WA Parents' Communiqué: Secondary Update
April 16, 2010
Secondary School Update
I’d like to begin this letter with positive news regarding our senior class. As they prepare to depart Westlake Academy we can all share in the excitement and pride of where they are at this point in their road to college. We are excited and proud of our senior class, and they have made great progress in the areas of college admissions and scholarships. I would like to also recognize Mrs. Barron for her work with these endeavors. At the last school Board meeting, Mrs. Barron presented the following exciting information on the status of our seniors.
College Application Update
April 5, 2010
➢ 100% of our students have been accepted to at least one following colleges/universities. April 5, 2010
Washington University **
University of Texas at Austin*
Tulane*
Brandeis**
St. John’s College*
New York University**
Trinity *
Reed*
SMU
Bentley*
Cox School of Business-SMU*
Northeastern*
Southwestern at Georgetown*
University of Virginia**
TCU
Austin College
Boston University*
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Sheffield in England*
University of Dallas
St. Edwards
Abilene Christian University
University of North Texas
Texas Tech
University of Arkansas
Oklahoma State University
Midwestern State University
Sam Houston State
University of Texas at Dallas*
Drury
Texas A&M Galveston
Northern Arizona University
Stephen F. Austin University
University of Alabama
Texas A&M
Oklahoma Christian University
Tarrant County College
Art Institute of Dallas
San Diego State
BaylorJohn V Roach Honors College-TCU*
WAITLISTED
Rice**
Columbia**
Emory**
Pepperdine* Northwestern**
Vanderbilt*
Dartmouth**
According to Peterson’s College and University Almanac, admission is considered:
* * most difficult.
* very difficult.
➢ Students have made decisions to attend: Brandeis, Austin College, University of Colorado at Boulder, UT Austin, OSU, SMU, Texas Tech, Boston, TCU, and UTD.
➢ Collectively, students have been offered over $2,300,000 in scholarship money!
Upcoming Events
Junior/Senior Prom UpdateThe Junior Class is hosting the Junior/Senior Prom this year. The date for this important event is April 23rd.
Please note that senior and junior students who have purchased their tickets by Tuesday (4/20) will be given the option of an early release from school on the day of prom, for preparations for the event. The release time will be at 10:30 release, after 2nd period.
Outside Guests
Students who plan to bring outside guests as prom dates have been asked to complete a Guest Approval Form. The forms are available at school and should be completed by the host family (the Academy family). There is no need or requirement to have the guest sign it. By signing the form, the Westlake host family is vouching for the guest and assuming responsibility for the behavior of the guest. Forms should be returned to the Secondary Office by Thursday (4/22).
Senior Class Graduation
Commencement services for the first graduating class of Westlake Academy, the Class of 2010, will take place on Sunday, May 23rd. The ceremony begins at 2pm at the Marriott Solana in the Westlake Town Center.
Senior Families: Graduation will be an invitation event, with each senior family having the ability to invite 10 guests. The date for graduation rehearsal is still tentatively Thursday, 5/20, during the day.
Senior Banquet
The senior class banquet will take place on May 20th, from 6pm to 10pm, at the Trophy Club Country Club.
G10 Personal Projects
Please be aware that the G10 Personal Projects will be displayed, in the gym on Tuesday, May 4th. This event is open to parents and the community members. The event will take place between 8:30-9:30am. After 9:30, the event will be exclusively for Primary and Secondary students.
Things to note for the upcoming year
There are a few items I’d like to mention in this letter as we begin looking toward next year.
Shuffling the Classes
One of the priorities the Secondary Leadership Team has identified for next year is ensuring each grade level has classes that are mixed. Whether we continue with a similar schedule or a block schedule, one thing that will be addressed, as a priority, is ensuring that classes are better mixed. This obviously has many benefits including the ability to interact with and gain insights from different peers.
Uniforms for next year
The administrative team has been working with our uniform provider, Parker Uniforms, to discuss uniform options for next year. One area that we have collectively seen a need for greater uniform consistency is with uniform shoes.
We have had discussions with Parker regarding their shoe options, and they do provide a variety of shoes at a reasonable and competitive cost that match the needs of Westlake Academy. As we move toward improving clarification and simplification of the school's shoe policy and practice, we have looked to Parker for assistance in that area, as a vendor. Since they do provide a variety of shoes that meet our needs, we have adjusted their status to "preferred vendor" regarding WA shoes for the upcoming year.
