Westlake High School (Ohio)

Westlake High School is a public high school located in Westlake, Ohio, west of Cleveland, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Westlake City Schools district. Its principal is Tim Freeman. It has two assistant principals: Paul Kish and Paul Wilson.

Mission Statement

"We educate for excellence...empowering all students to achieve their educational goals, to direct their lives, and to contribute to society."

Arts

The Westlake High School music program has been consistently ranked as one of the top music programs in the state of Ohio. The program features the Class AA Symphonic Wind Ensemble, which has earned the top rating at the Ohio Music Education Association's state contests for the last seven years. The program also has a string orchestra, two jazz ensembles, a concert band, and numerous other small performing groups. Jazz Ensemble I has garnered many awards and is considered to be one of the finest high school Jazz Ensembles in the state. The 160-person Demon Marching Band, known to many as "The Pride of Westlake," is also highly reputed among the teams of the Southwest Conference, and has performed at the Rose Bowl and the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade. Raymond S. Walczuk, the director of the band, was recognized as Westlake's Teacher of the Year in 2005. He teaches the Symphonic Band, Marching band, Chamber Orchestra, and Jazz Ensembles. His instruction has produced many fine musicians who have gone on to study musical performance and music education.

On June 16, 2008, Walczuk established an alumni band open to all former students of the instrumental music program in Westlake.

tudent Information (as of 2006)

Ethnicity:
White, non-Hispanic: 94% (state average: 77%)
Asian or Pacific Islander: 3% (state average: 1%)
Black, non-Hispanic: 2% (state average: 17%)
Multiracial: 1% (state average: 3%)

Subgroups:
Economically disadvantaged students: 5% (state average: 35%)
Disabled students: 11% (state average: 14%)
Gifted students: 24% (state average: 16%)
Migrant students: n/a (state average: <1%)
Limited English proficient (LEP) students: n/a (state average: 2%)

Attendance and Completion: Attendance rate: 95% (state average: 94%)
Mobility rate: 8% (state average: n/a)
Graduation rate: 99% (state average: 86%)

School Discipline:
Fighting/violence incidents:44Vandalism incidents: n/aWeapons incidents: n/aDrug/alcohol incidents: 68

Teacher Information

Teacher Credentials:
Temporary Teaching Certificate: <1%
Fully certified: 100%

Evenly divided, there are 17 students per teacher.

Educational Performance

Performance Index of 2005: 108
Performance Index of 2006: 107
Performance Index of 2007: 108

OGT Results:

Reading
98% (2007)
96% (2006)
97% (2005)
100% (2004)
The state average for Reading was 87% in 2007.

Social Studies
93% (2007)
The state average for Social Studies was 76% in 2007.

Science
92% (2007)
91% (2006)
The state average for Science was 72% in 2007.

Writing
97% (2007)
96% (2006)
93% (2005)
The state average for Writing was 89% in 2007.

Math
94% (2007)
92% (2006)
92% (2005)
100% (2004)
The state average for Math was 81% in 2007.

Clubs

Academic Challenge Team
AFS
Bowling Team
Cheerleading
Choir – Several choices
Cooperative Business
Education Club
Dance/Drill Team
Debate Club
Drama Club/Center Stage Players
Foreign Language Clubs
The Gentlemen's League of Fine Dining
Green & White - Newspaper
Jazz Band
Key Club
Literacy Magazine
Marching Band
Math Club
National Art Honor Society
National Honor Society
PEP Club
PRIDE
Project Support
Orchestra
S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
Ski Club
Student Government
Student Council
Science Olympiad
Tech Mates
Yearbook
WHBS Radio & TV

chool Songs

Alma Mater

High school days are forever dear
But Father Time takes his toll;
Yet the memories will still be near
As we strive toward our goal
So, Westlake, while we are here
Let's be friends firm and true;
We'll all be faithful, dear Alma Mater,
For we'll always be part of you.

Fight Song

Stand up and cheer,
Cheer loud and long
for Westlake High School.
For today we raise,
the Green and White.
Above the rest,
above the rest.
Our boys are fighting
for we are bound to win this game.
We've got the team, Rah! Rah!
We've got the steam, Rah! Rah!
For this is Westlake High School's game!

Trivia

In 2008, the 330 members of the graduating class received diplomas with the word "education" misspelled as "educaiton". The school obtained another print run of the defective diplomas, and provided replacements to the graduating students. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/06/06/diploma.misspell.ap "Can you spell 'education?' This school can't ..."] , CNN, June 6, 2008] [ [http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/06/diploma.html "Westlake High School misspells 'education' on diplomas"] , The Columbus Dispatch, June 6, 2008]

Notable Alumni

* Dan "Big Mac" McDowell, co-host of the BaD Radio Show, a sports-talk radio show airing on KTCK in Dallas, Texas

References

External links

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