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Principal's Newsletter

 

  

Dear Westlake Families and Students,

As we move into March, Westlake High School continues to celebrate the accomplishments, creativity, and academic excellence of our students. The month ahead brings continued learning, collaboration, and opportunities for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that define our school community.

 

Celebrating Academic Excellence

 

WHS Class of 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian

We are proud to announce Westlake High School’s valedictorian, Ms. Christina Rodrigues, and salutatorian, Ms. Isabelle Chacko. Both students exemplify the highest level of academic achievement in the graduating class, reflecting years of dedication, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity. Their accomplishments embody the standards of excellence and commitment to learning that define the Westlake High School community. We congratulate Christina and Isabelle on this outstanding achievement and look forward to celebrating their continued success.

Westlake Science Research Earns Regional Recognition

Westlake students earned three major honors at the 2nd Annual UHS Albany Science Research Invitational Symposium, showcasing the depth of inquiry, creativity, and interdisciplinary thinking fostered in our Science Research program.

  • Junior Oliver Wu earned the 2nd Place medal in Physical Sciences and a $300 award for his slide presentation, “Forecasting Local Recessions With a Novel Leading Indicator Using Probabilistic and Logistic Regression Models of Granular Data.” Oliver conducted his research at the CME Group in New York City, demonstrating the power of authentic, real-world research experiences.

  • Sophomore Isabella Munnick received the Science Fiction Contest medal and a $150 award for her original science fiction story, “Twin B.” Her work highlights the intersection of scientific thinking and creative expression.

  • As previously announced by Claudia Papazian, Sophomore Valentina Denet earned the Art & Science Contest medal and a $150 award for her artwork illustrating sophomore Nathaniel Nolan’s research project, “Toward Hearing Restoration: Investigating Regeneration of Inner Ear Hair Cells by Inhibiting Dkk1 to Amplify Wnt Signaling in the Zebrafish Lateral Line.” Valentina’s artwork was selected as the cover for the symposium booklet, an exceptional honor.
     

We commend these students for their innovation, dedication, and commitment to excellence. Their work reflects the Portrait of a Learner attributes we value: creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

 

Spring Musical: Something Rotten!

Our talented students and dedicated staff are hard at work preparing for this year’s spring musical, Something Rotten! This high-energy, comedic production is set in Renaissance England and follows two playwright brothers competing with the wildly popular William Shakespeare. Filled with humor, dynamic choreography, and memorable musical numbers, the show promises to be an entertaining experience for audiences of all ages.

Performance dates are as follows: 

  • Friday, March 13 at 8:00 pm

  • Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 pm

  • Sunday, March 15 at 1:00 pm

  • Friday, March 20 at 8:00 pm

  • Saturday, March 21 at 8:00 pm

You can purchase tickets here! We encourage our community to come out and support our student performers, musicians, and crew members who have devoted countless hours to bringing this production to life.

 

Honors/AP Appeals Process for Students Who Have Not Previously Been Recommended or Who Are New to the District 

Any student wishing to appeal his or her placement into an Honors/AP course that they were not initially recommended for must follow the formal request steps below: 

  1. The student/parent must submit an Honors/AP Course Appeal Parent Waiver (see Waiver on the following page) to their School Counselor as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the 3rd Quarter Marking Period (April 10, 2026).

  2. Upon receipt of the waiver, the teacher of record will evaluate the appeal and issue a decision. 

  3. If the student/parent is not satisfied with the decision, a second appeal may be made to the subject’s Department Chair and the teacher of record. 

  4. If the student/parent is not satisfied with the decision, a third appeal may be made to the High School Principal. 

* The student’s School Counselor will guide each layer of this process as needed. The student/parent should not contact the teacher, but rather work through their School Counselor. 

Upcoming Events

  • 3/6 - Mom Prom

  • 3/12 - Social Studies Honor Society Induction

  • 3/17 - Incoming 9th Grade Parent Orientation Mtg

  • 3/20 - Half Day for Students - Teacher Spring Institute

  • 3/23 - Visual Arts Festival Opening Night

  • 3/25 - Science Honor Society Induction

 

Warm regards,
Daniel Brady
Principal, Westlake High School