elementary School.
The district provides a variety of rigorous academic programs at all grade levels. The High School offers over 200 different courses and over 60 extracurricular activities in the arts, athletics, clubs, and academic opportunities.
Based on the 2007-08 Wisconsin School District Performance Report for Waupaca there were about 200 high school graduates, 50% of which planned to attend a 4-year college and 28% that planned to attend a vocational or technical school, while 9% were going straight to the work force, 3% to the military, 2% to job training and 9% with other miscellaneous plans.