What this means is that they will agree to provide the required shoes we ask for our students, and families can feel confident in purchasing their shoes from them with assurances that the shoe will be available. This does not mean, however, that families will be required to use Parker. Families will be permitted to shop elsewhere for their uniform shoes, such as at Academy and other vendors. As we continue to improve consistency in uniforms, this will go a very long way to establish clarity with the shoe options.
Residential Trips and Retreats
I am proud to say that there has been a collaborative effort of teacher-sponsors, grade-level parents, and administrators to develop the framework for residential trips and retreats for the upcoming school year. And we’d like to share these ideas now, so that families will have sufficient notification. Trips are an important and integral part of what we do at Westlake, and I believe the trips and retreats developed for next year make logical sense and compliment the curriculum, learning, and service of the Academy. I would like to recognize Tracy Odom for doing an outstanding job in facilitating this effort. Below is the information the communication from Mrs. Odom regarding trips for next year:
Please Note: The staff recognizes that there are still some significant policy issues related to trips that will continue to be developed with the board. This will occur during the summer months.
Dear parents,
The purpose of this communication is to inform you about the residential trip and grade level retreats for the 2010-2011 school year. Residential trips are a vital part of the learning environment at Westlake Academy, as they serve as extensions of the classroom-learning environment. The selected trips have been chosen for their connection to the curriculum at Westlake Academy. Because we feel strongly about the benefit of residential trips and retreats we are providing the schedule and tentative costs of both the residential trips and retreats ahead of time to further help you plan and prepare. Prices are based on student participation and current travel rates. Please note that in order for residential trips to take place, two-thirds of the students in the grade must attend.
These activities will occur two periods out of the school year: October and April. The information regarding cost, dates, and the destinations are outlined below and are designed to provide you with predictable information you can use for your planning purposes.
In addition to the scheduled residential trips during the school year, there is an effort underway to allow students to also have an opportunity to venture abroad during the summer months accompanied by a school sponsor with a specific study as the core of the trip. For example, there are trips being designed so that students may opt to visit the NASA Science Center or Europe for an English book study tour. More details regarding the plan for the academically focused summer trips will be outlined and provided at a later date.
Here is information for the residential trips and retreats, which is subject to change.
2010-2011 School year
Grade Residential Trip Approx. Cost
Grade 7 Eagle Journey Quest /Fall Trip $350
Retreat /TBD $100
Camp Eagle Journey is a customized educational outdoor adventure program. Students will explore the Texas Hill Country and learn about everything from geology to plant classification.
www.campeagle.org.
Grade 8 Boston/Washington D.C./Spring Trip $1,250
Retreat/TBD $100
Students will experience the rich culture of Washington D.C. to see firsthand the inner workings of our nation’s capitol. Also as part one of the 8th grade options, students will be able to take in one of our nation’s oldest and historic cities. Boston is home to one of the oldest most prestigious universities in the country, Harvard. Grade 9 Concordia Language Villages/Fall Trip $1,000
Minnesota
Retreat /TBD $100
Concordia Language Villages will give our students a most authentic Spanish cultural experience possible through language immersion. The program’s core goals are to promote learning of the Spanish language, promote global understanding and create citizens of the world. www.concordialanguagevillages.org.Grade 10 Concordia Language Villages/Fall Trip $1,000
Minnesota
Retreat /TBD $100
Concordia Language Villages will give our students a most authentic Spanish cultural experience possible through language immersion. The program’s core goals are to promote learning of the Spanish language, promote global understanding and create citizens of the world. www.concordialanguagevillages.org.Grade 11 Heifer Project/Fall Trip $500
Arkansas
Retreat/TBD $200
The Heifer villages are located on the Heifer global village Perry, Arkansas. This hands-on global educational facility introduces students to hunger and poverty around the world through real life experiences. www.heifer.org.Grade 12 Senior’s Choice/End of the Year $1,000
Each senior class will have the opportunity to choose the destination for their residential trip. The trip will take place after IB examinations are completed.
Sincerely yours,
Mark J. Garcia
Head of Secondary
Westlake Academy