16 Aug Back to School at Westbrook Academy
Today marks the first day of the 2022-23 school year for all of our Westbrook Academy 6-12th graders, their families, and our educators. The start of a new school year represents a renewed opportunity for every student to ACHIEVE via an outstanding college and career-oriented education supported by engaging enrichment opportunities and the wrap-around support to succeed. More specifically, Westbrook Academy focuses on developing academic ACHIEVERS, athletes, and activists. To reach that aim, this year, every student in grades 6 to 12 will enhance their civics education and hands-on learning. Our 12th graders will participate in their Capstone projects that feature project-based learning, civic action, and post-secondary planning, all of which will culminate in a digital arts multimedia presentation.
We are also grateful to our educators who came back to school early to participate in an impactful learning experience through the Summer Learning Conference. Teachers worked with experts in literacy, math and other subject areas to better prepare them to accelerate student ACHIEVEMENT. Reflecting our deep commitment to an equitable and inclusive learning environment, teachers focused on successful strategies for students designated as Multilingual Learners and students with learning differences. They are committed to supporting every student to ACHIEVE at their highest level.
The Westbrook Academy was also recently awarded a California Community School designation with accompanying funds to advance a comprehensive education model that the school seeded 6 years ago. In the year to come, students can expect more athletics, arts, electives and after-school enrichment programs to ensure that students
are connected to the school, having fun, and developing skills, attitudes and behaviors that put them on the path to lifelong success. Students will also experience more support and systemic mental health and well-being structures via a deepening of our work around Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) and Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). We are also re-introducing post-COVID, in-person parent education in conjunction with our community college partners to deliver ESL, citizenship, and GED instruction.
We heard from students today that they are excited to be back in school to resume their missed social interactions with peers and educators. The welcome-back hugs remind us of just how critical positive relationships are for healthy youth development–something that COVID has taught us to cultivate and celebrate proactively. As one student said, “My brain is done resting for summer; it’s ready to learn.” The great news is that we are ready to teach and engage!
We are so proud to have our new and returning partners who have all made our schools so successful:
- After School All Stars
- New Teacher Center
- College Match
- Constitutional Rights Foundation
- California Reading and Literature Project through Loyola Marymount University
- East Los Angeles Community College
- LA County Office of Education, PBIS and SELPA
- Los Angeles Trade Tech
- The NoVo Foundation
- No Kid Hungry
- The Orange County Office of Education
- USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
- Wellnest
- St. John’s Well Child & Family Center
On behalf of the talented LA Promise Fund and Westbrook Academy team members, thank you to all. We are pumped up for a fantastic year so “Let’s Go!”
