It’s hard to believe that we are only a few short months away from the end of the year already.  While May is just around the corner we continue to work hard to achieve our goals at Westlake around instruction and school improvement.  In coming in new to Westlake this year, part of my goal has been increase community involvement.  Getting the PTO started was definitely a big part of that goal.  Connecting parents to what is going on through my new Principal’s Blog or previous weekly newsletter, Remind text alerts, updating our website, being very visible at school events and throughout the course of each day, connecting with individuals in the community, etc. are also parts of this goal.  I hope to also increase communication and school connection to the community through the marquee we are currently raising money for as well.  The marquee idea is a single means of communication and as well as a means to ensure Westlake continues to be a community school of excellence.

As you know, with the passing of the bond Westlake will be receiving money for a renovation as well as for instructional upgrades.  We want to focus the bulk of our instructional upgrade money on purchases that will support increased student learning and not on a communication tool like the marquee.  Parents and staff were surveyed in the fall to help inform the main areas of interest for focusing our instructional upgrade money.  The main areas that came out of that survey were around technology, furniture, and large indoor/outdoor spaces.  These categories could include purchases such as chromebooks, 3D printers, items for developing a maker space, mobile furniture for flexible use, climbing wall for the gym, outdoor garden, as a few examples.  We are slated to be receiving the bulk of our bond project work the summer of 2019.

From now and into the future I will be working closely with our PTO and SIT (School Improvement Team) to look at how we can achieve our instructional goals together.  Your insights are critically important so I do hope that you will be able to find a way to either share your thoughts through PTO, SIT, or with me directly. Please feel free to call or e-mail any time. 720.972.5200 or rachel.e.heide@adams12.org.