Williamsburg–James City County Public Schools (WJCC) has announced that Lafayette High School has been recognized as a 2025 Level Up Virginia Champion. This recognition places the school among just 28 high schools in the state to receive this honor.
Level Up Virginia is a statewide initiative coordinated by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The program aims to enhance equity and access in postsecondary education by supporting student readiness, enrollment, and completion. According to a news release by WJCC Schools, the initiative focuses on providing opportunities and resources to help all students pursue higher education successfully.
At Lafayette High School, counselors Erica Gibson and Brennan Ziegler led efforts to host four major Level Up events. These events were designed to guide students in planning for their futures, exploring college and career options, and taking actionable steps toward achieving their academic and postsecondary goals. The events ensured that all students had access to tools and information necessary for making informed decisions about their educational paths.
Lafayette High School is located at 4460 Longhill Road in Williamsburg, Virginia, under the leadership of Principal Howard Townsend. The school’s mission is to educate its diverse student population and equip them with skills to become knowledgeable, productive, and resourceful members of a global society. According to Lafayette High School, it emphasizes three core values: being respectful, accountable, and motivated.
WJCC serves 11,379 K–12 students across 16 schools. This includes 363 pre-K students and encompasses 3,914 economically disadvantaged students, 1,054 English learners, 1,833 special education participants, and 1,772 gifted program attendees. WJCC employs 1,970 staff members including 1,024 teachers; of these educators, 63% hold master’s degrees with 50 nationally board-certified educators. Superintendent Daniel Keever leads the district which is governed by a school board meeting monthly for work sessions and regular meetings that provide citizen comment opportunities.
