Westlake Academy staffbrmembers had a busy summer preparing for a year filled new plans to keep the IBbrschool in line with its mission: to provide students with an internationallybrminded education of the highest quality so they are well-balanced andbrrespectful life-long learners.
Teachers and staff attendedbra plethora of training, focusing on International Baccalaureate content andbrprogram mastery, technology, Visible Learning, Great Expectations andbrInternational Mindedness.
A group of teachers evenbrtraveled to San Antonio to participate in a conference withbrnationally-recognized educational leaders. Others went to iPadpalooza in Austinbrto explore ways to increase student engagement, responsibility and criticalbrthinking (the academy has a one-to-one iPad initiative in place).
Earlier this summer,brWestlake Academy hosted its first ever International Mindedness EducatorbrSymposium, which aimed to create a network of schools with which WestlakebrAcademy students could collaborate, thereby increasing international awarenessbrin the classroom.
“We are exceedingly proud ofbrthe outcome. It was indeed a great experience for all. In the upcoming year,brour students from K-12 will collaborate with students from San Miguel,brMonterey, Costa Rica and Argentina,” said Dr. Mechelle Bryson, executive principal/directorbrof education, in a press release.
On Monday and Tuesday evenings,brstudents and parents attended Back to School events to gather helpfulbrinformation and meet the teachers. Tuesday morning, the Town of Westlake municipalbrstaff and Westlake Academy Board of Trustees treated teachers to a breakfastbrbuffet and a few gifts as a way to welcome them back and thank them for workingbrso hard this summer.
“Leadership matters; it starts with schoolbradministration, spreads through the faculty, ignites students and inspires thebrcommunity,” Bryson said. “Our quest to become ‘the best place for teachers tobrteach and for students to learn' is at the forefront of our preparation for thebr2015/2016 school year.”