As of February 22, 2018, there are fifteen AP classes offered.[3] WHS also participates in the University of Alaska Anchorage's Tech Prep program, which allows students to receive college credit for automotive technology classes.[4]
Wasilla High School's mascot is the Warrior, a Native American. Following the murder of George Floyd, a petition to change the mascot was circulated by a former student who called the mascot "racially obtuse". The administration of Wasilla High announced they would work with the Knik Tribal Council to "design a more culturally appropriate WHS Alaskan Native warrior to reflect the indigenous people of our area."[7] With input from the local Knik Tribe the prior logo, a Lakota Sioux warrior, was replaced with an image of the Dena’ina Athabascan Chief Wasilla, the community’s namesake.[8]
Close-Up is a program that takes students to study in Washington D.C. for one week. The Sister School Exchange program is a one-week student exchange program between students in urban and rural Alaska.[10]
Graduation rate
A Johns Hopkins University study named Wasilla High School as a "dropout factory". Wasilla's dropout rate was 6.5 percent in 2006, a number that was much higher than most of the schools in the Mat-Su district.[11] The study was conducted by finding the difference between a class with 400 freshman students which ended up with 260 seniors four years later. However, the Johns Hopkins study did not follow specific students. If a student started school at Wasilla High and then graduated from another high school, the study would consider him or her a dropout. Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District has an open enrollment policy and it is fairly common for students to transfer from one school to another if their parents find new jobs in other areas. School Board President Sarah Welton said that the study was flawed and that the false impression made on others in the country would be unfortunate.[12] Only 58 percent of incoming freshmen graduate as seniors.[13]
In the spring of 2009, the students of Wasilla High School took a qualifying exam for graduation. The subjects tested were math, writing, and reading. In math, 87 percent of Wasilla's students received a proficient score.[14]
Statewide, 80.2 percent of tenth graders received a proficient score.[15]
In writing, 78.1 percent of Wasilla's students received a proficient score.[14] Statewide, 78.8 percent of tenth graders received a proficient score.[15]
In reading, 94.1 percent of Wasilla's students received a proficient score.[14] Statewide, 90.0 percent of tenth graders received a proficient score.[15]
As of the 2008–2009 school year, Wasilla's graduation rate is 77.8 percent,[14] higher than the statewide graduation rate of 67.6 percent.[15]
In September 2008, Wasilla High had 1300 students.[16]
